News

The LEGO Group will be holding its second-ever virtual summer showcase this weekend to give builders a first look at upcoming creations. LEGO CON 2022 will be back this Saturday after an underwhelming event last year. Will livestream actually be worth tuning into this year? Head below for all of our expectations on LEGO CON 2022 and what’s been announced so far.

If you’re not deep in the gaming PC world, but still want to game on PC, then it might not be the most straightforward choice which desktop to choose. Do you pick the lower-cost $1,000 system? Or go all-out and spend $4,000? Maybe somewhere between? Well, Newegg has put many of the gaming desktops it sells to the test in several of the most played games to help you make the right choice. The Newegg Gaming PC Finder tool is simple to use, offers information that’s easy to read, and is completely free. Keep reading to learn more.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

• iPad mini 6 all-time lows arrive to start the week from $400 (Save up to $109)
• Apple Pencil 2 lands at new 2022 low of $99 following $30 Amazon discount
• New all-time lows take $49 off latest Apple TV 4K with Siri Remote from $130

TP-Link is a well-known manufacturer in the networking and smart home space with its Kasa brand and is now expanding its lineup with the Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini EP25. This new plug adds energy monitoring capability alongside Apple HomeKit support for an additional way to integrate the plug into your smart home.

In place of E3 this year, Microsoft today is holding its massive Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase. With 90 minutes of content on new and upcoming games, head below for all of the details on the latest titles coming to Xbox Series X/S, PC, Game Pass, and more including trailers, release dates, and so much other info.

In this week’s Best of 9to5Toys: Apple’s latest Mac Studio falls to $1,899 with $100 discount, Samsung Galaxy S22 Android smartphones from $700, 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro up to $499 off, and much more…

IKEA is teaming up with electronic music artists Swedish House Mafia to create exploring music and creativity at home easier for those who “produce, perform, play or just love music.” The OBEGRÄNSAD collection is set to launch this Fall with three more products announced: a desk for music production, an armchair, and a record player.

Announced as part of yesterday’s Summer Game Fest, we got news of a new multiplayer The Last Of Us game as well as a PS5 remake for the iconic original title. However, something that we didn’t find out until later was that there’s also a PC counterpart coming for The Last Of Us remake, dubbed The Last Of Us Part I. This is just the latest in the series of Sony’s PlayStation-exclusive titles to make their way to PC. While we don’t know the exact date the game will launch for PC, head below for more information on the upcoming release.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

While we await the rumored Game Boy library, Nintendo added some new titles to the Switch Online game list. This time around it is the base-tier Super Nintendo library that is seeing some new games in the form of three special edition versions of some classic SNES Kirby titles. The latest in the Kirby series, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, hit the Switch library back in March to positive critical reviews just before Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards landed on the N64 Switch Online game list, but subscribers of Nintendo’s online service can now enjoy SP versions of Kirby Super Star, Kirby’s Dream Land 3, and Kirby’s Dream Course. More details below. 

Marshall fans rejoice, the company is refreshing its home speaker lineup to bring a wider soundstage than its predecessors. These speakers include the Acton, Stanmore, and Woburn, and they have been future-proofed so you can enjoy them for years to come.

While E3 2022 may have officially been canceled, Geoff Keighley of The Game Awards fame is helping the cause with this year’s edition of Summer Game Fest. While Microsoft and Bethesda have a big summer showcase set for this weekend, the big midyear game reveals and announcements are kicking off right now with the Summer Game Fest livestream. Alongside an appearance from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, we are expecting to see more on the upcoming Call of Duty title as well as the latest coming out of Gotham City, Capcom titles, and more. Head below to follow along with today’s Summer Game Fest stream. 

Today, Dell is introducing an all-new updated XPS 13, and the company is also revealing the upcoming XPS 13 2-in-1 2022 models. This announcement comes on the heels of the XPS 13 Plus from April with its all-new design. Today’s launch, however, focused on the baseline XPS 13 as well as the upcoming 2-in-1 design. Focused on “versatility and multi-tasking with ease”, these new laptops could become the central point of your daily workflow.

With Sony’s refreshed PlayStation Plus service quickly approaching, Microsoft is now set to expand the reach of its game streaming service with Xbox Game Pass on Samsung displays. Microsoft has been saying that its Game Pass service would land on smart TVs for a while now, but the Ultimate tier will be directly available on what appears to be just about all of the 2022 lineup of Samsung models later this month, according to today’s press release. Full details below. 

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

• iPhone 12 Pro Max sees 1-day refurb discount to $750 (Save $349), more from $340
• Score a single Apple AirTag with UWB precision finding at new 2022 low of $24 (Reg. $29)
• Google’s latest Nest cameras down to 2022 lows: Outdoor Cam $129 (Save $51), more from $80

It’s time explore the wild new DOODLESTATION synthesizer concept from artist Love Hultén. The creator of jaw dropping tech gadgets and wacky conceptual (although quite functional) workstations turned works of art, Hultén is a favorite around here for retro-inspired musical gear and gaming crossover consoles, among other things. Today the eye-catching new DOODLESTATION synthesizer console has been unveiled and we are ready to take a closer look at this gorgeous Frankenstein of a music making desk. Head below for all of the details. 

At the start of the month, we got a sneak peak at a pair of the new LEGO Advent Calendars, and today a first look at the Star Wars version has arrived. Arriving alongside the other holiday countdowns on September 1, the latest Star Wars Advent Calendar for 2022 is packed with plenty of festive LEGO builds including sweater-clad R2 and C-3PO minifigures, a Santa Gonk Droid, and even a unique new Darth Vader.

The latest ASUS ROG gaming mouse, dubbed the Chakram X, is finally available to purchase at Amazon. It comes with a number of solid features, including tri-mode connectivity, a detachable joystick, 8,000Hz polling, a 36,000 DPI sensor, and much more. Designed for premium gaming setups, this mouse could be your next purchase when it comes time for a peripheral upgrade. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the ASUS ROG Chakram X gaming mouse.

Update: After unveiling the Android-only version back in June, the iPhone edition of Razer’s Kishi V2 controller is now up for pre-order. It is available for $99.99 directly from Razer or bundled with headsets and earbuds on Amazon for $200. 

Razer has unveiled the second-generation Kishi V2 mobile controller grip. The first-generation model has been a popular solution among portable iOS and Android gamers for quite some time, and while the V2 version for Apple’s handsets will be coming down the pipeline at a later time, today we are getting a good look at the Kishi V2 mobile controller for (just about) everyone else. Head below for a closer look at the new Razer Android Kishi V2. 

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

• Apple’s M1-powered Mac mini has returned to Amazon low of $570 (Save $129)
• Apple’s Magic Keyboards for latest iPads see refurb discounts from $155 (Orig. $299+)
• Apple Watch Series 7 now up to $119 off starting at $300 (All-time lows)

The Hot Wheels Unleashed car list is about to get injected with a series of new rides courtesy of the Vol.3 expansion content. Hot Wheels Unleashed brings those mini die-cast cars to current-generation consoles (and PC) with over 60 different rides, but it will soon be expanding its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle offerings alongside a series of other nostalgic-themed crossovers and the iconic Looney Tunes. In partnership with Warner Bros., Bugs Bunny and friends will be racing into your basement starting in July with a new track builder module, the Looney Tunes Adventure Park, and more. Head below for more details on the soon-to-be updated Hot Wheels Unleashed car list and upcoming DLC content.

Over the past few weeks, the LEGO Star Wars summer 2022 lineup has begin to solidify, with only a few builds remaining to lock-in the entire lineup. Today, we’re getting a first look at yet another one of these upcoming kits, with LEGO set number 75334 bringing the Obi-Wan vs Vader battle from the most recent episode of Kenobi to brick-built form.

Today Wyze is launching its new and refreshed Scale X, a smart scale capable of tracking 13 body metrics with improvements over its previous Wyze Scale. There are useability improvements alongside improved battery life to make this scale work better for more people.

Legendary audio recording company Neve might have just unveiled the best USB audio interface out there. Responsible for engineering the recording desks and consoles many of the most iconic albums in history had the honor of being recorded on, Neve is unleashing is expertise (and world class pre-amps) on a home and portable interface known as the 88M. Delivering the “the legendary sound of AIR, Abbey Road and Capitol Studios into your home,” the new 88M might very well be one of the best USB audio interfaces on the market, just expect to pay a price that comes along with that moniker. More details below. 

Minecraft, the game beloved the world over by both those young and old, is getting a pretty substantial update today. The Wild Update is finally here, and it’s out for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, iOS, Android, and Windows, as well as Minecraft: Java Edition for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Plus, today marks the launch of Bedrock for PC in addition to Java, so you can play both editions if that tickles your fancy. Minecraft now features two new biomes, four new mobs, and blocks galore, so let’s take a closer look at what’s included for The Wild Update.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

• Apple’s new iPad Air 5 delivers M1 performance at second-best price of $559
• Samsung Galaxy S22 handsets fall to second-best prices: Ultra $1,000 (Save $200), more
• Anker Gold Box discounts GaN II chargers, MagSafe car mounts, and more from $15

Similar to the event before the launch of Battlefield 2042, EA invited creators and members of the press to a preview event in which we were able to try out Battlefield 2042 Zero Hour – the game’s first season. While it has some new content including one beautiful new map and two weapons, is it enough to bring back the player base that has been less than impressed with the game so far? Be sure to hit the video to see all of the details of this hands-on event. 

Update: Now available for purchase for $399.99.

Today, the LEGO Group is revealing its latest Creator Expert Amusement park ride, and it’s one of the most thrilling yet. Giving the original model from a few years back a run for its money, the new LEGO Loop Coaster 10303 stacks up to over 3,700 pieces and will be launching next month. Get a first look down below.

DODOcase is introducing its first luxury leather iPad case today. The brand has been among our favorite Apple gear accessory makers for years, not in the least because of its online customizer options. DODOcase is one of the “original iPad case manufacturers in the United States,” but it has, for the most part, never really tried its hand in the luxury leather iPad case game until today. Striving to keep traditional craftsmanship alive for the most modern tech releases, the brand has tapped into some materials used in very high-end luxury purses and bags to deliver its new Noblessa Leather iPad Case without quite hitting the exorbitant prices some of those products come along with. Head below for a closer look and more details. 

As we entered the weekend, Escape from Tarkov announced Arena, a standalone project that’s a “session-based multiplayer first-person shooter … with all the known and beloved hardcore game mechanics of Escape from Tarkov.” While we don’t have a ton of information about what Escape from Tarkov Arena will be, there’s a teaser trailer from developer Battlestate down below. What other changes are coming? Let’s take a closer look.

FUJIFILM is a well-known company in the photography space for its work with film and digital cameras and it is now announcing its all-new flagship, the X-H2S Mirrorless Camera. Featuring tons of improvements across the board, especially with video, the X-H2S will launch alongside the new XF 18-120mm f/4 and XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 APS-C lenses.

It’s time to take a closer look at the SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Pro MagSafe protective iPhone case. The brand has been known for its more-affordable-than-most ultra-protective iPhone cases for quite some time and it just issued its first MagSafe-equipped version of the Unicorn Beetle last month. Delivering a fully encapsulated home for iPhone 13 Pro Max with a built-in screen protector and job site-ready build, the new Unicorn Beetle also delivers a unique kickstand MagSafe ring and included belt holster to iPhone 13 Pro Max users that need a rugged sheath for their most precious piece of EDC. Head below for our hands-on look at the new MagSafe protective iPhone case in the latest Tested with 9to5Toys. 

Earlier in the year, LG revealed the latest addition to its lineup of Ergo monitors which stood out with an utterly unique 16:18 aspect ratio. Now at long last, the LG Ergo DualUp Monitor is finally available for purchase, delivering the vertical 28-inch panel with 90W USB-C passthrough charging and more.

Announced at yesterday’s PlayStation State of Play showcase, another once-PlayStation exclusive is swinging onto another platform with both Spider-Man Remastered and Spider-Man: Miles Morales coming to PC later this summer. This is far from the first Sony exclusive coming to PC, but it does mark one of the largest titles to leave the PlayStation platform for a wider audience. What all does this mean and when will it be available? Let’s take a closer look.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

• Apple Watch SE 44mm is even more affordable with return to low of $229 (Save $80)
• Beats Studio Buds in new Moon Gray style fall to best price yet of $115 (Reg. $150)
• Walmart+ Weekend sale goes live with $399 iPad Air 4 (Save $200),more

A new SEGA mini console has just been unveiled known as the Mega Drive 2. Set for launch later this year and seemingly coming out of nowhere, it looks like the powers that be over at SEGA have decided the mini console trend isn’t quite over with just yet. While the complete Mega Drive 2 game list is still yet to be unveiled we do have a decent idea of the library, including a series of rarely re-released classics, the only question is whether or not it will make it stateside. Head below for a closer look at the new Mega Drive 2 SEGA mini console. 

After seeing the latest coming to PlayStation back in March before the dedicated Harry Potter RPG event, Sony’s June State of Play showcase is set to kick off right now. Some of the latest details on PlayStation VR2 trickled out with what appeared to be 20 upcoming launch titles last week, but we are set to get our first look at more than just Call of the Mountain Horizon game we already knew about today. Those along with what Sony is referring to as “some exciting reveals” from third-party partners are all scheduled to make an appearance in today’s PlayStation presentation. Head below to follow along with the latest State of Play showcase. 

While working on a project recently, I found myself looking at an image with lots of red in it and thinking something looks off. After realizing that when I changed GPUs my color profile in Windows was reset, I reached for the latest SpyderX Elite as a part of the SpyderX Capture Pro Kit. Aimed at professionals working in print, photography, and video, the Datacolor SpyderX line-up helps to ensure that displays are accurate when it comes to color. After calibrating my Dark Matter 49-inch display, I was pretty shocked at how much of a difference it made. Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details.

MSI, a well-known brand in the PC gaming community, is introducing its new lineup of HX Gaming and Professional Laptops powered by Intel’s 12th Gen HX series processors. This premium laptop lineup will deliver “extreme performance” and many premium features and some world firsts. More details will come with its virtual launch even “MSIology: Ahead of the Curve” on June 7, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. PDT.

Just a month ago, Marshall released a pair of two new delightfully retro speakers into its stable. Arriving as its most portable solutions yet, we’re taking a hands-on look at what the entirely new Marshall Willen has to offer just in time for summer alongside the refreshed Emberton II counterpart. Head below for more.