We’re not sure we can remember a period of CPU launches landing quite so close together, intermixed with graphics cards too, but as Intel’s Raptor Lake CPUs have finally landed, this is the real comparison everyone wants to see. The Core i9-13900K is retailing for a lot more than we initially expected, but that’s still … Read more
If you thought PCI-E 4 SSDs had already had their last hurrah you’d be mistaken, as several manufacturers have released new high-speed flagship models despite PCI-E 5 SSDs looming on the horizon, including both WD and Samsung (opposite). Of course, you’d need a new PC with a compatible motherboard in order to use a PCI-E … Read more
The Asus ROG Strix range has traditionally occupied a middle ground between the company’s Prime and TUF ranges, and its top-end ROG offerings. The boards often lack certain premium features, but still give you some frills and decent bang for your buck. In recent years, though, Strix boards have been getting increasingly lavish and attractive, … Read more
There’s no getting round the fact that motherboards are going up in price, and if you want the latest chipsets you’re going to have to pay down the nose for them. Even here, with the Asus ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi D4, we’re looking at a £ motherboard. Despite being a few hundred pounds cheaper … Read more
Despite its fair share of naysayers, it’s clear that mini-ITX is here to stay now, and Asus has been an avid supporter of the form factor, offering both AMD and Intel platforms since Ryzen first appeared on the scene. Luckily for small form factor fans, there are now mini options for both Socket AM5 and … Read more
Asus’ TUF-branded motherboards used to represent the company’s value-focused range, but with a price over £ you would have a tough time describing the TUF Gaming X670E-Plus WiFi as cheap. It also costs around £ more than the Z690-based equivalent, which benefits from also having DDR4 memory support, whereas using any AMD Socket AM5 motherboard … Read more
If you’ve bought yourself a shiny new laptop, smartphone or tablet recently, it might have the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard built in. If so, and you want to make the most of it, you probably need to upgrade to a new router. Asus’s RT-AX55 is one of the most affordable ways to do this. Read … Read more
With Intel launching its most core-laden desktop processor ever in the form of the Core i9-13900K, it’s not surprising to see some suitably high-end and extreme motherboards lining up as potential suitors. Once a brand that sat at the budget end of the ROG line-up, the new Hero won’t leave you with much change from … Read more
If your hopes of owning a Ryzen 7000 system were dashed due to recent motherboard pricing leaks, the fact that some X670E-chipset models won’t cost you more than £ probably comes as moderately good news. The ASRock X670E PG Lightning still costs more than we’d have paid for a premium offering a few years ago, … Read more
If you’re after a more affordable Socket AM5 option than the £ Taichi, ASRock also has the X670E Steel Legend, which will give you change from £ and isn’t as eye-wateringly expensive. In fact, in terms of appearance, we even think the Steel Legend looks a little sexier than the surprisingly dull-looking Taichi, with the … Read more
This autumn is going to represent an interesting battle for the CPU performance crown, with AMD’s new 5nm Zen 4 microarchitecture vying for pole position against the expected Core i9-13900K from Intel. However, while AMD has made huge performance gains from shrinking the manufacturing process and introducing a new microarchitecture, it hasn’t increased the core … Read more
After the Core i7-11700K proved almost as potent as the Core i9-11900K, but for much less cash, Alder Lake sees Intel’s mainstream Core i7 chip go back to basics. INTEL LGA1700 CPU It has a lower core count than the 12900K, but also a much lower price, retailing for £ less than the Core i9-12900K. … Read more