Articles about PC

While many people buy pre-assembled PC gaming machines nowadays -- including diminutive mini variants -- there is still much to be said for building your own computer. Selecting your processor, chassis, PSU, and memory can be extremely rewarding. You get the opportunity to create your vision, and sometimes it can be more cost-effective too.

Today, G.SKILL unveils some system RAM which should make PC builders absolutely giddy. The company's latest member of the Trident Z family is a four-module 64GB DDR4 kit. What makes it so special? It can run at an insanely fast 3600MHz!

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It used to be that if you wanted a powerful gaming PC, you would need a monstrous tower with many loud fans. Nowadays, you can build a Mini-ITX system that offers impressive specifications in a tiny package.

What if you want something even smaller? Zotac has a new VR-Ready mini PC that is shockingly tiny. Inside the diminutive 'MAGNUS ERX480' barebones box is an Intel Skylake Core i5-6400T and an AMD Radeon RX480 (4GB GDDR5 256-bit). It supports DDR4 RAM (1866 or 2133) up to to 32GB and an M.2 connector for storage. For convenience, it can also be had with both RAM and storage installed from the factory. You can choose to have Windows 10 pre-installed too.

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At its Surface event, Microsoft today introduced not only an updated Surface Book but also an all-new all in one PC called Surface Studio. With a 28-inch screen, impressive specs and clever design, it is probably the closest and most appealing rival to Apple's mighty 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display.

The Surface Studio is aimed at prosumers, featuring a hinged stand that enables users to adjust the angle of the display -- which can be used upright, tilted back or almost flat on the desk. That is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive things about it. And, of course, it is a touchscreen. The name of the hinge is pretty cool, as Microsoft refers to it as the Zero Gravity Hinge.

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When it comes to shopping for PC gaming hardware, there are often three types of consumers -- hardcore, budget, and those that fall in between. Hardcore gamers will spend massive amounts of money to get the absolute best performance. Budget gamers, however, aim for respectable specifications at affordable prices.

If you fall into the budget category, today, NVIDIA announces two new graphics cards that will make you very excited -- GeForce GTX 1050 and 1050 Ti. While neither card is top of the line, they should be able to achieve solid performance at 1080p. Best of all? The 1050 starts at a super-low $109.

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The PC market can't catch a break, as shipments continue to drop. If you ask Gartner, we are looking at a 5.7 percent decline year-over-year for Q3 2016. IDC, meanwhile, says that the decrease is of just 3.9 percent. But no matter which figure is closer to the truth, it is clear that it will be extremely hard -- if not impossible -- for PC vendors to turn things around.

Gartner says that Q3 2016 is the eighth consecutive quarter when PC shipments decline, calling this "the longest duration of decline in the history of the PC industry". And it is easy to understand why: buying a new PC is not a priority for most consumers in mature markets, while for many folks in emerging markets the PC is not even on their radar.

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Worldwide shipments for devices including PCs, tablets, smartphones and mobile phones, are expected to decline three percent this year, according to a new report by market analysts Gartner. The company says this will be the second consecutive year of decline, as the global devices market fell by 0.75 percent in 2015. "The global devices market is not on pace to return to single-digit growth soon", says Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner.

"Growth is on pace to remain flat during the next five years. All segments are expected to decline in 2016, except for premium ultramobiles and utility mobile phones (entry level phones), which are expected to show single-digit growth this year", says Gartner.

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If you have a phone running Windows 10 Mobile, you can use it as a mini PC, connecting it to a TV or monitor. However, this functionality -- Continuum for phones -- is only available on certain devices.

If you want a more powerful pocket PC, then Ockel Sirius A is a promising solution. It’s a full Windows 10 PC in a tiny, mobile-sized device that will fit comfortably in your pocket.

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When buying PC components for a build, there are many things to consider. While brand, performance, and quality are obviously the most important factors, appearance sometimes matters too. True, not everyone cares about how computer parts look, but some people take pride in the overall appearance of their PC -- especially when a window-case is used.

CORSAIR is a well-respected company when it comes to memory, and its latest offering will likely bolster those opinions. The newly-launched DOMINATOR PLATINUM Special Edition DDR4 Memory kits are not only fast, but drop-dead gorgeous too.

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AMD makes very cost-effective and powerful processors. Even though some of its chips are a bit long in the tooth, gamers in particular can leverage them for a powerful machine without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, its AM3+ platform is lacking in some modern technology, such as DDR4 and PCIe 3.0. While DDR3 RAM is arguably still good enough, PCIe 2.0 is a bottleneck for modern NVMe SSDs.

Luckily, consumers won't have to wait long to get a desktop PC powered by AMD's latest 7th generation APU -- codenamed 'Bristol Ridge'. Windows 10 OEMs (Lenovo and HP only, for now) are finally shipping these AM4 machines, which feature DDR4 memory, PCIe 3.0, and more. Of course, as APUs, the systems will have solid graphic performance without the need for a dedicated graphics card. This paves the way for the even more-powerful Zen CPUs from AMD.

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There is a stereotype that all PC gamers are the hardcore variant -- drinking Mountain Dew in their mom's basement while spending their entire paycheck on video games and associated accessories. While those people surely do exist, there are plenty of people -- myself included -- that are casual gamers with limited budgets. When I say casual, I don't mean Candy Crush and Words with Friends -- we enjoy the same games as the hardcore folks. Sadly, we just don't have as much time and resources to dedicate to playing.

Unfortunately, companies don't seem interested in catering to the PC gaming everyman (or woman). Today this changes as Logitech G announces a new line of accessories for the casual segment. Called 'Prodigy', it offers capable gear without nonsense.

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Windows laptops and tablets are constantly improving. They get thinner, faster, and more beautiful every year. But what about home desktop PCs and business workstations? Save for some wild-looking gaming rigs, these desk-bound and often-rectangular PCs have become quite stagnant. Quite frankly, their conservative designs can stifle inspiration.

HP is looking to change this. With what the company calls a 'reinvention', it unveils the fashionable Pavilion Wave home desktop PC and modular Elite Slice business workstation. While calling these machines a desktop PC reinvention might be a bit of an exaggeration, they are certainly interesting.

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USB-C is a total game-changer for the computer market. The most obvious benefit is that it is reversible -- you can't plug it in "wrong" like prior connector versions. The true magic, however, is that a single cable can be used for a quality docking experience -- including power. In other words, a compatible laptop or tablet can be transformed into a powerful desktop/workstation with ease.

Today, StarTech.com announces a 60 watt charging USB-C dock, with a very unimaginative name. Dubbed the 'USB-C Dual Monitor Docking Station with Power Delivery', it appears to be very useful for both home and business users. Unlike some similar offerings from other companies, it features DisplayPort in addition to HDMI.

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If you were to observe me playing PC games alone in my basement (yes, I am a cliché), you may hear me talking. No, I'm not a crazy person speaking to myself; I am likely wearing a gaming headset and chatting with a stranger over the internet.

If you are a serious PC gamer, you should invest in a quality headset. Look, you spend all kinds of money on your gaming computer, mouse, and keyboard; why not splurge on a headset too? Today, Sennheiser announces an intriguing surround sound headset -- the PC 373D.

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Worldwide PC shipments are still in decline, but they’re showing slow signs of recovery, according to new and preliminary market research results by Gartner. In the second quarter of 2016, 64.3 million units were shipped, equating to a 5.2 percent decline compared to a year before.

This is the seventh consecutive quarter PC shipments have been falling, but Gartner says there’s no reason to despair.

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If you’d asked me what the most used item in the office is, I’d probably tell you the watercooler. But, according to new research, the most important one is the printer.

Yes, the printer is more important than the computer. Or the pen. Or the stapler.

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