Microsoft is making a push to bridge the gap between traditional x86 gaming and the emerging ARM-based Windows ecosystem. The recent release of a dedicated Arm-compatible Xbox App marks a turning point for the platform, with Microsoft stating that approximately 85% of the current Game Pass library is now playable on Arm-powered machines. This shift is largely due to significant refinements in the Prism translation layer, which serves as the intermediary between legacy code and modern silicon.

As detailed in a Windows Blog, a critical component of this progress is the integration of AVX and AVX2 instruction support within Prism. These extensions are essential for bringing Xbox games to ARM systems, allowing titles previously locked to Intel or AMD hardware to run on Qualcomm Snapdragon X-series chips. The hardware evolution continues as well, with the current Snapdragon lineup paving the way for the upcoming Snapdragon X2 and subsequent generations of ARM SoCs.

Compatibility isn't just about raw processing power; security protocols have historically been a major barrier for ARM adoption in gaming. The landscape is changing as developers implement third-party anti-cheat support for ARM, with Epic's solution now enabling titles such as Fortnite and Gears of War: Reloaded to run locally. To help users navigate the varying performance tiers of these devices, Microsoft has introduced the Windows Performance Fit tool. This utility leverages real-world benchmark data from similar hardware configurations to give users a realistic sense of how a title will run.

While the goal is native or translated local play, Microsoft continues to leverage its cloud infrastructure as a secondary option for titles that remain exclusive to x86 environments. This serves as a necessary buffer while the library of compatible games expands. The effectiveness of this approach remains tied to network stability and server proximity, but at least it's a functional alternative for those who meet the requirements.

KitGuru says: Do you own an ARM-based PC? Do you game on it? Will you do so more now that more Xbox games are supported?

The post Xbox App is now available on ARM-based PCs first appeared on KitGuru.

Today's review is certainly unique. We are looking at the AOC Agon Pro CS24A, a monitor designed specifically for Counter-Strike gamers, with an eye-catching stand design and custom themed OSD. It's not just a skin, though, as the panel spec is clearly geared towards esports, packing in no less than a 600Hz refresh rate, using a 24in 1080p TN panel. AOC's MBR+ technology is also present, promising better-than-ever motion clarity, so let's see if this screen really is as good as it sounds.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro
00:51 CS24A pricing + alternatives
01:57 Design and custom CS skin
02:53 I/O + OSD
04:35 Out of the box testing
06:51 sRGB mode and calibration results
07:26 Backlight bleed, viewing angles, coating grain
08:00 Response time results
09:30 Motion clarity examples
11:14 Real-world gaming experience
12:28 Closing thoughts

Just before we get into the review itself, it is worth clarifying that although we are looking at the AOC Agon Pro CS24A, with the product name identifying this as the Counter-Strike version, there is also the standard Agon Pro AG246FK6 available. It's essentially the exact same monitor but just without the CS2 livery, so if you're interested in an esports-grade screen but play anything other than Counter-Strike, that's something to keep in mind.

The other thing to keep in mind is the pricing. The CS24A is listed at just under £600 here in the UK, which is a little eye-watering considering it's a 24in 1080p screen. In theory the AG246FK6 has the same MSRP, though at the time of writing it's on offer for £500. Either way, it's a lot of money to pay for a FHD screen in this day and age, but considering it also packs in one of the fastest refresh rates we've ever seen, could it be worth buying?

Specification:

• Screen size (inch): 24.1
• Screen size (cm): 61.21
• Flat / Curved: Flat
• Panel treatment: Antiglare (AG)
• Pixels per inch: 91.41
• Panel resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Resolution name: FHD
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Panel type: Ultra-Fast TN eSports
• Backlight type: WLED
• Max refresh rate: 610Hz (OC, 600Hz native)
• Response time (GtG): 0.5 ms
• Response time (MPRT): 0.3 ms
• Static contrast ratio: 1000:1
• Dynamic contrast ratio: 80M:1
• Viewing angle (CR10): 176 / 170
• Display colours: 16.7 Million
• Brightness in nits: 500 cd/m²
• Panel haze value: 25%
• VESA wallmount: 100 x 100
• Tilt: -5° ~ 23°
• Height adjust: 150 mm
• Swivel: -28° ±2° ~ 28° ±2°
• Pivot: -90° ±2° ~ 90° ±2°
• HDMI: HDMI 2.1 x 2
• Digital HDCP (HDMI): HDCP 2.3
• DisplayPort: DisplayPort 1.4 x 1
• USB hub: ✓
• USB generation: USB 3.2 (Gen 1), 5 Gbit/s
• USB type downstream: 4 x USB-A
• USB fast charge port: ✓
• Audio output: 1x Audio out
• HDMI cable: 1.8 m
• DisplayPort cable: 1.8 m
• USB-B upstream cable: 1x USB-B to A (1.8 m)
• Power cable: ✓
• Warranty period: 3 years
• Firmware update (OTA) support: ✓

Firmware tested: V1.04

The post AOC CS24A Review (1080p/600Hz TN) first appeared on KitGuru.

In the lead-up to Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct, an in-game pop-up appeared for some uses within Forza Horizon 5 claiming that the upcoming sequel would be launching this May. Sure enough, as part of the latest showcase, Forza Horizon 6 was properly shown off for the first time – alongside confirmation of its release date.

As part of the latest edition of the Xbox Developer Direct, Playground Games offered roughly 10 minutes of new footage for the upcoming Forza Horizon 6, showing off the game’s Japan setting; some of its vehicles, game mode and more.

Though not too much of a surprise given the earlier leak, the team officially confirmed that Forza Horizon 6 will launch on the 19th of May for Standard Edition owners and the 15th for those with the Premium Edition (which also includes the Season Pass, additional vehicles, VIP membership and more).

While the game is landing first on Xbox and PC, the team at Playground Games confirmed that a PS5 version is currently in the works and scheduled to release at some point “later this year.”

Given the fact that Forza Horizon 5 only arrived on PS5 last year, it is a pleasant surprise to see its sequel arriving within mere months of the Xbox/PC release. The full gameplay overview for Forza Horizon 6 can be found HERE.

KitGuru says: What did you think of the Xbox Developer Direct? Are you looking forward to Forza Horizon 6? Is the premium edition worth it? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Forza Horizon 6 officially launches in May first appeared on KitGuru.

One of the most anticipated Xbox titles for quite a few years now has been Playground Games’ Fable, with the reboot of this classic RPG series first being announced all the way back in 2020 (though rumours of its existence had begun as early as 2018). Initially planned to arrive some time in 2025, the upcoming RPG now has a new release window – officially arriving some time in Autumn 2026.

Taking part in the recent Xbox Developer Direct, Playground Games officially gave us our first proper look at the upcoming Fable.

While we have gotten teasers before and even some slight gameplay snippets, the latest showcase offered a much deeper look at the game and its systems, confirming that many of the series’ staples (house building, marriage, a morality system and more) will be present in the reboot.

In the 5+ years since the project was first announced, the Xbox ecosystem has gone through a ton of changes, and so while Fable was originally planned to be an Xbox console exclusive, Microsoft have now officially confirmed that the game will be launching day-and-date on the PS5 alongside its Series X|S and PC counterparts.

What date that will be however is currently unknown, with us only being given a release window of Autumn 2026.

So far, what has been shown off regarding Fable is looking quite positive, with Playground Games seemingly successfully taking on the mantle from Lionhead Studios. That said, we will have to wait and see how it all comes together when the game finally arrives later this year.

KitGuru says: What did you think of the Xbox Developer Direct? Do you have more or less confidence in Fable now? When do you think the game will actually come out? Let us know down below.

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AMD has officially confirmed that the Ryzen 7 9850X3D will hit retail shelves on January 29th, carrying a suggested price tag of $499. This move positions the new 8-core processor as the premium choice within Team Red's Zen 5 3D V-Cache lineup, sitting just above the current Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

The announcement comes directly from David McAfee, AMD's VP and GM of the client channel business, who claims this new SKU is the fastest gaming processor currently available. The specifications reveal that while the architecture remains the same, the 9850X3D benefits from improved binning, enabling it to reach a 5.6 GHz clock speed, a 400 MHz boost compared to the 9800X3D. Despite this higher frequency, the 120 W TDP remains unchanged, as does the 104 MB total cache pool, which includes the 96 MB L3 stack that defines the X3D series. AMD's internal benchmarks suggest this clock-speed advantage translates into a 3% to 8% performance uplift over the 9800X3D in CPU-bound scenarios.

The $499 MSRP will likely come as a relief to those following recent industry whispers. Early retail leaks in December had suggested pricing could be a bit higher, especially given the persistent demand for high-end AM5 components.

Availability remains the primary concern for prospective buyers. The previous launch of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D was marred by severe inventory shortages, leading to inflated prices at third-party retailers and a thriving scalper market. Although reports suggest distribution is well underway for the January 29th release, it remains to be seen whether AMD has secured enough volume to meet demand.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: If stock levels hold, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D is poised to become the new default recommendation for high-end gaming builds, effectively squeezing Intel's flagship offerings out of the frame.

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Since the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, we have seen the console maker release enhanced ports for a number of its Switch 1 titles – some paid and others free. Joining the latter is Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, with a free Switch 2 update officially available now; adding a new playable character, game modes and more.

Making the surprise announcement, Nintendo officially unveiled their latest Switch 2 update, this time for Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. Available to download right now, this free upgrade brings with it quite a bit of new content.

Visually, the game has been updated on Switch 2 with “enhanced resolution, higher-definition graphics, and quicker load times” alongside support for the console’s GameShare functionality. That said, we did not get any specifics regarding the exact details of this visual boost.

In terms of gameplay additions, this latest update brings in Dixie Kong as a support character allowing for additional movement abilities (though can also be directly controlled when playing in co-op). Alongside this, update 1.1.0 also introduces a new game mode in the form of Turbo Attack – in which players will have to speed through the levels before time runs out.

Dixie Kong and the new Turbo Attack mode is available for all owners of DK Country Returns HD, not just Switch 2 owners.

Considering the relative lack of content which some paid Switch 2 Editions have had, Nintendo releasing this update for free is both unexpected yet welcome. That said, Donkey Kong Country Returns was originally a Wii title; which was then ported to the 3DS; remastered for the Switch 1 and now updated for Switch 2 – and so it's possible that Nintendo felt as though they have made enough of a profit from the game at this point.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this update? How does it compare to some of the other paid upgrades? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Donkey Kong Country Returns HD gets surprise free Switch 2 update first appeared on KitGuru.

2025 was a strong year for video games and yet despite this, one title seemed to suck all the oxygen out of the air when it came to the awards season – with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 taking home hundreds of Game of the Year awards. With a majority of award shows having now come and gone, Expedition 33 has officially broken the record for the greatest number of GOTY wins; currently sitting at 436.

As collated by ResetEra user Angie, with a total of 436 Game of the Year awards Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has officially dethroned FromSoftware’s Elden Ring (429 wins) as the title with the single highest number of GOTYs.

While certainly an impressive achievement, it is worth noting that each year has seen new publications popping up and offering GOTY awards – meaning it is becoming increasingly easier to break the record.

For context, so far there have been over 620 GOTYs given away for 2025 compared to 529 in 2024 and 537 in 2023; and so comparisons between the years isn’t quite an apples-to-apples situation. Still, there is no denying that Clair Obscur is the definitive Game of the Year for 2025.

The top 5 most awarded titles of all time is as follows:

1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – 436 wins
2. Elden Ring – 429 wins
3. The Last of Us Part II – 326 wins
4. Baldur’s Gate III – 288 wins
5. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – 281 wins

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 your GOTY for 2025? If not, what game was? Will GTA VI be the first title to surpass 500 GOTY wins? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dethrones Elden Ring for the most GOTY wins ever first appeared on KitGuru.

With the initial announcement for The Elder Scrolls VI being well over 7 years old at this point and no release date in sight, many indie studios have taken on the mantle of trying to offer their own entry in this underrepresented sub-genre of immersive fantasy RPGs. One of the most notable is Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon; having now officially surpassed 1 million copies sold.

Making the announcement via their Steam page, the teams at Questline / Awakened Realms confirmed this new major milestone, writing:

“Hello, everyone! We hope 2026 has been treating you well so far! We kicked the year off with an incredible milestone, and now it's time to share that…Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon has sold over 1 million copies across all platforms! As always, thank you so much for all the love and support throughout this journey! After all, it's literally you who made this achievement come to life!”

In case you missed it back when it was released in May of 2025, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a first/third person open world RPG set in a “dark reimagination of Arthurian legend”. Featuring character customisation, choices and plenty of roleplaying opportunities, the game resonated with many fans of The Elder Scrolls and other immersive early  2000s RPGs.

While it launched with a number of issues, including some progression-halting bugs, Tainted Grail has received plenty of updates since May, including a whole new expansion and a bunch of bug fixes.

If you are not one of the 1 million players, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon and its expansion are currently on sale for 20% off.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Have you checked out Tainted Grail? Does it scratch that Elder Scrolls itch? What’s the best Scrolls-like released so far in your opinion? Let us know down below.

The post Scrolls-like Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon surpasses 1 million copies sold first appeared on KitGuru.

Announced all the way back in 2019, Crimson Desert is an ambitious open-world RPG in development at Pearl Abyss – the studio behind the popular Black Desert Online MMO. Initially planned to arrive late last year, the game was pushed back to 2026 citing “longer than expected timelines”. Finally however, Crimson Desert is almost upon us, with the game having now officially gone Gold ahead of its March release date.

Making the announcement via Twitter, the official Crimson Desert page shared the following message:

“We're thrilled to announce that #CrimsonDesert has gone gold! On behalf of the team at Pearl Abyss, thank you to our fans around the world for your support and for reaching this milestone with us. Stay tuned for more news, and see you in Pywel on March 19!”

For the uninitiated, ‘Going Gold’ means that the Crimson master disc has been submitted to Pearl Abyss’ publisher (in this case, themselves). Discs can then be pressed with finalised software and digital storefronts can upload the 1.0 version of the game ready for release.

It’s a process that every game in development goes through, and means that (aside from post-launch patches and DLC) Crimson Desert should be complete and ready to play.

Crimson Desert is an ambitious game, and one which many fear will not be able to live up to the expectations set by its gameplay demonstrations. Regardless of whether it will be the next big thing or not, the game should hopefully have no issues hitting its target release date.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for Crimson Desert? Do you think it’ll live up to expectations? Let us know down below.

The post Crimson Desert officially goes Gold ahead of March release date first appeared on KitGuru.

After what was an incredibly strong start, EA / DICE have not been able to maintain Battlefield 6’s momentum, with the game’s first Season seeing a lukewarm reception and Season 2 being delayed by nearly a month. In the lead up to BF6’s second Season the team have detailed some of what players can expect when it goes live on the 17th of February.

Publishing a community update blogpost, the team at Battlefield Studios offered some details on BF6’s Season 2 content. While still a bit early for the full roadmap, DICE spoke on the return of their Battlefield Labs program, writing:

“We’re using Labs to further polish and refine Season 2 content, validating changes and making final tuning adjustments ahead of launch while continuing to apply what we learn as we evolve the experience. In this next session, we’ll be testing content on one of Season 2’s new maps: Contaminated.”

Though we did not get a full breakdown of the map, it was confirmed to be similar in size to that of St. Quentin Scar from Battlefield 1 or Arras from BFV. Other aspects of Season 2 set to be tested first in Labs include the upcoming AH-6 Little Bird vehicle – “allowing us to evaluate how it fits within the broader vehicle ecosystem and how it performs across different combat scenarios.”

Beyond this, the team confirmed that they will continue to monitor “aircraft and vehicle combat systems” alongside “adjustments to weapons such as RPGs and TOW launchers”. Most importantly however the game’s “hit registration and overall combat consistency” will be seeing notable improvements.

Though not explicitly stated to be launching in Season 2, the team confirmed that Battlefield 4’s Golmund Railway will be coming to BF6 at some point in the future (beginning with Labs testing).

Last but not least, the team is said to be “continuing internal and exploratory testing around Battle Royale Solo play, as we evaluate how different player configurations impact pacing, balance, and the overall Battle Royale experience.”

Described as being “part of our ongoing effort to make informed decisions about how Battle Royale is structured and presented over time, rather than committing to a single permanent configuration” it appears as though solo queuing will make its way into RedSec eventually; though the question of when remains unknown.

Battlefield 6 came swinging out of the gate, but unfortunately they have so far been unable to capitalise on its success. Hopefully the team at Battlefield Studios are able to find a workflow which allows for consistent and high quality updates. Don’t expect too much from Season 2 however. The full blogpost can be found HERE.

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KitGuru says: What did you think of BF6 at launch? Have DICE / BF Studios fumbled their post launch support? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Battlefield Studios detail upcoming additions coming to BF6 in future Seasons first appeared on KitGuru.

AOC has officially expanded its B3 series lineup with two new QHD monitors: the 23.8-inch Q24B36X and the 27-inch Q27B36X. These displays bridge the gap between standard office work and gaming, ensuring that everyday tasks like scrolling through documents feel fluid, while gaming remains crisp.

Both monitors use IPS panels to provide accurate colour reproduction and wide 178-degree viewing angles, making them well-suited for professional multitasking and media consumption. In addition, both offer a 2560×1440 resolution at a 144 Hz refresh rate and a claimed 0.5 ms MPRT response time.

The 27-inch Q27B36X provides a pixel density of 109 ppi with wide colour coverage reaching 118.5% of the sRGB gamut, whereas the more compact 23.8-inch Q24B36X offers a sharper 123 ppi. Both models support Adaptive-Sync to eliminate screen tearing, while they accept HDR10 signals too. For long-term comfort, AOC has included Flicker-Free technology and a Low Blue Light mode to reduce eye strain.

Connectivity options include a single HDMI 2.0 port and a DisplayPort 1.4, ensuring compatibility with modern desktops, laptops, and consoles. These monitors are scheduled for release this month, with the Q24B36X priced at £109.00 and the Q27B36X at £129.00.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: AOC is making high-refresh QHD displays more accessible than ever with these new additions to the B3 series. By providing gaming-grade motion performance at an office-friendly price point, these monitors offer a compelling “all-in-one” solution for users who do not want to spend too much.

The post AOC expands B3 series with QHD 144Hz monitors for work and play first appeared on KitGuru.

The latest addition to Seagate's large range of external hard drives is the Astro Bot Limited Edition Game Drive, designed for use with PS5 (storage only), PS4 (playback) and PC. It's got a 5TB capacity and is priced at £150/$170. We find out if it's worth buying.

The limited-edition drive is covered in artwork inspired by Astro Bot, winner of the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024.

Using the CrystalDiskInfo utility, we see that the drive inside the 21.5 x 81 x 122.5mm plastic enclosure is a 5TB Seagate Barracuda (ST5000LM-2U8170) 2.5in hard drive. The ST5000LM-2U8170 has a spin speed of 5,400rpm with 128MB of cache. The transfer rate for the drive is quoted as up to 140MB/s, and the drive uses a USB 3.0 Micro B interface.

Seagate backs the drive with a 3-year warranty.

Physical Specifications:

• Usable Capacities: 5TB.
• Interface: USB 3.0 Micro B.
• Form Factor: external.
• Dimensions: 21.5 x 81 x 122.5mm.
• Drive Weight: 266g.

Firmware Version: 0003

The post Seagate Astro Bot Limited Edition Game Drive 5TB Review first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD has introduced a major update to its software ecosystem with the AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition AI Bundle, a new stack designed to remove the technical hurdles associated with setting up a local artificial intelligence environment. Historically, developers and creators have had to manually configure complex stacks involving graphics drivers, Python environments, and various frameworks. This new bundle integrates directly into the Adrenalin Edition application as an optional install, allowing users to deploy a fully functional AI development environment with a single click.

The bundle includes a selection of essential tools, most notably bringing PyTorch to Windows as a native part of the AMD software suite for the first time. It also features ComfyUI for visual image generation workflows, Ollama for running LLMs locally, and LM Studio for easy model parameter tuning. Additionally, the bundle includes Amuse, a text-to-image application optimised for AMD hardware. By hosting these workloads locally on the user's hardware, AMD is positioning it as a cost-efficient, privacy-focused alternative to subscription-based cloud AI services.

Hardware compatibility is centred on AMD's latest architectures to ensure optimal performance with the ROCm platform. The AI Bundle is supported on systems equipped with an AMD Radeon RX 7700 series graphics card or newer, as well as the latest generation of processors, including the Ryzen AI 300, 400, and AI Max series. By leveraging the dedicated AI accelerators found in these RDNA 3 and RDNA 4 GPUs, users can build, train, and run models without the latency or security concerns typically associated with off-system processing.

To begin using these tools, users need to download the latest version of AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition and select the AI Bundle option during installation (or update). Once installed, applications such as Ollama and PyTorch can be launched directly from the software interface.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Even if you're not that into AI, given how easy it is to set up a local environment using the new AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition AI bundle, it might be worth trying it out. That is, of course, if your system meets the requirements.

The post AMD streamlines local AI setup with AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition AI bundle first appeared on KitGuru.

Throughout 2025 we saw an increasing number of leaks and rumours surrounding Ubisoft’s long-awaited Prince of Persia The Sands of Time Remake, with recent reports claiming that the title is scheduled to launch as early as this month. While this may have been the case at one point, Ubisoft have now announced “a major organizational, operational and portfolio reset” which includes the cancellation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake and 5 other projects.

Making the surprise announcement via a press release, Ubisoft unveiled the details of their “major organizational, operational and portfolio reset” designed “to reclaim creative leadership and restore sustainable growth.”

While there is of course plenty to dig into with this press release (including details on the publisher’s “accelerated investments behind player-facing Generative AI”) by far the most surprising part of the announcement was the fact that half a dozen in-development projects have now been cancelled as a result of this restructure, with them writing:

“Ubisoft has discontinued 6 games that do not meet the new enhanced quality as well as more selective portfolio prioritization criteria at Group level. These include Prince of Persia The Sands of Time remake as well as 4 unannounced titles, including 3 new IP’s, and a mobile title.”

As mentioned, many were expecting Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake to be released this month, with various leaks and rumours late last year indicating as much. Additionally, just last week the ESRB published a listing for the game alongside an official content rating; suggesting that its release was indeed imminent.

Given the fact that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake was delayed multiple times, changed studios and rebooted in order to ensure a quality product, the news of its sudden and unexpected cancellation is highly disappointing to see.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Were you looking forward to The Sands of Time Remake? Did you have high hopes for the project? At this point, would you have rather the original remake been released back in 2021 when it was initially planned? Let us know down below.

The post Ubisoft unceremoniously cancels 6 games including Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake first appeared on KitGuru.

Fractal Design has officially unveiled the Pop 2 Air, the next generation in its Pop series. Engineered with a focus on high-performance cooling and modern aesthetics, the new chassis features an open-mesh front with a cubic pattern, a ventilated top, and an integrated GPU air guide that directs cool air to the centre of the main chamber.

Out of the box, the Pop 2 Air comes equipped with three swept-blade fans to ensure airflow through the interior. The exterior maintains a sleek profile, detailed with a fabric tab and decent front I/O, including USB-A/C (5 Gbps) and audio ports.

The case is built to accommodate modern enthusiast hardware, supporting graphics cards up to 416 mm long, PSUs up to 180 mm long, CPU towers up to 175 mm tall, and top-mounted radiators up to 360 mm. Motherboard support ranges from Mini ITX to ATX. Lastly, there's space for a 3.5-inch drive, up to 3x 2.5-inch drives, and 7x 120 mm fans.

The building experience has been further refined with tool-free panels, dedicated cable routing spaces, and bracket-free SSD mounts for a cleaner, more straightforward setup. Fractal is offering the Pop 2 Air in multiple variants, including solid, tempered glass (TG), and RGB models, the latter of which features dedicated on-case lighting control buttons in the front I/O.

We will have a review of the Pop 2 Air in the coming weeks so stay tuned for that.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: The original Pop series was a standout for its value and unique features, such as the hidden storage drawer. With the Pop 2 Air, Fractal is improving upon its predecessor with some adjustments, improving a winning recipe with new features. Depending on its price point, it could easily become the new go-to for mid-range and high-end airflow builds.

The post Fractal Pop 2 Air series launches with integrated GPU air guide first appeared on KitGuru.

Following a roughly 6 months delay, Bungie’s extraction shooter Marathon is finally set to officially launch on the 5th of March. While questions remain regarding how the live-service title will be received, PS5 Pro users are seemingly in for quite the visual treat, with Sony confirming that the PS5 Pro version of Marathon will run at an internal resolution of 5K.

Following the official announcement of Marathon’s new release date (that being the 5th of March), PlayStation have now started to share a bunch of ancillary details pertaining to the upcoming extraction shooter.

While some games struggle to render at a native 1080p even on the PS5 Pro, Marathon looks to be operating with plenty of spare power, with the team confirming via its store page that:

“PS5 Pro Enhanced PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) blends 5K internal rendering into a clean, stable 4K image so your Runner’s view stays sharp, even when the action gets hectic.”

Typically, PSSR is used to upscale games to a higher perceived resolution, but in this case, the technology is actually downsampling the internal resolution from 5K to 4K; which will make Marathon’s sleek visual design even cleaner looking.

Unfortunately, there has been no word on whether the game will offer a 120fps mode, with the store page only confirming “a sharp, smooth 60 FPS” for now.

Regardless, it is interesting to see PSSR used to downsample from higher resolutions, as opposed to being a bit of a clutch to eke out some extra frames. Hopefully Bungie has plans to introduce some sort of high framerate option.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to Marathon? Has Bungie done enough to convince you? Is a locked 60fps enough for you? Let us know down below.

The post Marathon on PS5 Pro runs at a native 5K resolution first appeared on KitGuru.

With Sony’s PlayStation Plus Extra / Premium titles for the month of January now out and available for subscribers to claim, the console maker has confirmed the list of games which will be removed from the service next month. Covering a wide spectrum of genres, February’s departees include the hit dungeon-crawling rogue-like Cult of the Lamb, Rez Infinite and WWE 2K25 among others.

In going to the last chance to play section on the PlayStation 5’s PS Plus tab, subscribers can find a list of 9 titles which are set to be removed from the service next month (likely mid-February):

• WWE 2k25
• New World Aeternum
• Saga Frontier Remastered
• Cult of the Lamb
• Super Neptunia RPG
• The Ascent
• Carto
• Rez Infinite
• Spirit of the North

While the likes of Cult of the Lamb and Rez Infinite being removed is sad to see, Amazon’s New World Aeternum was already being delisted from all storefronts as servers are being taken offline – and so its departure is not surprising. Regardless, you still have roughly a month to check out / complete the games above before they are removed from the service come mid-February.

In case you missed it, January’s PlayStation Plus Extra / Premium additions include the likes of Resident Evil Village, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Darkest Dungeon II. Full details on this month’s line-up can be found HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of February’s departees? Will you try to complete any of the listed games before their removal? Let us know down below.

The post 9 titles are set to leave PlayStation Plus Extra next month first appeared on KitGuru.

Prior to the game’s launch last year, the team at Gearbox confirmed that the then-upcoming Borderlands 4 would be landing on the Nintendo Switch 2 alongside all other platforms. Right at the last minute however, the Switch 2 version was delayed indefinitely citing the need for “additional development and polish time”. While we’ve yet to get an updated timeline, a Portuguese retailer seems to have confirmed Borderlands 4’s launch date prematurely.

As discovered by Reddit user ‘Venom_daemon', the Portuguese retailer GamingReplay recently went live with their listing for the Switch 2 version of Borderlands 4, with the title reportedly arriving on the 27th of February.

While this of course should be taken with a pinch of salt until confirmed by Gearbox themselves, Borderlands 4 over the past few months has made a bunch of strides when it comes to ensuring a more consistent and performant experience, meaning its arrival shouldn’t be too far away.

That said, early impressions of the Switch 2 version prior to release left plenty to be desired, and so it will be interesting to see exactly what changes/optimisations have been made to ensure a smooth experience.

Despite a solid start, Borderlands 4 sales have been lower than expected, with 2K blaming performance issues on PC for the “softer” reception. With a majority of these woes across PC and consoles now resolved, it will be interesting to see how the Switch 2 version performs – both in terms of stability and sales.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Borderlands 4? Did the early performance problems dissuade you from getting the game? Will the Switch 2 version include an FOV slider? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Borderlands 4 Switch 2 release date leaked by gaming retailer first appeared on KitGuru.

IO Interactive has slowly but surely been transforming HITMAN: World of Assassination into the perfect stealth-assassination series, collating the recent trilogy into one neat package while adding new content; modes; features and more. 5 years on from the original launch of HITMAN 3, IOI have announced a highly-welcome update – with full cross-progression set to be added early next month.

Making the official announcement on their blog, the team at IO Interactive unveiled the next update coming to HITMAN: World of Assassination, writing: “On this day, exactly 5 years ago, HITMAN 3 launched worldwide for our players to experience, as the final chapter of the World of Assassination trilogy. As part of that special milestone, it was also important for HITMAN to equip its players with a sense of continuity by allowing everyone to bring forward their established progression from previous parts.”

In furthering these efforts, IOI have now confirmed that “Cross-Progression is coming to HITMAN World of Assassination” with the update set to go live on the 3rd of February. Unlike some games which use cross-progression, HITMAN: WOA will allow you to carry your progress over to all platforms which the game is available on – mobile and VR included.

Being tied to your IOI account, the following will be tracked and synced across devices:

• Experience 
• Player Level 
• Challenges 
• Location Mastery 
• Unlocks and Inventory 
• Achievements / Trophies 
• Freelancer Mode Progression 
• Campaign Story Progress 

Despite starting its life as a separate trilogy, IOI have successfully turned HITMAN into a highly-popular live-service adjacent experience; minus many of the downsides which such titles typically experience.

Considering the fact that the team are hard at work on the upcoming 007: First Light, it is encouraging to see them continue to support HITMAN: WOA in a bunch of consumer-friendly ways.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you still playing HITMAN World of Assassination? What else is there left for the team to add? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post HITMAN: World of Assassination update brings full cross-progression support next month first appeared on KitGuru.

Back in 2022, the team at 1047 Games announced that they would be shutting down their popular Halo-like arena shooter Splitgate in order to focus work on a dedicated sequel. After years of waiting, Splitgate 2 officially launched last year to plenty of complaints, leading the team to unlaunch the sequel. Now back as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, 1047 Games have unveiled the first big update coming in the wake of its return.

Splitgate: Arena Reloaded update 2.2 has been officially announced and is set to go live tomorrow on the 22nd of January. Described as a “big” update which “builds on everything we learned from launch,” the patch focuses primarily on overhauling the game’s controversial battle royale mode.

Now known as Arena Royale, this revised BR mode is “designed to bring our previous Battle Royale closer to the speed and intensity of Arena Reloaded” featuring 24 players across 6 teams “built to play at a similar pace and length to a traditional arena match.”

Unlike the original BR mode, this new version takes place within a single biome in order to keep “the experience tight and focused” – though players can vote for which of the 4 biomes the match will take place in.

Beyond this, looting has been streamlined and sped up, with buy stations being removed as “upgrades are handled directly through your inventory, allowing you to make quick decisions without breaking the flow of the match.”

Full details on all the changes made to Arena Royale can be found HERE, but outside of the BR mode, patch 2.2 also brings with it some other welcome additions, including creator maps; new limited time modes and perhaps most excitingly a new mastery camo to unlock for your weapons.

Splitgate: Arena Reloaded has been off to a slow start since its return, with player numbers on Steam in particular being less-than-stellar. That said, Splitgate as a game does offer plenty of fun, and so it will be interesting to see whether this update helps to bring new / returning players into the fold.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Have you checked out Arena Reloaded since its relaunch? How does it compare to the original Splitgate 2? Is the OG Splitgate still the best? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Major Splitgate update overhauls Battle Royale mode and more first appeared on KitGuru.

Twice a month, Microsoft updates its Xbox Game Pass library, announcing which titles will be arriving over the coming weeks and which will be departing. With the line-up for the first half of January now all available to download and play, Microsoft has unveiled the remaining titles set to land between now and the end of the month – including Death Stranding, Space Marine 2 and more.

As always, Xbox’s Game Pass line-up is being released in a staggered form, with the first set of games joining the service from today:

• Death Stranding Director's Cut
• RoadCraft
• Ninja Gaiden Ragebound

Coming Soon:

• The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle – 22nd January
• The Talos Principle 2 – 27th January
• Anno: Mutationem – 28th January
• Drop Duchy – 28th January
• MySims: Cozy Bundle – 28th January
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II – 29th January
• Indika – 2nd February
• Final Fantasy II – 3rd February

Unfortunately, Microsoft giveth and Microsoft taketh away, with a total of 7 titles set to depart from the service on the 31st of January:

• Shady Part of Me
• Cataclismo
• Starbound
• Lonely Mountains Snow Riders
• Paw Patrol World
• Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
• Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap

While the departure of Citizen Sleeper is unfortunate to see (especially as it was a day-one addition), Game Pass subscribers have plenty to check out and look forward to – with Death Stranding in particular being a major boon for the service. Full details on the list of upcoming additions can be found HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you subscribed to Xbox Game Pass? Have they justified the service’s price hike yet? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Death Stranding, Ninja Gaiden and more join Xbox Game Pass this month first appeared on KitGuru.

Phanteks has officially launched the T30-140, a 140mm fan that expands the award-winning T30 series into a larger format. Teased at previous events, this fan has been developed in collaboration with Sunon.

The T30-140 distinguishes itself with a non-standard 30 mm frame thickness, providing 25% larger fan blades than traditional 25mm models. This increased surface area allows for much higher static pressure and airflow, making it an ideal candidate for radiators and restrictive dust filters. Both the fan frame and the blades are manufactured from Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP). This rigid material enables a microscopic 0.8 mm clearance between the blade tips and the frame, designed to reduce air turbulence.

Internal performance is driven by a 6-pole, 3-phase motor paired with Sunon’s magnetic dual Vapo bearing system. This combination ensures stable operation even at high rotational speeds while significantly reducing mechanical friction and motor hum. To cater to a wide range of build types, the T30-140 features a physical three-mode switch on the hub, allowing users to select between Hybrid, Performance, and Advanced profiles.

In Hybrid mode, the fan operates semi-passively, remaining completely silent (0 RPM) when the PWM signal is below 50% and reaching a maximum of 1,200 RPM. Despite the low RPM, it can still deliver up to a claimed 63.2 CFM of airflow at a 1.27 mmH2O static pressure, with a noise level of 23.2 dBA. This mode is perfect for silent office builds or low-load scenarios where noise minimisation is the priority. For those seeking a balance between thermals and noise, the Performance mode caps the fan at 2,000 RPM, delivering a claimed 109.9 CFM and 3.56 mmH2O of static pressure at 38.1 dBA. For overclocking or server environments where raw power is the only metric that matters, the Advanced mode pushes the fan to its 2,500-RPM limit. In this profile, the T30-140 is said to deliver a massive 139.6 CFM and a static pressure of 5.41 mmH2O, though the noise level increases to 44.3 dBA. Despite the high power draw in Advanced mode, Phanteks supports PWM daisy-chaining.

The Phanteks T30-140 is now available in a black-and-grey aesthetic. It is sold in both single and triple packs, with a single unit priced at £34.90/$39.99/€39.90 and the triple pack retailing at £99.90/$114.99/€114.90. Every fan comes with a six-year warranty.

KitGuru says: By sticking to a 30mm thickness and LCP, Phanteks is offering a no-compromise solution for enthusiasts who prioritise thermal headroom over RGB aesthetics. If you are building a high-end 420 mm radiator loop this year, these are some of the fans you definitely have to consider.

The post Phanteks launches 140mm T30 fan variant, available in single and triple pack first appeared on KitGuru.

Gamdias has officially introduced the Atlas M4, a mid-tower case that aims to deliver a blend of high-performance cooling and pleasing aesthetics. This new addition to the Atlas series is part of the brand's 2026 “Augmented Immersion” vision, which focuses on engineering a seamless connection between the user and their hardware.

The primary visual draw of the Atlas M4 is its seamless tempered glass that wraps around the front and sides, offering a “bottom-to-top” view of the internal components. To achieve this unobstructed panoramic layout, Gamdias shifted the PSU to a front-mounted position. This design choice removes the traditional PSU shroud from the bottom of the case, creating a cleaner main chamber. Furthermore, the chassis is fully compatible with hidden-connector motherboards, enabling a build virtually free of visible internal cabling.

For thermal management, the Atlas M4 employs a chimney-style ventilation design. It draws cool air from the perforated bottom panel and exhausts heat through the top and rear, working with natural thermal convection. The case comes equipped with four pre-installed Notus M1 ARGB fans and an integrated 8-port PWM ARGB fan hub for centralised lighting and speed control. A neat feature of this cooling setup is the adjustable bottom-mounted fan system, which lets users select from six different angles to direct airflow toward graphics cards.

Built for versatility, the Atlas M4 supports ATX, microATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards. It accommodates graphics cards up to 425 mm in length and includes a pre-installed anti-sag bracket to protect the PCIe slot. The front I/O is well-equipped, featuring a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port capable of 10 Gbps, along with two USB 3.0 ports. Maintenance is simplified with modular, tool-free panels and magnetic dust filters on the top and sides, making it an accessible option for both first-time builders and seasoned enthusiasts. Priced at $99.9, the case targets builders looking for a premium display-style aesthetic without the traditional price barriers of high-end boutique enclosures.

KitGuru says: The combination of hidden-connector motherboard compatibility, fishtank design and the adjustable GPU fan system makes it stand out in an increasingly crowded segment of PC cases.

The post Gamdias launches Atlas M4 mid-tower with adjustable angled GPU cooling first appeared on KitGuru.

Today we’re taking a look at the Montech NX600 CPU cooler, a dual-tower air cooler that’s aimed designed to deliver maximum bang for your buck. On paper, it promises strong thermal performance, broad socket compatibility, and a clean, understated design. But as we know, specs only tell half the story, so in this review, we’ll be putting it through proper thermal and noise testing to see whether the NX600 is genuinely competitive, or just another budget contender.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
00:50 Pricing and Info
02:00 Up Close
03:16 Heatsink and plastic top details
04:15 Fans
05:30 Accessories
06:26 Test System and Installation
07:59 Thermal and Noise Performance
10:11 Worth buying?

 

Features:

• Dual-Tower Cooling — NX600 features dual heat sink fin stacks with 52 fins per stack, six heat pipes, and dual high-performance 28mm thick fans to maximise heat dissipation and airflow efficiency for optimal temperatures even under heavy loads.
• Soldered Copper Base for Efficient Heat Transfer — A flat copper base soldered directly to six heat pipes provides efficient, even heat dissipation from the CPU to the heat sink, keeping CPU temperature under control.
• Dual E28 PWM Performance Fans — Equipped with two MONTECH E28 (ARGB) PWM fans tuned for strong airflow and static pressure, providing effective cooling with or without RGB lighting effects.
• Broad CPU Socket Compatibility — Supports all major current Intel and AMD sockets, including Intel LGA115X / 1200 / 1700 / 1851 and AMD AM4 / AM5, for stress-free installation and upgrades.

Specifications:

• Colour Options: Black / White
• Dimensions: 120 × 132.5 × 160 mm (cooler) / 203 × 146 × 200 mm (package)
• Weight: 1440 g
• CPU Socket Support: Intel: LGA115X, 1200, 1700, 1851, AMD: AM4, AM5
• Heat Pipes: 6
• Fan Support: Up to 2 fans
• Fan Speed: 800–2000 RPM (±10%)
• Bearing Type: HDB
• Voltage Range: 12 V
• Connector: 4-pin PWM
• Maximum Airflow: 85.09 CFM
• Maximum Static Pressure: 3.35 mmH₂O
• Maximum Noise Level: 34.17 dBA
• Warranty: 1 year

Test System Specifications

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
• Motherboard: ASRock X870E Taichi Lite
• Memory: 32GB (2 x 16GB Modules) Kingston Fury DDR5-6000
• Graphics card: Gigabyte RTX 4070 Gaming OC
• Storage: 1TB Corsair MP600 Elite PCIe Gen4x4 NVME M.2 SSD
• Power Supply: Seasonic Prime TX-1600
• Chassis: Open Test Bench
• Thermal Compound: Arctic MX-6
• O/S: Windows 11 Version 24H2

Testing Methodology:

We are primarily focusing on the performance of each cooler at 100% fan speed and also when locked to 40dBA noise output. We will focus on cooling performance using a manual overclock with all-core frequency and VCORE locked to 5.2GHz/1.3v (AMD) and 5.5GHz/1.3v (Intel) and Precision Boost Overdrive performance.

• The test data is logged using HWINFO and the final 10 minutes of the data is calculated to find the average CPU temperature and CPU clock multiplier (AMD PBO Test) and then plotted in the charts.
• For testing, we use a 30-minute looped run of Cinebench R23 and record the steady-state CPU temperature at the end of the test. This ensures that the CPU has had ample time to warm up and reach a steady state under all of the coolers.
• The ambient is maintained at 19-21 degrees Celsius. Where there is variation beyond this temperature range, we add extra repeated tests to ensure consistency. However, this is well controlled now with A/C.
• We also test each cooler with at least two fresh installs (typically three) to mitigate the likelihood of poor mounting spoiling results.
• Ambient temperature and humidity are controlled via a mini split air conditioning system inside the test room. Ambient temperature is maintained between 22-23°C, Temperature delta figures are shown in the charts (ambient temperature is deducted from the measured component temperature).

Test Results:

Acoustics

Looking at noise output first, the Montech NX600 sits at the bottom end of the chart, recording 54dBA peak noise output, which makes it the loudest air cooler tested to date. Significantly louder than premium options such as the NH-U12A, Dark Rock 5, AK620 and SK260V and the current budget king, the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE V3. The NX600 prioritises fan speed over noise, and while tuning the fan curve may help, it’s clearly not aimed at silent PC builds.

Thermal Performance: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

With the fans running at maximum speed, the Montech NX600 delivers solid but not class-leading thermal performance, recording a steady-state CPU temperature of 61°C over ambient. That puts it on par with established air coolers like the be quiet! Dark Rock 5 and Corsair A115 and level with its main competition, the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120. That said, the NX600 is the loudest cooler in this test.

When noise is normalised to 40 dBA, thermal performance drops to 65 °C, which sees the NX600 still hold the middle of the pack, sat just behind the AK620 Digital Pro and the Sudokoo SK620V. But crucially, the NX60 outperforms the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 12 SE in the noise-normalised test, which we'd argue is the most useful metric since users will be more likely to run their system with fan curves rather than with the fans maxed out.

In AMD PBO testing, the Montech NX600 records a steady-state temperature of 63 °C over ambient with an average CPU clock multiplier of 51.3x, placing it in the middle of the chart again. It manages to sustain solid boost frequency, but trails more efficient dual-tower coolers with slightly higher clocks at lower temperatures. However, it again trades blows with what most would consider the best value cooler the Thermalright Peerless Assassin

So the Montech NX600 gives users a problem, but a good one, since now there are two great value budget air coolers to choose from that offer very similar levels of performance.

The Montech NX600/NX600 ARGB  is available to purchase now from Scan priced at £24.98 HERE for the regular version and £29.99 HERE for the ARGB model.

Pros:

• Very low cost.
• Decent thermal performance when noise is normalised.
• ARGB effects are good.

Cons:

• Fiddly fan installation.
• Loud at max fan speed.
• Build quality isn't perfect.

The post Montech NX600 CPU Air Cooler Review first appeared on KitGuru.