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Xbox Faces Issues Running Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, According To Square Enix

Story Highlight
  • Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 encountered issues on Xbox due to insufficient memory.
  • Naoki Hamaguchi, the game’s director, revealed that Square Enix encountered difficulties similar to those faced by other publishers during the porting process to Xbox.
  • However, the Nintendo Switch 2 port is going smoothly in production.

Final Fantasy 7 has been the focal point of Square Enix recently, as the third part of the remake trilogy is deep in development. The Japanese company has already announced that the next entry will launch simultaneously on all platforms, including Xbox and Nintendo Switch 2.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, meanwhile, is also getting ported to the aforementioned consoles, meaning Square Enix has figured out a way to port to these devices. However, according to Naoki Hamaguchi, the development team encountered some issues.

Why it matters: The Xbox Series S has proven to be a significant development hurdle this generation, but it seems that many have cracked the code five years in.

While speaking with Easy Allies at the Tokyo Game Show, the director of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy stated that the lower memory of the Xbox proved to be a challenge during the porting process.

As For the Xbox version, like many other publishers we did run into some issues due to the lack of memory.

-Naoki Hamaguchi

Hamaguchi didn’t clarify whether he was only referring to the Xbox Series S, but he explained that Square Enix faced issues similar to those of other publishers while porting games to the Xbox. Hence, we can tell from past incidents that the Final Fantasy 7 director also had a hard time with the Series S.

On the other hand, Naoki Hamaguchi was more positive regarding the Nintendo Switch 2 port, saying that development is progressing very smoothly and that the final product will be more than satisfactory. From the looks of it, the Switch 2 appears to be a more straightforward fix compared to the Series S.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is set to launch on Xbox and Switch 2.

Despite this criticism, the Final Fantasy 7 remake director has previously applauded the Xbox Series S in an interview, holding the console in high esteem and labelling it a solid device. 

With another Final Fantasy alum, Yoshi-P, being content with the current slate of consoles this generation, statements like these feel like more of an admission than plain criticism.

Do you think Final Fantasy 7 Remake part 3 will run smoothly on Xbox Series S? Tell us in the comments below or head to the Tech4Gamers forum for discussion.

Ryzen Architect Jim Keller Open to Working With Intel — But Says They Have “A Lot to Do” First

Story Highlight
  • Intel is in talks with companies like AMD and Tenstorrent for chip manufacturing using its 18A process.
  • Jim Keller says Intel still needs to prove its technology before partnerships can move forward.
  • While no deal with Tenstorrent has been confirmed, Keller’s openness reflects cautious interest in Intel’s foundry capabilities.

It was previously reported that Intel is in talks with AMD for a potential foundry manufacturing deal. While the agreement has not been finalized, it has been confirmed that Intel is being actively considered by several companies for advanced chip production.

The tech giant has been pitching its 18A process node and future technologies to external partners. However, legendary chip architect Jim Keller recently stated that although he is open to working with Intel, the company still has significant work to do in order to deliver a reliable and competitive product.

Why it matters: Intel’s CEO previously admitted that the company had fallen behind in the race and might never fully catch up to competitors. Following this, the tech giant laid off thousands of employees in a bid to restructure and remain competitive in the market.

Team Blue Has Secured A Deal With Nvidia

Nvidia has already partnered with Intel in a $5 billion deal to manufacture next-generation processors. Meanwhile, a deal with Tenstorrent, Keller’s current company, has not been confirmed. Though Keller is open to working with Intel, he also voiced concerns about the company’s current capabilities.

In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Keller revealed that his company, along with others, is considering Team Blue as a manufacturing partner, alongside other foundries such as TSMC, Samsung, and Rapidus.

We are talking to TSMC, Rapidus and Samsung for 2-nm technologies. The CEO said he would also consider Intel for chip production, though “they still have a lot of work to do … to deliver a really solid technology roadmap.

– Nikkei Asia

AMD VS INTEL Battlefield 6
Intel Is Falling Behind In Competition

While Tenstorrent is keeping Intel in the mix, Keller emphasized that the company still has a long way to go to deliver a solid technology roadmap.

He expressed cautious optimism, acknowledging Intel’s potential but making it clear that the company needs to prove itself before any deal moves forward.

What are your thoughts on Jim Keller’s statements about Team Blue? Let us know in the comments section below, or join the discussion on the official Tech4Gamers forums.

Google Data Shows Game Pass Cancellation Requests Hit All-Time High

Story Highlight
  • Data from Google shows Game Pass cancellation requests have reached a new high.
  • This comes after the company significantly increased the price of Game Pass Ultimate.
  • Fans argue that the service is no longer a good deal and are cancelling it.

Xbox has been under scrutiny lately due to inflated Game Pass prices. Earlier, the company also increased the prices of its Xbox consoles. Amid all this, a new request has reached an all-time high on Google that they won’t like much. 

According to data from Google searches, requests for Game Pass cancellations have reached an all-time high. When the price increase was announced, things got so out of hand that the cancellation page crashed for a while. 

Why it matters: With the lower tiers not having day 1 releases, and the ‘Ultimate’ tier now costing $360 a year, fans argue that Game Pass isn’t a good deal anymore, as you don’t really own the games. 

Google data shows that Game Pass cancellation requests have reached a new high

Previously, the highest number of Game Pass cancellation requests on Google was 34 per day. This was around the time when players started boycotting the company because of mass layoffs, but this time, the number has reached 100. 

This is the all-time highest cancellation requests, marking an almost 200% increase from the last time. This is a strong indicator of how Xbox is in deep trouble, on both its hardware and software sides of things.

game-pass-feat
Fans state that the service isn’t a good deal anymore

Call of Duty on Game Pass was a key selling point for the service when Microsoft acquired Activision. This has even led to $300 million in losses because of a lack of sales, and the game is only available on the Ultimate tier. 

So, essentially, all this isn’t making sense to gamers, especially those on the lower tiers; therefore, they are rushing to cancel their subscriptions, and Game Pass cancellation requests have reached a new high.

Will you be sticking with Game Pass after the price increase or cancelling your membership? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the Tech4Gamers Forum

Id Software Believes Path Tracing Will Soon Become the New Industry Standard

Story Highlight
  • Id Software engineer Billy Khan has stated that more games will be using path tracing in the coming years.
  • Doom: The Dark Ages looks visually impressive, thanks to path tracing combined with other Nvidia technologies.
  • Id Software thinks it’ll be widespread in a few years.

Gaming technology is constantly evolving as competitors try to outdo one another by introducing innovations to the medium. One such recent development is path tracing, an advanced graphics method that is gaining popularity rapidly in the industry.

Titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle have used path tracing to excellent effect, with Doom: The Dark Ages also employing this technique. And, if developer id Software is correct, we’ll be seeing path tracing everywhere in no time.

Why it matters: Path tracing has been a revolution for the visual gaming medium, and its adoption is expected to increase in the coming years.

While talking to Nvidia, Billy Khan, the director of engine technology at id Software, stated that in the coming years, many developers will be utilizing path tracing in their games. 

I believe path tracing will continue to evolve and will be used in more games in the coming years.

-Billy Khan, ID Software

Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages stunned visually thanks to path tracing

Khan explained the significance of path tracing for id Software, saying that it has become an essential part of the company’s custom-built engine, id Tech 8. The Doom developer is researching and further developing path tracing, with plans to incorporate it into more of its games.

Id Software’s director of engine technology also revealed the details of how the technique improves the visual performance of Doom: The Dark Ages. Khan complimented Nvidia’s Shader Execution Reordering for helping the team optimize path tracing.

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also employs path tracing.

Path tracing also worked extremely well in conjunction with Nvidia’s DLSS Ray Tracing, enabling id Software to reduce noise accurately and outperform traditional noise reduction methods. 

Hence, the technology is proving to be a visual cheat code for developers, and if the latest AMD cards utilize it, more studios will definitely feel the need to path-trace their titles. 

Do you think more AAA games should implement path tracing? Tell us in the comments below or head to the Tech4Gamers forum for discussion.

Xbox Lost $300 Million In Call of Duty Sales Already Because of Game Pass

Story Highlight
  • Insiders reveal that Xbox lost $300 million in Call of Duty sales due to Game Pass last year.
  • Black Ops 6 sold over 80% of its copies on PlayStation, with PC and Xbox Series S|X accounting for the last 20% of the player base.
  • Microsoft CFO Amy Hood has also asked the gaming division to increase its profitability.

Xbox has made several changes to Game Pass recently, upping the price of Game Pass Ultimate to $30. This change comes nearly one month after the gaming giant released Call of Duty on the service to record-breaking success.

New reports from very reliable sources suggest that Call of Duty is largely to blame for the price hike. It is said that Xbox lost millions of dollars by putting Black Ops 6 on Game Pass.

Why it matters: Many gamers already expressed concerns about Xbox raising prices following the addition of premium games like Call of Duty to Game Pass. It seems their concerns were not without good reason.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6
Black Ops 6 Was The First Call of Duty To Launch On Game Pass

According to Jason Schreier’s sources, Xbox lost a whopping $300 million in Call of Duty sales last year simply by offering the first-person shooter on Game Pass. He says that the service impacted sales across both PC and Xbox, resulting in a huge sum at the end of the day.

As per Jason Schreier, this loss is directly responsible for the latest Game Pass price hike. It is said that CFO Amy Hood has asked Xbox to find ways to make up for lost money and increase the gaming division’s profitability.

Elsewhere, reports reveal that Black Ops 6 sold 80% of its copies on PlayStation alone. Analysts have explained that Microsoft expected significantly better results for Game Pass after the Activision merger, but this is not the case at the moment.

The company’s failure to gain momentum has resulted in a desperate revision of the subscription’s pricing structure, causing backlash within the gaming industry.

Microsoft Activision Blizzard Acquisition
Xbox Purchased Activision In 2023

Moving forward, the Xbox brand could see further repercussions from its $70 billion investment in Activision Blizzard. The gaming giant is clearly unhappy with Game Pass as it stands today, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Microsoft.

What do you think about Call of Duty driving up Game Pass prices? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Former FTC Chair Says Microsoft Activision Acquisition Has Harmed Both Gamers And Developers

Story Highlight
  • The Xbox and Activision merger was completed in 2023, but the FTC was against this deal.
  • Former FTC chair Lina Khan says that this deal has only harmed gamers and developers.
  • Despite Microsoft’s current price hikes, the company previously promised Game Pass prices would not go up due to Call of Duty.

Xbox officially purchased Activision for over $70 billion nearly two years ago. Since then, the gaming giant has delivered Call of Duty on Game Pass and offered various other Activision titles on the service.

However, much else has also changed between 2023 and 2025. In many ways, Xbox has changed for the worse, with price hikes and layoffs severely impacting the brand. According to the former FTC chair, this merger has changed the industry for the worse.

Why it matters: The FTC initially opposed the Xbox and Activision merger, and it seems its fears were not without reason. In particular, Lina Khan was never in favor of the deal.

Former FTC Chair On Xbox And Activision
Former FTC Chair On Xbox And Activision | Image via Twitter

Lina Khan, who stepped away from the FTC after the Xbox-Activision deal went through, commented on the recent state of Microsoft’s gaming division.

She noted that this deal has been followed by layoffs and price hikes, pointing out that market consolidation is usually followed by increasing prices. Xbox’s case is no different, and this is exactly what regulatory authorities feared in 2023.

Lina Khan believes that Xbox has become too dominant to care about the general consumer at this point. Interestingly, back in 2023, Xbox attempted to assure regulators that this would not happen.

During March, Xbox argued that the merger would not lead to price hikes for Game Pass. Today, Game Pass Ultimate alone has seen a sharp 50% price uplift, suggesting that the FTC’s fears had more weight than most gave them credit for.

Still, Microsoft now owns the most profitable annual IP in the industry. Because Call of Duty is always guaranteed to perform well, the gaming giant is effectively free to do as it wills.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer
Activision Blizzard came under the Microsoft umbrella once the $69 billion deal was completed last year.

Xbox also appears to be shifting away from the console market, a move that may have been a result of its massive investments in companies like Activision Blizzard and Bethesda Softworks.

What do you think about Lina Khan’s thoughts? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Receives Most Nominations At Golden Joystick Awards

Story Highlight
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received six nominations at the Golden Joystick Awards 2025.
  • It leads the competition in total nominations, showcasing its strong impact and popularity.
  • Although not nominated for Best Console or Best PC Game, it’s expected to be in the running for Ultimate Game of the Year next month.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is widely regarded as one of the best games released this year, and it’s currently the highest user-rated title. The game has received praise from almost everyone who has played it, and rightfully so.

As one of the most prominent releases of 2025, Expedition 33 leads the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 with an impressive six nominations.

Why it matters: Many fans are already predicting that Expedition 33 will take home the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards (TGA), so its dominance at the Golden Joystick Awards speaks volumes about its impact.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Already Dominating Golden Joystick Awards

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Already Dominating Golden Joystick Awards With Six Nominations.

The full list of nominees for each category at the Golden Joystick Awards is now live, with Clair: Obscur Expedition 33 taking the lead with six total nominations.

The following are all of the categories the game was nominated in: 

  • Best Storytelling
  • Best Visual Design
  • Studio of the Year
  • Best Soundtrack 
  • Best Lead Performer
  • Best Supporting Performer

The competition is tough in each category (except for Best Soundtrack, of course), so it’ll be interesting to see which game ends up taking home the most awards.

Interestingly, the game was not nominated in either the Best Console Game of the Year or Best PC Game of the Year categories.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Expedition 33 Has Sold Over 4.4 Million Copies

However, there’s no need for concern. It is highly likely that Expedition 33 will be nominated for the Ultimate Game of the Year award.

For context, last year, Black Myth: Wukong also wasn’t nominated in either of those two major platform-specific categories, which initially disappointed fans. But later, it received a nomination for the Ultimate Game of the Year award and eventually won it.

That said, being nominated in six categories is a massive achievement for the developers of Expedition 33, and it only reinforces the game’s standout status this year.

What are your thoughts on Expedition 33 earning six nominations? Let us know in the comments below, or join the discussion on the official Tech4Gamers forums.

KLEVV Urbane V RGB 32GB (16×2) DDR5-6000 CL28 Review

If you haven’t heard about KLEVV, it’s a sister company of SK Hynix. The brand is owned by Essencore Limited, which was established in 2014, and is part of the SK group. Klevv manufactures a range of memory and storage solutions designed for gamers, enthusiasts, and creators. Today, we’re reviewing one of their recently launched kits, which features the tightest timings of 6000 MT/s (MegaTransfer per second) and supports both Intel XMP and AMD EXPO.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers
  • Usman Sheikh is one of our most senior and experienced hardware reviewers. He loves spending hours (sometimes days) in his lab testing and comparing different GPUs, CPUs, coolers, and more.
  • 70+ RAM tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
  • 200+ hours spent testing different RAM kits for our reviews.
  • Objective testing criteria (See how we test RAM).

At Tech4Gamers, ensuring you get reliable information is our priority. That’s why every hardware round-up undergoes a meticulous review process by our team of experts and editors. Each review is carefully examined against our strict editorial guidelines, guaranteeing you trustworthy insights you can depend on.

Despite having powerful specifications, the RAM does not feature the chunky heatsink as you might have seen with other overclocked kits from other brands. We’ll get into the size detail in a bit. It has the ARGB, which is compatible with almost every motherboard on the market.

KLEVV Urbane V 32GB (16×2) 6000MT/s CL28
KLEVV Urbane V 32GB (16×2) 6000MT/s CL28

The Urbane V RGB model lineup comes in different flavours of timings and frequencies. The 6000MT/s and 6400MT/s kits come with capacities of 32GB (16 GB x 2), 48GB (24 GB x 2), and 64GB (32 GB x 2). If you aim to buy the higher frequency memory, for example, 6800/7200/7600/7800/8000/8200/8400 MT/s, you will only find the 32GB (16 GB x 2) and 48GB (24 GB x 2) Kits, with, of course, different timings for each kit.

In our review, we are only examining the 32GB (16 GB x 2) 6000MT/s CL28, a dual-channel kit that supports EXPO. Let’s talk about the specifications.

KLEVV Urbane V RGB 32GB (16×2) 6000MT/s CL28 Specifications
Speed 6000 MT/s
Capacity 32GB (16GB x 2)
Primary Timings 28-36-36-76
DRAM Components Hynix-A, 16GB A-die
EXPO Support Yes
XMP 3.0 Support Yes
Dimensions (L x W x H) 138.95 x 42.5 x 8.2 mm
Features Minimalist Design, Supports RGB, 10-Layer PCB Design
Warranty Limited Lifetime Warranty
[toc]

What Makes KLEVV Urbane V RGB 32GB (16×2) Kit Different?

The Klevv Urbane V RGB 32GB (16×2) is designed for enthusiasts, overclockers, and high-end gamers seeking maximum FPS output. With its exceptionally tight primary timings, which offer the lowest latency possible, it can deliver improved gaming responsiveness, particularly in frame times. It features a low-profile height of only 42.5mm, ensuring ample clearance for large and bulky air coolers while maintaining both performance and compatibility. This kit features a 10-layer PCB, which is usually found in high-performance or more advanced kits, as more layers in the memory can reduce interference and provide advanced signal integrity and stability at high frequencies and lower timings.

Packaging

Let’s take a look at the packaging

The rams come in a fancy cardboard box. On the front of the box, the render of the memory is also visible. The front also mentions the transfer speeds and the memory capacity. Additionally, at the bottom, it mentions that this RAM is EXPO and Intel XMP 3.0 compatible. The rams are packed in a plastic tray, and it doesn’t come with stickers, as you might have seen with other brands.

Closer Examination & Build Quality

Taking a closer look at the sticks.

The design strikes a balance between form and function overall. The aluminium heatsink has rounded top corners, and the linear grooves run along the sides, which Klevv claims increases cooling efficiency.

There is also branding and labeling etched in gray on the top center, which reads ‘Urbane V RGB’. Also have subtle labeling on the side that reads ‘Gaming Memory to unleash extraordinary overclocking potential for enthusiasts, which is a little too much for my liking.

The heatsink is 2mm thick and 42.5mm tall, which is compact enough to sit on the sockets without interfering with the large CPU coolers. Since these sticks also support RGB, there is a strip that runs along the top of the stick, featuring vibrant and diffused lighting effects. 

RAM Timings and Further Details

It’s time to take a closer look at timings.

Let’s start with the primary timings we have: CAS tCL of 28 Cycles, which is a decent base latency. However, I do still have a few complaints. The primary timings are really respectable, but the secondary and tertiary timings are noticeably loose, leaving performance on the table, such as the tRFC, which could have been better here. However, here MEM VDD voltage is DRAM voltage, which is slightly on the higher range of 1.4V, but it’s still considered safe.

However, if you’re buying this RAM or have purchased this, looking to tune up further and stay in the safe boundary, you can set the tRAS to 60 or 64 cycles, and tRFC can be reduced to 640 cycles; it might work in most of the Hynix-based RAMs. However, tuning tertiaries’ timing wouldn’t give you much of the jump, but you can still tune them in steps.

Thaiphoon Burner - KLEVV Urbane V 32GB (16×2) 6000MT/s CL28
Thaiphoon Burner – KLEVV Urbane V 32GB (16×2) 6000MT/s CL28

Taking a further deep look, we can confirm that each module is composed of 2GB x 8 memory ICs and was manufactured in April 2025. The DRAM carries the part number H5CG48AEBDX018, which proves it’s a Hynix-A die and is paired with Richitek RTQ5132GQWF PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit), which handles on-module power regulation for DDR5

RAM Timings Tuned

We have managed to tune the memory, and that has given us a decent boost in performance. We haven’t gone harsh; this is the moderate overclock with a few timing adjustments. We first increased our transfer speed from EXPO 6000MT/s to 6200MT/s. After that, we changed a few timings that include tRAS, tRC, tRFC and tREFI, and there is a slight voltage increment from 1.4v to 1.45v, which would stabilise the extra 200MT/s of transfer speed. We left other timings on auto as we feel they did not need any further adjustments, and of course, stabilizing each timing might consume so much time.

Here is the structured table of what we have tuned.

Category Original EXPO Tuned 
Transfer Speed 6000 MT/s 6200 MT/s
tRAS 76 32
tRC 112 68
tRFC 884 421
tREFI 11677 50000

RGB Lighting

Let’s take a look at the RGB

The ARGB design looks decent and modern, also minimalist. If you can see, there are dual vertical light strips centred on each module. The lights are bright enough to stand out in the dark, and they do not scatter at all or look overdone. However, you can change the effects or adjust brightness in your motherboard RGB software easily.

Testing Methodology

How Do We Test Rams:

  • We test the RAMs in various workloads, including synthetic, gaming, and real-world productivity tests, as memory bandwidth alone is not sufficient. Rams can be complicated at times, as faster speeds do not always translate into better performance. Therefore, we have tested various software to evaluate the performance of the RAMs.

Gaming Performance

  • We have three popular games in our suite, and we’re intentionally running them at slightly more CPU-bound scenarios to see how much their performance scales with memory. Most of the time, the average FPS won’t scale as you’d like, but minimum frames, such as 1% lows and 5% lows, can significantly impact the gaming experience. The faster rams with the lower timings can generally smooth out the frame time graphs.

Preparing System:

  • We test the RAMs at the EXPO or DOCP at the stock voltages and timings.
  • We use the stock BIOS configuration, so memory context restore (MCR) / latency killer are enabled by default on the AM5 platform.
  • The CPU and GPU are operating at the stock configuration.
  • Our Primary Test system is assembled in Hyte Y70. 

The following setup was used for testing:

Let’s go over the results.

Test – Memory Bandwidth & Latency

We’ll first check the RAM’s speed in raw numbers. Overclockers and enthusiasts generally use AIDA64 to validate memory tuning or performance. 

AIDA64 

Test – Office Productivity 

PCMark 10 benchmarks overall system performance in real-world workloads, such as browsing, video conferencing, and Application start-up. Also, it tests Microsoft Office workloads, including Excel and PowerPoint. Faster RAMs can have an impact on productivity performance.

PCMark10 Applications

Applications - PCMark10
Applications – PCMark10

Test – Compute Performance

When you talk about RAMs, most people would only think of bandwidth and latency, as AIDA64 shows. Faster RAMs may yield better scores, such as higher bandwidth, but can those bandwidth scores translate into real-world performance? That’s where compute tests come in to see how fast the CPU can access the data in the memory.

Cinebench 2024

Based on Maxon’s Cinema 4D Rendering Engine, this tool measures how fast your CPU can render a complex scene. However, faster RAM can make a slight difference in the scores.

MT Scores - Cinebench 2024
MT Scores – Cinebench 2024

Y-Cruncher

Y-Cruncher can push the CPU and memory to their limits. This tool is very effective as it demonstrates how the system performs in extreme scientific/computational workloads. Y-Cruncher’s primary function is to calculate mathematical constants to a vast number of digits, which can simultaneously stress the CPU and memory. It’s an excellent tool for testing memory stability.

2.5b - Y Cruncher
2.5b – Y Cruncher

3D Mark CPU Profile

3DMark CPU Profile is an excellent tool for testing CPU Cores and Threads. However, faster RAMs can improve scores as the processor needs to access more data from memory in a multi-threaded workload, but the difference won’t be massive.

CPU Profile - 3DMark
CPU Profile – 3DMark

Test – Gaming

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077

Counterstrike 2

Counter Strike 2
Counter Strike 2

Should You Buy It?

Buy It If

You Want Decent Performance: The key highlight of the Klevv Urbane V RGB 6000MT/s is its well-balanced timings at a decent transfer speed, which contribute to decent frame times in games and improved responsiveness in everyday workloads.

You Need A Compact Design: This RAM is only 42.5mm tall, which will not interfere with large CPU air coolers.

You Need RAM That Overclocks Well: This RAM uses the Hynix-A ICs, which are known for good overclocking.

Don’t Buy It If

 If You’re On The Tight Budget: This is a premium RAM with features RGB and low tCL Latency at 6000MT/s. Such RAMs in this category will be more expensive than basic DDR5 RAMs.

 If You Have The Small Form Factor Build: Though this RAM is only 42.5mm tall, it can still interfere with a cooler in a cramped SFF-type build. You’re more suitable with low-profile rams that are 31-34mm tall.

Final Thoughts

Klevv Urbane V RGB is a premium RAM that features tight timings, which can be beneficial in gaming workloads, potentially improving frame time consistency, as observed in our charts. Additionally, the performance was outstanding in both compute and productivity workloads. Nevertheless, Klevv has left some performance on the table with its secondary timing and territory timings, which can be optimized if you have the proper knowledge to tweak the memory.

The RAM has a transfer speed of 6000MT/s, which is a sweet spot for existing platforms and supports EXPO and XMP 3.0. The highlight of the RAM is the tight CAS Latency, which is 28 cycles. The RAM comes pre-tuned, so you can install it in your PC without needing to make extra BIOS adjustments. 

Furthermore, we have also overclocked the memory to see its potential. This RAM overclocks really well; we had no complaints or stability issues in our moderate overclock. We also adjusted a few very loose timings. Overall, we have seen a decent uplift in gaming performance, about 11% in 1% lows on Counter Strike 2 and 2.5% on average FPS. A similar story in Cyberpunk 2077, where we have gained 12.7% in 1% lows and a nice 6% boost on average FPS. The Cinebench 2024 has also seen an uplift of almost 4% and in Y-Cruncher, around 12% better performance in Y-Cruncher.

We appreciate the minimalist design approach, it strikes a balance between form and function. The ram is only 42.5mm tall, which will work with large air coolers on the market without any issues. This RAM would fit in most PC’s really well. It’s not the basic aluminum kit. I like the approach of rounded edges on the top corners and linear grooves running along the lines. The RGB is perfectly defused, and there are no visible LED hotspots. There are two light strips centered on each module, which creates a symmetrical glow.

Pricing for this RAM is not available at the time of this review, but it is expected to be competitive.

 

Xbox Reportedly Preparing Free Cloud Gaming With Ads; No Game Pass Needed

Story Highlight
  • Xbox is said to be testing a new ad-based cloud gaming service internally.
  • The service will forego the need for Game Pass and allow users access to a select list of titles to stream.
  • Ads will also be part of the offerings, and a public beta is expected in the near future.

Xbox has recently upped the prices of its consoles and subscription service. Game Pass Ultimate now costs as much as $30, leading to many gamers criticizing the new pricing structure.

However, Microsoft seems to have an ace up its sleeve. According to reports, free access to Xbox Cloud Gaming is set to go live soon.

Why it matters: Microsoft hopes to push cloud gaming as a big part of the gaming division over the next few years. This is just one in a long list of steps being taken to achieve this goal.

xCloud Xbox
xCloud launched back in 2018 and has over 10 million users

Tom Warren from The Verge states that internal testing of the project is already underway. Microsoft currently plans to introduce an ad-supported tier of the streaming service, which will support a select number of games.

Eligible Free Play Days games will also be part of the package, in addition to Xbox Retro Classics offerings. It is said that Microsoft is testing one-hour sessions and plans to provide five hours for free every month.

These limits could still change by the time Microsoft officially announces this new tier. Moreover, a public beta is expected to show up very soon.

Xbox Series S|X
Everything From Xbox Now Costs More Than It Used To

Overall, these changes are part of Microsoft’s Game Pass revamp. The service is set to change significantly over the next few months, potentially leaving behind a large chunk of its established player base.

What do you think about Microsoft’s upcoming cloud gaming access? Would you be okay with ads during gameplay sessions? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Gaming Industry Saw Whopping 8 Price Hikes From PlayStation, Xbox, And Nintendo In Last 6 Months

Story Highlight
  • The gaming industry continues to increase the price of hardware, software, and various services.
  • A total of eight major price hikes have been made by PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo over the last six months.
  • These prices impact the PS5, Xbox Series S|X, Xbox Game Pass, and more.

The gaming industry has become significantly less budget-friendly than it used to be. Where consoles and games were sold for dirt cheap at one point, prices have only gone up over the last few years.

In fact, all three major console manufacturers have raised prices. The situation is so bad that a whopping 8 price hikes have been put into effect over the last 6 months.

Why it matters: The global economy continues to change for the worse, raising doubts about the future of gaming’s affordability and mass appeal.

PlayStation Xbox Nintendo
PlayStation, Xbox, And Nintendo Have All Made Gaming More Expensive

As mentioned above, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo have all raised prices on various occasions, one way or the other. The following is a list of the most notable prices:

  • Xbox Game Pass Price Hike
  • Xbox Series S|X Console Price Update
  • Xbox Series S|X Console Price Update 2
  • PlayStation Plus Price Hike
  • PlayStation Console Price Update
  • Nintendo Switch 2 Accessory Price Revision
  • Nintendo Switch Console Price Update
  • $80 AAA Pricing Standard

Among the giants, both Xbox and Nintendo bring three price hikes to the table.

The former has been the subject of mass criticism after hiking Xbox Series S|X prices twice in a short duration. Both changes were massive, bumping the cost of the Xbox Series X up to $600 and then to $650.

Moreover, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate saw a whopping 50% price uplift earlier this week, bringing the monthly cost up to $30. These three changes alone make the Xbox brand significantly worse than it used to be.

Elsewhere, Nintendo set a new standard after it launched the first $80 AAA title with Mario Kart World. This change only impacts Nintendo titles for now, but it will likely be much worse for the industry in the long term once PlayStation and Xbox follow suit.

Nintendo Switch 2 accessories were also made more expensive by $5-10 in the past, and the gaming giant even raised the cost of the nearly decade-old Nintendo Switch by around $30-50, depending on the model.

As for PlayStation, the PS5 consoles saw a modest price bump of $50 across the board last month. This change impacted all models, and Sony even began offering the vanilla PS5 consoles with less storage as a cost-cutting measure. Finally, PS Plus prices were raised in 15 countries recently.

All put together, console gaming is now more expensive than it was last year, something that impacts all three platforms.

PlayStation Xbox $70 Games
$80 Games Are Expected To Be The Norm Soon

It would also not be surprising to see more price hikes in the near future. PlayStation, for instance, might make PS Plus Premium more expensive after seeing Xbox’s changes to Game Pass.

Similarly, Nintendo has discussed Switch 2 pricing changes on more than one occasion already.

What do you make of the current state of gaming? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums?

EA Going Private May Finally Push It To Experiment With New Games And IPs, Claims Analyst

Story Highlight
  • Notable analyst Phylicia Koh claims that EA going private may finally lead to new games and franchises.
  • Public investors would not have any hold over EA, possibly pushing it towards a new era of creativity. 
  • Other analysts argue EA may stick to its current IPs, given how past investment deals have gone in the industry.

EA’s unexpected $55 billion acquisition has raised a lot of eyebrows among gamers and analysts in the industry, with many existing narratives projecting a negative outlook. However, one analyst argues that something quite positive could emerge out of this deal.

A notable analyst argues that the company’s move to go private, backed by investments from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake Partners, and Affinity Partners, may finally result in a strategy to develop new franchises and games. 

Why it matters: While many gamers have criticized the $55 billion EA investment deal, the analyst argues that it may help the company push new franchises and games due to no pressure from public investors. 

ea games
EA has been notorious for only sticking to established gaming franchises.

As reported by PC Gamer, Phylicia Koh, the Play Ventures analyst, claims that EA will no longer have public investors scrutinizing its every move, allowing it to focus on a more unique and creative pipeline moving forward. 

[Going Private Could] in theory give EA breathing space to push innovation in new IP and titles.

-Phylicia Koh, general partner at Play Ventures.

However, some other analysts clarify that the opposite could happen in the worst-case scenario since similar investments in the past have resulted in more cautious portfolio management across the industry.

Additionally, EA already owns a variety of money-making IPs, generating nearly $7.5 billion yearly in revenue. Analyst Philip Alberstat argues EA will likely focus on paying off its $20 billion debt using them.

That flow of cash gives EA a real capacity to service the $20 billion in debt.

-Philip Alberstat, managing director at DBD Investment Bank.

battlefield 6 live-action trailer
EA’s next massive upcoming project is Battlefield 6.

While EA has confirmed that there won’t be immediate restructuring efforts, the developers under its various studios, including BioWare, are still concerned about their future following the deal.

Do you think EA going private in the massive $55 billion deal will result in more unique franchises and games moving forward, or will the opposite happen instead? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.

NAND Flash Memory Shortage Could Continue Until 2035, According to Phison CEO

Story Highlight
  • The CEO of Phison predicts a lasting shortage of NAND storage, which could extend for several years.
  • Investment in NAND flash production has been low, and companies have moved resources to produce HBM instead.
  • Prices for NAND are expected to rise, which could make storage a significant limiting factor for AI.

New information has revealed a new warning regarding the memory shortage, but this time it is specific to NAND storage. Pua Khein-Seng, CEO of Phison, recently warned that the lack of supply, or shortage, will be a long-term issue. A far more ambitious projection than most analysts, who often talk about cycles of only one year.

The conversation of the CEO, documented by Taiwanese magazine CommonWealth and featured on a news website, Tom’s Hardware, underscores the idea of a memory “supercycle” in which supply fails to meet demand.

NAND Flash

In 2022 and 2023, the “big clouds” spent billions on HBM to train AI models. That period has already concluded, and it is now time to monetise. And big inference necessitates nearline storage, which is neither as quick as hot storage nor as inexpensive as cold storage. Still, it is critical for preserving prior versions of models, old queries, or user data that is not accessed regularly.

Pua says that inference is the holy grail that drives investment and profitability for Big Tech, but executing the end strategy requires a lot of storage.

Pua Khein Seng CEO

The imbalance has been in place for a long time. For years, every time NAND producers increased their investment, prices fell, and corporations never recovered their losses. This vicious cycle caused a reduction in spending in 2019 and 2020. In 2023, Micron and SK Hynix chose to transfer a significant portion of their cash to HBM, drawn by significantly better margins, which further decreased investment in flash.

The situation is beginning to alter. Following a period of dropping prices and oversupply, firms such as SanDisk, Micron, and Western Digital have announced price freezes or increases to meet rising demand. Everything suggests that this tendency will continue as AI consumes resources on a vast scale.

At the end of the interview, Pua said:

“Since 2022, cloud companies have been scrambling to secure GPUs, primarily for training models. Training uses HBM and has little to do with flash memory. Now, those models appear to have matured . Because of this, NAND Flash memory will face a severe shortage next year. I truly believe supply will be limited for the next ten years,” says Phison’s CEO.

If these predictions are accurate regarding the shortage of supplies, then in the upcoming years, we will see such high prices that storage will be the actual bottleneck of AI.