What Is a Motherboard?
The motherboard is where it all starts for the PC. It’s the component underlying everything. There are so many different analogies you could draw, but here’s our favorite: It’s like the computer’s nervous system. Its primary…
Should You Use a VPN for Gaming?
There’s a good chance you run into a lot of ads for VPN (virtual private network) services while visiting websites or listening to podcasts. They are everywhere these days thanks, in part, to a renewed focus on privacy and se…
What Is an External DAC, and Do You Need One for a PC?
High-quality sound on PCs from drop-in sound cards and external DACs is a weird subject. It’s not as necessary as it once was. In fact, nobody even thinks about it much anymore. There’s no song or game that you won’t be able …
5 Awesome PC Keyboard Features No One Should Be Without
There are a ton of considerations when buying a new PC or creating the perfect desktop setup. But one that should never be overlooked is the keyboard—especially since a cheap or poorly designed keyboard that’s difficult to …
How Important Is the Power Supply (PSU) When Building a PC?
The power supply (PSU) is a critical part of any PC. It powers all the components in your PC, and a bad or faulty one can bring everything down. Here’s what to look for in a power supply while putting together a PC….
How to Turn a Windows Laptop Into a Desktop PC
Laptops offer the power of a PC wherever you go, from the other side of the country to the other side of the couch. But sometimes you want a desktop for a bigger display, a larger keyboard, and a beefy mouse. Here’s how to t…
What Is “Binning” for Computer Components?
You might not realize it, but every time you purchase a new desktop CPU, you also get a ticket for a giveaway called the “silicon lottery.” Two CPUs of the same model can perform differently when pushed to their limits thanks…
When Are Integrated Graphics Good Enough on a PC?
Anybody looking for serious graphics power needs to have a graphics card from AMD, NVIDIA, or (someday soon) Intel. Not everyone wants that kind of power, however, especially when it comes at a price tag of $150 to more than …
What Is a GPU? Graphics Processing Units Explained
Computer graphics are an essential part of any modern computer system, even lightweight laptops. “GPU” stands for graphics processing unit, and it’s the part of the PC responsible for the on-screen images you see….
Do You Need a Dedicated Sound Card for Your PC?
For years, getting a dedicated sound card for your PC was a given because it was the only way to get quality sound. Modern PCs, however, have good audio hardware built into their motherboards. But dedicated sound cards still …
How “Unified Memory” Speeds Up Apple’s M1 ARM Macs
Apple is rethinking how components should exist and operate inside a laptop. With M1 chips in new Macs, Apple has a new “Unified Memory Architecture” (UMA) that dramatically speeds up memory performance. Here’s how memory wor…
What Is RAM? Everything You Need to Know
People often draw parallels between computers and the human brain, and sometimes, it’s an apt comparison. For example, both the brain and a computer have short- and long-term memory. RAM is where a computer stores its short…
What Is a CPU, and What Does It Do?
The most important part of your computer, if you had to choose just one, would be the central processing unit (CPU). It’s the primary hub (or “brain”), and it processes the instructions that come from programs, the operating …
Why an AMD 5000 CPU Might Beat Intel’s CPUs for Gaming
Here we go again! AMD Zen CPUs already have a reputation as the best performers in multi-threaded and productivity application performance. Now, the chip manufacturer has its eye on Intel’s longtime dominance in PC gaming….
How to Monitor In-Game PC Performance with MSI Afterburner
MSI Afterburner is one of the most popular ways to see in-game PC performance statistics. And yes, it works on all systems, whether you have an MSI graphics card or not. Here’s how to set it up!
5 Things to Consider Before Upgrading Your PC’s RAM
There was a time when the prescription for speeding up a slow PC was just to add more (or faster) RAM. These days, though, that’s not necessarily the best upgrade to choose first.
Should You Build a PC in 2020?
No one wants to build a new PC if, in a month or so, some super-awesome component is going to roll out, or prices are going to drop significantly. So, is 2020 a good time? Yes, but waiting until October is a good idea—espec…
Which Old Components Can You Reuse When Building a New PC?
Building a new PC is fun, exciting, and . . . expensive. After you’ve built a few desktops, all those new boxes of Corsair, NVIDIA, and Intel gear can lose their luster—especially after you tally up the bill….
Where You Should Splurge When Building a PC (and Where You Shouldn’t)
Building a PC on a budget is a delicate balance between price and performance. How much should you spend on the motherboard and CPU, and what about the graphics card? Which parts are worth spending some extra cash on?…
PC Benchmarks: How They Work and What to Look for
When it’s time to buy a new PC, upgrade your graphics card, or swap out your storage, you’ll see one word repeatedly: benchmarks. But how representative are benchmarks of real-world performance?
What Is an EAMR Hard Drive, and How Does It Work?
Hard drives are like printers: the technology is so old and well-understood, there’s really nothing new happening. Besides, aren’t we all about NVMe and SATA SSDs these days?
5 Tips for Building Your First PC
This is an amazing time to build a PC! Online tutorials are plentiful, and desktop components are so standardized, building a computer is almost foolproof. We say “almost” because, if you haven’t done your homework, you can…
CPUs Decoded: Understanding Intel’s Microarchitecture Names
What’s in a name? A lot, actually, if we’re talking about Intel processors. Intel uses internal code names designed to hide what the company is working on until it’s ready to go public. So, it’s no wonder these terms aren…
What Is DirectX 12 Ultimate on Windows 10 PCs and Xbox?
In 2018, Nvidia rolled out its RTX graphics cards, which rocked some killer features for gaming, including ray tracing and mesh shaders. However, Microsoft needed a standard that supported these features on more than just NV…
How to Host Your Own VPN with Algo and Cloud Hosting
Companies all over the world sell VPN services to secure your online activity, but can you really trust a VPN provider? If you want, you can create your own virtual private network with the open-source Algo software, and the …
