TechSpot Features

The PC business as we know it owes itself to an environment of enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and happenstance. The invention of the microprocessor, DRAM, and EPROM integrated circuits would help bring computing to the mainstream. This 5-part series explores the history of personal computing, from the invention of the transistor to modern day chips powering our connected devices.

We're starting to see more Wi-Fi 6 capable devices hit the market, so naturally, the big question is: should you upgrade? Today we are taking a look at how some of these systems perform compared to those from the previous generation.

Today we're exploring the used graphics card market. With the launch of the GeForce RTX 3080 and upcoming launches from AMD, we suspect many will be looking to upgrade their GPU and sell their old one on the used market.

Video games can evoke a variety of emotions, whether it's fear, edginess or excitement. But sometimes we just want to chillax, so here are a few good game suggestions that are better suited to reduce your stress levels.

For today's article we'll be once again looking at many benchmark graphs filled with RTX 3080 data, though this one is going to be a little different. While we're benchmarking the new GeForce RTX 3080, it won't be the main focus of our attention but rather we'll be looking deeper into CPU performance.

When it comes to graphics cards, more is nearly always better. More shaders, more RAM, more bandwidth. So how about more GPUs? Here's a brief stroll through the story of multi-GPU graphics cards.

In a world where a decent graphics card can cost the same as a new cutting-edge console, you'd be forgiven for thinking that $500 just isn't enough money to buy a PC and play games on it. So, can it be done?

Game systems from the 8-bit and 16-bit era weren't graphical powerhouses, but there were other aspects that factored into creating a well-rounded game. Quality games almost unanimously had great sound and music as this list shows.

A lot of people over 30 will probably name a Commodore as the first computer they ever used. Whether it was your first computer game or first program in BASIC, Commodore led an entire generation to a life-long career in the tech industry.

For 25 years, the USB port has been a faithful old friend, connecting and powering our everyday gadgets and peripherals. But how exactly does that happen? Welcome to our explainer on the inner workings of USB, and a look at how it's managed to survive for so long when others have come and gone.

What does a cattle ranch have in common with computers? Admittedly not much, but that didn't stop a couple of college dropouts from capitalizing on the concept to create a lucrative business that would reshape how consumers perceive and purchase personal computers.

Palm, the inventor of the Palm Pilot, is one of the earliest and most successful personal digital assistants which made the name "Palm" synonymous with PDAs, a leading handheld computing form factor for nearly a decade and the precursor to the modern smartphone.

With technology advancing so rapidly around us, sometimes misconceptions can work their way into our common understanding. In this article, we'll take a step back and go over some of the most common things people get wrong when talking about computer hardware.

It was a magical time, home computers sales were just booming and if you were lucky enough, your PC would come equipped with a modem for dial-up Internet access. You would hear the scrambling sound of your phone line connecting you to the world. Launching Netscape and staring at the throbber animation while a single web page loaded.

If it's been a while since you've bought portable flash memory, you might be surprised by the broad availability and affordability of high-speed, high-capacity microSD and SD cards. With this guide, we'll break down what all the different codes and ratings mean, and offer the best choices for a range of categories.

As a culmination to our testing of Ryzen Mobile 4000 H processors and the various laptops they are found in, today we're discussing the best AMD gaming laptops on the market so far. It's clear that mobile Ryzen is not as widely available as we wished, but various new models have become available and reception has been great, including the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and most recently the HP Omen 15.

Today we're benchmarking a cargo plane load of graphics cards in the new Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. Visually the game is breathtaking and we'd say that we're looking at truly next generation stuff here. We've tested 28 graphics cards at 1080p, 1440p and 4K resolutions using the Ultra and Medium quality presets.

You're looking at one right now. It might be sitting on a desk, stuck on a wall, or cradled in your hand. Monitors have millions of components, but usually don't get talked about with the same kind of fervent passion as CPUs and graphics cards, but they're just as important. The insides of monitors must be something special... and there's only one way to find out.

Every single CPU found in any computer, from a cheap laptop to a million-dollar server, will have something called cache. More likely than not, it'll possess several levels of it, too. It must be important, otherwise why would it be there? But what does cache do?

3Dfx's Voodoo and Voodoo2 graphics are widely credited with jump-starting 3D gaming and revolutionizing computer graphics nearly overnight. The 3D landscape in 1996 favored S3 Graphics with around 50% of the market. That changed rapidly as it was estimated that 3Dfx accounted for 80+% of the 3D accelerator market during the heyday of Voodoo's reign.

One of the best ways to protect your privacy is to encrypt important information on your computer. Whether you need to send personal information to someone, or simply want to make sure that no one who gets access to your computer can see stuff you would rather keep private, encryption is the way to go.

Wi-Fi is set to get better and faster. While plenty of routers are already available with chips using draft specifications, 802.11ax Wi-Fi was not finalized until Sept. 2019, ushering in a wave of updated devices touting new wireless capabilities that will contribute toward next-generation networks with more speed and less congestion.

Nvidia has been making graphics chips that feature extra cores, beyond the normal ones used for shaders. Known as tensor cores, these mysterious units can be found in thousands of system, but what exactly are they and what are they used for? Today we'll explain what a tensor is and how tensor cores are used in the world of graphics and deep learning.

OCZ Technology was founded in 2000 by Ryan Petersen as "The Overclockerz Store," an online hardware reseller that catered to computer enthusiasts. The company started out selling binned processors and memory kits capable of running faster than their rated speeds - items which overclockers were willing to pay a premium for.

Every once in a while, a video game is made that becomes part of the industry's history. For PC gamers, there's one title that's almost legendary thanks to its incredible, ahead-of-its-time graphics and ability to grind PCs into single digit frame rates. Join us as we take a look back at Crysis and see what made it so special.

Monitor calibration is very important to a creative professional's workflow, but pretty much anyone can benefit from it. Calibration will deliver color accuracy and correct problems with white balance, gamma, and oversaturation. It'll also help color matching multiple monitors for a consistent experience.

Machine learning (ML) is the study of computer systems that automatically improve with experience, a hot topic in the last few years, but a concept that's been around for decades. IBM programmer and AI pioneer Arthur Samuel coined the term "machine learning" in 1952.

Today we're revisiting AMD's budget-oriented Ryzen 3 3300X. This Ryzen 3 CPU thoroughly impressed us when it launched two months ago and now we're taking a look back to see where it stands against the Ryzen 5 3600 and 2600.

AMD is one of the oldest designers of large scale microprocessors and has been the subject of polarizing debate among technology enthusiasts for nearly 50 years. Its story makes for a thrilling tale. We'll revisit the company's past, examine the twists and turns in the path to the present, and wonder at what lies ahead.

We went on a hunt for 10 fantastic free (or free-to-play) Steam games. By narrowing things down so much, this list was never meant to be exhaustive nor comprehensive, but to highlight a handful of great titles.