GeForce GTX 680 cards are nowhere to be found, and the Radeon HD 7970 recently dropped to a much more attractive price. We thought it was time to round up a handful of Tahiti-based cards to see how board...
A 20% budget boost for this quarter’s machines gave every builder room to fix former foibles, yet only the cheapest system showed big performance gains. What effect will those big and small changes have on...
You've already seen our first two System Builder Marathon configurations, both of which are more expensive than last quarter's. Our entry-level build costs a bit more too, but we think it's a much more capable...
AMD’s 1 GB Radeon HD 6950s are certainly cheaper than their 2 GB predecessors. But are they really a better value? In theory, the Cayman GPU runs out of steam before 2 GB is needed. So, we're comparing five...
Big changes to a few components radically alter the performance profile of every machine in this quarter's competition. We’ve already seen how these changes affect the value of each machine, but how will they...
A few months ago, we built our $500 gaming PC using Intel's Sandy Bridge-based Core i3 processor, and it was a real screamer. This time around we're switching back to an overclockable Phenom II X4 and hoping...
There are numerous graphics cards in the range between $100 and $250, but which of them delivers the best bang for your buck? Which is the most efficient or least noisy product related to its performance? We...
AMD’s Brazos platform, driven by the Zacate APU, offers a lot of performance per watt. It comes up short on features, though. Eight manufacturers try to change that perception by adding slots, controllers,...
With so little happening in the hardware world since the beginning of this year, our second-quarter System Builder Marathon sees only minor hardware changes. But each builder unquestionably comes closer to...
This quarter's $500 PC is sure to be a little controversial. We've built plenty of AMD-powered budget boxes in the past, but now we're testing the mettle of Intel's (multiplier-locked) Core i3-2100 in a gaming...
Day 4 of our System Builder Marathon compares performance achieved to money spent. With outright speed the top priority, can either of our high-end systems beat the low-cost build when it comes to value? Or...
The last two System Builder Marathon configurations centered on Intel's Sandy Bridge architecture. But AMD still seems to rule the budget-oriented segment. This quarter, Paul buys an upgraded CPU and a...
ATI graphics were around for 25 years, 10 of them centering on the Radeon family. As the ATI brand fades away, we're left to remember the company's most noteworthy desktop cards, right after the 6970/6950...
Improvements to performance, acoustics, and bundles can add big value once a reference graphics card is modified by third-party vendors. We compare four modified Radeon HD 6850 1 GB boards to find out which...
Most of our graphics card reviews include power measurements at idle and load. But how do applications tax your GPU in between those two extremes? We line up a handful of different programs and monitor power...
When it's time to look into small form factor machines, do you pick AMD or Intel? With an increasing number of motherboard companies offering Mini-ITX platforms with powerful desktop performance in a diminutive...
ATI's Eyefinity technology has opened up a whole new world of multi-monitor gaming and now that the gaming industry is moving tentatively toward 3D technology, it makes sense to put the two together and see...
Our latest "How Much CPU Do I Really Need?" article pits the cheapest Core i3 and price-matched Phenom II series processors against the highest-priced CPUs for the same two platforms. Can the low-cost parts...
Budget enhancements to this month’s SBM finally reflect last year’s price increases, allowing the return of liquid cooling at the high-end and Core i7 for the mid-priced systems. With big improvements to...
The last machine in this quarter's System Builder Marathon, Paul's $750 Gaming PC certainly isn't least. A triple-core Athlon II X3 didn't necessarily overclock well, but a fourth-core unlock gives this system...
Anyone who’s ever shopped for graphics cards has considered the amount of on-board RAM and the slight price premium each bump brings. But what actual impact does it have on game performance? We test 512MB,...
Our response to reader-demand for AMD systems focuses on the company’s penchant for gaming value across three budget classes. How do these fully-optimized systems compare to each other in ultimate performance...
We kick off our third-quarter System Builder Marathon series with Paul's $650 gaming PC. Last time you asked for an all-AMD set of builds, and that's what we're giving you. As before, all three systems are...
With the launch of Core i7, we ran an insane load of gaming benchmarks to explore CrossFire and SLI performance on X58. Today's P55 launch sees another Intel platform with great graphics options, and we're back...