Articles about PC

Microsoft is expanding the availability of the top-tier Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book models, as today it introduces the 1TB versions of its hybrid devices in eight more markets. The software giant introduced Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book last year, in October, but did not bring all the storage configurations outside of US and Canada.

The new 10 markets where the 1TB Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book are now available are Australia, Austria, China, France, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Microsoft says that interested buyers will be able to purchase these models from its online store but also authorized resellers and retail partners.

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For every successful business you see, there are many more that fail. In other words, having a long lasting company is not an easy feat -- the odds are stacked against business owners. To make matters worse, the economy has been truly horrific for a while now, making success even harder.

One such company that is thriving is SteelSeries. In fact, next month, the gaming-focused accessory maker will celebrate a 15th birthday. While tradition dictates that SteelSeries should receive gifts for its birthday, it is instead flipping the script. You see, the company is giving away $40,000 in prizes to mark the occasion -- including a trip to Valve HQ and a hardcore gaming laptop! Want to enter? Keep reading, y'all...

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When you build or upgrade a computer, you may be attracted to the low prices of cheap components. While getting a good deal is great, seasoned PC builders know that you should never go low-quality. This advice is not for any specific component, but for all of them. Understandably, you should stay within your budget, but make sure you target reputable brands for power supply units, memory, motherboards, and more.

One such brand that I absolutely adore is HyperX. This is Kingston's gaming moniker for things like memory, solid state drives, and headsets. Its memory in particular is very dependable -- many PC builders and gamers trust the RAM. Today, Alienware -- Dell's gaming subsidiary -- announces that it will offer HyperX DDR4 (up to 2400MHz) exclusively for memory upgrades on its Aurora mid-tower desktops. In other words, consumers will be assured quality RAM when upgrading the memory on these Alienware gaming rigs from the factory.

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While E3 2016 doesn't officially begin until June 14th, gaming news is starting to come fast and furiously. For example, the new Xbox One S console has leaked prematurely; I am sure Microsoft is not happy about this.

Electronic Arts and Respawn on the other hand, have chosen to intentionally release information early regarding one of its fan-favorite franchises. Titanfall 2, the sequel to the wildly popular shooter, will be coming to Xbox One and PC this year. The title will also come to PlayStation 4; this is significant, as the original did not come to Sony's console. Curious of the release date? Read on for more info!

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It’s not news that the PC market is in serious decline. We’ve been talking about the death of the PC here for more years than I care to remember, and the latest forecasts from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker don’t provide any relief either.

According to the analyst firm, worldwide PC shipments are forecast to decline by 7.3 percent year over year in 2016, with Windows 10 cited as one of the reasons behind the drop.

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Windows 10 updates may add new features, beef up security, and refine the user experience, but they can also be a source of frustration if the operating system decides to automatically install them at the wrong moment. There are times when you really want to keep using your PC, and not let Windows 10 restart it to finish the job. Just ask this pro gamer who had a Twitch stream ruined right in the middle of a gaming session watched by 130,000 followers.

So what can you do? You may be tempted to disable automatic updates or Windows Update altogether, but that is obviously not ideal. However, you can control when Windows 10 can automatically install updates. Here is how you can configure it.

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PC gaming is so much more than graphics cards and powerful processors. Once you build your rig, you need to get quality accessories too. Things like keyboards, mice, and headsets contribute to the overall experience.

The latest rage in keyboards are the mechanical variants. While they can be more expensive than a rubber dome style keyboard, they are certainly worth the extra cost. Mechanical keyboards offer more precise and satisfying keystrokes, which is not only ideal for gaming, but all uses, really. Today, famed memory manufacturer, G.SKILL, announces two new mechanical keyboards -- the KM570 MX and KM770.

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When it comes to building a PC, there are many directions you can go. Of course, the most important question you must ask is, what are you going to do with it? Ideally, you don't want to pay for more than you need. If you will just be surfing the web, you probably don't need a hardcore GPU and 32GB of RAM. With that said, some folks with money will just buy the best regardless. If you can afford it, hey, why not?

Today, Intel announces its Broadwell-E line, including its fastest processor ever, the new Core i7 Extreme Edition i7-6950X. They feature support for DDR4 2400, and the top Extreme Edition has a jaw-dropping 10 cores. Before you get too excited, please know that these are designed for those with money to burn. For example, that 10-core variant costs more than $1,700!

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Europe is considered an old continent by many standards, but when it comes to what workers there find essential, that’s where the oldness really kicks in.

Apparently, workers in the EU still find fax machines "essential" to office life. As a matter of fact, they find it more important than tablets, or smartwatches. Those are the results of a survey done by business communications technology provider Fuze. It asked 5,000 employees about the technologies still used in the office.

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PC vendors are definitely in a pickle, as the market size everywhere continues to shrink, but there are areas of the industry that are still profitable, market analysts Gartner have said.

PC sales have recorded one of its lowest quarterly growth rates in Q1 2016, but ultramobiles are growing, and that’s where the focus should probably be. Ultramobiles (tablets, thin and lightweight PCs, convertibles) are expected to grow 16 percent, to $34.6 billion, compared to 2015.

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Building a computer is extremely fun. In fact, for some folks -- including yours truly -- the build itself can sometimes be more enjoyable than using the computer! Getting to select the case, components, and color scheme is very rewarding.

When I say "color scheme", I am not just talking about the outward appearance. The design of the inside is important too -- sort of like art. Picking SATA cables, SSDs and RAM sticks with matching colors can create something beautiful -- especially if you have a window case. Today, one of my favorite RAM manufacturers, G.SKILL, announces five new colors for its Trident Z Series DDR4 RAM kits.

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When buying a computer monitor nowadays, there are many things to consider. While you might think the bigger the better, you would sort of be wrong. For a monstrous display, you also want a high resolution to go with it. A 43-inch monitor with 1080p, for example, would have blurry text and provide a poor overall experience.

Today, Philips releases its all-new Brilliance 43-inch Ultra HD LCD display to the USA market. This 4K monitor should prove wonderful for many things, such as gaming, photography, CAD, and general-use too. Best of all, the price tag is rather reasonable.

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As the 2015/2016 school year starts coming to a close, students begin dreaming about summer vacation. Some parents, however, are already dreaming of something else -- the start of the next school term! As much as parents love their kids, having them home all summer can be a bit much, understandably.

While it is never too early to begin daydreaming about your kids returning to school, the same can be said about researching the next PC you will buy them. After all, you don't want to buy last year's model when the new ones are right around the corner. Today, HP unveils its all-new Pavilion lineup, perfect for 'Back to School' and beyond. If you are thinking about buying an affordable Windows 10 PC, the company's Pavilion portfolio offers amazing quality and value; you need to check them out.

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Windows 10 Mobile does not have much of a future. With two very disappointing quarters for Lumia sales, a market share of around one percent, poor vendor support, and no mention of it at Build 2016, this much is clear. You would expect Microsoft to pull the plug any minute now, but the software giant seems to be doing just the opposite.

In an internal email, Terry Myerson is encouraging "certain partners" to continue to pour their resources into the platform. Microsoft's EVP of Windows and Devices Group says that the company is still "committed" to Windows 10 Mobile, claiming that development of its "next generation products" is well underway. It sounds unbelievable, but that is just what you should expect Microsoft to say.

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Many gamers on a budget choose AMD FX processors for their builds. Not only are they affordable, but very capable too. With up to eight cores, and easy overclocking, you can squeeze a lot of performance out of them without breaking the bank.

When using an FX processor, it is not uncommon for builders to choose an aftermarket cooler for better cooling or reduced noise. Of course this will add to the overall cost. Today, however, consumers selecting the FX 8350 and FX 6350 may want to forgo the additional cooler purchase. Why? AMD is now bundling its already-legendary Wraith cooler with them. Yes, the formidable silent cooler is being included in the box!

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