Technology

• SilverStone’s FLP01 case brings old-school charm, complete with fake floppy drives and retro lights
• arkhive Business Limited comes with RTX 5060 Ti and offers real creative power
• Noctua cooling keeps the retro shell silent while the modern internals do all the heavy lifting

Arc has unveiled a curious blend of nostalgia and modern performance with its desktop system, the "arkhive Business Limited," now available via PC Shop Ark.

The Japanese device is housed in SilverStone’s FLP01 case, designed after the classic 1980s PC-9801, and features distinctive styling, including a fake 5.25-inch bay cover and mock indicator lights.

The vintage aesthetic may evoke beige memories of dial-up tones and DOS prompts, but its internals suggest something far more capable, perhaps even worthy of use as a video editing or workstation PC, if judged solely on specs.

Nostalgia meets modern power

The base models come in two CPU versions: Intel’s Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD’s Ryzen 7 9700X. Both models are paired with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB NVMe SSD, and are cooled using a Noctua air cooler, a name respected for silence and efficiency rather than flair.

Graphics are handled by the new GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, whose 16GB of VRAM places it squarely in the mid-range performance bracket.

While that might not win over hardcore gamers, it should be more than sufficient for creative professionals and could make the system a viable business PC for those needing GPU acceleration in Adobe apps or 3D workloads.

Physically, the PC measures 440 x 362 x 170 mm, a footprint that’s not particularly compact by modern standards.

It comes with Windows 11 Home preinstalled and includes an 80PLUS GOLD 850W power supply.

However, with a price tag of 299,800 yen (about $2,081) and lacking even a standard optical drive (unless added via a limited-time campaign), some may question whether the retro shell justifies the cost.

PC Shop Ark is now accepting orders with full BTO (build-to-order) options, allowing for further customization.

The company appears to be banking on a blend of nostalgia and performance to attract buyers, but the arkhive Business Limited may appeal more to the heart than the head.

Via PCWatch

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Here are some hints and the answers for Connections for June 9, No. 729.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 463 for June 9.

Here are hints -- and the answer -- for today's Wordle No. 1,451 for June 9.

The Xbox is about to get portable.

From hoodies with the company's original rainbow logo to T-shirts and baby onesies, Apple wants you to look good and retro ahead of its annual developer conference.

Some TV manufacturers are now offering more models within their full TV lineup, with smaller gaps between them when it comes to features and price, and this can make things confusing for potential TV buyers. Naturally, if an entry-level TV has a similar feature list to a step-up model, it’s the better deal, right? Well, that’s not always the case.

I recently tested two 2025 UK mini-LED TVs from TCL, makers of some of the best TVs. The models are the entry-level C6K and the mid-range C7K, which earned 4 out of 5 stars in my TCL C7K review. When I first saw the 2025 C-series mini-LEDs, the C7K looked to be the sweet spot in terms of value, delivering the best picture quality and features for the price.

As I had both these TVs available, I decided to compare them side-by-side just to see whether the extra cost of the C7K was worth it.

For a price reference, the 55-inch C6K costs £599, and the 55-inch C7K costs £849. I compared the 55-inch C6K with the 65-inch C7K for my testing, however. If you’re in the US, the closest direct models are the TCL QM6K vs the TCL QM7K.

Brightness and color

The C7K (right) exhibited significantly bolder and more vibrant colors than the C6K (left), as shown here on the Wizard & I scene from Wicked (Image credit: Future)

Both of these TVs use mini-LED backlights, meaning you’re getting higher brightness than with a standard LED TV. But, crucially, there are often brightness differences between entry-level and mid-range mini-LED models.

When I measured the peak brightness of both TVs (on a 10% white HDR window in Filmmaker Mode), the C6K hit 705 nits, while the C7K hit 1,790 nits – a significant difference. But how did this translate into real-world viewing?

The first area of note was color, where the best mini-LED TVs often excel. Watching a 4K Blu-ray of Wicked, with both TVs set to Dolby Vision Dark (which I found to be a more accurate picture preset than Dolby Vision IQ), the benefit of the C7K’s extra brightness hit was apparent.

In the Wizard & I scene, the green of Elphaba’s skin, pink flowers, blue wall inlays and even the beige walls looked much punchier and more vibrant on the C7K. The C6K didn’t look bad, but it also didn’t have the same level of definition I expect to see in a movie like Wicked, with the C7K adding more color depth.

Even in the climax of the scene where Elphaba runs across a wheat field, the yellow of the field and the sun were more impactful on the C7K. This showed that peak brightness, which is typically higher in more premium mini-LED TVs compared to entry-level models, is a crucial factor for delivering more vivid colors.

Contrast and black levels

Both the TCL C6K (left) and TCL C7K (right) displayed surprisingly deep black levels, but the C7K's higher brightness allowed for better contrast (Image credit: Future)

TVs with a backlight, such as mini-LED models, use local dimming to enhance the contrast between light and dark areas on screen. The more local dimming zones a TV has, the more precisely it can dim and brighten sections of the screen based on what’s being shown.

The 55-inch C6K has 180 local dimming zones compared to the 65-inch C7K’s 1,008 local dimming zones. Screen size does have an impact on the number of local dimming zones in a TV, but the C7K’s 55-inch model still has 720 zones, so there can be a significant difference even in same-sized models.

Watching a 4K Blu-ray of Nosferatu, again in Dolby Vision Dark, scenes with extreme contrast, such as a blackened room lit only by a torch, fireplace, or the Moon, looked richer and more accurate on the C7K. Light areas were brighter and the black tones were deeper, creating a much more dynamic and textured image.

With Nosferatu (2024), both TVs did a good job with black levels, although the C6K (left) was subject to black crush in places (Image credit: Future)

The same was true in The Batman, with the flashbulbs of cameras and wall-lamps better contrasting with the dark surroundings on the C7K. Even smaller details, such as light reflected off Batman’s cape, showed stronger contrast, with a greater difference between the light and dark tones.

The C7K's higher number of local dimming zones also allowed it to show better shadow detail. In Nosferatu, as Hutler walks towards the carriage to Count Orlock’s at night, the C7K showed more of his face in the darkness, whereas the C6K crushed that level of detail.

Black and white – and shades of gray

Although the C7K (right) has the better contrast and overall picture quality, the C6K's screen uniformity was better with black and white pictures such as this one from Oppenheimer. (Image credit: Future)

Things got even more interesting when viewing black and white movies. Watching the black and white scenes from Oppenheimer, the C7K still showed greater contrast between deep blacks and white highlights, and had a wider range of gray tones in between.

However, I noted that the C6K had better screen uniformity (the ability to evenly display the same color across larger areas of the screen) compared to the C7K. This was an issue I’d noted as an issue in my C7K review, and it made me prefer the C6K when watching black and white content.

Conclusion

The C6K (left) is a good TV for its price, but the jump in picture quality provided by the C7K (right) justifies paying more (Image credit: Future)

To sum up, comparing these two TVs side-by-side proved that it does pay to pay more. Yes, the C6K may have had the upper hand with black and white images, but the C7K outmatched it in color, contrast, black levels and also detail, with the C6K taking on a softer look in a side-by-side test.

That’s not to say the C6K is a bad TV. For its price, it did a solid job with every movie I threw at it, and it was a perfectly fine TV for casual viewing. But this is one example where, given the small £250 gap in price of the respective 55-inch models, it’s worth investing in the more premium option.

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• Activision has officially announced Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• The game is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, but there's no release date yet
• The game will be set 40 years after Black Ops 6 in the year 2035

Activision has officially announced Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

To close out the Xbox Games Showcase 2025, Activision revealed its next Call of Duty game with a cinematic trailer, starring Gilmore Girls actor Milo Ventimiglia, as David Mason.

Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, it's confirmed that Black Ops 7 will return to a futuristic setting and be set in 2035, which is 10 years after the events of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

In this next entry, players will be able to play with friends or play solo in a co-op campaign, a multiplayer mode featuring brand-new maps, and experience the next chapter of the round-based Zombies mode.

"The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare following the events of Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6," the official description reads.

"Wielding cutting-edge technology, the Black Ops team led by David Mason must fight back against a manipulative enemy who weaponizes fear above all else."

Activision has confirmed that it will share the next look at Black Ops 7 later this summer.

"The team is looking to build on the incredible community enthusiasm and excitement we’ve seen within the Black Ops universe," said Tyler Bahl, Head of Activision Publishing Marketing, in a blog post.

"This is the first time we’re staying within the Black Ops series with back-to-back releases, so we’re excited to give players a bit more time to enjoy all the live seasons and provide players more of what they want across Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone before we turn the page to Black Ops 7."

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Microsoft's trailer showcase revealed upcoming games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 along with the unveiling of the Xbox Ally handheld.

Following months of rumors, Atlus has formally announced the Persona 4 remake, Persona 4 Revival.

Revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase, Persona 4 Revival is officially coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, and it's confirmed to be a full remake just like Persona 3 Reload.

Unfortunately, there's no release date yet, but from the short teaser trailer, we know that the game won't have a fixed perspective camera like the original game, and will now allow players to explore their surroundings with a full 360 camera.

This story is developing...

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Following months of rumors, Atlus has formally announced the Persona 4 remake, Persona 4 Revival.

Revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase, Persona 4 Revival is officially coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, and it's confirmed to be a full remake just like Persona 3 Reload.

Unfortunately, there's no release date yet, but from the short teaser trailer, we know that the game won't have a fixed perspective camera like the original game, and will now allow players to explore their surroundings with a full 360 camera.

This story is developing...

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• Don't Nod has announced its next game, Aphelion, at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025
• The game is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5, and PC in 2026
• The sci-fi action-adventure game follows astronaut Ariane, who is stranded on the frozen planet and must rescue her wounded partner, Thomas

Don't Nod has announced its Aphelion, a new sci-fi action-adventure game, coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5, and PC in 2026.

Revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase alongside an action-packed gameplay trailer, the game follows the protagonist and astronaut Ariane, who is stranded on the frozen planet Persephone. She must survive and brave the landscapes and shifting realities of the planet to rescue her wounded partner, Thomas.

The end of the trailer also seemed to hint at something more sinister, so the sci-fi adventure game could take a turn.

Don't Nod also confirmed that the game will blend exploration, traversal, and "tense stealth gameplay", and that players will have to avoid "lurking threats" and uncover "haunting secrets buried beneath the ice".

"By 2060, Earth will be uninhabitable. The discovery of a 9th planet – Persephone – at the edge of the solar system, is humanity’s best hope," the game's blurb reads. "The European Space Agency is dispatching the Hope 01 scientific mission, consisting of 2 of their accomplished astronauts, Ariane and Thomas. Their mission: to survey the planet and determine whether humanity can prosper anew here.

"Your adventure begins in chaos, as the crash landing of their ship scatters them across the planet, launching them on a desperate quest to find one another."

Although the game doesn't launch until 2026, you can wishlist the game right now.

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• Don't Nod has announced its next game, Aphelion, at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025
• The game is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5, and PC in 2026
• The sci-fi action-adventure game follows astronaut Ariane, who is stranded on the frozen planet and must rescue her wounded partner, Thomas

Don't Nod has announced its Aphelion, a new sci-fi action-adventure game, coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5, and PC in 2026.

Revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase alongside an action-packed gameplay trailer, the game follows the protagonist and astronaut Ariane, who is stranded on the frozen planet Persephone. She must survive and brave the landscapes and shifting realities of the planet to rescue her wounded partner, Thomas.

The end of the trailer also seemed to hint at something more sinister, so the sci-fi adventure game could take a turn.

Don't Nod also confirmed that the game will blend exploration, traversal, and "tense stealth gameplay", and that players will have to avoid "lurking threats" and uncover "haunting secrets buried beneath the ice".

"By 2060, Earth will be uninhabitable. The discovery of a 9th planet – Persephone – at the edge of the solar system, is humanity’s best hope," the game's blurb reads. "The European Space Agency is dispatching the Hope 01 scientific mission, consisting of 2 of their accomplished astronauts, Ariane and Thomas. Their mission: to survey the planet and determine whether humanity can prosper anew here.

"Your adventure begins in chaos, as the crash landing of their ship scatters them across the planet, launching them on a desperate quest to find one another."

Although the game doesn't launch until 2026, you can wishlist the game right now.

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• Corsair One i600 comes in a choice of wood and metal finishes, combining beauty and performance
• It's powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor and Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5080 GPU
• It has a full range of ports for pro-grade tasks and whisper quiet liquid cooling

The Corsair ONE i600 is a compact workstation PC that, that for me, really stands out in both design and performance.

There are two finishes available – Metal Dark and Wood Dark. The latter is the most eye-catching and combines dark recycled aluminum with real FSC-certified walnut wood side panels. Every panel has a unique grain, giving each unit a slightly different finish.

It’s not just the outside where the Corsair ONE i600 shines of course. Inside there’s Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K processor, paired with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. The system is built for heavy creative workloads, gaming, and AI applications, with 64GB of DDR5-6400 RAM.

Liquid cooled performance

Storage is spread across two M.2 NVMe SSDs, 2TB each for a total of 4TB, configured to separate system and project files or gaming libraries. There's also an additional 2TB secondary drive, giving users even more options for local data storage.

To keep temperatures in check, Corsair includes dual 240mm liquid coolers, one for the CPU and another for the GPU. Corsair says this setup runs quietly, even under heavy load, with fan noise typically staying under 35dBA.

A tri-spoke vent design helps maximize passive airflow within the micro-ATX chassis.

On the outside, users get access to a full suite of ports. Up front, there are two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, and a combo headphone/mic jack. Around back, connectivity includes a USB 20Gbps Type-C port, a USB 10Gbps Type-A port, four USB 5Gbps Type-A ports, and two legacy USB 2 ports.

Networking options are 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4 support included as standard.

The system draws power from a 1000W SFX 80 PLUS Gold power supply and runs Windows 11 Home out of the box. It weighs 15kg and ships with a two-year warranty.

With customizable front-panel lighting and Corsair’s control software for thermal and lighting management, the i600 is aimed at those who want power without compromising on form. It’s priced at $4,999.99 and available now.

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• Corsair One i600 comes in a choice of wood and metal finishes, combining beauty and performance
• It's powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor and Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5080 GPU
• It has a full range of ports for pro-grade tasks and whisper quiet liquid cooling

The Corsair ONE i600 is a compact workstation PC that, that for me, really stands out in both design and performance.

There are two finishes available – Metal Dark and Wood Dark. The latter is the most eye-catching and combines dark recycled aluminum with real FSC-certified walnut wood side panels. Every panel has a unique grain, giving each unit a slightly different finish.

It’s not just the outside where the Corsair ONE i600 shines of course. Inside there’s Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K processor, paired with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. The system is built for heavy creative workloads, gaming, and AI applications, with 64GB of DDR5-6400 RAM.

Liquid cooled performance

Storage is spread across two M.2 NVMe SSDs, 2TB each for a total of 4TB, configured to separate system and project files or gaming libraries. There's also an additional 2TB secondary drive, giving users even more options for local data storage.

To keep temperatures in check, Corsair includes dual 240mm liquid coolers, one for the CPU and another for the GPU. Corsair says this setup runs quietly, even under heavy load, with fan noise typically staying under 35dBA.

A tri-spoke vent design helps maximize passive airflow within the micro-ATX chassis.

On the outside, users get access to a full suite of ports. Up front, there are two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, and a combo headphone/mic jack. Around back, connectivity includes a USB 20Gbps Type-C port, a USB 10Gbps Type-A port, four USB 5Gbps Type-A ports, and two legacy USB 2 ports.

Networking options are 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4 support included as standard.

The system draws power from a 1000W SFX 80 PLUS Gold power supply and runs Windows 11 Home out of the box. It weighs 15kg and ships with a two-year warranty.

With customizable front-panel lighting and Corsair’s control software for thermal and lighting management, the i600 is aimed at those who want power without compromising on form. It’s priced at $4,999.99 and available now.

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Inxile Entertainment has unveiled a brand new look at its first-person steampunk action game, Clockwork Revolution.

During the Xbox Games Showcase 2025, the studio offered our most in-depth look at the game yet. We got our first look at first-person action, time-travelling mechanics, and a futuristic, steampunk setting filled with a variety of enemy types. It seems very Bioshock meets Dishonored.

The game, which was first announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023, is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, but we unfortunately don't have a release date yet.

"Clockwork Revolution is a time-bending steampunk first-person RPG. After stumbling across an incredible invention that allows you to travel into the past, you discover the city you call home—the vibrant steam-powered metropolis of Avalon—has been carefully crafted through the alteration of historical events," the blurb reads.

"By traveling back to key moments, your interactions and choices will have a butterfly effect on the deep, narrative-driven world and characters of Avalon, causing them to change and react in unprecedented ways."

This story is developing...

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Inxile Entertainment has unveiled a brand new look at its first-person steampunk action game, Clockwork Revolution.

During the Xbox Games Showcase 2025, the studio offered our most in-depth look at the game yet. We got our first look at first-person action, time-travelling mechanics, and a futuristic, steampunk setting filled with a variety of enemy types. It seems very Bioshock meets Dishonored.

The game, which was first announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023, is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, but we unfortunately don't have a release date yet.

"Clockwork Revolution is a time-bending steampunk first-person RPG. After stumbling across an incredible invention that allows you to travel into the past, you discover the city you call home—the vibrant steam-powered metropolis of Avalon—has been carefully crafted through the alteration of historical events," the blurb reads.

"By traveling back to key moments, your interactions and choices will have a butterfly effect on the deep, narrative-driven world and characters of Avalon, causing them to change and react in unprecedented ways."

This story is developing...

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• A new Pixel Watch feature has been spotted
• It would auto-lock your phone if your watch was disconnected
• We're not sure when the feature may launch

Code spotted in the latest Pixel Watch app for Android suggests there's a new feature on the way for the Google Pixel Watch 3 and older models: the ability to have your phone automatically lock itself when it's out of range of your smartwatch.

This code was found by the team at Android Authority, and while it hasn't been enabled yet – and there's no word yet on when it might be – the feature would be a useful security upgrade if you pair a Pixel Watch with an Android smartphone.

The idea is that if someone should swipe your phone without you knowing, or if you should happen to leave your handset behind without realizing it, you'd have the reassurance that your phone would automatically lock itself.

According to the newly discovered code, this feature could be called 'lock on disconnect' or something along those lines. With a little tweaking, one user has managed to make the setting show up in their Pixel Watch app.

Extra functionality

The Google Pixel Watch 3 (Image credit: Google)

This isn't something that's currently offered by any other wearable at the moment – including the best Apple Watches – though you can of course remotely lock an Android phone at any time using the Find My Device service from Google.

With no official announcement about this feature, it's difficult to predict when we might see it rolled out. Nothing was said at the recent Google I/O 2025 conference, but Google does tend to roll out software updates all across the year.

Presumably, once the feature goes live for Pixel Watch devices, it might then be pushed out into the code for Wear OS. That would then enable wearables like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra to take advantage of it.

What you can already do with your Pixel Watch is use it to unlock your smartphone: so if the watch is nearby, you don't need to keep unlocking your phone. This would be a useful extra function to add to that, once it eventually rolls out.

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• A new Pixel Watch feature has been spotted
• It would auto-lock your phone if your watch was disconnected
• We're not sure when the feature may launch

Code spotted in the latest Pixel Watch app for Android suggests there's a new feature on the way for the Google Pixel Watch 3 and older models: the ability to have your phone automatically lock itself when it's out of range of your smartwatch.

This code was found by the team at Android Authority, and while it hasn't been enabled yet – and there's no word yet on when it might be – the feature would be a useful security upgrade if you pair a Pixel Watch with an Android smartphone.

The idea is that if someone should swipe your phone without you knowing, or if you should happen to leave your handset behind without realizing it, you'd have the reassurance that your phone would automatically lock itself.

According to the newly discovered code, this feature could be called 'lock on disconnect' or something along those lines. With a little tweaking, one user has managed to make the setting show up in their Pixel Watch app.

Extra functionality

The Google Pixel Watch 3 (Image credit: Google)

This isn't something that's currently offered by any other wearable at the moment – including the best Apple Watches – though you can of course remotely lock an Android phone at any time using the Find My Device service from Google.

With no official announcement about this feature, it's difficult to predict when we might see it rolled out. Nothing was said at the recent Google I/O 2025 conference, but Google does tend to roll out software updates all across the year.

Presumably, once the feature goes live for Pixel Watch devices, it might then be pushed out into the code for Wear OS. That would then enable wearables like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra to take advantage of it.

What you can already do with your Pixel Watch is use it to unlock your smartphone: so if the watch is nearby, you don't need to keep unlocking your phone. This would be a useful extra function to add to that, once it eventually rolls out.

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Microsoft has just announced an Xbox take on the Asus's ROG Ally handheld gaming PC: meet the ROG Xbox Ally.

Shown off at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025, this version of the most recent ROG Ally comes in two variants. While both machines have a 7-inch 1080p display with a 1320Hz refresh rate, a white Xbox Ally version targets 720p gaming, somewhat like the Valve Steam Deck, and a black Xbox Ally X console that aims for 900p to 1080p gaming.

Both of these Ally consoles-meet-PCs use AMD Ryzen chipsets; the more powerful black machine has the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip, while the Xbox Ally uses the Ryzen Ryzen Z2 A. The latter comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X-6400 RAM and 512GB of M.2 2280 SSD storage, while the Xbox Ally X comes with 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

Unlike Asus current ROG and ROG Ally X, the Xbox version has a tweaked design with contoured grips that echo the shape of the current Xbox Wireless Controller. And as one would expect both Xbox Allys sport the Xbox 'ABXY' button layout and a dedicated Xbox home button.

Much like the Xbox Wireless Controller, the Xbox Allys have hall-effect impulse triggers, which should feel familiar to Xbox Series X and Series S gamers and give the handheld machines some of the best analog game controller triggers around (at least in my humble opinion).

This story is developing...

⬛ ROG Xbox Ally X​​◻️ ROG Xbox Ally pic.twitter.com/InOsAK2eSFJune 8, 2025

In terms of ports, the Xbox Ally has two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports that support with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery 3.0 , and uses a UHS-II microSD card reader for storage expansion.

The Xbox Ally X has one of the above USB-C ports but also has one USB4 Type-C port with DisplayPort 2.1 , Power Delivery 3.0, and Thunderbolt 4 support. It also comes with a microSD card reader.

Both handhelds come with a 3.5mm headphone jack, and Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4  connectivity.

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