Category: Gaming

  • Ayaneo 3 Gaming Handheld: Official Specs Revealed

    Ayaneo 3 Gaming Handheld: Official Specs Revealed

    One-Netbook has recently launched the OneXFly F1 Pro featuring AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 365 and Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APUs. In light of this, Ayaneo has disclosed additional information regarding their third-generation flagship handheld device. As expected, Ayaneo has chosen to equip the Ayaneo 3 with the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 as well.

    AMD’s Cutting-Edge Technology

    The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is designed to demonstrate AMD’s latest Zen 5 CPU cores, along with the RDNA 3.5-based Radeon 890M iGPU. Interestingly, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is currently available in mini-PC versions like the Beelink SER9, which retails for $999 on Amazon. Nevertheless, Ayaneo is also relying on the well-established Ryzen 7 8840U, a processor that has become quite popular in the gaming handheld market lately.

    Display Choices and Features

    Additionally, Ayaneo has announced that the Ayaneo 3 will come with options for both LCD and OLED screens. It appears that only the OLED variant will support HDR technology. Furthermore, Ayaneo has shared some insights into the device’s control scheme, hinting at a new arrangement of rear-mounted buttons and what they refer to as trigger lock keys. While there is no confirmed release date for the Ayaneo 3 just yet, the company has certainly added some substance to its earlier announcements.

    Looking Ahead

    Ayaneo’s latest updates provide a clearer picture of what gamers can expect from the upcoming Ayaneo 3. The combination of powerful hardware and innovative features could make it a strong competitor in the handheld gaming market. As anticipation builds, fans are eager to see how the Ayaneo 3 will stack up against its rivals like the OneXFly F1 Pro.

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  • Nvidia Introduces Hourly Caps for GeForce Now, Users Displeased

    Nvidia Introduces Hourly Caps for GeForce Now, Users Displeased

    Nvidia has revealed that it will limit the monthly gameplay on its game streaming platform, GeForce Now. The Priority membership plan has been rebranded to Performance, which offers 1440p streaming at a cost of $9.99 (€9.26 or £7.71) each month. The Ultimate plan enables streaming up to 4K resolution for $19.99 (€18.53 or £15.42) monthly.

    New Limitations on Playtime

    The most drastic change is the implementation of monthly playtime limits. Users on the Performance plan will have a maximum of 6 hours per session, while those on the Ultimate plan will be allowed 8 hours. No matter which plan you choose, there is a total cap of 100 hours of usage per month.

    Nvidia has decided that users can roll over up to 15 unused hours to the next month, but session caps will still apply. If you surpass the maximum time allowed in a session, you will need to purchase additional hours to keep playing. For the Performance plan, 15 hours of extra playtime costs $2.99 (€2.78 or £2.31), while Ultimate plan subscribers will pay $5.99 (€5.56 or £4.62) for the same amount.

    A Small Comfort for Members

    On a brighter note, anyone who is an active paid member as of December 31, 2024, will receive unlimited playtime for one full year until January 2026. Additionally, Nvidia Founders subscriptions will continue to offer unlimited playtime for life, provided that there is no gap in their membership.

    Nvidia stated, “This ample limit comfortably accommodates 94% of members, who typically enjoy the service well within this timeframe.”

    User Reactions and Gaming Habits

    As anticipated, the response from users has been largely negative, with many expressing their dissatisfaction on platforms like Reddit and X. Numerous players are urging Nvidia to rethink this decision and are willing to pay more to keep unlimited playtime available.

    A survey conducted by Statista, which questioned 10,106 individuals in the U.S., revealed that 28% reported spending about 1 to 5 hours daily on gaming, 17% said they spend between 6 to 10 hours, and 10% claimed to play for 11 to 15 hours.

    Game Lengths and Playtime Concerns

    From howlongtobeat.com, the campaign length for the newly launched Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is approximately eight hours, extending to eleven hours for those aiming to complete everything. Multiplayer modes can further increase this time.

    Silent Hill 2 requires about fifteen and a half hours to complete, while Baldur’s Gate 3 can take up to sixty-eight hours just for the main storyline. Elden Ring may take sixty hours or more to finish.

    Even disregarding the average gameplay durations, the notion of having to limit playtime per session is not appealing for any gaming service. Players should be able to immerse themselves in the game, not constantly checking the clock to monitor their remaining time.

    Nvidia, Reddit, Statista, howlongtobeat.com

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  • Behind Buckshot Roulette: Mike Klubnika’s Creative Journey

    Behind Buckshot Roulette: Mike Klubnika’s Creative Journey

    For those new to Buckshot Roulette, this game features a mysterious main character who faces off in a lethal version of Russian roulette against a masked figure called "The Dealer." Accompanying the intense gameplay is a pounding industrial techno soundtrack that sets a thrilling atmosphere. Players utilize power-ups like pills, adrenaline shots, and special phone calls to gain an edge, engaging in a fierce struggle against The Dealer over three challenging rounds. Those who successfully survive this high-stakes encounter are rewarded generously.

    Visual Influence

    When Buckshot Roulette was launched, many players quickly noticed its visual similarities to the indie game Inscryption. Klubnika, the creator, acknowledged that Daniel Mullins, the mind behind Inscryption, heavily inspired the visual style of Buckshot Roulette. However, in response to a question from user Life-Image-6068, Klubnika, under the name dustycassettes, elaborated that the influences extend beyond just Inscryption to include several other notable games.

    The Soundtrack Experience

    One standout feature of the game is undoubtedly its unique soundtrack. The music is crafted to amplify feelings of tension, victory, and chaos that permeate the gameplay. User kkzz23 inquires about the time taken to produce the OST and how much music experience Klubnika possesses.

    Future Developments

    For many gamers, conversing with a prominent developer presents a great opportunity to dive into the technical side of creating a successful indie game. User Capable-Medicine-454 asks whether Klubnika plans to keep making games and if he intends to stick with the same game engine. While well-known engines like Unity and Unreal dominate the industry, Klubnika shares his support for a rising open-source alternative, despite some ongoing debates about its use.

    Buckshot Roulette on Reddit r/Games

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  • Epic Games Store Reveals Upcoming Free Game Giveaway

    Epic Games Store Reveals Upcoming Free Game Giveaway

    The Epic Games Store is now offering another game for free as part of its promotional service. Unlike previous offers, this time the store has chosen not to provide a high-profile triple-A game. Keep in mind that this latest promotion will be available until 15:59 UTC on November 14, after which it will change to the game listed below.

    Single Game Offer

    Similar to last week, Epic Games is only giving away one game this time. The Castlevania Anniversary Collection is priced at $19.99, the same as Deceive Inc. However, at the moment, you can’t buy the former from the Epic Games Store. It is still up for grabs on Steam, where it has earned ‘very positive’ feedback from over 1,300 users.

    High Ratings and Requirements

    The collection also has impressive ratings on Metacritic, including its version for Nintendo Switch, which currently costs $49.97 on Amazon. To play the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, your computer must have at least a 64-bit version of Windows 10 and 4 GB of RAM. Moreover, Konami suggests using a graphics card with at least 2 GB of VRAM for the best experience. The video below showcases what the Castlevania Anniversary Collection offers:

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  • OneXPlayer OneXFly F1 Pro: AMD Radeon 890M Handheld with 144Hz OLED

    OneXPlayer OneXFly F1 Pro: AMD Radeon 890M Handheld with 144Hz OLED

    One-Netbook has just launched the OneXFly F1 Pro, their newest handheld gaming device, which serves as the successor to last year’s OneXFly (currently priced at $769.99 on Amazon). The company began teasing this product at the end of last month. Although they have shared some details about the hardware, they held back on confirming all specifications until now.

    Key Features of OneXFly F1 Pro

    To sum it up, every OneXFly F1 Pro unit comes equipped with the following features:

    On launch, One-Netbook is offering six different configurations, including two options with AMD APUs. Specifically, buyers can choose between the Ryzen AI 9 365 or the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, which show about a 15% performance difference based on our tests. Additionally, the Radeon 880M in the first model falls behind the Radeon 890M in the second by roughly 16% when playing modern triple-A games.

    Pricing and Availability

    The OneXFly F1 Pro starts at $1,099, featuring the Ryzen AI 9 365, 32 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of storage. For those needing more space, there’s an option to upgrade to 2 TB for just an additional $100. On the other hand, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 models have a base price of $1,339, which can go up to $1,699 if you opt for 64 GB of RAM and 4 TB of storage. It’s important to note that these are all pre-sale prices, with shipping expected to start at the end of November. Full pricing details can be seen below.

    One-Netbook’s

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  • PlayStation 5 Pro Now Available: No Stock Shortages

    PlayStation 5 Pro Now Available: No Stock Shortages

    Sony has begun sending out PlayStation 5 Pro (PS5 Pro) units to customers who pre-ordered. Just to remind you, the company started taking orders on September 26, which was a little over two weeks after the console’s official announcement. Good news is, you can still order the PS5 Pro worldwide, even as of now.

    Stock Situation

    This indicates that Sony’s new console isn’t facing the stock problems that plagued the original PS5. For example, it was quite challenging to find the PS5 for most of the time until about this period last year. The same issue has been seen with the PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition, which some scalpers tried to sell for more than $35,000.

    Pricing and Availability

    On the other hand, the PS5 Pro is available for purchase from Amazon, Best Buy, Sony, and several other retailers in the US for $699, and it has relatively short waiting times. However, it’s important to note that Sony currently limits orders to one console per customer. Strangely, the same can’t be said for the PS5 Pro’s disc drive, which is expected to sell for $79. Sadly, it’s not clear when this accessory will be available for order again.

    Retailers Offering the Console

    Amazon, Best Buy, and Sony are just some of the places where you can find the PS5 Pro. The excitement around this new console seems to be much more stable compared to its predecessor, making it easier for gamers to get their hands on it.

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  • Intel Arc Battlemage Desktop GPUs Set for December 2024 Reveal

    Intel Arc Battlemage Desktop GPUs Set for December 2024 Reveal

    Some time back, an unrecognized Intel dGPU appeared on Geekbench, utilizing the Battlemage architecture. It features 12 GB of VRAM and is said to perform similarly to the Arc A770, GeForce RTX 4060, and Radeon RX 7600. Additional specifications include 20 Xe cores and a boost clock speed of 2.8 GHz. A leaker named Golden Pig Upgrade on Weibo mentioned that we might get a glimpse of it next month.

    Is It a Tease or a Joke?

    The leaker described the performance as “wonderful,” which might be a sarcastic remark or a hint at what’s ahead. Regardless, new Intel desktop GPUs are anticipated next month, likely before AMD and Nvidia present their new products at CES 2025. Alternatively, Intel might showcase the Battlemage dGPUs officially and then plan a full launch later, akin to their approach with Lunar Lake.

    The Competition Ahead

    The main question is whether these GPUs will compete effectively against the other brands. Only time will tell. Another leak indicated that Intel is developing two desktop Battlemage GPUs. The previously mentioned one (BMG G21) is identified as an ‘entry-level’ SKU. The higher-end version (BMG G31) is expected to have more VRAM (16 GB) and is hoped to rival mid-range offerings from Ada Lovelace and RDNA 3. Intel has a lot at stake with Battlemage, as the future of its successor, Celestial, could be jeopardized if Battlemage does not succeed.

    Insight from Weibo

    Golden Pig Upgrade shared this information on Weibo, highlighting the ongoing developments in Intel’s GPU lineup, as reported by Videocardz.

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  • Red Magic 10 Pro Launches with R3 Gaming Chip and Snapdragon 8 Elite

    Red Magic 10 Pro Launches with R3 Gaming Chip and Snapdragon 8 Elite

    Nubia’s sub-brand, Red Magic, will unveil its Red Magic 10 Pro series smartphones on November 13. This new lineup, which consists of the 10 Pro and 10 Pro Plus models, emphasizes performance above all else. Ahead of the launch, the company has been actively highlighting the powerful features of these devices.

    Impressive Cooling and Processing Power

    Recently, Red Magic disclosed that the Red Magic 10 Pro series incorporates liquid metal cooling technology. Today, they confirmed that the smartphones will utilize their proprietary R3 gaming chip along with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. The Red Magic 10 Pro is capable of running games at a stunning 2K resolution with 120 frames per second.

    Superior Speed and Efficiency

    The new smartphones are outfitted with high-speed LPDDR5X RAM, which supports data transfer speeds of 9600 Mbps, and utilizes UFS 4.0 Pro storage. Furthermore, Red Magic’s Frame Scheduling 2.0 technology is designed to enhance gaming performance by anticipating computing power needs and optimizing resource allocation, thus improving energy efficiency.

    Based on data provided by the brand, the gameplay of Honkai Impact 3 on the device can last for 60 minutes, maintaining an average frame rate of 60.1 fps and a minimal frame rate variation of only 0.2 fps. Moreover, the device can support gaming at resolutions reaching 2K and 120 fps.

    Stunning Display Features

    The Red Magic 10 Pro series boasts a new generation of true full-screen displays. It features a spacious 6.85-inch screen with an impressive 95.3% screen-to-body ratio, designed with ultra-thin borders—measuring just 1.25mm on the black edge and a 0.7mm frame.

    This display is tailored for high-end visuals, offering a resolution of 1.5K, a refresh rate of 144Hz, and a peak brightness of 2000 nits. The phone also integrates a Triple AI under-screen camera algorithm to provide a flawless front-camera experience.

    With the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and Red Magic’s custom gaming chip working together, the Red Magic 10 Pro promises reliable frame rates. It also features advanced battery technology, promoted as a “perpetual motion machine” for longer battery life, making it perfect for gamers engaging in demanding activities.

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  • Overclocked Ryzen 7 9800X3D Hits 6GHz for Ultimate Gaming Boost

    Overclocked Ryzen 7 9800X3D Hits 6GHz for Ultimate Gaming Boost

    With the introduction of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, AMD has once again strengthened its position in gaming against Intel. The latest Intel Core Ultra Arrow Lake processors fall short in comparison, failing to match even the standard Zen 5 CPU, let alone the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, which puts them in a less favorable light as gaming CPUs.

    Performance and Efficiency

    In our analysis, we found that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D not only outperforms the Ryzen 7 7800X3D but also does this without increasing energy consumption. This boost in gaming performance is paired with a reduced operating temperature and an increase of 200 MHz in boost frequency. Recently, Tony Yu from Asus China has managed to push the Ryzen 7 9800X3D beyond its usual clock speed limits using Liquid Nitrogen (LN2), yielding some remarkable results.

    Record-Breaking Benchmarks

    During Tony Yu’s testing, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D achieved a staggering boost clock of 6.9 GHz in Counter-Strike 2, which translated to an impressive frame rate of 1,200 FPS. In the Cinebench R23 Multi-Core benchmark, the overclocked Ryzen 7 9800X3D achieved a score of 30,513, representing a 31% improvement compared to our review sample.

    It’s important to note that these benchmarks were conducted under LN2 cooling conditions, which isn’t something many users will experience. Nevertheless, the CPU’s capabilities showcased here are awe-inspiring, especially considering how Ryzen X3D CPUs have historically lagged in clock speeds against their non-X3D versions.

    A Shift in Trends

    Since the debut of the first Ryzen processors featuring 3D V-Cache, starting with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, X3D models have consistently had lower clock frequencies than their non-X3D alternatives. For example, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D experienced a 400 MHz and 200 MHz reduction in base and boost clocks when compared to the Ryzen 7 5800X. Similarly, the Ryzen 5 7600X3D had a 600 MHz disadvantage in both base and boost clocks against the Ryzen 5 7600X (Available on Amazon). Other CPUs in the Zen4X3D line, like the Ryzen 9 7900X3D, Ryzen 9 7950X3D, and Ryzen 7 7800X3D, follow the same pattern.

    In contrast, the Zen 5 Ryzen 7 9800X3D breaks this pattern slightly, offering a base clock that is 900 MHz higher and a boost clock that is 200 MHz slower compared to the 8-core Ryzen 7 9700X. With the architectural advancements AMD has integrated into the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, we hope to see the clock speed gap narrow even further in the future.

    Asus China/Tony Yu, VideoCardz, Teaser image: Sandro Katalina on Unsplash

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  • AOC Unveils 34″ 240Hz Ultrawide Gaming Monitor with HDR400

    AOC Unveils 34″ 240Hz Ultrawide Gaming Monitor with HDR400

    AOC has introduced the CU34G4Z, a 34-inch ultrawide gaming display, which is currently up for pre-order on JD.com. It’s available at a special price of 1,999 Yuan ($280), reduced from the regular price of 2,999 Yuan ($420). Let’s dive into its main features.

    Overview of AOC CU34G4Z

    The AOC CU34G4Z sports a 34-inch Fast HVA panel with a WQHD resolution of 3440×1440. It boasts an impressive 240Hz refresh rate and a quick 1ms GTG (gray-to-gray) response time, making it perfect for intense gaming where smooth visuals and rapid responses are a must.

    Display Features and Performance

    This monitor has a 1500R curvature and a 21:9 aspect ratio, which offers an expansive, immersive view that’s great for gaming and watching media. It also supports HDR400 for vibrant color reproduction and peaks at a brightness of 400cd/m².

    The CU34G4Z provides 91% DCI-P3 and 99% sRGB color coverage, with a ΔE<2 rating for superior color precision. Furthermore, it features 10-bit color depth, allowing it to display up to 1.07 billion colors, delivering stunning visuals for gaming and creative projects.

    Gaming Enhancements

    Equipped with Adaptive-Sync technology, the monitor minimizes screen tearing, stuttering, and ghosting, guaranteeing smooth visuals during fast-moving action. It also includes gaming-specific features like Dark Boost for enhanced visibility in darker scenes, FPS sniper scope magnification, and a dynamic crosshair for accurate aiming.

    For those who multitask, the CU34G4Z supports both Picture-in-Picture (PIP) and Picture-by-Picture (PBP) modes, enabling two different signal sources to be shown at the same time on the screen, which is beneficial for both gamers and professionals.

    Connectivity and Ergonomics

    In terms of connectivity, the monitor includes two HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4, a USB-B port, two USB 3.2 ports (with quick-charging features), and an audio port, providing various options for connecting multiple devices.

    The CU34G4Z also features an ergonomic stand that offers height adjustments up to 130mm, tilt adjustments from -5° to 23°, and a swivel range of ±20°.

    Lastly, AOC has recently launched a new 27-inch 2K QD-Mini LED monitor with a 180Hz refresh rate, HDR 1000, and a peak brightness of 1200 nits.

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