hardware | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 08 Feb 2024 10:30:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png hardware | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Intel reportedly wants to power the next-gen Xbox https://www.kitguru.net/components/matthew-wilson/intel-reportedly-wants-to-power-the-next-gen-xbox/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/matthew-wilson/intel-reportedly-wants-to-power-the-next-gen-xbox/#respond Wed, 07 Feb 2024 17:03:50 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=647492 For the past two generations of Xbox and PlayStation consoles, Sony and Microsoft have both gone with AMD for their custom hardware. Microsoft is already laying the groundwork for its next console, as we know from files revealed as part of the FTC v Microsoft trial over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Now, it is …

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For the past two generations of Xbox and PlayStation consoles, Sony and Microsoft have both gone with AMD for their custom hardware. Microsoft is already laying the groundwork for its next console, as we know from files revealed as part of the FTC v Microsoft trial over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Now, it is claimed that Intel is looming, looking to grab Microsoft's business for its next console. 

According to Moore's Law is Dead, which has a hit and miss track record with console hardware leaks, Intel is looking to compete for Microsoft's business and wants to supply its own chips for next-gen Xbox consoles. Looking back at a little bit of hiring history reveals that there could be more to this thread to follow.

As noted by TweakTown, Intel hired John Sell back in 2019. Sell had previously spent many years working at Microsoft, acting as the chief architect behind the Xbox One, Xbox One X and the most recent Xbox Series X/S systems.

AMD has had a bit of a lead in integrated graphics over the past decade. However, Intel been working on its own Xe Graphics architecture for several years now and the latest Intel processors do have a bit more graphics horsepower, allowing for Intel Core Ultra chips to be used in gaming systems like the MSI Claw handheld.

Microsoft will no doubt have meetings with AMD, as well as Nvidia, before making any final decisions on hardware for its next console. It is also worth noting that Microsoft's Xbox hardware plans could also be in flux at the moment, as the company is looking to grow its game software sales by bringing more titles to platforms like PlayStation. This could signal a bigger shift towards third-party development and away from first-party hardware with exclusive software.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: With the Xbox One/PS4 and Xbox Series X/PS5, Microsoft and Sony both opted to use very similar custom hardware for their systems. It would be interesting to see them both diverge next generation, at which point comparisons between the two systems would become more relevant than ever. 

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KitGuru Games: The Console Wars are ending… and PC wins https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/kitguru-games-the-console-wars-are-ending-and-pc-wins/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/kitguru-games-the-console-wars-are-ending-and-pc-wins/#respond Mon, 05 Feb 2024 16:00:29 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=647104 Microsoft going multiplatform could finally end the 'console war' for good and PC gamers stand the most to gain...

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Since the launch of the Xbox One, there has been a grey cloud hanging over the Xbox brand. Console sales fell well behind PlayStation and while Microsoft has managed to win over some with Game Pass, console hardware sales are still far below what we would expect considering the amount of money Microsoft has spent acquiring studios and publishers since 2018. Due to this, it feels like we see doom and gloom rumours around Xbox every few months. Things came to a head over the weekend with the revelation that Xbox games may go fully multi-platform.

In recent weeks, there have been whispers about certain Xbox games releasing on other consoles, like the PS5 and Nintendo Switch. At first, it sounded like it would just be the likes of Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves, opening these games up to a wider player base. It was also claimed that Microsoft would address this strategy shift in the Spring as part of a new set of announcements.

Over the weekend, the scope of this strategy changed significantly. Now, it is being rumoured that even Xbox's biggest franchises will be going multi-platform, with games like Starfield and Indiana Jones to arrive on PS5. As we already know, the biggest Activision Blizzard titles will also remain multi-platform, something that Microsoft announced prior to acquiring the company in late 2023.

Xbox-focused podcaster, xCloudTimdog, who has relationships with a number of Xbox employees and executives, summarised a lot of this in a recent video, sharing that Xbox missed its hardware sales targets in late 2023, despite holiday season discounts. This in turn has led to the CFO wanting to switch strategies and bring more games to competing consoles. Exactly how this would help Xbox hardware sales is entirely unclear and for now, it sounds like Microsoft does indeed plan to continue selling consoles, even with major games potentially becoming available on other platforms.

Why would you buy an Xbox still if all of their games are available elsewhere? Well, odds are Sony isn't going to allow Game Pass on PlayStation, so that will be Microsoft's big draw. Buy the console with no exclusive games and use Game Pass to play the latest titles at a cheaper cost, versus buying them at £70 a pop on PS5. The other pillar here would be Play Anywhere, allowing games to be played across both Xbox and PC for those who like to switch between devices.

Many Xbox fans have already flooded forums and social media with complaints about this. A poll conducted by WindowsCentral's Jez Corden shows that the majority of fans are no longer confident investing in the Xbox ecosystem given the rumours swirling around over the weekend. The poll has almost 40,000 votes, which is a very significant sample size. The message seems clear, most of the ‘core' gamers would rather own a PS5 if they are going to get to play Xbox games there anyway. This way, you get the best of both worlds, with access to Xbox games, as well as the PlayStation exclusives that launch exclusively on the console. However, as I'll explain further down in this article, I don't think PlayStation consoles as we know them today are going to last forever either.

If Microsoft really is throwing in the towel on exclusives and going multiplatform, then Xbox hardware makes little sense unless it is licensed out. Like the Steam Machines of old, perhaps Microsoft will pursue a licensing model in which partners make their own Xbox systems at different performance/price levels and load it with an OS that boots into a gaming-focused UI that works well with a controller.

With all of these issues in mind, it would seem that Xbox may transform itself in a similar fashion to SEGA. Once upon a time, SEGA was one of the biggest games console makers, but with tough competition from PlayStation and Nintendo, the company decided to ditch hardware entirely, instead opting to focus all of its efforts on creating games for the most popular systems. Nowadays, SEGA is one of the biggest multi-platform publishers around.

Would this be the best move for Microsoft as a whole? Historically, Microsoft has always been a software-focused company and when Satya Nadella took over the company as CEO, he also directed a new focus on services too. This has led to things like Microsoft Azure and Office 365, which have been hugely successful for Microsoft. By dropping hardware from the equation and switching to multi-platform game development and publishing, Microsoft would stand to make a lot of money and would start to reap the rewards pretty swiftly. After all, there are a significant number of customers on PlayStation who have never owned an Xbox and may have never even played Halo or Gears of War.

Going by the PS4's install base, that's well over 100 million new customers to sell games to. Sony will get its platform cut, but Microsoft may be able to negotiate better terms to get it below 30%, as we know some publishers have managed to do exactly that, including Activision Blizzard.

Additionally, this change in strategy could also open the door for Microsoft to acquire more studios in the future without raising red flags at regulators. One of the key arguments used by the FTC against the Microsoft-Activision merger is that Microsoft could leverage IP like Call of Duty to run Sony out of business by making content exclusive. If there is no Xbox and there are no exclusives, then it may be able to get away with even more high-profile studio acquisitions.

However, losing one of the pillars of the console market could also have major downsides. Microsoft has managed to push Sony into offering a better subscription service, and was also instrumental in forcing Sony's hand in allowing features like cross-play and cross-save in games. Without a major third console in the market, Sony would have more market power than it already has. The company has never been shy about throwing its weight around, as we saw with the Sony-led shift towards £70 games on new-gen consoles. While some publishers held out for a while, eventually, everyone began charging Sony's new standard price for games and this has had an effect on PC game pricing too.

Sony could also backtrack on its multi-platform efforts and go back to releasing full exclusives, as there would no longer be a competing Xbox. I think this scenario is unlikely though, as many Xbox gamers may opt to go to PC instead, a sensible move due to concerns around game preservation and continued access to your library.

While the gut reaction to this news is to wonder why, especially given Microsoft's investment in studios over the past several years, I actually think this is a smart move. We are moving towards a future where locked-down console hardware that sells at a loss no longer makes sense.

Creating games is becoming increasingly expensive and when you add on overhead for covering hardware losses, having a PC-focused games market simply makes more sense. Let the likes of AMD, Intel and Nvidia worry about hardware instead and focus on shipping polished software that can be accessed locally on a PC, or on any device via the cloud.

I believe this is where the gaming market is heading. Sony has already realised it needs to get on board with multi-platform releases to reach a wider audience and has been investing in cloud for well over a decade. If Microsoft goes down this path and sees huge gains, Sony will likely follow. There is no reason a PC can't play Xbox or PlayStation games. There's no reason you can't license out that brand name to a company like Corsair and turn the Corsair One mini-PC into a ‘PlayStation' or an ‘Xbox', complete with a special full-screen UI designed for a TV and controller that displays your library and different stores/launchers.

I understand concerns around game optimisation here, as developers tend to squeeze as much performance as possible out of consoles. However, if there are no consoles and we're all gaming on PC, or a PC in the cloud, then developers will have to focus all efforts on optimisation and scalability to reach the broadest amount of players. To help avoid issues with players buying games they can't feasibly run on the hardware they have, a store page warning can be added to let a player know that their PC might not be able to run a game reliably, before pointing them to the hardware requirements section. Additionally, a cloud streaming option can be offered as part of a continued ‘PlayStation+' or ‘Xbox Game Pass Ultimate' subscription. This cloud streaming option could also pop up if a user runs out of local storage space, or it could be offered once a game starts installing, so you can jump in faster while the game installs locally.

In this scenario, we as consumers would be in greater control of our hardware, we would have greater access to games and the god-forsaken console war would finally come to an end. It would mark a generational shift in how the games market functions but I think it is the shift that makes the most sense.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: A lot of people have been quick to balk at the idea of Xbox games going multi-platform, but the fact is, PlayStation gamers will buy them, as will Nintendo gamers, which would be a win for the Microsoft Gaming business. I doubt Sony wants to keep making locked-down, loss-leading consoles forever either. Let's just get this over with and go back to PC gaming. 

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PC retailer BOX enters administration following lawsuit https://www.kitguru.net/components/mustafa-mahmoud/pc-retailer-box-enters-administration/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/mustafa-mahmoud/pc-retailer-box-enters-administration/#respond Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:00:52 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=645257 Box.co.uk is one of the better known UK-based PC retailers, having been bought out for an impressive £100 million last year. Unfortunately, it seems as though the company has run into legal troubles, forcing them to go into administration. As reported by eTeknix, in the wake of the £100 million acquisition of Box by Tactus, …

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Box.co.uk is one of the better known UK-based PC retailers, having been bought out for an impressive £100 million last year. Unfortunately, it seems as though the company has run into legal troubles, forcing them to go into administration.

As reported by eTeknix, in the wake of the £100 million acquisition of Box by Tactus, the new owners actually turned round and filed a lawsuit against Box to the tune of £18 million for allegedly over-inflating their value prior to being acquired.

The situation Box have found themselves in has forced them to go into administration, with the company posting a banner at the top of their website saying: “Please note that Michael Lennon and Mark Blackman of Kroll Advisory Ltd were appointed Joint Administrators of Box Ltd on 19 January 2024. The business has ceased to trade and all enquiries should be directed to box@kroll.com. The Joint Administrators act as agents of the Company and without personal liability and both are licensed by the Insolvency Practitioners Association.”

Box has historically been a consistent and well-respected retailer and so this latest news comes as quite a surprise. Hopefully all the legal issues are able to be resolved – and that Box.co.uk will once again return to normalcy.

KitGuru says: Have you used Box.co.uk? What did you think of them? Will the company be able to bounce back? Let us know your thoughts down below.

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CES 2024: MSI launches its first gaming handheld and new wave of laptops for gaming and AI https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/matthew-wilson/ces-2024-msi-launches-its-first-gaming-handheld-and-new-wave-of-laptops-for-gaming-and-ai/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/matthew-wilson/ces-2024-msi-launches-its-first-gaming-handheld-and-new-wave-of-laptops-for-gaming-and-ai/#respond Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:00:26 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=642886 We've covered MSI's components, now it is time to see what's coming up on the laptop front. At CES this year, MSI is launching its new Titan 18 HX laptop, as well as the company's first gaming handheld, powered by an Intel Core Ultra processor. On the laptop side, the big showpiece here is the …

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We've covered MSI's components, now it is time to see what's coming up on the laptop front. At CES this year, MSI is launching its new Titan 18 HX laptop, as well as the company's first gaming handheld, powered by an Intel Core Ultra processor.

On the laptop side, the big showpiece here is the MSI Titan 18 HX, which packs a new Intel Core i9 HX series processor with RTX 40 series graphics, with an 18-inch 4K OLED display. The laptop can support as much as 128GB of memory and up to 6TB of SSD storage.

The MSI Raider 18 HX is similar but while the Titan can provide up to 270W of power, the Raider caps out at 250W. The MSI Stealth 18 has a more understated design, aimed at professionals looking to utilise AI or do video/photo work.

The MSI Claw is one of the most exciting launches here at CES. The new gaming handheld is one of the first to sport an Intel Core Ultra processor. Packing an Intel Core Ultra 155H, it's essentially a tiny little laptop, but obviously for gaming. The screen is full HD, measures 7 inches on the diagonal, has a 120Hz refresh, and it is touchscreen. The CES demo can be seen running Assassin's Creed Mirage, so it is perfectly capable of running newer PC titles. In terms of battery life, you get 53 watt hours, or around two hours with the hardware running at full power.

With AI becoming such a major market over the past year, MSI is preparing with new laptops. The new Prestige AI laptops come in multiple sizes and pack Intel's new Meteor Lake Ultra Core processors, which have dedicated AI accelerating hardware on the chip, enabling a fresh range of laptops for working with the technology.

The Cyborg 14 is MSI's environmentally friendly gaming laptop. Built using recycled materials to reduce e-waste and carbon footprint, it packs a 13th Gen Core i7 processor and a 1080p/144Hz display. Under the hood you'll also find an RTX 4060 GPU, so you can take advantage of features like DLSS 3 and ray-tracing.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: What do you all think of the new MSI Claw? Will this be a good competitor to the Steam Deck?

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CES 2024: Leo gets a closer look at MSI components and Project Zero https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-announcement/matthew-wilson/ces-2024-leo-gets-a-closer-look-at-msi-components-and-project-zero/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-announcement/matthew-wilson/ces-2024-leo-gets-a-closer-look-at-msi-components-and-project-zero/#respond Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:00:07 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=642884 At CES this week, Leo swings by the MSI booth to take a closer look at new and upcoming components. We kick things off with a look at the promising Project Zero motherboard, which aims to make future PC builds cleaner than ever before by moving cable connectors to the back of the board...

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At CES this week, Leo swings by the MSI booth to take a closer look at new and upcoming components. We kick things off with a look at the promising Project Zero motherboard, which aims to make future PC builds cleaner than ever before by moving cable connectors to the back of the board.

One of the first things to catch out eye at the MSI booth this year was the new LED Crystal Film screen, which can be applied to the windowed section of a case to display animations. In the example we saw here, we see MSI's dragon mascot flying around the side of the case, which is certainly an interesting concept as PC builders seek new ways to personalise their setups.

MSI has several new motherboards arriving in 2024, but the most interesting is Project Zero. This is a prototype motherboard with the power connectors moved to the back of the motherboard, freeing up the front, viewable side of your PC from cables, paving the way for super clean builds. There are multiple versions of this motherboard floating around, including a Z790 chipset version and a B760M version. There is no word on a launch date yet but we hope to hear more on this later in the year.

A section of MSI's CES booth this year has also been dedicated to the company's new Limited Edition Monster Hunter hardware, offering bespoke designs based on Capcom's popular game. MSI has gone particularly big for this collaboration, offering Monster Hunter themed graphics cards, motherboards, monitors, controllers and even laptops.

On the monitor front, the standout here is MSI's new OLED models. The company has released a few QD-OLED monitors over the last year and now, MSI is ramping up with more options, spearheaded by the flagship MPG 49-inch model, boasting 5120×1440 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate and ultra low 0.03ms response times.

With Nvidia launching the RTX 40 Super series graphics cards yesterday, MSI is now also showcasing its custom designs, including new Gaming X models for the RTX 4080 Super, in both black and white.

In the video, Leo also goes over SSDs, coolers, peripherals and MSI's new WiFi 7 networking gear.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: What do you all think of MSI's CES launches so far?

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KitGuru is hiring – Tech Reviewer applications open! https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/matthew-wilson/kitguru-is-hiring-tech-reviewer-applications-open/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/matthew-wilson/kitguru-is-hiring-tech-reviewer-applications-open/#respond Thu, 04 Jan 2024 13:30:21 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=642357 We reviewed a lot of products through 2023 and we're looking to do even more in 2024. If you've ever wanted to review PC gear, then this is a perfect opportunity as we are now hiring for a new reviewer to join our team. Prior experience is not strictly necessary, but we would like to see some example works from applicants. 

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We reviewed a lot of products through 2023 and we're looking to do even more in 2024. If you've ever wanted to review PC gear, then this is a perfect opportunity as we are now hiring for a new reviewer to join our team. Prior experience is not strictly necessary, but we would like to see some example works from applicants. 

We are looking for someone who will be able to produce reviews of a range of tech gear in video format and in the KitGuru style. Any experience in this sector is beneficial, however we are open to all applicants provided you can give us a sample of your written and video work so we can assess your abilities.

KitGuru is a great company to work with, we are all tech enthusiasts who enjoy gaming, so we all have very similar interests. Behind the scenes it is very close knit environment and many of our team have been with us for several years.

To be considered for this position you need:

  • Skillset to present well on camera – and in English.
  • The ability to meet tight deadlines.
  • Strong communication skills.
  • Some knowledge of video editing would be useful, but we have that capability in-house if we find the right candidate.
  • Strong writing ability.
  • This is a freelance position.

The successful applicant must be based in the United Kingdom, and we pay very well for this kind of work. If you are interested and feel you can meet the criteria above and want to work in this fast moving, extremely demanding sector then please send your CV along with any samples of your work to our Deputy Editor in Chief, Dominic Moass – dominic(at)kitguru.net. We would like to see samples of your work, but please note we are looking for applicants who can produce high quality videos and written articles in the in-depth KitGuru style, so your submissions should reflect that.

KitGuru says: We look forward to receiving your application. 

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Activision PC game sales are outpacing console sales https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/activision-pc-game-sales-are-outpacing-console-sales/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/activision-pc-game-sales-are-outpacing-console-sales/#respond Tue, 09 May 2023 14:30:33 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=614397 Call of Duty is a massive seller every year but for the most part, console versions beat out the PC version in sales. That might be starting to change, as Activision's latest earnings report shows.  Activision's latest earnings report shows that PC sales outperformed console sales between January and the end of March this year. …

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Call of Duty is a massive seller every year but for the most part, console versions beat out the PC version in sales. That might be starting to change, as Activision's latest earnings report shows. 

Activision's latest earnings report shows that PC sales outperformed console sales between January and the end of March this year. The company made a total of $639 million through sales on consoles, versus $666 million made on the PC platform.

This is a particularly interesting shift, as AAA games typically do tend to sell better on consoles. As PCGamer points out, Activision's own public financial reports show that it has primarily made most of its money on console for decades, even after acquiring Blizzard in 2008.

Microsoft will no doubt be pleased to hear this, as the company is currently looking to boost its PC gaming efforts and grow Game Pass on the PC platform. If the company can push its acquisition of Activision Blizzard through, then it will see a good boost across console, PC and mobile game sales.

KitGuru Says: Do you think PC will continue on this trend, or do you think console game sales will eventually take back the top spot? 

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EKWB launches sale with up 60% off waterblocks and more https://www.kitguru.net/components/mustafa-mahmoud/ekwb-launches-up-to-60-off-sale-while-stocks-last-2/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/mustafa-mahmoud/ekwb-launches-up-to-60-off-sale-while-stocks-last-2/#respond Sat, 08 Apr 2023 16:00:25 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=610735 In recent years we have seen the price of PC hardware, particularly graphics cards, take a substantial hike – due to a whole host of factors both internal and external. As such, being able to snoop out a good deal is paramount when looking to build a new PC or upgrading your current one. EKWB is currently hosting a massive sale on their website with deals up to 60% across their range of waterblocks, motherboards and more...

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In recent years we have seen the price of PC hardware, particularly graphics cards, take a substantial hike – due to a whole host of factors both internal and external. As such, being able to snoop out a good deal is paramount when looking to build a new PC or upgrading your current one. EKWB is currently hosting a massive sale on their website with deals up to 60% across their range of waterblocks, motherboards and more.

The promotion is running ‘while stocks last’ meaning you’ll want to get on it if you are looking for some upgraded hardware, but should you get lucky, EKWB is currently offering discounts across a range of its most popular GPU cooling lines including the Quantum Vector, EK-Classic and EK Pro GPU.

In utilising a liquid cooled solution, you could theoretically opt for a lower-mid range 30 series GPU and then go on to overclock it without fear of any overheating, allowing for sustained higher performance while saving money overall.

As mentioned, EKWB are currently discounting much more than just liquid coolers, with select motherboards also being on sale – albeit with a smaller 30% discount. Still, for those looking for an upgrade, the likes of the MSI MPG Z690 Carbon and MSI MPG X570S Carbon products with integrated EK technology are available on sale (for now). The Easter sale runs sitewide, but HERE is as good a place as any to start.

KitGuru says: Are you in the market for some new PC parts? What are you looking for? Let us know down below.

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NZXT launches compact Capsule Mini microphone and Boom Arm Mini https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/nzxt-launches-compact-capsule-mini-microphone-and-boom-arm-mini/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/nzxt-launches-compact-capsule-mini-microphone-and-boom-arm-mini/#respond Tue, 04 Apr 2023 15:00:22 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=610305 NZXT is expanding its peripheral lineup today with two new additions. If you are after a more compact dedicated microphone setup for gaming, streaming or recording, then you'll want to take a look at the new Capsule Mini and Boom Arm Mini.  The Capsule Mini caters to those who require a compact USB microphone for …

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NZXT is expanding its peripheral lineup today with two new additions. If you are after a more compact dedicated microphone setup for gaming, streaming or recording, then you'll want to take a look at the new Capsule Mini and Boom Arm Mini. 

The Capsule Mini caters to those who require a compact USB microphone for their setup. The Capsule is tuned to enhance speech in gaming environments, using analogue-to-digital audio with 24-bit/48KHz resolution. It uses a unidirectional polar cardioid pattern, so it should be able to block out mouse clicks and keyboard clacking.

The Capsule Mini comes with a little stock desk stand, but if you'd rather lift the mic up off of the desk, then you can also find the Boom Arm Mini, offering a smaller and more manageable boom arm option compared to most standard full-size offerings. It isn't as long as a traditional arm, making this ideal for smaller desk setups where space management is of importance.

The NZXT Capsule Mini microphone and the Boom Arm Mini will be available soon, priced at £59.99 each. The microphone is available in black and white colour options, while the boom arm is only available in black.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: As someone with a bit of a cramped desk, this looks like an excellent option for saving space compared to a full-size mic and boom arm setup. Now we'll have to wait and see reviews to see how well it all works together. 

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The Steam Deck will be a ‘multi-generational’ console https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-steam-deck-will-be-a-multi-generational-console/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-steam-deck-will-be-a-multi-generational-console/#respond Mon, 29 Aug 2022 13:48:34 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=572311 Valve has a habit of dropping a lot of promising projects. We've yet to see any iteration on the Valve Index, nor have we seen a new VR title from Valve since the release of Half-Life: Alyx. Artifact was rebooted and then dropped after the developers proclaimed they were in it for ‘the long haul'. …

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Valve has a habit of dropping a lot of promising projects. We've yet to see any iteration on the Valve Index, nor have we seen a new VR title from Valve since the release of Half-Life: Alyx. Artifact was rebooted and then dropped after the developers proclaimed they were in it for ‘the long haul'. The Steam Link and Steam Controller were both released and then dropped within a few years. However, the Steam Deck appears to be so popular that Valve is intending to keep the product line around for generations to come. 

A new Steam Deck booklet has been found by GamingOnLinux (via VGC), which contains a few interesting quotes. In the booklet, Valve says that the Steam Deck “represents the first in a new category of Steam handheld gaming PCs”. Moving forward, Valve will “follow up on this product with improvements and iterations to hardware and software, bringing new versions of the Steam Deck to market”.

Those quotes do make it sound like Valve might just be describing typical manufacturer revisions, which happen over time for pretty much all mass-produced hardware, including traditional consoles like Xbox and PlayStation. However, elsewhere, Valve also refers to the Deck as a “multi-generational product line”, which indicates that there will be a ‘Deck 2' or something along those lines with more powerful hardware under the hood.

The Steam Deck is currently at its most popular point since launch. Positive impressions from early adopters have led to another surge in reservations. With that in mind, we wouldn't expect a significantly upgraded Deck anytime soon, but perhaps in a couple more years time, Valve will start to look at more up to date APUs for the next generation of Deck systems. 

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The real trick here is going to be getting the timing right. AMD is always working on new hardware and Zen 4 CPUs and RDNA 3 GPUs are just around the corner. However If Valve were to launch a new, more powerful Steam Deck in 2023, chances are you would annoy a lot of the people that spent months waiting to get the original model in 2022. 

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Another Nintendo leaker claims Switch Pro to be revealed soon https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/another-nintendo-leaker-claims-switch-pro-to-be-revealed-soon/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/another-nintendo-leaker-claims-switch-pro-to-be-revealed-soon/#respond Thu, 07 Jul 2022 08:28:04 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=567144 Just yesterday we reported on a new rumour reviving the notion that a Nintendo Switch Pro is on its way. In the wake of this, another leaker who has in the past correctly leaked Nintendo hardware is now claiming that a Switch Pro is set to be announced near the end of the Summer.

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Just yesterday we reported on a new rumour reviving the notion that a Nintendo Switch Pro is on its way. In the wake of this, another leaker who has in the past correctly leaked Nintendo hardware is now claiming that a Switch Pro is set to be announced near the end of the Summer.

This latest leak comes from Chinese forum Baidu (and translated by ResetEra user Biosnake) where GraffitiMAX – who previously leaked the recently-announced Splatoon 3 version of the Nintendo Switch OLED – has claimed that Nintendo is planning to announce the much-elusive Nintendo Switch Pro some time during the upcoming month of September.

Very few details were shared otherwise, though GraffitiMAX did tease that “The dawn of 60 frames” is on its way to Switch. Of course, the Switch is capable of hitting 60fps in many titles, and so what GraffitiMAX could be suggesting is some form of upgrade patch for previously released 30fps titles such as Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing.

As with all previous Switch OLED leaks, things should be taken with a pinch of salt. That being said, when there's smoke there's fire, and currently there is quite a bit of smoke in the air – so we will simply have to wait and see.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Do you think a Switch Pro is coming? What upgrades would you like to see come to it? What games would you like to see upgraded to 60fps? Let us know your thoughts down below.

 

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Apple reportedly planning iPhone and iPad subscription plan with yearly upgrades https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/matthew-wilson/apple-reportedly-planning-iphone-and-ipad-subscription-plan-with-yearly-upgrades/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/matthew-wilson/apple-reportedly-planning-iphone-and-ipad-subscription-plan-with-yearly-upgrades/#respond Fri, 25 Mar 2022 15:17:12 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=554772 In recent years, Apple has made a big push into subscription services, offering TV & films, music, news & magazines, and even a Fitness Plus subscription. Soon, Apple may even begin selling iPhones and iPads themselves under a new hardware subscription service.  According to sources speaking with Bloomberg, Apple will offer an iPhone or iPad …

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In recent years, Apple has made a big push into subscription services, offering TV & films, music, news & magazines, and even a Fitness Plus subscription. Soon, Apple may even begin selling iPhones and iPads themselves under a new hardware subscription service. 

According to sources speaking with Bloomberg, Apple will offer an iPhone or iPad with an on-going monthly cost, while giving users the option to upgrade to new hardware once it releases. The key difference between this and the current financing options that Apple offers is that the middle-man will be removed. When purchasing an iPhone or iPad on finance, the payment goes through a third-party,

By removing the middle-man, Apple can take a bigger piece of the pie, and bundle in its other services, like Apple TV+, Apple Music, News+, Fitness+ and Apple Care. All of that would also be tied to the same Apple ID, and it will make it easier for Apple to push users towards new hardware through a recurring subscription program.

There is still a lot we don't know about this service though. The most important part of any subscription is the price, and currently, we have no idea how much Apple plans to charge for each tier of iPhone or iPad, nor do we know if there will be an additional fee for upgrading to a newer model and trading your old one in.

Sources also said that this idea should be in motion by 2023, but it could also be scrapped entirely.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Many of us already pay monthly for our phones through network carriers. If Apple wants to eat up some of those sales, it is going to have to do a good job of explaining the benefits of its own subscription over going through a network. 

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Kolink Observatory Y and Stronghold Prime PC cases arrive in UK https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/matthew-wilson/kolink-observatory-y-and-stronghold-prime-pc-cases-arrive-in-uk/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/matthew-wilson/kolink-observatory-y-and-stronghold-prime-pc-cases-arrive-in-uk/#respond Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:01:57 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=552751 Kolink has been expanding its roster of ARGB PC cases for some time now. Just a couple of weeks ago, we saw the new, extra-wide Observatory Z ARGB cases and now this week, Kolink is unveiling the Observatory Y chassis, as well as a new ‘Stronghold' series case.  The new Kolink Observatory Y comes in …

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Kolink has been expanding its roster of ARGB PC cases for some time now. Just a couple of weeks ago, we saw the new, extra-wide Observatory Z ARGB cases and now this week, Kolink is unveiling the Observatory Y chassis, as well as a new ‘Stronghold' series case. 

The new Kolink Observatory Y comes in two versions – one with a tempered glass front panel to better show off the three front-facing ARGB fans, or a mesh version, which still has three ARGB fans, but swaps to a mesh panel for improved airflow. As standard, both models of the Observatory Y are equipped with four Kolink Umbra 120mm ARGB fans, as well as an Umbra ARGB fan controller.

In addition to the new Observatory Y case, Kolink has also unveiled the new Stronghold Prime chassis. This case uses an understated design, similar to a Fractal Design case, with a simple, black front panel, and a tempered glass window.

While the Stronghold Prime has its differences, it supports many of the same features as the Observatory Y, including room for E-ATX motherboards, up to nine 120mm fans and up to 360mm radiators for those looking to set up liquid cooling. For those looking to make their build stand out, Kolink also has a vertical GPU mounting kit available now as well,

The Kolink Observatory Y chassis will be available from Overclockers UK for £104.99. The Kolink Stronghold Prime is also available at OCUK for £79.99.

KitGuru Says: What do you all think of the latest cases from Kolink? Would you choose one of these for a new PC build? 

 

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Windows 11 to display watermark and warnings when installed on unsupported hardware https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/operating-systems/joao-silva/windows-11-to-display-watermark-and-warnings-when-installed-on-unsupported-hardware/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/operating-systems/joao-silva/windows-11-to-display-watermark-and-warnings-when-installed-on-unsupported-hardware/#respond Tue, 22 Feb 2022 14:12:05 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=551093 Windows already plasters a watermark on your screen if you are running an unlicensed version of the OS, but soon, you may also get stuck with a watermark and multiple warnings for running Windows 11 on “unsupported” hardware.  According to The Verge, the latest Windows 11 builds will show a watermark on the bottom right …

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Windows already plasters a watermark on your screen if you are running an unlicensed version of the OS, but soon, you may also get stuck with a watermark and multiple warnings for running Windows 11 on “unsupported” hardware. 

According to The Verge, the latest Windows 11 builds will show a watermark on the bottom right corner of the desktop when the system requirements to run the OS are not met. In addition, you'll see a warning informing you of the same when opening  Windows 11 settings.

Image credit: Albacore

The watermark is similar to the message displayed when running Windows without a license. However, the “System requirements not met” message isn't transparent, making it more noticeable when you're on the desktop. On the other hand, it doesn't appear on top of other apps nor limits any OS features, at least for now.

For now, these warnings are only available in test builds, so you may never see them reach the public versions. Still, considering Microsoft's history with this type of message, we expect to see them in an upcoming Windows 11 version.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you planning on upgrading to Windows 11? Does your system's hardware support Microsoft's new operating system?

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Apple to launch three new Macs next month https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/matthew-wilson/apple-to-launch-three-new-macs-next-month/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/matthew-wilson/apple-to-launch-three-new-macs-next-month/#respond Mon, 14 Feb 2022 16:33:00 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=550280 Apple isn't very good at keeping a secret and despite repeated internal attempts to stop leaks, information still seems to make its way out of the company's HQ freely. Currently, Apple is expected to hold a hardware-focused event in March, during which we could see three new Macs announced.  Apple has updated the Eurasian Economic …

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Apple isn't very good at keeping a secret and despite repeated internal attempts to stop leaks, information still seems to make its way out of the company's HQ freely. Currently, Apple is expected to hold a hardware-focused event in March, during which we could see three new Macs announced. 

Apple has updated the Eurasian Economic Database with three new Macs, all of which are expected to be unveiled at Apple's Spring hardware event in early March.

The three new Macs are listed with the model numbers A2615, A2686, and A2681 and will run macOS Monterey, the newest version of macOS at this point in time. We will likely see the next major macOS version announced in June, during Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

As Macrumors points out, new Macs aren't the only new devices expected to be announced in March. Apple is also working on a new iPhone SE model, as well as a new iPad Air.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While there are three Macs listed on the database, we're likely looking at one MacBook with multiple configuration options, such as more SSD storage, or a more powerful processor. 

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The Switch has become Nintendo’s best selling console ever https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/matthew-wilson/the-switch-has-become-nintendos-best-selling-console-ever/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/matthew-wilson/the-switch-has-become-nintendos-best-selling-console-ever/#respond Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:08:07 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=548964 This week during its quarterly earnings report, Nintendo revealed the latest Switch milestones. The portable console has enjoyed high sales worldwide since launch and now as we approach the console's 5th anniversary, the Switch has become the best selling Nintendo home console of all time, surpassing the Wii.  Between September and December 2021, Nintendo sold …

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This week during its quarterly earnings report, Nintendo revealed the latest Switch milestones. The portable console has enjoyed high sales worldwide since launch and now as we approach the console's 5th anniversary, the Switch has become the best selling Nintendo home console of all time, surpassing the Wii. 

Between September and December 2021, Nintendo sold more than 10 million Switch consoles, bringing total lifetime sales up to 103.54 million units. Following that sales push, the Switch has surpassed the Nintendo Wii's lifetime sales of 101.63 million, becoming the best selling home console in Nintendo's history – not counting dedicated handhelds.

Despite the milestone, sales did take a year-on-year dip in 2021, dropping by 21.4 percent in the first 9 months of the year. This was partially due to a lack of components, which impacted Switch production, but with the global chip shortage beginning to turn around this year, we should begin to see some improvement.

Games industry analyst, Daniel Ahmad, broke down Switch sales further, revealing that 81.68 million units shipped are standard Nintendo Switch consoles, followed by 17.87 million Switch Lite consoles and 3.99 million Switch OLED consoles.

As you would expect, a surge in Switch sales also led to a surge in game sales. In 2021, Nintendo sold 11.7 million copies of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, 4.8 million copies of Mario Party Superstars, 3.2 million copies of Skyward Sword HD, 2.3 million copies of Metroid Dread and we saw continued high sales for Switch classics like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Animal Crossing, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

KitGuru Says: Nintendo has another big year ahead with games like Pokémon Legends Arceus, Bayonetta 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2. Those are just the games we know about too, we expect to see a few surprises from Nintendo as the year goes on. 

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Apple surpasses 1.8 billion active devices https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/apple-surpasses-1-8-billion-active-devices/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/apple-surpasses-1-8-billion-active-devices/#respond Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:00:28 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=548393 Despite supply chain struggles and slower production lines, Apple managed to make record amounts of revenue in Q4 2021, bringing in a whopping $123.9 billion, beating out even the highest estimations. As you would expect, this revenue surge was largely driven by iPhone sales, expanding Apple's reach to 1.8 billion active devices.  Record revenue figures …

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Despite supply chain struggles and slower production lines, Apple managed to make record amounts of revenue in Q4 2021, bringing in a whopping $123.9 billion, beating out even the highest estimations. As you would expect, this revenue surge was largely driven by iPhone sales, expanding Apple's reach to 1.8 billion active devices. 

Record revenue figures aside, during its earnings call (via The Verge), Apple CEO, Tim Cook, also revealed that the company has reached a new milestone. Over the last year, Apple added 150 million active device users, bringing the total number of active Apple devices up to 1.8 billion.

Apple hit 900 million active iPhone users back in 2019, and chances are that number has grown two years later. Combined with iPads, Macs etc, Apple has 1.8 billion active users. In this case, Apple counts a device as active as long as it has engaged with an Apple service within the last 90 days, whether its installing an app through the App Store, or updating your OS.

This puts Apple right in the middle of Microsoft and Google, with the former having 1.4 billion active Windows devices, and the latter boasting over 3 billion active Android devices.

KitGuru Says: Apple has proven itself to be pandemic-proof, with the company barely taking a scratch over 2020 and now capping off 2021 with record high sales. 

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Valve details Steam Deck’s AMD “Aerith” SoC https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/joao-silva/valve-details-steam-decks-amd-aerith-soc/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/joao-silva/valve-details-steam-decks-amd-aerith-soc/#respond Sat, 13 Nov 2021 11:00:20 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=539556 Since the announcement of the Steam Deck, we've known that the handheld gaming PC is powered by a custom AMD processor, combining Zen 2 CPU cores with RDNA 2 graphics. During a series of development streams this week, Valve unveiled more about the Steam Deck's custom chip, which is codenamed “Aerith”.  AMD designed this chip …

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Since the announcement of the Steam Deck, we've known that the handheld gaming PC is powered by a custom AMD processor, combining Zen 2 CPU cores with RDNA 2 graphics. During a series of development streams this week, Valve unveiled more about the Steam Deck's custom chip, which is codenamed “Aerith”. 

AMD designed this chip focusing on stable clock speeds instead of going for high peak frequencies, as we see in most low-TDP SKUs. Named AMD Aerith, the SoC inside the Steam Deck features 4x Zen 2 CPU cores with 8x threads and a base clock speed of 2.4GHz, boosting up to 3.5GHz. As for the GPU, it's RDNA 2-based, offering 8CUs with clock speeds varying between 1.0GHz and 1.6GHz, capable of 1.6TFLOPS of graphics performance.

For storage, as we've already learned, there's a 64GB model using eMMC memory and 256GB and 512GB models using NVMe drives. Based on Valve's benchmarks, compared to the NVMe drive on the 512GB model, the eMMC solution takes 12.5% longer to load games and 25% longer to boot the system, while an SD card is 18% slower at loading games. Moving on to the memory, Valve stated it would be using 16GB of unified LPDDR5 memory with a total bandwidth of 88GB/s. Out of the 16GB of LPDDR5 memory, 1GB is dedicated to the GPU.

The TDP varies between 4W and 15W, depending on the components load, but Valve admits it didn't set a power limit for how much power the SoC can consume. To solve this, Valve is recommending developers limit frame rates. Moreover, the console will feature a global frame limiter if developers don't implement one in their games.

During the live stream, Valve employees also mentioned the console will support up to two 4K displays at 60Hz via the USB 3 Gen2/DisplayPort 1.4 connector. The included cable charges the console with 45W of power, allowing the user to play games while the battery is recharging., and even attach some peripherals without issues.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Considering the Steam Deck will use an RDNA 2-based AMD GPU, fidelityFX features like FSR should be supported at some point. Such a feature would be a welcome addition to the console, helping it to handle some of the more demanding titles available on Steam.

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Razer revenue soared by 48% during 2020, generating $1.2 billion in revenue https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/razer-revenue-soared-by-48-during-2020-generating-1-2-billion-in-revenue/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/razer-revenue-soared-by-48-during-2020-generating-1-2-billion-in-revenue/#respond Thu, 25 Mar 2021 14:25:47 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=509131 Over the course of 2020, we saw a huge rise in activity across the gaming market. As one of the most popular companies in gaming, Razer benefitted from this, leading to $1.2 billion in total revenues for the full year – a 48 percent rise over 2019.  This week, Razer revealed its financial results for …

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Over the course of 2020, we saw a huge rise in activity across the gaming market. As one of the most popular companies in gaming, Razer benefitted from this, leading to $1.2 billion in total revenues for the full year – a 48 percent rise over 2019. 

This week, Razer revealed its financial results for the 2020 calendar year (ending 31st December). Over that 12 month period, Razer generated $1.2 billion USD, with $1.08 billion of that coming from the company's hardware division. Revenue for hardware sales rose by 51.8 percent year-on-year.

Total revenues for Razer's software business were not shared, but there was some growth there too. As GI.biz reports, Razer Fintech for instance rose by 66.8%, generating $128.4 million.

As successful as Razer is, the company rarely reports a profit. For the first half of the year, the company posted a $17.7 million loss, but this recovered in the second half of the year, leading to a GAAP net profit of $800,000.

KitGuru Says: A lot of tech companies struggled at the manufacturing level in 2020 due to the pandemic, but Razer was seemingly able to keep on top of things, leading to a banner year financially. Did any of you buy any Razer gear last year? What did you pick up? 

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You can now buy a mouse that looks like a NES controller https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/mustafa-mahmoud/you-can-now-buy-a-mouse-that-looks-like-an-nes-controller/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/mustafa-mahmoud/you-can-now-buy-a-mouse-that-looks-like-an-nes-controller/#respond Tue, 12 Nov 2019 15:22:09 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=435821 8BitDo is known as the premiere manufacturer of 3rd party retro controllers. Their line-up includes controllers which are inspired by NES, SNES, Mega Drive, and Gameboy controllers, to name a few. They have now added an NES inspired mouse to their line-up, in collaboration with Daniel Jansson, who came up with the design back in …

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8BitDo is known as the premiere manufacturer of 3rd party retro controllers. Their line-up includes controllers which are inspired by NES, SNES, Mega Drive, and Gameboy controllers, to name a few. They have now added an NES inspired mouse to their line-up, in collaboration with Daniel Jansson, who came up with the design back in 2009.

Dubbed the 8BitDo N30 Wireless Mouse, it features the A and B buttons as the left and right mouse buttons. In between the two is a 3D touch panel which functions as a scroll wheel. The D-pad is positioned on the side, and is used for navigating websites, allowing you to go back or forwards between pages.

The collaboration came about after Daniel Jansson created a foam model of the mouse back in 2009, where it was covered by various tech news outlets. 10 years later and the NES mouse is now a reality.

The N30 runs on a single AA battery, with claims that it will provide up to 120 hours of use. The mouse itself relies on 2.4G wireless technology; can function from a distance of up to 10 meters, and can move at 1,000 Dpi. The mouse is available to purchase right now for $24.99, and pairs rather nicely with the 8BitDo NES Mouse Pad.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Would you buy the N30 Wireless mouse? For $24.99 is it worth it for the novelty, or do you think it looks too ergonomically uncomfortable? Have you bought any of 8BitDo’s other products? Let us know down below.

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The Nintendo Switch has sold 41.6 million units, tripling the sales of the Wii U https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/the-nintendo-switch-has-sold-41-6-million-units-tripling-the-sales-of-the-wii-u/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/the-nintendo-switch-has-sold-41-6-million-units-tripling-the-sales-of-the-wii-u/#respond Thu, 31 Oct 2019 16:18:00 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=433511 In just 2 and a half years, the Nintendo Switch has already proven itself as one of Nintendo’s more successful consoles, selling 41.67 million units, since its release back in March of 2017. The handheld/console hybrid had already overtaken the Wii U, GameCube, and Nintendo 64, and is currently nipping at the heels of the …

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In just 2 and a half years, the Nintendo Switch has already proven itself as one of Nintendo’s more successful consoles, selling 41.67 million units, since its release back in March of 2017. The handheld/console hybrid had already overtaken the Wii U, GameCube, and Nintendo 64, and is currently nipping at the heels of the SNES.

It was clear from the very beginning of the release of the Nintendo Switch, that the console was going to be a big seller. It seems like that initial momentum however has no intention of slowing down. Nintendo recently released its fiscal report for the Second Quarter of 2019, and the results are very positive for the Japanese gaming giant.

The console in only 2 and a half years has sold 41.67 units, which is 3 times more than the Wii U’s 13.56 million, is almost double the GameCube’s 21.74 million units, and also overtook the Nintendo 64’s 32.93 million back in April of this year. Having sold 6.93 million Switch consoles this fiscal year so far, the Switch is likely to overtake the SNES’ 49.1 million units sold, by the end of the fiscal year – putting it comfortably in 3rd place for Nintendo’s home consoles.

This success is certainly being aided by the recent release of the Switch Lite which, in just 10 days of trading, sold 1.95 million units. The release of the Nintendo Switch Lite is likely to boost the console’s sales even further, allowing it to overtake the SNES even faster, perhaps by the end of the next Quarter.

With the PlayStation 4 recently becoming the second highest selling home console of all time, with 102.8 million units sold in 6 years, it’ll be interesting to see where the Switch will end up by the time it reaches its 6th year. At the rate it’s currently performing, the Nintendo Switch could certainly end up as one of the best selling home consoles of all time, by the time it reaches its end-of-life.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the sales of the Nintendo Switch? Does its success surprise you? Do you think the looming release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Scarlett are likely to lead to a slowdown in the sales of Nintendo’s hybrid console? Let us know down below.

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Razer releases Tartarus Pro keypad with analogue keys for full control https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/mustafa-mahmoud/razer-releases-tartarus-pro-keypad-with-analogue-keys-for-full-control/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/mustafa-mahmoud/razer-releases-tartarus-pro-keypad-with-analogue-keys-for-full-control/#respond Sun, 27 Oct 2019 17:12:01 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=432388 Razer have recently added a new PC gaming keypad to its lineup: The Tartarus Pro. What separates this keypad from all others however is how each key is fitted with an analogue switch, adding an abundance of increased functionality to the device, beyond even what might be traditionally expected. While console gaming has enjoyed the …

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Razer have recently added a new PC gaming keypad to its lineup: The Tartarus Pro. What separates this keypad from all others however is how each key is fitted with an analogue switch, adding an abundance of increased functionality to the device, beyond even what might be traditionally expected.

While console gaming has enjoyed the benefits of analogue controls for decades now, PCs have always seemed to lag behind in that department. Razer is seemingly looking to fix that with the release of its new Tartarus Pro.

The flagship feature is of course the analogue switches which Razer claims “allows for a more measured and nuanced form of control”. Accompanying this feature is the introduction of ‘dual function keys’. The new analogue switches means that you can now assign different functions to the same key, depending on how hard you press.

Adding dual function keys means that even if developers aren’t willing to natively support the analogue switches, users will be able to implement the feature themselves however they wish, taking key rebinding to a whole new level.

The actuation of each key is adjustable, meaning that you can tailor how hard you have to press each key before it is registered, preventing accidental taps, or alternatively allowing you to hyper-tap as fast as possible.

The keypad also features an 8-way directional thumbpad, which can be used for either navigation, or even more commands. Despite being compact, you are provided with 32 programmable keys, all fitting into the palm of one hand.

You can find the full list of tech specs for the Razer Tartarus Pro on the product page here. The keypad is available right now for £129.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the Razer Tartarus Pro? How impactful do you think the analogue switches will be? Do you think other companies should put a greater emphasis on analogue switches for PC keyboards? Let us know down below.

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The PlayStation 5’s SSD jump is more impressive than you might think https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-playstation-5s-ssd-jump-is-more-impressive-than-you-might-think/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-playstation-5s-ssd-jump-is-more-impressive-than-you-might-think/#respond Sat, 20 Apr 2019 11:37:35 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=410835 Quicker loading times are the obvious benefit here but it would seem that there are other gameplay-affecting benefits that aren't getting as much attention. 

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Earlier this week, Sony surprisingly began discussing the PlayStation 5 and its hardware specs in detail. We know that the next-gen console will use a Ryzen processor and a Navi GPU from AMD but beyond that, the PS5 will make the jump from hard drives to SSDs. Quicker loading times are the obvious benefit here but it would seem that there are other gameplay-affecting benefits that aren't getting as much attention.

Nowadays, we are used to seeing massive open-world games clocking in at sizes upwards of 100GB or in some cases, even higher. It takes time for hard drives to pull in all of this data, resulting in long loading screens but also impacting the speed at which a player can move throughout the world.

In the Wired story talking about PS5 specs, Sony architect, Mark Cerny, demonstrated Spider-Man as an example of where an SSD can really help. Not only did the PS5's SSD increase fast-travel times from 15 seconds to less than one second, but the increase in drive speed also means that player movement can be increased.

In Spider-Man (and likely many other games) maximum player movement speed is limited by how quickly the PS4's HDD can pull in the textures and other data. On the PS5 devkit, Cerny removed these speed limits, allowing Spider-Man to web-zip through New York City at “fighter jet” speeds. All the while, the SSD was able to pull in the game data as quickly as needed.

This is something that could impact many other games too. Texture pop-in could theoretically be a thing of the past and racing games or flight simulators could reach another tier of realism.

Sony hasn't revealed the specs for its SSD yet but since the PS5 has I/O designed for high-speed SSDs, and a software stack designed to take advantage of it, the PS5 will be much faster than a PS4 Pro with an SSD thrown in. It is also worth noting that over the last few years, Sony has quietly worked its way into the SSD market, meaning it can design and produce its own drives in-house to reduce costs or hit certain performance/capacity goals. In other words, it has set itself up well for this next-gen jump.

KitGuru Says: The PS5 is very interesting already but rumour has it that Microsoft has a more powerful console up its sleeve. With all of that in mind, 2020 is shaping up to be an awesome year for new gaming hardware. Hopefully the launch software lineup does it justice. 

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Sony reveals first details on PlayStation 5 hardware specifications https://www.kitguru.net/components/matthew-wilson/sony-reveals-first-details-on-playstation-5-hardware-specifications/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/matthew-wilson/sony-reveals-first-details-on-playstation-5-hardware-specifications/#respond Tue, 16 Apr 2019 13:08:20 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=410362 Rumours have been swirling for a while now but today, Sony officially revealed PS5 details and hardware specs.

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We are still a while off from Sony's next PlayStation launch but it looks like the company is ready to start talking about the hardware far earlier than expected. In an interview this week, PlayStation system architect, Mark Cerny, began talking about the planned upgrades for PS5, confirming some rumours and adding on a few extra details.

Speaking in an interview with Wired this week, Cerny confirmed that the PlayStation 5 will be based on AMD hardware once again. The CPU will be 3rd generation Ryzen, while the GPU will be based on AMD's upcoming Radeon Navi architecture. The new console will apparently support ray tracing, in addition to new 3D audio technology, which is baked into the CPU architecture itself.

Beyond that, Sony appears to be committing to shortening loading times. HDD speeds have become a real issue this generation, with some games taking several minutes to fully load on consoles. With the next-gen PlayStation, consoles will finally make the jump to SSDs, although Cerny did not share any details on capacities. Even now, 1TB SSDs are expensive for PC owners, so it will be interesting to see how this impacts pricing.

The final tidbit worth noting is that the PS5 is confirmed to have backwards compatibility with the PS4, so your games library will carry over without any issues. Unfortunately, that is all the information we have for now as no release windows or timetables were shared. The only thing that Cerny would say for certain is that the new console won't be coming out this year.

KitGuru Says: Many rumours were confirmed today. We've been hearing for a while that PS5 will be Ryzen/Navi based, and that a 2020 release window is targeted. Still, the mention of ray tracing and SSDs is surprising to me. Now, we'll have to wait and see what kind of details Microsoft shares at E3, as we know the next Xbox is also on the way. 

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We are hiring another reviewer for our YouTube channel! https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/announcements/matthew-wilson/work-for-kitguru-youtube/ Thu, 11 Apr 2019 10:33:43 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=343902 We are looking to expand our reviews team for the KitGuru YouTube channel.

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Ever wanted to be a tech reviewer? Well, if you happen to be good on camera then we would like to give you that opportunity! Right now, we are looking to bring a fresh face on board to help us expand our YouTube channel.  Previous experience is welcome, but not strictly necessary.

Our YouTube channel reviews a broad selection of items every month, from computer cases and full systems, to peripherals, gaming chairs and other hardware. There will be a variety of items regularly in the review schedule so a general high level of all round tech knowledge is important.

KitGuru is a great company to work with, we are all tech enthusiast hardware guys who enjoy gaming, so we all have very similar interests. Behind the scenes it is very close knit environment and many of our team have been with us for 5 or more years.

Due to a greater focus we will be placing on video – we are looking for another team member to join the group. Ideally the person would be in the United Kingdom – as we have to ship a lot of hardware back and forth for review.

To be considered for this position you need:

  • Skillset to present well on camera – and in English.
  • The ability to meet tight deadlines.
  • Strong communication skills.
  • Some knowledge of video editing would be useful, but we have that capability in-house if we find the right candidate.
  • Strong writing ability.
  • This is a freelance position.

The successful applicant should ideally be based in the United Kingdom, and we pay very well for this kind of work. If you are interested and feel you can meet the criteria above and want to work in this fast moving, extremely demanding sector then please send your CV along with any samples of your work to allan(at)kitguru.net. We would like to see samples of your work, so please send us links to any video review you have produced.

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There won’t be an Xbox One hardware upgrade like the PS4K/PS4.5 https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/console-desktop-pc/matthew-wilson/there-wont-be-an-xbox-one-hardware-upgrade-like-the-ps4kps4-5/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/console-desktop-pc/matthew-wilson/there-wont-be-an-xbox-one-hardware-upgrade-like-the-ps4kps4-5/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2016 16:33:55 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=288665 A few weeks back, Phil Spencer threw out the idea of an Xbox One mid-generation hardware upgrade and the reaction was pretty mixed. Since then, Microsoft has been going back on that idea, with Phil Spencer now saying that there won't be an Xbox 1.5, instead the company wants to offer ‘substantial' upgrades, rather than …

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A few weeks back, Phil Spencer threw out the idea of an Xbox One mid-generation hardware upgrade and the reaction was pretty mixed. Since then, Microsoft has been going back on that idea, with Phil Spencer now saying that there won't be an Xbox 1.5, instead the company wants to offer ‘substantial' upgrades, rather than smaller, incremental ones.

At Microsoft's Build Conference last week, Phil Spencer was pressed on rumours surrounding Sony's PS4K/PS4.5, which will be a mid-generation hardware upgrade for the PlayStation according to current rumours. However, we won't be seeing this happen with Xbox apparently: “I don't know anything about any of the PS4K rumours that are out there,but I can understand other teams’ motivations to do that. For us, our box is doing well. It performs, it’s reliable, the servers are doing well. If we’re going to go forward with anything, like I said, I want it to be a really substantial change for people – an upgrade.”

xbox_one_vs_ps4-e14163912202941

So it looks like Microsoft is committed to the hardware it chose for this generation for now, while Sony might end up offering a more powerful console to help push Virtual Reality applications.

KitGuru Says: I don't mind the idea of a mid-generation hardware upgrade for the consoles but as a PC gamer I am used to the idea of a quicker upgrade cycle compared to consoles. For now, it sounds like Microsoft won't be upgrading its hardware until next generation but if Sony does release a more powerful console next year, the performance gap between the PS4 and Xbox One will widen further, which could be an issue. 

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Microsoft is thinking about hardware upgrades for Xbox One https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/console-desktop-pc/matthew-wilson/microsoft-is-thinking-about-hardware-upgrades-for-xbox-one/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/console-desktop-pc/matthew-wilson/microsoft-is-thinking-about-hardware-upgrades-for-xbox-one/#comments Tue, 01 Mar 2016 16:04:27 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=285727 It is no secret that the Xbox One suffered a bit in terms of hardware, with most games limited to 30 frames per second at even sub-1080p resolutions in some cases. However, Microsoft could be looking to change that over time with hardware upgrades rather than the generational leaps we are used to when consoles …

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It is no secret that the Xbox One suffered a bit in terms of hardware, with most games limited to 30 frames per second at even sub-1080p resolutions in some cases. However, Microsoft could be looking to change that over time with hardware upgrades rather than the generational leaps we are used to when consoles are concerned.

Recently at a Xbox press event, Phil Spencer spoke to Polygon about supporting future games with the Universal App platform, which will allow games to be played across devices and be backwards compatible with future hardware.

xboxcontrollers

“When you look at the console space, I believe we will see more hardware innovation in the console space than we've ever seen. You'll actually see us come out with new hardware capability during a generation allowing the same games to run backward and forward compatible because we have a Universal Windows Application running on top of the Universal Windows Platform that allows us to focus more and more on hardware innovation without invalidating the games that run on that platform.”

“We can effectively feel a little bit more like we see on PC, where I can still go back and run my old Doom and Quake games that I used to play years ago.”

Essentially, Xbox One owners could potentially be offered hardware upgrade add-ons, rather than a brand new console. However, the Xbox chief was still quite vague about future plans and didn't outright confirm or announce anything so for now, it just seems to be something that Microsoft is considering.

KitGuru Says: Incremental hardware upgrades could make more sense for consoles this generation in particular as games are already struggling to hit 30 frames per second at 1080p. However, at that point, consoles just essentially become PCs so Microsoft would need to have price to performance ratio on its side to tempt people. 

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Google might be seeking chip partners to standardize Android hardware https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/google-might-be-seeking-chip-partners-to-standardize-android-hardware/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/google-might-be-seeking-chip-partners-to-standardize-android-hardware/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2015 15:00:22 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=274479 Google has been trying to reduce Android fragmentation for the last few years and while it has made some significant advances with software optimizations, it looks like the company may be looking to take the next step and standardize Android hardware by partnering up with chip makers. Such a move would allow Google to better …

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Google has been trying to reduce Android fragmentation for the last few years and while it has made some significant advances with software optimizations, it looks like the company may be looking to take the next step and standardize Android hardware by partnering up with chip makers. Such a move would allow Google to better optimize Android performance and provide a similar experience across multiple devices.

Apple takes this same approach with the iPhone, which allows them to run just as well as the more powerful Android smartphones, despite what appears to be lower spec hardware. We first heard that Google was looking to hire CPU experts back in October and now a new report from The Information claims that the company has begun talking with chip makers about developing new SoCs using Google's own preferred designs.

screenshot_2015-09-29_at_19.18.11_0

This would bring more uniformity to the Android ecosystem and allow for better optimization. These discussions apparently took place over the Autumn season, with Google putting forward some of the designs it was interested in co-developing. According to people familiar with the discussions, this will allow Google to implement new features in to Android as there will be a guarantee that the hardware out there will support it.

KitGuru Says: Android fragmentation is a bit of a problem for Google. However, having a standard hardware set for flagship devices on a yearly basis would allow for better optimization. Would you guys like to see Google take control and standardize Android hardware? Or do you prefer the freedom Android currently offers, with a wide range of devices with varying specifications and performance capabilities?  

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Sony cuts the price of the PS4 by $50 https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/console-desktop-pc/matthew-wilson/sony-cuts-the-price-of-the-ps4-by-50/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/console-desktop-pc/matthew-wilson/sony-cuts-the-price-of-the-ps4-by-50/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2015 20:00:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=271234 Sony has a tough holiday season ahead of it. Microsoft's Xbox One has been slowly gaining popularity over the year and while Sony still has a lead in terms of PS4 sales, it doesn't have a lot of first party titles on offer this Christmas, leaving Microsoft to lure people in with Halo 5 and …

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Sony has a tough holiday season ahead of it. Microsoft's Xbox One has been slowly gaining popularity over the year and while Sony still has a lead in terms of PS4 sales, it doesn't have a lot of first party titles on offer this Christmas, leaving Microsoft to lure people in with Halo 5 and Tomb Raider. In order to stay on top, Sony is cutting the price of its console down by $50.

The lower price comes in to effect from tomorrow (the 9th of October) so from tomorrow onwards, the PS4 will cost $349.99, rather than $399.99. This makes the PS4 cheaper than the Xbox One once again, after Microsoft closed the price gap last year.

sony_playstation_42-1024x571

Right now, it isn't known if Microsoft has a price cut planned to counter this, though the company may just rely on its strong software lineup to push hardware sales for the next few months. Sony's next big exclusive title is Uncharted 4, which doesn't release until March next year.

Details on a price cut in the UK aren't yet available, so for now, this lower price is US only until we are notified otherwise. As always though, be on the look out for deals around this time of year, retailers put together some decent bundles from time to time.

KitGuru Says: Many PC gamers like to have a console handy for the exclusives, so if you're looking forward to any of Sony's exclusives, then it may be worth shopping around for a PS4 following this price cut. It will be interesting to see if Microsoft goes on the counter, though in my opinion it doesn't necessarily need to with its games lineup for the next few months. 

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Amazon is scaling back its hardware efforts https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/amazon-is-scaling-back-its-hardware-efforts/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/amazon-is-scaling-back-its-hardware-efforts/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2015 15:56:01 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=265147 So, does anyone remember last year when Amazon attempted to release a smartphone? No? … I didn't think so. Since the Fire Phone flopped last year, costing Amazon as much as £100 million, the company has decided that it would be a wise idea to scale back its hardware efforts a bit. Since the Fire …

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So, does anyone remember last year when Amazon attempted to release a smartphone? No? … I didn't think so. Since the Fire Phone flopped last year, costing Amazon as much as £100 million, the company has decided that it would be a wise idea to scale back its hardware efforts a bit.

Since the Fire Phone incident, Amazon has let go of several engineers who worked at the company's Lab 126, according to The Wall Street Journal. Now Lab 126 has had some internal reshuffling, combining two separate hardware divisions in to one.

Amazon-Fire-Phone

Some upcoming products seemingly dropped thanks to the changes include a 14-inch tablet, a stylus known as Nitro and even a projector. It is currently unclear if these projects have been put on hold or outright cancelled. There were likely many more projects being planned but since Amazon took such a hit on its smartphone, it may not be ready to take any more risks for a while.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Amazon's Fire Phone just wasn't a competitive device. On top of that, the Android smartphone market is already saturated enough, so breaking in to that so late must be hard. That said, Amazon has had some success with its Kindle tablets, so all hope is not lost for Amazon's hardware division. 

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