Welcome to the Computer Hardware section of our blog, the go-to resource for enthusiasts, professionals, and everyone in between who wants to get the most out of their computing experience. Whether you’re looking to upgrade a specific component or planning to build a PC from scratch, this category delves into the essential hardware elements that define the performance and functionality of your computer.
CPUs (Central Processing Units)
Relevant Brands: Intel, AMD
The CPU is the brain of your computer, where most calculations take place. From Intel’s Core series to AMD’s Ryzen line-up, we examine the specifications, performance benchmarks, and power efficiency to help you choose the right processor for your needs.
GPUs (Graphics Processing Units)
Relevant Brands: NVIDIA, AMD
Whether you’re gaming, rendering video, or running complex simulations, a powerful GPU is essential. NVIDIA’s GeForce series and AMD’s Radeon cards are the primary contenders, each with their unique features and capabilities.
Power Supplies
Relevant Brands: Corsair, EVGA, Seasonic
A robust and efficient power supply is the backbone of any stable system. We discuss the importance of wattage, efficiency ratings, and brand reliability, focusing on leading manufacturers like Corsair, EVGA, and Seasonic.
RAM (Random Access Memory)
Relevant Brands: Kingston, Corsair, G.Skill
RAM is where your computer stores data for quick read and write access. We look into speed, capacity, and compatibility, highlighting top brands such as Kingston, Corsair, and G.Skill that offer a range of options to suit various needs.
PC Cases
Relevant Brands: NZXT, Cooler Master, Fractal Design
The PC case is not just an aesthetic choice; it impacts cooling, upgradeability, and system layout. Brands like NZXT and Cooler Master offer various designs and form factors, from minimalist to RGB-heavy, that cater to different tastes and requirements.
Motherboards
Relevant Brands: ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte
The motherboard is the central hub connecting all your components. We delve into form factors, chipsets, and expandability, focusing on reputable brands like ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte.
Storage: NVMe, SSD, Hard Drives
Relevant Brands: Samsung, Western Digital, Seagate, Crucial
Your storage solution influences not only how much data you can keep but also how fast you can access it. We cover the speed advantages of NVMe drives, the reliability of SSDs, and the capacity benefits of traditional hard drives, examining offerings from brands like Samsung, Western Digital, and Seagate.
As we venture deeper into this digital age, understanding the hardware that powers your computing experience has never been more critical. This category aims to provide you with the essential information, objective comparisons, and expert insights needed to make well-informed decisions on your computer hardware. So go ahead, explore, and build the machine of your dreams!
My day to day laptop is a Huawei MateBook 13; it is a superb small and lightweight laptop with enough power to do all my day to day work (which is mostly just writing, image editing, Outlook and Chrome). Due to the nature of my work, I have to take my laptop with me everywhere,…
This year Acer has launched two special edition laptops with slightly different form factors than the generic 15.6″ and 17″ they typically use. The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE was their first foray into the smaller format 14-inch gaming laptop niche, a category that doesn’t have much competition, and I loved it. The Triton 500…
Following on from my review of the FS S3150-8T2FP POE switch, I have also been trying out their 10GBASE-T SFP+ transceivers, which allow you to convert the 10 Gb SFP+ ports to 10Gb RJ-45. These transceiver modules are relatively expensive, at £50, compared to a standard 10Gb SFP+ modules, which will set you back around…
FS, formerly Fiber Store, has quickly grown expanding into producing their own networking hardware including switches, access points and even video conferencing solutions. The range of switches is particularily impressive with options starting out at £115 for an 8-port POE switch. It is the higher end stuff that is perhaps more noteworthy, the S5860-24XB-U is…
Kingston sold off their HyperX gaming brand to HP earlier in the year. With the gaming market being so affluent, it was unlikely Kingston would leave the market entirely. Kingston is now back with some gaming-oriented RAM now branded as FURY. The product range is extensive, covering both desktop and SODIMM laptop ram at various…
Huwder is not a company I have heard of before, and they don’t have any presence on Amazon UK. I was a little bit sceptical of their attractively priced and very high spec USB chargers when they approached me for a review. I was, therefore, left pleasantly surprised when this turned out to be a…
I have never been a fan of headphones for long days in the office or gaming, I just find them a bit uncomfortable after a few hours. I always use speakers when possible, but computer speakers can be physically large and often expensive. The Edifier G2000 is neither of those; these small 2.0 active speakers…
Huawei’s latest laptop, the Huawei MateBook D 15, has gone on sale in the UK priced at £749.99. This is the largest laptop Huawei do, sitting in the middle of the Matebook 13 and MateBook X Pro in terms of pricing. There are only a small number of changes vs the MateBook D 15 2020…
It looks like Creative plans to upgrade most of its audio products with access to the new Creative App and its SmartComms kit. The latest is the Creative T60 speakers, which are more advanced than the existing T40 and T20 series by using USB-C connectivity rather than a 3.5mm aux in (though they still have that)….
Page 2 for Best Powerline Wi-Fi extenders & Mesh Systems Before mesh Wi-Fi was the trend, we had Powerline adaptors and Wi-Fi extenders. I would personally always suggest mesh of a Wi-Fi extender nowadays, but I am still a fan of the Powerline concept. Anyone wanting to establish a high speed and relatively reliable connection…
Page 2 covers the Smartcomms kit, price and alternative options plus the overall rating Launched last month, the Creative Sound Blaster X4 is a tweaked version of the popular X3 DAC, which integrates the new Smartcomms Kit that has featured on several of the recent Creative products. Sound Blaster X4 vs X3 Specification Sound Blaster…
Yesterday, Netgear announced a new top of the range Wi-Fi 6 access point, choosing to go down a different path than competing brands, which could be quite useful for many users. While it is common for many cloud-managed access points to offer mesh Wi-Fi, the are not many, if any, that have a tri-band radio….
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