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!
This is a quick review of the ARCTIC Freezer i32, it won’t have all the performance figures you see on some reviews as it was an impulse buy by myself but I thought it was decent enough to review quickly. I have recently had issues with my server, and also been fed up with the…
The F-Secure SENSE is a quite an exciting product in the world of routers. It the first hardware product from F-Secure, but it is also a router that has been designed from the ground up to be completely secure (if that’s possible). The router itself is not only secure but uses proprietary threat management software…
My previous AOC and Philips reviews have all been for quite expensive monitors and as much as I would like to own an AGON AG271QG I personally can’t quite justify the expense. I am sure this is also the case for many others. For me, I want a 27in 2560 x 1440 monitor as one…
Following my review of the excellent Acer Spin 7, I have been sent the business orientated Dell Latitude 5289 2-in-1. The model I have reviewed is one below the top of the range and priced at £1,127 currently (minus VAT). The specification includes: 7th Generation Intel Core™ i5-7300U (Dual Core 2.60Gz 3MB cache) Windows 10…
Solid State Storage is all the rage for laptops and desktops nowadays, it offers exponentially better performance than a mechanical drive while being smaller, quieter and giving off less heat. However, they are expensive compared to their mechanical equivalents and store less data, this means that we haven’t really seen many external SSDs on the…
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In the past year, Acer has rebranded their laptop line-up launching the new Swift and Spin range. Their names are a bit of a giveaway, with the Spin being the convertible line while the Swift is the normal ultraportable. The Spin range comes in 3 varieties, the 3, 5 and 7. The line-up is a…
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Following my review of the impressive AOC 27” AGON gaming monitor, I have been sent the Philips Brilliance 34” ultra wide to review. This is the flagship model from Philips and is visually stunning. The 34-inch screen is ultra wide giving you a 21:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 3440 x 1440 using and…
Following my review of the excellent Toshiba Canvio Connect II, Toshiba has been kind enough to send me a sample of their consumer solid state drive (SSD) the Q300. The sample I was sent is the 480GB version, but it also comes in 120GB, 240GB and 960GB varieties. You can get the 480GB model for…
AVM have announced details of the upcoming line-up of routers this year, the new lineup includes models with MIMO allowing them to achieve wireless speeds of 1,733 Mbit/s + 800 Mbit/s. The 2 new routers come in a more conservative design which will make them a bit more appealing to some. Press release as follows: The new top…
I have worked in web development for years, and while I am aware of monitor calibration, and the need for it in the graphic design industry, I have never actually tried it out until recently, thanks to Datacolor and their Spyder5 device. The Spyder5 is a hardware device that plugs in via USB that can…