The Next Generation PC

As PC gamers, it's great watching the console boys try to show off. High-definition? Big deal. We were playing Quake III at 1280x1024 resolution almost a decade ago. Online gaming? We’re so net-savvy we don’t even know what real people look like any more. Movie downloads? You’re preaching to the Bitorrenting choir.

Now the PC is about to undergo a radical change for the better. Every few years, our beloved platform casually becomes next generation, and it's about to happen again.

Over the next week, we'll bring you everything you need to know to create the most bad-ass gaming machine ever,andhow you can make the most of Microsoft's new OS.

Day One: The virtues of Vista
Day Two: Next-gen hardware shopping list
Day Three: How to build the perfect gaming PC
Day Four: You built it. Now rock the installation
Day Five: Put your hardware to the test