Gaming

Even though it is fairly light for a mobile workstation at 3.4 kg, Schenker's latest member of the KEY lineup packs powerful components that can easily replace large desktop powerhouses. At the heart of the new KEY 17 Pro lies Intel's Core i9-13900HX processor complemented by up to 64 GB DDR5-5200 and a triple M.2 storage solution, plus up to an RTX 4090 dGPU. Screen options include a 1440p 240 Hz and a 4K 144 Hz IPS.

Retroid Pocket, which is known for its popular family of handheld game consoles, unveiled a new handheld that takes cues from Nintendo's DS. The Retroid Pocket Flip is a clamshell handheld that will come in a variety of colors, though specs are currently unknown.

The Powkiddy RK2023 is a retro gaming handheld shaped like a Game Boy Advance. Powkiddy equips the RK2023 with a 3.5-inch IPS display, a 3,500 mAh battery and 1 GB of RAM, all within a 151.5 x 78 x 17.5 mm chassis.

This Geekbench test was performed on a 2.7 GHz Radeon 780M integrated with the Ryzen 7 7840HS APU, but there also is a 2.8 GHz version on the Ryzen 9 7940H that could come close to an Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti laptop dGPU.

LG has unveiled the UltraGear 49GR85DC-B, a 49-inch curved gaming monitor with a 1440p and 240 Hz VA panel. The UltraGear 49GR85DC-B is also VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certified and offers a 2,500:1 contrast ratio, among other features.

Although the stability issues in Assassin’s Creed Origins and a few other problems remain unresolved, the 531.29 Game Ready Driver package for Nvidia GeForce GPUs comes to patch bugs such as high CPU usage after exiting games, Adobe application instability, as well as GeForce GTX 10/MX250/350 series mobile GPUs stability issues.

A new PlayStation 5 Pro report from a gaming industry insider has claimed that the mid-generation console upgrade is already in development and could even be launched in 2024. The information about the potential PS5 Pro release comes from the same source who revealed details about an upcoming revised PS5 console with a detachable disk drive.

BenQ has released the MOBIUZ EX480UZ in Europe, where it is available for €1,799. The BenQ MOBIUZ EX480UZ has a 48-inch OLED panel that operates at 4K, 120 Hz and 450 nits. The MOBIUZ EX480UZ has HDMI 2.1 and USB Type-C ports too, among other features.

Graugear has introduced a new iteration of its M.2 SSD cooling solution for the Sony PlayStation 5. The small accessory should reduce SSD temperatures by up to 25°C and is easy to install.

In new developments to the Microsoft-Activision merger drama, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) President and CEO Jim Ryan had apparently told the EU antitrust chief that he is no mood for a new Call of Duty deal but wants to block the US$69 billion merger from getting regulatory approval. Despite repeated assurances, Sony does not appear to be convinced by Microsoft's terms and feels that PlayStation gamers will get a sub-par Call of Duty experience should the deal go through.

Valve employees have hinted at the state of the Steam Deck platform going forwards. While many gaming handheld manufacturers release new models yearly, Valve will take a different approach. However, this means that the Steam Deck will remain a current-generation device for a while to come.

Some interesting PlayStation 6 rumors have surfaced lately, with one source claiming to have unsurprising news about the identity of the PS6 lead designer. In addition, a well-known tech YouTuber has opined that the PS5 Pro might have to be shelved, leaving Sony to focus on forging partnerships for the PS6.

AMD could have made an RTX 4090 competitor but chose not to in favor of a trade-off between price and competitive performance. AMD's rationale is that a 600 W card with a US$1,600 price tag is not a mainstream option for PC gamers and that the company always strived to price its flagship GPUs in the US$999 bracket. The company execs also explained why an MCM approach to the GPU die may not be feasible yet unlike what we've seen with CPUs.

A new Android device with Asus' name in the title has started to pop up on Geekbench 6. The details involved in these new leaks invite speculation that a new addition to the performance-focused ROG Phone line has been spotted ahead of its 2023 launch. If so, this putative 7-series variant will have Qualcomm's latest flagship SoC, lots of RAM and up-to-date software out of the box.

The 49-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 G95NA curved gaming monitor has been around since late July 2021 and features a 240 Hz refresh rate, 1 ms response time, and compatibility with both G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro. Now, its US$2,299.99 list price is down to US$1,449.99 thanks to a massive 37% discount.

Lenovo US has announced a sale this weekend (March 11-12, 2023) on a range of Legion-brand desktops and laptops. The best offers on these gaming PCs include a total of 34% off the 16-inch 7i Gen 7 with an Alder Lake-HX processor with higher-end NVIDIA graphics. Alternatively, the Legion Tower 7i Gen 7 with the RTX 3080 card is now US$750 cheaper than normal.

The AGON Pro AG254FG is available at nearly a US$200 discount on Amazon US. AOC equips the gaming monitor with a 1080p and 360 Hz flat IPS panel that also delivers 1 ms response times and supports NVIDIA G-SYNC.

Advertised by Acer as a slim gaming laptop, the 0.8-inch thin Predator Triton 500 SE has been available since mid-2022 with Alder Lake processor options and GeForce RTX 3000 series GPUs. With a list price of US$2,999.99, the model with Intel Core i9-12900H, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 32 GB LPDDR5 memory, and a 1 TB SSD is now down to US$2,499.99.

Using a 34-inch VA panel with 3,440 X 1,440 pixels, the Samsung SJ55W monitor also features AMD FreeSync support, a 75 Hz refresh rate, 4 ms response time (GtG), as well as multitasking split screen functions such as PBP and PIP. The ongoing 20% Amazon discount pushes the US$329.99 list price down to US$264.06.

Naughty Dog has revealed the PC system requirements for The Last of Us Part 1. While the game can run on low-end hardware, gamers looking for a maxed-out 4K experience will require some powerful hardware. The game is set to hit Steam and the Epic Games Store on March 28.

The Aorus 15 and 17 are the sub-flagship versions of Gigabyte's latest gaming laptops, although they still pack Raptor Lake-H processors and RTX 4000-series graphics in "super-portable" aluminum builds. They are now available on Amazon, starting at under US$2,000 for 16GB RAM/1TB SSD configurations.

Also available from Dell for US$499.99, the 34-inch Dell S3422DWG curved gaming monitor has the same list price on Amazon, but the ongoing 26% discount pushes it to a more convenient US$367.99. This monitor has a 1800R curve, a refresh rate of 144 Hz, and a resolution of 3,440 X 1,440 pixels.

It's safe to go and buy a Razer Blade 18 now that most of its issues have been resolved via updates. If you plan on connecting external monitors or running DLSS 3 titles, however, be prepared to wait a bit longer.

Bethesda has announced that Starfield has been delayed once again. The highly-anticipated AAA title will now be playable on September 6. More information about the game will be revealed on June 6 at Starfield Direct.

TechPowerUp's GPU database editor has stumbled upon a new GeForce RTX 3060 variant with GDDR6X memory and a GA104 GPU. Both are remarkable upgrades over the vanilla 3060, which uses a GA106 GPU and GDDR6 memory.

Promotional material on Ebuyer suggests that current and last-gen AMD graphics cards will soon be bundled with a copy of The Last of Us Part 1. Eligible products include the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, 7900 XT and the entire Radeon RX 6000 lineup.

Unleashed earlier today, War Thunder 2.25 "Sky Guardians" comes with the first French ships and the super-heavy Char FCM 2C tank, 18 new and updated aircraft, new locations and missions, as well as updated visual effects. The size of the full game client has broken the 100 GB barrier, but a minimal install needs less than 17 GB.

WB Games has confirmed Hogwarts Legacy will be playable on the PS4 and Xbox One on May 5, a month after its initial April 4 launch date. Its Nintendo Switch release is still scheduled for July 25.

At US$1,499.99, the Quest Pro started as one of the more expensive virtual reality (VR) headsets on the market. However, that price has received a "new regular price", as has that of its Quest 2 sibling in certain configurations. The discount is touted to drive Meta-brand VR adoption among consumers, possibly ahead of its headsets' reportedly upcoming upgrades.

The just recently released Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 sports Nvidia's latest entry level gaming GPU in the form of the RTX 4050, but the 15-inch gaming laptop also comes with a rather cheap 120Hz display that may not be the ideal choice for some prospective buyers.

Lenovo also offers an RTX 4050 dGPU option with 95 W TGP, which, apparently is almost as fast as the 115 W RTX 4060, at least in 3DMark Time Spy. Additional specs include 1 TB of NVMe SSD storage and a 15.6-inch LCD display with 40p resolution and 165 Hz refresh rate.

In addition to the well-known RTX 3070 Ti, the attractive mid-range configuration of the Acer Predator Helios 300 also features a decent 240Hz QHD display and has now dropped to US$1,399 after receiving a noteworthy US$700 discount at Best Buy.

[Update #1] If you care about DLSS 3 on external monitors and G-Sync support, then you'll want to stay on an earlier graphics driver for now. The issues we experienced are repeatable on multiple units according to Razer.

Other specs for the MSI GP66 model on sale include an Intel i7-11800H processor complemented by 16 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and 1 TB of NVMe SSD storage, plus a 240 Hz 15.6-inch display with 1080p resolution.

Razer has presented a series of Orochi V2 gaming mice in special edition liveries. All based on well-known Pokémon characters, the special edition models are functionally identical to the regular Orochi V2 gaming mouse.

The Nintendo Switch 2 hype train shows no sign of slowing down as no fewer than three separate social media-related incidents have led to rumors that the Switch successor could be announced or even launched in 2023. The next-generation Nintendo console has no official name, with “Switch Pro” and “Switch 2” frequently appearing in reports.

Alienware has announced new gaming headsets — the wired AW520H and the dual-mode wireless AW720H. Both headsets come with 40 mm Hi-Res certified drivers, noise cancelling retractable boom mics, support for Dolby Atmos, memory foam, and AlienFX lighting.

The powerful RTX 3080 gaming laptop from Asus also features a quick Ryzen 9 5900HX, and thanks to a new deal, this machine has now dropped below the US$1,500 mark, which makes the ROG Strix Scar 15 a very good deal for high-end gamers.