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!
At the start of the week, AMD announced their much anticipated Ryzen 3000 series CPUs based on the Zen 2 architecture. These chips are the first mainstream chips to be developed on the 7nm process and offer up to 12 cores/24 threads and during the keynote, they demoed how the flagship chip outperformed the equivalent…
The Dell XPS 13 range of laptops is arguably the best ultra-portable range on the market, with the 2-in-1 being particularly suited to travelling and commuting. Along with the launch of Intel’s latest 10th generation Ice Lake processors, the XPS 13 7300-series 2-in-1 convertible has been updated with a choice of options ranging from the…
As part of the yearly update cycle, Dell is rolling out redesigned Alienware 15-inch m15 and 17-inch m17 laptops, which feature higher-performance components, better displays – including an optional OLED panel – new storage options, and other improvements. Both systems are based on Intel’s 9th Gen Core mobile processors (up to Core i9-9980HK) as well as NVIDIA’s…
Mainstream 5G is just around the corner, and for mobile router users, it’s going to mean having enterprise-level internet connection speeds with you at all times. The trouble is, it’s hard to track down unbiased reviews of kit – so, rather than point you in the direction of one or two specific routers, we’ve put…
When Qualcomm launched their first Windows and ARM devices, the performance was a little lacklustre as well as compatibility issue with 64-bit applications. I still use my HP Envy X2, and things have improved with Windows updates, but it is not good enough as a main laptop. The laptop used the Snapdragon 835 Mobile PC…
Thermaltake is determined to make a case for every budget and requirement, I have reviewed some of their more affordable options, and some of their largest and more expensive choices. The Thermaltake Commander series builds upon this by offering six new options. Functionally they are all the same case, but with different mesh front panels…
The AMD keynote at Computex was mainly focussed on the new 3rd generation Ryzen CPUs, but the company did tease us with their up and coming Radeon RX 5700 series which will be based on Navi. The first Navi cards will be the Radeon RX 5700 series, which are launching in July and on an…
After months of hype and leaks, AMD has finally announced Zen 2 with 5 new chips forming the AMD Ryzen 3000 series family. Many of the previous leaks seemed too good to be true with claims of 16 core chips with a boost of over 5Ghz. Well, they were too good to be true, what…
And it’s finally official! The AMD Ryzen 9 3900X has been officially announced with 12-core, 24-thread, 4.6Ghz Boost, 3.8Ghz 105W. AMD announced they have increased the single threaded performacne by 32% from the last first generation Zen chips, and doubled the multi thread performance. They put the new flagship chip up against the £1k+ Intel…
AMD will hold their keynote speach in less than 24 hours and we will finally have full details of the latest Zen 2 AMD CPUs which could shake up the market as much as the origina Ryzen launch. A new entry has popped up on Geekbench 4 which reveals that a 6 core, 12 thread…
Last year both Acer and Asus launched the first 4K HDR 144Hz G-Sync monitors, being bleeding edge technology they commanded an astronomical price of over £2000. Even today, the Acer X27 will set you back around £1700. Granted, to run those monitors at their full potential you would need one, if not two £1000+ RTX2080…
Most of the hype is for the latest Zen 2 Maltisse CPUs AMD will be releasing in the next couple of months, but leaker Tum Apisak has revealed some interesting details of the upcoming AM4 Picasso APUs ahead of release. These new chips will are based upon the 12nm process, and Zen+ CPU cores and…