When it comes to ultra high-speed DDR5 memory, typically names like G.Skill and Corsair spring to mind. However, Patriot looks to be making a push to rank amongst the fastest DDR5 memory providers with its new 9600MT/s kit. Join Leo as we take a closer look, live from the CES show floor.
Watch on YouTube below:
At the top of Patriot's line-up is the Signature series of memory, offering speeds of 6400MT/s and capacities up to 64GB but without a heatshield mounted over it. It is perfectly safe to run memory like this and you'll likely save some money, but if you are going for an aesthetically pleasing build, then you'll want to find memory with a heatspreader, which is where the Signature Premium series comes in, with a black shroud covering the memory and aiding in passive cooling, while keeping the same specs.
Last year, we started to see prototypes popping up for LPCAMM2 memory, a new standard designed to work with both laptops and desktops. Patriot has one of its LPCAMM2 engineering samples here on show, but we're still some ways off from seeing these hit the market. For cooling, Patriot also has a Viper Steel heatshield prototype. If this new memory format hits the market, you would likely slot your memory in horizontally, next to your CPU. That way, you can cover it up with a heatshield solution, similar to M.2 SSDs.
The star of the show is Patriot's Viper Xtreme 5 memory, offering speeds up to a staggering 9600MT/s and capacities up to 48GB. These units use high quality CKD, exclusive thermal pads for the PMIC and comes with a special edition silver heatshield.
As Patriot is celebrating its 40th anniversary, the company is also launching Anniversary Edition Viper Xtreme 5 DDR5 kits with speeds up to 8,000MT/s.
Be sure to watch the video for a look at all of the custom PC builds at the Patriot booth – they look great and will serve as good inspiration for your next upgrade.
KitGuru Says: What do you all think of Patriot's CES showing? Would you like to see LPCAMM2 memory become the next standard?
AMD's Radeon RX 9070 XT is back in the spotlight, with leaked 3DMark benchmark scores suggesting an impressive performance uplift, more so considering that it has been reported that these weren't obtained with a stable graphics driver.
Chiphell forum user nApoleon (via VideoCardz) has shared a cryptic message urging users to hold off on purchasing Nvidia's RTX 50 series, claiming that “everything has changed”. This has fueled speculation that AMD's RX 9070 XT's performance could compete with Nvidia's next-generation GPUs.
Moreover, hardware leaker Zhanghonghao claims that AMD has increased the RX 9070 XT's Total Board Power (TBP) through a new BIOS update for reference models. A leaked Furmark screenshot of a custom card shows a maximum board power of 329W, significantly higher than previously rumoured. As for the rest of the specs, these can be confirmed on the screenshots shared on Chiphell (via Wukongmyth). The leaked specifications reveal a base clock of 2520 MHz, a boost clock of 3060 MHz, and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory clocked at 20 Gbps. The card is reportedly an Asus custom model with 4096 Stream Processors.
Moving on to the leaked scores, the card reportedly achieved a graphics score of 14,591 in Time Spy Extreme and 6,345 in Speed Way. These results place it between the RX 7900 XTX and the RTX 4070 Ti in the ray tracing-focused Speed Way benchmark and above the RTX 4080 Super in the rasterisation-heavy Time Spy Extreme test. It's important to note that these benchmarks were conducted on an early sample with pre-release drivers. Further optimizations and driver updates could improve performance before the official launch.
AMD is expected to share more details about the Radeon RX 9070 series later this month. Rumours claim the official release date will be on January 24th.
KitGuru says: If these results are accurate, even considering they're achievable using pre-release drivers, the RX 9070 XT could be a formidable contender in the mid/high-end market, assuming the rumoured ~£500 price tag.
AMD has finally lifted the curtain on FSR 4. At CES 2025, the red team revealed its next-generation upscaling technology, and it sure looks impressive. Leveraging the power of machine learning to deliver a significant leap in image quality, we had our first look at the tech used on Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.
While AMD's official presentation was limited to a single slide confirming FSR 4's AI-driven foundation and its support in upcoming titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Hardware Unboxed managed to capture some footage of FSR 4 in action on the CES show floor. The demo, running on a system equipped with a Radeon RX 9000 series GPU (likely from the RX 9070 family), showcased FSR 4's capabilities.
Hardware Unboxed conducted a side-by-side comparison of FSR 3.1 and FSR 4 in Performance Mode (1080p to 4K), and the results were impressive. Although AMD didn't display any FPS counters, FSR 4 demonstrated noticeable improvements in areas where previous FSR iterations struggled, including rendering fast-moving objects, reproducing accurate colours, and handling translucent elements. The enhancements were particularly evident in the confetti, which no longer exhibited distracting streaks. Crowd details, textures, and character models also appeared more refined and lifelike, with significantly reduced shimmering and improved overall clarity.
While FSR 4 might not yet reach the level of visual fidelity offered by Nvidia's DLSS technology, the improvements are undeniable. Interestingly, the demo was titled “AMD Graphics Research AI-based Upscaling” rather than explicitly mentioning FSR 4, suggesting the naming of the new upscaling technology might change.
KitGuru says: What do you think of the visual quality improvements brought by “FSR 4”?
Pico is bringing the power of cloud gaming to its VR headsets with the integration of Nvidia GeForce Now. This exciting partnership opens up a world of AAA gaming experiences for Pico users, offering seamless access to a vast library of titles without needing a powerful PC or console.
Announced at CES 2025, this collaboration allows Pico headset owners to stream games directly from Nvidia's GeForce RTX servers, delivering high-fidelity visuals and smooth gameplay on the go. The integration leverages the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard and Nvidia DLSS technology to minimise latency and enhance image quality, ensuring a responsive and immersive VR gaming experience. Also worth noting is that Bluetooth controllers are supported.
The GeForce Now app will be available for download from the Pico Store later this month, coinciding with the latest GeForce Now update. This update will allow users to stream games at up to 1440p resolution, delivering a more immersive experience when using the app with VR and MR headsets.
Pico users can choose from various GeForce Now subscription plans, including day passes, monthly subscriptions, and 6-month memberships. The “Performance” membership offers priority access to GeForce RTX servers with DLSS and ray tracing enabled for £9.99 monthly. The “Ultimate” membership, which provides access to GeForce RTX 4080-powered servers, costs £19.99 per month.
KitGuru says: Do you own a Pico headset? Will you play games through GeForce Now on it?
This week at CES, Nvidia officially announced its new generation of graphics cards. The RTX 50 / RTX 5000 series, based on the Blackwell architecture, is launching later this month and plenty of board partners are showing off custom-cooled models. In this video, Leo checks in with Inno3D to see all of their upcoming graphics cards.
Watch via YouTube below:
For custom-cooled models, Inno3D has the RTX 5090 X3 at the top of the pile, featuring a chunky triple-fan cooler. We are anticipating a £2000 price tag here, so you'll need deep pockets to grab Nvidia's latest top-range GPU.
The RTX 5070 Ti X3 is a heavy triple-slot card, but it does have a slimmer profile compared to the RTX 5090. For the standard RTX 5070, Inno3D has gone for a smaller dual-fan cooler, which will more comfortably fit in most cases. For the slimmest RTX 5090 possible, you'll want the Inno3D iChill RTX 5090, which comes with a water block attached for easy connection to custom liquid cooling loops.
As a reminder, here are the full specs for the RTX 50 series:
RTX 5090
RTX 5080
RTX 5070 Ti
RTX 5070
RTX 4090
NVIDIA Architecture
Blackwell
Blackwell
Blackwell
Blackwell
Ada Lovelace
DLSS
DLSS 4
DLSS 4
DLSS 4
DLSS 4
DLSS 3
AI TOPS
3352
1801
1406
988
1321
Tensor Cores
5th Gen
5th Gen
5th Gen
5th Gen
4th Gen
Ray Tracing Cores
4th Gen
4th Gen
4th Gen
4th Gen
3rd Gen
NVIDIA Encoder (NVENC)
3x 9th Gen
2x 9th Gen
2x 9th Gen
1x 9th Gen
2x 8th Gen
NVIDIA Decoder (NVDEC)
2x 6th Gen
2x 6th Gen
1x 6th Gen
1x 6th Gen
1x 5th Gen
Memory Configuration
32 GB
GDDR7
16 GB
GDDR7
16 GB
GDDR7
12 GB
GDDR7
24 GB
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
1792 GB/sec
960 GB/sec
896 GB/sec
672 GB/sec
1008 GB/sec
Inno3D's first custom-cooled RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards will be available starting January 30th. The RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti will be available starting in February. Out of the box clock speeds for custom-cooled cards will be confirmed when retail availability begins.
KitGuru Says: Are you thinking of making the jump to an RTX 50 series graphics card?
At CES this week, MSI has a huge amount to showcase. We've already taken a look at laptops, now it is time to take a look at components, including everything from a new flagship dual-system chassis to new coolers, monitors and RTX 50 graphics cards.
Watch on YouTube below:
Timestamps:
00:00 RTX 5000 Series cards
03:53 Systems
04:33 Peripherials
05:00 MEG Maestro 900 PZ Series Modded PC
06:06 Motherboards / power supplies
07:39 Coolers
08:14 Monitors and Project Zero Builds
10:35 Gaming Desktop systems
11:25 CES Innovation awards
The new B860 and H810 motherboards cater to a wide range of users, from budget-conscious gamers to content creators and everyday users. While the B860 chipset stands out for performance enthusiasts with its PCIe 5.0 support, M.2 storage options, and memory overclocking capabilities, the H810 provides a more value-oriented solution for those seeking essential features. The “Project Zero” lineup is expanding with the new PZ series. These motherboards relocate most connectors to the rear, minimising cable clutter and creating a cleaner aesthetic. The MAG Z890 Tomahawk WIFI PZ (standard and White) and the PRO Z890-S WIFI PZ offer high-end features and stylish designs for those seeking performance and cleaner visuals.
Adding to the software side, MSI is announcing a collaboration with SignalRGB to create a new application that allows for synchronised and customisable RGB lighting control across multiple MSI motherboards. This user-friendly software simplifies RGB management by enabling users to configure all MSI products with RGB and ARGB in a single app.
The new MAG Coreliquid A15 liquid cooler combines high-performance cooling with a user-friendly design. The A15 series uses a redesigned copper base and the new CycloBlade 9 fans, improving performance compared to its previous AIO liquid coolers. For those who love a bit of bling, the A15 series features customisable ARGB Gen 2 LEDs controllable through MSI Center. MSI's focus on “EZ DIY” is evident in features like the Uni Bracket, EZ Connect, and EZ Conn-Design, simplifying the installation of the CPU cooler.
MSI is also introducing two new flagship power supplies: the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 and MPG A1250GS PCIE5. Both models feature dual native 12VHPWR connectors for high-end GPUs and comply with the latest ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 standards. With 80 Plus, Cybenetics, and PPLP certifications, these PSUs have been tested to ensure they offer the performance, efficiency, and reliability that you want from high-end power supplies.
The star of the show is the MEG Maestro 900L PZ concept case, a revolutionary case inspired by stage displays. This modular chassis supports dual-system configurations (ATX and Mini-ITX), offering unparalleled flexibility and expandability. It can accommodate up to 16x 120mm fans or two 420mm radiators, ensuring exceptional cooling for even the most demanding systems. The modular motherboard tray can be rotated 90º for customised layouts, allowing for personalised builds.
If a pre-built desktop is what you are after, then the new MSI MEG VISION X AI combines next-level power with smart control, featuring the latest NVIDIA RTX 50 series graphics cards and Intel Core Ultra 200 processors. With its 13-inch AI HMI touchscreen, gamers can enjoy intuitive system control via the MSI AI app and voice interaction. This combination led to this system winning two CES Innovation Awards. For a smaller desktop system, the Cubi NUC AI+ 2M and NUC AI 1UM systems are available, packing Intel Core Ultra 200 CPUs and AI capabilities in a chassis that measures less than 1L.
On the monitor side, MSI is launching its latest generation QD-OLED displays. At 27-inches, the new MPG 272URX QD-OLED offers increased pixel density compared to the larger 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor that MSI released last year. This model comes equipped with a 5-layer tandem OLED panel featuring EL Gen 3 technology. This new material composition improves efficiency up to 30%. While increased pixel density and sharpness is nice, some of us like to have a bit more size, especially when dealing with 4K resolutions. That is where the MPG 322URX QD-OLED comes in, offering a larger 32-inch 4K QD-OLED display with 240Hz refresh rate for ultra smooth gaming.
The final monitor MSI is showcasing at CES this year is the new MPG 274URDFW E16M, which features a MIni-LED backlight with 1152 local dimming zones. The monitor also offers dual-mode technology, so you can switch between 4K/160Hz or 1080p/320Hz modes. That means you can have access to sharper graphics and more virtual space to work in the 4K mode, and then you can swap to 1080p to access even faster refresh rates for competitive games like Counter-Strike, Marvel Rivals, Call of Duty or Fortnite.
KitGuru Says: Do you have your eyes on any of MSI's new products for a new build or PC upgrade this year?
We always like to swing by and visit the big liquid cooling component makers at events like CES and Computex. This year, Leo spent some time with Alphacool, getting an early look at the new generation water blocks for RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 graphics cards.
Watch on YouTube below:
Alphacool has been working hard to get these blocks ready in time for Nvidia's launch this week. After getting dimension details for the RTX 5080 and 5090, the Alphacool team went back and completely redesigned its Core GPU block, optimising the distance between the cooler and components on the PCB, and simulating waterflow tests to verify the design works as intended. Alphacool has also paid special attention to the cooler base and nozzle to ensure the best possible cooling performance for enthusiasts looking to upgrade this year.
Alphacool continues to rely on pure brass fittings in the Core series to ensure the highest quality and safety. A Core emblem can be found above the jetplate and you will find chrome plating on the copper cooler instead of nickel plating. Chrome plating is more durable and appears significantly brighter and smoother than pure nickel plating. As always, a backplate is included with the Core GPU block, alongside a complete set of mounting materials, pre-cut thermal pads and extra thermal paste.
Alphacool Core block for RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 will support various models, including the MSI Suprim and MSI Gaming cards, Asus ROG Strix and TUF Gaming, Inno3D, Gainward and Palit.
Pricing for these blocks is set to land at €199.98, but if you want, you can get an Enterprise edition that comes with a slimmer 1-slot design for €299.98.
KitGuru Says: Are you planning on putting together a custom liquid cooling loop this year? Be sure to have a look at Alphacool's range, we've used a lot of their parts in our own custom builds.
Following various announcements of new AMD Ryzen Z2-powered consoles over at CES 2025, reports emerged that MSI would also join the party by launching a Claw handheld using a Z2 APU.
This intriguing tidbit comes from CodeCommando (via VideoCardz), a leaker with a reliable track record for AMD and MSI-related leaks. Unfortunately, the leaker has remained tight-lipped about the details, only confirming the information without providing a specific timeframe or model details.
Currently, MSI's Claw AI+ handhelds exclusively utilise Intel's platforms (Core Ultra 100H and 200V series). This makes the Claw series the only gaming handheld lineup solely reliant on Intel processors, despite AMD's dominance in the handheld market with its Ryzen Z1 series.
AMD recently unveiled its next-generation Ryzen Z2 APUs at CES 2025, with confirmed designs for Lenovo's Legion Go devices. While MSI also launched its refreshed Claw AI+ series in December, these models are not expected to ship until mid-January.
KitGuru says: Is MSI planning to offer Intel and AMD options in its Claw lineup? Or could this be a sign of a strategic shift towards AMD for future handhelds?
Valve has made a significant move to expand the reach of SteamOS, officially licensing the operating system for third-party handheld gaming PCs. And leading the charge is Lenovo, with its newly announced Legion Go S.
This marks a major milestone for SteamOS, which was previously exclusive to Valve's own Steam Deck. While other manufacturers have expressed interest in using SteamOS, Lenovo is the first to officially partner with Valve and release a “Powered by SteamOS” device. Valve's licensing program allows manufacturers like Lenovo to pre-install SteamOS and utilise the “Powered by SteamOS” branding, ensuring a consistent and optimised user experience.
Besides the SteamOS Legion Go S, Lenovo also announced other two new Legion Go handhelds, all powered by AMD's Ryzen Z2 series APUs. These are the Legion Go S with Windows 11 and Ryzen Z2 Go, and the Legion Go 2 prototype powered by the Ryzen Z2 series and featuring an 8.8-inch OLED display and Windows 11.
Valve plans to release a beta version of SteamOS before the Legion Go S hits the market in May. This will allow users to test the operating system and provide feedback. While not officially part of Valve's CES announcement, GPD, another handheld PC manufacturer, has also revealed its intention to offer SteamOS on its devices.
KitGuru says: Do you think handheld manufacturers should follow Lenovo's footsteps and launch their own “Powered by SteamOS” handhelds?
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU is already flexing its muscles in a leaked Geekbench benchmark, giving us a glimpse of the performance leap it brings over the previous generation.
Just days after its official unveiling, the RTX 5080 Laptop GPU has appeared in an OpenCL test on Geekbench (via Benchleaks), courtesy of an Alienware 18 Area-51 gaming laptop. While OpenCL performance isn't a direct indicator of gaming prowess, it can give an idea of the capabilities of Nvidia's next-generation mobile GPU.
The benchmark confirms that the RTX 5080 Laptop GPU features 60 SMs (7680 CUDA cores) and 16 GB of GDDR7 memory, as previously rumoured. The GPU reportedly reached a maximum clock speed of 1.5 GHz during the test, although higher clocks are expected in optimised scenarios.
In the OpenCL test, the RTX 5080 Laptop GPU achieved a score of 190,326 points. This represents an 18% increase over the RTX 4080 Laptop GPU and even surpasses the RTX 4090 Laptop GPU by 6%, based on the official Geekbench chart. It's uncertain whether the benchmark was conducted with the latest drivers, meaning these numbers might not be final.
KitGuru says: Would you be happy if the Nvidia RTX Laptop GPU's generational uplift was the same 18% in games as it's in Geekbench's OpenCL test?
With the PlayStation 5 well into its mid-lifecycle, we have seen Sony begin to release an increasing number of custom accessory variants. Arriving in February, the ‘Midnight Black collection’ offers a matte black colourwave for all currently available PS5 accessories.
Announced via the PlayStation Blog, Sony officially detailed their latest suite of PS5 accessory colours, stating “The latest PS5 accessories get a new look with the Midnight Black Collection – bringing the galaxy-inspired Midnight Black colorway to the PlayStation Portal remote player, DualSense Edge wireless controller, Pulse Elite wireless headset, and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds.”
Set to drop on the 20th of February, the Midnight Black Collection joins the PS5’s previously-released all-black accessories (in particular the regular DualSense and PS5 covers) – allowing fans to fully deck out their systems with a matte black colour scheme.
Given just how popular the previously-released Midnight Black accessories were, it is interesting to see Sony taking so long to complete the collection.
That said, for those who have always been bothered by the PS5’s White and Black colour scheme, these latest additions will finally allow you to remove all sense of colour from your console/accessories if you so desire.
KitGuru says: What do you think of the latest Collection? Do you prefer it to the original colour scheme? Which custom controller has been your favourite so far? Let us know down below.
Back in October of last year, Capcom officially confirmed that their latest and greatest Resident Evil entry – Resident Evil 4 Remake – had reached a new sales milestone of 8 million copies. Just a few months later, the game has managed to hit another major milestone – now sitting at over 9 million copies sold.
Making the announcement on Twitter, the official Capcom page celebrated this latest milestone, saying “To you, the 9 million-plus agents, Happy New Year and thank you for your support. RE4 Team.”
While only officially announced recently, this 9 million figure was actually achieved back in late December of last year (more specifically the 19th) and so it’s possible that the game is now nearing the all-important 10 million sales milestone.
For context, 9 million copies sold puts Resident Evil 4 Remake as one of Capcom’s best-selling games of all time, currently resting at 10th place between Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (8.8 million) and Resident Evil 3 Remake (9.2 million).
As stated however, given the slightly outdated nature of the figures released, RE4 Remake could easily already be the 7th-best selling Capcom game of all time – beating out RE6 (9.3 million) and RE5 (9.4 million).
When all is said and done, Resident Evil 4 Remake could crack Capcom’s top 5 best-selling games ever, though it would have to surpass Iceborne’s 14 million copies to do so.
We will have to wait and see – but given how RE4 Remake is less than two years old at this point, there is plenty of time left to achieve this target.
KitGuru says: Are you one of the 9 million players? How does it compare to the 2005 original? Will it beat out RE2 Remake to become the best-selling Resident Evil game of all time? Let us know your thoughts down below.
At CES today, we stopped by one of two MSI booths to check out all of the latest laptops. Of particular interest are the latest generation of gaming laptops sporting RTX 50 GPUs, which will be available starting in March.
Watch on YouTube below:
Timestamps:
00:00 Titan 18 HX Ai
01:10 Raider 18
01:45 Stealth 18
02:09 Vector 16 / 17 HX
02:27 MSI Ai Robot
02:58 Crosshair, Stealth & Raider laptops
03:44 Pulse 16/A17
04:02 Katana 15/17
04:27 Claw 7 and 8 Ai+
05:26 Dragon Edition Norse Myth
06:23 Other laptops
The flagship laptop from MSI is of course the latest Titan. The new MSI Titan 18 HX leverages an Intel Core Ultra 9 HX series processor and RTX 50 series graphics, up to an RTX 5090. With a total of 270W of peak performance to work with, you should manage to achieve true desktop replacement level performance in a portable package. Advanced vapor chamber cooling and dedicated SSD thermal design allows for sustained peak performance.
The MSI Raider and Vector series laptops are all getting an upgrade too, with up to Ryzen 9000HX or Intel Core Ultra 200HX series processors and RTX 50 graphics. MSI Stealth laptops will have the option of an AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processor or Intel Core Ultra 200HX CPU and are CoPilot+ certified.
MSI is introducing a brand-new line of laptops this year too. The MSI Venture and Venture Pro series laptops are aimed at business and productivity, offering screen sizes up to 17-inches, powerful CPU options and, in the Venture Pro models, you will also have the option of a discrete GPU. MSI has also created an exclusive battery boost feature for these laptops, which aims to deliver up to 5 hours of extra battery life.
Last year, MSI entered the handheld gaming market with the MSI Claw. At CES this year, we get a look at the latest model, the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+. These systems are engineered to sit in the natural contours of the hand, allowing for comfortable use for all hand sizes. MSI has redesigned the analog sticks, D-Pad, bumpers and hall-effect triggers too for smoother operation and accuracy. The MSI Center M software has also been refined for seamless device management. As this is a Windows handheld powered by Intel Core Ultra, it also has CoPilot+ capabilities. Dual Thunderbolt 4 ports allow you to dock the handheld and hook up multiple monitors.
KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up a new laptop in 2025? Will you be looking to pick up one of MSI's latest models?
Following its explosive popularity in the wake of 2017’s Monster Hunter World, hype for the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds has been at an all-time high, with last year’s beta seeing around half a million concurrent players on Steam alone. Ahead of the game’s launch next month, Capcom have confirmed that a second playtest is on its way.
“Open Beta Test 2 is your second chance to try out the evolved hunting experience in Monster Hunter Wilds, this time featuring an additional monster! Following the first Open Beta Test, the development team have been reading all of the feedback and requests we've received, and are working hard to improve the quality of the game for launch.”
No exact date has been shared regarding when the beta will go live, though it will take place at some point next month, prior to launch.
Given just how popular the first test was, it will be interesting to see whether the upcoming beta surpasses the former’s peak concurrent player count – especially as it will take place within week’s of the game’s official release. Regardless, it is safe to assume that when it does arrive, Monster Hunter Wilds will break a ton of records for Capcom. We won’t have to wait long to find out.
KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to Monster Hunter Wilds? Will you partake in the upcoming test, or will you wait for the full release? Let us know down below.
With 2025 well underway, we have started to see an increasing number of leaks detailing Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2. Though we have yet to hear anything official from Nintendo themselves, a new leak claims to give fans a first look at the system’s – admittedly simplistic – logo.
As shared by known Nintendo leaker Necro Felipe via BlueSky, the official logo for Nintendo’s upcoming Switch successor has now been revealed – confirming that the system will indeed be called the Switch 2.
It seems as though the company does not want to create another Wii-to-WiiU type situation, and so the number 2 appears to be the most prominent part of the logo itself, leaving no room for confusion.
The Switch 2 is easily one of Nintendo’s most important console releases in its history, and so it will be interesting to see exactly how they choose to talk about and push the upcoming system. We won’t have to wait too much longer to find out.
KitGuru says: Are you excited for the Switch 2? What do you think of the logo? Does it give us any indication of what to expect from the upcoming console? Let us know your thoughts down below.
2018 was a massive year for Bethesda Game Studios, with the team not only showing off Starfield for the first time during their E3 presentation, but also giving fans their first teaser for The Elder Scrolls VI. Unfortunately, this momentous occasion is now well over 6 years old – longer than the period between the 2011 launch of Skyrim and the official teaser for TESVI.
With the official – and only – teaser trailer for The Elder Scrolls VI now being over 2400 days old, the ever-elusive TESVI has now surpassed the amount of time between the release of Skyrim and said TESVI announcement.
This figure is especially shocking given just how long the wait felt at the time between Skyrim’s release in November 2011 and the 2018 teaser for TESVI.
Of course, since the release of the teaser, BGS have launched a couple major projects – namely their joint venture with Fallout 76, but more notably the 2023 release of Starfield.
Given just how long it’s been taking for Bethesda Game Studios to release new titles, it’s likely that Skyrim will be well over 15 years old by the time we even hear about The Elder Scrolls VI in any notable manner. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 6 years though.
KitGuru says: Are you surprised by just how long ago the teaser for TESVI released? What’s your most optimistic time frame for a possible release date? Will Bethesda squeeze out another Skyrim re-release before TESVI arrives? Let us know your thoughts down below.
Late last year, we reported on a leak which claimed that Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming app would finally be coming to LG TVs in the not-too-distant future. Microsoft has now officially confirmed that the app is set to arrive at some point later this year.
“Today, we’re excited to announce our collaboration with LG Electronics to bring the Xbox app to their new LG Smart TVs later this year. This means Game Pass Ultimate members will be able to play their games directly from the Xbox app on supported LG Smart TVs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. This gives players even more choice in how they enjoy their favorite games.”
It is currently unknown exactly just how many of LG's TVs will be supported, but given the fact that they all run on the same operating system – WebOS – hopefully the app should function across its full suite of Smart TVs, both past and present.
LG continues to be one of the biggest sellers of TVs every year, and so it makes sense for Microsoft to want to bring its xCloud streaming service to the platform – especially as the likes of Samsung TVs already support the app.
KitGuru says: Do you care about xCloud game streaming? Would you stream certain games/genres? Will the streaming tech ever be good enough for full-time use? Let us know your thoughts down below.
At CES 2025, Corsair announced its new Frame 4000D mid-ATX PC case, the first chassis to feature the company's new Modular Case System. Building on the success of the popular 4000 series, the frame 4000D offers unparalleled more customisation options, allowing PC enthusiasts to create truly a personalised build that better fits their preferred aesthetics.
This new case introduces a modular approach to PC building, enabling users to easily swap components, upgrade panels, and tailor their system to their exact preferences. Whether you're a seasoned modder or a first-time builder, the Frame 4000D provides a flexible and adaptable platform for your system.
The Frame 4000D features Corsair's InfiniRail fan mounting system, which supports larger fans (up to 200mm in the front and 140mm in the roof), offering more cooling options. With support for two 360mm radiators and multiple mounting locations, the case offers ample thermal headroom for high-performance systems. An integrated GPU anti-sag bracket keeps your graphics card securely in place, preventing sagging. The Frame 4000D also gets more internal space compared to the original 4000D, accommodating the latest graphics cards and cooling solutions. The inner side panel can be used as a cable cover for a clean aesthetic or removed to accommodate additional fans.
The Frame 4000D offers versatile storage options with removable drive trays that can accommodate two 3.5-inch HDDs or up to four 2.5-inch SSDs. For seamless integration with Corsair's iCue Link ecosystem, the case includes cable hooks, tie-downs, and a dedicated mounting pocket for the iCue Link system hub. The front I/O panel features two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port. For even greater customisation, the I/O panel itself is replaceable, allowing for future upgrades and different configurations.
Available in black or white, the Frame 4000D offers a clean and modern aesthetic that complements any build. Interchangeable front panels are also available in various materials and designs, allowing for further personalisation. The case can be purchased with or without fans, with options for standard RS120 PWM fans or RS120 ARGB PWM fans for those who want customisable lighting effects. The fan-less options go for £79.99/€99.90/$94.99, while the model with the standard RS120 PWM fans costs £108.29/€127.59/$99.99. Lastly, the model with RS120 ARGB PWM fans costs £99.99/€119.90/$109.99.
KitGuru says: Do you think the Frame 4000D will be a good successor to the popular 4000D Airflow?
MSI is making a splash at CES 2025 with a range of exciting new products, including liquid coolers, power supplies, and a groundbreaking concept case that redefines PC building.
The new MAG Coreliquid A15 liquid cooler combines high-performance cooling with a user-friendly design. The A15 series uses a redesigned copper base and the new CycloBlade 9 fans, improving performance compared to its previous AIO liquid coolers. For those who love a bit of bling, the A15 series features customisable ARGB Gen 2 LEDs controllable through MSI Center. MSI's focus on “EZ DIY” is evident in features like the Uni Bracket, EZ Connect, and EZ Conn-Design, simplifying the installation of the CPU cooler. Lastly, it comes with an adjustable offset kit specifically designed for Intel Core Ultra CPUs to address heat source offsets for optimal cooling.
MSI is also introducing two new flagship power supplies: the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 and MPG A1250GS PCIE5. Both models feature dual native 12VHPWR connectors for high-end GPUs and comply with the latest ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 standards. With 80 Plus, Cybenetics, and PPLP certifications, these PSUs have been tested to ensure they offer the performance, efficiency, and reliability that you want from high-end power supplies.
The star of the show is the MEG Maestro 900L PZ concept case, a revolutionary case inspired by stage displays. This modular chassis supports dual-system configurations (ATX and Mini-ITX), offering unparalleled flexibility and expandability. It can accommodate up to 16x 120mm fans or two 420mm radiators, ensuring exceptional cooling for even the most demanding systems. The modular motherboard tray can be rotated 90º for customised layouts, allowing for personalised builds.
KitGuru says: Interested in any of MSI's new PC components announced at CES 2025?
Dell Alienware is continuing to expand its lineup of QD-OLED monitors with the AW2725Q, a 27-inch 4K display similar to those recently announced at CES 2025 by MSI, Asus, and Gigabyte. Moreover, the monitor got a CES 2025 Innovation Award Honoree award.
The AW2725Q features Alienware's new AW30 design language, a tribute to the company's upcoming 30th anniversary. This sleek and futuristic design incorporates improved cable management, 360-degree ventilation, and a compact base. The monitor uses a QD-OLED panel with a 4K resolution, achieving an impressive pixel density of 166 PPI. Whether you're exploring game worlds or creating digital art, the AW2725Q ensures that every detail is rendered with clarity. But the AW2725Q isn't just about pixel density, as it also boasts a 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.03 ms response time, delivering incredibly smooth and responsive gameplay.
With DCI-P3 99% colour coverage and Delta E < 2 colour accuracy, this VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400-certified monitor produces vibrant and lifelike colours. A theoretically infinite contrast ratio and Dolby Vision HDR support further enhance the visual experience, with deep blacks and stunning highlights. A redesigned OSD and full support for Alienware Command Center 6.6 provide a user-friendly interface for customising monitor settings. HDMI 2.1 FRL enables 4K 240 Hz gaming with VRR and Auto Low Latency Mode, while HDMI 2.1 FRL eARC allows for high-fidelity audio output with Dolby Atmos-certified speakers.
To ensure longevity, the AW2725Q incorporates an AI-powered burn-in reduction system and an anti-burn-in graphite film. Alienware also offers a three-year warranty that includes coverage for burn-in. The Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725Q) is priced at $899.99 and will be available in China on January 22nd, 2025, US and APJ in March 2025, and EMEA in April 2025.
KitGuru says: With so many 27-inch 4K QD-OLED monitors coming out right now, it might be hard to choose the best model. Most models are very similar, with small differences here and there. In the end, pricing will be most likely the decisive factor.
Delidding your CPU has a number of benefits, mostly related to better cooling, but the process can be a tricky task. Thermal Grizzly is looking to make it easier with their new 1851 Delid-Die-Mate Heater, a tool designed to assist in removing the heat spreader from Intel Core 200 CPUs.
Delidding processors based on the Intel Arrow Lake architecture (Core Ultra, Pentium) carries a higher risk compared to older Intel CPUs. This is likely due to structural factors such as the size of the CPU die and the fact that the CPU die consists of multiple smaller dies, known as “tiles.” To minimise the risk during delidding, the CPU should be heated to approximately 165°C / 330°F to soften the indium solder. The Intel 1851 Delid-Die-Mate Heater V1 is a PTFE-made housing for the Intel 1851 Delid-Die-Mate V1 delidding tool. The heating elements are powered via a USB Type-C connection, and the temperature can be monitored through an external OLED display. You will need to supply your own USB power supply through, and you'll need one capable of at least 65W.
The control unit of the Intel 1851 Delid-Die-Mate Heater V1 can be adjusted and controlled using three buttons. The preset temperature of 165°C can be increased or decreased as needed. The heating element can be turned on or off at any time. When the target temperature is reached, the heating element automatically turns off. For safety, the heating element always turns off after 30 minutes.
If you are intending to delid a Core Ultra 200 CPU, and you are using Thermal Grizzly's tools, be sure to watch their video guide to avoid errors during the process. After all, this process does void your manufacturer's warranty on the CPU.
KitGuru Says: The de-lidding process can be a stressful one, so make sure you arm yourself with some tools to make the job easier.
Asus has unleashed a wave of new motherboards based on AMD's B850 and B840 chipsets, offering a compelling blend of performance, features, and value for Ryzen users. In addition, it also announced two new high-end X870E motherboards, including the ROG Crosshair X870E Apex and Crosshair X870E Extreme motherboards.
The B850 chipset takes center stage, focusing on performance and connectivity. Asus's B850 motherboards pack features like PCIe 5.0 support for graphics cards and SSDs, WiFi 7, and support for high-speed DDR5 memory kits. They also simplify the building process with tool-free M.2 installation, easy troubleshooting tools, and quick graphics card release mechanisms.
The ROG Strix B850 series leads the pack with plenty of features and a gaming design. The flagship B850 model, the ROG Strix B850-E Gaming WiFi, boasts an 8-layer PCB, a robust 16+2+2 power phase VRM, and support for AI Overclocking. It also includes a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot with the Asus PCIe Q-Release Slim mechanism for easy graphics card upgrades. Compared to its predecessor (B650E-E), the B850-E Gaming WiFi adds another PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot and a 5G Ethernet connector. It also features a USB4 connector for lightning-fast external storage connectivity and a rear-panel USB 20Gbps Type-C port with 30W Power Delivery for fast charging.
The ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi offers a similar feature set but drops the USB4 port and some of the higher-end connectivity options, making it a more affordable alternative. The ROG Strix B850-A Gaming WiFi stands out with its white and silver aesthetics, while the ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi packs impressive features into a compact Mini-ITX form factor.
Moving on to the TUF Gaming B850, this series prioritises durability and essential gaming features. The TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi offers a full-featured ATX design with PCIe 5.0 support, WiFi 7, and a range of user-friendly features. The TUF Gaming B850M-Plus WiFi and TUF Gaming B850M-Plus provide microATX options for smaller builds.
For users who don't need overclocking or PCIe 5.0 support, the B840 chipset offers a more budget-friendly option. Asus's B840 motherboards, all part of the Prime series, provide a solid foundation for systems with integrated graphics or less demanding workloads. The Prime B840-Plus WiFi offers a full-sized ATX design with WiFi 6E and a 2.5G Ethernet connector, while the Prime B840M-A WiFi and Prime B840M-A provide microATX alternatives.
Users seeking a high-end X870E motherboard for their AMD CPU will have two new alternatives available this year. The first is the recently launched ROG Crosshair X870E Apex, an overclocking-focused motherboard designed to set world records. The ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme is also in the works, and more information will be available as it approaches its release date in Q1.
Asus has also updated its BIOS interface with a 1080p resolution and a new Q-Dashboard that visually maps out the motherboard's components and connections, making it easier for beginners to understand their system. To further help configure your system, Asus AI Advisor software provides helpful guidance and answers to common questions about BIOS settings and system optimisation.
KitGuru says: Interested in any of the new Asus 800-series motherboards?
With each successive console generation, we have seen the development budgets for games balloon into the hundreds of millions – with many AAA titles now easily costing north of $200 million. Even so, Call of Duty’s ever-present popularity has seen Activision pump more money than you can imagine into their annual FPS series, with the likes of 2020’s Black Ops Cold War costing an astounding $700 million.
As reported by GameFile, court documents shared during Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard revealed just how much money the publisher pumps into its annual Call of Duty series every year.
Since 2015, the COD creator has spent around half a billion dollars to develop each successive Call of Duty entry. Starting with Black Ops 3, this 2015 PS4/Xbox One title was developed over the course of 3 years, totalling more than $450 million in costs during this period.
Since then, the budgets have only continued to rise further, with 2019’s Modern Warfare reboot requiring over $640 million to develop (though MW19 did utilise a new form of the IW Engine, likely adding to said costs).
Perhaps most surprisingly, 2020’s Black Ops Cold War – which didn’t use the IW Engine – cost a staggering $700 million to make; more than any other game in recorded history. Of course, the games industry is rather secretive when it comes to dev costs and the like, and so it is possible that more recent entries have surpassed even these figures.
Regardless, it is interesting to see just how much money Activision pumps into Call of Duty every single year – even if returns from sales and microtransactions do ultimately make the cost worth it.
It will be curious to see whether we will ever hear about a future COD costing over $1 Billion. If it hasn’t happened already, it likely will in just a few years’ time.
KitGuru says: What do you think of these budgets? Are they out of control? Does this put other AAA games’ $200 million budgets into greater perspective? Let us know down below.
Our tour through the halls of CES 2025 continues with a stop at PowerColor to see more custom-cooled graphics cards. While AMD didn't exactly host the big RX 9070 reveal we were anticipating at this year's event, board partners like PowerColor are well prepared for the next generation of Radeon graphics.
Watch on YouTube below:
Timestamps:
00:00 Non-existent GPUs
00:46 Red Devil RX9070XT, Hellhound RX 9070, Reaper RX 9070XT
02:40 AH10 Headset, AM10 Mouse
PowerColor is well known amongst AMD users for their Red Devil and Hellhound series graphics cards. These iconic series' of custom-cooled GPUs will return for the RX 9000 generation. PowerColor has the Red Devil, which has the thickest heatsink and highest overclocking potential, the Hellhound, which is a slightly slimmer graphics card. For those really concerned about space may want to opt for the Reaper model, which is the slimmest and smallest of the three graphics cards, but still maintains the triple-fan design.
PowerColor is also getting into peripherals this year. The new Alphyn series of gaming peripherals kicks off with the AH10 Wireless Gaming Headset, and will be followed by the AM10 Gaming Mouse.
The Alphyn AH10 is engineered with three hardware-tuned audio modes—Theater, Gaming, and Music—designed to deliver optimal sound performance across a variety of use cases. Whether enhancing cinematic bass for movies, providing directional audio clarity for FPS games, or offering balanced tuning for music, the AH10 ensures an immersive and versatile audio experience. Using the Keystone software, you can access advanced DTS-tuned profiles and set up your own EQ settings based on personal preferences.
The Alphyn AM10 us ab ergonomic gaming mouse designed for right-handed users. It is perfect for all grip styles, but palm grip will be particularly comfortable thanks to the groove where your thumb sits.
KitGuru Says: We look forward to getting a closer look at all of PowerColor's new hardware in the coming months.
While Sony’s live-service plans have been somewhat mixed, there’s no denying that last year’s Helldivers II proved to be a massive hit for the PlayStation console maker. It therefore comes as little surprise that the game is now set to get its own film adaptation in the future.
Announced on stage during Sony’s CES 2025 conference, Asad Qizilbash – the head of PlayStation Productions – said “Looking ahead as to what might come next, I'm excited to announce we are working with Sony Pictures on developing a film adaptation of our amazingly popular PlayStation game Helldivers 2.”
Little else was shared about the film at the time, but given just how quickly Helldivers II rose to fame, it will likely be quite some time before we see or hear any more from this latest project.
For the uninitiated, Helldivers II is a live-service co-op 3rd-person shooter which is heavily inspired by the satirical sci-fi classic film Starship Troopers. As such, it will be interesting to see just how far the film will lean into this direction – or whether they will distance themselves from said inspiration.
As we’ve seen with PlayStation Productions’ other projects, their adaptations have been somewhat hit or miss. That said, with just how big Helldivers is as an IP following the success of HDII, hopefully Sony gives the project the time and money it needs to be properly realised. We will have to wait and see.
KitGuru says: What do you think of Sony’s CES announcements? Which adaptation are you most looking forward to? Would you want the Helldivers film to be campy, or take itself more seriously? Let us know down below.
While PlayStation does not typically have a massive presence at CES each year, the console maker has announced a bunch of interesting ancillary projects set to come out of PlayStation Productions and Sony proper – including an anime based on the much-loved Ghost of Tsushima; set to arrive in 2027.
Announced on Stage during CES (and expanded upon via a press release), Sony and its anime subsidiary Crunchyroll officially revealed that they are currently working on an anime adaptation of 2020’s PS4 open-world action-adventure title Ghost of Tsushima, saying:
“Crunchyroll announced during Sony Group Corporation’s CES 2025 press conference today that an anime series based on Sucker Punch Productions’ Ghost of Tsushima video game and its Ghost of Tsushima: Legends multiplayer experience is officially in production. The anime will exclusively premiere on Crunchyroll in 2027.”
Little else has been shared about the project currently, though it will be directed by Takanobu Mizuno – known best for their work on the Star Wars: Visions episode ‘The Duel’. The adaptation will be produced in collaboration with Aniplex which was founded by Sony back in 1995. Additionally, Sony Music will be (unsurprisingly) in charge of the anime’s score/soundtrack.
This won’t be the only adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima, as a live-action film was announced back in 2021 – though we have heard little from the project since, aside from the fact that it could be the first in a line of films/TV shows.
Almost 5 years on from the initial release of Ghost of Tsushima, it seems the chess pieces have all begun to fall into place, with the aforementioned film likely to be not too far away – and a sequel to the game finally arriving some time this year (hopefully).
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 premier some time in 2025, we now have a much more concrete release window.
Announced during Sony’s CES conference, the media and tech giant officially confirmed that Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us will premiere in April of this year, as revealed by a brand new trailer.
Focusing on new character Abby (portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever), the teaser gives us a brief look at many iconic moments from the second game – though not enough to ruin any surprises for those who have not played the 2020 sequel.
Additionally, with the scope of TLOU Part II being far more outreaching than the first game, this latest trailer gives us some indication as to just how much of the game’s story will be covered with Season 2 – though of course HBO’s adaptation could jump back and forth with its timelines, so we will have to wait and see.
Season one of HBO’s The Last of Us was a massive hit, and so it will be interesting to see what show watchers think of the second Season when it arrives in just a few short months.
KitGuru says: What do you think of the trailer? Are you excited for Season 2? Without spoilers, how far into Part II’s story do you think the show will go? Let us know down below.
At CES this week, Nvidia launched its new RTX 50 series graphics cards, which naturally means that lots of board partners are now showing off their upcoming custom-cooled models. Today, Leo stops by to meet with Palit to take a look at all of their upcoming graphics cards.
Watch on YouTube below:
Timestamps:
00:00 5090 Master S
01:23 GPU Boxes !
02:02 Palit 5000 Series showcase
The Palit Group consists of both the Palit and Gainward brands. For custom-cooled models, Palit has the Master series of graphics cards, available in both black and white with a glossy finish on the heatsink – something we rarely see on graphics cards. Fortunately, we got to them before too many people had a chance to get their fingerprints all over them. These coolers use a dual-fan setup with a large vent on the back of the card. If you prefer a triple-fan cooler, then the Palit GamingPro series of graphics cards should be your point of call.
On the Gainward side, we take a look at the Phantom and Phoenix series RTX 50 graphics cards, which features a triple-fan cooler with a blackened shroud and a simple RGB logo in the centre. Both versions have similar setups, but slightly different designs and we expect that there may be differences in out-of-the-box clock speeds, but those aren't confirmed for now.
If you want to max out your aesthetics, then the Palit Game Rock RTX 50 series graphics card should be up your alley, as it features a hefty amount of RGB lighting around all three fans on the cooler.
The Palit and Gainward RTX 50 series graphics cards will be available starting later this month with the launch of the RTX 5080 and 5090 graphics cards, followed by RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 in February.
KitGuru Says: Are you thinking of making the jump to an RTX 50 series graphics card?
Following many years of leaks and rumours, the previously-announced TV show based on Sony’s Horizon Zero Dawn IP was said to have been cancelled back in Summer of last year. It seems Sony is committed to bringing Aloy and co. to other mediums however, as a Horizon Zero Dawn film adaptation has now been officially announced.
Unveiled during Sony’s recent CES press conference, the PlayStation maker confirmed that a film adaptation of Horizon Zero Dawn is currently in the works. Unlike the TV show, which was going to be in partnership with Netflix, Sony seems to be handling production and distribution of this new film themselves, confirming that it will be created under the company’s Columbia Pictures umbrella.
Though little has been revealed regarding the project so far, Asad Qizilbash – the head of PlayStation Productions – stated “Columbia Pictures and PlayStation Productions are at the early stages of developing a film adaptation of the award-winning Horizon Zero Dawn,” adding “Just imagine, Aloy's beloved origin story set in a vibrant, far future world filled with the giant machines, brought to you for the first time on the big screen.”
Based on the wording, it seems as though this film will represent a more direct adaptation of the 2017 game – unlike the cancelled show which was planned to be a prequel.
With Sony being much more directly in control of the film when compared to the ill-fated show, hopefully development on this project goes much smoother. We will have to wait and see.
KitGuru says: What do you think of the announcement? Does a film make more sense than a Netflix show? How faithful do you think it’ll be to the first game? Let us know down below.
Leo was in attendance at Las Vegas for Nvidia's CES keynote. Now that there has been some time for the announcements to settle in, Leo shares his thoughts on the latest announcements, including the RTX 50 series graphics cards.
Watch on YouTube below:
GeForce Blackwell GPUs bring two new feature upgrades to Nvidia's suite of technologies – DLSS 4 and Reflex 2. DLSS 4 allows for Multi-Frame Generation to create an extra three frames for every rendered frame, supercharging performance even further compared to DLSS 3. These GPUs also support Nvidia Reflex 2, which introduces Frame Warp, a new technique to reduce latency by updating a rendered frame based on the latest mouse input. According to Nvidia, Reflex 2 can reduce latency by as much as 75 percent.
The table below shows the specs of each new RTX 50 GPU, next to the RTX 4090 for comparison purposes:
RTX 5090
RTX 5080
RTX 5070 Ti
RTX 5070
RTX 4090
NVIDIA Architecture
Blackwell
Blackwell
Blackwell
Blackwell
Ada Lovelace
DLSS
DLSS 4
DLSS 4
DLSS 4
DLSS 4
DLSS 3
AI TOPS
3352
1801
1406
988
1321
Tensor Cores
5th Gen
5th Gen
5th Gen
5th Gen
4th Gen
Ray Tracing Cores
4th Gen
4th Gen
4th Gen
4th Gen
3rd Gen
NVIDIA Encoder (NVENC)
3x 9th Gen
2x 9th Gen
2x 9th Gen
1x 9th Gen
2x 8th Gen
NVIDIA Decoder (NVDEC)
2x 6th Gen
2x 6th Gen
1x 6th Gen
1x 6th Gen
1x 5th Gen
Memory Configuration
32 GB
GDDR7
16 GB
GDDR7
16 GB
GDDR7
12 GB
GDDR7
24 GB
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
1792 GB/sec
960 GB/sec
896 GB/sec
672 GB/sec
1008 GB/sec
The RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards will be available starting on the 30th of January, with prices starting at $1999.99 and $999 respectively. The RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 will land in February, priced at $749 and $549.
KitGuru Says: What did you all think of Nvidia's RTX 50 launch? Are you planning on picking up a new-gen GPU this year?
Last week, leakers claimed that the original Diablo was set to make an appearance on Xbox Game Pass in the not-too-distant-future. With January 2025 officially underway, Microsoft has now detailed its upcoming Game Pass line-up for the month – including the aforementioned Diablo – though only for PC/Ultimate members.
Making the announcement on the Xbox Wire Blog, Megan Spurr – the Senior Community Lead for Xbox Game Pass said “Welcome to our first ‘Coming Soon’ announcement for 2025! And special welcome to all you new friends that picked up gaming hardware the last few weeks. Let’s get you prepped for what to install or play next. To the games!”
With that, the full list of titles dropping onto Game Pass over the course of the next week or so includes the following:
Available now:
Road 96 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Lightyear Frontier [Game Preview] (Xbox Series X|S)
My Time at Sandrock (Console)
Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders (Xbox Series X|S)
Rolling Hills (Console)
Is it worth noting that Road 96 is a returning game following its removal back in June 2023, while the other titles listed above are already available through Game Pass – albeit were limited to the Ultimate/PC tiers.
In terms of proper new additions, Game Pass members can look forward to two titles arriving on the 14th:
EA Sports UFC 5 (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) – GP Ultimate
While certainly a relatively weak line-up (especially for Ultimate members), Game Pass will see another round of additions sometime during the second half of January – which will hopefully make up for all of the games leaving.
KitGuru says: What do you think of January’s line-up so far? Have you been playing any of the upcoming departees? What titles do you hope to see added in a few weeks’ time? Let us know down below.
Each month, all those with a Humble subscription are privy to a select number of titles for ‘free’ as part of the company’s Humble Choice service. Kicking off the year, subscribers can get their hands on multiple solid indie games, including Blasphemous 2 and Dordogne.
As with most months, you’ll also receive a couple coupons for some of the listed games’ DLC (amongst other bonuses), namely 35% off Against the Storm’s ‘Keepers of the Stone’ DLC and 75% off of the Jota Collection (featuring Citizen Sleeper and In Other Waters.)
As always, a small portion of the profits will go towards a charity, with this month’s supporting the Make a Wish Foundation – ensuring “children with critical illnesses can make their biggest wishes come true, providing them strength, joy and hope throughout their treatments.”
While perhaps not the most exciting month in Humble History, January’s Choice line-up offers a strong selection of titles for those who enjoy trying out a bunch of different indies.
KitGuru says: What do you think of this month’s line-up? Do you stay subscribed each month or only when the games interest you? Which of the indies are you most curious to try? Let us know down below.
Day One of CES continues. This time around, Leo and Mat stop by the Acer booth to check out everything from new gaming monitors and laptops, to new PCs and even an interesting prototype known as the ‘DualPlay Laptop'.
Watch on YouTube below:
Timestamps:
00:00 Laptop sadness
00:43 Project DualPlay Prototype laptop
01:55 RTX 50 graphics – some thoughts
03:32 e-scooters
04:05 Laptops with AMD processors
05:03 Acer networking
06:03 Mini PC’s
06:57 Aspire S Ai System
07:41 Aspire 14 Ai
08:06 Aspire Vero 16
09:06 Gaming handhelds
10:27 Nitro laptops
11:05 Spatiallabs monitor
The Project DualPlay laptop has a removable trackpad that doubles as a game controller. As for the new round of Predator Gaming Laptops, we were unfortunately a little too early, having seen them before Nvidia officially announced the new RTX 50 series laptop GPUs. As a result, these laptops were not set up for demos, leaving us with blank screens with fully lit RGB keyboards underneath.
Acer’s new Swift Go AI thin-and-light laptops come in 16-inch and 14-inch display sizes and feature a Ryzen AI 300 CPU under the hood. These are AMD's latest Zen 5 CPUs for the mobile market, offering up to eight high-performance cores, paired with a 5GHz clock speed and an XDNA 2 NPU with up to 50 TOPS of performance for AI tasks. These CPUs also come with Radeon graphics baked-in. According to Acer, these laptops can last a full 24 hours of video playback on a single charge.
Acer also has the new Aspire 41 AI, which offers a slightly lower battery life estimate at 22 hours of video playback. This laptop is powered by Intel Core Ultra 200 CPUs and has an optional OLED display, The laptop is built with a durable aluminium top and bottom cover, and it has a 180-degree hinge, allowing the display to lay flat on a desk, something that might be useful in a collaborative work environment.
Acer is also getting into the handheld gaming market this year with two Acer Nitro Blaze handhelds. These handhelds will be powered by Ryzen 8040 series APUs and not the new Ryzen Z2 series chips, setting them apart competing models. We look forward to getting a closer look at performance in the months ahead.
KitGuru Says: What did you all think of Acer's CES 2025 announcements? Do you have your eye on anything to pick up later in the year?
MSI is expanding its motherboard lineup with the new B860 and H810 boards, offering a compelling blend of performance, features, and affordability for Intel's latest platform. Moreover, the company is also launching new Z890 Project Zero motherboards so users can create cleaner builds with less cabling.
The new B860 and H810 motherboards cater to a wide range of users, from budget-conscious gamers to content creators and everyday users. While the B860 chipset stands out for performance enthusiasts with its PCIe 5.0 support, M.2 storage options, and memory overclocking capabilities, the H810 provides a more value-oriented solution for those seeking essential features.
MSI's new B860 motherboards include the MAG B860 Tomahawk WIFI and MAG B860M Mortar WIFI, as well as the PRO B860-P WIFI and PRO B860M-A WIFI. These boards support PCIe 5.0 and M.2 storage and DDR5 memory and feature a power delivery system consisting of 12-phase VRMs. Overclocking enthusiasts will appreciate the enhanced memory support, with speeds reaching 9200+ MT/s achievable through MSI's optimised memory architecture and the user-friendly Click BIOS X. MSI's AI Boost technology further enhances AI performance by enabling NPU overclocking. MSI has also implemented its EZ DIY features, simplifying M.2 installation, graphics card removal, and Wi-Fi antenna setup. The MAG series B860 boards also boast Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 and Killer 5G LAN for a lag-free networking experience.
While the H810 boards might lack some of the bells and whistles of the B860 ones, they still offer a solid foundation for budget-oriented builds. MSI didn't share any specific H810 motherboard models, but we know they'll share many features with the B860 boards. Both chipsets support Thunderbolt 4 for high-speed connectivity, but the B860 provides greater bandwidth with its 8x DMI Gen 4 lanes than the H810's 4x lanes.
MSI is also expanding its “Project Zero” lineup with the new PZ series. These motherboards relocate most connectors to the rear, minimising cable clutter and creating a cleaner aesthetic. The MAG Z890 Tomahawk WIFI PZ (standard and White) and the PRO Z890-S WIFI PZ offer high-end features and stylish designs for those seeking performance and cleaner visuals.
Adding to the software side, MSI is announcing a collaboration with SignalRGB to create a new application that allows for synchronised and customisable RGB lighting control across multiple MSI motherboards. This user-friendly software simplifies RGB management by enabling users to configure all MSI products with RGB and ARGB in a single app.
KitGuru says: Are you interested in a B860 or H810 motherboard for a new entry-level system? MSI's new motherboards might be exactly what you're looking for.
We've arrived at CES and for one of our first stops of the week, Leo swings by to visit Thermaltake to get a closer look at all-new colourful cases, coolers, memory and even new racing sim gear.
Few companies offer as many case colour options as Thermaltake. If you are looking for something that isn't either black or white, Thermaltake is your best bet, with a ton of shade options from ‘Lightyear Green' to ‘Butter Caramel', ‘Future Dusk' and even ‘Mint Strawberry'. Of course, if you do prefer a standard black or white colour-scheme, Thermaltake offers those as well. Naturally, these cases go very well with Thermaltake's other gear, from the Toughfan ARGB series of case fans, to the ToughRAM and ToughPower products. Be sure to check out the video and gallery to get a closer look at all of this.
If you are looking to put together a Racing Sim or a Flight Sim setup, then Thermaltake has you covered there as well. The G6 bundle delivers a complete sim racing setup designed for accuracy and responsiveness. At its core is a direct-drive servo motor housed in an aluminum wheelbase, providing precise control and realistic force feedback. The bundle also includes a three-pedal set (accelerator, brake, and clutch) with adjustable mounting options for a customised and stable feel. You can add on a the GM5 3DOF Motion System to recreate real-world movements and sensations. For those who are more enthusiastic about flying rather than racing, Thermaltake has the GF500 Cockpit, which offers a lot of the same functionality, but is designed for flight sticks and thrusters, rather than wheels and pedals.
KitGuru Says: What do you all think of Thermaltake's showing at CES this year?
Phison is making waves at CES 2025 with a showcase of cutting-edge storage solutions, including PCIe Gen 5 SSD controllers that shatter speed barriers and redefine efficiency and the world's first 128 TB SSD for data centres.
Leading the charge is the PS5028-E28, Phison's flagship PCIe Gen 5 controller built on TSMC's advanced 6nm process. This powerhouse delivers an unprecedented combination of sequential read and write speeds, reaching a staggering 14.5 GB/s, making it the fastest SSD controller on the market.
Phison is also addressing the growing demand for efficiency and affordability with the PS5031-E31T, a DRAM-less PCIe Gen 5 controller that breaks the 10 GB/s barrier and offers a lower power consumption. This cost-effective solution brings premium performance to budget-conscious users. Phison's E31T controller is already making its mark in the consumer market, powering Micron's latest Crucial P510 SSD, a Gen 5 drive delivering speeds of 11,000/9,500 MB/s.
Phison's innovation extends beyond PCIe Gen 5, as shown with the U21. This is the world's first native USB4 SoC, capable of sequential read and write speeds up to 4 GB/s. Moreover, Phison is unveiling the D205V, the world's largest PCIe Gen 5 SSD for the enterprise market, boasting a massive 122.88 TB of storage. With sequential read speeds of up to 14,600 MB/s and write speeds of 3,200 MB/s, the D205V redefines scalability and efficiency for data centre applications.
KitGuru says: We've seen quite a few good DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 SSDs that can perform almost as well as those with DRAM. With the E31T, we might finally see something similar in the PCIe 5.0 space. More importantly, it should also help reduce the entry price for such SSDs.
Aside from desktop RTX 50 graphics cards, Nvidia is also launching its new generation of laptop GPUs. The RTX 50 series for laptops will offer the same feature set as the desktop cards and companies like Razer, Acer, MSI, Asus and others already have new gaming laptops equipped with these GPUs ready to go.
GeForce Blackwell comes to laptops with all the features of desktop models. This includes DLSS 4 which includes a new feature – Multi-Frame Generation. While DLSS 3 Frame Generation would generate an extra frame per rendered frame, DLSS 4 allows for Frame Generation to create an extra three frames for every rendered frame, supercharging performance even further. These GPUs also support Nvidia Reflex 2, which introduces Frame Warp, a new technique to reduce latency by updating a rendered frame based on the latest mouse input. According to Nvidia, Reflex 2 can reduce latency by as much as 75 percent.
The other big innovation coming with the Blackwell architecture is RTX Neural Shaders, which brings small AI networks into programmable shaders. This will pave the way for both better visuals, and better AI in games, including AI-controlled NPCs, which are being implemented in games like PUBG Battlegrounds, utilising the Nvidia ACE suite.
Laptops with GeForce RTX 5090, RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPUs will be available starting in March, and RTX 5070 Laptop GPUs will be available from manufacturers, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, GIGABYTE, HP, Lenovo, MECHREVO, MSI, Razer and more.
KitGuru Says: Are you thinking of picking up a new gaming laptop this year?
Thermaltake is expanding its presence in the world of sim racing with two exciting new products: the G6 Direct Drive Racing Wheel Bundle and the GM5 3DOF Motion System. These two offerings promise to elevate the sim racing experience with unparalleled realism and immersion.
The G6 bundle delivers a complete sim racing setup designed for accuracy and responsiveness. At its core is a direct-drive servo motor housed in an aluminum wheelbase, providing precise control and realistic force feedback. The bundle also includes a three-pedal set (accelerator, brake, and clutch) with adjustable mounting options for a customised and stable feel. A racing-grade quick-release system allows for easy swapping of the included 13-inch steering wheel, which features dual-clutch paddles. To ensure optimal performance even during extended racing sessions, the G6 incorporates dual motor cooling with an integrated temperature sensor and a low-noise fan.
For those seeking the ultimate in sim racing immersion, the GM5 3DOF Motion System recreates real-world movements and sensations. This lightweight and easy-to-install system boasts precise dynamic control with a 1000 Hz control frequency and less than 5 ms latency. The GM5 supports a wide range of vibration frequencies (0-100 Hz), accurately simulating various driving and flying scenarios. It's compatible with both the Thermaltake GR500 Racing Simulator Cockpit and the GF500 Flight Simulator Cockpit, offering versatility for different sim setups. Integration with SimTools software further enhances the experience, providing plenty of customisation options and updates to support the latest racing and flight simulators.
The G6 bundle is slated for an April 2025 release and will be priced at $519.99. The GM5 3DOF Motion System will release in March 2025 and cost $3,999.99
KitGuru says: The G6 bundle could be a good starting point for those looking to get into sim racing. For those who want to push their experience to the next level, something like the GM5 3DOF Motion System could be a game changer.
After months of leaks and rumours, Nvidia has officially announced the GeForce RTX 50 series of graphics cards. Based on the Blackwell architecture, with new generation Tensor and RT cores, and of course, DLSS 4.
While rumours anticipated that the RTX 5080 would launch first, Nvidia is actually revealing four SKUs today – the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti and the RTX 5070. Compared to the RTX 4090, the RTX 5090 offers more than twice the amount of AI TOPS performance, and all of the cards below also see a significant boost in AI capability. This enables features like DLSS 4, which bumps the Frame Generation aspect to ‘Multi Frame Generation', allowing for even higher frame rates, even when using fully ray-traced graphics.
You can see the full specs in the table below:
RTX 5090
RTX 5080
RTX 5070 Ti
RTX 5070
RTX 4090
NVIDIA Architecture
Blackwell
Blackwell
Blackwell
Blackwell
Ada Lovelace
DLSS
DLSS 4
DLSS 4
DLSS 4
DLSS 4
DLSS 3
AI TOPS
3352
1801
1406
988
1321
Tensor Cores
5th Gen
5th Gen
5th Gen
5th Gen
4th Gen
Ray Tracing Cores
4th Gen
4th Gen
4th Gen
4th Gen
3rd Gen
NVIDIA Encoder (NVENC)
3x 9th Gen
2x 9th Gen
2x 9th Gen
1x 9th Gen
2x 8th Gen
NVIDIA Decoder (NVDEC)
2x 6th Gen
2x 6th Gen
1x 6th Gen
1x 6th Gen
1x 5th Gen
Memory Configuration
32 GB
GDDR7
16 GB
GDDR7
16 GB
GDDR7
12 GB
GDDR7
24 GB
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
1792 GB/sec
960 GB/sec
896 GB/sec
672 GB/sec
1008 GB/sec
The RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards will be available starting on the 30th of January, with prices starting at $1999.99 and $999 respectively. The RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 will land in February, priced at $749 and $549. Board partners like Asus, Colorful, Gainward, Galax, Gigabyte, INNO3D, KFA2, MSI, Palit, PNY and Zotac will have custom-cooled versions available at varying price points.
KitGuru Says: Are you thinking of making the jump to an RTX 50 series GPU?
At CES today, AMD officially announced plans for new-gen graphics cards, including the RX 9070 XT and the RX 9070, both of which are due to launch in Q1 2025. While FSR 4 has been confirmed as a key feature for the new generation of RDNA 4 GPUs, AMD is keeping many of the details under wraps.
While AMD did ‘announce' the RX 9070 series graphics cards, it did so without detailing any specifications. I can't tell you how many cores either 9070 card will have, or how much VRAM, or even clock speeds. All AMD has officially said for now is that these graphics cards are coming in Q1.
AMD says it has built RDNA 4 with AI in mind, looking to bring a big boost to ray-tracing performance and upscaling. With these graphics cards, AMD will roll out FSR 4, the first version of the upscaler to use machine learning. This should help AMD close the quality gap between FSR and Nvidia's rival DLSS upscaling technology.
It is unclear why AMD seemingly went back on plans to properly announce its new RDNA 4 graphics cards, so for now, all we have is this small teaser, as well as the news that FSR 4 will be added to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 later this year. As these graphics cards are set to hit the market in Q1, we should get more official details soon.
KitGuru Says: It looks like we aren't getting the big GPU reveal we were anticipating from AMD at CES. Hopefully we'll get more news on that front in the coming weeks.
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