Articles about PC

AMD has laid out its aim to make workplace PC and laptop devices more powerful thanks to its latest Ryzen Pro chips.

The company has unveiled the first enterprise computing devices that will feature its latest hardware, with the world's three biggest PC manufacturers all signed up for new releases.

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Desktop computers remain the primary means of work for the majority of the workforce, but this may not be the case for long.

A new report from Spiceworks examining the current usage of, and future investments in business PCs and mobile devices in the US, UK and Canada titled The Future of the PC says 60 percent of employees still use desktops as their primary working device.

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Digital assistants can do many things well, but no single one can do everything that we need. That's why we use different ones, depending on what we want to do and what device we are using. But what if they could talk to each other, so we wouldn't have to switch between them anymore?

Amazon and Microsoft have decided to do just that, announcing that Alexa and Cortana will soon be able to work together to help users do what they want much more quickly and easily. Here's what that means for the two tech giants' customers.

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Once again, analysts have predicted a grim, grim future for the PC.

According to the latest IDC forecasts, PC sales will fall from the 435.1 million units seen in 2016 to 398.3 million in 2021. That's a five-year compound annual growth of -1.7 percent.

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If you are a PC gamer and you don't have a mechanical keyboard, you simply aren't doing life right. Look, a truly great video game player can succeed with any properly functioning keyboard and mouse, but if you can get an edge, why not take it? A mechanical keyboard doesn't just provide a more satisfying gaming and typing experience, but they are often built to last, making them a wise investment.

Today, respected manufacturer SteelSeries launches a new such mechanical gaming keyboard that it is referring to as the "complete package" -- bold words! The APEX M750, as it is called, has QX2 switches that the company claims will offer superior gaming performance. Since it is a gaming product in 2017, it of course has customizable RGB lighting.

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My love for Fractal Design cases is well documented. Most recently, I -- and other members of the PC building community -- went gaga over the "Define C TG" chassis series from the company, as it featured good looks, solid design, and a beautiful tempered glass window. You really can't go wrong with a Fractal Design case, as it should last you many years without breaking the bank. The designs are evergreen, as the company does not follow the fleeting style du jour.

Today, Fractal Design launches yet another case, and once again, it looks like a winner. The "Meshify C," as it is called, is true to its name, as it features, well, a lot of mesh. The company has designed this chassis to be the pinnacle of cooling, with plenty of mesh, fan mounting options, and the potential for excellent cable management. Of course, it looks sexy too, particularly thanks to a beautiful tinted tempered glass window

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One of my favorite computer chassis-makers is Fractal Design. Why? Well, the company's designs are both affordable and no-nonsense. Rather than make its cases look like spaceships for children, the designers focus on conservative designs that real PC builders appreciate. In other words, they are not form over function. Don't misunderstand me, the chassis designs aren't boring; just classy rather than flashy.

Today, Fractal Design launches a tempered glass update to one of its most popular case series  -- Define C. If you aren't familiar these cases, they ditch the front cages, making the chassis less deep. This is not just better for aesthetics, but cooling too. I like this design, as far fewer builders are using optical drives or 3.5-inch hard drives -- it was wasteful to have empty space at the front. There is still room for SATA drives, however, underneath the shroud -- which is also home to the power supply unit. This new "TG" variant with tempered glass makes a great case even better.

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There seems to be a bit of a trend lately, where more and more computer builders are opting for smaller cases. In other words, rather than use a full ATX board and chassis, they are going for micro ATX and mini ITX. While I am sure aesthetics play a part, there is definitely one big benefit -- desk space. A smaller PC should provide the user with more surface room. With that said, they could get even more space by simply putting the computer on, say, the floor or separate table, but I digress.

If you want to truly maximize desk space, why not just use your desk as a chassis? No, I haven't gone mad -- there are actually desks that can double as a computer case. Today, famed case-maker, Lian Li, launches such a product, and it looks amazing. Called "DK-05," it can accommodate two motherboards (up to EATX), allowing the user to fit dual computers into one chassis; this includes two PSUs and eight PCI cards per board. What makes it particularly impressive, however, is that the desk is motorized, meaning the height can be adjusted with the press of a button, turning it into a standing desk when needed. As you can guess, this chassis desk is insanely expensive.

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There are many reasons to be a fan of AMD nowadays. For instance, many of the underdog's products offer solid performance at a great price (budget-friendly), plus its fan community is really engaged too. If you need support, not only can you reach out to AMD, but countless friendly fellow owners as well. Heck, AMD Windows drivers have really improved over the years too, making it a treat to upgrade when a new version is released.

AMD doesn't only want to be about the budget-friendly market, however. It is prepared to go after the high-end too. Going against the giant that is Intel won't be easy, but with processors such as the upcoming drool-worthy Threadripper line, AMD is making an impressive effort. Today, the company is also targeting NVIDIA on the GPU front, finally launching its much-anticipated Radeon RX Vega. AMD is hoping to capture the wallets of enthusiast gamers with Vega, and with the low starting price, it may succeed.

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Microsoft sent shockwaves around the technology world back in 2013 when it released the first edition of its Surface Pro. As its first computing release, the device was a bold change by a company best known for its software, but the success of this initial model, and the three successive releases, have proved it to be a shrewd idea.

Released last month, the latest edition of the Surface Pro has dropped the model number seen in previous generations, meaning this product goes back to basics when it comes to naming, however when it comes to what's inside, the device has received a welcome upgrade.

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Global shipments of smart devices including PCs and smartphones are set for a surprising decline this year, according to new Gartner figures.

Shipments will hit 2.3 billion this year, representing a 0.3 percent decline compared to the year before, the analyst firm said, before returning to growth next year.

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While you should never buy any low-quality components for a computer build, I can't stress enough how important it is to never get a cheap no-name power supply unit. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with saving money, but a chintzy PSU has the potential to not only cause instability, but it could even fry your other components. Heck, it could even cause a fire. Please stick with well-known PSU brands, folks.

One such company that offers quality power supply units is Thermaltake. Today, that manufacturer unveils an absolutely beautiful such offering. Called "Toughpower iRGB PLUS 1250W Titanium TT Premium Edition," it features Japanese capacitors, and as the name indicates, it offers an impressive 1,250 watts of power. The 80 PLUS Titanium certified PSU is fully modular, meaning you only need to connect the cables you need -- good for both appearance and cooling. Its RGB fan has 16.8 million colors, which Thermaltake claims is the first ever on a PSU. It even has a mobile app that can alert you to fan failure -- very cool.

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If you thought the concept of a sound card was dead, you'd be wrong, but I wouldn't blame you for thinking it. After all, on-board motherboard sound is often excellent, and many people will choose a USB DAC nowadays as an upgrade.

Today, Creative unveils a new PCIe sound card that will get you excited. Called "Sound BlasterX AE-5," it is chock full of features and impressive specs. While overkill for most, it features an insane 32-bit/384kHz DAC. It offers connectivity for a 5.1 speaker setup. Since this is a gaming product in 2017, it of course has RGB lighting -- it comes with attachable RGB light strips to illuminate your case. While this card is designed for gamers, it will also be ideal for audiophiles listening to music.

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PC gaming is exploding in popularity. Not only are people playing games, but they are watching other people play on services like Twitch. Heck, even eSports is being more accepted as a legitimate spectator sport -- you can watch such competitions on television. Crazy times, eh?

With PC gaming growing, so too are the number of products -- mice, keyboard, headsets and more. One of the most important things a gamer can buy is a quality monitor. Today, Samsung unveils two new displays (CHG70 and CHG90) with jaw-dropping features. Both models feature QLED Quantum Dot technology and the all-new Radeon FreeSync 2, which is AMD's solution for reducing screen-tearing. The 49-inch CHG90 is the most exciting of the bunch, however, as it features a neat resolution of 3840x1080. It is like putting two 1080p monitors side-by-side! The 27- and 31.5-inch CHG70 monitors have a resolution of 2560x1440.

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The success of Windows 10 and the reception Microsoft's latest operating system has had from consumers could mean that the PC market will grow again in 2019.

IDC's latest Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker has offered new insight as to why the firm believes the PC market is set for a growth period a few years from now.

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