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!
While Big Format Gaming Displays (BGFD) sound amazing they will be quite niche due to their size and price. Asus may have a great alternative with the ROG Strix XG438Q which is a a 43-inch DisplayHDR 600 screen which offers 90% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space and support for local dimming and 120Hz refresh…
Acer today unveiled two new Windows 10 gaming notebooks, the Predator Triton 900, a 17-inch performance notebook featuring a slim design and convertible 4K display — and the Predator Triton 500 — a 15-inch all-metal gaming powerhouse measuring just 17.9 mm (0.70 inches) thin. Both gaming notebooks combine new, functional designs with powerful internals that…
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Nvidia has finally unveiled their RTX 2060 graphics card bring the expensive Ray Tracing performance to lower tied cards. Nvidia’s RTX 2060 Founders Edition will ship on January 15th for $349 (for Founders Edition), packing 5 Gigarays of Ray Tracing performance, placing the graphics card not that far behind the RTX 2070. There is no…
Last year Nvidia announced the Big Format Gaming Display that were 65-inches and capable of 4K HDR at 120 Hz. No products have materialised from that announcement in 2018, but it looks like HP will be one of the first to deliver. The monster HP Omen X Emperium uses a 64.5-inch 8-bit AMVA panel featuring…
In the past couple of years, Qualcomm has been targetting the laptop CPU market with the Snapdragon 835 Mobile PC Platform, which was then followed up by the Snapdragon 850 and more recently the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx. The main selling point of these chips has been the always on always connected status, promising a 24h+…
Alienware may be the brand that is synonymous with gaming laptops but not all of us can afford one, so Dell has introduced the Grange of laptops that reduce the cost of entry for gaming laptops while retaining the superb design and build quality found on other Dell and Alienware laptops. The range includes the…
AMD is due to announce a range of new products at CES next Wednesday which almost certainly will include the latest AMD Ryzen 3000 series processors and possibly a GPU announcement. Listings for the AMD’s Ryzen 3000 series processors have appeared on e-katalog, a Russian retailer, revealing what could be the specifications of AMD’s upcoming Ryzen…
I have mainly reviewed cases for Thermaltake in the past year, but they have a sub-brand called TT Premium which focusses on gaming peripherals. The TT Premium X1 RGB gaming keyboard is a feature-rich mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Blue switches and is currently available on Scan, Overclockers and Novatech for just £99. For some…
I have previously bought and reviewed the Netgear GC110P 8 port POE cloud managed switch. I found it to be an excellent affordable cloud-managed fanless POE switch that is perfect for advanced home users and small businesses. Netgear has been kind enough to send me the GC510PP 8-port 195w POE switch and the WAC505 Access…
The Predator Aethon 500 is the second peripheral I have reviewed from Acer of the past week and is the first mechanical keyboard Acer has produced. The Acer Predator Aethon 500 ticks most of the box’s gamers want out of a keyboard nowadays, there is fully programmable RGB, programmable macro keys, mechanical switches, media keys…
Over the past few years, I have mainly reviewed laptops and desktops from Acer. Their peripheral side of the business is relatively new as far as I am aware. The Acer Predator Cestus 500 is an 8-button programmable RGB gaming mouse priced at around £80 on Currys and Argos. It features a semi-modular design allowing…