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The Magician VR: The Cursed Wand is an upcoming fantasy VR action-adventure for Quest available to wishlist now.
Focused around the idea of real wand-gesture spellcasting in VR, The Magician VR: The Cursed Wand is a new fantasy game that can be wishlisted now on the Meta Horizon Store. Tracing wand gestures in the air to form spell patterns, a variety of spells, as shown in the trailer, will be at players’ disposal, from streams of water to remove fire to more offensive-based attacks. Made by Master Crowd Games, their previous work in the virtual reality space was a game called Rock Invasion VR, also for Quest.
Set in an apocalyptic 20th-century city called Crowville under siege by unknowable forces, The Magician VR plans to offer an arcade-based survival mode based on defeating endless waves of enemies. New magic and upgrades to spells will be earned based on performance on each level, offering replayability to try to survive even longer on each round. Based on the images shown, apart from the ghouls hungry for flesh, much bigger boss-type enemies will be confronted at some point.
The game will also have a campaign, with "structured progression" through key locations.
Aiming to please both casual and hardcore fans, the pick-up-and-play mechanics are promised to be backed by deep gameplay features as the magical powers progress. The stylized visuals and ominous original soundtrack neatly tie the package together, which the developer notes is not completely done and could change by the time the full game releases.
The Magician VR: The Cursed Wand is available to wishlist now on Quest.
Lynx-R2, coming "this summer", is set to have the widest field of view and highest passthrough resolution of any standalone headset to date.
French startup Lynx repeatedly failed to meet its deadlines for its R1 headset, which it Kickstarted, and while originally envisioned as a $500 competitor to Meta Quest headsets, the price for new orders rose to $850 and then $1300 as the company pivoted to primarily targeting businesses.
UploadVRDavid Heaney
Now, Lynx has revealed the key specifications of its next headset, which it first teased in October.
At the time, Lynx founder Stan Larroque told UploadVR that his company has "learned so much with the R1", and will not do a crowdfunding campaign. A month later, Lynx revealed that Google had "terminated" its agreement to use Android XR, such that it will instead run LynxOS, the company's own open-source Android fork.
Similar to Quest 3 and Pico 4 Ultra, Lynx-R2 is a fully standalone headset powered by Qualcomm's XR2 Gen 2 chipset and 16GB RAM, with two color passthrough cameras, four tracking cameras, as well as a depth sensor and IR illuminators.
It has an open periphery design, like Samsung Galaxy XR, with the ability to flip the visor up at any time.
What distinguishes Lynx-R2 from these other standalone headsets is its aspheric pancake lenses, developed in partnership with Israeli startup Hypervision. According to Lynx, R2 achieves a field of view of 126° horizontal and 103° vertical. That would make it one of the widest field of view VR headsets to ship as a product anyone can buy, and by far the widest standalone of any kind.
These remarkable lenses are paired with 2312×2160 LCD displays. And Lynx says it's getting the displays for just $30 each, because its development was paid for by Meta, which according to Lynx, planned to use them in the canceled 2026 Quest 4 candidate.
To achieve a reasonable passthrough image quality over the wide field of view, Lynx is using 3K×3K color cameras, advanced Sony IMX616 sensors capturing 9 megapixels per eye at a 90Hz rate, higher than Apple Vision Pro.
Lynx claims an end-to-end latency of between 12 and 20 milliseconds, compared to the 12 milliseconds of Apple Vision Pro.
Further, Lynx says R2 has the slimmest "black line" between passthrough and natural peripheral vision of any passthrough headset, obstructing just 6% of the total field of view of the wearer. This black line is slimmer than even typical smart glasses, the startup claims, and it shared a short through-the-lens video captured by a GoPro with a wide-angle lens.
Through-the-lens shot of Lynx-R2, shot with a wide-angle GoPro.
Meanwhile, the four tracking cameras on the corners of the front enable positional, hand, and controller tracking, while the 0.5 megapixel depth sensor enables 3D room scanning and spatial anchors.
According to the company, Lynx-R2 is designed to be open, modular, and repairable. LynxOS, its Android fork, is open source, and the headset has an open bootloader. Buyers will have raw unrestricted access to the sensors via APIs. Lynx says it will publish IO schematics for developers who want to add additional sensors. And R2 is built with screws instead of glue, with the company planning to sell spare parts like batteries, mainboards, and camera modules to customers.
| Lynx R2 |
Meta Quest 3 |
Samsung Galaxy XR |
|
| Displays | 2312×2160 LCD |
2064×2208 LCD |
3552×3840 micro-OLED |
| Refresh Rates |
90Hz | 60-120Hz (90Hz Home) (72 App Default) |
60-90Hz (72Hz Default) |
| Stated FOV |
126°H × 103°V | 110°H × 96°V | 109°H × 100°V |
| Platform | LynxOS (Lynx) |
Horizon OS (Meta) |
Android XR (Google) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 |
| RAM | 16GB | 8GB | 16GB |
| Strap | Rigid Plastic (Flip-Up) |
Soft (Modular) |
Rigid Plastic (Fixed) |
| Face Pad | Forehead (Open) |
Upper Face (Enclosed) |
Forehead (Open) |
| Battery | Rear Pad |
Internal | Tethered External |
| Hand Tracking |
✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Eye Tracking |
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Face Tracking |
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Torso & Arm Tracking |
❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Passthrough | 9MP | 4MP | 6.5MP |
| IR Illuminators |
✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Active Depth Sensor |
iToF | ❌ | dToF |
| Price | TBA | $500 (512GB) |
$1800 (256GB) |
Lynx-R2 is set to arrive "this summer", priced somewhere between Meta Quest 3 and Samsung Galaxy XR. Unlike with R1, Lynx will not be doing preorders this time. According to Larroque, when it's available to buy, it will be ready to ship immediately.
Remember the WinRAR path handling exploit we reported on back in August? According to Google, that same flaw, officially dubbed CVE-2025-8088, is still being actively exploited, even though versions of WinRAR newer than v7.12 have been patched. Google's recent blog post on the exploit activity provides a timeline of exploits across six different 
AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D: $499 MSRP The new AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is a clone of the existing 8-core Ryzen 7 9800X3D, but with higher clocks to boost performance and solidify its gaming leadership. Leading Gaming Performance Power Efficient Doesn't Require Massive Cooling Adequate General Performance For Most Users Small (Additional) Price... 
Intel may take on a limited role in manufacturing and packaging NVIDIA's next-next-generation GPUs, according to a report from DigiTimes Asia. Citing supply chain sources, DigiTimes reports that NVIDIA plans to partially involve Intel in production of its post-Rubin "Feynman" GPU architecture, expected in late 2028. Under the reported arrangement, 
Valve is being subjected to yet another multi-million dollar lawsuit, this time stemming from the UK and totaling £656 million British pounds, or roughly ~$904 million USD at current exchange rates. The lawsuit from children's welfare advocate Vicki Shotbolt alleges that Valve is preventing publishers from selling games earlier or at a lower 
The rise of RGB lighting on the PC led to an increase in the amount of proprietary software from numerous manufacturers to control said lighting. Unfortunately, this software has varied in quality, which makes many DIYers hesitant to install it. Razer, however, is looking to shake things up by providing a different control method.
The company At CES earlier this month, MSI revealed its newly overhauled Prestige laptop line. Now just a few weeks later, the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ and its larger Prestige 16 variants are all available in the US.
The updated lineup adopts a slimmer profile, down to 0.47 inches at its thinnest. Despite the reduced thickness, the Prestige laptops remain just as durable. All models include modern security features such as a discrete TPM 2.0 module, fingerprint reader, IR webcam with shutter, and MSI’s Smart Guard protection.
Depending on the model, the new Prestige laptops can be configured all the way up to a brand-new Intel Core Ultra 9 388H processor. This gives plenty of performance for AI applications, alongside improved integrated Arc graphics. Efficiency gains also have an impact on battery life, with these laptops rated for over 30 hours of continuous HD video playback on a charge. Underneath the hood, cooling is handled by a vapor chamber and a dual-fan system, keeping noise levels low and thermals in check.
To match the Prestige name, these laptops ship with very high-spec displays. The Prestige 14 Flip AI+ features a 14‑inch FHD+ OLED touchscreen with 100% DCI‑P3 coverage and SGS low‑blue‑light certification. The 16‑inch models step up to 2.8K OLED panels with up to a 120Hz refresh rate, DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification, and optional touch support. Ambient light and adaptive color sensors are included to maintain consistent image quality in different lighting conditions.
For users who prefer flexible workflows, the Prestige Flip variants offer 2‑in‑1 convertibility with stylus support. All models include a Copilot key, Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, DTS‑enhanced audio with dual speakers and dual woofers, and a full suite of ports, including dual Thunderbolt 4, USB‑A, HDMI 2.1 and an audio combo jack.
The MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, the Prestige 16 AI+ and the Prestige 16 Flip AI+ are all available in the US now, with prices starting at $1,299. EU availability is expected in the coming months.
KitGuru Says: Are you planning on getting a new laptop for 2026?
The post MSI’s Core Ultra Series 3 powered Prestige laptops launch starting at $1,299 first appeared on KitGuru.Razer has launched the beta version of Razer Synapse Web, a lightweight web application that lets users customise their Razer peripherals in Chromium-based browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Opera. This new platform eliminates the need for full software installation, making it a handy tool for esports tournaments, LAN environments, or shared systems where administrative locks prevent traditional software setup.
The web app focuses on speed and essential features. Users can adjust Chroma RGB Quick Effects, refine key settings, and manage onboard profiles directly within the browser interface. At launch, only the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line will be supported, but we can expect more peripherals in the future.
While Synapse 4 remains the primary hub for deep integration and multi-device synchronisation, Synapse Web serves as a high-performance alternative for rapid adjustments in competitive scenarios. This “web-native” approach ensures that a gamer's specific performance tuning is always just a URL away, regardless of the PC they are using.
KitGuru says: For any user who jumps from system to system, being able to tweak their peripherals on the go is quite handy. However, most users will probably be glad that with Synapse Web, they won't need to install any software to customise their peripherals.
The post Razer introduces Synapse Web beta to customise peripherals via browser first appeared on KitGuru.While Sony has yet to make any official announcements regarding the PlayStation 6 console, there have been some hints along the way. For instance, PlayStation hardware lead, Mark Cerny, has discussed continuing to work with AMD on new technology for a future console. For the past couple of years, many have been anticipating a 2028 launch date for next-generation consoles, but one analyst is now predicting a longer timetable.
As spotted by VGC, an MST Financial analyst recently claimed in a forecast for Sony that the PlayStation 5 lifecycle is going to be extended, and that the successor won't be released by 2028 as previously anticipated.
There are a number of good reasons for a PlayStation 6 delay right now. For starters, Sony has yet to convert a good number of PS4 users over to the new system. On top of that, the recent AI boom has led to massive price increases for things like memory and SSDs, which could make building a new console a much more expensive endeavour than initially planned over the next couple of years. Many consumers are expected to hold on to current-generation or older hardware while prices are in flux.
There are still a number of big generation-defining games also still to be released. Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to lead to the sale of many PS5 consoles towards the end of this year. Premier first party studios like Naughty Dog have also yet to release a brand-new title during the PS5 generation and many other studios also have new games in the oven, specifically targeting the PS5.
If the forecast is accurate, then the PS6 may not arrive until 2029 or later. However, it is worth noting that this is just one analyst's opinion, and the tech space tends to move at a rapid pace. Sony itself has not yet made any statements around its next-gen hardware plans.
KitGuru Says: Rumour has it that the PlayStation 6 will see Sony tapping back into the portable market. As for when we'll see it, that is still up for debate.
The post Analyst predicts PlayStation 6 delay and ‘extended lifecycle’ for PS5 first appeared on KitGuru.This week, Kingston announced that its IronKey Keypad 200 USB drives, including the KP200 and KP200C, have achieved NIST FIPS 140‑3 Level 3 validation. The certification places the KP200 line alongside the already‑approved IronKey D500S, strengthening Kingston’s position in supplying independently verified, tamper‑resistant data storage.
FIPS 140‑3 Level 3 is the latest U.S. government cryptographic hardware standard and is widely recognised across Europe as a benchmark for security. Level 3 requires physical tamper resistance, identity‑based authentication, protected key handling, separation of critical interfaces, and safeguards against abnormal voltage or temperature conditions. Certification is granted following testing by NIST‑accredited labs and a final review by NIST.
The KP200 series are keypad‑based drives compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, and mobile devices via USB‑A or USB‑C. They are designed for environments where encrypted removable media is required to load or transfer software on medical, industrial, scientific, and other OT systems. NIST’s new SP 1334 guidance also highlights the need for stronger USB security in OT infrastructure.
The KP200 series includes dual Admin/User PINs, optional Global and Session Read‑Only modes to prevent unauthorised changes or malware exposure, and IP68 dust‑ and water‑resistance. The USB drives are available with up to 512GB of storage and come with a three-year warranty.
KitGuru Says: The number of cyber attacks carried out has grown each year, so data security is always important, especially when working in sensitive fields.
The post Kingston IronKey KP200 achieves FIPS 140‑3 Level 3 certificatio first appeared on KitGuru.Obsidian has been slowly working away on Grounded 2 in early access since its reveal last year. This month, the game is getting its first major update, titled ‘The Toxic Tangle', adding a new biome to explore, alongside new enemies and even a new gun-toting mount.
First up is the new Garden biome, which transforms the greenhouse into a dense, vertical maze of vines, crawlspaces, and hidden stashes. Players will encounter everything from pumpkin patches to carrot thickets, alongside aggressive wildlife and plenty of resources to overcome new hazards.
Players will also be able to use a giant ladybug as a tank-style mount, complete with its own water cannon for clearing out pests. Speaking of pests, players will encounter new enemy types, including earwigs, potato beetles, wooly aphid and even a giant snake for a late-game challenge. The Masked Stranger also makes a return, hinting at new mysteries still to come.
Mutations have been reworked into active and passive types, with passives now tied to weapon loadouts for smoother combat flow. Builders gain expanded options with new sets such as the Pumpkin Kit, updated Mushroom Kit, Scale Roof Set, improved Acorn Stairs, and long‑requested floor hatches.
Looking ahead, Playgrounds Mode returns in February via the Public Test Beta, bringing back creation tools from the first Grounded.
KitGuru Says: Did many of you play the original Grounded? Have you jumped into Grounded 2 yet or are you waiting for it to get closer to V1.0?
The post Grounded 2 gets first major content update first appeared on KitGuru.Intel has officially entered the next era of AI upscaling with the release of XeSS 3, featuring Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) technology. Integrated into the latest graphics driver (versions 32.0.101.8425 and 32.0.101.8362), XeSS 3 supports 2x, 3x, and 4x frame multiplication, similar to Nvidia's DLSS 4. One of the most significant advantages of this rollout is backward compatibility. Users can enable Frame Generation in any XeSS 2 supported game through the Intel Graphics control panel.
The driver update also marks the launch of Intel's new integrated graphics solutions, the Arc B390 and B370, which power the Core Ultra 3 (Panther Lake) mobile CPU family. XeSS 3 is designed to run on any Arc hardware equipped with XMX units, covering the original A-series, the new B-series discrete cards, and integrated solutions across the Meteor Lake, Lunar Lake, and Arrow Lake families. Early hands-on testing suggests that while image quality is high with minimal artefacts, users may experience higher input lag in fast-paced titles, a common hurdle for frame generation technologies that Intel is working to mitigate.
Beyond the new features, the driver also introduces critical stability fixes, including a resolution for crashes in the Pragmata demo and a fix for incorrect Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) reporting in the display settings. Moreover, Intel has acknowledged several known issues under investigation, including application crashes in games such as Star Citizen, The Finals, and Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Users experiencing these issues are encouraged to report them through the Intel Arc Control feedback tool. The full patch notes can be found below:
Highlights:
Fixed Issues:
Known Issues:
KitGuru says: Intel may have taken a while to launch its own MFG tech, but now that it's finally here, gamers playing games on Arc graphics can easily get an FPS boost in a bunch of games.
The post Intel rolls out XeSS 3 with Multi-Frame Generation in new drivers first appeared on KitGuru.
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