Chip articles

You've followed the rumors and ignored the hype; you waited for the reviews and finally slapped down your dollars and walked away with one of the latest graphics cards from AMD or Nvidia. Inside these, lies a large graphics processor, packed with billions of transistors, all running at clock speeds unthinkable a decade ago. Welcome to our architectural comparison of the newest GPUs from AMD and Nvidia.

In the world of computer chips, bigger numbers are often better. More cores, higher GHz, greater FLOPs, all desired by engineers and users alike. But there is one measure that's hot news right now and the smaller it is, the better. Let's take a journey into the world of process nodes, to find out more.

Despite continuous improvements, processors haven't had industry shifting advancements for a long time. Yes, transistors are smaller, chips have gotten faster, and performance has increased hundredfold, but we're starting to see diminishing returns... learn what 3D integration, FPGAs, and near memory computing are all about.

In this third installment we explore how the physics of how transistors work, how their individual components are built in silicon, and how they are connected to create useful circuits and chips. How do you transform a pile of sand into an advanced processor? Let's find out.

Now that we know how processors work at a high level, it's time to dig inside to understand how the internal components are designed. In part 2 we'll discuss transistors, logic gates, power and clock delivery, design synthesis, and verification.

We all think of the CPU as the "brains" of a computer, but what does that actually mean? What is going on inside with the billions of transistors to make your computer work? In this new four-part mini series we'll be focusing on computer hardware design, covering the ins and outs of what makes a computer work.

All in all, while Intel does offer some interesting choices at certain price points, AMD remains king across our recommendations. After all the extensive testing you are familiar with, we've come up with this concise guide on the best CPU choices available right now.

Updating its entry-level and mid-range product lines, AMD's new Ryzen 5 2400G and Ryzen 3 2200G APUs are set to replace nearly all of the company's offerings under $200. Making these chips special is the integration of Radeon Vega graphics for budget desktop PCs.

Who would have thought a year ago that we'd see AMD dethrone Intel at the high-end CPU segment? It's an exciting time to be a PC enthusiast and after extensive testing, we've come up with this quick guide to bring you the best CPU choices available right now.