Articles by Ben Stockton, Deals Writer

Ben Stockton is a deals writer at Tom’s Hardware. Previously a hardware writer at PCGamesN, Ben’s been writing about Windows and PC hardware (among other things) since 2018, with bylines that include How-To Geek, Tom’s Guide, and Cloudwards. He was also the managing editor at groovyPost.com and has previously contributed to Computeractive magazine.

Since his earliest days tinkering with Windows 95 on a classic Pentium MMX PC, Ben’s been obsessed with understanding how technology works, chatting about it with anyone who’ll listen. Along the way, he’s worked as a UK college lecturer, teaching IT to adults and teenagers, and as a PC technician, tackling all kinds of tech problems. He’s now busy tracking down brilliant bargains on all kinds of hardware, but when he doesn’t have his deal hat on, he’s adding to his homelab, watching old Star Trek episodes, or taking two hyperactive pugs on a much needed walk.

Articles by: Ben Stockton

Sam Altman speaking at the India AI Impact Summit in February 2026

OpenAI's Sam Altman warns that firms are using 'AI washing' to mask layoffs across the globe — AI boss calls out corporate excuses while warning of 'palpable' job disruption ahead

By Ben Stockton published 20 February 26

Some traditional layoffs are being blamed on AI, Altman believes

Dell launches new budget 1080p gaming monitor with an ultra-fast 240Hz refresh rate for less than $130 — new 27-inch IPS display includes AMD FreeSync support and 0.5ms response time

By Ben Stockton published 19 February 26

Dell's new 27-inch SE2726HG gaming monitor is a budget-friendly option for gamers, featuring a fast 240Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync Premium support for just $129.99.

Over 80% of companies report no productivity gains from AI so far despite billions in investment, survey suggests — 6,000 executives also reveal 1/3 of leaders use AI, but only for 90 minutes a week

By Ben Stockton published 18 February 26

AI isn't having a huge impact on productivity yet, but hopes are still high

A selection of USB cables on a wooden table

Not all cables are born equal, so test your USB cables with these cheap USB testers — these budget-priced tools help you protect your expensive gear from faulty or bad-quality leads

By Ben Stockton published 12 February 26

I never trust a USB cable I've not tested, which is why I recommend USB testers like these to help you separate the bad from the good.

3D Printing nozzle up close during print

Harvard researchers develop novel 3D printing method for soft robotics — rotational multi-material method creates muscle-like structures that can be programmed to twist, lift, or bend

By Ben Stockton published 10 February 26

A new spin on robotics, thanks to a novel 3D printing method

AI report shows scepticism among one-third of US consumers

One-third of consumers reject AI on their devices, with most saying they simply don’t need it — latest report highlights privacy fears and potential costs among other real-world concerns

By Ben Stockton published 6 February 26

A report from consumer firm Circana has shown that two-thirds of those opposed to AI believe it isn't useful on their devices, while a third weren't interested at all in the technology.

The new Valve Steam Machine is 'on track' to begin shipping early this year, says AMD — CEO suggests new 4K mini gaming PC, powered by semi-custom Zen 4 CPU, to launch soon

By Ben Stockton published 4 February 26

AMD CEO Dr Lisa Su, during the company's latest Q4 2025 earnings call, seemingly confirmed that the release for the new Valve Steam Machine is "on track" to launch during early 2026.

World's largest particle accelerator begins warming thousands of local French residents with waste energy from the 16-mile Large Hadron Collider — CERN's accelerator leverages its massive cooling network to help slash local carbon emissions

By Ben Stockton published 31 January 26

A new heat exchange system between the LHC and the French town of Ferney-Voltaire is directing waste heat energy from CERN's accelerator to warm thousands of homes and businesses.

Raspberry Pi 5 placed near an older Raspberry Pi on a board

Raspberry Pi and mini PC home lab prices hit parity as DRAM costs skyrocket — price hikes force hobbyists to weigh up performance versus power consumption

By Ben Stockton published 6 January 26

The price of a Raspberry Pi now has parity with Intel N100 mini PCs at just over $200, with flash memory price spikes continuing to push prices up across the board.

A floppy disk, visible against a background showing an old display and keyboard.

Developer turns floppy disks into secret black-and-white picture canvases — pbm2track "paints" pixel art into the disk's magnetic timing diagram

By Ben Stockton published 5 January 26

The pbm2track tool repurposes a floppy disk's track timing diagram into a secret tool for hiding pixel images.

Tom's Hardware UK best Boxing Day tech deals

The best Boxing Day tech deals at Amazon UK, Argos, Currys, Very, and more — huge price drops on gaming PCs, 3D printers, laptops, and peripherals

By Ben Stockton published 26 December 25

Deals Christmas might be over with, but it's time to secure yourself a Boxing Day tech deal. We've put together a list of the best discounts from retailers including Amazon, Currys, Argos, Very, and more.

Snap up this £899 Acer Nitro gaming laptop with Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU before Christmas — this 1080p powerhouse boasts a 10-core Intel CPU, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD

By Ben Stockton published 22 December 25

Deals This 15.6-inch Acer Nitro gaming laptop features an RTX 5060 GPU, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD, and all for just £899.99.

Grab this £138 2TB Acer Predator SSD before flash prices soar further — fast Gen 4 speeds make this an essential upgrade for your gaming PC

By Ben Stockton published 19 December 25

Deals The 2TB Acer Predator GM7000 is a good all-rounder SSD, and priced at £137.96, this is the most affordable 2TB drive you can buy right now in the UK.

Score the Meta Quest 3S at its lowest-ever price before Christmas, now just £229 — save 21% on this standalone VR headset with 128GB of storage

By Ben Stockton published 18 December 25

Deals Save £60 on the price of the Meta Quest S3 VR headset, back down to its lowest ever price, with delivery still possible before Christmas.

MSI Claw A1M-016 handheld gaming PC deal

This £379.99 MSI gaming handheld is the cheapest Steam Deck rival you can buy right now — huge saving on this Claw A1M's original price scores you rig with 1TB SSD and 16GB RAM

By Ben Stockton published 18 December 25

Deals This MSI Claw A1M handheld is down to just £379.99, making it one of the cheapest alternatives to the Steam Deck that you can buy right now

CyberPowerPC with RTX 5080 and 9800X3D deal

Score an RTX 5080 and 9800X3D pre-built for under £2,300 with this CyberPowerPC deal — save £200 on this 4K gaming PC with 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD

By Ben Stockton published 17 December 25

Deals EE have slashed the price of this powerful CyberPowerPC gaming rig to just £2,299, featuring an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080.

Score a new Bambu Lab 3D printer for as little as £149 in this massive UK end-of-year sale — savings include up to 20% off printers and 46% off filament, ready for Christmas

By Ben Stockton last updated 16 December 25

Deals Save on these top 3D printers this Christmas in Bambu Lab's end-of-year sale

Lenovo's powerful Steam Deck rival handheld just hit a record-low price on Amazon UK — 8-inch Legion Go S running SteamOS now under £428, with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD

By Ben Stockton published 15 December 25

Deals Save 21% on this Lenovo Legion Go S handheld gaming PC, running with an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go APU and the great-for-gaming SteamOS, all for less than £428

This ginormous 28TB Seagate hard drive offers unbeatable value storage for just under £15 per TB — pre-order this shuckable external HDD for only £419.99 at Amazon

By Ben Stockton published 12 December 25

Deals Seagate's 28TB Expansion HDD gives you a huge amount of backup storage for just under £15 per TB.

Hoto NEX O1 Pro 12-bit screwdriver set deal

Hoto's electric screwdriver set is a hobbyist's ultimate Christmas gift for less than £29 — record-low price for 12-bit precision kit with USB-C charging, perfect for PC builds and DIY

By Ben Stockton published 11 December 25

Deals Grab this impressive Hoto NEX O1 Pro mini electric screwdriver set with 12 bits at a record-low price

This £849 Asus V16 is the cheapest RTX 5060 gaming laptop you can buy right now — 10-core Intel CPU, 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD make up this brilliant Christmas bargain

By Ben Stockton published 10 December 25

Deals This 16-inch Asus V16 gaming laptop features an RTX 5060, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD, and all for just £849.99.

Secretlab UK Christmas gaming chair sale

Secretlab's UK Christmas gaming chair sale is here, dropping prices by up to £200 — huge discounts on desks and accessories are included too

By Ben Stockton published 9 December 25

Deals You can save up to £200 on Secretlab gaming chairs, desks, and accessories, ready for Christmas.

Intel Core Ultra 265K with MSI AIO cooler bundle deal

This £289.99 Intel Core Ultra 265K gaming CPU bundle is a huge bargain for a PC build — includes free MSI 360mm AIO cooler and Battlefield 6 code

By Ben Stockton published 9 December 25

Deals You can grab this Intel Core Ultra 7 265K CPU, MSI AIO cooler, and free game bundle worth around £450 for just £289.99 right now.

The best UK tech deals 2025 at Amazon, Argos, Currys, Very, and more — unbeatable sales on gaming PCs, laptops, monitors, and peripherals

By Ben Stockton last updated 8 December 25

Deals The best UK deals on gaming PCs, laptops, tools, and accessories from retailers like Amazon, Argos, and Currys.

AOC Agon Pro AG276UZD gaming monitor deal

Save £250 on this unmissable 4K AOC QD-OLED gaming monitor — record-low £468.95 price unlocks stunning visuals and a fast 240Hz refresh rate

By Ben Stockton published 8 December 25

Deals This 4K OLED gaming monitor from AOC is ultra cheap and comes equipped with a speedy 240Hz refresh rate.

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