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Best single board computer in 2024
If you've been thinking of tinkering with a SBC, we break down the most common ones and why you'd want them.
If you're into hobbyist projects, chances are you must have heard of Single-Board Computers (SBCs), which are fully functional computers despite their small sizes. SBCs have been around for a while, though it was only after the release of the first Raspberry Pi in 2012 that these palm-sized systems finally gained some traction. Although SBCs lack the firepower of a full-fledged gaming PC, these self-contained boards possess everything from embedded processors to input and output ports that you’d need to build your project.
5 non-essential parts every PC builder should care about
These parts might not increase your PC performance, but they still bring some much-needed oomph to your build.
Even if you're a PC-building beginner, you probably know the importance of choosing the best CPUs and GPUs for your build. Essential components of a PC, such as the motherboard, storage, RAM, PSU, and case, can greatly impact its performance and appearance. However, some PC parts, although not absolutely needed, can have a huge impact on how your PC looks and feels.
How do I select the right PSU for my PC?
Choosing the right PSU for your PC will save you a lot of wasted time and money
Whether you're building a new PC or choosing the right parts to upgrade your machine, the power supply or PSU rarely gets the attention it deserves. It's the component responsible for delivering clean and sufficient power to all the other precious components. Picking an inferior PSU can have fatal consequences for your build in cases where it's unable to handle power surges or load peaks. With the kind of CPUs and GPUs we're seeing today, getting the power supply right is more important than ever.
How to check your RAM speed
There are multiple ways to check your RAM speed, all of which are quite easy to do.
Checking your RAM speed can be invaluable in ensuring your PC is running optimally. It is also more important than ever to ensure you are getting the most for your money, especially regarding computers. So whether you're curious, your device is struggling, or you're looking to upgrade, it's a good idea to check your RAM speed to ensure your PC is running as well as possible.
How much is my PC worth? Know your PC's resale value
Finding out your PC's resale value doesn't have to be tough. Here are four ways to do it.
When it's finally time to sell your PC, there's no single source of truth to determine the resale value of your beloved machine. When buying a gaming PC, you have mostly standard pricing across manufacturers as well as sites like PCPartPicker to help you reach the right price based on individual components. In contrast, selling your gaming PC involves a fair amount of guesswork where the resale market dynamics dictate a lot of the pricing.
Maingear MG-1 review: A custom desktop PC for gaming enthusiasts who don’t want to build their own
Maingear's MG-1 is a big step above mass-produced gaming desktop PCs.
Maingear has been building gaming PCs for more than 20 years, and it has a reputation of being staffed and run by enthusiasts who understand what people want to see in their PCs. Unlike some of the more recognizable brands — like Dell — Maingear builds its PCs using parts that you'd be using if you were building your own system. No proprietary motherboard designs, no custom GPU models, and no wacky cases with accessibility issues.
Best power supplies for RTX 4090 in 2024
The 450W TDP of the RTX 4090 needs a beefy PSU to run it, so what are your best options?
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is the most powerful consumer graphics card on the planet. With all that power under the hood, it needs a similarly powerful power supply unit (PSU) for smooth operation, whatever task it’s set to. That means picking an ATX 3.0 compatible PSU with a dedicated 12VHPWR connector, so you don’t have to worry about adapter quality. This guide will review some of the best PSUs that will power the RTX 4090 and the CPU you decide to pair it with.
How to get higher FPS in your games
When it comes to PC gaming, everything is about the framerate. Here's the best ways to increase it in your games.
The in-game frame rates are pretty important, regardless of whether you're a fan of e-sports titles or you love getting lost in open-world RPGs. As such, watching the frame rate counter dip below the 60 FPS mark is something every gamer fears. In an idealistic world, every game would be fully optimized and would run at the same FPS as the refresh rate of your premium monitor, though the reality is quite different.
Why you should never use PC bottleneck calculators
PC bottleneck calculators give you tons of info. Here's why you should trust none of it
Bottlenecking is one of those undying debates in PC hardware circles. And sadly, there aren't many facts involved in many of these discussions, especially where beginners are concerned. As common as it is to misunderstand PC bottlenecks, it doesn't justify using online bottleneck calculators that are highly problematic in more ways than one.
Maingear's new Zero prebuilt PC series hides all the motherboard cables for an ultra clean look
Maingear is hiding motherboard cables right under your nose.
Do you know what ruins a PC build? Motherboard cabling! It can make the difference between a clean-looking PC and a complete mess. Maingear understands this thanks to the company's experience of building some of the industry's most powerful gaming prebuilt systems, and it today announced a new Zero series of desktop PCs. These systems will be Maingear's cleanest gaming PCs to date, with the same reliable performance, minimalist design, and accessibility for upgrades and maintenance.
5 things you will not get by spending more on a high-end motherboard
High-end motherboards can do a lot for your build. But these 5 things are not some of them
When building a PC, motherboards occupy a unique space among all the components. They're not as closely linked to your system's performance as your CPU, GPU, RAM, or SSD, but they're also not as inconsequential as, say, your case. While most people know how to pick the best motherboard with a compatible chipset and the correct memory support, knowing exactly what a high-end, expensive motherboard doesn't do may not be as widely known.
PC upgrade guide: How to choose the right parts for your machine
Upgrading your PC is not a question of if, but when. With countless options available, this guide decodes how to prioritize your PC upgrades wisely.
The urge to upgrade your PC can easily turn into a rabbit hole of never-ending research, unnecessary anxiety, and, ultimately, bad purchases. Getting your hands on a shiny new graphics card or the latest CPU is tempting, but if your upgrade decisions are not guided by a focus on your specific use case, you can end up with decisions that are hard to take back.
This palm-sized powerhouse Ryzen 7 mini PC is an absolute steal at 41% off
This is the tiny PC you need to declutter your desk and get work done
If you've ever thought about building your own PC but didn't want to deal with all the headaches of choosing all your parts from scratch, then this mini PC is going to be a great option, providing a solid foundation for a powerful PC. This mini PC comes with a case, motherboard and processor installed, and the only thing you need to add is the RAM and internal storage.
If you were to ask anyone who has built their PC whether you should buy a rebuild, there's a high probability you'll be met with the same response: "No." I'm here to dive into the world of PC building and system integrators (SI), the folk who put together prebuilt PCs, to see whether buying prebuilt systems is as bad as people say. Our own Tanveer Singh went into great detail about what makes a custom PC better than a prebuilt system, touching on a few ways the latter might make more sense, depending on what you're looking for.
How to check the power consumption of your PC
If you're worried about how much energy your PC is using, then this guide will show you how to find out exactly how much.
With energy costs increasing in the last number of years and many opting to be more environmentally conscious, people have started to analyze the energy consumption of the devices around them. A computer is one such device that would rank among the highest energy consumers in anyone's household, and we'll be showing you how to get both a rough estimate and a very accurate measurement of your PC's total power consumption.
How I used a mini PC like a NAS
If you want to turn a mini PC into a NAS, you absolutely can, and here's what I used mine for.
Mini PCs are interesting devices, particularly because they're so much more versatile than a conventional full ATX or even micro ATX PC. They're easy to transport, often consume less power, and typically have inconspicuous designs. While the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM02 doesn't quite have such a muted design as some other mini PCs, it makes for a great mini PC. Even better, it makes for a great console, and as the company also points out, it can even work well as a NAS.
How to replace the PSU on your PC: A step-by-step guide
Don't forget to get all the connections right.
A PSU (Power Supply Unit) may not be an exciting PC component, but it's among the most — if not the most — crucial parts as it brings the entire PC to life. Not only is it important to pick the right PSU for your PC, but you also need to ensure it's installed properly. Installing the PSU is fairly simple, but getting all the connections right and managing the cable is more time-consuming. Replacing or changing the PSU is also a bit more complicated as it involves dealing with the existing components and their corresponding connections.
Let's face it, it's easy for even the most dedicated PC enthusiast to forget about the humble mousepad. A good mousepad is something you usually take for granted, but if you've ever used a mouse without one, you know how horrible it can be. If you have a decent mousepad for your setup, it's important to keep it in good condition so that the mouse can glide across smoothly. Like your keyboard, mouse, and other desk accessories, the mousepad can take quite a good beating. Dust, dead skin cells, crumbs — the list goes on.
Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM02 review: A powerful mini PC with a great design
The Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM02 is another mini PC from Ayaneo, and it's capable of quite a bit more than the first.
Ayaneo has continued to impress me over the last year with its multitude of stellar releases, particularly in the gaming handheld landscape. The company has gone from strength to strength, releasing the Ayaneo 2S, Ayaneo Kun, and then entering the mini PC market with the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01. Now we're getting the AM02, a successor that packs a Ryzen 7840HS, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage.
This $11, 1.7-inch wide computer is almost 10x more powerful than a Raspberry Pi Pico
Tiny computer, tiny price.
How budget do you want your next PC to be? If you want something that will cost you no more than $20, then the Milk-V Duo S has you covered. While it won't be winning any awards for processing power anytime soon, its 1.7-inch size and its impressive hardware specifications are worth a look for anyone who's a fan of small devices.