Back in 2022, Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto V: Expanded and Enhanced for Xbox Series X/S and PS5 consoles. The main addition? New graphical features like Ray Tracing. Now years later, and just ahead of the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, those graphical enhancements are finally coming to the PC version of GTA 5. 

Rockstar confirmed plans to release a GTA 5 PC graphics update in late 2024. Now, the update is ready and is freely available to all PC players. The update brings the game up to the same level as the newer Xbox Series X/S and PS5 versions of the game.

Below you can see some of the key highlights of the update:

• Ray tracing features only available on PC such as ambient occlusion and global illumination — plus ray traced shadows and reflections first debuted on consoles
• Support for AMD FSR1 and FSR3, and NVIDIA DLSS 3
• Faster loading times using SSD and DirectStorage on supported devices and configurations
• Enhanced support for higher resolutions, higher aspect ratios, and higher framerates
• DualSense® controller support, with adaptive triggers
• Enhanced audio with support for Dolby Atmos and improved fidelity of speech, cinematics, and music

Due to the new graphical enhancements, the recommended PC system requirements for GTA 5 have been updated – a rare sight for a decade-old game. To utilise the new features, you will want a system with at least an Intel Core i5-9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB of RAM and an RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT graphics card.

This change also brings a whole bunch of new vehicles to the game, as well as access to GTA+, Rockstar's subscription service that grants monthly bonuses for GTA Online, as well as free access to classic games, like the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy, Bully and more.

KitGuru Says: Do you still play GTA Online regularly? Has it improved since Rockstar added anti-cheat? 

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Valve has been putting a lot of its development resources into new projects in recent years. From Artifact and Dota Underworlds, to more successful releases like Half-Life Alyx and Counter-Strike 2. This has essentially meant that Team Fortress 2 has been left behind. Now, Valve has handed the keys to TF2 to the community.

Team Fortress 2 is now open source. The Team Fortress 2 Source SDK is now available. With this tool now available, people can essentially re-write Team Fortress 2, enabling game overhaul mods, new modes, new multiplayer experiences and more.

“Unlike the Steam Workshop or local content mods, this SDK gives mod makers the ability to change, extend or rewrite TF2, making anything from small tweaks to complete conversions possible”, Valve explains. “The SDK is licensed to users on a non-commercial basis, meaning that any mod created using the SDK must be free, and any content in those mods must be free. TF2 mods may be published on the Steam Store, and after publication will appear as new games in the Steam game list.”

Using TF2 as a base, developers could also create new game listings for the Steam Store. We've seen this happen with Half-Life projects in the past, like Black Mesa, a complete remake of the original Half-Life.

There is just one stipulation Valve has in place. As Workshop modders were responsible for a lot of in-game content for TF2 in the form of custom hats and other cosmetics, Valve does not want any developers to take those workshop items and then reutilise them for profit. It is unknown if Valve would make an exception for a developer willing to share a revenue split with the original workshop item creators.

KitGuru Says: With this move, I think we can safely say that there will be no more major content updates for Team Fortress 2. Now fans have to wonder – is Valve considering a Team Fortress 3?

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It seems the wait for AMD's Ryzen 9 9000 series with 3D V-Cache might be over soon. Both the 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X3D and the 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D have just surfaced on Geekbench with single-core and multi-core benchmark scores.

The leaked Geekbench results shared by @Olrak29_(1, 2) show both CPUs tested on Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite AXE motherboards with 32 GB of DDR5-4800 memory. The 9900X3D achieved 3,274 and 19,227 points in the single-core and multi-core tests, respectively, while the 9950X3D scored 3,363 and 20,465.

Comparing these leaked results to the previous generation 7000X3D series reveals some interesting trends. The 9950X3D shows a roughly 15% improvement in single-core performance and a 4% gain in multi-core performance compared to the 7950X3D. The 9900X3D boasts a 14.5% increase in single-core and a 9.3% increase in multi-core performance relative to the 7900X3D.

While AMD officially announced these CPUs for release this quarter, they haven't provided specific launch dates. Rumours suggest that the 9950X3D and 9900X3D could launch alongside the RDNA4 GPUs, which makes sense strategically, especially if the RX 9070 XT proves to be AMD's flagship offering this generation. Pairing it with top-tier CPUs would create a compelling combination for customers.

KitGuru says: Were you expecting a bigger performance uplift on the new X3D processors, or do these values match your expectations?

The post AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D leak shows decent single-thread performance improvement first appeared on KitGuru.

EK has unveiled its next-generation EK-Quantum Velocity³ CPU water blocks. Designed for compatibility with AMD AM5 and Intel LGA 1700/1851 sockets, the Velocity³ offers a high level of customisation, allowing users to fine-tune their cooling setup for optimal performance and aesthetics.

One of the key innovations of the Velocity³ is its flexible design, enabling easy switching between Intel and AMD platforms with minimal adjustments. Users can reposition the jet plate alignment, cold plate, and mounting bracket to accommodate their chosen socket type. This adaptability ensures that the Velocity³ remains a viable cooling solution even if you decide to switch platforms in the future.

The customisation goes beyond mere socket compatibility. The Velocity³ allows for the rotation of internal components, adjustment of the heat spreader, and repositioning the ports, giving enthusiasts control over their liquid cooling setup. This level of flexibility caters to those who demand both performance and aesthetics, ensuring the Velocity³ integrates into any build.

Available in Plexi, Acetal (black), and White finishes, the Velocity³ features a sleek, modern design crafted from high-quality materials. Its optimised cooling engine delivers exceptional performance, boasting up to a 2°C improvement over previous EK water blocks. The EK-Quantum Velocity³ 1700/1851/AM5 is available for purchase now for €109.90 (all variants).

KitGuru says: Are you planning on building a new custom loop? Would you take a thorough look at the new EK-Quantum Velocity³ water blocks, or do you already have something else in mind?

The post EK launches new EK-Quantum Velocity³ water block for LGA1700/1851 and AM5 sockets first appeared on KitGuru.

Apple has officially unveiled its much-anticipated “budget-friendly” iPhone, the iPhone 16e. While rumours previously suggested it might be named “iPhone SE 4,” Apple has opted for a new moniker for its entry-level offering.

The iPhone 16e features an A18 SoC with four GPU cores (instead of five), likely paired with 8 GB of RAM, ensuring compatibility with Apple Intelligence features. As predicted, the design takes cues from the iPhone 13 era, with a 6.1-inch OLED display boasting a 460 ppi pixel density and a 12 MP TrueDepth camera with Face ID support. The mute toggle switch has been replaced with the new action button, and the phone incorporates Apple's first in-house 5G modem, the C1, promising significant efficiency gains.

The iconic notch remains, and on the back, there's a single 48 MP camera. Other notable features include a USB-C port (albeit with USB 2.0 speeds), an impressive 26 hours of video playback (up from 22 hours on the iPhone 16), an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and emergency SOS via satellite.

The iPhone 16e starting price is $599 for the 128GB model and will be available on February 28th. While this represents a price increase compared to the now-discontinued iPhone SE 3, which started at $429 for the 64 GB model, the iPhone 16e's array of new features and increased base storage arguably justify the premium.

KitGuru says: Were you waiting for Apple to launch a new “entry-level” smartphone? Are you planning on upgrading your current smartphone, or do you think Apple is asking too much for an “entry-level” device?

The post Apple launches Iphone 16e powered by A18 SoC first appeared on KitGuru.

Following on from pre-release reviews yesterday, today the RTX 5070 Ti graphics card is launching to the masses globally. As we've seen with the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, stock may be hard to come by. If you are looking to pick up an RTX 5070 Ti as soon as possible in the UK, we've compiled a range of listings for you to choose from, with a particular light shown on GPUs that actually get close to the MSRP price tag. 

As we've already seen in the US, many RTX 5070 Ti models are already being marked up above MSRP pricing. While Nvidia's MSRP for this GPU is $750, there is no Founders Edition card for board partners to compete with, leading to a slew of $900 to $1000 versions of the RTX 5070 Ti. If you are seriously considering spending that kind of money on a new graphics card, be sure to check out a range of reviews first – here's our RTX 5070 Ti launch day review. So far, the general consensus seems to be that the RTX 5070 Ti is not worth its marked up price, but that could change from individual to individual based on when you last upgraded your graphics card. The jump is likely far more worth it to someone coming from an RTX 20 or a lower-tier RTX 30 GPU, compared to an RTX 40 graphics card.

The Asus Prime RTX 5070 Ti was supplied to reviewers in the US as an example of an MSRP-level card. Here in the UK, this graphics card is launching at £739 for the OC Edition. Pricing varies between Scan, eBuyer, OCUK and CLL, with Scan being the cheapest at the time of publishing.

On the MSI front, there are several listings for the RTX 5070 Ti Ventus 3X model, priced at £729.99. For Gigabyte, your best bet for a reasonable price is the Gigabyte RTX 5070 Ti Eagle model, which is coming in at £899.

Unfortunately, there are not many options available at launch for those wanting to only pay the MSRP price. PNY, Zotac and Gainward each have options available that come pretty close, with MSI being the cheapest with an MSRP-level £729.99 card.

Speaking of Scan, if you are looking to pick up an RTX 50 GPU, they have set up a very handy RTX 50 notification page with daily stock updates, as well as updates to currency conversion rates so customers know when to expect prices to rise or fall slightly.

Do note that all prices here are correct as of 2PM GMT on February 20th. Prices are subject to change due to a myriad of factors, chief of which is supply and demand, followed by currency conversion fluctuations.

KitGuru Says: What do you think of the RTX 5070 Ti launch? Will you be upgrading or avoiding this current generation until prices settle down? 

 

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Pegasus may have been more widely used than first believed, after an iPhone app used to detect infestations uncovered multiple undiscovered instances of the spyware.


Pegasus, created by NSO Group, is known to be spyware used by governments and security agencies around the world. While the spyware has previously been discovered on devices owned and used by prominent political figures, people of interest to governments, and journalists, it was probably more widely used than anyone expected.

In May 2024, iVerify released a $1 app for people to scan their iPhones for any signs of compromise. On Wednesday, iVerify said that, of the approximately 3,000 people who downloaded and used the app, there were seven verifiable detections of Pegasus.


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The A18 in the iPhone 16e is not the same as the A18 in the iPhone 16. Here's why the act of chip binning helps Apple while also creating variants of the same chip for different products.


The launch of the iPhone 16e was a thorough modernization of what is practically the spiritual successor to the iPhone SE 3. It's an upgrade that brought many areas of the budget iPhone option up to speed with the flagship range, the iPhone 16.

However, while it is stated as having an A18 chip powering things, it's not the same A18 chip as used by its stablemate, the iPhone 16. They are labeled the same, but they're certainly different.


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While initially launched exclusively for the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple plans to expand Visual Intelligence to the iPhone 15 Pro.


Visual Intelligence a handy feature that allows you to point your camera at an object in the real world to learn more about it. It's essentially Apple's answer to Google Lens.

Previously, if you wanted to use Visual Intelligence, you'd have to be someone who purchased a device in either the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro lineup. However, Apple has confirmed to Daring Fireball that the feature will roll out to the iPhone 15 Pro in a future update.


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The new iPhone 16e moves Visual Intelligence to the Action Button, making that immediately more useful and also giving faint hope that the button will be improved further.


Apple's Action Button was first introduced on the original Apple Watch Ultra, where users could decide what it would actually do when pressed. It's a function button, really, and it worked the same when it then came to the iPhone 15 Pro.

Now it's come to the iPhone 16e, and it's a little different. You still have to press and hold before it does anything, and the Action Button can still only do one of a series of actions that you choose.


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Apple-focused IT teams can now automate device management and data backup through a single platform with a new integration.


Backblaze and Kandji have integrated their services to provide unified Apple device management and cloud backup capabilities. The partnership enables automated deployment of Backblaze's backup service through Kandji's device management platform.

The integration brings together automated Backblaze deployment across company Apple devices, centralized management of devices and backups, combined security policy enforcement and data protection, and single dashboard control for IT teams.


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MSI GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Gaming Trio Review: MSRP $799 The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Gaming Trio takes NVIDIA's GB203 GPU and gooses up its clock speeds to improve performance over standard cards. Blackwell Architecture Hot-Clocked From The Factory Easy Overclocker Relatively Power Friendly Cool And Quiet DLSS 4 + RTX Neural Rendering Upgraded...

If you've never used an iPhone before, there steps you have to go to set it up, and then there are things you need to know about how to get the most from it. Here's what Apple doesn't tell you.


It is true that Apple devices tend to just work, and it's certainly true that the iPhone is ultimately incredibly easy to use. But when you first hold that piece of glass and metal in your hand, it's a mystery.

And it's a mystery that Apple assumes you will figure out. While there are support pages on Apple's website, those are useless until you're online.


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The iPhone 16e brings the iPhone SE kicking and screaming to modern times. Here's what's new about the spiritual successor versus the outgoing budget-friendly model.


Apple has consistently kept the design of the iPhone SE behind the rest of the iPhone range throughout its life. With the introduction of the iPhone 16e as a rebranded replacement, the budget model is now a thoroughly modernized smartphone.

It's not just the design that's been given a boost, as its specifications have also been upgraded to match its appearance.


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Estimating the cost to Apple of paying President Trump's import tariffs, Bank of America believes that a 9% price hike for the iPhone and all other devices, would prevent losses.


It's a fiction that other countries will pay tariffs, as instead all such costs will always be borne by US companies. In the case of Apple, it has previously earned an exemption — though not consistently — and it has tried to reduce the impact of tariffs by moving manufacturing to different countries.

According to CNBC, this time that spreading of the manufacturing around various locations is not going to help. Bank of America now estimates that whatever Apple does with manufacturing, and wherever it does it, the company will face a minimum of a 10% tariff.


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The ASUS GeForce RTX 5070 Ti TUF OC comes with a fantastic all-metal cooling solution that is built like a tank. During testing in our review, the card ran whisper-quiet at full load with the Quiet BIOS, and super cool with the default BIOS. The only problem is the high price of $1000.

The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Vanguard comes with the most powerful cooling solution tested today. It's also the quietest card and runs at lower temperatures than any other model—out of the box, no BIOS switch required. Performance is excellent, too, but pricing is very high.

The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Gaming Trio OC+ is a custom-design variant with a triple slot, triple-fan cooling solution. Testing in our review confirms, this card runs whisper-quiet and at good temperatures. Overclocking potential was fantastic, achieving 12% extra FPS in real-life testing.

The Palit GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GameRock OC is built around a great-looking triple-fan cooling solution with fantastic RGB lighting effects. In our testing the card ran very quietly no matter what we threw at it and the factory overclock helps unlock additional performance.

There have been many disappointed enthusiasts who have been unable to get hold of an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 graphics card since launch last month. In an effort to avoid scalpers buying up Founders Edition graphics cards, Nvidia has now set up a Verified Priority Access program. 

In a statement shared on the Nvidia forums today, Nvidia confirmed plans for the Verified Priority Access program, saying that it will give “a limited number of verified GeForce gamers and creators” an opportunity to buy one RTX 5080 or RTX 5090 Founders Edition graphics card from the Nvidia Marketplace.

To be eligible, you have to A) be in the US. B) have a registered Nvidia account from before January 30th. You can sign-up to be considered for it by filling out a form where you simply select which graphics card you are looking to buy and then tick a box to say that you agree to Nvidia verifying participation “based on region, configuration, games and app usage”. From the sounds of it, Nvidia will be targeting power users who have spent time engaging with Nvidia's services.

There is no word on whether or not this program will roll out worldwide, or if Nvidia will have plans to put something like this in place for future Founders Edition launches. It certainly would have helped a lot of enthusiasts avoid the stress of retail queues and scalpers driving prices up.

KitGuru Says: Do you think something like this should be in place for enthusiasts looking to upgrade moving forward? Do you want to see this program open up in Europe and other regions?

The post Nvidia fights scalpers with ‘Verified Priority Access’ program for RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 first appeared on KitGuru.

As they have done for years now, each week a new game or two are given away for free via the Epic Games Store for all those with an EGS account. From today, users can get their hands on the cute indie RGP Garden Story as well as Saber Interactive’s World War Z: Aftermath.

Available to add to your library from today until the 27th of February at 4pm, this week’s free titles are being headlined by World War Z: Aftermath. While this has been given away on the Epic Store in the past, in case you missed it back then, this Saber Interactive-developed co-op shooter functions similarly to that of the iconic Left4Dead series but with a 3rd-person perspective.

As expected, the game throws massive swarms of zombies all clumped together at you with intent to kill. Featuring a number of different and unique classes, you and three other friends can buddy up and take on its co-op story driven campaigns which take you all across the world.

World War Z: Aftermath is the complete version of the game, and so if you aren’t one of the 15 million who've already experienced this title, now is as good a time as any.

Garden Story meanwhile is a cute indie RPG in which you must “unify a broken community as the newly-appointed Guardian of The Grove”. Think of it kind of like Stardew Valley except you play as a grape.

Both World War Z: Aftermath and Garden Story are available to claim from today at 4PM UK time.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this week’s offerings? Have you tried World War Z: Aftermath in the past? What’s your favourite fruit? Let us know down below.

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Just yesterday, we reported on the possibility of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series returning, thanks to one professional skater who let slip that he is in an upcoming ‘remaster’ of the series. It seems as though this will indeed be the case, as following his claims leakers have now revealed that THPS 3+4 is set to be officially announced this June.

As reported by known industry insider eXtas1s, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is planned to be shadow dropped by Microsoft during the company’s Xbox Games Showcase in June. According to the insider, this release will launch simultaneously on PC, Xbox and PlayStation 5 – marking another first-party Xbox title headed to PlayStation.

For the uninitiated, following the success of 2020’s Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 (which went on to become the fastest-selling entry in the franchise), studio Vicarious Visions were working on a similar remake for the 3rd and 4th entries…until it was cancelled by Activision.

Given the fact that Vicarious Visions has since been absorbed and renamed to Blizzard Albany, it is unknown which studio has been tasked with this remake – though hopefully the Albany team were involved in some way.

As mentioned, just yesterday professional skater Tyshawn Jones revealed that “I’m in a Tony Hawk coming out, that’s cool. They got a new one they remastering so that’s about to come out, I was in the last one”. With collaborators and now leakers reporting on this remaster, it seems as though we might finally be getting the previously-ill-fated Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for the return of THPS? Which game in the series is your all-time favourite? Which studio do you think is working on the remake? Let us know down below.

The post Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 reportedly launching this June first appeared on KitGuru.

Each month, Sony updates its PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium libraries with a new line-up of titles. Similarly, every month a number of games are also removed from the service. With February’s line-up now available to claim, the console maker has revealed that 10 titles are set to leave the service in a month’s time.

In going to the PlayStation Plus tab on your PS5, you’ll find a list of 10 titles under the ‘Last Chance to Play’ section. Leaving the service at some point in March (likely around the 18th) are the following:

• Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 6
• Resident Evil 3 Remake
• DBZ Kakarot
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
• Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R
• Life is Strange True Colors
• Life is Strange 2 Complete Season
• Final Fantasy Type-O HD
• Street Fighter 5 Champion Edition
• Mortal Kombat 11

Fighting game fans might be disappointed to see 3 major titles leaving PS Plus, with Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R stinging particularly hard. In addition, it is interesting to see two Life is Strange titles being removed given the fact that the brand new Lost Records: Bloom and Rage has been added as a day-one release onto the service.

If you have not yet caught up with the Life is Strange series, you might want to give the two departing titles a go before they’re removed. Fortunately, both entries are relatively short affairs, and so you should have plenty of time to complete them.

In case you missed it, February’s PS Plus Extra/Premium titles are now available on the service, including the likes of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor; TopSpin 2K25 and Patapon 3. The full list can be found HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of February’s PS Plus additions? What about the games set to leave? Will you try to finish any of these games before they’re gone? Let us know down below.

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Back in May of last year, the team at Supergiant Games surprise-dropped the early access launch of Hades II. Since then, the game has seen one major content update alongside a bunch of smaller patches. Finally, Supergiant Games are back with Hades II’s 2nd major update – bringing new levels, gods, boons, revamped menus and a whole lot more.

Making the announcement, the team at Supergiant Games officially released and detailed their latest ‘Warsong Update’ writing:

“Our second Major Update has arrived, featuring the final confrontation of the surface route, one last Olympian and all his Boons, a new Animal Familiar to bond with, streamlined resource gathering, plenty of new music and artwork, and more! We're excited to know what you think, and will be monitoring feedback in the coming weeks to ensure these latest additions are working properly.”

The full list of patch notes can be found HERE, but some of the more interesting/notable changes include:

• More than 2,000 new voice lines and new events
• New final confrontation
• New Olymian (Ares) plus boons
• Revamped boons
• Revamped Altar of Ashes
• New and reworked keepsakes
• New enemies
• Revamped special encounters
• Much much more

In case you haven’t been keeping up with Hades II’s early access release, each major update has been huge for the game, not only in terms of new content, but how the currently available content is dished out and used.

Weapons and boons in particular have seen a great deal of changes over the months, and so it will be interesting to see how the Warsong Update switches up the gameplay formula. If you have yet to give Hades II a chance, now might be the best time to do so ahead of its full 1.0 release.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this update? Will you be heading back into Hades II? What’s been your favourite weapon to use thus far? Let us know down below.

The post Hades II gets second major patch with ‘Warsong Update’ first appeared on KitGuru.

HBO’s The Last of Us was a huge hit when it released back in early 2023, amassing 10s of millions of viewers and winning a ton of awards. Though it was known that Season 2 is planned to arrive sometime in April of 2025, we’ve now gotten a concrete premiere date.

Making the announcement with the release of 3 new character posters (alongside the tagine ‘Every Path Has A Price’) HBO has now confirmed that Season 2 of The Last of Us will premiere on the 13th of April – meaning it'll be here in under two months’ time.

The character posters released show Joel, Ellie and Abby walking down a path away from the camera while standing on items which are significant to each’s story (Joel’s broken watch; a guitar for Ellie and a Firefly pendant for Abby).

Whether for the right or wrong reasons, The Last of Us Part II was a highly controversial game when it released back in 2020, and so it will be both exciting and somewhat scary to see how HBO and Naughty Dog plan to adapt this narrative for the show.

That said, given just how excellently the team managed to translate the first game, HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2 is bound to be a gut-wrenching and highly evocative series when it premieres this April.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to Season 2? Do you think any changes will be made for the show? How do you think Season 2 will be formatted when compared to the game? Let us know down below.

The post HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2 gets official premiere date first appeared on KitGuru.

iPerf3 is a network throughput tool used to measure the performance of the network your Mac is using. Here's how to use it in the macOS Terminal app.


iPerf (sometimes simply called "iperf") is a UNIX memory, network throughput, and bandwidth tool first developed at the NCSA of the University of Illinois. iPerf is a fully compatible rewrite of the older Test TCP (ttcp) app originally written at the US Army's Ballistic Research Lab for DARPA in around 1983.

There are also modern versions for Windows and Linux.


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Apple didn't simply change the expected iPhone SE 4 name to iPhone 16e — they're distinct product lines and all the data points to a strategy shift.


We should have seen this coming. Every Apple-focused website saw Tim Cook's post on February 13 and assumed that it was an iPhone SE 4 reveal.

After all, almost all of the rumors for the last 18 months have called it the iPhone SE 4.


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Apple retailers are competing for your business by knocking triple digits off the M4 Pro Mac mini, while the standard M4 model has dropped to $549.


The M4 Pro Mac mini with 24GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is a popular configuration due to its blend of affordability with the performance of the 12-core CPU/16-core GPU chip. Normally $1,399, the retail configuration is on sale for $1,299 at Amazon, B&H and Adorama.

Shop M4 Mac mini sale


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"Severance" has officially become the most-watched Apple TV+ series, beating out former champion "Ted Lasso" — but you're probably not surprised.


Apple can tell when it has a good thing going. While every show it picks up doesn't become a hit, it certainly makes it known when it's found something special.

"Severence" is no exception. If you've read our site at all in the last two months, you've probably noticed we've covered quite a bit, from a star-studded pop up in New York to the series' surprising jump to Roku for a limited time.


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Apple's update to the iPhone SE adds a new design and Apple Intelligence, as well as a new name: iPhone 16e. Here's how it compares to yesterday's budget option — the iPhone 16.


Arriving just shy of three years after the third-generation iPhone SE, the newly-rebranded iPhone 16e has arrived as the new entry-level model for consumers. This is a major modernization effort, with a new design and a considerable specifications bump to match modern smartphones.

With the introduction of a new low-cost smartphone on Apple's roster, this leaves consumers wondering if they should get it instead of the slightly more expensive iPhone 16.


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Ubisoft is teaming up with gaming peripheral manufacturer Lexip to equip Assassin's Creed Shadows fans with a collection of co-branded gaming accessories. This collaboration features six custom-designed items, each reflecting the game's feudal Japan setting. These peripherals will also be available in unique bundles with the game itself upon its release on March 20th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, macOS, and PC.

Starting with the Engraved Wireless Headset, it has an ancestral Japanese-inspired design. Enjoy cross-platform compatibility, connecting wirelessly to a wide range of devices via Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz dongle. For those seeking enhanced control and precision, the Programmable Mouse with Thumb Joystick offers a unique programmable analogue thumb joystick, four buttons, a clickable wheel, and an optical sensor.

The Ergonomic Controller provides a comfortable and customisable gaming experience across multiple platforms, including PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Android, and iOS. It features four programmable rear paddles, a D-pad, two joysticks, vibration feedback, and 14 buttons. The AC: Shadows-themed mechanical keyboard uses red mechanical switches and customisable RGB backlighting. It's available in QWERTY, QWERTZ, and AZERTY layouts to suit different regions. Complete your setup with the Rigid Mouse Pad, with a customisable backlight, or an XXL Flexible Mouse Pad, made from washable neoprene with a non-slip latex base.

These accessories are available in various bundles, including the standard edition of Assassin's Creed Shadows. Assassin's Creed Shadows launches on March 20th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, macOS, and PC via Steam, the Ubisoft Store, and the Epic Games Store.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Interested in any of the Assassin's Creed Shadows-themed peripherals?

The post Ubisoft and Lexip unveil Assassin’s Creed Shadows-themed peripheral collection first appeared on KitGuru.

Diving into Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Part One "Bloom," I had a lot of high hopes. I love story-based games where you have to make decisions that will have consequences later down the line. The aesthetic of this game also really pulled me in. I love games that have that retro feel and are full of neon vibrancy that is reminiscent of the 90s. Despite being neon, it has a beautiful muted feel to it at times and really provides the grittiness and dated feel to help you travel back in time. Loading the game for the first time, […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/review/lost-records-bloom-rage-part-1-and-action/

The DRAM market is facing a potential upheaval as leading manufacturers like Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix are considering halting the production of DDR3 and DDR4 memory by the end of the year. According to industry sources, this move is driven by a combination of lower memory prices and declining demand. While this could lead to a shortage of DDR4 memory, which is still widely used in entry-level PCs and consumer devices, the situation is more nuanced than it first appears.

As per Digitimes' report (via Tom's Hardware), the root cause of this potential shift lies in the aggressive pricing strategies of Chinese DRAM manufacturers, like Changxin Memory Technology (CXMT) and Fujian Jinhua. These companies have significantly ramped up DDR4 production while slashing prices, undercutting their South Korean rivals. In some cases, Chinese DDR4 memory ICs are reportedly cheaper than reconditioned chips, making it increasingly difficult for major DRAM manufacturers to maintain profitability in the DDR4 market. This has led them to consider phasing out DDR4 production in favour of more lucrative options like DDR5 and HBM.

However, demand for DDR4 remains strong, and whether Chinese manufacturers can meet this demand alone is unclear. If Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix exit the DDR3 and DDR4 markets, a supply shortage could emerge as early as mid-2025. While Taiwanese companies like Nanya Technology and Winbond Electronics could potentially fill the gap, their focus on specialised DRAM with lower production volumes and higher prices might not fully address the broader market needs. Moreover, some clients hesitate to use Chinese-made DRAM.

Nanya Technology predicts the DRAM market will bottom out in early 2025 before recovering in the second quarter. AI-related cloud computing is expected to remain a key driver, while overall consumer demand is projected to see only a modest increase. Anticipating the decline of older DDR memory versions, Winbond Electronics plans to transition to a more advanced 16nm manufacturing process in late 2025. This move from 20nm will enable the company to produce higher-capacity 8Gb DDR chips, better positioning them for current and future market demands.

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KitGuru says: Do you still have a system using DDR3 or DDR4 memory? If you're planning to upgrade your memory, it might be a good idea to do it soon, or you might end up paying more for the same.

The post Micron, Samsung, and SK hynix will reportedly halt production of DDR3 and DDR4 memory in late 2025 first appeared on KitGuru.

Phil Spencer has been doing the rounds in headlines again this week thanks to a newly published interview. We've already heard that Microsoft is no longer interested in convincing gamers to switch to Xbox from competing platforms. Spencer has now confirmed that future Xbox game showcases will feature more multi-platform titles.

Typically, a Nintendo Direct, PlayStation State of Play or an Xbox Games Showcase focuses primarily on first-party games, releasing exclusively for each platform holder's console. As Microsoft takes on this more SEGA-like multi-platform approach, we will start to see the focus shift more from exclusives in showcases to multiplatform titles. While multiplatform games shown during these showcases often only appear with one console logo or splash screen, Microsoft plans to include PlayStation and Nintendo logos on trailers for its multiplatform games during showcases.

Speaking with XboxEra, Spencer confirmed the shift in strategy saying:

“I think it’s just being honest and transparent about where the games are, and we actually even had this discussion last year for the June showcase, and by the time we kind of made our decision, we couldn’t get all of the assets done and it felt weird to have some of them in and some of them out.”

“But I just want to be transparent with people – for shipping on Nintendo Switch, we’re going to put that. For shipping on PlayStation, on Steam… People should know the storefronts where they can get our games”.

If you needed any further confirmation that Microsoft plans to lean more into multiplatform games and do away with true exclusives, this should be it. We're still not a point where Xbox has ‘no exclusives', and for now, a lot of games are still coming to PlayStation and Nintendo months, or years after the original Xbox and PC release. However, as we've seen with Sony and its quicker pace of PC releases, those lengthy gaps are only going to get smaller.

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KitGuru Says: I know Microsoft thinks it can still sell Xbox console hardware after all of this, but this weird in-between position they've taken cannot last. Eventually, the masses will notice that they don't need to own an Xbox to play Xbox games and from that point, they will invest in other platforms. 

The post Phil Spencer confirms plans for more multiplatform games in Xbox showcases first appeared on KitGuru.

The Pillars of Eternity series was incredibly well received but due to the top-down, CRPG nature of the game, it wasn't as widely accessible to the gaming masses as something like an Elder Scrolls or Fallout. Obsidian is opening up the world of Eora to a new audience today with the launch of Avowed, which has released to a very positive reception on Steam. 

Avowed is now available and sits at a ‘Very Positive' rating on Steam, based on close to 3000 user reviews at the time of publishing. Prior to release, Obsidian talked a lot about how the team wanted to perfect combat in this game, especially for those who prefer to cast spells over swinging swords. The developers will be pleased to see that many of the top-rated reviews absolutely rave about the combat in this game, from the dual-wielding functions to meaningful spells, destructible environments and all of the animations in-between.

As Avowed isn't meant to be on the same scale as a Skyrim or a Starfield, players get smaller open zones to explore rather than a sprawling map. That means that Obsidian is able to hide treasure in all sorts of interesting places across the map, making exploration rewarding and interesting. We've all had that moment of disappointment when reaching an out of place platform, or going behind a waterfall, only to find absolutely nothing there. Based on reviews so far, it sounds like that won't be a problem for those playing Avowed.

This is a nice change from last week. When Avowed first released to Premium Edition buyers last week, the game had a ‘mixed' reception based on early Steam reviews, but over the last few days, as the game has opened up to millions of new players, that overall review score has improved significantly.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: As a big fan of Obsidian RPGs, I've been looking forward to Avowed for years and I'm looking forward to finally diving in. Have any of you picked up Avowed already? What do you think of the game so far? 

The post Avowed launches to ‘Very Positive’ reviews on Steam first appeared on KitGuru.

GameSir is raising the bar for multi-platform gaming controllers with its latest release, the Super Nova. This controller prioritises comfort, precision, and customisation, offering a single device to play across PC, Switch, Android, and iOS devices. The Super Nova's standout feature is its focus on silent operation. Noise-free ABXY buttons and cutting-edge GameSir Hall Effect sensing sticks deliver smooth, precise feedback without distracting clicks or stick drift.

One of the Super Nova's key selling points is its connectivity, with tri-mode connection options ensuring seamless integration with various platforms. Whether you prefer Bluetooth, a wired connection, or a wireless dongle, the Super Nova has you covered. Incorporating GameSir Hall Effect sensing sticks guarantees exceptional durability and responsiveness, with a lifespan of up to 5 million cycles. Anti-friction glide rings further enhance the experience, eliminating stick grinding and ensuring smooth, precise movements.

The Super Nova also features precision-tuned Hall Effect analogue triggers, offering a smooth and responsive operation. Trigger stops allow for customisation, enabling players to switch to a short pull position for rapid-fire action. Additionally, a hair-trigger mode can be activated for lightning-fast responses. A 1000Hz polling rate further enhances responsiveness by minimising latency. Dual asymmetric rumble motors provide haptic feedback, while the built-in 6-axis gyroscope enhances motion control. Moreover, it also has a one-press wake-up feature.

Customisation options abound with two back buttons that support single button mapping and macro recording, putting complex commands at your fingertips. Customizable RGB light strips and a detachable center faceplate allow you to personalise the controller, while the ABXY configuration can be physically altered to suit individual playstyles. Thanks to a 1000 mAh battery and an intelligent auto start-stop charging station, charging is effortless. Simply pick up the controller to start playing and return it to the station for automatic recharging when you're finished.

The GameSir app and GameSir Connect app unlock even more customisation options, allowing for firmware updates, stick and trigger dead zone adjustments, vibration intensity control, and button testing. Many of these settings can also be accessed through on-the-fly key combinations. The Super Nova is available in white-pink and black-blue for £37.00.

KitGuru says: If you were to buy a new controller, would you consider the GameSir Super Nova?

The post GameSir unveils the new Super Nova wireless controller first appeared on KitGuru.

Google has announced that it's bringing a new feature to iPhone that enables users to quickly search while browsing the web or watching videos.


Screen Search is, effectively, the iOS version of Circle to Search, which was released to select premium Android smartphones over a year ago.

The feature is designed to give users a much more convenient way to search content they're actively engaging with. Instead of switching screens to open up a search engine, users can simply circle the thing they're interested in to launch a Google search.


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Apple has regularly stated what languages its Apple Intelligence will support over the course of 2025, but it has now confirmed which ones are coming in April.


Right at its launch, Apple said that Apple Intelligence would initially require US English, but then would expand to many other languages. While it later listed a selection of those, Apple has now stated which ones are coming next.

Specifically, in a note on its iPhone 16e launch press release, Apple says that:


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The iPhone 16e announcement video sticks to Apple's signature style, making a mid-cycle product feel just as important as a major launch.


The company unveiled the iPhone 16e in a press release and a short video that looks and feels like a keynote presentation. The video features Tim Cook and other Apple employees introducing the product in a structured format, just like they would at WWDC or a September iPhone event.

The pacing, transitions, and scripted delivery all mirror Apple's signature keynote style.


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The new iPhone 16e is surely the right combination of prices and features to be a hit, but the iPhone SE range that it has replaced will always be special.


Here's how significant the iPhone SE was — I actually remember what I was doing when it was announced back in 2016.

I wasn't working here yet. I was supposed to be going into a meeting, but instead, I stayed in my car reading AppleInsider for the latest coverage.


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