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!
Original Post – 9th of July 2019 – Updated on 27th July 2019 to include benchmarks across X370, X470 & X570 Zen 2 has finally landed, and it has mostly met expectations. The new CPUs don’t quite take the crown from Intel in pure gaming performance, but they offer much better value for similar gaming…
Now that the new Ryzen 3000 CPUs have been released with many reviews showing their performance over previous generations, it is time for the leaks and rumours about the Ryzen Threadripper 3000 series to begin. A UserBenchmark result spotted by twitter user TUM_APISAK who is famous for his leaks. The UserBenchmark result is for a 16-core, 32-thread engineering…
Updated on 07/07/2019 Official review are now out. Updated on 24/07/2019 – Toms Hardware now has a review of the 3800X With the announcement of the latest AMD CPUs, many people will be wondering if it is worth upgrading from earlier Ryzen chips. They all use the AM4 socket, so theoretically with a BIOS update,…
An external sound card provides an easy way for you to level up the audio quality of your laptop or desktop computer. External sound cards can be purchased in a wide range of capabilities and connections. Some of them are straightforward and simple – adds an extra headphone jack to your computer – while others…
Thermaltake have some fantastic coolers, with their all in one watercooler being some of the best in the business. I personally still use the Thermaltake 360mm Floe Riing RGB Premium due to its amazing ability to keep my overclocked R5 2700X cool while also being almost silent. With the new 3rd generation Ryzen CPUs retaining…
Most people remain blissfully ignorant about their data security, until something bad happens and you are a victim to some form of data loss, identity theft or ransomware. We are in an era of cybercrime, I am not sure a day goes by without a news announcement about a data breach, software vulnerability or ransomware….
Update 8th of July 2019 – The CPUs have now launched and reviews have come out for the 3700X and 3900X and they are living up to the hype. Update 18th of July 2019 – more reviews added from gamersnexus.net and techspot.com The Ryzen 5 3600 is available to buy now with immediate shipping. While…
Intel is certainly feeling the pressure from AMD, they have been feeling it since the launch of the original Ryzen. With the Zen 2 series of processors, things have only gotten worse, the i9-9900K doesn’t fare particularly well compared to the Ryzen 7 3700X or Ryzen 9 3900X, though it is still technically best at…
I have reviewed a lot of excellent laptops from Acer, but none have really tickled my fancy when it comes to laying out my own money. The premium ultraportables always look appealing but I would inevitably break one on a press trip. Similarly, I praised the Acer Nitro 5 last year for being the most…
Wi-Fi 6 has finally started to roll out properly, a few routers have been available over a year, but in recent months we now have client devices that can make the most of it including the Samsung Galaxy S10, two Wi-Fi modules for laptops, and now multiple motherboards on the AMD X570 chipset. Several consumer…
It is a good day for consumers, under the threat that the Radeon RX 5700 will compete with the RTX 2070 & 2060 we have already seen Nvidia launch their Super cards, offering more performance for the same price as the original RTX parts. Some view it as a bit of an underhanded move by…
We often get months worth of leaks during a build up for a new grpahics card, but a few weeks ago, as the hype for AMD Navi built up, it emerged that Nvidia were preparing the launch of the new Super variants of their RTX cards. Suspiciously the launch of these cards is just 5…