For years now, I've been banging on about how flagship desktop processors are kind of pointless. "Mid-range" options really aren't mid-range anymore, to the point where you can pretty comfortably pair a Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5 with a powerful 4K graphics card and not really run into tangible bottlenecks. So what are you paying for with a Ryzen 9 or Intel Core i9? Usually, higher temperatures, bigger power draws, and slightly better speeds all in the name of saying you have the best CPU for gaming inside your computer.

Intel seems to be catching onto this. It might be really impressive for these brands to say "we make the fastest processor ever built" every time they launch a new family of chips but, let's face it, the headline-grabbing ones are probably going to be too expensive for most gamers and PC builders to even consider. Moreover, when mid-range options can offer unreal performance, I'm not sure that many people outside of an enthusiast lens should really care. It's the 5- and 7-tiered processors that have my attention when a new range is announced, and that's because they're all you're really going to need.

Intel has opted not to launch a Core Ultra 9 in its Arrow Lake refresh; instead, it's throwing all of its backing into the new Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus. There's no claim that it's the fastest processor on the shelves; rather, a claim that this is the fastest processor this brand has ever made. I like that, because it speaks to the new self-improvement era Intel seems to be in. It's not trying to be better than AMD; it's trying to work on itself and its own relationship with consumers, which is exactly what a $299 / £299 price is going to do.

Specs & Features

Similar to the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, there's a marked improvement in value for money when you look at this CPU's spec sheet. Intel wanted to make an enthusiast processor in the 270K Plus without making it an inaccessible flagship people couldn't afford, but I also see the pricing here as a sign that Intel knows it needs to strike a better value line if it wants to keep up with AMD.

The good news is that despite fairer pricing, there's also an improvement over the spec sheet of the last-gen Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, which had 20 cores and 20 threads compared to the 24 of each in the 270K Plus. A last-gen boost clock of 5.5GHz might look a little consistent with the 265K, but with extra performance and efficiency cores and a more affordable price tag, the new version is definitely going to outclass it.

The interesting part comes when you compare the 270K Plus with last gen's actual flagship, the Core Ultra 9 285K. It had the exact same cores and threads configuration as the 270K Plus, the same cache size, and only a slightly faster boost clock of 5.7GHz. Its price was a much more demanding $589 in the US and £549 in the UK, which goes to show the value for money struck with the 270K Plus.

It also shows that Intel seems to have learned a lesson about CPU tiering. What's in a name? Because this might as well be a flagship - in fact, looking at its spec list, it is one in all but name. The 270K Plus is a Core Ultra 9 in disguise but, if you go back far enough, Intel Core i5s have been even older flagship i9s from previous generations hiding in plain sight. Intel has always offered more cores and threads than AMD, but it might finally be learning that it's the tiering structure and over-pricing of each one that's been keeping it behind in the race.

Speaking of the competition, the obvious rivals to a processor like this are AMD's X3D heroes. Intel might have more cores and threads in the 270K Plus than some of them, but it's not got the same clever double-decker cache. It seems to me like Intel's answer on the software side was to create tools that could increase efficiency, namely, the Intel Binary Optimization tool.

I love the idea of this. If you can't answer the raw hardware innovation of Ryzen, find another route to glory. I'm sure this is something that will be worked on as time goes on, and we'll see it build with each new range, but right now I haven't noticed any tangible performance gains through it. Other reviewers have, so take my thoughts with a pinch of salt, but I also hope we see the list of supported games expand for it because, as you'll see from the names below, it's not the most useful so far.

• Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Assassin's Creed Mirage
• Borderlands 3
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Far Cry 6
• Geekbench 6.3+
• Hitman 3
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered
• Naraka: Bladepoint
• Remnant 2
• Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

Performance

As I mentioned when reviewing the 250K Plus, I came to this new generation of Intel CPUs with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Having come from Intel's two most recent Raptor Lake i7 processors, I had a long list of quality-of-life improvements I was hoping to see. I was utterly sick of my PC's fans spiking up at random, my processor being pretty much impossible to cool even with the might of NZXT's AIOs, and I detested having a CPU that was so powerful, yet suffered constant frame rate stutters and dips due to volatile architecture.

I was definitely appeased by the Core Ultra 5. It offered excellent 4K gaming performance when paired with a PNY Slim RTX 5080, but its temperatures were sublime, and it felt like hard work finding tasks that would bring it to 70 degrees Celsius.

When first installing and playing around with its beefier sibling, I worried I was back to the status quo. Fans were a little louder, and the temperature reading on the pump head of my AIO was fluctuating. Truth be told, I think this was all in my head, really.

After weeks of testing this processor, I don't think it's fair to compare it to the Raptor Lake i7s at all. It isn't unruly; its temperatures are actually very controlled for a chip this powerful; it's just a hefty one that's naturally going to demand a little more than the Ultra 5. Hell, if I think of it like the Ultra 9 it sort of is, its temperatures are brilliantly calm for the power it gives you. I find that it idles between 36 degrees and 39 degrees depending on which work tasks I have running and, although some spikes during benchmarking took it up to the 80-degree mark, I only saw a peak of 86, which came during a Cinebench test. Again, compared to plenty of Raptor Lake products that reached boiling point in tests like these, the Arrow Lake refresh Ultra 7 might as well have ice in its veins.

For the most part, when gaming and not doing maximal tests, this CPU stays in really manageable temperature ranges in the 60s and low 70s, which is really impressive for the kind of numbers it can churn out.

The 270K Plus certainly achieved some impressive content creation benchmark scores. Of the chips I've tested in Cinebench's refreshed multi thread test, the 270K Plus scored the highest, and by some margin. It's trounced even the 250K Plus in the multi thread test when it already had a pretty impressive result over the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F in the Quoted Tech Horizon build I reviewed. In the single thread test, the gap wasn't quite so large between the 250K Plus and 270K Plus, and AMD's Ryzen 7 9700F actually scored higher.

But in all three Blender benchmark tests, the 270K Plus now holds the record-high scores of any CPU I've tested. I'd like to run some updated benchmarks with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D to see how things compare, but either way, Intel's clearly geared this thing toward excellent content creation performance at a $300 price point.

Gaming tests are similarly impressive - although I do feel the need to caveat them by saying that the Core Ultra 5 and 7 have been tested in the same machine, with the added help of an RTX 5080. Meanwhile, the AMD Ryzens were tested with varying components, mostly with an RX 7900 GRE, which packs less of a punch.

In Total War: Warhammer 3, both current-gen Intel processors performed brilliantly, but what's interesting is that the 250K Plus actually outperformed its non-flagship/flagship sibling by a measly frame in two tests. I did notice bigger temperature spikes in these benchmarks for the 270K Plus, so it could have been an anomaly due to higher thermals, but either way, not what I expected to see and really speaks to how well the 250K Plus performs.

In Homeworld 3 and all of my Cities: Skylines scenario tests, the 270K Plus ruled supreme on the Intel side of things. That said, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's average frame rates in these scenarios are still comfortably in the lead. In these sorts of games, your CPU is going to make a big difference, and in Planet Zoo I did see a marked difference with the 270K Plus over the 250K of 78 up to 97fps.

For its ability to boot out higher numbers for the most part, the 270K Plus does keep its power draw under control. It idles at a similar 30W to the 250K Plus, which is great, but is a bit hungrier for wattage when you're using it more strenuously. In Total War: Warhammer 3's Battle benchmark, for example, the 270K Plus asked for a peak of 85W, while the 250K Plus only required 72W.

Should you buy the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus?

It's a flagship in all but name, offering bigger, badder performance without the price tag that usually goes along with an Intel Core i9/Ultra 9 package. I'd absolutely recommend the 270K Plus to gamers and content creators, but I'd caveat it by saying that not everyone is going to need it. See, while it avoids the typical annoyances of "flagship" chips, it's still a little more expensive, demands more power, and takes a bit more effort to keep cool. As impressive as Intel has made the 270K Plus, and as much as it's tried to avoid the pitfalls of an Ultra 9, the Ultra 250K Plus is also pretty damn good for a whole hundred less of your hard-earned dollars.

I'd say that if you're a content creator, or you spend a lot of time playing very CPU-intensive games, you'll benefit from the extra money spent on the Ultra 7, but if not, most gamers will be able to pair the 250K Plus with a decent 4K GPU and won't be left asking where their frames are.

The 270K Plus is certainly priced competitively, which is what it needs to be to win people over against pricier X3D rivals from AMD. In my experience, though, those can offer extra gaming performance and plentiful forward upgrades, so it's still a difficult toss-up.

Intel certainly seems like it's turning over a new leaf, and in many ways, the accessible price and fantastic performance of the 270K Plus is testament to that. It's a fantastic investment in the CPU market right now, but it's up to Intel to make sure that stays true well into the future.

How I tested the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has been socketed in my gaming and work PC for a few weeks now, and I've run the full gauntlet of CPU benchmarks on it before writing up this review. I paired it with an RTX 5080 GPU, 32GB of G.Skill DDR5 RAM, and an NZXT Kraken Plus 240mm RGB cooler.

I performed content creation benchmark tests through Blender and Cinebench, watching power draws and temperatures through NZXT Cam software. I also performed gaming tests through various CPU-hungry games. I compared scores and value to similar gaming CPUs.

For more on how we test gaming PCs, take a look at the full-length GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

There are other components to research if you're looking to buy one of the best gaming PCs. Take a look at the best RAM for gaming and the best graphics cards.

The current memory crisis has a lot to answer for, but it could be helping Intel to turn a new pro-consumer leaf, as the brand's VP and General Manager of its Enthusiast Business has told Tom's Hardware that he wants to support the Raptor Lake platform for years into the future. The LGA 1700 motherboard socket is still home to some of the best CPUs for gaming, despite its controversies, but if Intel is planning AMD-style socket longevity, it could see a bit of a redemption arc coming.

Intel's VP, Robert Hallock, told Tom's Hardware, "Going forward, 10nm products like Raptor Lake; that is a core part of the portfolio that I want to offer to people for years to come."

Specifically, it's Raptor Lake's serendipitous launch timing that means it's available on both DDR4 and DDR5 motherboards, which makes Hallock keen to support it. He said:

"LGA 1700 is still a good socket. Lots of people [are] still interested in DDR4, so [we’ll] keep offering, and you'll see [pricing] smooth out over time. It'll come back to normal. That's the plan."

The VP is referring to the fact that, thanks to AI-induced RAM shortages and massive inflation in the current generation of memory, a lot of veteran PC builders are reluctant to move to a newer standard. That's especially true of PC gamers who have chosen an AMD, DDR4 gen processor for their machines, since AM4 as a platform has been supported since 2016 with new products for them to upgrade to.

Meanwhile, Intel's socket support has been in stints of two or three generations before the next one comes along, forcing folks to get a new motherboard and CPU, and making the previous one obsolete.

I personally never thought we'd see Raptor Lake gain renewed support after the volatility issues the 13th and 14th generation products faced. When the Core Ultra Arrow Lake range arrived, I fully thought that was Intel sweeping the LGA 1700 socket under the rug to move on from its controversies.

Thankfully, while the Raptor Lake chips and their socket are DDR5-tilted, they're also DDR4 compatible because the 12th generation products that launched alongside the platform arrived just before DDR5 boards were available. That means there's a niche category of motherboard that supports these DDR5 chips, but stays true to the DDR4 memory interface.

This has allowed a lot of prebuilt gaming PC makers to offer more up-to-date components within PCs without charging inflated DDR5 prices. These still wouldn't be my go-to recommendation at the moment, since you will be locked to DDR4 performance and speeds only, but at least you can get a 50 Series or RX 90 series GPU, up-to-date SSDs, and (now potentially refreshed) CPUs without those massive RAM expenses.

If Intel offers new CPUs to the Raptor Lake platform, that would be a massive boon for anyone who's invested in one of these gaming PCs. As of previous rumors throughout 2026, it seems like a refresh called "Raptor Lake Next" is slated for the first few months of 2027.

Beyond Raptor Lake, I think this attitude is an excellent sign of things to come for other Intel platforms, like the newer Arrow Lake (LGA 1851) socket. I recently reviewed the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, and I absolutely love its performance and value, but I did mention this exact issue in its review. If Intel is finished with making products for this socket, it's not the long-term investment a lot of PC gamers should invest in. That might not be Intel's outlook after all.

Want to read up on more PC components? Take a look at the best RAM for gaming, the best graphics cards, and the best SSDs for gaming.

I just finished up reviewing the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus desktop CPU and, thanks to the annual Intel Gamer Days sale, it may just be a great time to consider upgrading. Granted, it isn't the best time to be thinking about buying any of the best CPUs for gaming since the economy is in a foul state, but if you happen to have the rest of your rig assembled, or you're already on this motherboard socket and fancy an upgrade, listen up.

The TLDR here is that Newegg is currently selling the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus in a pretty decent bundle. Technically, at $219.99 at Newegg, the CPU is $20 over its launch price, which is hardly the foundation of a good deal. That said, Intel's Gamer Days means you can add a "free gift" onto your purchase, which scores you a Cooler Master AIO cooler worth $79.99 and two upcoming triple-A games, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Star Wars: Galactic Racer. Promo code BTS3113 also nets you $10 off the whole package to boot.

That pretty much means you're getting those two games (worth $119.98 in pre-order purchases) plus a cooler for that additional $10 (after the promo code) you're paying over the 250K Plus's price.

Despite the added bonuses, the CPU is really the star of the show here. After having understandably mixed experiences with the Raptor Lake CPUs, I felt like the brand had turned a new leaf after I tested the 250K Plus. Gone were the annoying temperature spikes and performance dips of the 14700K I had been using. While giving me a brilliant 4K companion to the RTX 5080 I was testing, it also stayed remarkably calm while gaming, creating content, or idling.

Temperatures were so controllable, and with an AIO installed on top of it, I had a hard time finding any task that would push it above 65 degrees Celsius. And it's no slouch in terms of value for money anyway, giving you 18 cores and 18 threads to play with.

Are there concerns about its motherboard socket not being supported for very long? Absolutely, but from everything Intel has done this year, I'm a lot more confident this is a brand that knows how vital long-term support for its platforms is going to be. If it hasn't learned that lesson by now, AMD is going to continue its momentum in the CPU market and steal a lot of its lunch.

I'd thoroughly recommend the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. Even without a discount proper, it offers unreal value for money, even compared to some of AMD's X3D chips. That's going the extra mile for a processor this affordable - honestly, I'd have been satisfied with a non-volatile refresh.

For more, take a look at the best gaming PCs, the best RAM for gaming, and the best graphics card.

Upon reading that the RTX 5070 now comes in at $900 on average, it's hard to stay optimistic as a mid-range PC player. Yes, monstrous things are happening to Nvidia's proper top-end SKUs, and at this stage, I'm refusing to class the RTX 5090 as a real card people can buy. However, we've now sailed into a reality where middle-of-the-road cards cost almost as much as former flagships like the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, and that's a travesty.

The admittedly morbid graphics card pricing figures come courtesy of Tom's Hardware, with a median GPU pricing chart suggesting the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 now costs 36% more at Newegg. FYI, that's compared to June 2026 versus now, and while its previous inflated $659.99 offended me to my bones, you're now looking at $899.99 as an average across every custom model.

Keep in mind this is the median RTX 5070 price, so it's supposed to reflect the typical price of the GPU when accounting for all the souped-up models. You can still grab a card for less than $900 theoretically, but you're more likely to encounter something in that price range than anything close to Nvidia's original $549 MSRP.

Yes, it's bad news for almost every other Nvidia GPU out there right now. If you're going by month-to-month, the GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti are the least impacted, but both had already drifted way beyond their original MSRPs. The basic trend here is that every class model is stepping up in price to fill in for the model above it, with the RTX 5050 now sitting in the cost bracket occupied by the RTX 5060.

Again, that's if you ignore whatever nonsense the RTX 5090 is up to, as the GPU is now officially worth more than my car. The new median for the flagship is $4,700, and that would have got you two of the best gaming PCs not so long ago. This might feel like the new "normal", but I fully believe the takeaway here should be that the GPU market isn't functional right now, and it's not on you to navigate absurd prices.

I should note that this isn't an Nvidia-exclusive issue; AMD graphics cards like the Radeon RX 9070 currently cost well above MSRP, although you can still get that mid-range GPU for under $650. That doesn't change the fact that RAMageddon has taken the once vital 70-class realm of cards from everyday PC players, and lower-end 60-class cards are stepping in to take its place.

I've been building PCs since the start of the 2000s, and Nvidia's 70-class graphics cards quickly became my affordable go-to. The subsection still felt high-end, with my original EVGA GeForce GTX 470 pulling some serviceable 1080p moves even into the early 2010s, and I feel like the class reached its true affordable performance heights with the GeForce GTX 970, a card that cost me under $300 back in 2014.

The pricing situation that has actually been going on since before the current AI industry nonsense has eradicated that PC gaming experience. If you want comparable modern performance, you'll be paying way more, and that really upsets me as someone who played Dark Souls 2 and 3 with settings that felt generations beyond a PS4 on a 70-class GPU.

Yes, I get that GPU specs work differently now, as DLSS and AI upscaling shenanigans help lesser cards boost fps to otherwise unachievable heights. All of those tricks, provided you haven't deemed them "fake frames", will save you from the same minimum requirements woes as a decade ago, but they absolutely do have their limits, and we should have financial access to the real mid-range 70-class options that have been at the foundations of the PC gaming scene for years.

• Graphics cards at Amazon
• Gaming PCs at Amazon

Check out the best RAM for gaming and best CPUs if you're building or revamping your own PC.

Nothing gets past Noctua. The Austrian PC cooler and fan brand has undertaken its own research to find out which of its coolers can fit in what mainstream PC cases, and it may have done the entire PC building community a solid in the process. It turns out that if you've built yourself a best gaming PC contender, you may have ended up with less of a cooler than you could have because the clearance space that chassis manufacturers are publishing isn't the most accurate.

"While in many cases, the manufacturer specifications are accurate, we have discovered quite a few cases where they aren’t", Noctua said in a blog post on its website.

"In particular, in many of these cases, the CPU cooler clearance specification given by the manufacturer was less than what we measured, which means that you can actually fit slightly larger coolers than the case manufacturer’s specifications suggest."

In total, Noctua says it's looked into over 100 cases from the biggest brands, and so far, 56 have had "a relevant deviation from the manufacturer’s specifications". Helpfully, this new research has been made readily available through Noctua's new case compatibility databse.

Interestingly, the findings show inaccuracies on both sides of the equation. While some cases like the NZXT H2 Flow, the Thermaltake TR100, and the Corsair 5000D, 4000D, and Frame 4000D all turned out to have more clearance space than was advertised, some cases actually have less, which is arguably worse.

The Asus Prime AP201 and the Lian Li B4-mATX were both found to have less room for CPU coolers than their manufacturers have said. This isn't great, because it means you could have bought a certain tower cooler to use with those chassis and ended up wasting your money on something that isn't compatible.

In instances where manufacturers had advertised less space than their cases actually have, I can maybe understand more. Measurement taking probably isn't consistent across every brand, and with different territories using different methods and measurement scales, I can understand some PC case makers wanting to be on the conservative end of the scale to avoid the aforementioned problems.

I'd rather buy a case that ends up having more room than one that doesn't have enough - better safe than sorry for these case brands who don't want to be on the receiving end of customer complaints and returns.

Noctua's research seems to have come from a desire to clarify that its tower coolers are actually more compatible than you might think, but doing this research is a pretty selfless endeavour because it obviously means other cooling brands could benefit too, even if they aren't listed in the published database. It's nice to see more pro-consumer moves being made by PC cooling brands, as a similar move was taken by Arctic last week after US tariff refunds.

This research might not be massively helpful for folks investing in an AIO cooler, since the clearance you'll need for a pump header is far less than what you'll need for an air cooler. The new database is going to be particularly useful for builders of small form factor systems though, because with each ITX case having so many quirks to it and so little run-off room for components, having a second form of verification for what you can and can't fit inside will be massive.

"With Small Form Factor builds and ITX systems, every millimetre can count", Noctua said in its blog post. "In terms of CPU cooler clearance, it can be make or break in terms of whether a cooler fits snugly or presses against the side panel. This is why we have started going the extra mile taking our own measurements for popular cases, particularly from the SFF space."

This doesn't seem to be a flash in the pan for Noctua, as it closed out its blog post by saying, "We’ll keep doing these measurements on popular cases so that you can select the optimal cooler for your chassis with confidence."

For more on PC building, read up on the best CPU for gaming, the best RAM for gaming, and the best SSD for gaming.

RTX 5090 price hikes will sting anyone who absolutely needs to jam the GPU into their rig right now, and beating the increases is tough. In fact, it's so tough that even if you manage to snag the graphics card before on-page MSRPs change, you might still end up having to pay over $5,000, especially since Asus is apparently "late" in providing Nvidia with revised figures.

Look, no one should expect to pay dramatically less for an RTX 5090 right now, as it's the best graphics card in terms of performance and is sought after by gaming PC players and the AI scene alike. But one player did technically manage to grab the GPU for $4,982 rather than $5,100, beating fresh Asus price hikes through Nvidia's listing, and while that should have saved the buyer around $553, the order was then cancelled.

Reddit user Independantok1031 says they reached out to Nvidia after their ROG Astral RTX 5090 BTF order was cancelled, which seemingly kickstarted a wave of finger-pointing (via Videocardz). Nvidia apparently says the blame lies with Asus, whereas the board partner claims it has "nothing to do with it." Eventually, the buyer managed to get a more in-depth explanation from Nvidia, but no one is still willing to fulfill the order.

"After checking with ASUS for clarification, we were informed that the price change update was provided a little late," admits Nvidia. "As a result, when you placed the order at the order price, ASUS cancelled the order because they were unable to fulfil it at the previous price rate."

"We understand your frustration, especially since the order was placed before the updated price appeared on our website. We did request ASUS to honor your original order; however, they are unable to fulfil the request at the previous price at this time."

Simply put, neither Nvidia nor Asus is willing to work together to correct their mistake. The fact that Nvidia, a company valued at over 5 trillion, didn't offer to make up the $553 difference is ludicrous, especially since the pricing error was through its site specifically, and Asus seems to be refusing to set a pricing precedent.

The whole situation actually highlights one of the horrifying realities of buying anything online. If you walked into a physical store in the US or the UK and picked up this same RTX 5090 at its old MSRP, no one would legally be able to stop you from leaving. However, in both regions, retailers can cancel and refund your money if you've paid less than they intended, because the transition is technically complete only once an order has shipped.

Ultimately, it's the customer who is losing out while Nvidia and Asus seemingly refuse to work on their communication issues. Either company can pass the blame between themselves perpetually, but ultimately, the instance demonstrates that there are big issues with the third-party storefront partnership, and the RTX 5090 pricing should have been honored since it's an internal mistake.

Should Nvidia have covered the cost of the RTX 5090 despite claiming Asus provided it with pricing updates late? I suspect there's a wider logistical problem behind the scenes here, as I really can't see why neither party would simply come up with a solution in the name of good customer service, especially if it was just the one instance. Instead, the unsuspecting PC player was subjected to a professionally catty back-and-forth blame game that resolved nothing, and that isn't a remotely good look.

Swing by the best CPU for gaming and best RAM if you're trying to build an entire rig.

We all know it's a terrible time to try and build a gaming PC, or try to upgrade an existing one. High manufacturing costs are all over the place, but most brands seem content with passing those onto consumers. In a rare turn of events, PC cooling brand Arctic is taking a surprisingly wholesome step to help customers.

Last year, when the brand was hit hard by US tariffs brought about by President Trump, it had to raise its costs in order to continue operating. Now, after the Supreme Court has ruled some of these tariffs unlawful, Arctic is being paid back reparations. Instead of taking that as profit, Arctic's CEO has declared that a dedicated US sales promotion will take place and that "it will remain active until every single dollar ARCTIC received from the tariff refund has been paid back to our customers."

"As a consumer myself," said Arctic's CEO, Magnus Huber, "I feel your pain.

"We tried our best. Did lots of overtime, and still had no choice but to forward the tariffs to you, our dear American customer. Last year, I had mostly bad news to announce. This year, the Supreme Court declared some tariffs unlawful, and now Arctic gets the money back!

"We're passing it on to you by offering a dedicated sales promotion across the US."

It's not a common thing to see in this day and age: a CEO and founder of an international company who wants to help out customers instead of taking a big pay rise. But Huber continued by saying that Arctic "is my baby", and he says it's a dream come true that's only possible because of consumers.

As well as the above Short posted to the brand's YouTube channel, Arctic also posted the news in a blog post, saying that some prices have already begun to lower in US territories on the members of the product lineup that were impacted most by the tariffs.

Arctic is currently celebrating its 25th year in operation, and is known for its thermal pastes, fans, and air and liquid coolers for your gaming CPU. Originating in Denmark, its products are sold around the world at various retailers.

The company is branding this decision as the Arctic Payback Scheme, and on the deals page of its website, it says "you save all year long", which might indicate how long the company estimates it'll take to pay things back in kind.

To give you a brief reminder of just how rare a move this is in today's PC market, we're in the middle of RAM shortages that are seeing AI companies strip the earth's supply of memory wafers. Consumer brands are then hiking up the costs of the RAM that they do have available because it's in shorter supply and manufacturing can't keep up. That's had a knock-on effect for SSDs, motherboards, CPUs, and that's not even mentioning how expensive graphics cards still are (seemingly permanently) since 2020's shortage.

MSRPs are considered deal prices all over the market right now; people are losing jobs in the wider gaming industry, prices are being raised even outside the tariffs situation, and even the biggest brands like Microsoft are reporting low hardware sales. All of this is going on, and yet CEOs don't seem to be in any hurry to pay back while raking in massive profits. I suspect that along with restoring some good faith with consumers, this is also going to make Arctic's wares popular choices for the foreseeable future. Hopefully it inspires other companies to do the same.

PC gamers should also take a look at the best graphics cards, the best RAM for gaming, and the best computer speakers.

Starforge Systems Apothecary Diaries PC is one of those pre-built gaming PCs I dream of having at my disposal. Not only because its specs far outmatch my current desktop, but because the details spread across its UV-painted APNX V2-F case are an anime nerd's dream.

The intricate borders travelling along the build perfectly capture the ornate backgrounds found in the anime series. In fact, the entire PC looks like something that Maomao herself would stumble upon in the palace, as does its eye-watering $2,799.99 starting price. That's the kind of digits that only an emperor could afford, and it's far, far out of my budget. However, Starforge Systems is currently running its annual Forge Day Sale, which has dropped the starting price of this dreamy anime PC down to $2,499.99 (Starforge Systems), saving $300 off this stunning anime dream build.

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Much to my chagrin, today's deal price is still more than I can personally spare. Though I can't pretend I didn't contemplate adding it to my online shopping basket, particularly once I remembered that the brand does indeed ship to the UK.

While it's still expensive no matter which way you cut it, you at least get modern components for your cash. That deal price encompasses the "Core" default build, which includes a GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, 32GB DDR5 6000MT/s of RAM, and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVME SSD. That's all sitting inside the gorgeous PC case, which doesn't just include ornate borders but UV-printed versions of both MaoMao and Jinshi on the glass.

My favorite inclusion of my beloved anime pair is not on the exterior of the case, but how they're included on the inside. This PC includes one of the brand's platelight panels, a panel of art that's backlit by an LED light. It's a purely cosmetic feature, but seeing Maomao and Jinshi's faces illuminated and peeking through the glass of the case is a sight to behold.

This $300 off deal today includes the configuration I mentioned above, the stunning Apothecary Diaries PC case, a piece of matching 12 × 18 inch wall art, a 900 × 400 mm deskmat, and the 'Another Day' Apothecary Diaries platelight, but you can pick up alternative art based from the series to place in its stead for $29.99 (Starforge Systems), as they too are discounted as part of Forge Day.

If you aren't an Apothecary Diaries fan, while I will totally judge you for your tastes, there are other anime builds to choose from. Starforge Systems has also knocked down its Frieren & Himmel pre-builds, which now start from $2,499.99 (Starforge Systems) all the way up to $3,799.99. As with all its PCs, the fancier the cost, the fancier the parts, but you'll still get them all packed into the stunning anime case, which has swapped Maomao and Jinshi for everyone's favorite love-torn hero Himmel and the totally oblivious n mage Frieren.

It should be mentioned that even during a RAM shortage and the current hellscape of the PC consumer market, you don't need to spend this much to get a PC with these kinds of specs. Newegg and MSI have an equivalent RTX 5070 build currently selling for $1,749, for example. Starforge is just one of the few brands appealing to the anime fan in all of us with its exclusive case designs.

There are also MSI's Frieren PC accessories that are worth checking out, though they're still pretty new, so don't expect any juicy discounts quite yet.

• View all pre-built gaming PC deals at Starforge Systems

Check out our guides to the best gaming headsets, the best PC controllers for gaming, and the best gaming chairs if you want to upgrade your gaming setup.

Despite the high demand for its hardware, the lengthy delays for its launch, and a shortage of computing parts to manufacture them with, Valve is reassuring us that it's staying on pace with Steam Machine orders. In fact, the brand says anyone currently on the reserve list for the best gaming PC alternative will have the option to buy before the year is out.

Conversely, Valve previously said that the Steam Controller is in such high demand that it will be running late until 2027. The brand issued an update via blog post to report its progress on Steam Machine supply and demand.

"We’re fulfilling orders on a daily basis, sending out emails to reservation holders with the option to purchase in the order in which they landed on the list post-randomization", it reads.

"We expect everyone in the reservation queue will have the option to purchase by the end of this year."

Of course, the caveat here is that this changes per region, and per SKU/bundle of the Steam Machine you've reserved. Numbers of all of these configurations will vary from region to region, and so comparing to the pace of orders in different territories probably isn't an accurate marker of how long you'll need to wait.

There's also the waitlist to think about, as not everyone was able to reserve the mini-PC/console right away. "Importantly, no one on the waitlist is leapfrogging over anyone currently holding a reservation;" Valve said on the matter. "We're only dipping into waitlists if and when we reach the end of the reservation queue for that product and region."

Valve says folks on the reservation list should expect an email to offer a chance to purchase, and if they still plan to buy the Machine, they need to act on it within 72 hours or risk being left to the side:

"If you have a reservation, you can expect an email offering you the chance to purchase by the end of the year. If you have a spot on one of the waitlists, there is a chance you could be moved into reservations depending on which product you're on the list for; in those instances we will email you about your new reservation status first, with a purchase email to follow once your spot in that queue comes up."

Elsewhere in the blog post, Valve also said there had been updates to the performance of the Steam Machine, specifically that FSR4.1 is now available on Proton Experimental for titles supporting the FSR upgrade. Moreover, the CAD file for Steam Machine external geometry is available for download.

Valve making optimistic statements about its progress with Steam Machine orders could be a sign of hope for those eagerly awaiting an announcement about the Steam Frame. Although we haven't heard about the new VR headset's price and launch date, we've been seeing similar signposting to that of before the Steam Machine and Steam Controller's launch. If Valve is making progress with the demand of the Machine, maybe its new VR headset isn't too far off.

If you're looking to build your own rig instead, you'll need to know more about the best CPU for gaming, the best graphics card, and the best RAM for gaming.

After reinventing its flagship MG-1 gaming PC range earlier in the year, Maingear is today announcing the re-launch of its Zero product selection. The original Maingear Zero Ruby has sat atop our best gaming PC list since I tested it, so I've been heavily anticipating the arrival of a refreshed version.

But let's back up: what is the Zero range? Born out of the arrival of Project Zero motherboards a few years back, these PCs route all of their motherboard cabling around the backside of your case, keeping cable clutter to an absolute minimum, and allowing the PC's components and lighting to do all the talking.

The new family of Maingear Zero PCs takes that even further, opting for a chassis with full panoramic tempered glass (4mm thick) panelling with a seamless curve to allow all your PC's components to be visible from all angles.

“At MAINGEAR we design every PC from the inside out, and with the Zero we asked 'what if we let the hardware speak for itself?'" said Wallace Santos, founder and CEO of Maingear.

"That's what Zero is about... zero distractions. We've hid the motherboard cables, removed obstructions by upgrading to fully panoramic glass, and focused on making every component and your collectibles feel like they belong in a display case. It had to look just as good powered off as it does turned on, regardless of the specs", he said.

As is expected in the current PC market, however, these new Zero PCs don't come cheap. In fact, the Maingear Zero Ruby has been retired as a mid-range option, giving way to new class names filled with current-gen CPU and GPU pairings.

• Zero | Emerald: Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070. Starting at $2,799.
• Zero | Platinum: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070. Starting at $2,999.
• Zero | Sapphire: Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080. Starting at $3,799.
• Zero | Elite: AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080. Starting at $4,099.
• Zero | Amethyst: Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. Starting at $6,199.
• Zero | Champion: AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. Starting at $6,499.

If that fine-dining menu of component pairings doesn't work for you, full custom configurations are available for gamers who want ultimate control.

The revamped Zero range could also be huge for anyone who wants to show off their favourite collectibles inside their PC. The launch edition of the Zero will come with two custom Maingear display stands, a figurine stand and a brick stand that snap into the chassis floor without screws or tools, placing collectibles inside the chassis alongside the hardware. The Zero’s active airflow keeps everything inside cool and dust-free. Display stands will also be sold separately if you miss out on one of the launch versions.

Those launch editions may be extra alluring since they come with a curved panoramic OLED screen thanks to the inclusion of a TRYX Panorama SE AIO cooler. This screen is obviously fully programmable for you to set whatever looping video, GIF, images, or stats you want.

If those prices above seem steep, you can also pay flexibly, thanks to Maingear's financing program, which fittingly comes with up to zero per cent APR.

Before my review of the original Maingear Zero Ruby, the brand's marketing director told me that Maingear's CEO, Santos, had pitched the concept of reverse cable motherboards to manufacturers years prior to MSI's Project Zero boards hitting the shelves, but the idea didn't seem possible at the time, and thus didn't take.

In light of that, I'm glad to see Maingear doubling down on cable-free prebuilt machines, because it provides a premium look that's seldom seen. In fact, I can't think of any other brands that are willing to go to this kind of length to provide that premium look to customers, and Zero motherboards are hard to come by in prebuilt markets outside of custom configurators.

For more on PCs and components, check out the best CPUs for gaming, the best graphics cards, and the best RAM for gaming.

The decision to investigate the Asus ROG GR70 won't be made on value. After all, this compact mini system is never going to compete with the best gaming PCs for cooling, upgradeability, or price-performance ratios. It's playing in a slightly different arena, one that purveyors of gaming laptops are more likely to spectate.

Mini PCs are rapidly growing in popularity, and it's got nothing to do with the Steam Machine. These rigs are seeing upticks everywhere, from productivity to creative workflows, and now gaming. Those who don't want to dedicate a filing cabinet's worth of space to a loud, hot, finnicky tower are turning to something a little more versatile, already configured with everything you need, but ultimately more expensive for the privilege.

While everyday mini PCs can represent excellent value for the more casual productivity user, though, gaming systems are a different beast entirely. Valve's rig runs on its own custom AMD chip, the Asus ROG GR70 uses a full set of up-to-date (though, this being the 2025 model, not the latest in the CPU world) mobile AMD and Nvidia components. It's a laptop, without the lap. That adds some zeroes to the final price tag, but is that comfortable form factor ultimately worth it? I've ditched my hunt for the best gaming laptops for two weeks to find out.

Asus ROG GR70 configurations

The Asus ROG GR70 looks to the lower end of the GPU market, utilizing mobile parts starting from mid-range RTX 5060 / Ryzen 9 8940HX and moving up to an RTX 5070 with AMD's Ryzen 9 9955HX3D. For team blue, you're looking at the ROG NUC with Intel Core Ultra processors and RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 GPUs. Will you find pre-builts with desktop pieces for less? Yes, but this rig isn't designed for those choosing between and mini and a full sized PC.

Those numbers climb pretty quickly. An RTX 5080 NUC model will set you back well over $5,000 with all the trimmings, that's top-spec Alienware cash. At its cheapest, you're looking at $2,399 for an RTX 5060, Intel Core Ultra 7, and 16GB RAM. That's not only more than double the price of the Steam Machine, it's double what you'd usually pay for a full prebuilt with similar specs.

You're not paying for component value in these configurations, then, but those intrigued by the compact form factor are well served by a breadth of options.

Asus ROG GR70 performance

In true RTX 5070 fashion, the cheaper configuration I've been testing manages to hit everything thrown at it in both FHD and QHD, only ever wavering below that 60fps threshold in more demanding top-resolution runs like Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and Cyberpunk 2077.

This is a system designed to accommodate QHD resolutions, so cranking things up to 4K will hurt a little. However, for everyday runs of demanding, modern titles, it's impressive that this little fella can keep up.

This being a mobile RTX 5070, we're a little behind the kinds of results we've seen from full desktop configurations. Still, the Asus ROG GR70 manages to keep a decent pace with these larger builds, even if more demanding runs take a hit. While the numbers won't impress anyone coming from a full tower, a solid set of 60fps+ at High settings holds down the fort nicely.

Synthetic benchmarks reveal the sacrifice of that mobile GPU a little more clearly. When comparing the desktop card to AMD's Radeon RX 7900, we found it pulled in 4929 in Steel Nomad tests; here it's sitting at 3280. Just as physical size is erring on the side of the laptop rather than the desktop, our synthetic benchmark scores show performance leaning in the same direction.

Still, comparing those components like-for-like in more portable machines paints a slightly brighter picture. Putting those numbers up alongside the Razer Blade 14 and Acer Predator Triton 14 AI (two similarly premium, compact gaming machines) reveals a slight uptick across Steel Nomad, Time Spy, and Fire Strike. Even if the Asus ROG Strix G16 manages to slide in above it in one run.

On the CPU side of things, the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D scored 2,912 in its single-core tests and 24,371 in its multi-core outings across Geekbench 7. That's about right for the mobile CPU, suggesting there's nothing untoward happening that could limit it in this form factor.

Asus ROG GR70 benefits

A far more manageable PC experience

Desktop towers are hot, power hungry, chunky beasts. Anyone without the space to dedicate to a 60 litre tank will be grateful for the Asus ROG GR70's slimline form factor. This thing sits calmly in the corner, not even the size of a PS5 Slim.

That's a compelling use-case, albeit one that very few players will likely be willing to fork out this amount of cash for. Asus doesn't exactly have a captive audience here, most desks will accommodate a PC case underneath and most players are going to side with the less expensive option. There are only a few of us who truly need the kind of space saving alternative Asus has provided.

That said, the ROG GR70 does look fantastic, with its clean angular lines, bold RGB side lighting (customizable, of course). Coming from the world of gaming laptops there are more benefits to that design than PC builders may first consider.

More expansive port selection than a laptop

Whenever I'm not testing a laptop directly on the machine itself, it's connected to an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, chair, Stream Deck, speaker, controller and whatever other accessories have made their way onto my desk on any given day. That means I need to rely on the extra USB-A ports on my Razer Laptop Cooling Pad, as well as an external USB-4 dock. Some day (and it will be soon), I'll run out of space.

I didn't expect to find the ports on the Asus ROG GR70 to be one of the biggest benefits to swapping laptop life for mini PC life. Two USB-As and a USB-C on the front take care of the gadgets I'm regularly swapping out. Meanwhile, the rear side takes care of all my more permanent USB cables, with an abundance of display connections that would have made my multi-monitor days a lot more enjoyable (and probably last longer).

Boosted performance over Steam Machine

Yes, the Asus ROG GR70 costs more than double the Steam Machine, but you're getting performance you just won't find in Valve's rig. They've got different plans, sure. Valve wants its box next to a TV, running in 1080p. Asus is parking its GR70 on your desk, pushing 1440p and, in more expensive configurations, 4K resolutions on demanding games.

The Steam Machine won't get near 60fps in RT: Ultra at 1440p, by all accounts you'll be lucky to see 20fps at the end of that benchmark. Without that workhorse architecture, Valve's competitor has to take aim at a more casual 1080p market and that's fair enough - but the Asus ROG GR70 still offers a more compelling set of specs for those sourcing a QHD rig rather than picking up a living room console equivalent.

Asus ROG GR70 drawbacks

Not as living-room-worthy as Steam Machine

As you'd expect a mini PC to, the Asus ROG GR70 runs on Windows... which isn't great news for those hunting down a more powerful Steam Machine alternative. It means no easy waking from a controller, a few more steps before hitting Steam, and fewer automatic driver updates. It's certainly possible to keep this box next to your TV, but you'll need to keep a mouse and keyboard handy as well. It's missing those quality of life features baked into Valve's console replacement, by virtue of the fact it's been designed as a different device entirely.

Component value struggles to stack up

That's not as big a problem as the ultimate value of the cost you're paying here. An RTX 5070 gaming laptop like this would likely run you between $1,800 and $2,400 when the sales align right now. A desktop PC sits at around $1,600 to $2,300. The Asus ROG GR70 carries its compact premium to the tune of between $1,000 and $400 more than you'll pay for similar specs in a different form factor.

It's not just the figures either. Those desktop rates are for full-fat desktop components, seated in a chassis that can handle bigger power better with more space and cooling tech. There's no getting around the fact that a tower will likely cost you less while giving more from a performance standpoint.

Should you buy the Asus ROG GR70?

All that boils down to one question, should you actually be buying Asus's baby PC? When I first looked at those costs shortly after unboxing this rig, I thought I knew the answer. $2,800 for a mobile RTX 5070 without the portability of a gaming laptop or the engineering of a tower seemed laughable two weeks ago. After kicking the foldables to the curb, 90% of me still agrees. But that 10% fits a very specific user.

I'd recommend the Asus ROG GR70 as an alternative to anyone looking to invest in an 18-inch desktop replacement gaming laptop, specifically because they lack the desk space for a full tower. If you're buying a rig like that you likely have a fair whack of budget behind you and you're not going to be taking your machine on the road with you so much anyway.

In that scenario, the connection, layout, and form factor benefits of the Asus ROG GR70 shine their brightest. In any other, there are better options out there.

How I tested the Asus ROG GR70

I swapped out my laptop setup for the Asus ROG GR70 for two weeks, running all my daily work and play through the device. During everyday play, the GR70 was running Doom: The Dark Ages, Farming Simulator 25, and Planet Coaster 2 with more dedicated benchmarking across Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Three Kingdoms, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and Cyberpunk 2077.

Each test was run at both 1080p and 1440p at each game's high and highest graphical settings, repeated three times with a final average taken as the result. The system was also tested across 3D Mark Time Spy, Fire Strike, and Steel Nomad as well as Geekbench 7, again with three runs per benchmark and a final result taken as an average. All tests were run in the 'Turbo' power setting.

For more information on how we make our recommendations, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

For an even more compact form factor, check out the best gaming handhelds on the market. Or take a look at the best Asus gaming laptops for more ROG.

The momentum in the desktop CPU market has been going all AMD's way for years now, and while that's down to AMD for making the right choices, it's also been due to multiple missteps by Intel. I don't want to speak too soon, but Intel feels like it's turned over a new leaf in 2026, to the point where the competition could be about to get very fierce. Even the way Team Blue is getting its messaging across has shifted. AI is so far from its desktop CPU conversation; gamers are a priority, and there's been a brilliant refocusing on value for money. As someone who's really interested in the best CPU market, I'm daring to hope, but there's a lot still to prove.

I'm sure I don't need to fill you in on the PR and consumer nightmare that was the Raptor Lake refresh issues. I'm sure I don't need to talk to you about Intel's longstanding reluctance to support its motherboard sockets compared to AMD. And even if you didn't hear about the lacklustre price-to-performance of the first batch of Core Ultra CPUs at their launch, I'm sure you've been hesitant to grab one because of all the noise AMD's been making.

Intel's course correcting with two new flagship desktop processors this year. It's not calling them flagship products because neither of them has the number 9 in their name, but I'm calling them flagship because their reasonable price tags and refreshed attitude toward gamers feels like a statement of intent for where the brand wants to go. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus stands as a budget option at $199 / £199, but its specs, performance, and remedies of past Intel CPU generations are nowhere close to the "budget" end of the scale.

Specs & Features

So, after one thoroughly whelming generation of processors on the LGA 1851 motherboard socket, we really weren't sure whether a follow-up was going to arrive. Rumors swirled that Intel was already finished with it before the Plus variants were announced. By all accounts, it looked ready to move straight onto the next "Lake". Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed, and we've seen this latest refreshed generation use the same motherboard socket as 2024. Intel now claims it's planning AMD-style support and longevity for its platforms, including Raptor Lake, but in a PC market this volatile due to AI-induced RAMflation, it all remains to be seen.

In other words, Intel has a lot of good faith to build up with consumers again. I certainly hope we see this platform get support into the future, because as I'll come onto, there's some really strong performance to be unlocked from it. I want to believe that Intel has turned a new leaf, but it's going to have to back up the talk with action if it wants to become the trusted CPU maker AMD has become known as.

It's certainly going to be hard to argue with a decade of AM4 support.

All of that is to say that the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses the same motherboard socket as the original batch of Core Ultra products, but it's not one you can upgrade to if you have an Intel 12th, 13th, or 14th generation CPU/motherboard.

The 250K Plus might feel like a successor in name to the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, but its specs land it somewhere between last gen's Ultra 5 and Intel Core Ultra 7 265K. It has 18 cores and 18 threads with a 5.3Ghz boost clock. That's up from last gen's Ultra 5 at 14 cores and threads at 5.2GHz, but just under the 265K at 20 cores and threads at 5.5GHz.

Considering the 265K retails for £269-£300 in the UK and roughly $300 in the US, and the 245K sells for ~$194 / ~£170, the new-gen model provides a serious price-to-performance boost and is clearly all about value for money. That's bold, because it's trying to beat AMD at its own game, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

There's a 30MB total cache on board, which isn't close to AMD's Ryzen 7 7800X3D, which offers a 96MB L3 cache - remember, this is the part of the CPU that the X3D options double up on to provide better gaming and content creation performance. Considering that chip is usually sold in the $350 range on a good day, you're getting some great value for money here with the 250K Plus.

The latest set of Intel processors doesn't have an answer for AMD's X3D architecture, but that doesn't mean they don't have other tricks up their sleeve. The Intel Binary Optimization Tool is a feature to watch. It's, I suppose, akin to DLSS in a way in that it's a subliminal software perk that goes hand in hand with the latest generation of hardware. There's no AI upscaling happening here though; the Binary Optimization Tool simply allows Intel's software to run games more efficiently on its hardware (in theory), which could lead to better performance overall in certain games.

The reason I say it's one to watch is that, like with DLSS, it is going to rely on compatibility within games on a software level. It's not like AMD's 3D V-cache where the hardware supplies performance boosts across the board because it's a result of architecture. It's still in its early phases, and I haven't heard a whole lot of noise about it since Intel launched the Core Ultra Plus chips. So far, looking at the list of games it can provide you boosts in, things are fairly thin.

To make matters more confusing, some games have compatibility with Intel's APO Optimization, but only some within that list (bolded ones) have compatibility with the Binary Optimization Tool.

• Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
• League of Legends
• Serious Sam 4
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Watch Dogs Legion
• Assassin's Creed Mirage
• Battlefield V
• Borderlands 3
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Far Cry 6
• Geekbench 6.3+
• Hitman 3
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Kerbal Space Program 2
• Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered
• Naraka: Bladepoint
• Remnant 2
• The Callisto Protocol
• Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
• World of Warships

Performance

Intel's desktop CPUs have never really had all that much trouble offering decent gaming and content creation performance, especially because they cram so many cores and threads in that there's always enough muscle within to handle even the heaviest lifting in demanding games.

The questions for me going into testing were more about thermal control, volatility, and a bit of bloody peace and quiet.

For context, I reviewed the Intel Core i5-3600K, which I loved. But then I moved on to the Intel Core i7-13700K and after that, the 14700K. While both of the Raptor Lake i7 chips booted out some really decent power, they were just a pain in the arse.

Thankfully, I didn't get hit with major volatility issues to the point of damaged CPUs or anything, but even with the BIOS updates to counter the issue, I was still getting the most annoying, random fan flare-ups because thermal control was just non-existent and voltages were doing whatever they felt like. This resulted in an irreversibly loud PC while working day-to-day, but manifested in random and very annoying frame stutters and dips while playing games. I also couldn't play games without the CPU riding a low of at least 70 degrees no matter the title, and that was with a full-sized NZXT AIO cooler.

I immediately noticed a massive difference with the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. Ambient temperatures were sitting in the mid 30s with an ambient power of 30-42W when idling or running my work applications. And even during this ludicrous heatwave-riddled summer in the UK, it's sitting at about 42 degrees when I'm working, and there are no random, annoying temperature spikes. Playing my go-to Hunt Showdown with a 14700K meant temps in the 70s and even 80s, but with the 250K Plus it's so steady in the high 50s and 60s with no trouble at all.

In this entire sitting of review tests, I've only seen a peak of 75 in one of Blender's benchmarks. For the most part it's still calm, cool, and collected under pressure and tends to sit in the 60s. That's all with the same thermal paste and NZXT Kraken Plus AIO cooler I was using with the 14700K, which shows you the serious performance boosts of this motherboard platform versus Raptor Lake.

Non-gaming benchmarks are pretty impressive. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus demolishes the Ryzen 7 7800X3D in Blender. I haven't gone back to test that Ryzen CPU in the updated form of Cinebench, but compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F I tested in the Quoted Tech Horizon, the 250K Plus does come out on top. Content creation is pretty great for the money then, even if these comparisons aren't exactly like-for-like because my testing rig is using a PNY RTX 5080 Slim, while the AMD reviews used a 7900 GRE and RX 9070 XT respectively.

The question I wanted to ask with gaming tests in this review was: could the latest Intel Core Ultra 5 keep up with an RTX 5080, to the point of negating the need for spending more on the Ultra 7 Plus. Honestly, while I haven't tested the more powerful 270K Plus yet, I'd argue the answer here is yes. While I'm sure there are better gaming performances to be netted, I think for $200 you're getting a really great 4K gaming processor here. The caveat to that is whether or not you're playing CPU-intensive games all the time. Let's look at some numbers.

In Total War: Warhammer 3's Battle benchmark, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus combined with the RTX 5080 scored 86fps, which is up from Quoted Tech's Ryzen 7 9700F score of 72fps, and up from the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 53fps. Across the board, the Intel Core Ultra provided strong scores in Total War against comparable Ryzen chips, but that could be due to the better GPU used in these tests. In less formal testing, things are interesting because the Ryzen 7 7800X3D did pack some inexplicable performance boosts.

Cities: Skyline's community-made scenarios still fall in favor of AMD, despite Intel's updated architecture and a more powerful GPU. While these numbers aren't as set in stone as formal benchmarks, they're averages taken while playing the same sequences, and AMD wins it comfortably. In Planet Zoo, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D scored an average of 95, the 250K Plus was a bit humbler at 78fps when operating a fully populated scenario at normal speed and 57fps when speeding up time and zooming into those busy areas of a park. Keep in mind the slowly ageing 7800X3D has ten fewer cores than Intel's latest Ultra 5.

I wouldn't argue these more modest scores are reasons not to opt for the Ultra 5, but it does show you that the X3D chips are capable of some really bold performances, especially since those numbers were recorded with an older GPU that's not got the oomph of the RTX 5080.

The only other gaming-based question I wanted to address was how the Binary Optimization Tool can impact things. I went into Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Cyberpunk for that, and compared my benchmarks with when it was turned off.

Unfortunately, in both the games I had access to that have support for this feature, I saw only tiny differences in benchmarking scores with and without Binary Optimization switched on. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, I saw an increase by one solitary frame, and in Cyberpunk it actually decreased the benchmarking score by two. There is also the chance that I haven't managed to get it to work properly, because other sites have reported a 5% to 20% performance boost from it on average.

One more thing I will say as a general use note is that if you're planning to overclock your RAM with this CPU, maybe look elsewhere. I've paired the 250K Plus with some G.Skill performance memory that was provided by Intel to review both of its new chips with. I can see one XMP profile onboard which attempts to unlock 7200MT/s, but anytime I've attempted to boost past 4800MT/s with the 250K Plus I've been kicked back to the BIOS and told no. I'm sure with your motherboard and RAM, your mileage may vary. It's unlikely this is going to be an overclocker's first pick anyway, but it's worth keeping in mind.

Should you buy the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus?

Intel has said that it plans to support its existing motherboard platforms from here on out, and although there are rumors around the next motherboard socket arriving, I'd be inclined to believe that Intel isn't going to go back on its word, especially since we all see how the momentum in the CPU market is drifting more and more in AMD's favor. Intel needs to provide long-term socket support to win back some good faith, but judging by its track record, it all remains to be seen. That's maybe one of the bigger question marks looming over the Intel Core Ultra Plus CPUs right now, but if you're willing to trust this new-age Intel culture, there isn't much preventing me from recommending the 250K Plus.

Because that's the real issue for Intel here. Putting the lacklustre launch of Core Ultra behind us, and ignoring the blip of Raptor Lake volatility, the problem with Intel in recent years hasn't been to do with poor CPUs. Sure maybe small upgrades for full prices haven't been the most inspiring thing, but it can't be disputed that this brand makes really good desktop processors. But excellent entries alone haven't been enough. AMD has been beating Team Blue through value for money, socket longevity, and innovative architectural developments.

You can't really just determine whether a CPU is worth investing in based on performance alone anymore, because AMD has it beat through years' worth of upgrade paths. If LGA 1851 is indeed a dead platform, then the insane value for money here is a small blip that'll fade into obscurity very quickly.

There's excellent gaming and content creation to be had here for the money, and the value is hard to argue with, even if X3D chips can offer you bolder frame rates in a wider suite of games. Binary Optimization is there to be built on, and I hope it becomes a feather in the brand's cap. Personally, I'm just happy with the genuine improvements that have been made to thermals and stability since the Raptor Lake refresh scandal.

I'd thoroughly recommend this processor for its price, and for many it's all the 4K power you're going to need for gaming, work, and content creation.

How I tested the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

I used the latest Core Ultra 5 in my own gaming PC for over a month before writing this review. In that time, I used it for all sorts of work, play, and creative tasks, but also undertook more formal benchmarking to put it through its paces.

I evaluated its performance through comparisons with spec-similar AMD chips, as well as price comparisons with the rest of the market. I also used my knowledge of the CPU market to make a thorough review for consumers to help them while making a buying decision.

For more on how we test gaming PCs, check out the full-length GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

You can also look up the best gaming PCs, the best graphics cards, and the best RAM for gaming.

A Valve engineer has explained why there wasn't a plan to launch a brand new exclusive alongside the Steam Machine, or to have exclusives in general.

Despite the Steam Machine being a new console-like experience, Valve has opted to take the Xbox Series X|S's approach and release it without a new exclusive game to really draw players in – despite many rumors/fanfics that Half-Life 3 is on the way. Even though the selling point of the platform has always seemed to be your whole PC library in your living room, some were disappointed to see the lack of new software to go alongside it.

And while Valve's machine isn't a traditional console, it is somewhat notable that there wasn't even a smaller bespoke title released with the hardware like the Steam Deck's Aperture Desk Job or Sony's Astro's Playroom, which acted as a Dualsense tech demo – although with Valve selling the Steam Machine without a controller in some cases, maybe that's a given.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais explains, "Restricting where people can play a game I don’t think is a great model, at least for us," and adds that "We’re much more interested in having the whole PC catalog as our 'launch exclusive.'" And granted, that is a pretty big selling point.

That being said, I highly doubt we ever see a proper Steam Machine "exclusive." Even Aperture Desk Job, which was very much based around you playing it on a Steam Deck, was made available on the regular Steam Store. And given that the Steam Machine's high price is very much going to make it unattainable for some – something Valve engineer Yazan Aldehayyat doesn't expect to get better any time soon – it'd likely cause some outrage if that was the only place you could play Half-Life 3.

Valve is switching up its Steam Machine error codes to be more helpful, starting with its scary red overheating light

The Steam Machine's price tag is already scarily expensive and downright unaffordable for your everyday player - starting at $1,049 for the cheapest 512GB model without a controller - but that eye-watering price is unlikely to come down anytime soon. Valve and, seemingly, the rest of the industry are bracing for the worst.

As AI data centres continue to swallow up memory chips and storage and a bunch of other components used in consumer devices, prices for PC gamers and hardware manufacturers have skyrocketed. Hence, the RAMageddon we're living through now. On the console side, prices have boomed and Xbox CEO Asha Sharma recently said she expects memory costs to double again before the fall of 2027. Lenovo also predicted we're in a new normal for RAM costs.

Valve isn't anymore optimistic about the RAM crisis calming down, either. Speaking to Bloomberg about the Steam Machine's lengthy development, Valve engineer Yazan Aldehayyat shared a pretty grim outlook about the near future.

"Honestly, it's still getting worse," Aldehayyat says about pricing. "Just in case people are not aware. What people are seeing on retail shelves right now, from our observations, is lagging what we're seeing from a bulk supply by at least three to six months." (Thanks for the spot, PCG!)

AI centres (that don't even exist yet) calling dibs on memory chips (that also don't exist yet) isn't just affecting pricing for the Steam Machine and consoles. Fellow Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais says the crisis is also impacting how many machines the company can even produce: "We're basically building everything we can. We're limited by memory capacity, for sure."

The rest of the interview with the Steam Machine engineers is just as insightful. Valve seemingly isn't too bothered about how many Steam Machines it can sell at the moment since the device is just another avenue to get people into open-source PC gaming and Valve's ecosystem, apparently.

Valve is switching up its Steam Machine error codes to be more helpful, starting with its scary red overheating light

I don't know about you, but after two generations of high-end graphics cards getting to ridiculous, gargantuan sizes, I was really optimistic when Jensen Huang revealed the RTX 5080 and 5090. Finally, I thought, some high-end GPUs that are going to be versatile enough to fit in even the smallest of PC builds. Board partners, however, did not take on Nvidia's FE inspirations, because chances are, if you're looking to buy one of the best graphics cards, you're still going to need a lot of room in your PC's case.

I've always been partial to a smaller gaming PC. My first build was an ITX system. I now have an mATX rig, but I feel I'm not the only one looking for a more versatile way of slotting an RTX 5080 into a smaller chassis these days. Brands like NZXT, Fractal Design, BeQuiet, Corsair, and more are all serving an increasing market demand for smaller PC builds with mATX cases, and although you can fit larger RTX 5080s inside them, you're going to limit space for case fans and generally make your life harder if you do.

That's why I was so excited about PNY's Slim RTX cards when they were revealed at CES at the start of the year. Finally, a third-party-made Nvidia GPU range that has the sizing versatility the Founders Editions promised. This range originally spanned the RTX 5070, 5070 Ti, and 5080, but it now seems there's a slimline RTX 5060 Ti out there too. Of course, since these are a niche play on the 50 Series GPUs and there are OC models available, pricing is likely to set you back more than MSRP, but is the increased versatility worth it?

Specs

The initial reaction from some might be to doubt that PNY's Slim GPUs are what they say they are, but if you look at the specs table, you'll see that everything in the 5080 is accounted for here. In fact, the model I'm testing is an overclocked version, so you'll actually see an improvement in the boost clock speed here despite its smaller footprint.

There has already been plenty said about the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080's reluctance to bump up beyond 16GB of VRAM, but in truth, from plenty of hands-on time with it through PC reviews and testing this GPU out, the faster GDDR7 VRAM still gives you plenty of room to gallop at 4K resolutions.

Elsewhere, there are enough cores for ray tracing and native performance that you're going to have all the power you need for 4K gaming. So what are you gaining here in the overclocked version - where is your money going?

Well, an overclocked GPU essentially means that it's pre-overclocked in the factory to unleash a bit of extra performance for you without you needing to do anything. Is it a performance bump you're going to notice? Probably not massively, to tell the truth, but when you're building a smaller rig and you don't want to compromise on performance because of that, an OC version is going to ensure you're getting every frame possible. It's really up to you if the extra money will be worth it.

The main question here, with a smaller board, is going to be about cooling, and that's going to put a lot of pressure on the design PNY has shot for.

Design & Features

I really like the approach PNY has taken with the slim model of the RTX 5080. It's pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. You're still getting a dual-slot GPU; it's as broad and almost as long as other high-end GPUs, but it's about half or two-thirds of the width of full-sized models. Before this, I was doing some retrospective testing on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, and although I love that card for its native performance, its size was just utterly obnoxious to the point of it barely squeezing into my case alongside my fans. In fact, the bodywork of the fans and the GPU was such that they were actually touching.

I don't have that issue in an NZXT H3 Flow case with PNY's Slim 5080. Finally, it feels like a graphics card range that's been designed with my type of PC building in mind, and the ease of installing this thing felt like a fresh breeze on a hot summer's day.

Is the look of this GPU a bit of a plain Jane? I can't lie; yes. For how stylish smaller PCs can look, either with fishbowl mATX cases or with quirky ITX ones, you'd kind of hope that there were some aesthetic choices to be made with a slimline GPU, but I suppose beggars can't be choosers. It would be really, really nice if PNY decided to make a white version of its slim cards, just to give people a choice to match their rigs.

All in all, this isn't the card to go for if you're wanting a stylish gamer look inside your PC, but then again, I do like the no-nonsense feel PNY has gone for, and the somewhat retro, bold branding has some charm to it. Hey, at least it fits in the case and doesn't look cramped inside, right?

The important part is going to be thermals, which I'm glad to say PNY has clearly thought about. Instead of opting for a longer card with three fans, it's opted for a size of 300 x 150 x 40mm (11.8" x 5.9" x 1.6"), which makes it a bit shorter, but leaves room for two 120mm fans. You can also see inside the innards of the board that there's a vapor chamber that spans almost its entire length and width. There's plenty of scope for heat dissipation here.

Of course, beyond its full range of power courtesy of Nvidia's specs, it is going to feature the full bag of DLSS magic tricks. Improved on since launch, this now includes DLSS 4.5, Dynamic Multi-Frame Gen, and Ray Reconstruction. As is always the case, your mileage with these will vary based on the games that have compatibility with them. Of the games I've been testing out for this review, Crimson Desert and 007 First Light both have great settings menus with access to Dynamic MFG and the latest transformer models for DLSS. These definitely make an improvement over my latency issues with MFG, but there are still screen-tearing and fps choppiness issues, in Crimson Desert especially, that seem to appear when I'm using all of these in combination.

Either way, with an RTX 5080, you're going to have enough of a feature set to switch on Ray Tracing and full settings and toggle DLSS tools as needed. There's also a degree of futureproofing here, and I'd be surprised if whatever monstrosity DLSS 5 turns out to be, it wasn't included on 50 Series boards like this.

Performance

Besides this, I do have a lot of hands-on time with the RTX 5080, both inside the NZXT Player Three 5080 Edition and the latest Acer Predator Orion 7000. These are going to form the baseline for my testing out the PNY Slimline version of the card, because I think the question on everyone's mind is whether or not a smaller design, two larger fans as opposed to three, and less space inside for cooling will hamper an RTX 5080's gaming power.

To cut right to it, I'll say that that isn't the case. In comparison with the full-sized RTX 5080, you're not going to be losing out on frame rates here. Granted, I've tested these GPUs across three different systems and with varying CPUs, but for the most part, all three PCs are equipped for 4K gaming, and you're highly unlikely to beat-for-beat match any of their specs anyway, so if anything comparing across all three systems is going to give you a broader sense of typical performance for the 5080, versus PNY's smaller version.

Kicking things off, I want to talk about thermals. 3DMark's benchmarking tests can be a stern test for CPUs and GPUs when they get to their most demanding moments. I've seen graphics cards in the highest-end gaming PCs reach the mid-to-high 70s and CPUs reach boiling point, and yet the Slim RTX 5080 never surpassed 66 degrees. With two 120mm fans and that massive vapor chamber, I really don't think there's much to worry about here in terms of overheating due to a smaller footprint. I've kept a close eye on thermals while benchmarking, and I've never seen the GPU jump up to temperatures that concern me. As an added bonus, even when those larger fans are kicking up, I don't hear a lot of increased noise coming from my machine.

Then we come to the actual 3DMark benchmarking scores. In Time Spy, the slimline RTX 5080, combined with an Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus in this review, scored a very impressive 28,500. That beats both the NZXT Player Three and Acer Predator Orion 7000 versions, which scored 27,348 and 27,915, respectively. Granted, these scores were done over a year ago, so they were tested on older drivers. Even so, the CPUs paired with them were the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the original Intel Core Ultra 7 256KF, so matched against the latest Core Ultra 5, they should be up to the challenge.

Clearly, PNY's overclocking has pulled some extra performance out of the bag here. In our original review of the RTX 5080, that compares to a score of 32,416 in Time Spy, so maybe there is some better 5080 gaming performance out there in larger models, but these scores are all pretty close-knit - you're probably not going to notice massive differences in real-world gaming frame rates between them all.

Similarly, in Fire Strike and Steel Nomad, the PNY 5080 Slim scored 50,251 and 87.24, respectively. This beats the scores of the Acer Predator Orion (45,728 / 85.73) and our original 5080 review (43,878), but falls to the NZXT Player Three, which won in Fire Strike with a score of 55,985, but a Steel Nomad score of only 78.31. Across the board, the PNY 5080 is making a real case for itself as a strong version to go for.

Then we come to real-world gaming tests.

In the widget above, I've copied in some benchmarking figures from the PC reviews I've mentioned above to keep comparisons flowing. Again, I'd ask you to take note of the fact that these are all tested across different systems with different processors and what have you, but they should put to rest any doubts that a more compact form factor in the PNY RTX 5080 Slim is going to hamper your gaming benchmarks. This thing is every bit as effective at rendering games at high resolutions and frame rates as any of the other RTX 5080s I've gone hands-on with.

I think one of the things I'm taking away from those benchmarking figures is that across the board, the PNY RTX 5080 Slim outperformed the Acer Predator Orion, which is especially impressive given the processors used in each build. Maybe that speaks to Intel's latest generation of desktop CPUs more than it does the disparity in performance between the varying RTX 5080s, but it does show that, paired with the correct components, PNY's versatile set of slimline graphics cards is capable of being excellent in the 4K gaming trenches. Of course, I've been carrying out the PNY tests with updated drivers and DLSS wizardry compared to the review of Acer's flagship desktop rig, so that's also a caveat.

With those updated drivers comes access to enhanced multiframe gen trickery, which I'm now more open to since Dynamic Multi-Frame Gen arrived on the scene. I tested this in Crimson Desert and 007 First Light, and I found that the floaty, annoying latency that I was experiencing with MFG before was lessened to the point that it didn't bother me. I did notice a higher tendency for it to cause screen tearing, both with and without V-sync in the mix. I'd still like an enhanced form of Reflex at some point to really allow MFG to run free without latency issues, especially for lower-grade 50-series cards that rely on it.

In any case, you're not going to need to lean on DLSS as much with the RTX 5080 since it has a bit more native 4K power. I haven't recorded frame gen benchmarks for this review since we've looked into that in previous 5080 reviews, like PNY's larger OC model. But with gaming monitors getting faster and faster, just know that MFG is going to be your key to maxing out refresh rates as time goes on.

What's great about the 5080 compared to the 5070/Ti is that you can afford to play with Ray Tracing a lot more freely. From hands-on time with plenty of current-gen 4K GPUs, I'd highly recommend the freedom the RTX 5080 can give you if your budget allows. It's the one that makes those DLSS magic tricks feel like additional tools on your utility belt, not must-use features to get your desired frame rates.

In terms of building performance, the PNY RTX 5080 Slim couldn't be easier to use. I put it to work inside my NZXT H3 Flow case for this review (an mATX chassis), and I found it doesn't even need a support bracket to prop it up because its weight is distributed so cleanly.

Should you buy the PNY RTX 5080 OC Slim?

For anyone like me, who has dreams of building a powerhouse 4K gaming PC in a smaller case, without frame rate compromises, I cannot recommend the PNY RTX 5080 OC Slim more highly. This GPU is one of the easiest high-end cards I've built with, and its smaller footprint clearly doesn't mean you need to accept any frame rate hold-backs. From my hands-on testing, it's every bit as powerful as other full-sized RTX 5080 graphics cards; it's just lighter, more versatile and compatible with a wider range of cases, and it has a bit more of a no-nonsense look.

Of course, the price may be an issue since the entire range of PNY Slim cards is proving popular, and the OC model is the only one I can see in stock in the US and UK. If you can get the non-OC model to save yourself some money, I would point to that. On the other hand, I can't see any other board partner making this kind of lighter-weight, smaller form factor version of Nvidia's 50 Series products.

I'd argue that from a building standpoint, the versatility and safety of one of these Slim cards is worth it. The larger fans do their job from a thermal standpoint, and even the 5080 will likely squeeze itself into a quirky ITX case if you need it to. If you had dreams of affording an FE RTX 5080, you'll be all out of luck today, but PNY's Slimline options might just be the next best thing.

How I tested the PNY GeForce RTX 5080 OC Slim

I put the Slim model of the RTX 5080 to work inside my own gaming PC and have been using it as my daily driver for over a month now. In that time, I've used it for all of my gaming, spanning all sorts of gaming genres. I've also carried out more formal benchmarking and testing, like 3DMark's benchmarks, as well as tests in some of our favorite demanding games for PC testing.

I compared my results closely to the ones I found when reviewing other gaming PCs with RTX 5080s inside them, but also kept in mind that the results wouldn't be completely empirical due to driver updates and differing build discrepancies.

For more on how we test gaming PCs, take a look at the GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

For more, read up on the best CPUs for gaming, the best RAM for gaming, and the best computer speakers.

Looks like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 is properly back in production after all, as Palit just released a brand new model. By that, I mean it has actually created a sequel to its Infinity graphics card from 2021 that boasts all the same specs as five years ago, so I can only assume they've accidentally travelled back in time.

The Palit GeForce RTX 3060 Infinity 2 is by all means a best graphics card contender from 2021. It's packing an Ampere GPU with 12GB VRAM, and that means you'll be boosting fps to the same entry-level as two generations ago. Keep in mind that back then, you could get a 60-class card with more than 8GB memory, though, and that's sort of the excuse for resurrecting Nvidia's old architecture.

It's all a bit silly, but if you really need 12GB VRAM, then the RTX 3060 is theoretically an affordable option. An extra 4GB isn't really going to help you when it comes to new releases, however, as we're talking about a GPU that's now two generations old. Palit does use the fact that it's the "reigning champion" on the Steam Hardware Survey, but that doesn't really fly as a reason to buy one today (I'll forgive them if they bring back their Frobot mecha frog mascot).

Palit hasn't revealed pricing for the GeForce RTX 3060 Infinity 2 yet, but that's the very thing that could justify its existence. I highly doubt it'll be any cheaper than cards like the RTX 5060, or even an RTX 4060 if one showed up in stock. But if it were able to show up for a chunk less, it'd be worth considering for 1080p gaming PC builds. Essentially, I'd class picking up the Ampere card as grabbing old stock to save some cash, but again, this is a newly created model for 2026.

That in itself probably means we're looking at the same price as entry-level Nvidia and AMD cards. It's effectively a switcharoo where you can decide between a better GPU or more VRAM, and I worry the latter is being platformed with armature AI enthusiasts in mind since they'll make use of it. I have no qualms with gatekeeping graphics cards made for gaming away from people not using them for their intended purpose, as that's sort of why we're in this mess in the first place.

By that, I mean the PC gaming scene was a driving force in the component industry, but RAM manufacturers have seemingly dropped consumers for AI datacentres. A similar thing is happening with graphics cards, and I don't think it's unreasonable to turn your nose up at being served old GPUs when we should have solid current-gen options.

Swing by the best CPUs for gaming and best RAM if you're trying to wrangle a rig.

It feels like the PC gaming hardware scene just keeps getting weirder. I mean, I'm not exactly sure why a brand like ASRock would show off a bunch of Taichi 10th Anniversary components, including an RX 9070 XT graphics card, only to reveal that it's not planning on releasing them. What?

Don't get me wrong, I get the idea of making conceptual designs to celebrate events. However, revealing an ASRock Taichi 10th Anniversary line-up of gaming PC components that look like perfectly reasonable designs that aren't remotely unmakeable, only to then say that they are just "concept products created to celebrate the milestone," is frankly bananas.

The message suggests that the Taichi 10th Anniversary RX 9070 XT that showed up at Computex just a few weeks ago is the only version that will ever exist (via Videocardz). I don't know about you, but that feels a bit like being invited to a birthday party that was never happening in the first place, and I'm trying to work out why you'd unveil deliberate vapourware.

Just so you're aware of what you can't pick up, the Taichi 10th Anniversary lineup included the aforementioned graphics card, two motherboards, an AIO cooler with some sort of hologram display on the front, and a gaming monitor. Not that it matters, as none of the products exist, and I guess they're meant to be a "look at all the cool stuff we could maybe make" statement to honor the sub-brand that started in 2016.

Will ASRock eventually release the Taichi 10th Anniversary products made to celebrate the event? I mean, who knows. Perhaps there was supposed to be a launch, and it was cancelled at some point, or maybe people like looking at PC gear that will never exist? I'd understand if the designs were CES-level wild, but the components would pass for ordinary SKUs on the street (excluding that hologram AIO cooler; I'm not exactly sure how that'd work in hindsight.

If you're looking for components that actually exist, swing by the best CPUs for gaming and best RAM to upgrade your rig.

It's been reported this week that the world's three biggest RAM manufacturers, Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix, are all being sued for purported price fixing. The lawsuit claims that the trio has been lessening supply in order to profit collectively from the current AI-induced memory pricing nightmare (y'know, RAMageddon). What's flown under the radar, however, is that the best RAM for gaming could already be doomed to stay price-hiked for another five years thanks to a new business model from Micron.

In a Q3 earnings call, Micron's CEO, chairman, and president, Sanjay Mehrotra, detailed how the company was going to proceed in the current climate. "Even as we expect industry supply to improve gradually in 2028, we currently do not have line of sight as to when memory supply will be able to catch up with increasing demand," he explained.

Then he revealed that Micron has signed "strategic customer agreements" with its partnered RAM suppliers, ensuring a price bracketing system that will span the next five years.

"Micron has been a pioneer in our industry in creating a new class of strategic customer agreements, or SCAs, with very robust terms. We are pleased to announce that we have completed 16 SCAs with customers across the data center, consumer and auto market segments. These SCAs accelerate the transformation of our business model, enhance partnership in technology and innovation, and provide customers with contracted supply assurance."

An SCA will mean that businesses that utilize Micron's manufactured RAM (any consumer brand that sells RAM under its own name, but uses Micron's wafers) will need to pay pre-determined fixed prices based on current market trends, or established price bands based on Q2 prices from this year (ie, when RAM has been at record-breaking highs).

I suspect these agreements have been made out of fear from Micron's "customers" that RAM could continue to climb, as the latest research points to prices rising another 40-50% in Q3 2026. If that continues to be the case, agreements that lock in a fixed pricing bracket could be alluring for brands in the memory space, but guarantee prices remain high on consumer fronts.

"For our SCAs with price bands, the floor price enables a very robust gross margin for Micron, well above our peak quarterly margins in any past cycle," said the CEO.

Micron exited the consumer space in February by shuttering the Crucial brand and has since announced record-breaking profits from AI data fab manufacturing contracts. These are the main cause of the RAM shortages we've seen in 2026, but construction partnerships were only slated to last until ~2028, when we all expected prices to potentially level out a bit. With Micron's new SCAs, we could be looking at locked prices until 2030.

"Fourteen of the 16 SCAs that we have signed have a cumulative revenue at minimum price per our contracts of approximately $100 billion over the remaining agreement term," Sanjay announced. "They also strengthen our long-term financial performance, margins and free cash flow expectations, with higher visibility and improved stability in our business performance.

"Under the SCAs we have signed so far, we project to receive cash deposits and related financial commitments of $22 billion. This further demonstrates customer commitment to this new business model."

It's unclear how, if at all, the class action lawsuits against the big three RAM suppliers will impact these agreements, since they seem almost like a paper trail that points to an attempt to keep prices high instead of waiting to see how the market could level out.

More specifically, the new lawsuit being filed in California claims that the big three have illegally coordinated a restricted supply of DDR3 and DDR4 RAM in order to ensure profit from record-high DDR5 prices (Garciaguirre et al v. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al)

Back in 2005, during a separate price-fixing lawsuit, the three companies were found guilty, with Samsung and SK Hynix both pleading guilty and paying fines as a result. Meanwhile, the story goes that Micron avoided fines by providing information to prosecutors. The modern-day lawsuit is the third major memory price-fixing scandal in 30 years, as it happened again in the 2010s.

It's unclear whether or not Samsung and SK Hynix have also begun to spin up SCAs with their customers, but we know from Micron's earnings call that its agreeing partners span from automotive to consumer, to data fabs, and the SCAs run through 2030. Micron suspects that when completed, approximately half or more of its overall revenue will be under SCAs from all areas of the market.

For more on computing markets, check out the best gaming PC, the best CPU for gaming, and the best graphics card.

PC and mobile accessory and case maker dbrand was forced to cancel and refund all sales of its Steam Machine Companion Cube case after realizing and publicly admitting that it never got permission from Valve to make the dang thing.

In a Reddit post you'll be redirected to from the Companion Cube case's now-defunct listing page, dbrand confirms the product "was eviscerated from our website" and won't be coming back.

The Portal-inspired case began as a joke posted on the heels of the Steam Machine reveal, dbrand says, but a wave of real consumer interest sparked some hasty development and, "in the months that followed, we built the idea into something real without ever asking Valve if we could."

"We're going to regret that decision for a very long time," dbrand says.

Across seven months, dbrand says "more than a thousand hours went into engineering" the case, with 44 sets of injection molding tools created. "By the end, we were losing money on every $99 Poverty Cube sold, but it didn't matter," the company says. "This had turned into a passion project for the entire organization. Unfortunately, being proud of the thing we made did not give us the right to make it."

Dbrand even took pre-orders for the case beginning June 22. It became "the second-fastest selling product in our 15-year history," but those pre-orders will be refunded today, as this was what finally triggered alarms and action at Valve.

"Shortly after, Valve's legal team reached out," dbrand adds. "They stated that the Companion Cube is Valve intellectual property, for which dbrand does not have a license. They requested we take down the product and launch film immediately. This was entirely within their rights, and they were direct, fair, and respectful throughout."

Dbrand did try to salvage the work put into all this by finally asking Valve for permission, but the company "said no." Dbrand admits that, "given our backwards approach of building first and asking permission later, it was a fair answer." It also stresses that "Valve didn't do anything wrong here," and concludes by saying, "We should've asked first."

Rarely do companies publicly take eggs to the face so willingly, especially companies this established. But I suppose it is also rare for experienced manufacturers to forget about licensing for seven months.

Journalists often have to dig to get even modest acknowledgements of blame from large companies. In this case, a Reddit user responded to dbrand's statement and said, "You guys are fucking stupid, you know that?" The company replied, "Yes."

On Steam Machine, Valve engineers say "the cheaper the better," but a price drop is unlikely "any time soon."

The Steam Machine costs upwards of $1000. PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles are hundreds of dollars more expensive now than they were at launch almost six years ago. Even the Nintendo Switch 2 is getting a price increase. But surely hardware costs won't keep ballooning, right? Surely, at some point, hopefully, the RAMpocalypse will come to an end and we can all go back to comfortably buying pieces of plastic-metal to play games on.

Well, that's not about to happen any time soon, according to electronics firm Lenovo. As reported on by ComputerBase, the company held a presentation at the ISC 2026 where executive director Martin Hiegl apparently told the audience that we're now in a new normal for DRAM and NAND prices.

The tech company explained that DRAM companies are upping their production capabilities to make more memory components, but those efforts probably aren't going to result in lower prices or, at least, prices that match their original levels for the foreseeable future. Hiegl then explained these inflated prices will become somewhat of a new normal until at least 2030. (Good spot, VGC).

In case you've had a look at hardware prices recently, that's, uh, not great news. Valve has blamed the Steam Machine's eye-watering price on high component costs that keep going up. Hot off increasing Xbox Series X|S prices once again, the console maker explained "storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027." All signs point to consoles getting even more expensive and more people being priced out of the hobby.

PlayStation also raised PS5 prices earlier in the year, pointing to the vague "global economic landscape." The entire tech world is seemingly being plagued with RAM shortages as AI slop factories lay claim to these components in massive quantities.

On Steam Machine, Valve engineers say "the cheaper the better," but a price drop is unlikely "any time soon"

The big news this week in PC gaming was the reveal that Valve's Steam Machine PC-console hybrid costs $1049 for the cheapest model, a figure that sent shockwaves through the gaming community despite the fact that component and thus hardware prices have been historically high for quite some time.

The rapid proliferation of AI data centers has driven the cost of memory through the roof, and when you couple that with global economic instability and high inflation, well, you have both video game consoles and gaming PCs with exorbitant price tags both on store shelves and on the second-hand market. Still, $1049 for the entry level model in a lineup of PC-only gaming consoles is a tough pill to swallow no matter how much we've all got used to everything being ridiculously expensive, but don't expect Steam Machines to drop in price any time soon.

Talking to Digital Foundry, Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais is asked if there's any chance Steam Machine costs will drop when the current RAM shortages are resolved, and he dodges the question but argues that from a business perspective, the current price doesn't make sense.

"There's no point for us to keep hardware at a high price," he says. "It's meant to be an enabler of a stronger connection between people and their games, and not something that we're trying to sell to people for other reasons... [For us], the cheaper the better."

Meanwhile, another Valve engineer on the Steam Machine's hardware team, Yazan Aldehayyat, straight-up downplays the idea of a price drop any time in the near future.

"It's obviously hard for us to predict the future, but we're not optimistic it's going to happen any time soon. Other people in the industry have said as much.

"Obviously, we would love to be able to make the Steam Machine more affordable and reach more people, but I don't want to promise to people that it's coming soon," adds Aldehayyat. "I wouldn't say that this is something that's going to resolve very soon."

If you want something slightly more concrete, or at the very least specific, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra recently estimated that the ongoing RAM shortage will likely continue through 2027 before "gradually" improving in 2028. That doesn't help much if you're looking to lock in a Steam Machine pre-order soon, but it's good to have some idea of when things might start to normalize... well, in terms of the cost of gaming hardware anyway.

$1,049 Steam Machine is still a "good value," Valve engineer says, even though it was supposed to be $789 like the Steam Deck

The event may end today, but the good news is that there are still plenty of Prime Day PC deals live right now. And honestly, as a fellow PC gamer highly recommend checking them out while you can, since they are the best option if you want to grab the computer specs you're hoping for this year. Let's face it, 2026 is likely the worst year to upgrade your gaming PC since 2020, thanks to the RAM shortage. However, not all hope is lost.

After tracking Amazon's store page as well as competing sales events from brands such as Newegg and Best Buy all week, I've managed to find a handful of very decent, cost-effective deals this Prime Day season. These discounts include one of our picks for the best gaming PCs of 2026, and a bunch more savings on both high-end and mid-range machines. Component shortages, AI datacenter demand, and spiralling RAM costs (not to mention rigs and graphics cards) mean that sales like Prime Day may be your only chance to get all your PC gaming bits for a good long while. So, as we enter the final day of the event, I will say the discounts below are well worth your consideration.

It's also worth noting that the team at GamesRadar+ spends hours testing everything from the latest components to the best gaming handhelds that run PC games. We also regularly update these deal pages to ensure you are getting real savings rather than inflated prices. So read on below for a complete and curated round-up of the best Prime Day PC deals to pick up before it's too late.

Today's best gaming PC deals

• Amazon: RTX 5060 rigs for under $1,500
• Dell: up to $1,330 off Alienware Aurora
• Best Buy: up to $300 off MSI, HP, and more
• Newegg: $1,000 off mid-range rigs

Prime Day PC deals: FAQ

Make sure to check out the best Prime Day monitor deals for display discounts. Or, if you're a console player, swing by Prime Day PS5 deals and Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals for system savings, games, and accessories.

The Steam Machine's base price will set you back $1,046, but it's not entirely Valve's fault. Companies manufacturing PC memory components apparently left the negotiating table and ghosted Valve altogether when they tried to haggle for better RAM prices.

The pre-built PC with console comforts is now available for pre-order, but its almost eye-watering starting price has been a big sticking point for days. The culprit, as Valve engineers have been alluding to for months now, is the ongoing RAMpocalypse (knife found in kitchen).

Speaking in an interview with GamerNexus, Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais is pretty clear about what went on behind-the-scenes with RAM dealers: "Look, there's no contracts. There's nothing. Like, those guys… they are… they give us a price every month or something and they say 'You can buy that many' and it's yes or no. And if we say no, then they never talk to us again."

The RAMpocalypse or RAMflation or RAMtastrophe is having a pretty disasterous effect on prices for gaming hardware across the board. Memory components are getting gobbled up by generative AI companies months in advance, all to power their very needy data centres. And to somewhat satiate the always hungry beast, lots of RAM-producing companies are reserving their supply for AI companies that order in massive amounts - leaving ordinary consumers in the dust.

Anyone on the market for a new gaming PC has likely watched prices go up in real time. All three console makers have upped their prices in the last 12 months, too. Xbox Series X|S consoles went up by almost $200, all PS5 machines saw a big hike, and even the Nintendo Switch 2 is facing slightly higher costs come September - and the console's barely been out for a year.

Valve's been pretty transparent about its RAM-related problems in the lead-up to Steam Machine's launch, however. Engineers previously implied the hardware faced a similar price bump to that of the Steam Deck, meaning the company was probably thinking it could sell the Steam Machine for $300 less than it currently is. Months before launch, Valve practically pleaded for RAM supplies.

$1,049 Steam Machine is still a "good value," Valve engineer says, even though it was supposed to be $789 like the Steam Deck

The Steam Machine costs $1,049, and that's not entirely Valve's fault. The publisher had originally wanted its mini PC-console hybrid to be priced closer to the $789 Steam Deck, but ongoing component shortages swiftly killed that dream. Still, its engineers hope you're happy.

Engineer Yazan Aldehayyat tells Eurogamer in a new interview, "It's hard because I don't think we ever really had an official price or anything like that – I think we had some ideas – but it's really difficult to quantify it." He says the Steam Deck price serves as "a rough estimate" for Valve's original plans, but he nonetheless believes $1,049 is "a good value."

Aldehayyat explains, "It's still competitive with similarly specced machines, especially pre-built machines." That's a fair analysis – GamesRadar+ hardware editor Phil Hayton recently tried estimating a reasonable alternative to the diminutive Steam Machine that you could build yourself, and it still came out to $1,265 for a slightly chunkier, yet more powerful PC. Right now, no one is spared from RAM shortages caused by virulent AI data center development.

Steam Machine user interface designer Lawrence Yang muses, "I'm very curious to see how people react to the price." He, like anyone else who's bought a video game or bottle of Tylenol in the past few months, knows "all the prices are going up, things are going out of stock, something's happening to the point where everyone is impacted by it."

"I'm guessing that people – or hoping that people – will understand," Yang says.

"It is more expensive than we wanted it to be, for sure," he reiterates. "But we think that compared to what you could build with the same price, it is kind of commensurate, and we think that we're bringing something extra with the small form factor and all of the other stuff that we built into it."

I can only speak for myself: I understand why the Steam Machine costs over $1,000, or why rent for a one-bedroom in Brooklyn is more than $2,000, or why a plate of lobster spaghetti at a fancy restaurant is $48 when I'd rather just hunt the lobster myself for that price, but that doesn't mean I like it. Am I supposed to?

Valve says Steam Machine is $1,049 because it "doesn't align with our beliefs" to subsidize the cost.

The Steam Machine is now available for pre-order under what some are acknowledging as the shocking starting price of $1,049, partly because Valve says this is the cost that best reflects its core values.

Company spokespeople tell The Verge in a new report that Valve isn't interested in subsidizing the cost of its Steam Machine and selling its hardware at a loss the way other companies do, since "it doesn't align with our beliefs about how healthy ecosystems are built."

Valve explains in its statement, "If there's anything we're religious about at Valve, it's our belief that open systems are better in the long run, for ourselves and customers. The openness of the PC ecosystem in particular has enabled it to be the primary driver of hardware and software innovation, because anyone with an idea for a way to do something better was able to take a shot at it.

"When companies sell their hardware under cost for competitive advantage, or buy exclusive content for it, they're doing that to build a more closed system, one where you don't get to choose what software you want to use." In its announcement post for the Steam Machine's launch, however, Valve instead bemoans the fact that "our original goal for the price of Steam Machine is no longer viable" due to factors like RAM shortages and the US' constantly shapeshifting tariffs.

So "the prices we're sharing today reflect the state of the world for manufacturing," says Valve, "or, more accurately, it reflects the price of the components as we've secured them over the past 6 months." This official statement suggests Valve is mournfully selling the Steam Machine for as much as it costs to produce it, and Valve Steam Deck developer Pierre-Loup Griffais confirms to The Verge that, "We're being more aggressive with margins and things to be as close to cost as possible now."

That's not an unreasonable decision for Valve to make; it still isn't necessarily whipping up a profit on the Steam Machine, after all. But it argues in a more confident tone in its statement to The Verge, "When companies sell their hardware under cost for competitive advantage, or buy exclusive content for it, they're doing that to build a more closed system, one where you don't get to choose what software you want to use."

This is the kind of company-first speak I'm skeptical of. Subsidized hardware prices may obscure manufacturing costs, but should manufacturing cost be my concern as a consumer?

We've had games industry experts warning us for months now that console prices could pass the $1,000 mark. Well, now they're right, and inflation around the globe is also impacting everything from gas prices to a dozen eggs. It feels like the burden of change keeps getting placed on the individual buyer, or worker, rather than the big, expensive company. The people who make up the games industry keep getting barbecued by mass layoffs, for example, and yet the industry itself has just soared past the historic $200 billion in revenue, a 9.1% year-on-year increase.

With this in mind, I can accept that the $1,049 Steam Machine (not including accessories) is part of Valve's beliefs. But it certainly doesn't represent mine.

The Steam Machine just landed for an eye-watering $1,049, so I'm tempted to build a modern Shuttle XPC that looks like my compact 2000s rig instead.

PC gamers hoping to upgrade their rigs are staring down the barrel of a very tough Prime Day. Deals are set to arrive next week, and competing sales at Newegg have already started. But with the RAMpocalypse dooming stock levels and pricing of all kinds of components and rigs, Prime Day PC deals are looking lean.

If you're trying to build the best gaming PC possible in these trying, trying times, Newegg's motherboard bundles might just be your best hope of securing the new specs you desire. I've already spotted two bundles in the retailer's FantasTech early offering, which gives you a price guarantee that things won't get cheaper for the remainder of the sale.

Not only does this offer give you some of the best RAM for gaming from one of the biggest and most popular brands, but it gets you a damn good motherboard at the same time.

About a year ago, I helped a good friend of mine build his very first gaming PC, and he had chosen this motherboard as the foundational bedrock. I was absolutely delighted with it, because having worked with a lot of boards that seemingly didn't care about the ease of building a PC, MSI had thrown tonnes of quality-of-life issues into the mix.

For starters, it has an easy-to-access M.2 port that came off at the push of a button. As someone who's reviewed loads of SSDs and is pretty sick of using a screwdriver just to take a simple heatsink pad off, this was a big relief. Similarly, the GPU release catch wasn't located next to the PCIe slot; it was moved around to the side so that, y'know, you didn't have to squeeze your fingers under a GPU in order to press it.

These two things are becoming more normalized on a lot of gaming motherboards, but they're still uncommon enough that I'd point to them as a reason to shoot for this bundle. Not only that, you get great value for money, and solid rear IO connectivity compared to similarly priced options from other brands.

With an X870 chipset, you'll have access to AMD's Ryzen 7000, 8000G, and 9000 CPU series, which gives you loads of scope to grab a decent DDR5 processor, and room for upgrading later since support for AM5 has been extended through 2029.

If you're on the Intel side of things, and you're up for spending even more on a mobo bundle, I also spotted one that gets you an ASRock Z890 Pro RS board, 32GB of G.Skill Trident RGB RAM, and an Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus CPU, all for a price of $769.99 at Newegg (saving you $229.98 in the process).

RAM Shortages are certainly making these bundles more pricey, but they might hold the key to letting you get that upgraded PC you've been hoping for. If there's one bit of advice I can offer to PC builders this Prime Day, it's that smaller components for your build are the thing to try and save on. Fans, AIOs, cases, and even motherboards might just be the thing to focus your spending at while offers are around, because even if you can't upgrade your RAM and storage right now, smaller modifications to your PC can still help it feel new.

Hunting down other components? Check out the best CPU for gaming, the best graphics card, and the best computer speakers.

Cooler Master showed off the updated version of one of its most popular and accessible PC cases at Computex, and lo and behold, it's now hit the shelves. The updated Q300L V3 holds onto the line's previous mATX form factor, but it brings some quality-of-life updates and more modularity into the mix for your next gaming PC build.

Straight from the off, I'll say that perhaps the most impressive thing about this case is that it's still got a super affordable price tag, which tracks from the V2 and V1 models of the Q300L. At just $44.49 at Amazon, you're certainly off to a good start meeting your building budget, especially right now during the RAMpocalypse.

But beyond the price, Cooler Master has done a great job of issuing updates to this case. For starters, because it's something I'm a big fan of, you can swap the position of the front IO to suit your preferences. If you don't want it down on the bottom of the front panel, you can move it up to the top of the front panel, the front of the top panel, or even the rear of the top panel if you wish.

Speaking of that front IO, Cooler Master has updated it so that it now has a high-speed USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C connection, dual USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and a combo audio jack. That could be a huge boon for people using this size of case, because with mini-ITX and mATX motherboards, you can sometimes lose out on connectivity in the rear.

The Q300L V3 has grown 12.5% from the original version, now giving you space for higher-spec components. The refreshed model has CPU cooler clearance of 178mm, GPU clearance of 366mm, and radiator support for AIOs up to 240/120mm. On cooling, the case comes with one 140mm rear fan pre-installed.

For some extra utility though, Cooler Master has allowed for 3D printable add-ons thanks to the dot-textured chassis panels. With this design, you could attach a headset hook, some handles, or potentially even some mounting systems.

So far at Amazon, I'm only seeing a black version available, but back at Computex I saw a white and wood-finished version which may be coming later.

I'm always a fan of innovative cases on the smaller size (my own personal build is an mATX built inside the NZXT H3 Flow), so I really like the look and feel of the Q300L V3. I especially love the versatility it could bring for PC builders who want to lay the case down on its side, or just folks who want an affordable box that isn't going to take up an entire desktop.

That said, if there's one shortcoming here, for me it's the lack of a hidden PSU tray. I don't have anything against PSUs in general, but most cases hide them away for a reason; there are very few ways to make them look neat and tidy, because they have loads of spindly cables coming out the back of them. Opening up the PSU tray does allow for better access to the airflow of the main PC chamber, but with a large tempered glass panel on the side here, you do invite that cable mess into the vibe of the build, which isn't my favorite.

Still, for the price of the Q300L V3, you're still getting a lot of functionality and style other brands would charge you more for.

If you're still seeking out the other parts of your new build, check out the best CPUs for gaming, the best graphics cards, and the best RAM for gaming.

Noctua is working on a long-term solution to the annoyances of CPU thermal paste, and it might just be onto something. Although thermal pads and certain graphite pads have been a fringe alternative to thermal paste for the best CPUs, for the most part, we're all stuck with messy and often impractical paste that's wrought with opportunity for human error.

At Computex last week, Noctua shared its vision for the future, which it calls the NT-CP1 Carbice Carbon Nanotube Thermal Pad. That's a bit of a mouthful, and that's because this little workaround takes some explaining. Essentially, instead of squirting out some thermal paste on the face of your CPU to mush down underneath your cooler, you'd instead place down one of Noctua's tiny wafers, and you wouldn't need to touch it ever again if you didn't want to.

Noctua has designed its thermal paste alternative as a long-term solution. Unlike thermal paste, it isn't going to dry, crack, or need replacing over time, so if you're not really interested in upgrading your CPU (ever), then this might actually be a better alternative for you.

Noctua has tested the Carbon Nanotube Thermal Pad for up to 100K thermal cycles, saying that it'll "outlive your system" without dropping its cooling ability. Where the performance of thermal paste degrades over time, Noctua found that its new solution takes around 2,000 cycles to reach maximum efficiency, but then stays at that level from then on. By comparison, Noctua says 10,000 cycles is when thermal paste typically starts to really see performance drop-offs, but that isn't the case with carbon nanotubes.

The reason the new thermal pad is so long lasting is that it uses the same nanoscale polymer design as the cooling solutions in satellites and other space-grade technology - ie, why it's prepped to outlive your system.

Within the thermal pad (which is very thin; it looked like a small patch of seaweed up-close), there are vertically aligned carbon nanotube "forests". These are supported by an aluminium backbone that makes them more robust than similar graphite alternatives we've seen in the past. A nanoscale polymer coating then makes the pad non-conductive, and also prevents slipping during installation - a constant bugbear with thermal paste when you secure a CPU cooler on top of it.

The only reason the Carbice pad has a "break-in" period is that it takes some time for the polymer layer to activate and wet the contact surfaces on either side. Then, the carbon nanotubes slowly "wick" into the surfaces of your cooler and CPU. Once these are properly activated, they then help to funnel the heat transfer process to keep your processor working efficiently.

As you can imagine, something like this would be far easier to install than thermal paste that can very easily be a messy job that can go wrong. Slip, or somehow drop thermal paste onto your motherboard or into your CPU socket, and you could be looking at some expensive problems. With a pad that you simply peel and stick, you also don't need to enter the ancient debate of how much thermal paste you should use, and in what pattern you should lay it down.

The current ETA for Noctua's new thermal paste alternative is September 2026 and is tailored for AMD's AM4 and AM5 processors; meanwhile, AMD itself also had its own version of a thermal pad like this that it was handing out at its Computex booth, so we could see this as a more commonly used solution in years to come.

For now though, I'd only really recommend certain PC builders look into this type of cooling for their CPU. For starters, if you know you're not going to be upgrading for a long, long time, ie, if you have a top-rate, flagship processor and you don't really have an upgrade path, then look into Noctua's NT-CP1.

On the other hand, my tour guide at the Noctua Computex booth told me one of these will set you back roughly ~£20/$25 (although this is unconfirmed at the time of writing), and you only get one wafer in a package. Moreover, these aren't reusable, so if you do unpeel it from your cooler so you can upgrade something or swap out a motherboard, then you'll need to pay that same amount again.

Meanwhile, thermal paste is a sub-$20 purchase, and even the smaller tubes will give you enough for a couple of CPU upgrades and installations. One thing I like about modern CPU architecure, especially the AMD sockets this cooling solution has been designed for, is that there's more availability for upgrading down the road. AMD has just extended support for the AM5 platform until 2029 at least, so chances are, you're bound to see a processer that could outperform and offer more value for money than your current one before too long.

If you're old school, and you don't want to upgrade your desktop components for as long as possible, or you're just happy with what you've got, a thermal pad like this might be a better option for you. If not, I'd be sticking to traditional paste for any Prime Day PC deals you're hunting for this month.

• check thermal paste prices at Amazon

PC builders should also seek out the best gaming PCs, the best graphics card, and the best RAM for gaming.

Valve says the Steam Machine will release this summer, and I could have my ideal living room rig parked under my TV as soon as this month. I've been trying to create the perfect "PC as a console" setup for what feels like aeons, but I'm starting to wonder if I'll be better off revisiting historic plans to build a compact Shuttle XPC instead.

Of course, if the latest Steam Machine release date rumors hold true, I might not have time to cobble together an alternative. FCC listings highlighted by wayTooManyBugs on Reddit suggest the mini PC could launch before the end of June. Effectively, the filing includes public regulatory documents that are set to be released on the 29th, which could suggest that's when the box will land.

I'd naturally take all that with the usual grain of salt, but if it does pop up before June is out, you might have to make some hasty decisions. By that, I mean you'll have to finally get hold of Valve's MSRP and work out whether you can afford the box, as there's every chance it'll cost way more than a PS5 Pro. That's why I've started properly thinking about compact DIY options, and I've been firmly inspired by a Windows XP Shuttle XPC that just came into my life.

Okay, let me back up and explain myself. If you keep up with my coverage, you'll know I cover all the best retro consoles and setups alongside modern tech. That naturally means I'm into PCs of the vintage variety, and I recently got my hands on a Shuttle XPC from 2003 that very much falls in that category. The company has been crafting "barebones" systems for years that serve as space-saver machines that still theoretically support full-size components, and it turns out they're still very much in the game.

I should note that even modern Shuttle XPC builds are not entirely Steam Machine alternatives. For starters, Valve's 3.8-litre box is still a fraction of the size of the case I'm eyeing up (the 13.4 litre Cube SH610R4 that's $435 at Amazon), and by the time you add a CPU, RAM, and a graphics card, you'll be looking at the same levels of pricing as a conventional PC.

Still, the 2000s Shuttle box I have to hand should be roughly the same size as the newer XPCs, and it honestly feels small enough. I'll likely get a shock when I see the real-life size of the Steam Machine outside of promotional materials, but I'll take a slightly larger footprint if it means better upgradability.

I've got no solid plans for a Steam Machine Shuttle XPC alternative right now. These ideas are more inspiration-driven by the aforementioned 25-year-old Windows PC rig and the fact Prime Day gaming PC deals are on the horizon, as if discounts help combat RAMagddon inflation, grabbing parts that can provide an experience on par with Valve's box could be easier.

If I were to try and roughly match some parts compatible with the Shuttle XPC that'll perform similarly to the Steam Machine, I'd probably opt for an Intel Core i5-14400F ($189.99 at Amazon), 2 x 8GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 RAM (an upsetting $149.99 at Amazon), and a relatively compact Radeon RX 9060 XT (like this Powercolor model for $349.99 at Newegg).

Throw in a 512GB M.2 SSD for $139.99 (URGH), and you're looking at a total build price of just under $1,265. Yes, that price is making me queasy, and my theoretical and relatively low-spec Shuttle XPC would be under a grand if AI datacentres weren't decimating pricing. Still, if the Steam Machine sits anywhere near that price, putting together a larger, but compact and more powerful living room alternative might be an attractive prospect.

Coincidentally, while the 2024 Shuttle XPC case looks amusingly close to the 2000s version I have, it still looks pretty contemporary. In fact, retaining the removable transparent faceplate means it can play the Steam Machine at its own customizable game, as you can dress up the front with custom inlays. You'd have to source the artwork yourself, and swapping things out requires dealing with four front screws, but it still feels like the same vibe that Valve is going for.

I'm still hopeful that the Steam Machine can usher in a new era of compact, living room-friendly PC gaming that blurs the line between rigs and consoles. If my time with my old 2000s Shuttle XPC and the realization that new versions exist has taught me anything, though, it's that a similar genre of hardware has been available the whole time, so if prices for Valve's box get out of hand, exploring alternatives beyond the thousands of mini PCs with similar guts to a gaming handheld inside will be worthwhile.

• Mini PCs at Amazon
• Steam Deck accessories at Amazon

Upgrading your current rig? Swing by the best CPUs for gaming and the best RAM for vital components and parts.

There's a cheaper AMD Radeon RX 9070 GPU in town, as the GRE edition has landed in the US. FYI, that stands for "Golden Rabbit Edition", but while the previously China-exclusive graphics card has an alluring name, you might be able to snag a superior model over Prime Day for near the same price.

The situation with the RX 9070 ahead of Prime Day gaming deals is pretty irritating. AMD originally released the card with hope in its eyes and a $549 MSRP, but that was before the dark days of RAMageddon. Now, the GPU will typically set you back over $600, and the lower spec "GRE" model has effectively replaced it on the pricing tier list.

Yes, I'm calling shenanigans, as many players won't be aware that the GRE wields 12GB GDDR6 VRAM instead of 16GB, a narrower 192-bit memory bus, 48 Compute Units versus 56, and 3,072 Stream Processors in place of 3,584. Considering you can get the beefier original for $50 even without Prime Day, that means the Golden Rabbit has little value on its bones, and the sales could make choosing the original a no-brainer.

At the same time, I get why AMD has opted to release the RX 9070 GRE worldwide, as RAMageddon is holding up. In theory, it lets the original model sit as a middle option between the new, cheaper version and the RX 9070 XT, which now costs a chunk above $600. If the $50 gap between the two vanilla 9070 variants persists or gets narrower, though, then it'll mean that you should just pay slightly more for a superior card.

Where things could get interesting is if the GRE model gets a Prime Day discount. I'm not placing any bets on that happening, but I wouldn't shun the new RX 9070 for close to or even just under $500. We're still talking about a card that's a tier above the Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti, although you can grab the 8GB version of the latter for under $370 if you're not fussed about VRAM.

My advice is to keep a close eye on both Nvidia and AMD's mid-range offerings over Prime Day. If the RX 9070 or GeForce RTX 5070 hits anywhere close to $550, then the Golden Rabbit is destined for the stew. The AI-fuelled RAM shortages mean that it's less likely to happen this year than ever, as margins are already slimmer. Still, all we can do is hope that gaming PC parts end up somewhat reasonable during the sales, even if we should all be paying way less.

• Graphics cards at Amazon
• Gaming PCs at Amazon

Building from scratch? Swing by the best CPUs for gaming and the best RAM for crucial components tested by experts.

Looks like Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 Super graphics cards are back on the menu, boys, as fresh rumours point towards an early 2027 release date. The latest insider tidbits contradict adjacent claims that the GPUs will land this year, but I've got a funny feeling most players aren't really keeping track.

The latest RTX 50 Super leak by Benchlife specifically states that the refreshed GPUs will come armed with 3GB GDDR7 VRAM modules and arrive "as early as the beginning of 2027." While the report disputes information by MEGAsizeGPU that the cards will arrive in 2026, it corroborates claims that the lineup includes an 18GB RTX 5070 Super and a 24GB RTX 5080 Super, alongside an apparent RTX 5060 with 12GB VRAM instead of 8GB.

Naturally, the above RTX 50 Super release timeline is anything but confirmed, and it should be ingested with the usual grain of salt. Benchlife's information is potentially based on board partner expectations, and MEGAsizeGPU has clarified that they don't know of a specific release window.

The main question on my mind is whether most players will wait for RTX 50 Super GPUs. Yes, they should provide an fps boost thanks to refreshed specs and slightly more VRAM courtesy of the new 3GB modules, but the overarching issue of PC upgrade pricing is still looming. If Nvidia manages to release the new models with the same MSRP as before, or perhaps even slightly lower, then that would serve as a lure, Otherwise, the new line-up may simply drive people towards vanilla SKUs if they receive resulting discounts.

In any case, you've potentially got a while before you'll even need to think about the RTX 50 Super series. If you're still rocking an RTX 20-series or something older, new GPUs might be on your mind. That said, if you haven't made the jump to the base 50-series yet, chances are that you're still able to run most games reasonably on your current card, and that may inspire you to wait a bit longer for next gen RTX 6000 options instead.

• Graphics card deals at Amazon
• Gaming PC deals at Amazon

Looking for more components? Swing by the best CPUs for gaming and the best RAM for vital upgrades.

HYTE didn't come to Computex to play around this year. Not only is it launching a competitively priced gaming PC case in five distinct colors that packs loads of great building features, but it's also coming out with some absolutely stunning RGB fan frames. Perhaps the thing from HYTE's Computex booth I was most impressed with however, was its updated Nexus software.

Companion software for PC components can often be cumbersome, demanding, and intrusive. HYTE, sort of like NZXT or BeQuiet! has its own software to let you manage its fans, case lighting, or performance metrics, but now, with a Nexus 3.0 early preview, HYTE is really pushing the envelope, and it led to a pretty fun demonstration when I visited the booth.

With Nexus 3.0, you don't need to download anything - it's all controllable from a browser tab. That also means that you can scan a QR code with your phone, pair it, and control your PC's lighting, fan speeds, and display panel configurations on one of the brand's touchscreen cases. Alternatively, you can just track performance metrics on the go and tweak remotely as needed.

I linked up my phone, switched between three different lighting modes that switched within three seconds or so of me tapping between them on my phone. I then activated turbo fan modes, and within about 5 seconds, the case fans in the demo build were whirring at top speed.

Then, another tour guide came over wanting to demonstrate the same Nexus 3.0 feature to someone else. "We're stress testing this thing right now!" said the HYTE rep as he paired his own phone with the same PC I was already playing around with. Sure enough, he could also make changes at the same time, and the PC remained really responsive to both devices as we essentially tried to break what HYTE had to show off.

According to Jeff Cheng, HYTE's co-founder and Director of Sales and Marketing, who walked me through the booth, this is the first app of its kind that's fully cross-platform.

He also added that it could be a huge boon for HYTE's sibling brand, iBUYPOWER too. "With a simple way to access performance metrics and system settings," Cheng said, "I could easily use this software to determine that a single fan is failing, and send them a new one", saving any need for shipping an entire PC back and forth to work out an issue.

For folks who do want to download the desktop app, Nexus 3.0 will see a much lighter install size, and HYTE has informed me that it'll be open source so people can build their own configurations of case lighting or touchscreen settings. The folks at HYTE mentioned having to compete with the likes of Corsair when it comes to software like this, and how building a sense of community is really important for HYTE's software approach going forward.

Maybe the best bit besides all the fun phone controls is that Nexus 3.0 will also let you export your settings so that if you need to change PC, perform a system reset, or you're putting together a new build that still uses HYTE's products, you can instantly apply your saved settings back without reconfiguring it all.

Also at the HYTE booth this year was a stunning RGB single-frame fan dubbed the FR12, which, unlike a lot of other single-frame fans I've come across in the last year, has super bright RGB arrays that run on the inside and on the blades themselves, and the result is stunning for the $44.99 price HYTE is charging for it.

Perhaps the flagship announcement at the HYTE booth was the Y50 RGHB case, which the brand is saying is its most plug-and-play compatible case it's ever built. Costing $99.99, it's compatible with Project Zero motherboards, comes in five colors, has a three-pane glass design, includes four RGB fans as standard, and has a 3D micromesh for improved temperature control.

Looking to build fresh? Check out the best CPU for gaming, the best graphics card, and the best RAM for gaming.

This year's Computex marked some milestone birthdays for a number of the biggest brands in the gaming PC world. Zotac celebrated 20 years, MSI celebrated 40, and Asus, perhaps loudest out of all of them, was celebrating 20 years of gaming products from its ROG brand. Having spent a week in Taipei covering the show, the presence of Asus was loud and clear, and it seemed to be received well from exhibitors and visitors alike.

Split across the central intersection of what was maybe the main gaming hall at the event, Asus had two massive booths, one for the wider Asus brand, and another dedicated solely to ROG. From my experience of racing around the show floor on the way to different booth tours and generally rushing around like a headless chicken, the ROG booth was maybe the busiest one I came across every time I passed it.

The outside of the booth was like a modern art exhibition for ROG's new 20th anniversary gear, its black and gold color scheme drawing in seemingly anyone who passed by. As inviting as this shiny (and expensive) gaming hardware was, it was really just a small part of what Asus had to show off at this year's Computex. From motherboards and RAM to its newly bundled and upgraded OLED Ally X, to an entire Esports section with collabs for new mouse pads and keyboards. There was a lot to see at the ROG booth, but here are the bits that really stuck out to me.

The Anniversary ROG Destrier Chair

I reviewed the original Asus ROG Destrier Ergo Chair, and although it was impressive at the time, it didn't stick around as something I wanted to recommend to many gamers. It was pricey, its design was a little too gaudy for my tastes, and honestly, compared to other ergonomic mesh chairs, it was just more of the same.

I had heard the chair had been updated as the years went on, but I hadn't gotten to try it out until I saw the 20th Anniversary edition at Computex. Sure, the black and gold colorway was impressive, maybe suiting the outlandish design of the chair more than the standard black and red theme ever did. The gold spinal column and accents on the backrest in particular look a lot better.

But the refinements Asus has made to the actual chair are legit. The seat cushion is now a proper... well, cushion. It's not a mesh netting that does nothing to protect you from the rigid metal frame of the chair. The armrests on the modernized version were smaller than I remember, but more pliable, with an almost completely rubberized texture that I actually really liked. The acoustic guard around the headrest still seems functionally pointless to me, but it did feel smaller and less bulky around the top of the seat.

The Anniversary version will no doubt set you back more than you really need to spend on a good mesh chair - the standard version will set you back $649-$700, but the birthday model certainly inspires me to want to take it for a spin to see how it compares to more of the best gaming chairs.

ROG certified RAM

Just recently, Asus announced it was starting a ROG-certified program that guarantees strong compatibility for tried and tested DDR5 RAM with its gaming motherboards. The news came along with the announcement that Asus is launching its own DDR5 modules for the first time. The ROG-certified RAM won't gain the additional overclocking speed boost like its homemade kit will, but it will guarantee onward compatibility with an Asus motherboard, which, in times like these, will give you more confidence you're buying the right (very expensive) memory.

I didn't expect to see each of the initial certified batch of RAM to adorn an entire wall of the ROG booth like some kind of trophy case, but there it was. I'm shocked this particular part of the booth didn't need armed security to prevent gamers trying to nick the RAM sticks off the wall, because there it was, taunting anyone who was hoping to build a new PC this year.

In times like these, when DDR5 RAM is so hard to come by, it was a real sight for sore eyes to see some of the biggest and best RAM brands in the industry all in one place.

The Asus ROG Ally X20 and its bundled AR Glasses

As a user of the original Asus ROG Ally X, I've been insanely jealous of folks who waited until the Xbox version dropped. With those additional grips, things are a lot more comfortable, and now, a refreshed 20th Anniversary bundle brings it together with the Asus ROG XReal R1 glasses. Yes, the pricing of this bundle is silly, and no, I don't think you should need to buy the glasses and the handheld together just to get the updated OLED X20. I was prepared to not like either, but it's hard to argue with crystal clear visuals.

I tried both the handheld and the glasses at the ROG booth at Computex, and I was surprisingly impressed with both. The handheld's OLED display was super vivid up close; meanwhile, its comfort and weight felt right up there with the new Acer Predator Atlas 8 handheld.

I'm not the biggest fan of AR glasses because they're usually pretty bulky, uncomfortable, and their use cases always feel a bit surplus to requirements, but with a mini OLED level of clarity and a high refresh rate, the ROG glasses are ones I'm actually really looking forward to testing more thoroughly.

The ROG G1000 desktop and its holographic fans

I initially covered the ROG G1000 gaming PC back when it was shown off at CES at the start of the year, and although its holographic fan displays certainly sounded cool, it was something I wanted to see before properly believing in. This is still pretty new technology, so I figured it'd be pretty weak lighting in reality, or just wouldn't look quite as good as it sounded.

Oh boy, I was wrong. Not only is the G1000 an absolute monster of a PC, but its holofans put it up there with some of the best-looking gaming desktops I saw at this year's Computex. The lighting was extremely vivid, the colors bold, and the motion of the displayed graphics really smooth and clear.

Obviously, I've only seen it working with the standard ROG logos, and I wasn't able to customize it with different GIFs and images to see how that compared, but if it's a sign of what's to come from Asus and its holofan tech, sign me up because this could turn out to be an even bigger trend than LCD displays on AIO coolers.

The 20th Anniversary mouse and keyboard

Two things I had seen before arriving at Computex were the Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 and the Asus ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20. Both are refreshed takes on the brand's flagship mouse and keyboard, adorned with black and 24K gold metal plating. These two accessories have been making my desk at home look so much more flashy for the last few weeks, but it was another thing entirely to see them in situ with the rest of the 20th anniversary and Esports gear.

I have to admit, I think the entire range looks stunning - even if it's so expensive I have no idea who'd be able to afford it all. The desktop components, for example, can only be bought altogether, and the mouse I reviewed costs $359, and the keyboard $549.

Still, there's a reason this booth was drawing crowds at Computex every single day: the black and gold designs on show are a truly alluring way to mark this milestone in the Asus history book - even if people were crowding to look and never get their hands on it all.

You can see more of Asus by checking out the best Asus gaming laptops, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best gaming handheld.

Zotac has shown off its latest mini PC at Computex 2026, and anyone who has reservations about the potentially limited performance promises of the Steam Machine might want to take note. Zotac's newly updated Magnus One Ultra will sport a full-sized desktop RTX 5080 inside it, giving you massively increased 4K gaming PC performance in such a small machine.

The mini PC in question is an update to the brand's Zbox offering, which has been on the shelves for a little while now. While a recent version crammed an RTX 5070 Ti into a tiny chassis, the updated "Ultra" model will grow in size by only about 20-30% while seeing big gains in graphical performance.

Even with a slight growth spurt, Zotac claims the Magnus One Ultra is still the world's smallest computer with an RTX 5080 inside it.

To counter volume and cooling worries, Zotac tells me that the brand has installed a more substantial cooling system for the CPU inside the Ultra, which filters airflow better and dissipates it from the CPU more efficiently.

The Magnus One Ultra will still have socketed, upgradeable components. In times like these, it will come in a "barebone" version as well as a full build, to counter massive RAM and storage costs - which is certainly a method of beating Valve's lengthy delays. The barebones model comes without the RAM and SSD, costing less so you can upgrade with parts you currently have or source them yourself, potentially for cheaper.

Compared to the Steam Machine, the Magnus One Ultra won't be so limited to 4K60 promises. The RTX 5080 unlocks plenty of native 4K performance, but also has access to Nvidia's latest DLSS wizardry thanks to its Blackwell architecture. Valve's new mini PC/console, on the other hand, uses a custom AMD APU, which combines the CPU and GPU into a single chip. In other words, it won't use a discrete graphics card like the majority of gaming PCs do. As a result, it'll likely see similar performance to the PS5, which also uses an APU and is based on similar 4K60 frame rate promises (even if it can boot up to 120fps in certain games and performance modes).

While the Steam Machine will run on Steam OS and offer "gaming PC" settings in your games, it hasn't put such an emphasis on an upgradeable design this time around. An alternative small form factor build in something like the Zotac Magnus One Ultra might be a more alluring alternative for PC gamers on the hunt for a living room setup they can upgrade as time goes on.

Just keep in mind that an RTX 5080 inside will almost certainly make it substantially more expensive than what Valve's got in the oven.

For more on gaming PCs and components, take a look at the best graphics card, the best CPU for gaming, and the best RAM for gaming.

If you've been keeping up with Computex news, you may have already heard that Cooler Master and G.Skill have teamed up to produce DDR5 RAM that has integrated fans built straight into the memory modules. I have to admit I figured it was a classic Computex gimmick, when I first heard about this. After seeing it in action on today's show floor, however, I can officially confirm this best RAM for gaming contender is no joke.

I watched as my Cooler Master booth tour guide aimed a small smoke machine at the RAM's fans, and while operating almost silently, it managed to dissipate the stream of smoke at least a metre away with serious oomph - it was honestly really impressive power for such a small form-factor fan.

Perhaps what was even more impressive was that the RAM doesn't take a load of faff in order to work. There are no annoying little cables you'll need to find a header for on your motherboard; there are no PWM connectors or anything like that. Just slot the RAM into your DIMM slots, and you'll benefit from increased airflow.

Of course, it's not the best time to be innovating with memory thanks to global RAM shortages that are causing unheard-of spikes to DDR5 RAM prices. You won't be able to buy these memory sticks separately for a while, at least while the market stays in its current state, but Cooler Master will be including it in its upcoming full system builds.

You might be asking, why does RAM even need to be cooled? Well, according to Cooler Master's data, there's an unforeseen amount of thermal throttling that happens when it comes to DDR5 RAM performing at high speeds, and since no one ever thinks about RAM when it comes to thermal control in a gaming PC, there's a lot of performance that can be impacted if RAM isn't cooled properly.

Since no one else is making RAM with integrated fans, you can see why a brand like Cooler Master wants to own that innovation. The clue is in the name.

Particularly for the higher-end RAM kits that come from DDR5 brands like G.Skill, overclocking can cause some serious heat that won't always be handled by a simple RGB heatsink panel that's engineered into standard memory design. Cooler Master's fans, on the other hand, will ensure stability in performance during really demanding speeds and workloads.

The new RAM kits feature support for AMD EXPO up to DDR5-6000 CL26 and extreme-frequency DDR5 CU-DIMM up to DDR5-8400 with Intel XMP 3.0. Each stick still manages to operate under 35dB, while offering an improvement of up to -15°C in cooling. As I say, it's no joke.

For more on PC components, check out the best CPU for gaming, the best graphics card, and the best SSD for gaming.

Looks like the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE could make its way outside of China, as global packaging for the mid-range graphics card has leaked. The specific Sapphire Pulse model's box uses English branding and text, but does appear to be the specific 12GB "Golden Rabbit Edition" card that was previously a regional exclusive.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE image shared by Videocards doesn't come with any revelations. Yes, the box design is slightly different from the Chinese version since it's got English text, but that aside, we're still looking at the same retail packaging that houses a card with a Navi 48 GPU, 12GB GDDR6 RAM, and boost clock speeds up to 2790 MHz.

I should note that despite the fancy "GRE" moniker, this version of the card packs less of a punch than the standard AMD Radeon RX 9070. That's to be expected given the latter boasts 16GB VRAM, a wider 256-bit memory bus (versus 192-bit), and a cut-down version of that aforementioned Navi 48 silicon. However, it is a much closer match to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, and the extra pressure could help influence lower prices.

Ideally, I'd like to see the RX 9070 GRE launch for a chunk lower than its non-rabbit friend's MSRP. In theory, you should be able to grab a vanilla third-party GPU for $550, but the cheapest model I can see at Amazon right now is the ASRock Challenger for $599.99. That's technically the base price for the beefier Radeon RX 9070 XT, but that will unfortunately set you back $699.99. Those figures are less than at Newegg, where you're paying over $600 for even the base non-XT model.

AMD sometimes likes to release Chinese-exclusive cards globally, so there's nothing unprecedented about giving the GRE a worldwide launch. I'd also take the leak with the usual grain of salt since a packaging mockup isn't direct evidence of the latter, but the timing is curious. A mid-range GPU option for say $500 could help combat any Nvidia variants should they rear their head this Summer, and I suspect Super contenders won't be hitting those sorts of prices.

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Maingear, one of the best configurators of prebuilt gaming PCs out there, is currently running a Memorial Day sale. During a pricing apocalypse in the PC market thanks to AI-induced RAM shortages, the discounts are certainly relative, but Maingear has left a notice at the top of its sale page with a worrying message.

"Due to industry-wide flash memory shortages effecting GPUs, RAM, and SSDs, all pre-configured MG-1s and laptops will soon incur a $150+ price increase," says Maingear. From my experience with this brand, this doesn't seem like an underhanded sales tactic to make people engage with its seasonal sale, but it's certainly brought some pretty decent discounts to the table (for today's economy, at least).

"We’ve held off these increases as long as we responsibly can and will continue to hold them until the end of the Memorial Day Sale," continues the sales notice. "We encourage you to consider your purchase now to secure current pricing and discounts before these unavoidable increases take effect.

The biggest draw to the sale is Maingear's Apex, which you can get up to $2,000 off for Memorial Day if you use codes. These are ludicrously expensive custom liquid-cooled PCs though, and the price will vary on what components you put in them. That $2,000 off, for example, is only if you spend $14,000 of more, so like I say, it's all relative.

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For us mere mortals who can only dream of affording Maingear's regular flagship PCs, the Classic MG-1 range is taking a $200 discount across the board, as you'll see from the deal I highlighted above. This spans from the entry-level $1,249 RTX 5050 "Bronze" PC all the way up to the Champion and Ultimate builds, which go for over $5,000 and house RTX 5090 GPUs.

As much as I'm a fan of Maingear when it comes to customer service and the premium, luxury quality of its builds, it's undeniable that its gaming PCs tend to be on the most expensive side compared to other brands. In my experience, you're paying for a higher level quality of parts, customer service, and warranty, as well as peace of mind that your next gaming PC is being put together by some of the best builders in the industry. That said, if a higher-end configurator is saying it's about to up its prices, that's a sign of the times.

RAM shortages and shortages of other PC components are hitting the consumer market hard right now, and so if you've been thinking about grabbing a new gaming PC, I would take Maingear's word for it and spend during the Memorial Day sale while you can. It's unclear what discounts and deals will arrive later in 2026 for gaming PCs and components, but RAM shortages aren't forecasted to end until a couple of years down the line, and these sorts of price increases will probably happen to more than just the higher-end builders.

Of course, these price increase warnings certainly don't bode well for the newly launched Mk.II version of the Maingear MG-1.

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It looks like Nvidia could soon have a new graphics card rival in China, as tests confirm the Lisuan LX 7G100 can actually run games. The 12GB model isn't the first attempt at a gaming GPU to come out of the region, but this card seems to boast way better support for your PC library than previous attempts at a GeForce or AMD Radeon alternative.

The Lisuan LX 7G100 performance revelations are thanks to a review by Chaowanke, with the Chinese YouTuber sharing various benchmarks for the supposed RTX 5060 rival (via Videocards). Before you get hyped for a change to the two-horse Nvidia and AMD race, I should point out that the vendor wants 3,300 RMB for the GPU, which is roughly $480.

That's too much for even a GPU that could theoretically match the RTX 4060, but the fact that there's a sizable gap between Lisuan and Nvidia's cards adds salt to the price wound. Still, the LX 7G100 represents progress within the Chinese graphics card scene, and the frame rates it produces aren't what I'd call unplayable.

Chaowanke's benchmark results show off the LX 7G100 hitting an 88fps average in Cyberpunk 2077 with medium settings at 1080p. Hardly slideshow figures, but nowhere close to the RTX 5060, which hits 232fps with Frame Generation enabled. Weirdly, the YouTuber's testing shows the Intel Arc B580 boosting fps slightly higher to around 243fps, whereas the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT sat slightly lower at 220fps.

The narrative is pretty much the same across every game tested, including Black Myth: Wukong, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and various other benchmark favorites. Rather than focusing on the obvious performance gaps, it's worth noting this is a first-generation card. Yes, it has barely any driver options and zero ray tracing support, but this model very much sets the stage for future updates and a second-generation GPU that fills in all the gaps.

Effectively, wheels are in motion for a future Nvidia GPU rival, one that is ahead of any attempts before it. That's not to say GeForce cards won't be sitting at the top in the future, it's more that China is closer to having its own gaming solution that could end up adding some much-needed competition to the market.

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Asus is celebrating 20 years of its ROG gaming brand at the moment, and during an in-person ROG Day event in China, it has unveiled its first-ever ROG-branded DDR5 RAM kit. In usual circumstances, a new brand entering the best RAM for gaming arena would be cause for celebration, but beyond the ROG anniversary, it's hard to ignore the truly awful timing for the brand's latest launch.

To be clear, the new ROG RAM kit isn't being manufactured by Asus in a homemade fab, but it's the first ROG-branded memory kit to bear the company's own design and logos, and be sold directly from Asus. By all accounts, the new memory kit has been developed in partnership with BIWIN and uses SK Hynix memory.

It's unclear in what kind of supply the ROG 20th Anniversary RAM kit will be available in, especially with ongoing RAM shortages at the moment due to never-before-seen manufacturing demands from AI companies. It's also unclear what range of speeds and capacities Asus will make available. From the teaser images shown, it looks like the initial batch will be enthusiast-grade and won't exactly be the most affordable memory on the shelves.

To wit, Asus has shown off a 48GB (2x 24GB) kit that's clocked at 6000MT/s, with timings of CLS26-36-36-76. The sticks sport a black, gold, and red design that appears to have some RGB arrays within. As you can imagine, at a time like this, RAM of this sort of capacity, speed, and likely rarity, will not come cheap. Asus has announced that it will retail for $880.

The Asus ROG RAM will have both Intel overclocking compatibility (XMP and EXPO), but interestingly, a specialized ROG mode will allow users with an Asus ROG motherboard to unlock even greater performance. It'll apparently work like activating an XMP or EXPO profile with a simple one-click overclocking menu in your BIOS, and it'll boost the RAM performance up to DDR5-8000. That's a pretty hefty overclock, but it's most likely possible due to the SK Hynix M-die circuitry used.

The addition of a ROG mode does make me think a slide into the RAM market from Asus is to further expand its hold over the wider gaming PC building market, but also because of the brand's prebuilt gaming PC and laptop offerings. If it can offer a system that's not beholden to second-party memory, it will have better control over its own inventory and spec sheets, not to mention it can offer a gaming PC with almost entirely Asus-made components (minus the CPU and SSD).

That said, Asus has also launched the ROG certified program, which identifies partnerships the company has with other memory sellers. "The ROG Certified Program highlights select high-performance memory modules that ROG engineers have subjected to rigorous testing and validation to confirm compatibility with ROG motherboards", says a statement on the ROG website.

"Through close collaboration with trusted hardware partners, only products that meet ROG's strict standards for quality, performance, and stability earn the ROG Certified designation. This gives gamers and PC builders greater confidence that their components will work together smoothly to deliver a reliable and optimized ROG experience."

The list of 14 RAM makers includes names like Corsair, Klevv, XPG, Kingston Fury, T-Force, Lexar, and G.Skill, and it'll be interesting to see if that list grows in the coming years as all of these companies try to navigate a very tough consumer sector.

For more on PC components, check out the best CPU for gaming, the best graphics card, and the best SSD for gaming.

I'm going to level with you: I don't even react to RTX 5090 price increases these days. Yes, it might be the best graphics card out there in terms of sheer power, but that means nothing if the average PC player has a better chance of seeing Nessie than adding the card to their rig.

However, things could now get a lot worse for the RTX 5090 thanks to board price increases linked to GDDR7 costs. A Board Channels post highlighted by Videocardz signals that the boards used by the GPU are set to increase by $300, but Nvidia hasn't announced any MSRP changes as of yet.

Instead, it'll likely be up to custom graphics card makers like Asus, PNY, Gigabyte, and many others to deal with the increased manufacturing costs. It's safe to say the board hikes will inevitably land on the shoulders of PC players, as it's unlikely that any brand will choose to absorb those costs. That said, third-party RTX 5090 models are already sitting at the $4,000 mark at Amazon and other retailers, so even enthusiasts might steer clear if that figure continues to go up.

AI data centre demand and the whole "RAMageddon" situation really are stifling the gaming PC scene right now. Everything from DDR5 RAM to the aforementioned GPUs and even storage is rapidly ramping up in price, and honestly? There's very little you can do about that. The wisest move you can make is to keep specs sensible, which means looking at the GeForce RTX 5070 as a more realistic buy, and trying to reuse any parts you can.

It's instances like these RTX 5090 board price hikes, that have me treating 2026 like a gap year from PC building. That's not actually a bad thing if you're into the idea of mini PCs like the upcoming Steam Machine, as while it's also going through some price turmoil of its own, it could be a good time to explore whether you're actually into using compact rigs that act like consoles.

I'm not saying don't buy components for your gaming PC. Instead, I'm trying to suggest that, rather than dwelling on absurd pricing, you can just not give the currently ravenous industry your money, especially when costs are unjustifiably spiralling. If that means dragging back out some of the best retro consoles and games from yesteryear, then so be it, but the point is that no one needs horrifying RTX 5090 price thoughts spoiling their day.

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I'm not exactly surprised that an AMD Radeon RX 9050 is apparently coming. Sure, we'd ideally be getting more SKUs in the middle tier at affordable prices with more than 8GB VRAM, but this latest graphics card seemingly has an edge over the RX 9060 when it comes to core count.

According to a report by Videocardz, the AMD Radeon RX 9050 matches the RX 9060 XT with a Navi 44 GPU and 2,048 Stream Processors. Effectively, it's acting like the non-XT version doesn't exist by borrowing specs from its beefier sibling rather than using a 1,792-core Navi 44 XL.

The catch is that you're getting the same 8GB GDDR6 VRAM and 128-bit memory bus as the RX 9060, although it's got PCIe 5.0 x16 support. Naturally, the clock speeds for this unannounced card are lower too, with insider information suggesting a 1,920 MHz game clock and 2,600 MHz boost clock speeds, respectively. For context, the RX 9060 XT offers up to 3,130 MHz, so you may feel a difference in some scenarios.

Other specs like board power are currently unknown, but the recommended PSU is 440W. I'd like to think AMD will aim for the lowest wattage possible with its base model, since it'll make an ideal GPU for tiny builds off the back of the Steam Machine. Hell, if it does end up mostly having a core edge over the RX 9060, packs the same 8GB VRAM, and can just about hit 4K 60fps leveraging FSR 4, I might make my own DIY Valve box.

Before you get all hyped up about that, though, I need you to chow down on that usual grain of salt. Videocardz specifies that the specs are "preliminary" and come from a single source, and GPU makers love to change their specs plans. That said, this could be the company trying to make a card specifically geared to mini gaming PCs that would theoretically rival the upcoming Steam Machine and even Xbox Project Helix, and we'll ultimately know if that's the case when more specs land.

If it's more on Valve's box you're after, a reservation page code suggests four Steam Machine bundles might be available at launch, which could save you grabbing it with the controller.

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According to the latest reports, some of the biggest motherboard manufacturers that service the gaming PC market are all adjusting their sales projections for the rest of 2026 as the current RAM and storage crisis impacts their year-on-year performance. Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock are some of the brands struggling in the current gaming PC market.

This isn't the first knock-on effect that the AI-induced RAMageddon has had on the consumer PC market. Not only have prices been higher for memory and storage, but chip suppliers like Nvidia, Intel, and AMD have purportedly shifted priorities as they service AI infrastructure rather than consumers. Some headlines suggest that PCB, used for all sorts of tech production may be under supply chain issues too, due to the Iran war as well as AI development. For now, though, the main issue facing motherboard makers is fewer people buying.

Reported by Digitimes, it seems four of the biggest gaming motherboard brands are all adjusting their sales targets in response. According to the report, Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI are all seeing a decrease of 25% year-on-year, while ASRock is apparently exceeding a 30% drop in sales.

Asus is said to have shipped 15 million motherboard units in 2025, but in the first half of 2026 has only managed to shift five million. It's unlikely that the brand would be able to match its year-on-year performance from this point, even as bigger sales in the computer market tend to come with the discount season around Black Friday. In response, the brand will supposedly try to meet a target of 10 million motherboard sales by the end of 2026.

Meanwhile, Gigabyte, which sold around 11.5 million motherboard units in 2025, is trying to meet a goal of 9 million by the end of this year. MSI, which sold 11 million in 2025, will shrink to a goal of 8.4 million, and ASRock, which reached 4.3 million sold in 2025, will drop to a 2.7 million target.

These significant drops in sales go hand in hand with ~300% price rises among a lot of the best RAM for gaming, as well as price increases for SSDs. With components as costly as they are, you can understand why fewer people are choosing to build new or upgrade to more advanced gaming PCs right now.

Not only that, but CPU prices are starting to rise too, and even if that weren't true, processing chips are certainly seeing supply chain constraints as more agentic AI models are trained.

This no doubt has an impact on the GPU market too, which is still arguably a long way from recovering from its 2020 crisis. AI/enterprise GPUs are in high demand due to data center production as well, and don't forget that the best graphics cards also require memory in the form of VRAM, which will hamper production. That means a smaller supply of GPUs for consumers as AI proves to be the most important customer.

Of course, while consumer sales have shrunk, all of these brands will likely be pulling in plenty of revenue from deals with AI companies that offset the dropped sales targets. Hopefully, this doesn't result in a similar story to Micron, which shuttered its Crucial consumer brand to fully focus on AI and industry business. Either way, it's not the best time to be thinking about building a PC.

Also take a look at the best CPU for gaming, the best computer speakers, and the best gaming PC in the UK.

You probably don't need me to tell you that buying gaming PCs or their components right now is not so fun. Thanks to RAM going through an AI-induced pricing apocalypse and that having knock-on effects for the rest of the tech world, prices of the best gaming PCs are through the roof.

But while most gaming PC configurators have sneakily stuffed DDR4 RAM inside their current-gen entry-level builds, a few machines are staying true to consumers and offering actually good bargains. Newegg is my favorite place to look for gaming PC deals, and it has some prime examples in its May The Fourth Sale.

Meanwhile, other gaming PCs that are under or around a grand are all pushing ahead with DDR4 RAM that's not just going to give you worse gaming performance, but it's actively going to cripple the futureproofing of the PCs you're buying. For those who don't know (first-time PC buyers, ie, the ones looking for this sort of machine), you can't buy DDR5 RAM and install it on a DDR4 motherboard. The physical dimensions of the sticks are different, and so if you buy a DDR4 motherboard, you're stuck with older, slower memory.

You'll also be stuck on an older motherboard socket in the form of the Raptor Lake LGA 1700 Intel platform. That may or may not be getting refreshed CPUs again at some point in the future, but I'm asking what the point of adopting that platform is at the moment if you'd be stuck on a motherboard that wouldn't be able to pair the best RAM for gaming with it that can truly make the most of current-gen processing power.

Most of these PCs can be easily distinguished on their retailer listings by looking for the finer details. Newegg helpfully makes it pretty clear whether you're looking at a DDR5 or DDR4 system, but on other retailers, it might be harder to spot. If you're new to PC shopping, this is something that would be very easy to miss since you'll be looking for the graphics card and processor first and foremost.

I, for one, think every prebuilt listed should be required to detail its specific motherboard in the machine before someone buys it, because arguably it's just as important to know as the CPU and GPU. That's me on a soapbox though, so I digress.

Of course, opting for one of these DDR4 systems is cheaper than the DDR5 builds I've highlighted above, but that extra couple of hundred dollars will be so worth it in the long run. It's the difference of being able to upgrade your RAM and CPU if there's a fault or you find a deal on something that can unleash better performance, and having to buy an entirely new motherboard and start again, rebuilding from scratch. I know which one I'd prefer, even while shopping on a budget.

The only time I'd be hesitantly okay with recommending you a DDR4 system at the moment is if it comes on a hybrid motherboard that has both last-gen and current-gen DIMM slots. Yes, these do exist now. The thing is, they're so rare that there's almost no chance that these prebuilt brands are using them in their machines. I have heard whispers that there are going to be more hybrid motherboards like these hitting the shelves in the years to come, mainly because of the depressing projections that say the current RAM shortages aren't going to begin settling down until at least 2028.

If you are shopping for a new, or even your first gaming PC at the moment, you don't even need to go for the ones I've highlighted above. I do think these are good deals that I'd recommend to you, but they can also just serve as examples that you don't need to limit yourself to a DDR4 system at the moment, simply because you're working with a lesser budget. DDR5 PC deals are still out there, and even if you need to pay a little more for them, they're worth saving an extra month or two for.

Want to learn more about PC parts before you buy? Read up on the best CPU for gaming, the best graphics card, and the best SSD for gaming.