AMD's upcoming Ryzen Z2 Go APU might not be available on as many consoles as the other Ryzen Z2 chips. According to a recent report, AMD's Ryzen Z2 Go is exclusive to the upcoming Lenovo Legion Go S handheld.

Renowned leaker Golden Pig Upgrade (via @Olrak29_) has revealed that the Ryzen Z2 Go will be a budget-focused APU designed exclusively for Lenovo's upcoming handheld gaming device. That, however, doesn't mean AMD won't launch a new AMD APU with similar specs and name it differently so other manufacturers can use it.

The Z2 Go, based on AMD's “Rembrandt-R” silicon (found in the Ryzen 7035 series), will reportedly feature a quad-core Zen 3+ CPU and an RDNA 2-based 12-CU iGPU. While this configuration might seem modest compared to AMD's latest architectures, it's a strategic move to cater to the budget-conscious handheld market. Interestingly, the Z2 Go doesn't have a direct equivalent in AMD's existing Rembrandt or Rembrandt-R lineup. Based on its specifications, it's likely to offer 8 MB of L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, along with support for LPDDR5X-6400 memory.

This focus on affordability aligns with Lenovo's strategy for the Legion Go S, which is expected to be a more budget-friendly alternative to the original Legion Go. By partnering with AMD to create a custom APU, Lenovo can offer a compelling price-to-performance ratio for its new handheld.

KitGuru says: Do you think the Lenovo Legion Go S handheld has a chance of succeeding in the market?

The post AMD Ryzen Z2 Go is a custom chip, seemingly exclusive to the Lenovo Legion Go S first appeared on KitGuru.

Square Enix has announced that NieR: Automata, the critically acclaimed action RPG developed by PlatinumGames, has reached a new sales milestone, surpassing 9 million units sold worldwide.

This figure includes physical and digital sales across all platforms, including PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. NieR: Automata, a sequel to the 2010 cult classic NieR, has captivated players with its unique blend of action-packed combat, thought-provoking narrative, and stunning visuals. With an 89 Opencritic score, 93% of the critics recommending it, and a player rating of around 90% across various platforms, it's hard not to consider it a good game.

While there's no official word on a potential sequel to NieR: Automata, fans can take solace in the words of executive producer Yosuke Saito, who recently stated that the franchise will continue “as long as Yoko Taro is alive”. This suggests that Square Enix recognises the value and potential of the NieR universe, and we can likely expect more from it in the future.

The most recent entry in the NieR franchise was NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139, a remaster of the original NieR, released in 2021. With Square Enix's release schedule for 2025 looking relatively light, perhaps a new NieR game will be announced sometime next year.

KitGuru says: Did you play Nier: Automata? Did you enjoy your time with it?

The post Nier: Automata has sold over 9 million copies first appeared on KitGuru.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 has been suffering from quite a few contradictions since its release back in October. While the gunplay, movement and content released for the game has been the best we’ve seen in years, much of this goodwill is being actively undone with issues surrounding cheating and most notably its ever-increasing push towards new forms of monetisation. With BO6 set to crossover with Squid Game early next year, a new leak has revealed that the event will include a premium event pass.

As shared by ‘xFleXy_’ via Twitter, some users have received a message within Black Ops 6 which details the fact that the upcoming Squid Game limited-time event will not only feature the typical list of free rewards, but will also offer a Premium Track route which “allows for more incredible rewards, including the Front Man Operator.”

Of course, Call of Duty has hosted many crossovers in the past, but unlike the Squid Game event, all pass rewards were previously obtainable simply through playing the game.

With the £70 Black Ops 6 now featuring not only Seasonal Battle Passes and costly store bundles, but also another additional premium pass mid-season, it begs the question as to how far Call of Duty will go to squeeze money from its players before they deem the practice to be too anti-consumer – especially ironic given the underlying message of Squid Game itself.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Call of Duty’s ever-increasing monetisation? Will there be a breaking point? Let us know down below.

The post Upcoming Black Ops 6 crossover will include a premium pass for the first time first appeared on KitGuru.

For the final weeks of 2024, Epic is giving away a different game for free every 24 hours. Available right now for a limited time, all those with an Epic Games account can claim the fun arcadey racer Hot Wheels Unleashed for free.

Available to add to your library for free from now until 4PM UK Time (on the 28th of December), Hot Wheels Unleashed is a fun and light-hearted arcade racer which takes the Hot Wheels aesthetic and embraces it fully – from the tracks themselves to the way in which you unlock and acquire new vehicles.

Released back in 2021, the game was received well by both critics and fans alike, with the primary criticism being its abundance of DLC. Of course, for the price of free, players should have a solid time playing alone or with friends.

If you do wish to purchase some of the game’s post-release content however, Epic is currently offering all of the DLC for a heavily reduced price (up to 80% off).

As stated, you have until 4PM to claim Hot Wheels Unleashed, at which point it will be replaced by an as-of-yet-unknown title.

KitGuru says: What do you think of today’s offering? Have you been keeping up with Epic’s free games throughout 2024? How many ‘free’ titles do you have in your Epic library at this point? Let us know down below.

The post Hot Wheels Unleashed is free on the Epic Games Store first appeared on KitGuru.

For Day 28 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar we have teamed up with NZXT to offer up THREE hardware bundles! One winner will get a gaming peripheral bundle featuring the Function 2 keyboard and Lift 2 mouse. Another winner will get a PC case bundle, centred around the NZXT H5 Flow Starfield Edition case and a third winner will get a H9 Flow case, along with extra RGB fans, an RGB controller and a Kraken Elite 360 ARGB AIO liquid cooler. 

The full prize list can be found below:

Prize 1 – Gaming Gear Upgrade (MSRP £213)

• Function 2 Full
• Lift 2 Symm or Ergo
• MXP700 Mid-Size Extended Mouse Pad Mouse Pad

Prize 2 – Limited Edition CRFT Starfield (MSRP £195)

• H5 Flow Starfield
• Lift 2 Symm Starfield
• MXL900 Extra Large Starfield Mouse Pad

Prize 3 – Case, RGB & Cooling! (MSRP £565)

• H9 Flow
• 2x RGB Core Single Frame
• RGB Controller
• Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024)

HOW TO ENTER:

Entering this giveaway is simple, all you need to do is head over to THIS POST on our Facebook page and leave a comment. We plan to have a new discussion topic each day, today we are asking you guys to tell us – Which of the NZXT prize bundles do you want the most?

This competition is open in the UK and EU.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 29th, and a new competition will also be announced for Day 29. 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 in the UK and EU, starting at 11AM GMT on December 28th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 29th. 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 entering – we'll be back tomorrow to announce the winners. 

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 28: Win one of THREE NZXT hardware bundles! first appeared on KitGuru.

Patriot Memory has just launched the P400 V4, a new PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 M.2 SSD that promises read speeds of up to 6,200 MB/s. Suitable for PC and PlayStation 5 consoles, the P400 V4 comes in various storage configurations, ranging from 500GB to 4TB.

This versatile drive delivers sequential read speeds of up to 6,200 MB/s and write speeds of up to 5,200 MB/s, making it ideal for gamers, content creators, and anyone who wants to upgrade their system with faster storage. The P400 V4 leverages the latest PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 NVMe technology to achieve its speeds while maintaining low power consumption. On the PlayStation 5, the drive delivers sequential read speeds of up to 6,000 MB/s, ensuring rapid loading times for a smoother gaming experience. Alternatively, due to its slim design, you can mount it on most SSD enclosures, making a portable SSD out of it.

To keep things running smoothly, the P400 V4 features an advanced graphene heatshield to manage thermals, even during intensive workloads. Its compact M.2 2280 form factor makes it suitable for many systems besides consoles, including slim laptops and small form factor PCs.

Available with up to 4TB of storage, the P400 V4 has a rated endurance of up to 1280 TBW (Total Bytes Written). Moreover, these new Patriot SSDs are backed by a 5-year manufacturer warranty.

KitGuru says: With many PCIe 4.0 SSDs only going up to 2 TB, the P400 V4 4 TB model could be worth considering for users looking for bigger storage in a single device.

The post Patriot launches new P400 V4 PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD for PC and PS5 first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 9070 XT is back in the spotlight, with new leaks shedding light on its power consumption and potential performance.

According to Chiphell leaker zhangzhonghao (via HXL), the reference design of the RX 9070 XT will have a Total Board Power (TBP) of around 260W. However, custom models from board partners could draw up to 330W, representing a 70W (or 27%) increase over stock settings. The leak also suggests that the RX 9070 XT will have a base frequency of 2.8 GHz, with boost clocks ranging between 3.0 and 3.1 GHz, depending on the model.

With a 260W TBP, the RX 9070 XT is expected to sit between Nvidia's upcoming GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 in terms of power consumption. Interestingly, the leaker claims that the RX 9070 XT performs within 5% of the RTX 4080 in games they've tested, although no specific data or titles were mentioned.

Previous leaks suggested the RX 9070 XT would be faster than the RX 7900 GRE, potentially rivalling the RTX 4080, somewhat matching the new claims. However, without knowing the exact pricing (claimed to be up to $650), it's still too soon to grasp how competitive the product will be in the current market. As we approach CES 2025, where AMD is expected to officially unveil the RX 9070 XT and other RDNA 4 GPUs, more concrete information about its performance and pricing should emerge.

KitGuru says: Assuming it would perform similarly to the RTX 4080, how should AMD price the upcoming RX 9070 XT?

The post AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT may have up to 330W TDP first appeared on KitGuru.

A leaked CPU-Z screenshot with AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor has surfaced online, revealing key specifications of the upcoming processor.

The screenshot, shared by @94G8LA, showcases an engineering sample of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. The screenshot shows that the CPU is identified as revision GNR-B0, with “GNR” standing for Granite Ridge, the codename for AMD's upcoming Zen 4 architecture for desktop processors. Moreover, it shows it has a 16-core, 32-thread configuration.

The screenshot also confirms the presence of AMD's 3D V-Cache technology, with the L3 cache section displaying “96MB + 32MB L3.” This aligns with expectations for a dual-CCD Granite Ridge CPU, where one CCD features 32MB of standard L3 cache plus a 64MB 3D V-Cache layer, while the other CCD has 32MB of standard L3 cache. This approach mirrors the design of the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, offering a total of 128MB of L3 cache and 144MB of combined L3+L2 cache.

The leaked screenshot also hints at impressive clock speeds. The CPU-Z image shows a multiplier of 56.5, suggesting a boost clock of 5.65 GHz. This aligns with previous rumors that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D will maintain the same high frequencies as its non-X3D counterpart. Interestingly, the screenshot also reveals a TDP of 170W, which matches the non-X3D 16-core variant.

With the CPU specifications more or less set in stone, we are still unaware of its pricing. Hopefully, we'll know more about it when AM officially unveils the processor and the 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D at CES 2025.

KitGuru says: Planning on buying a Ryzen 9 9950X3D? How much are you willing to spend on the new processor?

The post AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D leak shows 5.65 GHz boost clock speed and 170W TDP first appeared on KitGuru.

Steam has had a monumental year, shattering its previous record for new game releases and welcoming a surge of new players. But while the platform continues to thrive, Valve has poured cold water on hopes for a Steam Deck 2 anytime soon.

A staggering 18,825 new games landed on Steam in 2024, eclipsing the previous year's record of 14,311. However, SteamDB (via Tom's Hardware) categorises 14,888 of these as “restricted games,” meaning they have limited profile customisation options due to low player counts or sales figures. This raises questions about the quality and value of a significant portion of Steam's new releases, with some people arguing that many of these titles are “shovelware”. Still, the number of non-limited games released has increased over the past year, even if just a mere 2%.

Moreover, this year saw the highest number of games sold on Steam since 2019, with steady growth year over year, even during the 2020 pandemic. Steam also saw a surge in active users, with around 40 million concurrent players during the Christmas season, an 8 million increase compared to the previous year. However, the average Steam user played only four games this year, matching 2023's figure and slightly lower than 2022's average.

While Steam has enjoyed a successful year, it hasn't been without its hiccups. The platform faced criticism for clarifying its stance on game ownership, reminding users that they don't truly “own” the games they purchase on Steam. Additionally, Steam ended support for Windows 7 and 8, urging users to upgrade to newer operating systems.

KitGuru says: Are you an avid Steam user? What games have you played the most in 2024 on the platform?

The post Steam hits new record with almost 19,000 games launched in 2024 first appeared on KitGuru.

The launch of Animal Crossing New Horizons back in 2020 was a phenomenon in many ways – quickly becoming the second-best-selling game of all time on Nintendo Switch. That said, in Japan the game has managed to exceed even this, having now broken a decades-long sales record held by the original 1996 Pokémon.

Since its release back in 1996, Pokémon Red/Green has held its position as the best-selling game(s) of all time in Japan with 7.93 million copies sold in the region alone.

While this record was technically already broken by Animal Crossing New Horizons back in 2022, the game has now doubly secured its position at the top of the podium, with industry analyst Genki_JPN revealing:

“Animal Crossing New Horizons has sold over 8 million physical units in Japan and is the best selling physical game ever in Japan above Pokémon Red and Green!”

Given the fact that digital gaming didn’t exist back in the 90s (especially on consoles/handhelds) Pokémon’s physical and total sales share the same figure.

As such, Animal Crossing not only superseding Pokémon both in terms of total sales, but now also physical, puts it in a league of its own – and with physical media becoming less of a factor as the years progress it is possible that this new record may never be beaten.

KitGuru says: Are you surprised by the overwhelming success of Animal Crossing New Horizons? Will its record ever be beaten? Do you still buy physical games? Let us know down below.

The post Animal Crossing breaks decades-long Japanese sales record first appeared on KitGuru.

Update: This competition is now CLOSED. Our winners today are Jonatan Olsson & Teo Korres! If you missed out this time, then the good news is there is another giveaway to enter. Today's competition can be found HERE.

For Day 27 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with Silverstone to give TWO lucky readers a hardware upgrade. Two winners today will each get a new Silverstone NovaPeak 240 ARGB AIO cooler, as well as a 1000W Platinum-rated power supply.

The NovaPeak 240 AIO cooler comes with a pair of ARGB fans, as well as ARGB LEDs on the pump block. The cooler has a slightly convexed copper baseplate to ensure firm contact with the CPU, and the radiator is optimised for airflow with the included fans. The other prize on our list, the ST1000-PTS modular power supply, comes with Platinum certification, so you can be assured that you'll get efficient power delivery to all of your components.

HOW TO ENTER:

Entering this giveaway is simple, all you need to do is head over to THIS POST on our Facebook page and leave a comment. We plan to have a new discussion topic each day, today we are asking you guys to tell us – What CPU do you use?

This competition is open worldwide.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 28th, and a new competition will also be announced for Day 28. 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 worldwide, starting at 11AM GMT on December 27th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 28th. 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 entering – we'll be back tomorrow to announce the winner. 

 

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 27: Win one of TWO Silverstone bundles! (CLOSED) first appeared on KitGuru.

Continuing its streak of offering a different game for free every 24 hours during the final weeks of 2024, the Epic Games Store is now giving away the high-octane cyberpunk-styled parkour slasher Ghostrunner 2 for a limited time.

Free to claim from now until 4PM UK time later today (the 27th of December), Ghostrunner 2 is the sequel to 2020’s fast-paced first-person parkour title which feels like a blend between Mirror’s Edge and Hotline Miami in which you “slice your enemies with a monomolecular katana, dodge bullets with your superhuman reflexes, and employ a variety of specialized techniques to prevail.”

Upping the ante on all fronts, Ghostrunner 2 expands upon the first game with new mechanics; skills; progression; boss fights; game modes and “nonlinear levels with complex motorbike sections.”

The Ghostrunner series offers slick, fun and satisfying gameplay with that ‘one more try’ type of loop, and so if you have yet to try it out, now is the time to do so.

As mentioned, you have until 4PM to claim the game, at which point it will be replaced by another as-of-yet-unknown title.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Epic’s offerings throughout 2024? Did you previously claim the original Ghostrunner through the EGS? What free game do you hope is next? Let us know down below.

The post Ghostrunner 2 is free on Epic for one day first appeared on KitGuru.

Various reports and leaks have been targeting the Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 series lineup lately, and the latest ones have shed more light on the upcoming RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti graphics cards.

Renowned leaker kopite7kimi has reiterated the previously rumoured specifications for the RTX 5070 Ti. It will reportedly feature the GB203-300 GPU with 8,960 CUDA cores, 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, and a power consumption of around 300W (though some reports suggest it could be closer to 285W). As for the RTX 5070, kopite7kimi claims it will use the cut-down GB205-300 GPU with 6,144 CUDA cores and a 250W power consumption. Kopite7kimi has also confirmed that the RTX 5070 will feature 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, maintaining the same VRAM capacity as the RTX 4070.

While this might disappoint some gamers hoping for a VRAM upgrade, the move to GDDR7 memory should still provide a significant bandwidth boost. A future Super variant could offer a larger memory capacity, similar to how Nvidia did when it launched the RTX 40 Super SKUs.

Nvidia has yet to confirm these specifications, and it's worth noting that plans can change before launch. The RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti are expected to launch after the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090, which are rumored to arrive between mid-January and early February.

KitGuru says: What do you think of these specifications for the RTX 5070 series SKUs?

The post Leaker reveals Nvidia RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti specifications first appeared on KitGuru.

Nvidia has taken steps to address the recent performance problems plaguing its new GeForce Experience replacement, the Nvidia App. The app's Game Filters seem to be causing significant frame rate drops and stuttering in certain games, leading the green team to launch an update to disable the feature by default.

Following reports from gamers and investigations from various media outlets, which revealed frame rate dips of up to 15%, Nvidia has acknowledged the issue and taken action. Rather than releasing a full-fledged patch, the company went for a temporary solution by disabling the Game Filters feature by default in the latest app update (version 11.0.1). While NVIDIA hasn't specified a date for a permanent fix, it's expected to arrive sometime next year. In the meantime, disabling Game Filters appears to resolve the performance issues for most users.

For those unfamiliar, Game Filters are real-time post-processing effects that allow you to customise the look and feel of your games. They can add a vintage aesthetic, adjust colors and contrast, reduce blue light emissions, and even compensate for color vision deficiencies.

In addition to the app update, Nvidia has also released a GeForce Hotfix Display Driver (version 566.45) based on the latest Game Ready Driver. This hotfix addresses micro-stuttering issues in the recently launched Indiana Jones game and improves stability for Ubisoft titles based on the Snowdrop engine.

KitGuru says: If you have disabled Game Filters manually, you may skip this Nvidia App update. However, for all the new users getting an Nvidia GPU or a system equipped with one this Christmas, having Game Filters disabled by default will surely be helpful.

The post Nvidia App update disables Game Filters by default to prevent performance issues first appeared on KitGuru.

Despite its internal issues, Intel is joining AMD and Nvidia at CES 2025 with its own keynote. At the center stage will be the company's interim co-CEO, Michelle Johnston Holthaus, who will deliver the keynote, which is expected to focus on AI PC technology.

While Intel hasn't revealed the specific topics Holthaus will cover, the keynote is expected to highlight the company's latest advancements in AI, including new hardware and software solutions. Intel's keynote is scheduled for 8:30 AM PST/4:30 PM GMT, meaning it will be before AMD and Nvidia keynotes.

Among the anticipated announcements are Intel's new Arrow Lake-H and HX laptop CPUs. These mobile processors, part of the Core Ultra 200 family, are expected to be paired with Nvidia's upcoming GeForce RTX 50 laptop GPUs, offering a new combination for gaming and content creation on the go. Desktop users can also expect updates, with the Core Ultra 200S desktop series likely to be featured in the keynote, specifically the 65W non-K SKUs. Moreover, the new B860 motherboards should also be present.

With all three keynotes scheduled for January 6th (Nvidia's will be on January 7th in Europe and Asia timezones), attendees can expect a flurry of announcements from various hardware manufacturers even before the event officially starts.

KitGuru says: What do you think Intel will show off during its keynote? Will there be any surprises?

The post Intel announces AI-focused keynote at CES 2025 first appeared on KitGuru.

Antec has been on a roll with its new case launches lately, with both the dual chamber C8 and the Flux Pro getting rave reviews online. Today we take a look at another new Antec case featuring support for up to EATX motherboards, big graphics cards and multiple 360mm radiators. It even comes with four RGB fans and a PWM ARGB hub. But is it as good as the C8 and Flux Pro? Let’s find out.

Timestamps:

00:00 Start
00:40 The C7 / Colours / Pricing
01:56 Front IO
02:08 Removing the panels – a look inside
04:09 Cooling support
05:16 Motherboard. GPU. air cooler support
05:51 Cutouts / back connect
06:22 Vertical GPU support
06:35 Back
07:06 Right hand side / drive support / FAN RGB Hub
09:33 Floor
10:23 Accessories included
10:53 Test System spec
12:08 Installation thoughts / cable management
13:14 Thermal and Noise Performance
14:44 Closing Thoughts

Antec C7 Features:

• The Antec C7 features a panoramic tempered glass front and side panel design with 45-degree bevelled glass edges, allowing for a seamless joint and an unrestricted view of the system.
• It is equipped with a vertical cooling method including a vented lower chamber and multidirectional intakes for bottom-to-top airflow as well as support for the installation of up to 10 fans with three 120mm reverse blade fans and one 140mm regular fan pre-installed.
• It also includes support for the installation of EATX motherboards including back connect, huge graphics cards, dual 360mm radiators installed simultaneously and great options for storage drive installation.

Specifications:

• Case Type: Mid-Tower
• Dimensions (LxWxH): 485mm x 214mm x 504mm
• Net Weight: 11.7kg
• Material: Steel, Plastic, Glass
• Motherboard Support: EATX (up to 272mm), ATX, Micro-ATX, ITX
• Expansion Slots: 7 (horizontal and vertical)
• Storage bays: 3 x 3.5/2.5” + 2 x 2.5”
• Max GPU Length: 450mm
• MAX GPU Height: N/A
• MAX GPU Thickness: N/A
• Max CPU Cooler Height: 180mm
• Max PSU Size: ATX up to 210mm
• Pre-installed fans: 3 x Antec P12R ARGB PWM Reverse, 1 x P14R ARGB PWM
• Fan Support: 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm (Top) 3 x 120mm (Right Side) 1 x 120mm / 1 x 140mm (Rear) 3 x 120mm (PSU Shroud)
• Radiator Support: 360/280/240/120 (Top) 360/280/240/120 (Right Side) (Rear)
• Dust Filters: Front, Left, Bottom
• Font I/O: 1 x USB 3.2 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A
• LCD Screen: N/A

Thermal Performance Testing

To simulate thermal demand we run the Cinebench R23 multi-thread benchmark and 3DMark Speed Way stress test simultaneously in a loop for 30 minutes to load the system fully. This gives the CPU and GPU enough time to reach constant steady-state temperature. With this data, we can compare how the system handles the thermal demand and measure peak noise levels.

Thermal performance is measured with the case in various configurations, such as the default, with the tempered glass left-hand side panel removed and with the front panel removed to see how these configurations affect the CPU and GPU temperature. During testing, only stock case fans are used unless otherwise specified. All water pumps are set to maximum RPM and fans are set to a custom RPM curve by the Motherboard software/BIOS.

All temperature measurements are presented as Deltas – meaning the ambient temperature has been deducted from the CPU temperature giving us a Delta. Data shown in the charts represent the average component temperature over the length of the test as measured by HWiNFO and then the last 15 minutes of the data are calculated to get the average. The ambient temperature during thermal tests is between 19-20⁰C.

Test System Specification:

• CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
• Motherboard – ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi
• Graphics Card – INNO3D RTX 4080 Super X3 OC White
• Memory – 64GB (2 x 32GB modules) G.SKILL RipJaws M5 RGB DDR5-6400
• Storage – 2TB Seagate FireCuda 530 PCIe Gen4 M.2 NVMe SSD
• CPU Cooler – Antec Symphony 360 ARGB
• Power Supply – Seasonic Focus ATX GX-1000 80+ Gold PCIe 5 ready
• Case fans – Stock + 3 x 120mm be quiet! Light Wings LX White Reversed
• Chassis – Antec Constellation C7
• Operating System – Windows 11

Thermal Performance Overview

We tested the case thermals with a 360mm AIO CPU cooler installed in the roof and with the case in several different configurations. The default configuration shown in the charts is with a 360mm roof-mounted AIO, the stock case fans installed and all case panels fitted.

In the default configuration without additional intake fans on the PSU shroud, both the CPU and GPU temperatures are OK. GPU temperature at 45°C over ambient is perfect however the CPU temperature at 67°C over ambient is a few degrees higher than some other cases in which we used the 7800X3D to test thermals.

There is an improvement in CPU temperature under load when removing the mesh top and side panels, indicating that these ultra-fine mesh panels may restrict airflow a little more than normal since the CPU temperature drops by 4°C.

The best GPU temperature is recorded when adding three 120mm intake fans to the PSU shroud, but it only improves by 2°C compared with the default configuration so the additional cost of fans might outweigh the thermal and performance benefit.

The stock case fans that are included with the Antec C7 do a good job of keeping the system cool while still being quiet. At idle the system is virtually silent, under load there is little change in noise between the configurations that we tested, even the higher noise output of 41dBA is well within tolerable limits.

Closing Thoughts

Building the system inside the Antec C7 was one of the most hassle-free test system builds I have done in a while. Nothing at all stood out as being awkward or difficult, everything just goes together as it should. It's easy to get access inside with all the major panels being tool-free removal and the case feels very well built and solid, plus the shade of white between panels of different materials is matched very well. So in terms of build quality and system installation experience, the C7 scores very high.

Cooling is OK too, in the default configuration using the stock fans that come pre-installed there are no worries with cooling our high-end gaming test system. The CPU temperature may have been a few degrees hotter than in some other recent case tests but it’s nothing to worry about, the 7800X3D temperature is still well within specified limits. The included fans provide decent airflow and run quietly with a manual fan curve set which is good news.

There are just a few very minor things worth mentioning about the Antec C7. Our thermal test showed that removing the mesh panels dropped CPU temperature by 4°C so maybe the diameter of the ultrafine mesh perforations are too small and restricting airflow a little, something Antec could look at. None of the radiator brackets are removable either, which is a feature I would like to see in cases of this price range, and there's no integrated GPU support which again is a useful feature to have.

However, these are minor problems, as a whole it’s an excellent case, build quality is superb, hardware support is great with EATX motherboards, back connect, long graphics cards and 360mm radiators all supported. Out-of-the-box cooling seems to work OK, GPU cooling can be improved by adding some PSU shroud intake fans and it's good value compared with some of the competition. Take Corsair's iCUE Link 3500X which very similar style case that includes fans and an RGB hub, but the Antec C7 is considerably cheaper which is why I would recommend it without question over the iCUE Link 3500X.

The Antec C7 is available to purchase now from Scan priced at £117.98 in black HERE and £129.98 in white HERE.

Pros: 

• Easy access into the case with tool-free panels.
• White panels of different materials are colour-matched very well.
• Good hardware support including back-connect motherboards.
• Included fans produce decent airflow and are quiet

Cons:

• Ultrafine mesh panels are a little restrictive.
• Missing removable radiator/fan brackets.
• A GPU support would be nice.

KitGuru Says: If you need a new case with lots of glass but you don't have the space for dual chamber, the Antec C7 is well worth checking out.

The post Antec C7 Case Review first appeared on KitGuru.

A leaked image of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 PCB has surfaced online, offering a glimpse into the architecture of Nvidia's next-generation flagship graphics card.

The image shared on Chiphell (via HXL) showcases a large PCB, significantly larger than typical designs, packed with over 40 capacitors and a massive package substrate for the GPU. Previous reports claimed that the GPU would measure 24×31 mm with a package size of 63×56 mm, which seems to match the photo.

The photo also shows 16 slots for VRAM modules. The arrangement of the VRAM modules matches previously leaked information, with five modules on each side, four on top, and two below the GPU. This configuration could support various memory capacities, ranging from 32GB to 64GB, depending on the memory modules' density (2GB, 3GB, or 4GB). The PCB also features a single power connector, likely the new 12VHPWR (12V-6×2) connector designed for high-power GPUs. Moreover, the photo shows the card uses a PCIe 5.0 interface, as seen by its interface pattern.

While the lack of visible Nvidia branding suggests this isn't a Founders Edition card, a closer examination of the PCB reveals that this is a PNY sample based on the PG145 board and the GB202 GPU.

Nvidia is expected to unveil the RTX 5090 and other RTX 50 series GPUs at its keynote at CES 2025.

KitGuru says: With such a massive PCB, we wonder how big the final product will be. If you plan on getting an RTX 5090, know that you might have to change your case, or this behemoth might not fit. 

The post RTX 5090 PCB photos show massive GPU package substrate first appeared on KitGuru.

Elden Ring marked a turning point for FromSoftware, with the 2022 game quickly becoming by far the studio’s most successful title. That said, Elden Ring has now managed to hit yet another major milestone – being only the 11th game on Steam to receive over 1 million reviews.

With 1,000,449 reviews and counting, Elden Ring is now officially the 11th title in Steam’s history to surpass 6 figures – 92.8% of which are positive.

For context, the 10 other titles which reside within this exclusive club are the following:

• Counter Strike (8.45M)
• PUBG (2.48M)
• DOTA 2 (2.4M)
• GTA V (1.92M)
• Terraria (1.36M)
• Rainbow Six Siege (1.34M)
• Rust (1.15M)
• Team Fortress 2 (1.13M)
• Garry’s Mod (1.12M)
• Black Myth: Wukong (1.07M)

Black Myth: Wukong aside, all of these games are getting up there in age, with the newest title being the now-7-year-old PUBG – whose rapid rise was a phenomenon in and of itself.

Given the cache that Miyazaki and FromSoftware have garnered with the release of Elden Ring, it will be interesting to see whether their upcoming Nightreign spin-off will manage to reach similar heights.

KitGuru says: Do you review games on Steam? Will Nightreign be as successful as Elden Ring? Will any game ever surpass Counter Strike in terms of review counts? Let us know down below.

The post Elden Ring hits new Steam milestone first appeared on KitGuru.

Update: This competition is now CLOSED. Our winner today is Jonathan Trivett. If you missed out this time then keep an eye out as we have a new competition each day throughout December. Today's giveaway can be found HERE.

For Day 26 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with ASRock to give one lucky reader a new motherboard to kickstart their next PC build! 

Today's prize is the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi motherboard, providing you with a perfect starting point for a Mini ITX build using an AM5 CPU, like the latest Ryzen 9000 series processors. The winner will also receive a gaming themed backpack.

HOW TO ENTER:

Entering this giveaway is simple, all you need to do is head over to THIS POST on our Facebook page and leave a comment. We plan to have a new discussion topic each day, today we are asking you guys to tell us – Do you use an Intel or AMD processor?

This competition is open in the UK and EU.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 27th, and a new competition will also be announced for Day 27. 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 in the UK and EU, starting at 11AM GMT on December 26th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 27th. 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 entering – we'll be back tomorrow to announce the winner. 

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 26: Win an ASRock Lightning motherboard! (CLOSED) first appeared on KitGuru.

As has been the case for the past few Christmas seasons, the final weeks of the year sees the Epic Games Store give away a different title for free every 24 hours. Right now, all those with an Epic Games account can get their hands on the excellent and unique 3rd person action-adventure shooter Control.

Available to add to your library from now until 4PM UK time, Control is the latest original game to come from the much-loved Finnish studio Remedy Entertainment, known for hits such as the Alan Wake series and the original Max Payne duology.

Originally released in 2019, Control took the best elements from Remedy’s past and combined it into an action-adventure title with a unique explorable world, fun and interesting gameplay, and an impressive physics system.

While Epic is only giving away the base game, its DLC ties into Remedy's other IPs including Alan Wake. Given the recent release of Alan Wake II – and the fact that Control is set to get a sequel – those who have not tried out the game yet now have the opportunity to do so for free.

If you did want to check out Control’s DLC after-the-fact, the Season Pass can currently be had for just £3.59. As mentioned, you have less than 24 hours to claim the base game, at which point it will be replaced by another as-of-yet-unknown title.

KitGuru says: Have you played Control? How does it compare to Alan Wake II? What would you like to see Remedy do with the sequel? Let us know down below.

The post Control is free on the Epic Games Store for a limited time first appeared on KitGuru.

Update: This competition is now CLOSED. Our winner today is Callum Mullin. If you missed out this time then keep an eye out as we still have a few competitions left before the end of the month. Today's giveaway can be found HERE.

For Day 25 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with NVIDIA to give one lucky reader a new graphics card. One winner today will receive a brand-new RTX 4070 Super graphics card! 

The RTX 4070 Super is an excellent graphics card for both 1080p and QHD gaming, offering high frame rates in multiplayer titles and smooth gameplay for the latest AAA blockbusters. As part of the RTX 40 series, you will also have access to the latest features, like DLSS 3 and improved ray-tracing performance.

HOW TO ENTER:

Entering this giveaway is simple, all you need to do is head over to THIS POST on our Facebook page and leave a comment. We plan to have a new discussion topic each day, today we are asking you guys to tell us – What graphics card do you currently game with? 

This competition is open in the UK.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 26th, and a new competition will also be announced for Day 26. 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 in the UK, starting at 11AM GMT on December 25th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 26th. 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 entering – we'll be back tomorrow to announce the winner. 

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 25: Win an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super graphics card! (CLOSED) first appeared on KitGuru.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has been a great surprise to end the year on. Machine Games delivered a fantastic original story that slots nicely between the original films. Now, it appears that Disney has more plans for Indiana Jones video games. 

According to film leaker, DanielRPK, who typically focuses on leaks for big franchises like Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Alien and others, we are going to be getting “more Indy games” following the success of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

The new Indiana Jones game, developed by Machine Games, released earlier this month to great acclaim amongst both critics and fans. I've already spent quite a lot of time with the Xbox and PC versions of the game myself. If you are a fan of Immersive Sim games, I would say this slots well into that category, with tons of emphasis placed on exploration and secrets hidden all across the game world.

Currently, we're unsure what to expect from the future of Indiana Jones in gaming. Given the success of The Great Circle, I would certainly like to see Machine Games given an opportunity to develop a sequel.

KitGuru Says: If there are more Indiana Jones games on the way, they are already facing extremely tough competition out of the gate thanks to the team at Machine Games. Have you played Indiana Jones and the Great Circle already? Would you like to see a sequel? 

The post Disney reportedly looking to release more Indiana Jones games first appeared on KitGuru.