Easier installation? Yes, that’s why it’s done. Daisy-chaining fans using contacts in their frames is great, but it often also comes with pitfalls that reduce “cooling efficiency”. Manufacturers deal with this in different ways. One does it technically one way, another differently. In any case, they know that a frame that is too thick means less space for the blades. And that does not improve airflow per unit of noise. Read more “Fan frame daisy-chaining trend. When is it (not) helpful”
The most feature-rich—and also the most expensive—AMD AM5 motherboard we’ve had in the lab. That defines the MEG X870E Ace Max. It is intended for the most demanding users who are willing to pay a premium while expecting a great deal in return. And it certainly delivers, wouldn’t you say? We focused on the details that underscore the motherboard’s high-end capabilities. It even features two southbridge chips. Read more “MSI MEG X870E Ace Max: An Elite Board for AMD Ryzens”
As is well known, Intel is trying to pivot to a foundry business fabbing chips for external customers like TSMC or Samsung. Compared to those, however, it currently lacks a portfolio of older, lower-cost technologies. For those, Intel has paired up with Taiwan’s UMC some time ago, aiming to develop an inexpensive easy-to-use 12nm process. But it now appears that this collaboration could later also produce an affordable 3nm process. Read more “Advanced Yet Cheap Chips? Intel and UMC Developing a 3nm Node”
In May, AMD announced that FSR 4.1 AI upcaling is coming to Radeon RX 7000 and later also RX 6000 graphics cards. It was supposed to be due next month for X 7000, but AMD went and launched it this week possibly due to the launch of Valve’s Steam Machine, which uses GPUs from the Radeon RX 7000 series. And furthermore: Official FSR 4.1 should work better than the leaked FSR4 libraries that could previously be used unofficially. Read more “FSR 4.1 for Radeon RX 7000 Launched, APUs Will Get Lite Version”
The end of summer will bring our HWCooling Techtour ’26 technology conference at schools. At this point, we would like to thank the founders of the participating schools, who see value in this project. Everyone contributes in whatever way they can, and we truly appreciate it. If this interests you, you can read this article, where in addition to this topic we will also elaborate on other related matters that we believe are leading toward a fruitful outcome. Read more “HWCooling Techtour ’26 made possible by self-governing regions”
A relatively thick tower and as many as seven heatpipes. The fin surface area of the DeepCool AK700 Digital NYX is quite large, even though it is cooled by a single fan. This may be attractive for those who prefer tower coolers (typically over liquid coolers) but still want the best possible memory compatibility, which many dual‑tower designs obstruct. Read more “DeepCool AK700 Digital NYX: Single Thicker Tower (with a Display)”
Today’s market is rough for gamers seeking powerful hardware for latest titles. GPUs and other gear like gaming monitors that deliver high performance, flawless experiences and all the latest features without ruining your budget have become more crucial than ever. Today, Radeon RX 9000 GPUs are ideal for this, and Gigabyte can pair them with an affordable monitor offering parameters that until recently belonged to the realm of dreams. Read more “Radeon RX 9000: Top Game Visuals and Performance You Can Afford”
CPS PCCooler DC360 Pro ARGB Display can probably be described as visually attractive. This claim is based on the fans with extensive lighting. Under normal circumstances (that is, when you get a flawless unit), one can likely also state that cooling performance is high. And then, of course, we move on to something that could be described as combining “looks” with “useful” (high cooling efficiency). Read more “Need a lot of light? CPS PCCooler DC360 Pro ARGB Display”
One of the advantages of AMD CPUs for the AM5 socket compared to the AM4 platform is that even the higher‑end chiplet models include an integrated GPU located in the IO chiplet. Thanks to this, these processors can be used in office PCs (or workstations that don’t require high GPU performance) without the needing a discrete graphics card. But the new generation with Zen 6 cores may lose this advantage, likely due to the AI hype. Read more “Zen 6 Desktop Ryzen CPUs Reportedly Lack Integrated GPU”
Cheap coolers are always worth attention. In this short analysis, we focused on one such cooler. Valkyrie designates it as the Surge SL125. To avoid any misunderstanding, the word “cheap” refers only to the purchase price—build quality on the Valkyrie Surge SL125 is very respectable. Especially considering that the MSRP of this CPU cooler sits just above thirty euros (incl. VAT). Read more “Valkyrie Surge SL125: An affordable „ARGB tower“”
Nvidia unveiled its own RTX Spark laptop CPUs at Computex, with considerable support from PC manufacturers and Microsoft, who clearly expect Nvidia processors to capture a significant share of the PC market. Whether that’s achievable for the first generation, which has been delayed by more than a year, remains to be seen. Nvidia, however, already has a full roadmap of successors in development and revealed it at Computex. Read more “Nvidia’s plans with Spark CPUs: Next generation, lower-cost chips”
One more report from Computex 2026—this time from Corsair. Among other things, the team behind the brand showcased ambitious liquid coolers distinguished by large displays used for monitoring key processor parameters. In this article, you can take a closer look at these coolers, there is some material available on them. We also documented a noteworthy PC case that is heading to market as well. Read more “Corsair at Computex ’26: AIOs with “smartphone” displays”
Besides what BeQuiet! is best known for—PC components that go inside a case—the company also offers other PC hardware. The kind that connects to a computer (including laptops, of course), such as keyboards and mice. We also learned that anything producing sound is not currently on the horizon. So if you’re looking for an audio headset, you’ll have to turn elsewhere. More on that in this short report from Computex 2026. Read more “BeQuiet! also showcased keyboards and mice. Headsets not coming”
One company out of the big four has been missing from our coverage of Computex 2026: ASRock. This year’s Computex 2026 is tied to an anniversary for ASRock as well, as the company is celebrating the 10 years of its Taichi hardware lineup. The occasion is being marked with new hardware too: ASRock has unveiled new motherboards, graphics cards, power supplies with protection against cable melting, as well as coolers and fans. Read more “ASRock at Computex: 3200W PSU, unique AIOs and LCP fans”
Computex 2026 once again confirmed its status as the most important event in the world of PC hardware. While we could not be physically present at every presentation or visit every booth, many unveiled products at the show are still well worth highlighting. Let’s take a look at the latest innovations from DeepCool, Phanteks, Lian Li, and Thermal Grizzly, all of which showcased new technologies, cooling solutions, and design approaches. Read more “Computex 2026: More innovations you shouldn’t miss”
Our Computex 2026 coverage continues with a visit to another of the four major manufacturers of mobos, but also graphics cards, cases, PSUs, peripherals, and more these days: MSI, who is also celebrating an anniversary at this year’s show—the company was founded in 1986. Their display, however, wasn’t actually all that much about looking back. Instead, there were plenty of new and interesting products to see, including in cooling technology. Read more “Diamonds, new heatpipes and metal fans: MSI at Computex”
Latest comments