Thermalright continues its relentless pace of launches with the unveiling of the Levita Vision AIO series, a liquid cooling lineup that seemingly wants to turn your CPU socket into a tablet.

Looking at the new Levita Vision AIO series, what stands out the most is undoubtedly the massive 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display mounted atop the water block, boasting a 2400 x 1080 resolution. While we have seen plenty of LCD-equipped coolers recently, Thermalright is pushing the boundary by offering a screen size and clarity that outclass most of the premium competition. This display is magnetically attached for ease of installation and can be fully customised with real-time monitoring data, custom images, or video playback via the company's dedicated software.

Builders should take note of the physical presence this unit requires, as the inclusion of such a display results in a water block height of 113.9 mm. This makes it one of the tallest blocks on the market, which will certainly present compatibility challenges for those trying to squeeze it into compact SFF chassis or cases with limited top-mount clearance. Under the hood, the cooling is driven by a high-efficiency pump rated at 3000 RPM. Available in black and white, the series is launching in two distinct variants: the Levita Vision UB and the Levita Vision Classic.

The primary difference between these models lies in the fan configuration. The UB variant uses the TL-UB36, a single-frame 360mm fan unit designed to minimise cable clutter and simplify the mounting process. These fans operate at up to 2150 RPM, delivering 69.0 CFM of airflow and 2.87 mmH2O of static pressure at a rated noise level of 27.0 dBA. For those who prefer traditional individual fans, the standard version uses the TL-M12Q, which spins at 2000 RPM, with a rated noise of 28.2 dBA and a static pressure of 2.21 mmH2O. Compatibility is extensive, covering everything from Intel LGA 115x and 20xx sockets to LGA 1851 and AMD's AM5 platforms.

KitGuru says: Thermalright is making a serious play for the high-end market while likely maintaining its reputation for aggressive pricing. The 6.67-inch AMOLED screen is quite impressive, though you will need a fairly spacious case to accommodate it.

The post Thermalright unveils Levita Vision AIO with massive 6.67-inch AMOLED screen first appeared on KitGuru.

Sony has begun rolling out a new hardware revision for the PlayStation 5 Pro, moving from the launch-day CFI-7000 series to the new CFI-7100B01 chassis. While the external aesthetics remain identical to the original Pro model, there are some internal changes to improve power efficiency, thermal management, and acoustic profile. This refresh follows Sony's long-standing tradition of iterating on hardware to reduce manufacturing costs and improve long-term reliability without altering the baseline performance metrics.

The most important change in the CFI-7100B01 revision (via Guru3D) lies in a new stepping for the AMD-designed APU. By refining the silicon, Sony has shaved approximately 4% off the total system power draw during intensive gaming. While a 4% reduction might sound marginal, the lower power consumption directly translates into less heat. To complement this, the internal cooling solution has been redesigned with a more efficient heatsink and a revised fan curve. These modifications result in a measurable 2dB drop in fan noise.

Perhaps the most important improvement for the end-user comes packaged with the console rather than inside it. The revised DualSense V2 (CFI-ZCT2W) controller, now shipping with these new bundles, features a revamped internal circuit board and an optimised battery configuration. Early teardowns and user reports suggest a roughly 50% increase in battery life, pushing the controller's runtime closer to 12–15 hours. This improvement is achieved partly through hardware optimisation and the removal of the secondary noise-cancelling microphone, a trade-off that most gamers will likely find acceptable in exchange for significantly fewer trips to the charging cable.

Despite these internal advancements and the inclusion of the revised controller, Sony is maintaining the console's price tag. For those looking to identify the new version in the wild, the model number CFI-7100 on the packaging is the key indicator of the refreshed internal hardware.

KitGuru says: While existing PS5 Pro owners certainly don't need to rush out for an upgrade, the combination of a quieter fan and a DualSense that actually lasts through a long Sunday session makes the CFI-7100 the best version of the console for new adopters.

The post Sony quietly refreshes PlayStation 5 Pro with more efficient ‘CFI-7100’ revision first appeared on KitGuru.

Thermaltake is updating its mainstream TH series with the new redesigned V3 family. The most immediate change is a departure from the circular “porthole” aesthetic of the previous generation in favour of a cleaner, more industrial square pump head. The series continues the trend of offering two distinct versions: one featuring an LCD segment for real-time monitoring and another utilising an infinity mirror.

The “Ultra” equivalent in this new lineup is the TH-S V3 ARGB Sync, which features a 3.95-inch LCD that displays data such as CPU temperature, clock speed, and power consumption. It is powered by the new TT Segment Code software, which allows for quick setup without the heavy resource overhead of more complex suites. For those who prefer a non-display aesthetic, the standard TH V3 utilises a multi-layered infinity mirror with a central TT logo.

A nice touch added to the new V3 family is the magnetic detachable top cover. This allows users to physically rotate the pump cap to ensure the display or logo is oriented correctly, regardless of which way the tubes are facing. Thermaltake is also leaning heavily into cable management with the TH V3, shipping both the 240 mm and 360 mm models with fans integrated into a single-frame unit. While it mimics the look of separate 120 mm fans, it is a single structural piece that significantly reduces the number of PWM and ARGB cables required.

These fans seem quite capable, reaching speeds of 2500 RPM and pushing a massive 85.29 CFM of airflow with 3.86 mmH2O of static pressure. At full power, the fans are rated at 37.8 dBA.

KitGuru says: Do you think it was a good idea to switch from individual fans to a single-frame set in the new V3 series?

The post Thermaltake brings back square CPU blocks with new TH V3 AIO liquid cooler first appeared on KitGuru.

Last week, Ubisoft was forced to take Rainbow Six Siege offline after a hacker breached systems to doll out bans, unbans, game-wide system messages and even free premium skins. Now after several days of downtime, Siege if back online. 

Ubisoft has confirmed this week that after conducting some live tests, Rainbow Six Siege is now back online for all players. At this stage, services are fully ramped up again, so players should have no more issues connecting to the game.

This update also means that the rollback to December 27th's market conditions is complete. No players will be banned for spending the free credits that were gifted by hackers but with this update now complete, your balance and inventory will also be reverted to whatever it was on December 27th before the hack.

We still don't know much about the attack or how it occurred. Ubisoft is still going through its investigation although the specific outcomes of that investigation may not be made public.

KitGuru Says: Have you jumped back on Rainbow Six Siege since the attack? Have you faced any issues? 

The post Rainbow Six Siege is now back online while Ubisoft continues investigating hack first appeared on KitGuru.

As part of the latest update for Monster Hunter Wilds, dataminers discovered code relating to a potential Nintendo Switch 2 version being in the works currently. While neither Capcom nor Nintendo have officially commented on the matter, further datamining has uncovered even more details pertaining to a Switch 2 release for MH: Wilds.

Following on from yesterday’s leak which indicated that Capcom is working on a Switch 2 version of Monster Hunter Wilds, dataminers have now uncovered further evidence of its existence, including some of the compromises being made for the port.

According to the latest infodump, the Switch 2 version of Monster Hunter Wilds will feature its own bespoke DLSS preset similar to that of other Nintendo Switch 2 releases.

Though of course subject to change, the port also appears to cull its NPCs at a much more aggressive rate when compared to other versions.

That said, by far the most interesting revelation is the fact that MH: Wilds on the Switch 2 looks set to support local multiplayer. It’s worth noting that this does not mean split-screen multiplayer, but using two Switches on a local network.

Still, it will be interesting to see whether these cutbacks are enough to get the game running competently on the Switch 2. We will have to wait for an official announcement to find out.

KitGuru says: Have you been waiting for Wilds to come to Switch 2? How do you think the port will perform? Are you pleased with the current state of the PC version? Let us know down below.

The post New leaks indicate Monster Hunter Wilds on Switch 2 will support local multiplayer first appeared on KitGuru.

While a select few developers were able to get their hands on Nintendo Switch 2 dev kits far in advance of the console’s release, many others were left waiting for Nintendo to make additional units available. With the Switch 2 now over 6 months into its life however, it appears as though the console maker has managed to stabilise its production and release of Switch 2 dev kits.

In the months following the Switch 2’s launch, many developers revealed that they would love to bring their games over to Nintendo’s latest and greatest, however a lack of development kits were causing delays.

Fortunately, it appears as though the backlog has now been cleared, with known industry insider NateTheHate taking to the ‘famiboards’ forum to claim that “the [Switch 2] devkit delivery situation has largely been resolved.”

This response was made in reference to recent rumours which stated that Call of Duty could be coming to Switch 2 in the coming months, with Nate noting: “In the case of COD… it doesn't mean they got a devkit super late, either. Just late enough that they couldn't get the work done to launch the game sooner.”

Regardless, it is encouraging to see that more 3rd party developers are now able to properly start working on Switch 2 ports of their previous (or upcoming) releases. It will be interesting to see how long exactly we’ll have to wait for COD to get announced for Switch 2.

KitGuru says: Have you been disappointed by the relative lack of 3rd party support so far? What games do you hope are being worked on right now? Let us know down below.

The post Switch 2’s dev kits supply issues have “largely been resolved” according to insider first appeared on KitGuru.

Initially announced under the title Project L, Riot Games officially unveiled 2XKO back in early 2024 as their next big spin-off based on the ever popular world of League of Legends. Previously said to be launching on consoles in January 2026, a new trailer was prematurely published confirming the fighting game’s full release date.

As discovered by ResetEra user Neoxon, Riot Games temporarily published a trailer early which confirmed that the recently-released fighter 2XKO will indeed be hitting its January 2026 target for a console release – with the game said to be launching on the 20th.

This means that Season 1 of 2XKO should also arrive on the same day, as the team previously claimed that its console launch will coincide with the game's first Season.

For the uninitiated, 2XKO is a free-to-play 2v2 fighter set in the world of League of Legends. Officially released back in September on PC, the game currently features a total of 11 playable characters, with more coming during the aforementioned Season 1.

Developing a fighting game is no easy task, and so it will be interesting to see what console players think of 2XKO when it arrives in just a couple weeks’ time – especially with Marvel Tokon also on the way.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to the console release? Have you tried it on PC yet? Which characters do you hope are added early on in its post-launch life? Let us know down below.

The post 2XKO console release date accidentally confirmed via new trailer first appeared on KitGuru.

With 2025 almost at an end, Valve has now published its list of the highest grossing games of the year. Featuring a mix of both old and new releases, some of this year’s best-sellers include known quantities such as Call of Duty alongside indie hits like Schedule 1.

Available to view on their website, Valve has shared its official list of the best-performing games of 2025 across a number of categories. Though not offered in any particular order, the 12 highest-grossing games of the year by revenue were as follows:

• TES IV: Oblivion Remastered
• Civilization VII
• Borderlands 4
• Battlefield 6
• Arc Raiders
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• EA Sports FC26
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Dune Awakening
• Hollow Knight Silksong
• Schedule 1
• Kingdom Come Deliverance II

As mentioned, while these are the top 12 for 2025, the games listed above were not given specific rankings within themselves and so it is unknown which exact game took the number 1 spot.

Alongside new releases, Valve also shared a list of the highest grossing games of 2025 irrespective of their launch year. While many of the top 12 remain the same, Marvel Rivals; DOTA 2; Apex Legends; PUBG; CS2; Call of Duty and R.E.P.O managed to kick Oblivion; Civ; FC26; Nightreign; Dune; Silksong and KCDII out of ‘platinum’ status.

The full breakdown for Steam’s 2025 can be found HERE and includes additional rankings for game demos; titles played on Steam Deck; VR and more.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Steam’s top games of 2025? Did your favourite make the list? Which of the top 12 do you think sold the highest number of copies? Let us know down below.

The post Valve reveals the highest-selling Steam games of 2025 first appeared on KitGuru.

For the final day of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with NZXT to offer up THREE prize bundles. Two winners today will each get a brand-new set of gaming peripherals, while a third winner will get a new case and AIO liquid cooler, creating a perfect starting point for your next build.

The Gaming Gear bundle includes four products – an NZXT Function Elite keyboard, an NZXT Lift Elite wireless mouse, an extra large mouse mat to go with it, as well as an NZXT Capsule Elite microphone to upgrade your in-game comms and give you the audio boost needed to get into something like livestreaming. One winner will receive an all-white set of these peripherals while another winner will receive a black set.

The second bundle in our prize list today includes the NZXT H9 Flow RGB+ chassis, a dual-chamber PC case designed to show off your hardware, with included RGB lighting and lots of airflow to keep components cool. The winner will also get an NZXT Kraken Core 360mm AIO liquid cooler, which is powerful enough for the latest high-end CPUs from AMD and Intel. The winner of this set will get to choose between black or white colour options.

How to Enter:

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is head over to our competition announcement post on Facebook, HERE. In the comments, leave an answer to the following question – What game are you most looking forward to in 2026? 

This competition is in the UK and EU. 

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT January 1st. As this is the last day of the Advent Calendar, there will not be another giveaway tomorrow. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open UK and EU starting at 11AM GMT on December 31sr and ending at 10:59AM GMT on January 1st 2026. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: This is the last giveaway of the 2025 KitGuru Advent Calendar so get your entries in! We'll be back tomorrow to announce the winners. 

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 31: Win one of THREE NZXT hardware bundles! first appeared on KitGuru.

In a move that marks the end of an era for the CD Projekt Group, the company has officially offloaded its digital distribution platform, GOG.com. The buyer is Michał Kiciński, a co-founder and major stakeholder in CD Projekt, who has purchased 100% of the storefront's shares for 90.7 million Polish Zloty (approximately £19 million).

Launched in 2008 as “Good Old Games”, GOG was initially envisioned as a DRM-free sanctuary for classic PC titles and as a direct alternative to Steam. Over the last few years, it has evolved into a major player in the preservation space, though its financial footprint has remained a fraction of its competitors'. In a blog post, the two parties explain that the decision to divest GOG follows a broader strategic shift at CD Projekt, as the Polish company seeks to funnel its resources almost entirely into game development.

Despite the change in ownership, the transition appears to be a “returning to its roots” moment rather than a corporate restructuring. Kiciński, who helped build the platform's original philosophy, has confirmed that GOG will remain a staunchly independent entity. The platform's core tenets, which include DRM-free installers, the optional GOG Galaxy client, and the recently expanded Game Preservation Program, are set to remain the central pillars of the business.

For the average gamer, very little is expected to change at the checkout. An ongoing distribution agreement ensures that titles like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077 will remain available on the platform without DRM. Furthermore, future releases from CD Projekt Red are still slated to land on the storefront, albeit under the same independent publishing terms offered to other developers. This move may actually benefit GOG's relations with third-party publishers, as it removes the perceived “conflict of interest” of being owned by a rival game studio.

KitGuru says: This is likely the best possible outcome for GOG fans. By moving into the private hands of its original co-founder, the platform is shielded from the pressure of CD Projekt's public shareholders, who might have prioritised higher margins over the “DRM-free” mission. As long as Kiciński is willing to tolerate the thin profits for the sake of preservation, GOG remains the most ethical corner of the digital game market.

The post CD Projekt co-founder acquires GOG first appeared on KitGuru.

Across consoles and PC, 2026 is shaping up to deliver a wave of high‑profile releases that span genres, budgets, and audiences. Established franchises are returning with new entries, while several studios are preparing to debut original projects that have been in development for years. It’s a year that promises both scale and variety, making it one of the most closely watched release calendars in recent memory.

Naturally, any ‘most anticipated' list for 2026 would have to start with what is likely to be the biggest game of the current console generation – Grand Theft Auto 6. After multiple delays, Rockstar will finally launch its next-generation GTA title in November, promising an all-new GTA Online experience, as well as a massive, open-world campaign starring dual-protagonists on the run from the law. Unfortunately, the game is only announced for Xbox Series X/S and PS5 consoles at this time, so PC players will likely be waiting until 2027 or potentially even 2028 to get their hands on the game. Considering Grand Theft Auto V went on to become the best-selling console game of all time, there are extremely high expectations for this sequel.

The Winters saga began with Resident Evil 7 back in 2017 and continued with Resident Evil Village in 2021. Resident Evil 9 will be the grand finale to this modern trilogy of Resident Evil titles, starring what is likely to be multiple protagonists, a departure from the previous two games, where players filled the shoes of Ethan Winters. Aside from closing out the current saga, we also expect Resident Evil 9 to introduce new plot threads to set up future mainline games, even if future titles focus on different characters and horrors.

007: First Light is the first non-Hitman game from IO Interactive in more than a decade. If you've played Hitman 2016, or the other newer entries, then you'll know that IO Interactive is perhaps the perfect studio to tackle an original James Bond game. The newer Hitman games have elements of investigation and subterfuge built into the gameplay loop and prior to that, IO Interactive had a very good handle on action-oriented gameplay in titles like Hitman Absolution. If we can get a good combination of those two styles with exciting levels across the campaign, then 007: First Light should be a great success when it releases in May.

After numerous delays and a lengthy 8-year development cycle, the Fable reboot should launch within the next 12 months. This will be a major turning point for Playground Games, as the studio has never made an RPG before, and the studio is also working on new Forza Horizon games alongside Fable. If the game turns out to be bad, fans will lose further trust in Microsoft, who have been suffering from bad PR throughout 2025 thanks to game cancellations, studio closures and price hikes. If it turns out to be good, then the Xbox brand may finally have its first GOTY contender.

As someone who spent many formative years sat in front of an Xbox 360, the Gears of War games have been a longtime favourite of mine. Gears E-Day is not a sequel to Gears 5, but rather a prequel to the very first game in the series, putting Marcus Fenix on the front lines of the initial swarm invasion. I'm not expecting this game to sit in GOTY territory, but I'm always happy to mow down some aliens with Fenix and Co.

Control: Resonant was just announced. It is a direct sequel to Control, which was my favourite game of 2019 and I still consider it to be Remedy Entertainment's best work to date. In this sequel, rather than playing as Jesse Faden searching for her brother, the roles are reversed, and we will be playing as Liam Faden, searching for Jesse after she has taken on her new role as Director of the FBC. Remedy is aiming to release this one in 2026 but out of all the games on this list – this is the title I'm most expecting to see delayed.

I'll end off this list with another game that may also be delayed out of 2026. Blood of Dawnwalker is a new game from Rebel Wolves, a studio founded by former Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 developers. This is a new Dark Gothic RPG, featuring blood magic, supernatural factions and more. Considering Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 failed to live up to expectations, this new game would be one to watch for fans of that series, even if it isn't connected.

KitGuru Says: What games are you most looking forward to in 2026?

The post KitGuru Games: Most Anticipated Games for 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.

A new report outlining the projected timeline for CD Projekt's future releases has been published with some surprises. The most unexpected claim in the analysis is the upcoming launch of a third, paid expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which the analyst believes will launch in May 2026 to act as a narrative and commercial bridge to the next mainline entry.

This supposed DLC is expected to carry a $30/£25 price tag and could shift as many as 11 million copies in its first year. Mateusz Chrzanowski from Noble Securities (via Strefa Inwestorow) suggests that the revenue from this project would effectively bankroll the massive marketing campaign required for the launch of The Witcher 4, which he now forecasts for a Q4 2027 release.

The financial scale of these upcoming projects is enormous. The analyst estimates that the production budget for Polaris alone will reach approximately 1.4 billion PLN (about £290 million), with a similar amount for global marketing. Moreover, the analyst notes that CD Projekt management intends to release the new trilogy within a six-year window.

Beyond the fantasy realm of the Continent, the timeline for the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, codenamed Orion, has also been clarified in the report. Fans of Night City will reportedly need to remain patient, as Chrzanowski predicts the sequel will not arrive until Q4 2030, neatly aligning with the tenth anniversary of the original game's launch. The extended development cycle is attributed to the studio's desire to bake multiplayer functionality into the experience from day one. This added complexity has pushed the projected budget for Orion to 1.5 billion PLN (about £310 million).

Meanwhile, other projects have seen a series of reshuffles, with the remake of the original Witcher and the experimental Project Sirius both being pushed back to 2028, as resources are reportedly being diverted to ensure the flagship Polaris title hits its 2027 deadline.

KitGuru says: The idea of a paid expansion for an eleven-year-old game sounds like a stretch, but the logic of a “narrative bridge” to fund the Polaris marketing is hard to ignore from a business perspective.

The post Rumour claims new Witcher 3 DLC is coming next year first appeared on KitGuru.

The end of 2025 feels like a strange time to review this 32GB kit of dual channel ADATA XPG Lancer RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 memory, and that is for two reasons. The first is that demand for AI hardware has gone wild which means that supplies are short and the second is that prices has shot up towards the stars. In other words this XPG Lancer memory is hard to find and also brutally expensive.

Time stamps

00:00 Start
01:00 Speed / Timings
01:57 Under the heat spreader
03:50 Test System / Compares
04:48 Testing Memory speeds / timings
08:17 The claims
08:34 Cinebench Performance
09:08 7-ZIP Performance
09:49 AIDA 64 Memory Bandwidth
10:07 AIDA 64 Memory Copy
10:27 Far Cry 6
11:31 Assassins Creed Mirage
12:17 Cyberpunk 2077
12:50 Total War: Pharaoh
13:43 Pricing – the current shambles
15:11 RGB Lighting
15:33 Leo’s closing thoughts

 

Specification:
Heat Sink Colour: Black, White
SPD Speed: 4800MT/s
SPD CAS Latencies: 40-39-39
SPD Voltage: 1.1V
Test Speed: 6000/6400/7200/8000MT/s
Test CAS Latencies: 30-40-40/32-39-39/34-46-46/38-48-48
Module size: 16GB, 32GB, 48GB
Packaging: 16GB,16GBx2/32GB,32GBx2/48GB,48GBx2
Operating temperature: 0°C to 85°C
Operating voltage: 1.35-1.4V
Dimensions (LxWxH): 133.35 x 43.56 x 8mm
Weight: 72.4g
Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty

Performance and Overclocking

Test system
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Motherboard: Gigabyte X870E Aorus Pro X3D Ice
RAM:
32GB ADATA XPG Lancer RGB DDR5-6000 CL30
32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 CL28
32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal Neo RGB DDR5-8000 CL38

Graphics: MSI RTX 4090 Ventus 3S 24GB
CPU cooler: Phanteks Glacier One 360D30
SSD: 1TB Crucial T500 Gen 5 M.2 NVMe
Power Supply: Seasonic Vertex GX-1200
OS: Windows 11 25 H2

Cinebench 2024 Multi Core

In Cinebench 2024 Multi Core we see that overclocking the XPG memory from DDR5-6000 to DDR5-7200 yields a small benefit and lifts the performance close to G.Skill DDR5-8000.

AIDA64 Memory Copy

The AIDA64 Memory Copy test shows a clear separation between the different memory settings and rewards both clock speed and latency timings. Once again the overclocked XPG comes close to G.Skill DDR5-8000.

Total War Pharaoh at 1440p

In gaming we ran Total War Pharaoh at 1440p and saw the memory makes quite a difference, particularly in 1% low figures. On default at DDR5-4800 you leave a load of performance on the table which you gain for free when you enable EXPO. Overclocking the memory lifted averages by another 2fps and raised the 1% low by 4fps.

Total War Pharaoh at 1080p

The biggest differential for overclocked memory can be shown when you game at 1080p, in this instance playing Total War Pharaoh. The default figures are awful and the EXPO figures are pretty good. Overclocking the memory adds yet more performance without a huge amount of effort.

Closing Thoughts

This is an unusual review as we struggled to find this kit of ADATA XPG Lancer RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 on sale in Europe, and those kits that are available cost an absolute fortune. At that point we took a step back and decided to morph our review into a feature about mainsteam DDR5 memory with eight SK.Hynix ICs that have RGB lighting on top of the aluminium heat spreaders.

This is where things get interesting as we were able to run our DDR5-6000 at DDR5-6800 or DDR5-7200 with rock solid reliability and it felt like DDR5-7600 was also within reach. As you will see in our video the combination of clock speed and memory timings makes a huge difference to the performance that you achieve. It is clear that enabling EXPO delivers most of the available performance with the minimum of hassle, however you can pick up a few extra points if you choose to put in the work with some overclocking.

If you want to buy the ADATA XPG LANCER RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 you might struggle to find it, and if you do find it expect to pay a small fortune – such is the world right now for DDR5 prices. Let us hope 2026 improves a little. Our score below is based on a MSRP of between £150-£200 which is what it was listed at before stock started to dwindle.

Pros:

• Decent performance at EXPO settings
• RGB lighting control is good
• Extra performance is available for overclockers.

Cons:

• The price of memory is horribly high
• This particular kit of ADATA XPG Lancer RGB is fairly generic

KitGuru says: We have all had a shock with the steep rise of memory pices in 2025 but you should learn something interesting from this ADATA XPG Lancer RGB DDR5-6000 CL30

The post ADATA XPG Lancer RGB DDR5-6000 Review – but can you afford it? first appeared on KitGuru.

Maxon has officially released Cinebench 2026, the latest version of its cross-platform benchmarking suite. Building on the foundation of Cinebench 2024, the new iteration transitions to the latest Redshift rendering engine, offering a more accurate reflection of modern 3D production workloads while adding day-one support for next-generation hardware from Nvidia, AMD, and Apple.

The most significant update in this release is the expansion of hardware compatibility. Cinebench 2026 is fully optimised for Nvidia's Blackwell (RTX 50-series) and AMD's Radeon 9000-series GPUs. It also supports data centre hardware, including Nvidia Hopper and Blackwell enterprise chips. On mobile and Mac, the benchmark now natively supports Apple's M4 and M5 silicon.

Cinebench 2026 also introduces a more granular approach to CPU evaluation. For the first time, Maxon has included a dedicated SMT (Simultaneous Multithreading) performance test. This allows users to benchmark a single physical core with and without its virtual threads active, providing a direct “MP Ratio” for single-core efficiency. This feature will be handy for comparing architectures, such as Intel's E-cores, with traditional high-performance cores.

As with previous major version jumps, Maxon warns that Cinebench 2026 scores are not comparable to Cinebench 2024. The update utilises a newer version of the Redshift engine and updated compilers (Clang 19), which fundamentally change how the scene is rendered. To ensure stability during testing, the benchmark retains its 10-minute minimum runtime by default, though an “Advanced Benchmark” mode remains available for those who wish to perform longer thermal stress tests.

System requirements have also seen a slight bump. To run the GPU benchmark, Windows users will need a card with at least 8 GB of VRAM, while Mac users on Apple Silicon will require at least 16 GB of unified memory for GPU acceleration. The benchmark is available for free from the official Maxon website for Windows and macOS.

KitGuru says: The addition of an SMT test is a nice touch, especially as we see more “hybrid” CPU architectures hitting the market.

The post Maxon launches Cinebench 2026 with Blackwell support and new SMT testing first appeared on KitGuru.

2025 has been a pretty bad year for the video games industry all things considered. While the quality of the games themselves have remained high, issues surrounding industry consolidation, inflation and more have left a lasting negative impact on the overall market. Perhaps the most destructive however has been the rise in AI data-centres leading to deep RAM shortages and heavy price increases. Already impacting the industry massively, insiders have claimed that console manufacturers are now considering delaying their next-gen plans.

As reported by known leakers Insider-Gaming, the current and ongoing rise in RAM prices as a result of the influx in AI data centres has put console manufacturers in a sticky situation.

While the likes of Sony are said to have stocked up on RAM prior to the recent gold rush allowing them to continue producing PS5 consoles, manufacturers’ next-gen plans have reportedly been complicated somewhat, with the publication claiming:

“From what we understand, the situation has led console manufacturers to debate whether the next generation of consoles should be delayed from their intended 2027-2028 release window, with the hope that RAM manufacturers will be able to build out their infrastructure to produce more RAM, thereby allowing prices to drop.”

In many people’s eyes, the massive surge in demand for RAM due to AI is nothing more than a tech bubble – one which will inevitably burst. How long that will take; we will have to wait and see, but it is clear that as of right now next-gen consoles are in a bit of a state of limbo.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the whole AI RAM situation? How long before the bubble bursts? When do you think next-gen consoles should be released? Let us know down below.

The post Insiders claim next-gen consoles could be delayed due to RAM prices first appeared on KitGuru.

Monster Hunter Wilds started its life as one of the most anticipated titles of 2025. While the game benefited from a strong launch, various performance and visual issues led to the game seeing a sharp decline in sales. With the recent Title Update 4 finally marking a point of stability for Wilds, it appears as though Capcom are gearing up to release the game onto the Nintendo Switch 2.

As discovered by dataminers (and shared to the MonsterHunterLeaks subreddit), the recent title update 4 for Monster Hunter Wilds appears to include references to the Nintendo Switch 2, indicating that Capcom might be working on a Nintendo version of the game.

As mentioned, Monster Hunter Wilds suffered from plenty of performance issues across the board at launch, including on high-end PC hardware, and so releasing a Switch 2 version alongside all the others would have certainly been inadvisable.

That said, with the publisher continuing to optimise the experience (alongside their increased knowledge of Switch 2 development thanks to other Capcom projects), a Switch 2 version could at some point be a reality.

While the series initially started on the PS2, Monster Hunter has had a strong presence on Nintendo platforms over the years, with the OG Switch receiving its own unique entry in the form of MH Rise (though it did eventually come to all other systems).

Given their continued work on optimising the game, here’s to hoping that we’ll get another major performance patch some time in 2026 – likely around the same time that the Switch 2 version is announced/released.

KitGuru says: What do you think of title update 4? Has it fixed most of the performance issues for you? Do you have high hopes for the Switch 2 version? Let us know down below.

The post Monster Hunter Wilds update hints at upcoming Switch 2 release first appeared on KitGuru.

More than a decade on from its predecessor’s release, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time launched earlier this year to near immediate success – selling half a million copies in its first few days. In the months since, the game has continued to grow both in terms of content and player counts, with the team now revealing that Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time has officially sold over 1.5 million copies.

Making the announcement via Twitter, the CEO of LEVEL5 ‘Akihiro Hino’ confirmed that Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time has officially sold over 1.5 million copies since its launch back in May, writing (via translation):

“To all the users who purchased it, thank you so much! We will continue to create engaging, high-quality software, so we look forward to your continued support!”

As mentioned, this announcement arrives just days following the game’s biggest update yet, with patch 2.0 introducing a whole new open-world rogue-like mode alongside an additional region; quality-of-life improvements; weapons; mounts and much more.

Given that a similar rogue-like mode was added to Donkey Kong Bananza via a paid DLC, it is encouraging to see other developers offer substantial content updates for free – all the while being rewarded for it with increased sales. It will be interesting to see what else is planned for the future of Fantasy Life i in 2026 and beyond.

KitGuru says: Are you one of the 1.5 million? Have you checked out the new rogue-like mode? What do you think? Let us know down below.

The post Free rogue-like mode update helps push ‘Fantasy Life i’ past 1.5 million sales first appeared on KitGuru.

Update: This competition is now CLOSED. Our winners today are Jim Wendel and Matthew Collier! There is one last competition left in the advent calendar, which you can find HERE. 

For Day 30 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with Seagate to give TWO winners today a major storage upgrade. One winner today will get a Firecuda 530R 1TB SSD and a second winner will get an 8TB Seagate Game Drive Hub for Xbox!

While the Game Drive Hub for Xbox is an officially licensed Xbox product, it can also be used with PCs via a USB connection. You'll have a massive 8TB of storage to fill up, making it ideal for both games and media storage. The Firecuda 530R SSD on the other hand is intended for PCs, with PCIe Gen 4 NVMe compatibility, an M.2 form factor and read/write speeds up to 7400MB/s and 6900MB/s respectively.

How to Enter:

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

#SeagateFireCuda #SeagateGaming #GameDrive #FireCudaSeagate2025

This competition is in the UK, as well as Benelux and Nordic regions.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 30th, and a new competition will be announced for Day 30. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open UK, as well as Benelux and Nordic regions, starting at 11AM GMT on December 30th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 31st. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to all who enter, we'll be back tomorrow morning to announce a winner and turn the calendar over to Day 31!

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 30: Win a Seagate M.2 SSD or 8TB Game Drive Hub! (Closed) first appeared on KitGuru.

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

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

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

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

The post Asus gears up for CES 2026 with new ROG OLEDs and “Neo” series motherboards first appeared on KitGuru.

First released back in 2021 for PlayStation and PC, Guilty Gear Strive is the latest entry in the long-running and much loved 2.5D fighting series from Arc System Works. While the studio continues to work on the upcoming Marvel Tokon, Strive is still seeing plenty of support – with the previously-announced 2.0 update now being officially detailed.

Releasing a blogpost discussing the game’s next major update, Arc System Works producer Ken Miyauchi revealed just how transformative patch 2.0 should be, writing:

“With Version 2.0 and beyond, our goal is not simply to adjust characters or add new content, but to prepare updates that offer a refreshed overall experience—one that feels engaging, almost like picking up a new game.”

2.0 specifically is being labelled as “a milestone: an opportunity to review and refine what we have built so far, and to take the next step forward for Guilty Gear -Strive-.”

Even so, the update looks to be pretty substantial, with Arc confirming that the launch of 2.0 will arrive alongside a new playable character – with many other pre-existing characters said to be seeing “changes that go beyond standard tuning, including potential reworks.”

Finally, the team offered a few specifics on some characters which are set to receive changes, including new moves for Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, Nagoriyuki, and Leo Whitefang.

Guilty Gear Strive is easily one of Arc System Works’ most successful titles, with the game having sold over 3.5 million copies so far. With update 2.0 scheduled to arrive some time next year, it will be interesting to see just how long the game winds up receiving updates on this level – and whether they will officially move on once Tokon releases. The full blogpost can be found HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Guilty Gear Strive? Are you looking forward to the 2.0 update? Let us know down below.

The post Guilty Gear Strive update 2.0 officially detailed first appeared on KitGuru.

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

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

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

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

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

The post HKC to showcase world’s first 1080Hz monitor at CES first appeared on KitGuru.

One of Nintendo’s main strategies for the Switch 2 so far has focused on its Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades – which are essentially ports of Switch 1 titles with a resolution and framerate boost alongside a couple hours worth of additional content. Following the likes of Breath of the Wild; Kirby and the Forgotten Land; Mario Party Jamboree and others, it appears as though Pikmin 3 Deluxe is the next game to receive a Switch 2 Edition.

As discovered by the publication Gematsu, the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) ratings board have posted a listing for Pikmin 3 Deluxe coming to the Nintendo Switch 2.

For context, Pikmin 3 Deluxe was released back in 2020 for the Nintendo Switch. That said, the game’s non-deluxe version originally launched well over a decade ago in 2013 for the Wii U. 

This will mark the second Switch 2 Edition of what was ostensibly a Wii U title, with the aforementioned Breath of the Wild being a Switch 1 launch title as well as the Wii U’s swansong.

Given that it has yet to be officially announced, no details have been shared. That said, expect the upgrade to cost you around $20 while offering higher resolutions and potentially smoother framerates. Unfortunately, many of Nintendo’s Switch 2 editions have so far been rather underwhelming, and so it will be interesting to see what exactly is planned for Pikmin 3 Deluxe.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Nintendo’s Switch 2 Editions so far? Have they been worth it? Are you surprised to see Pikmin 3 getting upgraded before 4? Let us know down below.

The post Switch 2 Edition of Pikmin 3 Deluxe unveiled by PEGI ratings board first appeared on KitGuru.

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

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

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

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

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

The post Cygames confirms original Granblue Fantasy for Steam, 12 years after Japanese debut first appeared on KitGuru.

After a decade of little-to-nothing in the way of new Silent Hill content, Konami’s iconic franchise has returned bigger and better than ever with the back-to-back successes of Silent Hill 2 Remake and Silent Hill F. While the revival of the Silent Hill series is exciting to see, it appears as though Konami are already starting to count their chickens before they hatch, claiming that they plan to release a new entry in the series every single year.

In an article released by the Japanese publication Famitsu (and translated by ResetEra user Lucia via ML) over 170 different Japanese game developers were interviewed, asking them about their aspirations for 2026.

According to Silent Hill producer Motoi Okamoto, for 2026 and beyond the team are aiming “to release titles at a pace of about one title per year” – “Including announced and unannounced titles.”

Of course, the article pertains to aspirations for 2026, and so this is far from a concrete plan, with Okamoto adding: “While it remains to be seen how much we can achieve this, I will do my best as the producer of the Silent Hill series. Ideally, we'd like to see excitement for Silent Hill continue to build. We'll do our best to provide you with new updates, so we kindly ask for your patience a little longer.”

As mentioned, following a decade of silence, the Silent Hill franchise has come back bigger and better than ever, with both Silent Hill 2’s Remake and SHf selling millions of copies and landing near the top of their franchise ratings.

While it has already been confirmed that Bloober Team are working on a remake of the original Silent Hill, here’s to hoping that Konami doesn’t wind up sacrificing quality in the pursuit of annual releases. We will have to wait and see.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this statement? Is this a cause for concern? Do you have faith in the renewed Silent Hill team? Let us know down below.

The post Konami hopes to release a new Silent Hill game every year first appeared on KitGuru.