ASUS are running another cashback campaign on their wide range of products, this time for their premium ProArt line, which encompasses PC components, prebuilts, monitors, peripherals, and more.

Unfortunately the time is running out for you to pick up your eligible products, with the 21st May being the final day you can buy them, although you have until the 4th of June to actually claim your cashback on any qualifying purchase.

Read below for all the relevant details and make sure you don’t miss out!

What is the ASUS ProArt range?

The ASUS ProArt range, as the name suggests, is designed with professional artists in mind, though it’s just as suitable for a high-end gaming setup. ProArt products range from power supplies and PC cases, to peripherals, all the way up to monitors (like the ASUS ProArt PA279CRV we had the pleasure of getting to use) and graphics cards. With the exception of the CPU, RAM, and SSD (though SSD enclosures are available) you can basically have an entirely ProArt PC build should you wish. Not only do these products all perform excellently, but they have a common refined aesthetic to make your PC look exceptional.

ProArt products tend to be high-end, premium models, so getting some money off these top-end items is especially welcome.

How to claim your ProArt cashback

How long does the ASUS ProArt cashback campaign last?

As mentioned, it’s important to distinguish between the ‘promotion period’ and the ‘redemption period’: the former is when you actually have to buy the products by, the latter is the time you have after the point of purchase to fill out the cashback claim form and upload the invoice of your purchase.

Promotion period

9th April – 21st May 2024

Redemption period

23rd April – 4th June 2024

The best cashback deals

You can see the full range of ProArt products eligible for the cashback redemption here, however we’ve selected below the ones we deem to be the best of the bunch, organised by product category.

Prebuilt PCs (for gamers & creators)

Motherboard

Graphics Cards

AIO Cooler

PSU

Display

Keyboard / Mouse / Mousepad

Networking

But how are you supposed to know which APU is best for your specific needs? Well, that's where we lend a helping hand. Here at WePC, we've reviewed some of the best processors the market has to offer, giving us the knowledge and insight to confidently recommend the best APU for gaming.

Best APU for gaming: At a glance

Before we do though, it's worth mentioning that an APU will not replace a standalone CPU or GPU when it comes to gaming performance. Even the very best APUs for gaming won't offer the performance provided by a standalone mid-range CPU and GPU configuration. So, before you dive into buying an APU, it's worth understanding what they can and can't provide in terms of performance - something we discuss later on in the guide.

That being said, there are plenty of scenarios in which an APU is a perfectly acceptable choice. Users building a mini PC for light work and gaming, for example, would be an ideal situation in which to buy a cheaper APU.

With that in mind, let's waste no further time and dive into the market's best APUs for gaming.

Best Ryzen APU for gaming

Now at the top of the pack, you can find the Ryzen 7 8700G as part of the newer generation choice that AMD is bringing to the AM5 platform with integrated graphics. It upgrades to Radeon graphics bringing plenty of features to the processor with the AMD Adrenalin software now accessible to it.

It comes with 8 cores and 16 threads for matching with the best abilities of CPUs. While it also boosts to much higher speeds than previous generations. For the cache capacity, L2 provides you with 8MB and L3 goes up to 16MB, so not quite X3D levels but still a good amount.

For graphics, you get Radeon version 780M with 12 cores and running at 2.9GHz. That boosts the capabilities but also the processor comes with Ryzen AI with 16 TOPS for some light work capabilities of what it can achieve. Even then the processor only has a 65W TDP and has a great efficiency for what it is capable of, although you can even push that further as it is overclockable if you still desire.

For a cheaper choice out of the lot of new 8000Gs, the Ryzen 5 8500G is the option to go for. It drops down the price but also the specs of the processor. Getting rid of the AI processing capabilities of the processor but cutting it to under $200, does make it a strong choice of an APU.

The cores fall to 6 and threads down to 12, still giving you a good capability with processing workloads and graphics. These can even boost up to 5GHz, not as far as the 8700G but still a well-capable option. As for the cache you get 6MB of L2 and 16MB of L3 so nothing changes in that, which is also the case for the TDP as that 65W spec stays the same. But the Radeon graphics also drop down a couple of tiers to 740M with only 4 cores, running at a 2,800Mhz frequency. You can only expect 720p true performance and light 1080p work with a good framerate achieved with some help.

The Ryzen 7 5700G is AMD's current flagship APU and is widely considered to be the world's most powerful thanks to the integrated graphics the chip comes paired with. Unlike the previous gen, this features a higher amount of cores, increased speeds, and a more efficient design.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G comes equipped with 8 cores and 16 threads, respectively. It features impressive clock speeds of 3.8GHz base and 4.6GHz boost, alongside a total of 16MB L3 cache and 4MB L2 cache. TDP will be equivalent to its predecessor at 65W and it brings VEGA 8 integrated graphics, with 8 CUs and 512 stream processors (all running at 2.0GHz).

While the 5700G is the most expensive APU from AMD to date, it is also by far the most powerful. With the current GPU climate, the 5700G can provide you with solid processing power and integrated graphics. While the integrated graphics may not be good enough for everyone, basic 1080p performance is there. Furthermore, when you finally get your hands on a dedicated GPU, you can easily slot it in with this APU for a quality overall gaming PC.

AMD's latest Ryzen 5 5600GT is an excellent choice for budget-conscious builders. It offers a decent combination of affordability and performance, and a slight boost over the 5600G. It follows in the footsteps of the older 3400G, providing solid gaming capabilities while ushering in significant improvements in core count and design efficiency.

In terms of specifications, the Ryzen 5 5600GT boasts 6 cores and 12 threads, with base and boost clock speeds of 3.6GHz and 4.6GHz, respectively. Like its sibling, the 5700G, it offers a generous 16MB of L3 cache, albeit with a slightly reduced 3MB of L2 cache. Despite these improvements, the APU maintains an energy-efficient 65W TDP and includes AMD's VEGA 7 iGPU, clocked at 1.9GHz and equipped with 448 stream processors.

While the choice of the Vega 7 iGPU may initially appear to be a step backward, the gains in efficiency more than make up for the reduction in core count, ensuring that the graphical performance remains strong without compromising on power efficiency.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G, a former flagship APU from AMD, is renowned for its outstanding performance, largely owing to its integrated graphics capabilities. This chip, a significant step up from the 3200G, boasts 4 cores and 8 threads, 6MB of cache, and the impressive VEGA 11 graphics engine. Although it is scraping the bottom of the barrel in 2024, this CPU is not something that will take you very far with AAA titles even in 1080p.

With a base clock speed of 3.7GHz and a boost clock of 4.2GHz, the 3400G represents a substantial improvement over its predecessor. AMD has further enhanced its performance with high-quality metal TIM (thermal interface material) and support for AMD's precision boost overdrive, a feature that intelligently overclocks the chip as needed.

The integrated GPU operates at a base clock of 1,400MHz, a notable 150MHz faster than its predecessor, the 2400G. Additionally, like the 3200G, the 3400G includes AMD's Wraith Spire CPU cooler, ensuring efficient thermal management.

What truly sets the 3400G apart is its exceptional value proposition. With a retail price of under $150, it offers tremendous performance for the cost, especially considering that its predecessor, the 2400G, was initially priced at $170.

What is an AMD APU?

While the Accelerated Processing Unit is a very attractive name, make no mistake: an APU is just a single chip that combines a CPU and a GPU. Many Intel processors using Integrated graphics, for instance, are essentially the same as APUs. That being said, though, their graphics chips are much less powerful than the ones inside these Ryzen APUs.

Note; you can also use these strictly as CPUs by adding a dedicated GPU to your setup.

A similar concept in a different sector of the industry is “SoCs.” SoC stands for System on Chip, and these tend to combine all components of the system onto a single, well, chip. This is seen most often in gaming consoles (both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, for instance, are using AMD SoCs), smartphones, and on rare occasions, laptops.

Are AMD planning on releasing 9000-series APUs?

AMD's new Ryzen 9000-series CPU lineup has been at the center of attention recently, with the brand's XOC team smashing through numerous records in a live demo hosted recently.

But are AMD planning on releasing 9000-series APUs?

At the time of writing this, we only know of four CPUs in the 9000-series lineup; Ryzen 9 9950X, Ryzen 9 9900X, Ryzen 7 7900X, and Ryzen 5 9600X. The next-gen lineup of CPUs are set to launch on the 31st of July, 2024, and right now, there have been no signs of an APU joining the lineup.

Things to consider when choosing an APU

There are several factors to consider when buying an APU for your next build - especially one used for gaming. For that reason, we'll be explaining some of the key performance-impacting features of APU below.

What's the best RAM for my APU?

Pairing your Ryzen CPU with suitable RAM is more important than you might think. Ryzen CPU core communication speed is directly correlated to RAM speed, essentially meaning the slower the RAM the slower the CPU - without getting overly complicated. Intel CPUs aren't affected in this manner as their CPUs are constructed a little differently.

This is especially true for APUs as the system's RAM is also used as VRAM for the integrated graphics. Whether this is a Vega iGPU or a Radeon RX iGPU, it’s the same case for both.

This is because the integrated graphics portion of the Chip is built directly into the CPU, instead of being on a spacious GPU PCB where VRAM can be built with ease. Because of the spacial limitations being built into a CPU package presents, the iGPU has to get creative and use the already available system RAM as Video RAM.

The sweet spot for AM4 Ryzen CPUs is 3600MHz, this speed of DDR4 RAM gives you the best returns, any speed beyond this you’ll receive diminishing returns and as a result, less value for money. If you’re planning on building a PC centered around an APU, it’s a good idea to invest in a higher RAM capacity for reasons we mentioned earlier, to make sure the iGPU RAM requirements do not interfere with the rest of the system requirements. As for AM5 APUs, and the Ryzen 8000G processors, DDR5 is the RAM you want. There you want to look at around 6000MHz.

Clock speed

Clock speed is the measurement of how many times per second a CPU can complete what’s called an instruction Cycle, this cycle consists of three main actions. These actions are: fetch, decode, and execute. And it’s these three actions that make up the fundamentals of CPU operation as we know it.

This isn’t just for desktop processors, this is the same on the mobile platform and OEM too, although clocked lower for efficiency's sake because of the power constraints being a mobile platform brings.

Generally, when discussing and comparing CPUs in the same architecture, CPUs with the same or greater number of cores and a higher clock speed will perform better. - this is also a single-core performance metric, as cores with higher clock speeds will perform better in single-core workloads.

Core count

The more CPU cores your CPU has the better at multitasking it will be. However, it all depends on whether the application or software you are using is coded for multiple cores. Some older programs are not and will generally perform no better when given access to more cores. For software that does support multi-core utilization, more cores are better.

Core count is a metric for multi-core performance, As CPUs with a higher number of cores will perform better in multicore workloads, due to the abundance of available CPU cores. If you’re interested in seeing how these APUs stack up, then check out our CPU hierarchy.

Threads

Threads tell a similar story to cores, more threads make for a CPU that’s better at multitasking natively. However, cores and threads are not created equal.

All of the APUs on the list support SMT (Simultaneous Multithreading). This is AMD’s version of Intel’s Hyperthreading. This is a technology that allows one CPU core to process and execute two instructions at once. This means that the operating system can see and utilize your CPU as if it had double the number of physical cores. The collection of cores and threads is labeled ‘logical processors’ by operating systems.

These threads are known as V-cores and are virtual, so named because they do not physically exist or occupy space on the CPU die. These virtual cores have to share resources with the physical cores and threads suffer slower processing speeds as a result. Again SMT relies on software integration and compatibility but it’s better to have and not need than to need and not have. Most modern software has multithreading integration and support.

If you want to know more about SMT you can read our in-depth feature on SMT.

Graphics

Graphics refers to the included “GPU.” In this case, the hierarchy starts with Vega 8 on the budget APU and ends with Vega 11 at the highest end, for now. If you’re interested in seeing how these compare, then check out the comparable graphics cards below and our GPU hierarchy.

The iGPUs inside these APUs are very underpowered compared to dedicated graphics powered by your GPU. With that being said, however, you shouldn't write them off. APUs can be powerful enough for low-end 1080P gaming. Especially with the advancements made in AMD FSR and RSR.

Other useful links

We have a large range of in-depth buyer guides here on WePC and we would hate it if you missed the chance to read them, feel free to check out any of the related guides below.

Final word

In the ever-evolving landscape of gaming APUs, AMD continues to push the boundaries with its impressive 8000G series chips, offering a harmonious fusion of CPU and GPU technologies. While standalone components may still outshine APUs in specific aspects, the unique advantages they bring to the table are hard to overlook. Now, with the new RDNA3 iGPUs, the possibilities are endless and offer theoretical performance gains of 3x over the 5000G series APUs.

The Ryzen 9 5950X CPU, brimming with power for both single and multi-core tasks, dominated the best CPU rankings. Yet, it wasn't solely the 5950X that left an indelible mark. AMD's entire 5000 Series CPUs dazzled with exceptional performance, often outperforming or matching their Intel counterparts.

A quick look at our top picks you should consider the ASUS ROG Strix X570-F, Gigabyte X570 AORUS Master, and ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus, whilst we keep this page updated to provide a good range of choices for your Ryzen CPUs.

If you don't have time to read the full article, we have selected the ASUS ROG Strix X570-F as the best AM4 motherboard in 2024. AMD adhered to its promise by ensuring that all the latest chips maintained compatibility with the AM4 socket. Whilst the likes of the 5800X3D still reign supreme to this day.

What is the Best AM4 Motherboard?

The best AM4 motherboard is one that can support a wide range of socket AM4 processors and support the latest and greatest in GPU technology. Thankfully, all of the X570 and B550 AM4 motherboards support PCIe 4.0 on at least one slot, meaning they have sufficient PCIe bandwidth to support even the latest GPUs.

Storage technology is beginning to fall a little behind, as we now have PCIe Gen 5 storage on some newer models, but if you want to save some money, you have to make some sacrifices. With that in mind, we have chosen the ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F Gaming Motherboard as the best AM4 motherboard.

Best AM4 motherboard - ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F Gaming

The ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F motherboard is regarded as one of the best boards you can buy with a huge amount of features to go along with its rather large price tag. This motherboard is by no means a budget option as it comes with a high-quality 12+2 digital power phase design, which requires a large thermal heat sink.

Design-wise, you can’t knock the ROG STRIX X570-F. The motherboard features Aura Sync RGB which can be optimized to your exact requirements within the ASUS software suite. Armory Crate also allows you to customize other settings on the motherboard and view power and heat statuses.

Other more functional features include a new heatsink design, M.2 expansion card, and Intel Gigabit ethernet connectivity. The board also features PCIe 4.0 support, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2, and dual M.2 slots – alongside USB 3.2 Type-A and Type-C connectors. Overall this is a superb motherboard and its onboard WIFI capability is fantastic. ASUS is not messing around with the X570-F.

Runner up AM4 motherboard - GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Master

For consumers who run high-end setups and strive to push their system to its limits, The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master is a fine way to go. This board offers a lot of the premium features high-end enthusiasts are after and it comes in at half the price of the Gigabyte Aorus Extreme Master and MSI Godlike models.

This board may well be overkill for the majority of AMD Ryzen users but for those operating at the higher end of the scale, the introduction of PCIe 4.0 and 2.5Gbps ethernet controller could be tempting when you consider the price. Other features include a clear CMOS and Flash buttons, alongside Wi-Fi, and individual heatsinks for the M.2 drives.

The Master advertises 14 direct phases (12+2) by 50A Infineon IR3556 MOSFETs, which in turn are cooled by a traditional fin heatsink. the PWM chip is a true 16-phase controller manufactured by Infineon and isn’t just your typical lower-phase-count unit that uses doublers. This motherboard also comes with DualBIOS, offering you a bit of extra protection. We see PCIe 4.0 slots with ultra-durable armor, and finally, the board features a nice dash of RGB lighting.

So if you’re a Ryzen PC builder and fancy more onboard storage availability, a 2.5Gbps controller, and all the premium features you could want, the X570 Aorus Master is a great option.

Best Wifi AM4 motherboard - ASUS TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI)

ASUS TUF X570-Plus is one of their premium offerings that has been aimed primarily towards gamers, giving consumers a wide variety of popular features such as their signature RGB backlighting, a powerful delivery heatsink, and support for up to DDR4-4133Mhz RAM when overclocking.

Some people may be questioning whether or not it’s worth upgrading their old X470 which has served them so effectively. Well, the biggest refinement that ASUS has made to the new X570 is in the souped-up power delivery heatsink, something we have seen in ASUS products in recent history.

Another of the big differences we have seen from the last generation of boards is the increased RAM speed capacity which now sits at 4,133Mhz when overclocked. As many will know the perfect partnering RAM for any AMD chip will have speeds that are north of 2,600Mhz. This motherboard is perfectly assembled to squeeze every last drop of performance out of the components that it will inevitably be paired with.

Best budget X570 AM4 motherboard - ASUS Prime X570-P

This board ships with two full-length PCIe 4.0 slots, dual PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, and budget controllers handling your audio and networking. The overall design is basic and the chipset is actively cooled by nicely designed heatsinks. The chipset is running on an 8-phase power delivery and the heatsink manages this well.

The main features are, as mentioned, the expansion and m.2 slots but there is no Wi-Fi or lavish heatsinks through the board. Memory support is reasonable, with slots that support up to 128GB that can be overclocked up to 5100Mhz. The board also features six SATA ports, six USB 3.1 G2 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and your standard three 3.5mm audio jacks but unfortunately no Type-C connections.

With a board that offers as much value as the Asus Prime X570-P, there is little point dwelling on what this doesn’t have. This board is the perfect way for most gamers to save money and still build with the X570 chipset.

Best B550 AM4 Motherboard - ASUS ROG Strix B550-F

Tying for the lead on interesting design, ASUS once again goes head-to-head with MSI. ASUS’ ROG Strix series has always had some fun and interesting design, particularly with its graphics cards. We see the same unique branding here on this B550-F motherboard. We can see the bold ROG eye logo and a futuristic “cyberpunk-inspired” aesthetic.

This motherboard features the latest PCIe 4.0 through one of the two M.2 slots on the board. This is designed to provide the best storage flexibility and data speeds. The ROG Strix is designed with 3rd generation AMD Ryzen CPUs so it’s the perfect match if that’s your CPU of choice.

The cooling system features an ASUS ProCool power connector, a CPU fan header, and an AIO pump fan header. The motherboard is also kept cool with a 6-layer PCB which helps to dissipate heat quickly around the VRM to give you a more stable overclock.

Also included is a host of ROG-exclusive software that will deliver great gaming and audio enhancements. These include the ASUS’ 5-Way Optimization utility which you can use for overclocking among other things. The RAMCache III is impressive because it can boost game-load times – something we can all benefit from.

Best ITX AM4 motherboard - ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming

Finally, we come to our last entry from ASUS and it comes in the shape of their incredibly potent X570-I Gaming motherboard, labeled to show that it is part of the ITX form factor.

As with all Mini-ITX boards, compromises have been made to accommodate such small physical dimensions. The first noticeable change is how this board only comes with 2 DDR4 RAM slots, however, these slots can hold up to 64GB in capacity, with the ability to XMP your RAM to 4800Mhz.

It comes with one M.2 slot which has its private heatsink to help dissipate heat, creating a better environment for the SSD to operate in. We also see 1 PCIe slot and a bunch of SATA ports that finish off the motherboard nicely. One thing we enjoyed seeing on this was the onboard WiFi adapter that you don’t usually get with Mini-ITX boards so that was certainly refreshing.

Things to consider when selecting the best AM4 motherboard

So above is a stripped-back, sneak peek at our list of best AM4 Socket motherboards. Now, you might be asking yourself, that’s brilliant but what separates these boards from one another? What should I be looking for when deciding which to choose?

They’re great questions and ones people ask regularly. We’ve decided to break down the most important aspects of the motherboard and explain what they do and why they’re important. We do this to educate you as an informed consumer is much more likely to make the correct component choice.

The following are some of the aspects of a motherboard you should be taking into consideration when researching which one to purchase.

Motherboard Form Factor

The form factor is the physical size of the board, we cover a broad range of motherboard forms so it’s a great point to discuss the features and benefits of the main types. The most popular forms range from E-ATX (designed for PC enthusiasts looking to build the best of the best) right down to the Mini-ITX (for consumers who want a build with an extremely low footprint).

The footprint is something you need to figure out at the start of the build process. If you start a build not knowing the form factor of your board you might find at the end of the build that certain components just won’t fit. Which is going to be annoying, time-consuming, and potentially costly.

Below we have put the different forms into a chart so you can compare them:

Socket

There are various types of motherboard sockets, at the time of this socket the two main types were INtel's LGA 1151 and AMD’s AM4. In this article, we’re concentrating on the AM4 socket. The socket is the physical slot on the motherboard that holds your CPU in place and connects it to the rest of your PC. Intel has the LGA1151 and AMD has their AM4. This means AMD’s processor WILL NOT be compatible with any of the LGA1151 boards and vice versa.

Please never try to force the wrong processor into the incorrect socket type as it can cause fatal damage to your newly purchased components. If you’re ever unsure when putting components together always check our How to Build a Gaming PC article. But these also change after some generations, as AMD moves to AM5 and Intel increases sizes too.

Best AM4 chipsets

What are the best AM4 chipsets? Probably the most important factor when choosing which motherboard to start with is the chipset. The chipset, for those that are unaware, is the key factor in determining which features your motherboard comes with. The features range from PCIe lanes and SATA ports right through to overclocking support and USB generation.

You need to make sure you know your motherboard’s chipset before you start buying the other components or you might find yourself in a position where you’ve bought a piece of hardware that has nowhere to live or is underutilized. Also, with technology advancements moving quicker than ever, always check to see if your specs are up-to-date. Several older and cheaper boards don’t have M.2 support or DDR4 RAM for example.

Below is a chart of the chipsets that the AM4 platform has to offer.

What memory is compatible with AM4 motherboards?

Memory is one of the most important components you can buy when you’re putting an AMD build together. Due to the nature and build features of the Ryzen chips, the best way to maximize performance power is by equipping your build with rapid RAM. Therefore you need to make sure your motherboard can accommodate the RAM you want to pair it against. Things to be mindful of are max-supported memory, memory speed, multi-channel support, and how many memory slots are on the board.

The easiest way to check whether your motherboard is compatible with the RAM you currently own or want to buy is in the motherboard specs. It will tell you straight away how much and what speed RAM it can accommodate. For AM4, the best DDR4 memory is a good start since this is the only memory standard supported. The maximum officially supported DDR4 speed on the AM4 platform is 3200MHz, anything over that is considered an overclock.

Particularly important when purchasing a smaller form board is the location of the memory. The memory location is rarely going to be an issue. However, if you’re mad into overclocking you may have purchased a large, aftermarket custom CPU cooler. In some cases, the larger-than-normal heat sink can become a real problem. Just make sure if you are choosing a larger cooler that the RAM is located far enough away to accommodate both.

PCI Slots

Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI, is the physical slot in which you can expand the capabilities of your basic system. This includes, but is not limited to things like:

There are two types of PCI slots: PCI and PCI Express (PCIe). The PCIe slot is a larger, faster version of the PCI slot and usually houses your graphics card.

If you plan on having dual GPUs running then it’s always important to make sure you have enough PCI slots. A lot of the time, manufacturers will compromise slots to reduce the price, so making sure all your cards and expansion packs are catered for should be highly prioritized. The other thing to look for is plenty of spacing. If you’re planning on running multiple GPUs that are large, you may need PCIe slots that are further apart to allow for adequate space.

FAQs

Final Word

The best AM4 motherboards of 2024 offer a range of options to suit different needs. The top choice is the ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F, offering high-end features, although it may be overkill for most gamers. The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master is a strong runner-up, providing excellent value and performance for premium builds.

For those seeking the best value, the Asus TUF Gaming X570-Plus stands out as a durable and cost-effective gaming motherboard. If you're considering a B550 option, the Asus ROG Strix B550-E Gaming is feature-packed and reliable.

For budget-conscious gamers, the MSI B450 Gaming Plus Max is a top choice among budget AM4 motherboards. Finally, for mini-ITX builds, the Asus ROG Strix X570-I Gaming offers premium features in a compact form factor. This list covers a wide range of motherboard options to meet various needs and budgets.

If you are new to PC building, there's a chance you don't yet realize the importance that comes with choosing the right computer case size. The size of your case, ultimately, determines the size of the components you can fit in it. It also dictates how many case fans you can install and whether or not you can water-cool it down the line - all factors that have a knock-on effect if you plan on overclocking your PC in the future. Computer case size also has a big impact on future expansion, hard drive space, drive support, and aesthetics.

The following article will focus on taking a closer look at some of the more intricate factors that affect the size of the case you should be choosing for your next PC build. We'll be exploring the main form factors, the different size options, and the pros and cons that come with each. We'll also touch upon how each case size is affected by cooling, what components should (and shouldn't) be used with each case size, and pretty much every other factor that might affect your computer's case size.

So, with all that being said, let's waste no further time and jump straight into it!

Computer size comparison

Not the definitive size for each of these computer cases, this graphic gives you a good idea of what they may look like and come in as.

Computer case size breakdown

Full Tower Case/ E-ATX Case Size

Full towers have always attracted the attention of enthusiasts for their expansion compatibility, custom loop support, and improved thermal performance (in most cases - but not all). Having said that, it isn't just gamers and PC enthusiasts that make use of this size bracket, though; server cases are also considered to be EATX as they need to accommodate an extra CPU and RAM.

Any build that wants to make use of an E-ATX, or SSI CEB sized motherboard, will most likely need to go in a full tower case. The smaller mid towers only have room for up to ATX. Furthermore, a full tower case is a great option for people looking to perform hard overclocking on their components.

Overclocking requires a lot of cooling as heat can ramp up rapidly when components are pushed to their limits. To combat the additional heat that comes hand-in-hand with overclocking, big radiators, triple heat sinks, and water cooling are often implemented to try and keep temps as low as possible. Having said that, they aren't exactly small.

It isn't just clearance that's cause for concern when cooling elaborate builds; you also need to concern yourself with airflow - luckily, full tower cases have this in abundance.

Multi-GPU setups via SLI and crossfire are also a big advance when using larger, full tower cases. They offer a ton of expansion slots, often with vertical GPU mounting for large GPU support - great for hardcore gamers, streamers, and high-workload video editors.

Mid Tower/ ATX, Micro-ATX Case Size

Mid towers are the most popular amongst custom PC builders as they offer some of the greatest flexibility on the market (plus they don't weigh a ton!). Many enthusiasts prefer slightly smaller, more compact-looking cases to showcase their various high-performance components and RGB setups. This is where the mid-tower case comes into its own - offering excellent versatility and aesthetics at the same time.

Of course, mid-tower cases offer a much smaller interior space (compared to the full tower), which ultimately leads to a rise in ambient temperature. This is mainly down to the fact that they simply can't accommodate as many case fans. Effectively leading to less airflow inside the case. However, as we learned from our comprehensive look at PC case fans, this isn't always the case.

At the end of the day, it isn't just airflow that's going to be impacted in smaller cases; there'll also be fewer routes or space to cable manage, less support for hard drives, and less room to equip large water-cooling configurations.

Mini Tower/ Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX

Smaller cases have always interested people thanks to their savvy space-saving designs, portability, and incredible aesthetics when fully built. There are quite a few things going for mini-towers, and obviously, the price is a big one. Aside from the unique-looking tempered glass mini-ITX cases, the cases in this size category are often a bit cheaper. These smaller cases also fit smaller (cheaper) components, meaning your overall build is going to come out cheaper overall - think low profile GPUs and subtle cooling configurations.

This obviously isn't the case for all mini-tower cases, though. It's quite popular amongst custom builders to set up custom loops in these smaller cases as it can have some astounding aesthetic results. As you can probably imagine, these cases obviously offer much less in regard to hard drive space and expansion slots. Large GPUs can sometimes be problematic for some cases, so just be sure to check the clearance of the case you're looking at before purchasing.

Smaller Form Factor/ Mini-ITX

Smaller form factor cases are a tight squeeze, but they do give builders some fantastic options. Depending on the case, you can fit some really powerful components into these miniature cases, and they can be great for LAN parties or as HTPCs. These little machines can save you a lot of space in whatever environment you choose to set one up. Not only will these take up no room at all, but you can easily move them around the house/ flat and even take them away with you thanks to their small stature.

PC case features to look out for

So, like pretty much every component on the market, each of the major case sizes comes with its own unique blend of features, benefits, and downfalls. As a general rule of thumb, the more expensive the case, the more features it comes to the table boasting - most of the time anyway. If you are new to PC building and are struggling to decide which case size best suits your needs, then read below to familiarise yourself with some of the major factors.

Drive Mounting - One important factor to consider is hard drive space. You need to make sure your new PC case has enough room for your current 2.5" SSD/ 3.5" HDD drives - not to mention any 5.25" drives you may have. Hard drive mounting options come in many forms, so it's good to know exactly where they might be located when considering a case.

Some cases will provide the correct mounting space for your drives directly onto the sheet metal of the motherboard tray. This will usually be four holes that you screw your drive into. Some cases will provide you with a removable caddy to easily access your drives - a kind of plug-and-play approach - and others will just have basic drive cages found in and around the interior.

Ultimately, every case has space for hard drives. Understanding how much space you need, and whether or not the case can accommodate that, is the question you need to be asking yourself.

Reference the table at the top of the page for hard drive support across the main case sizes.

Toolless design - As mentioned above, some manufacturers take away a lot of the stress that comes with PC building by making certain aspects much easier and simpler. One of the modern approaches we see implemented in higher-end PC cases is called toolless design. This can be anything from a thumbscrew to a clip-on drive bay; these parts of the case will make your life easier but can incur extra costs. It doesn't stop there either, in high-end cases, you have everything from toolless hard drive caddies, motherboard cut-out covers, and removable PSU shrouds too.

Cable management - Budget cases tend to dismiss the act of cable management by removing helpful aids. They generally offer less room for hiding cables at the back, whilst losing out on key features such as grommets, tie sports, and PSU shrouds.  Cable management is hard, and it can take time to get things perfect, but when done right, it makes a PC build look fantastic.

Cable management is particularly important with smaller cases as there is less airflow and higher temperatures in general. There are cable management cut-out holes in most cases today with some even featuring rubber grommets. Rubber grommets will improve the overall aesthetics but can, again, cost extra or only feature in more premium cases.

Water-cooling support - The best all-in-one coolers available in today's market are nothing compared to custom loop water cooling (when referencing component temps) and never will be. When it comes to a custom loop or all in one cooler, you are going to need radiator support. Of course, the bigger the case, the more radiator support you will have - this is usually labeled in the case's specs.

It shouldn't have to be said, but if you are planning on installing a huge 360mm+ radiator into a mini-tower, then you could meet some issues regarding clearance. Water cooling doesn't have to go in a large case to work or look good - take the Comino Otto as a prime example - but you just need to make sure your parts are compatible!

PC Case Sizes - Our Best Recommendations

So, with all that in mind, you probably have a much better idea of what case size is best going to suit your specific needs. Now's the time to start thinking about which case (within that size group) you're going to use for your next PC build.

Luckily, we have a ton of experience in this sector. Below, we are going to outline some of the standout picks for each category.

Full Tower PC Case

For me, the best full tower case I've used in a while is the Thermaltake View 71 - and not just because it offers a stunning design and excellent RGB support. However, others in the office seem to prefer the Phanteks Enthoo 719. Whichever one you decide to opt for, you're going to be getting a super case regardless.

Mid Tower PC Case

There are a ton of mid-tower cases to choose from that all offer excellent build quality, great airflow, easy build assembly, and plenty of options for customization. However, for me, I've opted for the hugely popular Fractal Design Define S2. It might be slightly pricey, but you get everything you need and more from this Fractal beast.

Mini Tower PC Case

Lastly, we have the Mini Tower PC case. This pic comes from a case we recently reviewed and fell in love with almost immediately. It's a great looking case that offers good airflow and cable management to boot. We are talking about the NZXT  H210.

Small Form Factor PC Case

Finally, we have the humble yet versatile small form factor PC case. Now, for me, the best example of versatility and customization in a case of this size comes in the shape of the Thermaltake Core V1. It's small, and a cube - so not much in aesthetics - however, it offers great versatility, decent amounts of clearance, and good airflow too.

Final Word

So guys, there you have it, our comprehensive look at computer case sizes. We've concluded that, for the enthusiasts out there, a full tower case would probably be the way to go. Not only are they the ultimate for airflow, but they have ample room for upgrades, and of course, water cooling too.

For a well-rounded case option, you may be leaning toward the ever-popular mid-tower PC case. A mid-tower case can fit all motherboard sizes apart from EATX and server boards, making it a versatile case option. Not only will these cases have the room to fit large components, but they don't leave you with large distances to cover when it comes to cable routing - making them easier to cable manage at times.

For a smaller case option, you can always go for the smaller form factor cases, but a mini-tower is probably the better way to go. A mini-tower can be great for anyone who would prefer a bit of portability from their PC. If you are struggling for room in your bedroom, office or workspace, then a mini-tower could be ideal.

Of course, what you pick is entirely down to your preferences and build specifications, but now you are clued up on what the computer case sizes can do for you, there is no stopping you!

When building a new gaming PC you want to ensure everything gets wrapped up by a high-quality case from reputable manufacturers. No matter your budget it is possible to get quality, regardless if you are going for a full-tower, Mini-ITX, or a case constructed entirely of tempered glass. Our recommendations have spacious interiors and promote excellent airflow, giving you everything needed to maximize performance. In our top selection, you will find the Hyte Y60, Fractal Design Torrent, and Phanteks Enthoo 719, while we update this page regularly to ensure the best additions and choices of cases for you.

Best PC case

Below we go in greater detail for our top picks and more! Comparing specifications, pros, cons, and looking back to how well we reviewed them during testing.

Hyte Y60

Overall, the Hyte Y60 is magnificent. There’s a uniquely modern twist on the very boring rectangular design we see most of the time. This chassis has massive potential to be a modding favorite in the community.

The Hyte Y60 is easy to work with, with so much space even intricate water loops are a doddle. Along with a well-thought-out design, the Y60 features a panoramic view inside, a PCIe 4 riser cable for vertical GPU mounts, and three 120mm fans. Overall the case is well-built, aesthetically pleasing, and well-thought-out, and if you would like to read more, check out our full Hyte Y60 review here.

Fractal Design Torrent

Fractal Design is known for high-quality cases and the Torrent was yet another resounding success. The massive open grille front panel features two pre-installed 180mm fans, sucking in vast amounts of cool air. the overall design is fairly unique, featuring a new layout with expansive base intakes (3 x 140mm fans). When the front and bottom fans combine, it delivers all-around great performance while looking stylish in the process.

Most common motherboard form factors are compatible with the Torrent, however, we would still advise you to stick to ATX when building inside. General clearance is solid and there are a lot of cooling support options. Aside from that, you get a sleek tempered glass side panel and dust filters, making it look clean like a dream. For a more in-depth look, you can see how the Fractal Torrent performed in our review here.

Phanteks Enthoo 719

Phanteks takes build quality and useful features as seriously as anyone else, all while offering superb PC cases at affordable prices. The brand has cases to suit all budgets and needs and the Enthoo 719 sits as one of the best full-tower cases you can get. Not only is this tower huge, but it’s also built to last and looks incredibly premium. Furthermore, the price to performance with this chassis is nearly unbeatable.

This PC case supports motherboards from EEB all the way down to Mini-ITX and can even support a dual-system setup. That’s right, if you are a streamer/ content creator you can get everything you need and fit it inside this one full tower.

Some may consider this to be a “budget” full-tower but don’t let that fool you, this is one classy chassis. Any type of build looks amazing behind the huge uninterrupted tempered glass panel. Water cooling isn’t a must but the main features go a long way to support a custom loop setup. Furthermore, there is a vast amount of drive options at hand here, with 11 places to mount a 2.5″ SSD and 12 spots for a 3.5″ drive.

As there are plenty of radiator and fan support options, the Phanteks Enthoo 719 comes with a fan hub. A simple feature to include but it is much appreciated when you need to tidy up the cables in this build. Looks great and performs even better, a superb full-tower PC case.

Check out our full review of the Phanteks Enthoo 719 here.

ASUS Prime AP201

Good quality SFF PC cases are hard to come by, however, ASUS entered the Prime AP201 into the market and it's actually pretty good. Mini-ITX lovers will find this to be a little on the large size, with a 33-liter volume, however, it looks and feels pretty compact, with four Quasi-filter mesh panels.

The AP201 has support for a 360mm radiator, or five fans, and comes with tool-free side panels for easy access. The case has a 120mm fan pre-installed but you are going to want to add to this for better thermals. The case is compact, sleek, and kind of stealthy, with room for a graphics card up to 338mm in length.

This may not offer the same compact size as cases such as the Thermaltake Core V1 or Fractal Design Node 202 PC cases but its unique size in this bracket means you can get some impressive builds in here. Take a look at our ASUS Prime AP201 review here for more information.

Fractal Design Define 7

Fractal Design has released some unbelievably good PC cases over the years and this latest refresh follows that trend. The Define 7 is essentially the latest update on the brilliant R6, aimed towards those who love silent operation. The interior, color options, and tempered glass options all remain the same, with a few tweaks that make this one of the best silent PC cases I have seen in recent years.

You can’t hide from Fractal’s build quality, it hits you in the face straight away. Furthermore, the brand constantly adds useful features whenever they spot a gap for one, and while you may not always need it, it’s great to have these extra options.

We see a lightly tinted glass back on these and the interior now sports a gorgeous white coat on the tempered glass models. Of course, if you go for the non-TG version the inside remains that gun-metal grey color. This case supports all the way up to E-ATX but you will lose the use of the cutouts. For optimal use go for ATX form factor when building in this case.

Sound performance is very close to its predecessor, with the added quality-of-life improvements making all the difference. The cooling performance takes a hit with the case door at the front but you are most likely grabbing one of these to cut down on system noise. The front, sides, and top all feature heavy-duty sound-dampening materials to give you excellent acoustic performance.

This well-constructed case comes with a modular layout, plenty of cooling support, water-cooling support, and drive options. A truly amazing case and one of the best for silent operation.

Check out our full Fractal Design Define 7 review here.

Corsair iCUE 5000X

Corsair's 5000-series still goes down as one of the best as far as PC cases go. While the iCUE 5000D Airflow model offers better performance, for water cooling, it has to be the slightly more extravagant 5000X. The iCUE 5000X is marvelous and will make any system build look spectacular. Of course, there are many PC cases in this round-up that you could build an impressive loop inside, however, we had to shout out the 5000X.

This case is premium, so as you would expect, we have a bunch of premium features to match. Aside from four sides of tempered glass, the interior is spacious, modular, and can support massive amounts of cooling options. We love this case so if you would like to read more, check out our full review of the 5000X and 5000D Airflow here.

Phanteks P400

The Phanteks Eclipse P400 offers PC builders a more affordable option without compromising on build quality or performance. Phanteks always delivers high-quality options and the P400 isn’t just nice to look at, it’s feature-packed too. You get your necessities such as tempered glass, pre-installed fans, and sleek design but more importantly, you get out-of-the-box cooling performance. This delivers in thermal testing and all for a very friendly price.

The P400 supports motherboards up to the ATX form factor and has plenty of radiator/ fan mounting options. Furthermore, the case is incredibly easy to build in, giving newer builders a less stressful experience. There is no optical drive bay support and there could be a few more cable tier points but these are minor gripes at best. There is a reason this case features on a few of our PC builds, it is hands-down one of the best PC cases you can get value-wise and you will not be disappointed.

Corsair 4000D Airflow

When it comes to an affordable mid-tower case, the Corsair 4000D is a great choice to look at. With great build quality, the case is built to last and keeps standing, no matter your build. Especially with Corsair's ease of build. which means you'll have no issue with the 4000D.

It also adds good airflow throughout, changing up the front panel with a mesh does improve what cooling is available to the insides. As such it stops the choking the other versions may offer. And with a clean aesthetic to it, there is a lot to look at, especially with the clean glass side panel to peer into the components. The back side is also spacious, with plenty of room for cables to fit in. And with great cable channels, cable management is easy and simple giving you a clean overall build.

Check out our full Corsair 4000D airflow review.

What to look for in a PC case?

When looking for the right PC case for you there are many considerations to think about. Starting from the size, you want to find the right form factor that will fit into the rest of your setup. Fitting it on your desk or even under it is important, but then you want to make sure the rest of your components work in it. A MATX case won't fit a full-sized ATX motherboard, and may even limit the size of GPU you can fit in it.

Another thing is the design, you of course want a nice looking case that you enjoy having. No point regretting the thing you have to see every day so start off well. The design is also important for the cooling of your system, especially your GPU and CPU as they are important factors in keeping your performance up. A case suited for airflow and with good cooling is important to factor in for the long term.

Can the PC case affect performance?

Yes indeed, as with any component in your PC, it can affect the performance. Depending on its build factor and how much airflow it has to provide, the more it allows the better cooling your components can get and won't thermal throttle. That also depends on how many PC fans there are installed and if they can do their job properly as you want to make the most out of it. You may also consider RGB fans for the job but if they're also restricted by the case they can limit you.

That's also the case for your components and how much room they have. As if the like of your GPU is being squished up against the bottom of the case or a cover, it won't get enough airflow for it and limit it. The CPU cooler may also be limited by size and what's supported, like what AIO can fit in or how big of an air cooler can fit in.

Other useful pages

Final word

Although often overlooked, the importance of a PC case cannot be overstated. Your case protects the rest of your components and provides them with airflow to ensure they’re running at a stable temperature, making it important to find the best PC cases available. Now you have everything you need to choose a good case no matter what your needs are, whether it's airflow or for that water-cooled build.

FAQs

But speed is only one factor when it comes to a decent connection. You also have to consider signal strength/range, channel bonding, upload speeds, and how many devices it can effectively handle at once. What we’re trying to say is, there’s more to buying a router than what meets the eye.

The Best Modem Router Combo: products at a glance

If you currently own an old/stock router and you find yourself constantly experiencing a ton of issues, there is a good chance that you may have to upgrade. Assuming, of course, that the technicians didn’t find any issues with your connection in the first place.

So, with all that said, let’s check out some of the best modem router combos!

Best Modem Router Combo: our top picks

Best Modem Router Combo: reviews

If money isn’t a concern and your connection is pretty much as fast as it gets for consumers, this is quite possibly your best bet.

It has the whole package. Lots of channels, support for up to 1000Mbps of download speeds, dual-band support, great range, and it also works with almost every popular ISP.

As far as downsides are concerned, the only thing that we need to mention is probably the price which is obviously a bit high. Other than that, there have also been a few reports about TP-Link’s customer support. But, the router itself is good.

This is another great option that focuses a bit more on range rather than speed. Still, with that being said, most of us can’t even reach half of the download speeds that this modem router offers.

So, all things considered, this is a suberb high-end option with the only downside being that it’s a bit on the expensive side. And the situation gets even worse for those who want higher with the AC2200 or 3200.

Of course, if you can get your hands on a gigabit connection, then we can only assume that spending an extra 100 or 200 bucks isn’t going to be a big deal.

If you’re more interested in a budget to mid-range offering, the Surfboard is one of the first options that you should look at. It’s significantly cheaper compared to the rest of our options without sacrificing too much.

Sure, it has a lower amount of channels, it misses a couple of Ethernet ports, and its range is not as great either. But, then again, this is not targeted towards those who need that kind of stuff. This is more suitable for a small family with a decent connection – or a single enthusiast – we won’t judge.

If there’s one downside at this price point, then that’s probably going to be the fact that the router only comes with 2 Ethernet ports. So, if you need something that comes with 4 LAN ports for as cheap as possible, check out our next option.

Many modem routers that come with 4 Ethernet ports (Decent routers) can easily surpass the $200 mark. Not this one, though.

For a bit less than $150, you get 4 Ethernet ports, up to 375Mbps of download speeds, decent range, and dual-band connectivity. Not a bad bargain.

Some may find the 16×4 channel configuration a little lacking in the value department. Having said that, that’s probably the price to pay for additional LAN connectivity and decent network speeds.

Cheap doesn’t always equal bad – and this modem router is the perfect example of that. Sure, $85 (Depending on the time of purchase) isn’t exactly a small amount to pay. But, when compared to routers that can easily surpass $200? That’s as cheap as we’d go.

The good thing about the C3000 is that the maximum supported speed is at 300Mbps. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is no dual-band support and that you’re bound to an 8×4 channel setup.

Still, with these speeds and somewhat limited range, you should be fine just by leaving it at 2.4 GHz. If there’s one downside, then that’s possibly the bad technical support (According to all the buyers, at least).

How We Choose

Whether we’re reviewing new monitors or the best GPU on the market, choosing the right hardware can always be a tricky task.

It requires hours of product research, performance benchmarking, and reviewing user feedback to get anywhere close to a definitive conclusion on what to recommend.

If you aren’t tech-savvy and struggle to put the time aside to go through the above requirements, you may end up purchasing a GPU that isn’t right for you.

Fear not though, friends! Here at WePC, we like to take the stress of research away, and transform the whole process into an easy-to-follow, complete buyers guide. That’s right, our team of PC enthusiasts has done all the hard work for you!

How We Test

Testing the products we recommend is a huge part of the overall selection process in our best of guides. It’s a way to make sure what we recommend is, without a doubt, the best option in its specific category.

To be sure a product is “the best,” it must show excellent performance in our tests, and display better qualities and features than the competition it faces.

Most of the products we recommend here at WePC have gone through a strict testing process that involves everything from the price and performance, to build quality, efficiency, and aesthetics. Each product is pushed to the limit to see how it performs under intense stress to make sure it warrants our coveted top spot.

Doing this enables us to provide you with the most accurate review of how the product performs and, ultimately, whether it’s worth your hard-earned cash.

Things to Consider

As we mentioned above, choosing any hardware within the technology sector requires knowledge, experience, and research. Since we’re the ones who do the research and have the experience, all that remains for you is to use a bit of knowledge in order to choose whatever fits you best.

After all, there is no such thing as a modem router that works for everyone. Sure, the most expensive option may often be the best, but, if you can’t utilize it, you’re just wasting money for no reason.

Compatibility

ISP stands for Internet Service Provider – pretty self-explanatory. So, the very first thing that you need to do before buying a modem router is to make sure that it’s compatible with your cable internet provider.

Thankfully, most routers can work with most ISPs. But, there are always a few exceptions – which is why we’d recommend checking out each compatible modem’s description page where they mention what cable providers are supported. If that's the likes of Comcast Xfinity, Verizon, Centurylink, or the likes.

Speed

There are multiple factors that affect speed. First of all, you need to know the bandwidth that your ISP provides. 50 Mbps is what most people have nowadays – but it can go as high as 1 Gbps (for the lucky few who can get it and are willing to pay for the internet plans).

After that, you need a modem router that can match or exceed your connection’s speed. If you plan on upgrading to a faster internet connection in the future, definitely get a router that can handle these internet speeds in the first place to save some money.

Band

At the moment of writing this article, we mainly use 2 bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Each one has its own pros and cons.

2.4GHz is much slower but it also offers much better penetration and overall signal. 5GHz, on the other hand, is more than twice as fast – but it offers much less range and penetration.

That said, 2.4GHz can technically go as high as 600Mbps – which is still much higher than what most of us can get. But, if you’re someone who can achieve more than that, you’ll first need a device that can connect to such a router – after which you’ll also need to make sure that you’re as close as possible to the modem router. Ideally, in the same room.

Keep in mind that usually, even mid-range routers use dual-band connectivity. This means that they work in both 2.4GHz and 5Ghz at the same time and you can connect to whatever band fits you best.

Range

A router’s range is very important as it theoretically tells us how far away from the router you can be and still connect via wireless. If you can’t get a signal, then your super-fast internet connection and expensive router will instantly become useless.

Unfortunately, there’s not much that we can do to find the coverage of a router just by looking at various specifications on paper. Sure, more antennae may be better – but that doesn’t tell us much about real-life results.

So, the best thing that we can do is trust in what reviewers say and share our personal experiences with you. Always keep in mind how large your house is before buying and what we mentioned about bands above.

Channels

Routers don’t just download and upload everything in one batch. Instead, they split it into multiple channels for better overall results. If there’s more data entering than what the router can handle, you’ll start experiencing network congestion which leads to packet loss and other unpleasant things.

16×4, which is what you generally get with mid-range offerings, means that there are 16 channels for downstream and 4 for upstream. That’s generally more than enough for most of us – but enthusiasts and people who share their connection with other users may want to consider 24×8!

Connectivity

Another important feature of your Wi-Fi router will be what connections it has available on it. The best router modem combo should still have a solid option for gigabit ethernet ports. It gives you the convenience and flexibility to use whichever option is best for you. Either if you're connecting wirelessly to your devices, across to your games console, or up to your PC.

The chipset driving the router also has more options than Gigabit LAN ports, like the addition of USB ports. Gamers will have a lot of choices when picking out how well to connect each of their devices.

Final Word

That’s all for now. We hope that this guide helped you out in making a better decision. Hopefully, now you can get a good idea of the best cable modem solution.

The popularity of Mini-ITX PC cases, mini gaming PCs, and the smaller form factor components that go with them have been gaining popularity in recent years. With the inherent risks or potential problems such as temperature performance and noise, it is important to find the best Mini-ITX case for your building needs. We keep this page updated with the latest picks, so you can find some smaller than MATX case options. For the top picks, we have the Thermaltake Core V1, Silverstone SG13WB, and the NZXT H210.

Thermaltake Core V1

This budget mini-ITX case from Thermaltake is functionally brilliant, especially when you consider the low price tag that comes with it. The Core V1 is actually pretty tough once it’s built-in and although airflow isn’t the best, it comes with a huge 200mm fan on the front panel to pump through that air! The fan runs at 800RPM and actually only produces around 13dBa, which is pretty quiet.

There is also space on the rear panel for an outtake fan but we think it's best to mount your liquid CPU cooler on this if you consider getting an AIO cooler. The front panel is comprised of 2 x USB 3.0 ports with your audio jacks just below. The panel with your power button etc is located on the side which helps aid cable management as they are closer to the bottom of the case, which is where you will be running a lot of cables.

You get an acrylic window on this case to view the system from above and it's located on the top panel which can be removed independently from the side panels. You can also interchange these panels to improve your configuration. You also get a lower ‘chamber’ underneath where your motherboard will be mounted and this gives you some extra room to hide a few cables and improves airflow around your components.

For performance, price, and versatility, the Thermaltake Core V1 is still one of the best Mini-ITX cases available. Read our full Thermaltake Core V1 review here.

Silverstone SG13WB

The Silverstone SG13 is a bare-bones box, that is incredibly compact and offers a surprising amount of cooling performance. There is little to talk about in features and design aside from the mesh front, with uniform indentations. The outer shell is made of thin steel and hooks into place on each side.

Cable management is a little tricky due to the space limitations but I doubt Mini-ITX builders will be too concerned. You can fit an AIO inside with a 120/140mm fan, which is advised by Silverstone themselves to keep temps down. You will also want to stick to using an SFF PSU as ATX will actually partially block the right vent.

This may not be as versatile as the Thermaltake Core V1 but it is much smaller and does surprisingly well for its low price tag.

NZXT H210

The NZXT H210 PC Case may not be the best Mini-ITX or the smallest, however, it offers amazing quality for the price. The aesthetics are as pleasing as the bigger models in the H-series range and it basically looks identical to the H510, despite the size of course.

This Mini-ITX case is feature-packed and ships with two 120mm Aer fans that are pre-installed. The fans at the back and top of the casework together to provide you with a negative air pressure setup and good cooling performance out of the box. You also get a great-looking cable bar to cleverly hide cable management and give you an extra mounting point for a reservoir you want to build a water-cooled system. We also see a PSU shroud and a USB 3.1 Type-C.

This may not be as compact as the SG13, Core V1, or Node 202, but its unique size in this category earns it its place as the best “big” Mini-ITX pick. Take a look at our full NZXT H210 review.

ASUS Prime AP201

The ASUS Prime AP201 is an interesting and different PC case option that some might enjoy. With an open design, there is plenty of room for all your components. With all the mesh on the panels, there are great options for airflow. Which we do recommend adding. If not an AIO for your CPU you do want some cool air for it.

The singular back fan doesn’t quite provide enough ventilation. The passive emissions won’t cut it, especially with the GPU heating the CPU. There is some lack of cable management options at the back and it can get a bit tight otherwise there is good consideration of cable routing.

You can read our whole review of the case to learn more.

The advantages of using an ITX PC case

An ITX (Mini-ITX) PC case is a smaller form factor case that is designed for miniaturized computers. These cases are typically smaller and more compact than traditional ATX cases and can offer several benefits, including:

Cable management is necessary

Cable management is highly important but often forgotten about when you get into building a mini-ITX system because sometimes there just is no extra room to properly manage cables. Cable management is more important than ever due to the decreased airflow in your mini-ITX case, which often has fewer cooling options and space in general. So keep those cables routed properly around the system to maximize cooling performance, and keep your system happy.

Other useful pages

Final word

The importance of a PC case cannot be overstated. Your case protects the rest of your components and provides them with airflow to ensure they’re running at a stable temperature. Due to the smaller form factor with a mini-ITX case, you may not get the best temps inside, however, you get convenience and some real space-saving solutions that look fantastic! Stuck for ideas with your next Mini-ITX build, why not check out our build recommendation?

FAQs

If a standard PC case isn't up to your standards then these smaller options might be the way forward. They're a bit tougher to find them as they aren't as popular but we'll be updating this page to keep the latest ones that are worthy of your consideration. There are plenty of worthy considerations for when you're building your next gaming PC. If you want it quick and simple our top selections are the ASUS Prime AP201, Thermaltake Versa H17, and Cooler Master Q300L. We'll also be updating this page with the latest and best picks so you can find the right choice for you.

Best micro ATX case

ASUS Prime AP201

As we reviewed the ASUS AP201, we found it to be a great compact choice to utilize as a small form factor build. It comes with some options to choose from when deciding on which version to buy. With a black and white choice both with mesh sides or glass if you prefer to see more clearly what is inside your build.

But that cuts back on its airflow and cooling capacity. Although it supports the use of two to three top fans up to (120/140mm) or even a radiator up to 360 mm in length it only comes with one fan preinstalled. You may want to add to this to ensure your components don't get too toasty. But the mesh does allow it to come naturally to them like the GPU supply from the bottom as long as keep it open.

However, we did find that the back of the case does limit your ease of building and how much you can cram in there. Cable management is key to making sure you can fit everything in properly and still be able to close up the panels and prevent cables from interfering with airflow.

For its expansion, you can find one 2.5" bay along with three 2.5"/3.5" combo bays. You'll have four expansion slots, then at the front I/O you will have access to one headphone and microphone jack, two USB 3.2 Gen 2, and one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C. Sizes of your components are limited to 170mm for the CPU cooler height, 338mm for max GPU length, and a max PSU length between 140-180mm.

Thermaltake Versa H17

We’ve recently had the pleasure of reviewing a couple of Thermaltake’s case offerings (Thermaltake Core V1 and Thermaltake View 71) with some impressive results. So, when choosing our budget pick for the m-ATX category, the Thermaltake Versa H17 was an instant contender. This case keeps the Versa styling (boxy) that we’ve seen on other Versa models before, however, it does offer a sleek, brushed aluminum style front panel that is aesthetically pleasing. That being said, there are an additional two versions of the H17 that offer a tempered glass side panel and an acrylic side panel.

As far as features are concerned, the H17 comes with one pre-installed exhaust fan (120mm) which makes use of a 3-pin cable over a Molex. Users then have the option to install additional fans in the front and roof if they need additional airflow. It even supports a 280mm radiator on the front.

From a build point of view, the assembly process using this case was extremely easy. The cable cut-outs were well-positioned (although not grommeted) and the PSU shroud helped aid in cable management as well. The rear of the case is another side of solid metal, so cable management at the back won’t be an issue.

The H17 has support for 2 x 2.5″ drives alongside 2 x 3.5 drives which can be mounted to the motherboard tray. The clearance inside supports a PSU of up to 220mm, a GPU of 350mm, and a CPU cooler of 155mm in height. So all-in-all, a decent amount of room. While the airflow isn’t the greatest I’ve ever seen, it’s still efficient enough at keeping your components cool. Overall, another excellent case from Thermaltake that offers great value for money.

Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L

Another excellent mATX case comes in the form of the Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L. It provides a great value choice without having to cut back on any quality and comfort features. Although smaller in size it does keep component support strong and gives you some flexibility to the function and design of it.

One of the unique features is the modular I/O panel on the Q300L. You can move it to the top, bottom, or front on each side of the case, allowing you to fit it perfectly wherever your setup needs it to be and for ease of your use. It also utilizes dust filters on the top and front that are simply magnetically stuck on, with a patterned look of both giving a nice look and a useful solution. The case can also be stood up or placed on its side with rubber feet on the screws so you can shake it up however you need it.

The panel provides an edge-to-edge look too, for an insight into what's built inside so you can show off the look of it and you can appreciate any RGB and nice cable management you include. The back panel also offers up 28mm of space, which does require some squishing but certainly provides you with a lot of potential when routing your cables and getting the panel shut.

As for what you can fit into the Q300L there is a lot of expansion you can take advantage of. The case features four expansion slots for fitting in your PCIe cards, one 3.5-inch bay for hard drives, and 2.5-inch bays for your SSDs. The movable I/O panel includes two USB 3.0 connectors, and an audio in and out along with power and reset. For cooling, you get one fan in the back, along with support for two 120/140mm in front, two 120mms up top, and just the one 120 at the back. Capable of fitting radiators, you can get 120 and 240mm in front, and 120mm at back. Clearance gives you 159mm for your CPU cooler, and 360mm for your GPU, and the PSU can be a full ATX bottom mount option.

Things to know about micro ATX cases

The following factors are important and should be taken into consideration before buying your next micro ATX case. That’s why we’ll go over these things in some more detail.

There are a few things to consider before just clicking "buy" on a case you love. Firstly, be aware of the size of your components (form factor). Motherboards, GPUs, and PSUs form factor can vary in size, so it's important to check the case can support your parts. Also, before jumping into a case purchase, it's always worth considering what fan configuration you're going to use and how many hard drives you plan on installing.

Motherboard Form Factor

You are going to need to know your motherboard’s form factor before you begin. The most common motherboard sizes are ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX, with ATX being the biggest of the three - and Mini-ATX being the smallest.

Smaller boards will have less room for your components and will generally have fewer features too. This isn’t bad if you don’t need a lot of space. However, if you’re making a high-end gaming build (or upgrading a mid-range build), then you might want to stick with the classic ATX board and therefore visit some different case options.

Case form factors

You will normally find the motherboard compatibility labeled in the name of the case or very easily in the specs. This outlines the maximum-sized motherboard you can fit into the case.

There are three prominent types of computer cases (although there are more) and each is compatible with different types of motherboards:

It is worth noting that your micro-ATX build will look great in any sized case from the smaller 'node' style boxes to a mid-tower case. Most of the time, cases will cater to motherboards with smaller sizes, having said that, some cases don't take that into consideration - leading to issues with routing I/O connectors from the front panel.

Things to consider

When purchasing a case with a smaller form factor, there are certain things you will need to consider before choosing the components you decide to fill it with.

Below are some of the most important considerations when it comes to a micro-ATX case

Component compatibility

One of the first things you must consider before purchasing a small PC case is your components. The chances are, if you are looking for the best micro-ATX case then you are set on building a smaller-sized PC. Great! However, if you're thinking of downsizing your ATX build (by switching motherboards) you might be at risk of component incompatibility.

Many small form factor cases don't have the capacity to house a large GPU. Although, some will. The same can be said for the PSU, CPU Cooler, and AIO Cooler. You must ensure that the case you're looking at can support the hardware you plan on installing in it. Otherwise, you'll be left with a somewhat expensive paperweight.

Cable management

Whether you're looking at a full tower PC case or a mATX case, cable management is highly important when it comes to building assembly and aesthetics. Unfortunately, though, it often gets forgotten about when you get into building a micro-ATX system.

This neglect comes from smaller systems tending to be of lower quality, offering fewer options when it comes to this department- but that isn't always the case. Cable management in micro-ATX cases is more important than ever due to the decreased airflow they provide. More often than not, they offer less fan mounting solutions to properly cool the inside over ATX cases. So keep those cables routed properly around the system to maximize cooling performance.

Some advantages to the Micro ATX form factor

There are several advantages to using a micro ATX case form factor. Here they are in no particular order:

Final word

So, there you have it, our comprehensive breakdown of the best micro-ATX cases currently available. The importance of a PC case cannot be overstated. Your case protects the rest of your components and provides them with airflow to ensure they’re running at a stable temperature. The additional bonuses that come with a micro-ATX case, however, mean you can add convenience and some real space-saving solutions into the mix as well!

FAQs

Whilst the external DVD drive market isn't exactly awash with new releases, you can rest assured that here at WePC we always strive to make sure our buying guides are updated to include any new products we think are worthy. See immediately below for the top picks if you're in a rush, or scroll down further for our individual product reviews, plus the things to consider when buying an external DVD drive section for more info on the market. Do also check out our Black Friday HDD deals page for some great savings while you're here.

If you're interested in external storage more broadly, do also check out our best external SSD & best HDD for gaming guides. If not, let’s jump straight into and check out the contenders.

Best external DVD drives for laptop & desktop: review

In the following section, we'll be reviewing each of the best external DVD drives for laptop & Desktop.

We will go over the main pros and cons of each, while picking out some of the best features that make these a great choice.

Best external DVD drive

If you need something that gets the job done as cheap as possible, then this is most likely your best bet.

Sure, it doesn’t come with Blu-Ray support and the USB 3.0 speeds that more expensive options offer. But, at the same time, there’s not a single DVD player at this price point that does.

Other than that, it’s slim while offering a simplistic look and it works with nothing but a single cable. So, we imagine that this is going to be more than enough for most of you.

Last, but not least, LG mentions that Cyberlink is included as a bundle while you also get M Disc support. For the most part, they are not needed. But, still, you technically get it for free, so, why not?

Best USB 2.0 external DVD drive

The Asus ZenDrive is another great budget offering that should work with every modern computer.

You can expect it to read and burn most DVDs and CDs without any issues. However, you can obviously forget about Blu-Ray at this price point.

The build quality may feel a bit cheap and, well, full of plastic. But, there haven’t been any major reports about durability issues – which is enough for us.

Apart from the standard stuff that you can expect to get from a cheap drive like this one, Nero Backup and M Disc support are also included in the bundle – which is always a plus. One small downside is that it needs two USB ports for power and data. So, make sure that you’ve got an extra slot to spare.

Best external Blu-Ray DVD Drive

If you’re willing to spend a premium for an external DVD drive that can handle not only DVDs and CDs (with blazing fast speeds) but also Blu-Ray discs as well, then the Pioneer BDR-XD05B is pretty much playing in a league of its own.

It’s an all-round great DVD/Blu-Ray drive. If there’s one downside, then that’s going to be the price and, for some of you, the fact that it requires 2x USB ports to work.

Other than that, if you don’t mind spending a ton of money on an external DVD drive, this is quite possibly the best that you can get.

Best external DVD drive for Chromebook

A great choice for individuals that prioritize functionality and compatibility is the HP external hard drive F2B56AA.

This well made external hard drive comes from tech giants HP, who offer a versatile product that features excellent benefits.

Alongside great build quality, the HP external hard drive also features and incredibly easy-to-use design that makes the device almost plug-n-play.

Like most HP products, a 12 month warranty can be expected if selecting this product. Compatibility includes desktop computers and laptops, with almost every variation of Windows supported.

Best external DVD Drive for Dell computers

If you need a mid-range pick that gets the job done, this is the one. It’s generally a bit more expensive than our cheap picks without offering anything extra – which is quite possibly its only disadvantage.

The good part about it is that it only needs a single USB port for both power and data. So, for those of you who are using a laptop with limited I/O ports, you’ll definitely be able to take advantage of this design.

Also, let’s not forget to mention that it feels much more robust as well.

Best External DVD Drive for MAC

If you’re using any sort of Mac, this is quite possibly your best pick as it’s specifically made for Apple’s products. Just keep in mind that it uses USB Type-A. So, those of you who only have USB Type-C will need an adapter to get this to work.

Other than that, it’s pretty much just another external DVD drive. No Blu-Ray, no USB 3.0, and no extra software.

If the SuperDrive was at a 3rd of its retail price, that would make sense. But it’s not. So, many of you may find it to be overpriced and not worth the money.

How We Choose

Choosing a good product requires a lot of knowledge, a decent amount of research, and a lot of experience with technology as well. The average person can’t afford to go through all this just to buy a good DVD drive.

Only a minority have the experience, knowledge, and time to research and try various products on top of that. Since we belong to that minority, our products always go through strict testing sessions and must meet numerous criteria to be considered “the best” in their field.

With that in mind, we feel confident that the products we recommend are both high in performance and value for money as well – including external DVD drives.

Things to consider when buying an external DVD drive

Most tech gadgets are rather complicated. There is a reason why we always pick numerous products – each one with their own pros and cons.

External DVD drives are definitely more simplistic compared to laptops, monitors, peripherals, and most other hardware offerings. However, there are still some things that you need to keep in mind when buying one. Here’s everything you need to know.

DVD support

The very first thing that you need to keep an eye on is what kind of DVDs/CDs a DVD drive supports.

Most of our picks support pretty much all the standard stuff. However, Blu-Ray support is unfortunately only reserved for the higher-end options.

So, if you need Blu-Ray support, then you must specifically look for something that supports this kind of technology.

Compatibility

Most external DVD drives are universal – which means that you should be able to use them with pretty much every modern computer. Some older machines that are using USB 1.1 may be incompatible. But, truth be told, if you’re using something so outdated, then you’ll probably have more to worry about than DVD drive compatibility (Software, hardware, other peripherals, etc).

That said, do keep in mind that some drives may work best with specific computers. A popular example of that is the Apple USB SuperDrive which is specifically made for Macs.

Speed and noise

Read and write speeds for DVD discs and CDs may be different for each DVD drive. 8x seems to be the standard for DVDs and 24x for CDs.

DVD drives that support USB 3.0 tend to support higher speeds – but that’s not necessarily an indication of a faster drive. That said, USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0 anyway. So, it’s not like you’ve got anything to lose by going with 3.0 (Unless, of course, that option is more expensive).

Speaking of speed, that’s one of the primary reasons that DVD drives tend to be so loud. Since you can’t test one for yourself, if you worry about noise, try checking out user reviews and YouTube videos for your drive.

Size and build quality

If you plan on moving around a lot with a laptop, then you’ll probably want to make sure that the drive isn’t too big.

That said, most external DVD drives are rather compact nowadays. But, size is one thing – build quality is another.

A well-made drive is less likely to break or malfunction under heavy usage or in transportation. So, pay attention to what reviewers say for each product. If there are too many reports of a unit breaking down easily, then you’re probably better off avoiding it.

Connectivity

Most external DVD drives work with a single USB cable. However, that is not always the case. Some of them may need two cables for extra power while some laptops come with nothing but USB Type-C ports.

So, if your laptop only has a single spare USB slot and/or Type-C, make sure that you can make it work with the DVD drive of your choice before you actually buy it.

Do external DVD drives burn CDs?

Yes, external DVD drives can usually burn CDs. In fact, most modern external DVD drives are equipped with both DVD and CD burning capabilities, allowing you to burn both CDs and DVDs.

That said, it's always a good idea to check the specifications of your particular external DVD drive to confirm that it does indeed support CD burning before attempting to do so.

Why do laptops not have disc drives anymore?

There are a handful of reasons why disc drives in laptops have drifted out of fashion. Firstly, there are the size and weight questions. If you want smaller, thinner, lighter laptops, it’s tricky to get around the bulk of a traditional DVD drive.

Secondly, content providers – musical, video, and game – moved most of their delivery options online. There are genuine benefits to this, not least immediacy – click and download and the movie or game is yours to watch or play immediately, rather than having to go somewhere, buy a disc, bring it home and install it.

And thirdly, there’s a limit to what you can deliver by disc, which streaming simply laughs at.

All in all, online access has a lot to recommend it over traditional disc media. The only real issue is that not everything that was sold on disc has gone on to be sold for download or streaming, meaning some titles remain only available in traditional media.

Can you play PC games on an external DVD drive?

You can play PC games on an external DVD drive, but there are caveats and words of warning if you want to do that.

These days, most PC games are either streamed or downloaded. This has been the case for some years, so any game you get on disc needs to be compatible with a modern computing setup.

Back in the day when most PC gaming was done by loading discs into either an external or an internal disc player, you had to check that you had a version of the game that was a) suitable for your type of machine, in terms of Windows or Mac, and b) was compatible with your PC’s memory and graphics capacity. However now you’re likely to find that any game you have on disc might be more compatible with relatively aging or discontinued versions of your operating system – and so it might not work for those reasons.

Check whether the game you want is available in downloadable or streamable form before investing in an external DVD drive as a gaming option. In theory, the disc version should be playable – but the caveats about operating systems remain the bigger problem.

Best external DVD drive for laptop & desktop FAQs

Final Word

That’s about it for now. Hopefully, we managed to cover every category, every need, and every query when it comes to choosing the best external DVD drive for laptop & desktop devices. If you think that we may have missed an important detail, recommendation, or anything like that, feel free to leave us a comment down below. We hope it goes without saying that questions are always welcome!

Intel has equipped their new series of boards with a variety of powerful upgrades such as USB 3.1 Gen 2 support, CNVI link support, and even more headroom for outstanding levels of overclocking potential. If you’re looking to maximize the performance power of your new 9th processor then the Z390 is certainly the board to go for.

Best Z390 Motherboard for Gaming in 2024: our top picks

Unfortunately, choosing which one is right for you can be a fairly strenuous task. It usually required hours of tireless research browsing various websites, forums and review pages in the hope you can extract enough information to make the proper informed decision of which one to go for. Well here’s the good news. Here at WePC, we do all the leg work for you.

We have a team of dedicated computer enthusiasts that spend their days testing and working with the latest and best hardware tech on the market. They’re bang up-to-date with the latest manufacturer announcements ensuring all of our recommendations meet strict criteria categories before reaching the consumer.

So, if you are building around one of Intel’s latest 9th gen chips, sit back and relax, the following is our list of the best Z390’s available in today’s market.

Best Z390 Motherboards for Gaming in 2024

Best Z390 Motherboard for Gaming in 2024: reviews

Specs

This hugely impressive motherboard from MSI tops our list as the ultimate Z390 motherboard and for good reason. The GODLIKE is, without doubt, the most powerful board in our list thanks to the 18 phases VRM which has almost unlimited performance potential thanks to the overclocking headroom.

Performance a side however, MSI have gone with what they like to call the new infinity design which again only further symbolizes the performance potential. The board features Mystic Light RGB, Dynamic OLED dashboard, triple turbo M.2 support with Shield Frozr heat sinks, XTREME audio DAC and an impressive list of slots.

The Mystic Light RGB can be tailored to your specific style and has been equipped with 16 million different colour combinations creating endless possibilities to choose from. Further to this, the board has a OLED dashboard which shows the status of the board, it can also display uploaded GIF’s if that’s your thing.

The triple turbo M.2 support means you have a huge capacity for future expansion if required and their Shield Frozr cooling will ensure everything stays icey cool.

Overall this is one of the best motherboards you can buy for Intel and takes our top spot for best Z390 in 2019 so far.

Specs

The ROG range has been developing high end gaming hardware since it’s creation in 2006 and never fails to produce quality components. We’re huge fans of ROG at WEPC and for good reason, they churn out quality and reliable hardware offerings which look fantastic.

The CODE, as we like to call it, comes equipped with ASUS’s signature Aura Sync RGB and a newly enhanced distinctive design with ROG armor. The cooling system has independent temperature control and flow headers ensuring consumers receive the best cooling possible.

Most impressive for us is the newly enhanced 5 way optimization tool which makes overclocking as simple as turning the volume up on your music. To allow the CODE to reap maximum overclocking potential, developers have equipped it with dedicated onboard clock generators that supply dynamic reference clocks to the CPU cores and major subdomains. This gives consumers the freedom to coax ever MHz of headroom out of their build.

Ultimately, what we have here is a high powered, gnarly looking motherboard which is going to not only make your rig look impressive but also make it performance just as well.

Specs

The Gigabyte AORUS Xtreme is another superb motherboard from the Z390 chipset range. This gaming motherboard comes with 16 phases IR Digital VRM for impressive overclocking potential, Fins-Array heatsink’s, Gigabytes legendary FUSION 2.0 RGB and a whole bunch of slots making it super versatile and compatible.

Gigabyte continue to impress in the hardware universe and with their newly designed Z390 motherboard comes another entry into our best of guide. They have described the AORUS Xtreme as the new definition of a flagship motherboard and it’s hard to disagree, its a brilliant board. The innovative design paired with the Fusion 2.0 RGB really make this board stand out from the bunch, it’s definitely the most aesthetically pleasing in this list.

Looks aside however, the performance doesn’t let you down here either. It’s been developed to accommodate 8th and 9th gen coffee lake Intel processors, as you would expect,  and seems to have had overclocking as one of it’s main priorities. The VRM is of extremely high quality to ensure stability and the cooling system is extremely efficient. A Nanocarbon backplate and Fins-Array heatsink make the perfect pairing for someone looking to overclock and keep their build running cool.

We were really impressed with the AORUS Xtreme and certainly agree that it’s their new flagship board, however it just misses out of the top spot on this occasion.

Specs

MSI’s MPG Z390  gaming PRO Carbon is without the cheapest and best value to performance board in this list. It comes to shevles at a fraction of the price of the 3 above but has been geared towards gaming and doesn’t massively lack on features.

It supports both 8th and 9th coffee lake Intel processors like all the boards on this list alongside 4,400Mhz RAM support meaning you have the potential to build a rapid gaming rig with the PRO Carbon at it’s heart.

It has MSI’s Mystic light RGB which looks superb especially when pairing it with other RGB compatible components, think 2080 ti and the likes. It also comes equipped with the ever popular Shield Frozr feature which is MSI’s take on thermal enhancement specifically targetting your M.2 bays.

It doesn’t quite have as many slots or connectivity options as the picks above, neither does it have the super expensive build quality, but what you do get is all the features you expect from a top end board, for a much cheaper final price tag.

Specs

Gigabytes I AORUS PRO WIFI is the smallest form motherboard in our list and is the cheapest, as you’d expect, probably. It’s a Mini-ITX board meaning it’s purpose built for small builds that are both inconspicuous and don’t take up much room. A lot of people are building powerful Mini-ITX rigs these days thanks to LAN events becoming ever more popular.

Size is both the pro and the con for this motherboard, on one side of the coin you have something that no other motherboard has in this list, small form.  However, compromises are made when reducing the overall dimensions of your component and that is certainly the case here.

Only 1 PCIe slot and 1 M.2 mean future expansion is pretty limited. More importantly for some is the lack of RAM slots as this only comes with 2 and has a maximum capacity of 32GB which basically means you have to go all out first time with 2 x 16GB sticks or be stuck for a while with 2 x 8gb sticks which may eventually become redundant.

Ultimately, I actually really like this board and as far as Mini-ITX go it’s right up there for best in it’s field. It will never compete with ATX boards so there’s really no point comparing them. However if you’re looking to build a mini gaming rig for LAN’s i’d stop searching now, Gigabyte tick those boxes nicely.

How We Choose

We get many questions asking how we go about choosing which boards to put on our list, and the answer is always the same. To ensure we are recommending the correct hardware components to our readers the team follow strict criteria categories to make sure the products meet our quality control standards… Those categories are as follows:

Things to Consider When Choosing a Gaming Motherboard

You’ve had a brief overview of the best Z390’s available in today’s market. With this information you’re now going to have to choose which one is best for your specific needs. To make this decision easier we’ve broken down the most important aspects of the motherboard and explain what they do and why. We do this because an educated consumer is more likely to make the correct choice at the end of the day.

The following are some of the aspects of a motherboard you should be taking into consideration when researching which one to purchase.

Form Factor

Form factor, for lack of a better word, is the physical size of the board. The most popular forms range from E-ATX (designed for PC enthusiasts looking to build the best of the best) right down to the Mini-ITX (for consumers who want a build with an extremely low footprint).

The physical footprint is certainly something to consider when purchasing a motherboard because the features and available slots vary dramatically from size to size. You wouldn’t want to buy a mini-ITX motherboard and 4 sticks of 16GB RAM, for example. The Motherboard wouldn’t have the capacity to house all the memory.

Below we have put the different forms into a chart so you can compare:

Form Factor

There you have the 5 most popular motherboard form factors and their corresponding dimensions. This should clear up any confusion you may have on form factor going forward. It’s not just size that separates each of the forms though, let’s waste no time getting into the socket and chipsets.

Socket

There are 2 main types of motherboard socket, the LGA 1151 and AMD’s AM4. With this article specifically targeting the Z390 you won’t have to worry about this section too much, but we’ll explain it none the less.

The socket is the physical slot on the motherboard that holds your CPU in place. Intel has the LGA1151 and AMD have their AM4. This means AMD’s latest 2700x processor WILL NOT be compatible with any of the LGA1151 boards and vice versa.

Trying to fit the wrong processor into the wrong socket type can cause fatal damage to your components, and no one wants that!

Most of Intel’s chips are now running the LGA1151 socket, however, just be aware that if you are upgrading to a 9th gen chip that not all LGA1151 board’s are compatible.

Why not check out our hardware compatibility article to fully understand what components pair best with each other. 

Socket

Chipsets

Probably the most important factor when choosing which motherboard to start with is the chipset. The chipset, for those that are unaware, is the key factor in determining which features your motherboard comes with. The features range from PCIe lanes and SATA ports right through to overclocking support and the USB generation.

You really need to make sure you know your motherboards chipset before your start buying the other components or you might find yourself in a position where you have bought a piece of hardware that has nowhere to live.

Also, with technology advancements moving quicker than ever, always check to see if your specs are up-to-date. There are a number of older and cheaper boards that don’t have M.2 support or DDR4 RAM for example.

Below is a rough chart of varied motherboards and what their chipsets have to offer:

Intel

Intel

AMD

AMD

Memory

When it comes to checking memory compatibility there a few areas that you need to be mindful of: Max supported memory, memory speed, multi-channel support, and how many memory slots are on the board.

The easiest way to check your motherboard is compatible with the RAM you currently own or want to buy is in the motherboard spec’s. It will tell you straight away how much and what speed RAM it can accommodate.

Memory Location

Particularly important when purchasing a smaller form board is the location of the memory. You’re probably asking yourself now, why would that be a problem, as long as it fits? Well strictly speaking, the memory location is rarely going to be an issue. However, if you’re mad into overclocking you may have purchased a large, aftermarket custom CPU cooler.

In some cases, the larger than normal heat sink can become a real problem. Just make sure if you are choosing a larger cooler that the RAM is located far enough away to accommodate for both.

PCI slots

Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI, is the physical slot in which you can expand the capabilities of your basic system.

This includes, but not limited to things like:

There are two types of PCI slots: PCI and PCI Express (PCIe). The PCIe slot is a larger, faster version of the PCI slot and usually houses your graphics card.

If you plan on having dual GPU’s running then it’s always important to make sure you have enough PCI slots. A lot of the time, manufacturers will compromise slot’s to reduce the price, so making sure all your cards and expansion packs are catered for should be highly prioritized.

The other thing to look for is plenty of spacing. If you’re planning on running multiple GPUs that are large, you may need PCIe slots that are further apart to allow for adequate space.

Fan Headers

The last thing you need to make sure is that you have enough fan headers for everything you plan on running. If you’re running a lot of fans, or maybe RGB controllers, you’re going to have make sure you have enough headers on the motherboard to support this.

If you’re interested in learning more about motherboards, then you can read all about how motherboards are made, as well as what all of the main components do.

What's good about Z390 motherboards

Z390 motherboards are considered to be good for several reasons. Some of the main benefits include:

Final Word

So which motherboard will you choose? Personally, I really enjoyed the PRO Carbon, firstly because it looks great and had excellent performance levels, but secondly the price. Many who read this will be sticking to a strict budget and being able to justify splashing out $500 on a motherboard is just not reasonable. However, with the Pro Carbon’s price tag I feel it’s a much better fit for myself and other consumers looking to put together a more rounded build.

Let us know which motherboard you chose and why, we’d love to hear from you.

It’s important to know that you are mostly paying for aesthetics when it comes to a tempered glass case and they do look fantastic but you may have to compromise on airflow and those internal temperatures.

Best Tempered Glass PC Case 2023: our top picks

After careful consideration and sifting through multiple manufacturer’s options we concluded that the Corsair Obsidian 500D RGB SE is the best tempered glass PC case overall and features as our best PC case of 2022 also. Below are some tips to consider before buying a tempered glass PC case. With these tips, you can be sure of picking the best-tempered glass PC cases from the market.

The recommendations are of solid construction, have spacious interiors, and promote excellent airflow. If you’re interested in seeing what sets them apart from other cases, then read on.

Best Tempered Glass PC Cases 2023

Best Tempered Glass PC Case 2023: reviews

This tempered glass monster from Corsair is absolutely top drawer. The Obsidian 500D RGB features 3 sides of tempered glass and is arguably the best tempered glass case currently available. This eye-catching case ships with 3 x 120mm fans mounted which look fantastic through the glass panels.

One of the best features to this case is the fact the two tempered glass side panels are hinged so open with ease giving you instant access inside! This case supports 120, 240, 280, and 360mm radiators if you wish to water cool your system. It has plenty of drive bays for both 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drives, great cable management options, and commendable airflow thanks to the pre-installed case fans and a spacious interior.

With Corsair you know you are getting a sturdy well-built case that won’t let you down and despite the case being a bit pricey, it’s well worth the investment. A top-notch case perfect for anyone, especially the PC enthusiasts!

The Corsair Crystal 280X offers gamers a space-saving option that doesn’t compromise on looks and performance.

This case isn’t too different from the Corsair Air 240 and they do share a similar layout underneath the shell but that is where the similarities end thankfully. This RGB version has 3 x glass panels for you to enjoy, a lighting controller and 2 x RGB fans thrown in for some colourful airflow. While you will be paying more for the RGB version you do get the expensive Corsair fans with it which makes it the sensible choice of the different options. The case also supports full ATX power supplies and you can also mount an additional 120mm fan on the back side panel for extra airflow if you wished.

For a case with a small form factor, it’s actually not too bad for building in and there is even room for a water-cooled setup which can look really good in compact cases. So a small case with many features and it manages to keep noise levels fairly low which is quite impressive, a worthy contender!

This compact mid-tower ATX case from NZXT is a fantastic option for anyone that wants style and performance at a fraction of the price.

The case is jet black and is constructed completely of steel. The case, of course, features a tempered glass side panel that looks fantastic especially with RGB in the system. It may not feel very unique but this case does things the right way, whether its the impressive cable management options or the capability of being water-cooled this case does it all and for a low price too.

We have come to expect adequate to brilliant airflow in NZXT cases and the H500 doesn’t disappoint. This case ships with 2x  AER F* fans which are 120mm and being efficient airflow straight out of the box with multiple places to mount your fans depending on cooling solution or preference.

With this case you get ATX motherboard support, the space to mount a 280mm radiator on the front (liquid cooler) and a 120mm on the rear outtake. You get 3 x dust filters which do an impressive job of limiting the amount of dust going into your components and are always a great thing to include in a case, regardless of price.

NZXT cases are known for being builder friendly and this doesn’t only come with good cable management options but it is also a great case for any custom modders who want to water-cool their build! The amount of features you get in this clean looking case is phenomenal for the price and is well worth consideration.

The View 71 RGB edition from Thermaltake may seem pricey but it is steeped in tempered glass and is one of the nicest looking cases currently available.

Tempered glass is becoming the norm with most cases regardless of price but this one from Thermaltake takes it one step further and has 3 sides of tempered glass; The side panels and the front panel. It looks great but often in the past beautiful glass panels is met with intense cooling issues however Thermaltake seems to have cracked it.

The case actually does a good job with airflow and provides enough to keep the inside at a reasonable temperature which is something we were surprised about due to the amount of glass surrounding the case. The RGB version features 3 x RGB fans which are static pressure fans and really pump air through the case well.

The case supports motherboards all the way up to E-ATX and has a mounting option for your GPU to be installed vertically which is a fantastic option to offer customers however they sell the extension (Riser) cable separately, rendering it useless unless you spend extra on this cable. This is largely the only negative other than its a bit trickier to manage cables in this case but this could be seen as a challenge for the seasoned builder.

The fan support is exceptional in this case with there room for 3 x 120mm fans on the front and top of the case. The top can actually fit 3 x 140mm fans also but you can only fit 2 X 140mmfans on the front panel. So airflow is certainly something that has been considered and you could easily achieve icy coolness with your build at little extra cost. That being said the temps are good enough out of the box so you wouldn’t have to spend any additional money if you didn’t want to but it’s certainly something to consider seeing as it is a 3 sided glass case.

The case features innovative 3.5” and 2.5” tool-free drive bay design which removes the hassles of installation and removal, this allows you to freely interchange the 3.5” and 2.5” storage drives with ease. The View 71 TG RGB Edition features modular panels, racks, brackets, and pre-design mounting arrays which is great for the custom builders out there.

This may not be the best case available but it’s hard to deny how good it looks and it has hinged side panels, a great pick!

The Deepcool Matrexx 55 case is the cheapest recommendation on the list but that doesn’t mean it is not feature rich.

The case is visually quite nice with the tempered glass making this case feel a lot more premium than its price. This cheaper version doesn’t come with the PSU shroud which is annoying but as long as you take extra care when managing your cables you can still get a clean build in this. The chassis is very spacious and can house an E-ATX motherboard if you wanted but it would be a bit tight for space.

It isn’t the most builder friendly case and there is no modularity inside at all but it is a budget case and it does what is needed while provided adequate airflow through the system. This case doesn’t come with any fans so make sure you factor that into your budget if you do go with the Deepcool case!

How We Chose

All the cases on this list are viable options that we ourselves would build in but we don’t just pick them at random. First, we conducted a search to discover which tempered glass cases gamers are into while trying to balance those with the highest reviews against those with the lowest price tags.

We want to try and offer recommendations to fit as many needs as possible so we read reviews from various manufacturers daily to sniff out any potential issues a case can have. We also like to see what others in the PC industry have to say on the cases we pick too!

Things To Consdier

When purchasing a tempered glass case, there are certain things you will need, like support for your motherboard. There are other things you will need to consider when buying a case with so much on show.

All of these factors are important to take into consideration before buying your case. That’s why we’ll go over these things in some more detail.

There are a few things to consider before just clicking buy on a case you love. Firstly be aware of your components form factor. Motherboards, GPUs, and PSUs form factor can vary in size so it is important to check it will be compatible! Consider how many fans you will be mounting, hard drives you require and what size radiator your cooler has!

don’t worry we will go into these different factors in some more detail below.

Motherboard Form Factor

You are going to need to know your motherboard’s form factor before you begin. The common motherboard sizes are ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX, with ATX being the bigger of the 3 and Mini-ATX the smallest.

Smaller boards will have less room for your components and will generally have fewer features too. This isn’t bad if you don’t need a lot, but if you’re making a high-end gaming build or a mid-range build you intend to upgrade in the future, then you might want to stick with the classic ATX board.

Your Case

You will normally find the motherboard compatibility labeled in the name of the case or very easily in the specs and this outlines the maximum sized motherboard you can fit into the case!

There are 3 prominent types of computer cases (although there are more) and each is compatible with different types of motherboards:

Cable management is a must

A good case has plenty of options for cable management. Most cases have holes in the back panel for you to run cables through, but some cases are better for cable management than others. For example, the holes may be there, but not in ideal locations. This is never more important than it is with tempered glass cases as some can get a bit hot but mainly as there is more of the system on show to see!

Nobody wants to be bothered by noisy case fans. If your case ships with fans, make sure they aren’t too loud – trust me, you’ll thank me later. Many popular cases, including all of the cases in our roundup, have been reviewed online. Before you purchase a case, make sure you look at their reviews. During testing, many reviewers will make note of not only the fans’ cooling performance but also their noise levels.

Why Buy a Tempered Glass Case?

If you’re building a computer, odds are you’re investing a reasonable amount of cash. Regardless if it’s a tempered glass case or not it is important to buy a case with a solid construction as damaging your components is the last thing you want to do.

Attractive – First and foremost tempered glass cases can look amazing with modern day setups as they allow a better view into the system. They look beautiful and add a touch of class to your build whilst letting those RGB lights illuminate the surrounding area.

To be honest tempered glass cases are purely for aesthetics but some do offer fantastic modularity for any mod builders out there. You also can get some interesting extension parts to mount components like a GPU vertically in a tempered glass case where the visual appeal is important!

Final Word

The importance of a PC case cannot be overstated. Your case protects the rest of your components and provides them with airflow to ensure they’re running at a stable temperature but with a tempered glass case, you can add flare!

We would like to know what case you went for to house your build in and also if you have any alternate suggestions we should look into!

SSDs are a bit more expensive than HDDs, but upgrading can be a relatively cheap way to get some extra performance out of your computer. SSDs are much more affordable these days - especially if you just want something small to move Windows 10 over to. Keep in mind though that you should always plan ahead and get more storage space than you need.

READ NOW: Ready to upgrade to Windows 11? Here's how it's done

Moving your entire operating system to another drive can seem daunting, but luckily, there are tools that really simplify this task. In this article, we are going to go over a few things you need in order for this to go smoothly. And, of course, a little step by step guide to walk you through the process.

So read on for a faster and quieter system!

Why move Windows 10 to SSD?

The days of patience are over, so a five minute loading time is widely less acceptable with SSDs featuring in most people's PCs. Slow HDD load times can be the bane of any computer user's life, regardless of the task and some games even perform better with an SSD.

SSDs are slowly but surely becoming more and more affordable, so it is a great time to invest and enhance your rig.

What you'll need and preparation

Before you move Windows 10 to your SSD, you are going to need to do some sorting (unless everything is being transferred). To transfer the data in the easiest way, we are going to use a cloning tool. We will be using EaseUS Todo Backup as it is free and simple to use.

Because we are going to clone the disc, it is a good opportunity to defrag the file system first.

Now your file system has been cleaned up; it is worth backing up your data. Use an external HDD if you have one. It is worth noting this may take some time depending on the amount of data you have, and it is just a precautionary step.

Once you have backed up your personal files it is time to begin the process of moving Windows 10 to your SSD. Make sure your SSD is installed, open up the EaseUS Todo Backup tool and let's get started.

How to move Windows 10 to SSD

How to move Windows 10 to SSD : Final word

That's how it's done - nice and easy. You'll now be able to enjoy quicker loading times across your Windows system.

Now the process is complete and you have learnt how to move Windows 10 to SSD, you can start adding any backed up files back onto your system.

With graphically amazing games being released almost every month, you could find your trusted old dusty PC starting to feel outdated. Maybe recently you have experienced severe FPS dips, lag, and stuttering, which can mean you need to lower your settings! The good news is you don't always have to buy a brand new computer to fix this issue; you can just upgrade your GPU and start enjoying those games again.

Here at WePC, we know that not everyone has time to follow what the latest hardware developments are or how to replace older components. In this article, we aim to give you a helping hand in this exciting upgrade process. Blistering FPS is on the way!

Things you will need before upgrading

There are a few things we need to get ready before we remove the GPU from your system. These may seem obvious to some of you but spare a thought for our first-time computer builders who may be concerned over their highly regarded components!

Replacing the graphics card

It's time to replace the old with the new. Depending on how old the GPU you are replacing is, you may want to consider selling the item (making your new GPU technically cheaper).

Now everything plugged in/attached, turn it all back on and see if it powers up. Remember modern GPUs fans run idle (don't move) until the graphics card heats up so don't worry if nothing moves.

An easy way to check and see if your machine recognizes the new device is to navigate to your device manager and click on "Display adapters".

You're finished! It's time to load up your favorite titles again and experience higher frame rates, enhanced detail, and smoother gameplay.

If you're planning on an air cooler or an AIO cooling solution, then you can find yourself a good chassis for the job with this list. Even water cooling is a great option to choose from, giving you a more unique solution to choose from. We keep the page updated with new options making sure you can find the best options for your needs in that case you can get the best choice for you. For those in a rush, our top picks are the Thermaltake Core P5, InWin D-Frame, and the Thermaltake Core P1.

Best open air PC cases

Thermaltake Core P5

Thermaltake’s Core P5 is one of their ATX open-air PC cases, which can also be wall-mounted. The Core P5 is one of Thermaltake’s most popular open-air case options, piping the expensive P7 to the post.

The Core P5 is sometimes referred to as the coffee table, with its huge tempered glass side panel being a great place for your beverage (don’t try this at home!). This open-air case supports ATX motherboards and can easily house an impressive system, with plenty of water-cooling room. The case is big enough to deal with the largest of GPU sizes and can fit a CPU cooler as tall as 7″.

The P5 supports radiators up to 480mm and is awash with modular features perfect for a custom loop builder. The case comes with four tempered glass windows that can be removed and almost close the case off entirely! The Thermaltake P5 is available in black and white options and features a riser cable for vertical GPU mounting. Overall, the Core P5  is one of the best open-air PC cases on the market, and if you can afford it, you are going to be making some seriously cool custom loops.

Cooler Master MasterFrame 700

If you're after some wings for your setup, the Cooler Master MasterFrame 700 brings just that, with a large wingspan to the open-air case. You can change the way it looks by either having it stand up, lying down, covered in glass, or not. There is plenty of flexibility to it, including at what angle you want the wings to be, if not stuck in place with glass.

It has very impressive support for any type of component, in fact, anything will be able to be used. As you can get any motherboard size ranging from SSI EEB, and EATX to mini ITX. Plus with eight expansion slots, you can fit quite a range of expansion cards for testing or use in your system. That also applies to the storage with plenty of bays to utilize, including up to 4 2.5"/3.5" combo bays on the PSU cover, and three standalone 2.5", allowing you up to seven SSDs alone.

I/O provides you with two USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-As, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C, and one 3.5mm headset jack. Fan and radiator support is limited to the wings and doesn't come with any preinstalled. However, you can fit in three 120mm or two 140mm fans on either the right or left side, while the radiators fitted can be 360/420mm on top and 280/360mm on the right or left side. Clearance also is great with a CPU cooler allowing up to 158mm, PSU gets 210mm, and graphics cards can reach up to 450mm for maximum compatibility.

The whole case provides you with a great new option to go for. Although it comes at a hefty weight, if you plan to use it as an open bench, like us, it's not exactly moveable. But it does provide a great platform for it, with so much cooling potential available.

Thermaltake Core P90

There are some seriously unique-looking PC cases in the open-air category, and Thermaltake has a good one here. The Core P90, with its angular concept, brings a fun new way to build into the mix. Part of the “P” range from Thermaltake, this open-air case is unique in its own right, and despite its size, it can be wall-mounted too!

The Core P90 gets its name from the 90-degree angle at which the case’s design sits, and it is easily one of the heaviest cases on the list (17.2 kg). With this type of case design, you can get some really interesting angled custom loops and make your build stand out.

The Core P90 can only accommodate graphics cards as long as 12.6″. However, vertical mounting is an option in this case, thanks to the included riser cable. CPU coolers as tall as 7″ are good in this case also, with adequate amounts of clearance.

The Thermaltake P90 has radiator support for up to 480mm, and its modular design is finished superbly with two 5mm thick glass panels. If this case’s unique design doesn’t put you off, experienced systems builders can create something incredible with the P90 and its 90-degree angle.

What disadvantages do open air cases have?

As you can imagine with an open-air case, you are getting less protection for your components. In a normal case, dust follows the flow of air and goes through your intake fan (unless you have large gaps in your case and negative pressure).

With open-air cases, there is no need for air intake as your components are all fairly chilled. While this is great news for your temps, it will require some extra care and attention on the dust front. Regular dusting of your open-air PC is a must, as it will simply be too easy for it to accumulate in this type of case.

Dust build-up is a killer for components but remember, if your case is open, there are several other threats to consider. Beware of pets going near an open-air system (for obvious reasons) and take extra care with liquids as there will be little to stop any spillages.

Do I have to cable manage an open air case?

Cable management is important with all PC builds but is often swept aside. Cable management is usually great for reducing heat and dust build-up in a system, but with an open-air case, it’s a little different.

As everything is on show in an open-air case, it can be quite difficult to leave cables without them ruining the entire design of your system. While there will be routing options on these cases we recommend, it is going to be much harder managing your cables when compared to your standard PC cases.

It is essential with an open-air PC case to plan your build-out a little bit more than usual, as there will be many aesthetic challenges along the way. Now, without any further ado, let’s see what the best open-air cases have to offer.

Other useful pages

Final Word

Selecting the best open-air PC case for your needs is highly important. This case is going to house your expensive components and protect them (albeit not as much in this category).

The best open-air PC cases offer a unique level of design you just don’t get from any other cases, and they are excellent for a custom-loop system. All of our recommendations will give you a seriously stylish build but make sure you have a little extra in the budget. Have you recently purchased an open-air case? Let us know about your building experiences with one of these.

The government agency stated the following*

Virtually every office space in corporate buildings is with significant damage, broken down and completely stolen. Stealing both work proprty and personal belongings of employees at their workplaces. Please note that the search and theft of the values of state enterprises has been systematically and daily, and even at the specified time - from 10:00 to 14:00 daily.

Russian forces target PC workstations

It appears that no stone has been left unturned by the Russian forces, who ransacked businesses throughout the area, and curiously, in the images appears that a number of PCs, servers and other technology have also been looted by the Russian forces. This appears to be targeted. In some images, we see the (presumably empty) boxes of several Nvidia and Radeon graphics cards, and an Intel motherboard. In addition to this, it appears that a part of the zone looted included an entire server rack, with Russian forces only leaving behind a keyboard.

The image above appears to show three computers, one with what appears to be a HEDT CPU, an LGA1366 cooler, and a newer-looking PC with an upturned Intel stock cooler. It's likely that these machines were not at all used for gaming, but instead for workstation uses. In another image, we see more stripped PCs and the empty box of an MSI M110M Pro-VD motherboard. This is just part and parcel of the widespread reports of Russian forces looting Ukrainian residents and businesses. The fact that they happened to open almost every PC in these images is indeed curious, however, as this is a part of what will destabilise local businesses and economies.

We do not believe that there is any correlation with the fact that they have picked PCs clean by comparison to anything else, it is simply a part of the wider trend of Russian forces looting occupied areas during the conflict. It could be speculated that PCs were targeted due to issues surrounding the availability of parts in Russia after heavy sanctions from many companies. Or, it could just have been a techno literate soldier looking to steal after being drafted into the military. There's just no way to understand the intent behind the looting, or if there appeared to be any strategic advantage in looting from locals aside in a vain attempt to break more, However, now that Ukraine has regained control, it appears that citizens are now attempting to pick up the pieces of their lives, devastated by indiscriminate aggression.

Now, Ukrainians in the Chernobyl exclusion zone are aiming to rebuild their lives, one piece at a time, after control of the zone has once again fallen into sovereign hands. There are additional issues facing the area, such as stolen supplies, food and fuel. The PC's being pilfered are just a footnote in the list of priorities for the people in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

We can only wish the people, who have now regained control of the area, are able to rebuild and thrive after finally being free from the control of the Russian forces.

The Ampere problem: Nvidia & Samsung's fraught relationship

Nvidia recently partnered up with Samsung to deliver many of its Ampere graphics cards, which include the RTX 3080. However, according to WCCTech, relations between Nvidia and Samsung soured after issues with reported yields with their chips, which may have been a factor in Nvidia's decision to move their next-generation chips over to TSMC's N5 node, which we've explained away here.

Additionally, Business Korea claims that Nvidia's Hopper data center GPU is also moving away from the Samsung process, and onto TSMC. They cite yield issues with RTX 2000 and 3000 chips, which could have been a part of the issue with releases as recent as the RTX 3090 Ti, which was subject to numerous delays.

TSMC's industry-leading advantage nets them $7 billion

TSMC is now one of the hottest properties on the market, with every company wanting to book in foundry time. To adjust to this now accelerated cycle of chips and releases, Nvidia has reportedly bid $7 billion to secure the manufacturing capacity from the company. This is an enormous number, but when working with a foundry that has a reputation as stellar as TSMC, you really need to believe that this investment is going to be worth it for Team Green.

TSMC's N4 and N5 modules are going to be in some of the latest cutting-edge technology this year, and with so many companies lobbying for their own slice of the pie, it's going to be incredibly interesting to see what happens when chips developed on N3 hit the market, as we suggest that Apple may be among the first customers that we see using the advanced node.

Samsung's dies were adequate for the RTX 3000 series in terms of performance, but with Lovelace GPU rumors swirling around that suggest that we could see ballooning TDPs, is the performance really going to be worth the huge increase in power draw? We're just going to have to wait and see when it comes to the performance-per-watt power of the systems themselves when they are presumably released later this year.

Monopoly is never a good thing, the issue the industry has with its reliance on TSMC is sure to come to a head soon, but it takes years to get a chip foundry to be as consistent as TSMC, so we might be waiting for a good long while for a viable contender to their silicon throne.

GTX 1060 is still the GPU king, but the 3060 isn't far behind.

The budget king of GPUs, Nvidia's GTX 1060 has actually seen a slight uplift in users, and is up +0.19% last month, which is around the same levels as we've seen in December 2021. However, there are also two other big winners here, and the GPU which has increased in market share the most over the last five months is the RTX 3060, which has steadily been gaining users, with the number of people using the card almost doubling in comparison to the number of gamers who had them in November.

We always expected that the '60' cards in Nvidia's stack will always do well, and the 3060 has a long way to go if it wants to topple the domination of the 1060 and 2060, but with growth like this, we could see the GTX 1060 toppled before the year is over. If we could laptop SKUs, the total market share for the 3060 amounts to 3.1%, which has the GPU nipping at the heels of the GTX 1050, which is the 5th most used GPU today.

Comparatively, the RTX 3050 is still not gaining too much momentum quite yet, even after its official discrete launch earlier this year. But, it could just be a card that builds momentum slowly over time rather than one that explodes into existence, so it also has the chance of increasing in the rankings pretty significantly.

What will be interesting to see in upcoming hardware surveys is the

Intel steals market share from AMD

Intel's strong showing in the price to performance ratios of its 12th generation systems, which exploited a pricing gap in the midrange market that AMD failed to fill in the bub $200 USD range, with the 5600X debuting at $309, while Intel's offering, the 12400F managed to reach a modest $180 by comparison. These two CPUs are quite comparable in performance, so it meant that many builders who were saved with teh decision of going with Intel or AMD have seemingly gone with Intel.

This shows just how volatile the market really is, with the customer not being brand-loyal, but instead searching out for their own performant solutions with little regard for what brand they might choose. Therefore, companies should think twice before becoming complacent and using their advantages to drive up the prices of their products. The market is fickle, and you can lose that momentum just as quickly as you gained it. AMD needs to respond in kind to 12th gen, but it might not be by releasing the 5600 far, far too late.

Quest 2 sees huge adoption

Sitting with the majority of the market share in the VR Headset space, Meta's Quest 2 VR headset has experienced a further boost after Black Friday and the holiday shopping season that sees it dominating the VR space. The Quest 2 VR headset is currently capturing 39.6% of the entire PC VR market, which makes it a harder sell for consumers to buy into other headsets. Even Valve's own Index headset is currently only managing to capture 8.26% of market share by comparison. With rumors of a brand-new headset coming from Meta this year, we could see the Quest 2 live on, and a higher-specced device released for those looking for a little bit more of a premium experience compared to the Quest 2's relatively meager spec sheet.

Nvidia gains market share with RTX 3060 GPUs

Despite the GTX 1060 being the most popular graphics card, Nvidia is starting to make a dent with heir current-generation offering. The 3070 leads the charge with 1.94% of surveyed users having an RTX 3070 in their system. However, the real story is with the RTX 3060 and its various configurations. The RTX 3060 desktop card holds 1.87% of the market share, with the laptop variant also controlling 1.74%. Trailing behind slightly is the 3060Ti, which is further holding another 1.29%. Comparatively, the market share currently held by AMD when it comes to GPU performance with their current generation of cards is with the RX 6700XT, which only has penetrated 0.19%, which is minuscule compared to the green giant's successes with their latest generation of Ampere graphics cards.

Intel fights back against AMD

While Intel has always had the lead when it comes to consumer market share in gaming PCs, AMD began to fight back with their Ryzen line of consumer CPUs, cutting into a significant portion of Intel's pie. However, with the launch of the 12th Gen Alder Lake CPUs, Intel is starting to take back a bit of ground. We saw that in December 2021, Intel gained exactly 0.82% of the market share, while AMD lost that exact same amount. This tells us that while customers are indeed brand loyal in some cases, ultimately timing, performance, and pricing are all key factors.

What's next for PC hardware?

Looking at the data, it certainly seems that we've finally moved past the era that we lived in for so long between 2015-2020 with PC hardware almost being 'stuck' in a rut, with very minor generational improvements. Now, we're seeing innovations such as smaller die sizes from AMD and advanced AI built into graphics cards that allow users to gain further performance. The real battle for getting the most customers ultimately lies in the low-end. The GTX 1060 still remains king, but is that all about to change with the RTX 3050 and RX 6500 XT? Only time will tell.

Looking for some new parts to pop into your PC? We've got you covered.

After a new card to build into your system? Look no further.

Some board manufacturers such as Gigabyte have gone to the lengths of making variant DDR4 Z690 boards for almost every Z690 SKU that they make. So, the good folks at ASUS have decided that the best way forward would be to start prototyping their own DDR5 to DDR4 kit, since both architectures work very differently from one another, and the corresponding slots are not keyed to be compatible with each other, either.

The ASUS DDR5 to DDR4 RAM adaptor requires its own power regulation due to the ways in which the two architectures differ, so the board needs those components on the adapter so that DDR4 is actually able to function at all. Additionally, it also requires a special version of a UEFI BIOS to even work at all. This project may never see the light of day, but it's always interesting to see designers attempting to work their way around this issue as supplies for DDR5 are still so limited.

In the video, a user by the name of Bing is purported to be an ASUS engineer who often develops these kinds of skunkworks projects themselves, and more often than not never make it to retail. However, it remains to be seen if there is consumer demand for this type of device at all.

Video showcasing the device

Kicking off their lineup is their brand-new line of fans named the Kunai Chromas, followed by a PC fan controller, an all-in-one cooler named the Hanbo Chroma, and a power supply called the Katana Chroma. As you can expect from the names they all are full of RGB but actually quite tastefully done.

You can check the availability of these products here.

Razer Kunai Chroma Fans

The Razer Kunai Chroma are Razer’s first-ever fans, coming in two sizes of 120mm and 140mm. They are on sale from the Razer website right now and are available at retailers for a price ranging from $44.99, which is likely to be the 120mm version. That would be a steep price to pay for a singular fan but it’s really not specified in their briefing. No other fans come close to being as expensive as the Razer Kunai Chroma fans. At that price, not even cutting-edge fans with maglev bearings like the ML series from Corsair are as expensive as Razer’s offering.

Even so, the Razer fans are equipped with hydraulic bearings, the longest-lasting and quietest, aside from maglev-type fans. However, they are rated for nearly seven years of use (60,000 hours) so even leaving your PC on 24/7 they should last you a while. With a noise rating of 15-35 dBA (120mm, 140mm rated for 15-30dBA), they should also run fairly quietly. The 120mm version offers you 18 addressable LEDs and 22 for the 140mm model. They only light up the outer ring of the fans, which does give it have a sleek design with a balance of RGB and black, which makes for a good-looking compromise between the two extremes of garish RGB fans and a stealthed-out look.

The 120mm model of the Razer Kunai Chromas has an RPM ranging of 500-2200, with the 140mm being equipped with a slightly lower range of 500-1600, which allows them to move 17.48-65.5 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and 34.48-81 CFM (120 and 140mm respectively). This is decent airflow and will have no issues moving lots of air into your system. This is especially useful as these fans are also being used on their AIO, so it needs the power to get air through the radiators and be an effective cooler. You can also see this with the ML series from Corsair, used on their H series radiators where the 120mm fans have an RPM of 400-1600, and 400-1200 for the 140mm, which report an airflow of 47.3CFM and 55.4 CFM respectively. And so the Razer fans provide higher airflow, good for the transfer of heat from the radiator.

Razer Hanbo Chroma AIO

Equipped with the Razer Kunai Chroma fans, the company also announced an all-in-one cooler. Named the Razer Hanbo Chroma, this AIO is coming a little later than some of the other products they’ve announced at RazerCon 2021, in November 2021. Razer states that it’s still going through quality control, so we’re not sure what price they’ll be starting at yet.

You’ll have two options with 240mm and 360mm models, which will both be using the 120mm fans. The pump is an Asetek cooling block, fairly standard in the AIO market, with the pump and heatsink being built alongside Razer and Asetek in collaboration. However, the cap of course comes sporting Razer RGB, with a ring round the outside and logo in the center, sticking to that minimal RGB look. The performance of the pump is rated at 800-2800 RPM on both sizes, drawing 12v, 0.3A and with a copper plate, which should make for a competent cooler. The cooler compatibility is fairly broad and standard, supporting AMD AM4, with the Intel compatibility spanning from LGA 1150 all the way to 1200. It will even support the new Intel LGA 1700 socket, so there's no need to worry about the possibility that the cooler will become obsolete any time soon. Razer did not comment if the Hanbo Chroma AIO will be compatible with what we expect will be AMD’s AM5 socket.

Razer PWM PC fan controller

In addition to an AIO and fans, Razer have also announced a PWM fan controller, available now. The controller is able to connect and power eight fans. However, there are no RGB connectors, so if you want to have a hub for your RGB, you’ll need the Razer Chroma Addressable RGB controller.

To have control through hubs of your RGB fans, you’re going to need both hubs to have full control of them, and with the PWM controller costing $49.99 and a Chroma controller costing $39.99, it’s not going to be cheap to fully deck out your setup with the Razer ecosystem. However, if they are universal three pin RGB (as the Chroma controller supports) you can get away with daisy chaining directly to your motherboard if you have enough sockets for them. Even so, we’re not sure you’ll be able to control it through Razer’s Synapse software, so you’d have to rely on bios or other software controls.

Razer Katana Chroma PSU

The last announced component is the Razer Katana power supply, which will be available in ATX size from 750-1200W platinum or a 1600W version titanium 80+ efficiency. These will become available in Q1 of 2022 and they currently have no announced price. There will be some differences between each model, with the specifications not stating what might be different between them.

They can be seen in the renders provided. The 750W offers a split ATX motherboard connector, four 8-pin connectors for either CPU or PCI-e power, three six pin connectors for SATA and peripherals, and of course an RGB control connector for the 140mm fan in the power supply. They did not specify what manufacturer they have used, as many power supplies are actually made by third-party companies. But, Razer have said that it’s been developed to their requested specifications, promising the best quality, including 105c Japanese capacitors. With this high efficiency, quality and protection it will likely be a solid product but with no cost attached to it yet, we’ll have to wait and see how it holds up against other brands.

So, what does this all mean for the industry?

With Razer entering the market, they're looking to topple the current market leaders such as Corsair. PC components are an incredibly lucrative market, and it makes sense for Razer to want some slice of the pie. It’ll also benefit them to have the most components being their own in your build, with one big ecosystem, not unlike what Corsair or NZXT currently offers.

With their sleek, RGB, and black designs, the products fit well into the components they already have, and from the promotional imagery that features all of their new components into their recently-released Tomahawk case, it does go well together.

With all these announcements and most likely more down the line, Razer is becoming the Apple of the PC market, with minimalist designs and high prices to match. With an entire ecosystem of their own products, Razer is gearing up to be a huge player in the components market, but it remains to be seen if any of it is worth the likely very high price tag they’ll come attached with.

Check the availability of the products here.

Curiously, the device appears to be lightweight, with a single wire that connects to what potentially could be a device that houses some of the processing power, not dissimilar to solutions found in other headsets such as the Magic Leap. With that said, the incredibly competitive price point on the leaked imagery pips the HTC Vive Flow at just $499, which is a tad more expensive than its closest cousin and its fiercest competition, the Oculus Quest 2 comes in at just $299, meaning that HTC is going to have an uphill battle with getting the Vive Flow into people's hands as efficiently as the Oculus Quest 2 has done in the past.

HTC Vive Flow release date

According to the latest leaks, the HTC Vive Flow will be available to purchase on October 15, following the HTC event on the 14th. It's unclear as to whether or not it will be open for pre-orders or readily available and shipping directly on the day as of yet, you'll have to stick around for HTC's conference to see what happens. Due to the nature of the leaks, just be aware that this date is not quite 100% confirmed yet.

HTC Vive Flow price

The HTC Vive Flow will be retailing for $499, according to the recent leaks. The official price will be announced at HTC's Vive Flow event on the 14th and is expected to be available quite soon after, as previously stated. However, for all of you VR nuts, we're still light on the technical specifications of the HTC Vive Flow, so it remains to be seen as to whether or not it will be worth the hefty $499 when compared to the Oculus Quest 2's $299, which might cause the HTC Vive Flow to be a bit more of a niche product than Oculus' gambit towards the mainstream, but if their leaked promotional imagery is anything to go by, then it appears as if they might be targeting the same market, so you should hope for a superior product when compared to the Oculus Quest 2 when it comes to performance too, Ultimately, it's something that we will just have to wait and see when it finally gets confirmed officially by HTC themselves.

DDR5 memory is on the horizon

Corsair posted a piece on their blog detailing their plans for the next generation of RAM. with DDR4 reaching the end of its lifespan, DDR5 is soon to hit the shelves and corsair has plans to update their Iconic Dominator and Vengeance line of products with this impressive new standard of memory. DDR4 has been around for 7 years, initially released in 2014, and has long provided gamers with memory speeds up to 3200MHz. 7 years is an eternity in the gaming technology world so we gamers are bout due for this new jump in memory speed technology.

What is DDR5?

DDR5 is an upcoming standard of memory that allows theoretical speeds of up to 51GBps and an incredible potential capacity of 128GB per module, doubling DDR4's maximum of 32GB per module. This is an impressive leap and is sure to come with an equally impressive price for early adopters of this new standard, but as time goes on DDR5 will receive price drops and will become accessible for all gamers, just as the previous standard did.

The increased capacity, density, and bandwidth will allow your PC to handle more at once, this means increased performance in gaming, streaming, and memory-intensive creative programs like Blender and photoshop. perhaps a theoretic total memory capacity of 512GB will even satisfy the famously greedy Google Chrome, but even with this huge capacity, I'm still not convinced that Chrome will have its fill.

When will DDR5 be released?

At time of writing, there is no concrete release date yet. But it's rumored to be available in time for the upcoming Alder Lake-S series of processors as they will be compatible with both DDR5 and DDR4.

Given the scarcity of information out there right now we can't say much, but we will be keeping an eye on the grapevine and will continue to update you as and when.

To keep up to date with the latest DDR5 News, Prices, Pre orders and availability be sure to check out our DDR5 RAM : Everything we currently know about release date and RAM speed article

In this article, we are going to be putting together some components, showing you what’s possible whether you are building a brand new PC, or just fancy a few upgrades.

CPU

As a student, you are most likely going to want a system you can use for gaming purposes and, of course, your studies, so the CPU is a fairly important component. Single-core performance and general clock speed are great areas to look at usually but, a well rounded multithreaded processor is the best way to go here. 

The current price of AMD’s Ryzen 5 2600 processor is superb and you are getting a lot of bang for your buck with this CPU. This 6-core, 12-thread processor is from AMD’s second generation and is still renowned for its excellent performance and value. Thanks to the release of AMD’s third-generation Ryzen CPUs, the price of the 2600 has dropped significantly, making it ideal for those on a strict budget.

Graphics Card (GPU)

The graphics card is where you are going to be sinking most of your dedicated budget when it comes to building a gaming PC. What card you go for is usually down to what games you play but to cover most people's needs and budgets, a solid mid-range GPU like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super is a great option.

This may seem pricey but you are going to be able to play most games in 1080p without tweaking settings too much, across many AAA titles. The card will also enable you to play your favorite esports titles at a 144Hz refresh rate if you are a competitive type.

Motherboard

A motherboard is an area you can save a lot of money when it comes to building a PC as many of the premium features we see with the top end boards aren’t really needed by the majority of gamers. It is worth noting that there can be several compromises to a cheaper motherboard board such as; capped RAM speed, limited expansion slots, and poor quality VRM’s. Despite this, you can still get a reliable motherboard that will bring your system together for less and use the money you save on the CPU, GPU, or a few extra vodkas.

If you prefer a wired internet connection over wireless you can save a few extra dollars going for a motherboard without Wi-Fi. Don’t be hasty though, there are a few options out there for just a little extra that will generally make your life easier. The Gigabyte B450 Aorus Pro Wi-Fi is considered a budget board but is by no means as cheap as you could go. This motherboard will support the CPU listed in this article and, if you ever upgrade, Ryzen 3000 processors too! This mobo can support up to 64GB of RAM and will allow you to overclock the RAM up to speeds of 3600MHz. Talking of overclocking, the VRMs on this will allow you to push the CPU as far as it can go (if you are into your overclocking) and squeeze even more performance out of your PC without spending anything extra.

RAM

Buying a sufficient amount of fast RAM is a cheap way to give your gaming PC a little extra boost when it comes to games, work, and general browsing. The RAM market is full of reliable options, so there is nothing to worry about here but we won't be wasting extra dollars on RGB lighting.

The Corsair Vengence LPX 16GB 3600MHz RAM kit brings maximum performance at a small cost, especially when paired with the Ryzen CPU we have here. This is more than enough RAM to deal with the most demanding gaming titles and will supplement your build on a budget to no end.

Storage - SSD

Before SSDs became essential, we could save a little bit of money opting for a hard drive instead but we would strongly advise against this these days. Higher sequential read and write speeds are going to work wonders when you are working and gaming. An SSD will load your operating system, games, and applications fast, giving you more time to be productive (or just game).

High-quality SSD’s don’t come cheap but opting for a model that is reliable is going to serve you well in the years to come. To save cash, we have gone for a 500GB Samsung 860 EVO, a highly regarded 2.5” model. Whether you are loading your games or rendering videos and 3D environments, the 550MB/s and 520MB/s read and write speeds are going to make it all feel rather snappy.

Power Supply (PSU)

There are a wide variety of power supply options with various wattage outputs for differently spec’d builds. You can save money on a power supply by buying a model that will sufficiently power your PC and no more. This may mean if you plan on upgrading your PC down the line that you will have to upgrade this component too depending on what hardware you buy. We can also save money by opting for a lower end efficiency model too. Certified power supplies range from White (lowest) to Titanium (highest) but the differences are minimal, so opting for an 80 Plus Bronze is going to be best here. Power supplies also come in three different varieties; non-modular, semi-modular, and fully-modular. Fully-modular PSUs are the more expensive option, so opting for a non-modular is going to help make bigger savings without taking anything away from the performance.

We have gone for the EVGA BR 500W PSU. EVGA is renowned for manufacturing high-quality components, especially power supplies, and you can rely on this one.

PC Case

The case, when dealing with budget PC’s, is another component where we can save quite a lot of cash. That being said, there is no need to opt for a low-quality knock-off when companies like NZXT offer so much for so little. The key factors for consideration of a good case are airflow, layout, and, to a lesser extent, aesthetics. With this in mind, we have opted for the NZXT H510, a truly superb mid-tower chassis.

The H510 is manufactured with care and offers some of the best build quality in its category. The case features two pre-installed fans for out of the box airflow and this will sufficiently cool your system with ease. Furthermore, NZXT has produced this with aesthetics in mind, it’s a simple yet visually stunning PC case. This features a tempered glass panel, cable management bracket, plenty of space to mount extra fans and drives, what more could you need?

Wrapping up

Could you build a cheaper gaming rig? Yes, I think you definitely could. But this build offers a well-rounded experience for a wide variety of gamers and has room for future upgrades when and where necessary. The mid-range PC case and Wi-Fi, in theory, could be swapped out for extra savings but the quality of life they will bring (much like the SSD and fast RAM) is worth the cost.

Hopefully, this component list can inspire you to create an excellent gaming PC on a student budget, without dipping too much into the socializing funds. Have you built a new gaming PC on a strict budget? Are there any components you feel should have been included