Gaming

ASUS ROG Phone 3 launches, has 144Hz refresh rate

ROG refines its mobile gaming machine

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The ROG Phone has been top of mind in the past year whenever someone thinks about a mobile gaming device. ASUS wants a firm grip on that recognition with the launch of the ASUS ROG Phone 3.

As the third generation iteration of this product line, there aren’t any significant, jump out of your seat, wow levels of new things. Instead, the ROG Phone 3 is a refinement of their formula.

Let’s jump right into the specs. It was earlier announced that the phone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus. It’s currently Qualcomm’s best and has an array feature geared towards “elite gaming.”

Elsewhere on the phone, it’s all about delivering the best. Naturally, the specs have been maxed out. Here’s a quick rundown:

  • 6.44-inch OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate
  • Up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM
  • Up to 512GB of UFS 3.1 Storage
  • 6000mAh battery with a bundled 30W HyperCharge Adapter
  • Air Triggers with Enhanced Touch Gestures
  • Dual Front Facing Speakers

These are all par for the course and exactly the kind of specs we expected. In many ways, the ROG Phone 3 is a refresh of the ROG Phone 2 with minor noticeable changes — for good reason.

In terms of look, they toned the ASUS ROG Phone 3 down even more, getting rid of the cutouts that mimic the look of certain ROG laptops. The copper cooling vent has been replaced with a single sheet of glass with a transparent window to show off the AeroDynamic Cooling System.

The more understated, but still undeniably gaming look is in line, not only with their ROG line of laptops, but pretty much most gaming laptops of late. Gone are the bulky, over-the-top gaming look for something that looks a bit more subtle.

In terms of form factor and port placements, everything has largely remained the same. ASUS says this was intentional to make sure it remains compatible with existing accessories. That’s a really thoughtful approach.

Peripherals and accessories

Speaking of accessories, the ASUS ROG Phone 3 will come with the usual AeroActive Cooler 3 accessory. It’s a cooling device that now does more.

It now has a kicks stand so you can prop up the phone with the accessory on. ASUS also took away the 3.5mm audio jack from the phone — but this is still accessible with the AeroActive Cooler 3.

As mentioned, it will work with previous generations of peripherals. If you have the entire suite from either the ROG Phone or ROG Phone 2, it’ll work seamlessly with the ROG Phone 3.

The new accessory coming to the ROG Phone 3 is one that will let you connect your phone to any existing game controller you have lying round. It can be the Xbox Controller, DualShock 4 (PS4), or the Google Stadia controller — all will work with the phone with this new accessory.

Armory Crate, Game Genie

Also making an expected return are the gaming-related software baked into the phone. These are the Armory Crate and Game Genie.

Anyone who’s ever owned an ROG laptop should be familiar with this tool. With it you can customize how much power each core uses for certain tasks. You can also modify things like RGB lighthing, fan speed, as well as game controls.

Game Genie is like your mobile gaming assistant. Fire it up and it sends you into this interface where you can toggle all the games you have installed. It’s like having a console interface right on your phone.

It also lets you control the notifications you get while gaming and is also your tool in case you want to stream. You can stream directly on YouTube, but at the moment, Twitch is a no go. This is because there are still issues with Twitch’s API that need to be addressed first.

As for the UI, you can opt for the more stock Android experience, or you can embrace the whole gaming concept and go with the gaming skin. Like on the ROG Phone 2, it comes in two variations — one in black and one in white.

Again, like last year, if you have the Lightning Armor Case it’ll give you access to yet another variant of the gaming UI. Neat.

Solid cameras

From dual cameras, the ASUS ROG Phone 3 now sports a triple camera setup. They bumped the main sensor from 48MP to 64MP. And now it’s flanked by a 13MP ultra wide angle lens and a 5MP macro camera.

These likely won’t be competing against the likes of the Huawei P40 Pro/ P40 Pro+ or even the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, but unlike the very first iteration of the ROG Phone, these cameras should be capable. Not stellar, but pretty solid.

Pricing and availability

The ASUS ROG Phone 3 will come in three variants. They are as follows:

12GB + 512GB — EUR 999
16GB + 512GB — EUR 1099
8GB + 256GB (Strix Edition) — EUR 799

Pricing in other markets will be revealed as they launch on these respective markets.

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Gaming

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 clip shows Losing Ground 1st look

Pre-order now for Campaign Early Access

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August 2, 2026

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A short new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 teaser shows a quick look at the Losing Ground mission for the first time.

It is one of the big war missions from the title’s Campaign mode, following the Korean grunt squad through chaos on the ground.

The brief clip is a pre-order promotional material, wherein gamers can place pre-orders now on any platform for Campaign Early Access.

This shall allow players to dive into the full single-player campaign a week ahead of the official worldwide release date on October 16.

In the vignette, soldiers can be seen advancing through a burning urban environment while under intense enemy fire.

The squad pushes through a breached storefront into a local cafe to clear enemy strongpoints.

Laster on, out in the open on the bridge, squad members realize they are heavily exposed and call out incoming enemy air support. This was right before an explosion rocks the area.

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Computers

AMD launches Radeon RX 9050 graphics card

Affordable GPU option for AAA titles

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July 30, 2026

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AMD has launched the new AMD Radeon RX 9050 graphics card, expanding the Radeon RX 9000 series with an affordable option.

This brings AMD RDNA 4 gaming technologies to mainstream gamers with a retail price of US$ 279.

The particular GPU is designed for responsive gameplay at 1080p. That’s for esports and modern AAA titles.

Some popular titles it can run at high frame rates on a 1080p resolution include: Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon 6, Pragmata, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Valorant, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, to name a few.

This highly efficient, drop-in upgrade features a 92W TBP and fully supports the latest AMD FSR technologies, next-gen raytracing, and high-quality AV1 video streaming.

Key specs:

  • Architecture: AMD RDNA 4
  • Compute Units: 16
  • VRAM: 8GB GDDR6
  • Game Clock / Boost Clock: 1.92 GHz / Up to 2.60 GHz
  • TBP: 92W

In line with the Radeon RX 9050 launch, AMD has also released AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.7.1.

This driver introduces official day-one support for Radeon RX 9050, alongside early multiplayer access for Gears of War: E-Day.

Users can download the software here.

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Gaming

NBA 2K27 gameplay trailer showcases new dunk mechanics, Rucker Park, and more

First gameplay details revealed

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July 29, 2026

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NBA 2K27 gameplay

NBA 2K27 is giving fans their first look at this year’s gameplay.

2K has released the official gameplay trailer for NBA 2K27, showcasing enhanced visuals and several gameplay updates ahead of the game’s September 4 launch. The trailer also features cover athletes Victor Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark, and Derrick Rose while teasing changes across Gameplay, MyCAREER, MyTEAM, MyNBA, and the MyPLAYER Builder.

The publisher also confirmed the Preseason Breakdown: NBA 2K27 Game Reveal, which streams on August 18 at 10:00 AM PT. During the presentation, 2K will reveal this year’s biggest gameplay innovations and mode updates before Early Access begins on August 28 for Deluxe Edition and Ultra Edition owners.

Smarter AI and a new Dunk Meter headline gameplay changes

NBA 2K27 introduces several gameplay refinements based on community feedback.

AI defenders now contest shots more effectively and hold their defensive positioning better, especially in online modes like The REC. The changes aim to create a more balanced experience on both ends of the floor.

The game also introduces a fully dynamic Dunk Meter. Instead of locking in the timing at takeoff, the meter continuously evaluates defensive positioning throughout the dunk attempt. Open driving lanes create a larger green window, while late defensive rotations shrink it, making each dunk attempt feel more responsive to the action on the court.

MyPLAYER Builder expands with more Badges

The MyPLAYER Builder now features 53 total Badges, up from 40 in last year’s game. Players can also experiment with 19 brand-new Badges designed to support more specialized builds.

Cap Breakers are also making a return. This time, players can preview attribute boosts directly inside the Builder before finalizing their character.

MyTEAM and MyNBA receive community-requested updates

MyTEAM introduces the franchise’s first unified Auction House across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The shared marketplace creates the largest pool of community-listed cards in the mode’s history. It should also make card prices more consistent across supported platforms.

Winning an auction is now faster, too. Purchased cards go straight into your collection without a verification delay.

MyNBA also receives several franchise management updates that reflect today’s NBA. These include second apron salary cap rules from the league’s latest collective bargaining agreement and the ability to offer No-Trade Clauses to free agents.

Rucker Park comes to MyCAREER

The City returns with the same centralized layout introduced last year. This time, however, it gets a new nighttime look filled with neon lights.

NBA 2K27 also recreates the legendary Rucker Park. The iconic streetball court serves as the setting for this year’s MyCAREER prelude story, Fire & Concrete, and also appears in the Street Kings mode.

NBA 2K27 launches on September 4 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. Players who purchase the Deluxe Edition or Ultra Edition can jump in early starting August 28 through Early Access.

Watch the full trailer. 

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