Custom PC Issue 226

FASTEST GAMING GPU EVER THE GEFORCE RTX 3090 Ti TESTED
4K
THE BEST-SELLING MAG FOR PC HARDWARE, OVERCLOCKING, GAMING & MODDING / ISSUE 226
BUILD A
GAMING PC
PLAY THE LATEST GAMES IN ULTRA HIGH DEFINITION AT HIGH SETTINGS
FULL STEP-BY-STEP PHOTO GUIDE
RAY TRACING ENABLED
GPU AT NORMAL PRICE
LIQUID COOLING
WE TEST 7 240MM
ALL-IN-ONE CPU
COOLERS
CACHE FOR QUESTIONS

AMD’S RYZEN 7
5800X3D REVIEWED
JULY 2022 / £5.99
PC SOUND EXPLAINED
IS INTEGRATED AUDIO
GOOD ENOUGH?
HOW TO FIT A STATS DISPLAY TO YOUR PC

Welcome
Custom PC Issue 226
/ FROM THE EDITOR
Unleash the pixel flood

e’ve been relentlessly refreshing the Nvidia GeForce
W Shop webpage over the course of writing this issue, just

to make sure this semblance of normality wasn’t a
EDITORIAL
EDITOR
DESIGN
criticalmedia.co.uk
HEAD OF DESIGN
temporary blip in the machine. Sure enough, though, the GeForce Ben Hardwidge
ben.hardwidge@raspberrypi.com
Lee Allen
RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition has remained in stock, at its MSRP DESIGNERS
of £1,049 inc VAT, for several weeks. FEATURES EDITOR Ty Logan
Edward Chester
In fact, the brand-new RTX 3090 Ti Founders Edition is also still
edward.chester@raspberrypi.com COMMERCIAL &
in stock at its MSRP at the time of going to press. At the high end, ADVERTISING
at least, the graphics card crisis that’s blighted PC gamers for the MODDING EDITOR
ADVERTISING
Antony Leather
past two years appears to have been corrected. Charlotte Milligan
Not only that, but even if the Founders Edition is out of stock by GAMES EDITOR charlotte.milligan@raspberrypi.com
+44 (0)7725 368887
the time you pick up this mag, there are other RTX 3080 Ti cards Rick Lane
going for similar prices. KFA2’s GeForce RTX 3080 Ti SG 1-Click CONTRIBUTORS DISTRIBUTION
Seymour Distribution Ltd
OC 12GB LHR has been fluctuating between £1,050 and £1,100 Gareth Halfacree, James Gorbold,
Mike Jennings, Phil Hartup, Richard 2 East Poultry Ave,
over the past month at overclockers.co.uk, and there are others London EC1A 9PT
Swinburne, Stuart Andrews, Tracy King
hovering around the £1,100 mark all over the place. +44 (0)207 429 4000
In the space of just two months, the price of our Elite-listed PRODUCTION EDITOR
Julie Birrell SUBSCRIPTIONS
4K gaming PC bundle has dropped by £227, and that’s despite us Unit 6 The Enterprise Centre
adding a 2TB PCI-E 4 SSD and an awesome 360mm Corsair iCUE PHOTOGRAPHY Kelvin Lane, Manor Royal,
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everyone can afford to spend this much money on a PC, but it’s
worth it if you love amazing visuals in your games.
ISSUE 226 This magazine is printed on paper sourced from
I was an early adopter of 4K, and it’s been a blessing and a sustainable forests. The printer operates an
curse in recent times. Once you’ve played at 4K, there’s no going environmental management system which has been
assessed as conforming to ISO 14001.
back – lower resolutions just look horrible once you’ve become Custom PC magazine is published by Raspberry Pi
accustomed to the smoothness of 4K. That’s great if you can Ltd, Maurice Wilkes Building, St. John’s Innovation
Park, Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0DS. The
afford to keep pace with the latest graphics cards, but less fun publisher, editor, and contributors accept no
responsibility in respect of any omissions or errors
when prices are so inflated and you’re stuck on aging hardware. relating to goods, products or services referred to or
I’m very glad to see the back of the GPU scalping crisis. If you’ve advertised. ISSN: 1740-7443.
got the money, then I now heartily recommend building yourself
ISSUE 226
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3
C U STO M P C / ISSUE 226
Contents Welcome to Issue 226
Highlights
08 Lost Arc COVER

After all the hype, Richard Swinburne STORY
is disappointed by the no-show of P78
Intel’s Arc desktop graphics cards.
Preserving Ukraine’s
10
digital heritage
Tracy King looks at ways people are
helping to backup Ukraine’s digital
culture and history.
Intel Core i9-12900KS

14
Clocked to 5.5GHz, Intel’s new
flagship CPU has arrived but can it
take the performance crown?
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D

16
Sporting its much-hyped 64MB of 240mm AIO liquid coolers
48 Hobby tech
94
3D-stacked L3 cache, AMD’s latest Antony Leather puts seven of the Gareth Halfacree checks out a
CPU is aimed squarely at improving latest 240mm AIO coolers through swish aluminium case for the
gaming performance. their paces. Raspberry Pi 4, along with the
watch-sized RoundyPi and
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti
19 Wi-Fi 6 mesh routers
58 RoundyFi circular displays.
The flagship of Nvidia’s 3000 series Get wide and reliable Wi-Fi coverage
is here, but can it justify its sky-high without breaking the bank. Edward 102 Make a custom stats display
asking price? Chester puts five of the latest mesh Learn how to fit a customisable stats
router systems to the test. screen to your PC, so you can see
Acer 170Hz gaming monitor
28 information such as temperatures
With its dazzlingly wide colour gamut Tunic
71 and fan speeds right there on your
and 170Hz refresh rate, Acer’s latest Blending the look and feel of Zelda system's case.
27in IPS panel has plenty going for it. with the brutality of Dark Souls
makes for an intriguing combination. Retro tech - Windows 3.1
107
Creative T60 speakers
30 turns 30
Creative’s latest desktop speaker set Build a 4K Gaming PC
78 Stuart Andrews looks back at the
offers a host of useful features, such Learn how to put together a dazzling arrival of screensavers, colourful
as USB and Bluetooth connections, 4K-capable gaming PC based on icons and proper fonts in the early
all for under £60. the excitingly ‘now actually available’ 1990s with Windows 3.1.
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti.
NZXT keyboard
32 Readers’ drives
110
NZXT has entered the peripherals PC audio explained
88 Nick Falzone guides us through the
market and its first keyboard offers Learn all you need to know about creation of his stunning wooden
hot-swappable key switches. getting the best audio from your PC. scratch-built PC.
4
Cover guide Regulars Reviewed
PROCESSORS
38
PRODUCTS
3 From the editor 14
Intel Core i9-12900KS
78 19 16
AMD Ryzen 5800X3D
REVIEWED
8 Richard Swinburne GRAPHICS CARDS
19 Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti
10 Tracy King CASES
22 SaharaGaming P44M
12 Incoming MEMORY
26 Thermaltake Toughram RC DDR5
MONITORS
42 Custom kit
28 Acer Predator XB273UNV
29 MSI Optix MPG321QRF-QD
44 How we test SPEAKERS
30 Creative T60
64 Elite products KEYBOARDS
32 NZXT Function MiniTKL
70 Inverse look MICE
33 NZXT Lift
76 Reality check LAPTOPS
34 Alienware x14
94 Hobby tech PC SYSTEMS
36 Scan 3XS Torrent Ti
38 CyberPower Infinity X125 VR
99 For the win 40 Chillblast Fusion Torrent Mini
100 Customised PC Custom kit

88 16 48 102 42 Mobvoi Earbuds ANC
102 How to guides 42 Rii USB Mouse Jiggler
43 Corsair iCUE LC100 Lighting Panels
107 Retro tech 43 Auskang Power Bank
110 240mm AIO liquid cooler Labs
110 Readers’ drives
49 ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 RGB
50 Corsair H100i Elite Capellix
114 James Gorbold 51 EK EK-AIO 240 Basic
52 Lian Li Galahad SL 240
53 NZXT Kraken Z53 RGB
54 Phanteks Glacier One 240 T30
48 56 Sapphire Nitro S240
Wi-Fi 6 mesh router Labs

59 Asus ZenWiFi AX Hybrid XP4
60 Linksys Velop MX8400
61 Netgear Nighthawk Mesh MK63
62 Netgear Orbi RBK752
63 TP-Link Deco X50
Games
71 Tunic
71 58 72 Total War: Warhammer III
74 Shadow Warrior 3
75 Lost Ark
77 Wanderer
Hobby tech
94 Argon Eon
96 RoundyPi and RoundyFi
98 The Colouring Book of Retro Computers
5
OPINION
RICHARD SWINBURNE / VIEW FROM TAIWAN
INTEL’S ARC DESKTOP GPUS

ARE TWO YEARS AWAY
After all the hype, Richard Swinburne is mightily disappointed
by the real-world availability of Intel’s Arc GPUs
ince 2019, Intel has talked about its new Xe era of Intel Xe architectures with the broadest of brushstrokes,
S graphics. After hiring a large chunk of the AMD
Radeon team, including its then senior vice president
covering two-year intervals.
Intel had only just sort-of-launched some laptop GPUs in
and chief architect, Raja Kadori, several ex-technology Korea, and it still can’t say when we should expect desktop
journalists and a boatload more, we’ve been drip-fed a steady PC graphics cards? But that’s not enough – we’ve had three
stream of news about these magical graphics chips. years of marketing hot air already from Intel. I should have
Last year Intel introduced the DG1 – the very first Xe GPU brought balloons.
fitted onto an actual PCI-E card. Except you couldn’t buy it. It Intel’s graph showed that Arc Alchemist is all we’ll see this
was only issued to very select system builders in very limited year, which scales up to the ‘performance’ category. Then, at
volumes, and its performance proved little better than what some point in 2023-24, we’ll get next-gen Arc Battlemage GPUs
you get inside its CPUs. It wasn’t even a sliver of the gaming that reach up to the ‘enthusiast’ segment, and it won’t be until
credibility we were expecting. around 2025 that we’ll see an ultra-enthusiast (flagship-grade)
Later in the year, it announced that future Xe GPU made on the next-generation Arc Celestial
graphics architectures were now named Arc architecture. This puts it out of sync with AMD/
and would be available in the first quarter of We’ve had three Nvidia launch cycles, which are coming this year
2022. Then, 48 hours before the end of that years of marketing and in late 2024.
quarter, it launched its first Arc graphics chips It’s not that we didn’t expect laptops to be first.
– the Arc 3 350M, 370M and Arc 5 550M. Except hot air already Gaming laptop buyers are typically less fussy, so
it didn’t really. Intel can’t get chips made easily – it’s the best
In the following weeks, only a few Korean users have got starting place. Also, because of the unique power and thermal
an Arc GPU to use in a Samsung Galaxy Book 2. In a tweet design characteristics in every gaming laptop, the exact
following questions on the lack of silicon, Intel revealed that performance comparison between any competing GPUs is
pre-ordered laptops with Arc GPUs were now pushed back far harder to determine than for desktop GPUs.
into the summer. The number of design wins is (at the time Intel also knows it doesn’t have the credibility to win over
of writing) limited to only Samsung and Acer, which is an gamers that easily. It must prove itself first, and it will do that
indication of Intel’s capacity to supply laptop builders. by proving it through laptops, not PC GPUs, unless it decides
What’s more, the announced Arc GPUs so far are exclusively to work with big partners such as Alienware, Lenovo Legion,
for laptops. What about desktop PCs? At least a road map Asus ROG and so on with pre-builds, just as it did with the
would be nice. You know, something more than a fart in the DG1. It’s a slow and risk adverse strategy, and it keeps Custom
wind. The closest we’ve seen is a graph that didn’t list graphics PC readers and system builders at arm’s length for a few more
card names, or even chip names for that matter – it only listed years yet.
Richard has worked in tech for over a decade, as a UK journalist, on Asus’ ROG team and now as an industry analyst based in Taiwan @ricswi
8
OPINION
T R ACY K I N G / SCEPTICAL ANALYSIS
HELP BACK UP UKRAINE’S

DIGITAL HERITAGE
Tracy King looks at the SUCHO project, which is recruiting volunteers
to help archive online records of Ukraine’s culture and history
here’s an old internet meme, a quote from the late Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage, realised the size
T American children’s TV host Mister Rogers that
does the rounds whenever anything bad happens.
and weight of the threat to Ukraine’s online records, and
did something to help.
‘When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, He started to make a backup. ‘Rattled, he got up and started
my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will using a suite of tools from the site Webrecorder to archive
always find people who are helping.”’ some cultural heritage sites from Ukraine himself, taking
It’s a nice enough quote for children, but I notice lots of snapshots of a website’s content and downloading a full
adults share it among themselves online and find solace in copy for preservation. He worked the entire night,’ wrote
it. There’s nothing wrong with that, but being the original Jody Serrano in an excellent piece for Gizmodo, in which
internet curmudgeon that I am, of course I must point out she interviews Majstorovic.
the flaw in doing so. Looking for the people who are helping From there, he asked for others to help, and within days,
makes us feel better about the tragedy, but it he and collaborators Anna Kijas and Quinn
also consoles those who are doing nothing. I Dombrowski had set up Saving Ukrainian
would prefer a line such as ‘look for the helpers,
30TB of irreplaceable Cultural Heritage Online, or SUCHO (sucho.
and if that makes you feel better, figure out data has been backed org). There are now over 1,300 cultural heritage
how you can help too.’ professionals working to preserve Ukraine’s
I’m of Ukrainian heritage, and last year I
up by the project online content and data.
started to research that side of my ancestry. More than 3,500 websites of Ukrainian
My great-grandparents arrived as refugees in Birmingham museums, libraries and archives, comprising 30TB of
from Kyiv at the start of the 20th century. I didn’t get too irreplaceable data including scanned documents and art,
far in my research, because huge parts of Ukraine’s history have been backed up by the project. The entire archive can
and records have been destroyed over the centuries, making be viewed in one place, which is an invaluable resource in
it very difficult to find out much without physically going its own right, but I also hope it will set a new standard for
there and searching what paper archives remain. But what collaborative digital archiving.
I did find out, I got online. There is already interest from academics and researchers
Because of historical threats to the archives of the country, in sharing best practice for future projects. It’s a good news
there has been a huge effort to digitise and publish essential story in a bad news situation. SUCHO is collecting funds for
records relating to Ukraine’s history and culture. This seems fixed costs such as servers, and still needs certain types of
reassuring, until there’s a new war and suddenly the physical volunteers (check the website to see what’s what), so if you
location of servers and backups is at risk. Sebastian Majstorovic, can help in any way, please do. We can’t do anything about
a German academic who works at the Austrian Centre for the war, but we can look for the helpers, and help them.
Gamer and science enthusiast Tracy King dissects the evidence and statistics behind popular media stories surrounding tech and gaming @tkingdot
10
get
in the
4K
Ultra HD UltraWideColor Adaptive Sync
I N CO M I N G / NEWS
Incoming
AMD STEALTH GLORIOUS UNVEILS ERGONOMIC MODEL I
LAUNCHES RX 6400 Peripherals specialist Glorious has announced Inside is the excellent Glorious BAMF
the latest addition to its award-winning sensor with a maximum DPI of 19K, a top
AMD has sneakily launched a new gaming mouse line-up, the Model I. Sporting speed of 400 IPS and 50G acceleration. The
‘budget’ GPU, the Radeon RX 6400. a more sculpted, ergonomic (and right-hand Model I can be pre-ordered from overclockers.
Sporting 768 stream processors and only) shape than its previous mice, the Model co.uk now for £70 inc VAT.
available in low-profile configurations, I includes nine programmable buttons with
it’s no powerhouse – early benchmarks four thumb buttons. Two of the latter are
suggest Nvidia GTX 1650-like modular, so you can customise their shape
performance – but it will offer a modest with magnetically attached alternative top
boost over integrated graphics. The sections, or you can just blank them off.
major downside? It still costs over Despite the extra features, the Model I
£200. Colour us underwhelmed. still weighs just 69g thanks in part to the
hexagonal holes that cover the top.
CORSAIR INTRODUCES AOC AND PORSCHE

HARDLINE WATER-COOLING KITS ANNOUNCE NEW
Corsair has announced the two complete kits for creating hardline water cooling loops using its GAMING MONITOR
Hydro X custom cooling products. The XH305i and XH303i both include a CPU block, 360mm
radiator, three fans, a reservoir/pump combo, an iCUE commander and lighting hub, plenty of AOC and Porsche Design have joined
hardline tubing, coolant, and all the tools you need to cut and bend your piping. forces again to create a new gaming
The £560 XH305i includes a larger XD5 pump/reservoir and has QL120 fans, while the monitor with killer specs. Sporting a
£460 XH303i, which is designed for more compact setups, uses a smaller XD3 pump/ 4K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate and
reservoir combo and SP120 fans. support for DisplayHDR 1400, this 32in
display should produce stunning HDR.
Using the latest mini-LED backlight
technology, it can produce a 1,600cd/
AMD RAPHAEL TO MAKE ‘BIG m² maximum brightness while
SPLASH’ WITH DDR5 OVERCLOCKING simultaneously producing inky blacks.
Available now from shop.porsche.com,
AMD Memory Enabling Manager, Joseph Tao, has stated that the company’s upcoming the PD32M costs £1,750 inc VAT.
Raphael Zen 4 platform will make a ‘big splash’ with DDR5 overclocking support. Speaking
at the company’s Meet The Experts webinar, he said the platform will offer ‘speeds that you
maybe thought couldn’t be possible’.
STEAM DECK BENCHMARKED

WITH RADEON RX 6900XT
YouTuber ETA Prime has experimented with adding an external graphics card to the Steam
Deck. With no Nvidia cards working on it, ETA Prime instead opted for a Radeon RX 6900XT
and managed to hook it up to the Steam Deck’s M.2 slot. Performance was impressive, with the
console’s 3DMark FireStrike score jumping from 4,856 points to 26,855 points. Meanwhile, 4K
gaming was entirely possible, with over 100fps in The Witcher 3 and over 70fps in GTA 5.
12
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R E V I E WS / PROCESSORS
Reviews us
tom P
C
PP
D
ROV E
A
I N T E L LG A 1 7 0 0 C P U
INTEL CORE tom P

us
i9-12900KS /£720
C
inc VAT
SUPPLIER scan.co.uk
IT
CU
ST
OM K
H
ow do you offer PC enthusiasts a faster CPU
when you don’t have any major architectural
changes, and you’re planning to introduce a
tom P
new range of CPUs in the near future? Well, we have two
very different approaches this month, and Intel has taken
us
C
the speed-binning approach, creating a CPU that can hit
A
EXT
even higher frequencies than the previous Alder Lake
TR
flagship, the Core i9-12900K.
The resulting Core i9-12900KS has a peak RE L
SPEC boost frequency of 5.5GHz, which is a sizeable ME U
Base frequency 300MHz higher than the Core i9-12900K’s
P-Core 3.4GHz, E-Core 2.5GHz peak boost clock, and 600MHz higher than L3 cache and 14MB L2 cache, and both CPUs also sport
tom P
Max boost frequency
P-Core 5.5GHz, E-Core 4GHz
the Core i5-12600K’s top boost frequency.
During testing, we saw the Core i9-12900KS
us
integrated graphics in the form of Intel’s UHS Graphics 770.
Of course, speed-binned CPUs are never cheap, as
C
Core hit 5.4GHz on its P-Cores regularly on a single they’re by definition a rarity, and the same goes for the Core
E
Alder Lake core, although Intel’s specifications reveal that
PRE
i9-12900KS. The cheapest one we could find at the time of
AD
5.5GHz will only be achieved via its Thermal writing cost £720 inc VAT, which is over £200 more than the
Manufacturing process
M
10nm Velocity Boost feature, which requires the CPU
to be operating at a temperature of 50°C.
cheapest Core i9-12900K we could find.
IUM GR
By contrast, the other CPU we reviewed this month –
Number of cores
8 P-Cores, 8 E-Cores, (24 Seeing as the CPU temperature was quickly AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X3D – takes a very different approach.
threads) topping 85°C in our tests, despite using a It showcases AMD’s new 3D V-Cache technology, which
tom P
Hyper-Threading
Yes
custom water-cooling system, it’s maybe
not surprising that we didn’t see it hit its
us
massively boosts the amount of cache available to its eight
cores, but has to have reduced clock speeds because of the
c
Cache theoretical maximum 5.5GHz boost. Multiple cache sitting on top of those cores, which get a little toasty
30MB L3, 14MB L2 cores were peaking at 5.3GHz simultaneously, as a result.
AL
PR
Memory controller though, and its top all-core boost frequency However, AMD has kept the price at roughly the same as
Dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 was 5.1GHz in testing, and these clocks are all FE
the Ryzen 7 5800X before it had its recent hefty price cut.
SSIO
N
O
Packaging significantly faster than the equivalents on the You can read James Gorbold’s opinion on the pros and cons
LGA1700 Core i9-12900K. of Intel and AMD’s respective approaches on the back page
Thermal design power (TDP) Apart from a slightly higher thermal this month.
150W design power of 150W compared to the Core
Features i9-12900K’s 125W, nothing else has changed, Performance
Thermal Velocity Boost, Turbo as the rest of the 12900KS’ specification is It wasn’t a surprise to see the Core i9-12900KS posting
Boost Max Technology 3.0, identical to that of its predecessor. Both CPUs record benchmark numbers, with a 2,000-point boost to
Turbo Boost 2.0, FMA3, F16C,
SHA, BMI / BMI1 + BMI2, AVX- have a total of 24 threads, derived from eight the image editing score compared with the Core i9-12900K,
512, AVX2, AVX, AES, SSE4a, P-Cores and eight E-Cores, with the former rising from 81,336 to 83,351 in this test that stresses single-
SSE4, SSSE3, SSE3, SSE2, providing the majority of the grunt in games threaded performance. Meanwhile, the result in our heavily
SSE, MMX
and other workloads. There’s a total of 30MB multi-threaded Handbrake video encoding test rose from
14
BULLET TRAIN RAIL REPLACEMENT
+ The fastest desktop CPU - Ryzen 7 5800X3D faster
for content creation in many games
+ Superb gaming and multi- - Very expensive

threaded performance
- Hot-running and
+ No overclocking needed power-hungry
1,015,501 to 1,125,845, resulting in a system score

of 408,849 compared to 373,807.
Cinebench was significantly quicker on the Core
i9-12900KS too, with the score rising from 23,079 to
28,645 compared with the older chip, while the single-
threaded score rose from 1,981 to 2,069. All these results
add to Intel’s already commanding lead, and are a huge
amount faster than AMD’s (admittedly massively cheaper)
Ryzen 7 5800X3D too.
Gaming was a very different story, though, as the Core
i9-12900KS, while a little quicker than the Core i9-12900K,
was bettered by the far cheaper Ryzen 7 5800X3D in Far
Cry 6 by a sizeable margin when it came to the 99th
percentile result, and the AMD CPU was barely any slower
than the 12900KS in Watch Dogs: Legion and Dirt 5 too. It’s
also clear from other testing we’ve seen that the AMD chip overclocked Core i9-12900K wasn’t quick enough to eclipse
is usually faster in other games where CPU performance the Core i9-12900KS, which still managed a higher system
plays a part. score and Cinebench results, but it certainly narrowed the
The main issue with the Core i9-12900KS, however, is gap and consumed less power too.
heat. It might technically have an unlocked multiplier for
overclocking, but our sample didn’t have any thermal Conclusion
headroom for overclocking, even under our open-air If you have plenty of cash to splash on a new PC, and you
custom water-cooling system. Total system power want the very fastest desktop CPU – one that offers
consumption under load was also up at 384W, compared excellent gaming performance that’s matched with stellar
to around 300W for the Core i9-12900K. content creation performance, then the Core i9-12900KS is
While we didn’t have the thermal headroom to overclock the new king of the hill and we can certainly see it appealing
the Core i9-12900KS, we were able to squeeze a few to PC lovers that must have the best. The problem is that you
more clocks out of the Core i9-12900K. This often resulted could buy a Core i9-12900K and 32GB of DDR5 memory for
in lower single-threaded and lightly threaded performance the same price as a Core i9-12900KS, which certainly puts
than at stock speed, as we limited the CPU to lower the price into perspective if you have a decent budget, but
frequencies than its peak boosts on one or two cores. The don’t want to waste your money.
The fact is, the Core i9-12900K is already fast enough for
the vast majority of people, and the gains seen here aren’t
worth the extra outlay unless you have the cash to burn, or
you just want an extremely powerful CPU that you don’t
need to overclock. PERFORMANCE
It’s a niche product, just like most speed-binned CPUs, but
AMD’s different approach to boosting CPU performance has
49/50
produced a chip that’s faster in games and is significantly FEATURES
cheaper than the 12900KS, even if it’s not such a great
choice if you spend a lot of time with heavily multi-threaded
14/15
content-creation applications. VALUE
ANTONY LEATHER
17/35
OVERALL SCORE
80%
VERDICT
Intel’s new speed demon extends its lead over AMD’s
latest and greatest, but it’s extremely expensive, and it’s
not the fastest gaming CPU either.
15
R E V I E WS / PROCESSORS
AMD SOCKET AM4 CPU
AMD RYZEN 7
5800X3D /£400 inc VAT
SUPPLIER overclockers.co.uk
W
e’re still some way off the launch of
AMD’s Zen 4 architecture, and with
Zen 3 being 18 months old and Intel
tom P
having decimated its ranks, a refresh was
expected. Rather than simply offering a speed
us
C
boost or manufacturing process change as it did
with Zen+, though, AMD has taken a more
interesting approach with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.
PP
D
ROV E
A
It’s the first desktop CPU to feature 3D chip stacking,
specifically 3D V-Cache.
AMD has thinned down the Core
Complex Dies (CCD) in its Ryzen CPUs to gaming performance. Of more concern is the fact that AMD
SPEC tom P
Base frequency
3.4GHz
allow it to stack extra cache directly on top of
them. It’s had to increase the interconnect
us
has also reduced the boosting frequencies compared with
the Ryzen 7 5800X, with the peak boost dropping 200MHz,
C
Max boost frequency density by over 200 times compared with how making it slower than the Ryzen 5 5600X. We saw peak all-
4.5GHz a standard chipset is constructed, which also core boost frequencies up to 4.2GHz, which is a lot slower
has the benefit of reducing the power delivered than the 4.5GHz the Ryzen 7 5800X can achieve in the
IT
CU
Core
ST
OM K
Zen 3 over each interconnect for greater efficiency. same situations.
Manufacturing process Still built on TSMC’s 7nm technology, the While lower frequencies enable AMD to quote the same
7nm added cache works as a 41mm² extension 105W TDP as the 5800X, they also reflect the thermal
sat directly on top of the CCD. difficulties of having so much cache on top of a CPU core, as
Number of cores
tom P
8 x physical (16 threads) It adds a whopping 64MB L3 cache to each
CCD, which already stood at 32MB as standard,
us
does the lack of overclocking abilities. Even with our custom
c
Simultaneous Multithreading
Yes giving an 8-core CPU such as the Ryzen
A
EXT
Cache 5800X an L3 cache boost from 32MB to

TR
96MB L3 cache, 4MB L2 cache 96MB. There are benefits and drawbacks to
this arrangement though. RE L
Memory controller
Dual-channel DDR4, up to On the plus side, latency is reduced, ME U
3200MHz
thanks to less time needed to access system
Packaging memory when there’s such a large cache.
tom P
us
AMD Socket AM4
With an identical die height to standard Zen 3
Thermal design power (TDP) chips, despite several layers of wizardry
c
105W
under the heatspreader, the new CPU can
E
PRE
Features also use existing AM4 cooler mounts

AD
Precision Boost 2, Precision

and motherboards.
Boost Overdrive 2, FMA3, F16C,
M
SHA, BMI / BMI1 + BMI2, AVX2,
AVX, AES, SSE4a, SSE4, SSSE3,
The downside is that added cache won’t
benefit every task. In fact, AMD claims the new
IUM GR
SSE3, SSE2, SSE
CPU will primarily offer significantly improved
tom P
16 us
c
C
P
3D V-CACHE 3D VIEW-MASTER quicker than its AMD sibling in Dirt 5, sitting closer to the Core
+ Faster than Intel in many games - Poor content i9-12900KS here too. Power consumption was up
creation performance
+ Compatible with compared with the 5800X, only by 30W under load.
current hardware - High internal temperatures
+ Reasonably priced - No overclocking Conclusion
While the Ryzen 7 5800X3D might be slower in most
water-cooling system on top of it, the CPU was regularly content-creation tasks than the Ryzen 7 5800X, its stunning
hitting 90°C in full-load situations. However, dropping down game performance makes it a fantastic gaming upgrade
to less potent forms of cooling didn’t see this temperature from an older Ryzen CPU. This is especially true given AMD
rise, or the performance fall for that matter. is planning to open up 300-series chipset motherboards to
Ryzen 5000-series CPUs, including the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.
Performance If you have a Ryzen 3000-series or older CPU, the Ryzen 5
The result of the lower frequencies compared with the 5800X3D could provide a substantial boost to gaming
Ryzen 7 5800X was painfully obvious outside of games, performance without needing a memory or CPU PERFORMANCE
with a drop of nearly 10 per cent in our image editing test, and
5 per cent in our video encoding test, although we saw a
cooler upgrade.
It’s not the best all-rounder available, and Intel’s 12th-gen
41/50
slightly higher result in our multi-tasking test. Combine these CPUs are still better bets if you dabble in as much content FEATURES
results with a 4 four per cent drop in Cinebench R23’s multi-
threaded test and a 9 per cent drop in the single-threaded
creation as you do games, but the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a
stunning CPU for gamers that beats any other Ryzen CPU
12/15
score, and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is noticeably slower in and most of Intel’s CPUs in a number of games, and for a VALUE
content creation and multi-threaded workloads.
It’s not touted as a CPU for content creators, though, and it
reasonable price of £400 too.
ANTONY LEATHER
31/35
doesn’t disappoint in AMD’s target of gaming performance, OVERALL SCORE
84%
with a massive 103fps 99th percentile frame rate in Far Cry 6
compared to 93fps for the Core i9-12900KS. It was also VERDICT
significantly faster than the Ryzen 7 5800X in Watch Dogs: A brilliant CPU for gaming at a reasonable price,
Legion, albeit a little way behind the Intel CPU, but was again although its lack of clock speed hurts it in some tasks.
17
LA
R EV
BSI ET
WSE ST
/ PROCESSORS
/ MINI-ITX CASES
CPU BENCHMARK RESULTS

GIMP IMAGE EDITING CINEBENCH R23
Multi-threaded
Intel Core i9-12900KS 83,351
Intel Core i9-12900K (OC) 82,361
Intel Core i9-12900K 81,336
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 76,844
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 75,022 AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 21,555
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 70,595 AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 15,608
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 14,463

0 30,000 60,000 90,000 120,000
HANDBRAKE H.264 VIDEO ENCODING 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000
Single-threaded
Intel Core i9-12900KS 1,125,845
Intel Core i9-12900K (OC) 1,120,269
Intel Core i9-12900K 1,015,501
AMD Ryzen 7 5900X 954,762
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 1,610
AMD Ryzen 9 5800X 738,177
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 1,602
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 698,723
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 1,455
0 300,000 600,000 900,000 1,200,000
HEAVY MULTITASKING 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000

FAR CRY 6
Intel Core i9-12900KS 396,352 1,920 x 1,080, Ultra settings
Intel Core i9-12900K (OC) 369,337
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 103fps 138fps
Intel Core i9-12900K 368,542
Intel Core i9-12900KS 93fps 138fps
AMD Ryzen 7 5900X 364,571
Intel Core i9-12900K 91fps 136fps
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 359,955
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 89fps 129fps
AMD Ryzen 9 5800X 319,900
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000
0 45 90 135 180
SYSTEM SCORE
WATCH DOGS: LEGION
Intel Core i9-12900KS 408,849 1,920 x 1,080, Ultra settings, DX12
Intel Core i9-12900K (OC) 374,998
Intel Core i9-12900KS 79fps 98fps
Intel Core i9-12900K 373,807
Intel Core i9-12900K 79fps 97fps
AMD Ryzen 7 5900X 345,982
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 76fps 94fps
AMD Ryzen 9 5800X 291,192
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 289,771
0 150,000 300,000 450,000 600,000
0 45 90 135 180
TOTAL SYSTEM POWER CONSUMPTION DIRT 5
1,920 x 1,080, Ultra settings, DX12
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 97W 231W
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 93W 237W Intel Core i9-12900KS 95fps 111fps
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 96W 260W AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 94fps 109fps
Intel Core i9-12900K 57W 305W AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 94fps 108fps
Intel Core i9-12900KS 61W 384W Intel Core i9-12900K 93fps 108fps
0 200 400 600 AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 92fps 106fps

Lower is better 0 45 90 135 180
Idle Load
99th percentile Average
18
NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX
3090 Ti / £1,879 From inc VAT
SUPPLIER scan.co.uk
W
e might have become accustomed to graphics isn’t a price difference of anywhere near £500 between the
card prices that bear no relation to reality over the MSRPs of those two GPUs.
past couple of years, but the GeForce RTX 3090 Nvidia has also tweaked a few other aspects of the spec,
Ti doesn’t even need a cryptocurrency mining boom, a taking advantage of the binning process that’s given it these
relentless army of eBay scalpers or a silicon shortage to get fully working and highly clockable GPUs over the past couple
an unashamedly silly price attached it, because Nvidia has of years. For starters, the RTX 3090 Ti has a boost clock of
actually done it for us this time. Yep, that price up there is the 1860MHz, compared to just 1695MHz on the RTX 3090.
one Nvidia came up with all on its own, and that’s just the The huge 24GB allocation of GDDR6X memory has also
starting price for the Founders Edition. been given a speed bump from 1219MHz (19.5GHz effective)
What does nearly two grand buy you in terms to 1313MHz (21GHz effective). Combine this with the 384-bit
SPEC of GPU horsepower then? The GeForce RTX wide memory interface, and this is the first desktop GPU to
Graphics processor 3090 Ti represents the all-out last gasp for officially surpass the 1TB/sec figure for memory bandwidth.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Nvidia’s Ampere architecture before the GeForce The downside to all these high frequencies, of course, is
Ti, 1560Hz base clock, 4000 series turns up at the end of the year. It power consumption. Nvidia recommends a minimum of an
1860MHz boost clock
finally brings us a fully enabled GA102 GPU, which 850W PSU for the RTX 3090 Ti, and we don’t recommend
Pipeline is as far as Ampere can possibly go without a skimping here. We tried to get it working with a Corsair
10,752 CUDA cores, 112 ROPS
brand-new GPU design. HX750 PSU with 80 Plus Platinum specification, to see if a
RT cores Plenty of Nvidia’s existing GPUs are also based high-end 750W PSU could do it, but it fell over in every game
84 (2nd-gen)
on the GA102 GPU, of course, from the RTX 3080 test after a minute or so.
Tensor cores upwards, but they each have several of their We’ve changed the PSU in our GPU test rig since the last
336 (3rd-gen)
streaming multiprocessors (SMs) disabled. GPU Labs, so we can’t give you comparative figures for other
Memory Even the former king of the castle, the RTX GPUs, but our Ryzen 9 5900X system drew 680W from the
24GB GDDR6X, 1313MHz
3090, had two SMs disabled. By enabling those mains when the RTX 3090 Ti was running at full pelt. You’ll
(21GHz effective)
last two SMs, the full power of Ampere has want a decent, high-power PSU if you aim to run this card.
Memory interface
finally been unleashed, but that only makes for Speaking of which, the RTX 3090 Ti also introduces
384-bit
a miniscule spec difference between the RTX us to the new PCI-E 5 16-pin power connector (the RTX
Card interface 3090 and 3090 Ti. 3090 Ti still uses the PCI-E 4 interface, however) on the
16x PCI-E 4
Those two extra SMs only get you two extra edge. It’s a neat and tidy bundle of pins, but unless you have
Bandwidth RT cores for ray tracing, for example, and an the appropriate cable for a modular PSU for it, you’ll need
1,008GB/sec
additional 256 CUDA cores, plus eight more to use the cable adaptor that comes bundled with RTX
Power connectors Tensor cores. That’s the same spec difference 3090 Ti cards, which splits a 16-pin plug into three 8-pin
1 x 16-pin / 3 x 8-pin
between the RTX 3070 and 3070 Ti, and there standard plugs.
19
R E V I E WS / GRAPHICS CARDS
Performance
We had limited time available with the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti
before we went to press, so we decided to focus on testing
in games at 4K and 2,560 x 1,440. There are undoubtedly
also workstation applications that can benefit from this
huge amount of GPU processing power and 24GB of
memory, but for this review, we want to see if it can really
claim to be the fastest ever gaming GPU.
The answer to that question is, of course, yes, but the
difference between this extremely expensive card and
cheaper ones is tiny. If you wanted to describe it without
words, you could pinch your index finger around 1mm away As a result, the RTX 3090 Ti didn’t quite hit our frame rate LUXURIOUS
from your thumb while squinting at someone. target of a 45fps 99th percentile in Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K + Fastest desktop
GPU ever
One test where the RTX 3090 Ti excelled was in with Medium ray tracing and DLSS enabled, but a bit of
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. With Resizable BAR enabled and tweaking in the settings should get it there. Of course, other + Loads of memory
a load of clock speed at its disposal, the RTX 3090 Ti (finally) GPUs will now be slower at these settings than before too, + In stock at MSRP
became the first Nvidia GPU to beat the Radeon RX 6900 but it’s hard not to be disappointed that a £1,879 GPU can’t
XT in this test at 4K. It averages 72fps here, compared to handle this game at 4K with Medium ray tracing and DLSS,
SUPERFLUOUS
67fps for the Radeon, which is a cracking result. let alone Ultra ray tracing.
- Extremely
You can also safely max out every setting in Doom expensive
Eternal, and enable ray tracing, and still play the game at 4K Conclusion - High power draw
on the RTX 3090 Ti without dropping below 100fps. The Just six months ago, RTX 3090 cards were going for close to
difference between the RTX 3090 and the Ti was more £2,500, which somehow makes the RTX 3090 Ti’s £1,879
- RTX 3080 Ti is
almost as quick
muted in games that benefit more from extra shader power starting price a bit more palatable, but there’s no getting in games
than clock speed though. For example, the difference in around the fact that this is a ridiculous price for a GPU that’s
Metro Exodus was only 1-2fps. There was a similarly minute only a smidgen faster than the RTX 3090. More to the point,
performance difference in Cyberpunk 2077 at Ultra settings. the RTX 3080 Ti isn’t far behind either, and will save you
Irritatingly for us, CD over £800 if you want a still blisteringly fast gaming GPU.
Projekt Red’s latest If you really want the absolute fastest desktop GPU
patch for this game also available, and you’re happy to pay the extreme price for a
alters the way the game fully enabled, clocked up speed-binned chip, then the RTX
handles ray-traced 3090 Ti is indeed that GPU.
shadows, with them It’s also good to finally see the full potential of Nvidia’s PERFORMANCE
now responding to all
light sources, rather than
killer Ampere architecture, but there’s simply no way you
can justify an £1,879 MSRP when the RTX 3090’s MSRP
49/50
just sunlight outdoors. is £1,399 (and is nearly as quick for both workstation and FEATURES
This has a positive
impact on image quality,
gaming tasks), and the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti’s gaming
performance is so close. If you want a 4K gaming GPU,
19/15
but it also drops do your bank account a favour and buy the GeForce RTX VALUE
performance a bit,
and also means our
3080 Ti instead.
BEN HARDWIDGE
2/30
results for the GeForce OVERALL SCORE
RTX 3090 Ti aren’t
comparable with the
results from our last
GPU Labs test.
VERDICT
This fully enabled Ampere chip is the fastest desktop GPU
ever, but the benefits are slight and the price is extreme.
70%
20
BENCHMARK RESULTS
CYBERPUNK 2077 ASSASSIN'S CREED VALHALLA
2,560 x 1,440, Ultra preset, no ray tracing 2,560 x 1,440, Ultra high settings, High AA
GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 70fps 85fps Radeon RX 6900 XT *RB 84fps 115fps
GeForce RTX 3090 68fps 84fps GeForce RTX 3090 Ti *RB 74fps 103fps
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 66fps 79fps Radeon RX 6900 XT 71fps 98fps
Radeon RX 6900 XT 59fps 79fps GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 70fps 97fps
0 40 80 120 160 GeForce RTX 3080 Ti *RB 64fps 86fps
GeForce RTX 3090 61fps 80fps

3,840 x 2,160, Ultra preset, no ray tracing
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 59fps 79fps
0 40 80 120 160
ASSASSIN'S CREED VALHALLA
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 37fps 42fps 3,840 x 2,160, Ultra high settings, High AA
Radeon RX 6900 XT 33fps 39fps

GeForce RTX 3090 Ti *RB 56fps 72fps
0 40 80 120 160
Radeon RX 6900 XT *RB 51fps 67fps
2,560 x 1,440, Medium ray tracing, DLSS disabled*
GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 44fps 51fps Radeon RX 6900 XT 46fps 60fps
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti *RB 46fps 60fps

0 40 80 120 160
3,840 x 2,160, Medium ray tracing, DLSS disabled*
0 40 80 120 160
0 40 80 120 160 *RB = Resizable BAR
2,560 x 1,440, Medium ray tracing, DLSS Balanced*
METRO EXODUS
GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 63fps 79fps 2,560 x 1,440, Ultra settings, HairWorks off, PhysX off
0 40 80 120 160 GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 70fps 122fps

3,840 x 2,160, Medium ray tracing, DLSS Balanced*

0 40 80 120 160
*Note: The latest Cyberpunk 2077 patch causes a substantial 0 40 80 120 160
drop in performance at this preset, meaning previous results
from other GPUs aren’t comparable. 3,840 x 2,160, Ultra settings, HairWorks off, PhysX off
DOOM ETERNAL GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 47fps 83fps

2,560 x 1,440, Ultra Nightmare settings
GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 311fps 421fps GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 46fps 75fps
GeForce RTX 3090 303fps 408fps Radeon RX 6900 XT 45fps 68fps
Radeon RX 6900 XT 261fps 391fps 0 40 80 120 160

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 253fps 385fps 2,560 x 1,440, Ultra settings, High RT, HairWorks off, PhysX off
0 150 300 450 600

GeForce RTX 3090 159fps 247fps Radeon RX 6900 XT 48fps 73fps
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 148fps 227fps 0 40 80 120 160
Radeon RX 6900 XT 143fps 214fps 3,840 x 2,160, Ultra settings, High RT, HairWorks off, PhysX off
0 150 300 450 600

2,560 x 1,440, Ultra Nightmare settings, ray tracing enabled

0 150 300 450 600
3,840 x 2,160, Ultra Nightmare settings, ray tracing enabled 0 40 80 120 160
2,560 x 1,440, Ultra settings, High RT, HairWorks off, PhysX off, DLSS
0 150 300 450 600 GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 59fps 107fps

LOAD TOTAL SYSTEM POWER CONSUMPTION* 0 40 80 120 160
3,840 x 2,160, Ultra settings, High RT, HairWorks off, PhysX off, DLSS
GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 680W
0 300 600 900
*Note: We had to change our PSU to test the Lower is better GeForce RTX 3090 50fps 79fps
GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, meaning previous power
draw results from other GPUs aren’t comparable. GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 47fps 74fps
0 40 80 120 160
21
R E V I E WS / CASES
AT X C A S E
SAHARAGAMING
P44M/£80 inc VAT
SUPPLIER amazon.co.uk
I
f you’re looking to kit your PC out with
extensive RGB lighting for as little money as
possible, then SaharaGaming’s P44M
potentially offers a good starting point. It’s an ATX case
that not only costs just £80 inc VAT, but also includes
four digital RGB fans, a lighting and fan hub, and even
the ability to remotely control the fan speed and
lighting too.
Starting with the all-important RGB lighting, you get
a 10-port hub included in the box, which uses 6-pin
cables that dish out both a PWM signal to control
fan speed, as well as lighting control to four included
Pirate Eye fans. The fans combine the two inputs into a
circuitboard, with contact pads on one side of the fan and
pins on the other. This allows fans to be clipped together in
series, so they require just a single cable to control the speed
and RGB lighting on all of them.
It’s a similar design to the fans included with Lian Li’s Meanwhile, the hub has a built-in sensor that detects
Galahad SL 240 liquid cooler we reviewed in this month’s signals from an RF remote control. From here you can switch
Labs test, and like the fans on that cooler, the between low and high fan speeds, or opt for automatic
SPEC actual blade area is noticeably smaller on the control using a PWM cable that you can connect from the hub
Dimensions (mm) Pirate Eye fans than it is on standard 120mm to your motherboard. However, the manual fan control was
205 x 430 x 470 (W x D x H) fans. Here, though, the fans don’t have quite very limited, with the difference between low and high speed
Material such a critical mission as cooling your CPU, as being tiny, so we’d recommend opting for motherboard
Steel, plastic, glass they’re case fans, although they’ll still push control instead.
Available colours less air than your average case fan, assuming The lighting control is far more detailed, though, and we
Black
all other factors are equal. particularly liked having the ability to freeze the colours in a
Weight
6.6kg We can’t deny that the fans are blissfully particular pattern, although each time you reboot your PC,
Front panel easy to install, though, and we even got away the hub will reset fan speed and lighting to their defaults, and
Power, reset, 1 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, with using a single fan screw in one corner to there’s no way to save them, which is a shame. You can also
stereo, microphone, LED control mount our row of three fans clipped together control the lighting using a Mode button on the case, with the
Drive bays and installed in the front of the P44M case,
1 x 2.5in/3.5in, 1 x 3.5in, 3 x 2.5in
saving time compared with dealing with 12
Form factor(s)
E-ATX, ATX, micro-ATX
screws. Further time savings were found
Cooling
when dealing with a single cable to control the
3 x 120mm front fan mounts speed and lighting for all three fans, compared
(3 x 120mm fans included), 1 with six cables if they all had separate ones for
x 120/140mm rear fan mount
both lighting and fan speed.
(120mm fan included), 2 x
120/140mm roof fan mounts The instructions aren’t particularly clear,
(fans not included) and the fans arrived in individual boxes rather
CPU cooler clearance than being pre-installed, but if that helps to
160mm keep the price down, we’re not too opposed to
Maximum graphics card length installing them ourselves, especially given the
400mm
easy installation process.
22
DESERT DESSERT
+ Good CPU and GPU cooling - Website inaccuracies
+ Snazzy RGB lighting - Basic design
+ Great value - Large frontal opening
allows dust ingress
front panel also offering a pair of USB 2 ports and a single

USB 3 port, plus power and reset buttons, as well as audio
jacks. There’s no USB Type-C port though.
The case itself is very compact, but thanks to a generous
width and fairly uncluttered interior, there’s space for a
360mm radiator in the front and up to a 280mm radiator
in the roof. The vents here are also offset away from the
motherboard, so even 280mm radiators will clear your
motherboard’s heatsinks as long as they sit below the
I/O panel.
There seem to be some typos on the SaharaGaming
website, though, as it first claims there are three 3.5in hard
disk mounts, while the manual only lists two. It also only has
four 2.5in mounts, rather than the five stated on the website.
The website then goes on to state there are five hard disk
mounts further down the page, but our counting agreed with
the instruction manual – there are just two 3.5in mounts and filters, the front section’s filter is embedded into the panel. As
also four 2.5in mounts. this needs to be removed in order to allow access to the front
Meanwhile, the CPU cooler height is fairly limited at fan bays, there’s a large hole in the base to allow your hand to
160mm, so you’ll need to check the dimensions of any larger reach inside the case and pull off the panel, and this hole will
air coolers, but there’s plenty of room for graphics cards, allow dust to enter the case.
with 400mm of clearance as well as a spacious vertical
GPU mount. The case also supports E-ATX motherboards, Performance
although there are no additional standoff mounts, and you The case proved to be extremely quiet, even at full fan speed,
may lose the two 2.5in mounts on the motherboard tray, and thankfully, while the case itself is basic in a number of
depending on the width of your E-ATX motherboard. areas, cooling was decent. Its CPU delta T fell from 48°C to
On the downside, cable-tidying options are extremely 47°C between fan speeds, but both matched the best results
thin, and while the roof and PSU areas are fitted with dust from recent cases we’ve tested. The GPU delta T didn’t fall
at all after adjusting the fan speeds, though, but again was
T E M P E R AT U R E R E S U LTS a match for the best cases we’ve recently tested.
CPU DELTA T
SaharaGaming P44M (slow) 47°C Conclusion
NZXT H510 Flow 47°C
Question marks over inaccuracies on SaharaGaming’s
Fractal Design Meshify 2 47°C
website did raise eyebrows, as this isn’t what you’d expect COOLING
26/30
Antec DF700 FLUX 47°C
from a reputable case manufacturer, but once we got past
SaharaGaming P44M (fast) 48°C
these issues, the P44M proved to be a reasonable effort,
Antec NX700 48°C
with great cooling and easy-to-use, wonderfully vibrant, FEATURES
14/20
Corsair 5000D Airflow 48°C
modern RGB lighting.
Fractal Meshify 2 Compact 50°C
It does lack refinement compared with the Antec NX700,
0 20 40 60 80
Lower is better and we worry about dust ingress in the front panel, but DESIGN
GPU DELTA T
Fractal Meshify 2 Compact 41°C
ultimately, the SaharaGaming P44M is cheap, but also
very cheerful. As long as you’re aware of its shortcomings,
20/30
SaharaGaming P44M (fast) 42°C
it can make the basis for a good-looking, well-cooled PC. VALUE
SaharaGaming P44M (slow)
Corsair 5000D Airflow
42°C
42°C
ANTONY LEATHER
16/20
Fractal Design Meshify 2 42°C
OVERALL SCORE
NZXT H510 Flow 42°C
76%
Antec NX700 43°C VERDICT
Antec DF700 FLUX 43°C A few too many niggles for an award, but it’s cheap
0 20 40 60 80
enough to be worth considering if you want to kit out
Lower is better an RGB-equipped PC on a tight budget.
23
R E V I E WS / MEMORY
D D R 5 M E M O RY
THERMALTAKE TOUGHRAM
RC DDR5/£350 inc VAT (2 x 16GB, 4800MHz)
SUPPLIER scan.co.uk
I
BRUSHED f there’s one criticism we can aim
ALUMINIUM at Intel’s new Z690 platform for its
+ Very overclockable 12th-gen CPUs, it’s the price and
+ Clean and availability of DDR5 memory. For the first few
smart design weeks after the CPUs launched, DDR5
+ Relatively memory was out of stock everywhere, and
low profile when it did turn up, the prices were ridiculous.
Thankfully, the situation is now gradually improving, making
BRUSHED the more lustworthy Z690 motherboards available a little It only fell over when
ASIDE more accessible, and there are DDR5 modules with even we ran it at 6200MHz, at which
- RGB fans need to faster speeds inbound too. point our system refused to enter Windows, but it was happy
look elsewhere
Thermaltake’s entry into the DDR5 market isn’t exactly at 6000MHz, proving stable enough to get to the Windows
- No XMP 3 cheap, though, and with a price of £350 for a dual-channel desktop and run a few benchmarks. That’s a seriously
compatibility
32GB (2 x 16GB) 4800MHz kit, the Toughram RC DDR5 impressive overclock, but we did find that our Asus ROG
- Very expensive is much more expensive than the competition too. The Maximus Z690 Apex didn’t allow us to set any kind of XMP
Toughram RC modules also lack RGB lighting, but they profile that matched its specification.
look extremely smart, with square-edged, black brushed Thermaltake’s website states that the 4800MHz kit
aluminium heatsinks that sit tightly packed, with zero gap lacks XMP 3 compatibility, but thankfully, opting for the Asus
between them if you fill adjacent sockets. optimised profile, and then dialling in the 40-40-40-77
They’re compact as well, measuring just 40mm tall, latency settings worked fine, and continued to work all the
although Kingston’s Fury Beast models are a little shorter. way up to 6000MHz too.
This means they’re less likely to clash with large CPU coolers
than taller modules, and the RC in the name also means the Conclusion
modules are compatible with Thermaltake’s Floe RC RGB- There were still some question marks over the final UK price
clad liquid coolers, which add the memory to an AIO liquid of the Toughram RC DDR5 when we wrote this review, but
cooler loop that also cools the CPU. with a dollar price of $429 US on Thermaltake’s website, a
Thermaltake’s RC Ultra coolers not only feature an UK price of £350 inc VAT seems pretty accurate. This puts it
integrated display on the waterblock/pump unit, but also at a significant disadvantage, especially when plenty of other
add a second display that spans the memory modules. 32GB kits offer speeds of 5600MHz for under £300.
These coolers demand a hefty price, but if you’re happy to If you like RGB lighting, then you’re out of luck with
ditch the displays and just have RGB lighting (again spanning the Toughram RC too – again, there are cheaper kits
the memory as well as the CPU block), then a version with a that offer it and with higher rated
240mm radiator currently costs under £150. speeds. While it overclocks like a PERFORMANCE
Sadly, the price of the memory itself is another issue,
though, because at £350 inc VAT, a dual-channel
trooper, the Thermaltake Toughram
RC DDR5 is simply too expensive
29/30
SPEC Toughram RC 32GB DDR5 kit costs over £100 more to be worth it, even if you factor in DESIGN
Frequency
4800MHz
than other equivalent kits from the competition.
Even a faster 5200MHz 32GB (2 x 16GB) Corsair
the overclocking headroom and
compatibility with Thermaltake’s
19/25
Timings Dominator kit, with RGB lighting, comes in at under Flo RC liquid-cooling components. VALUE
40-40-40-77
Voltage
£300 from scan.co.uk at the moment.
The Toughram’s rated speed of 4800MHz is
ANTONY LEATHER
29/45
1.1V the lowest speed of DDR5 memory you’ll find OVERALL SCORE
Height (from base) at the moment, and it gets there with relatively
77%
40mm VERDICT
relaxed timings of 40-40-40-77 too. However, our Smart looks and awesome overclocking
Lighting eyebrows were raised when we found we could headroom, but it’s just too expensive
No
overclock it to 5600MHz, and it kept going too. compared with the competition.
26
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R E V I E WS / MONITORS
2 7 I N G A M I N G M O N I TO R
ACER PREDATOR
XB273UNV/£405 inc VAT
SUPPLIER ebuyer.com
T
HIGH DYNAMIC he Acer XB273UNV is by many measures
RANGE a middle-of-the-road 27in 2,560 x 1,440,
+ Excellent image IPS gaming display with an average price
quality
to match. However, it has a few features that put it
+ Solid gaming ahead of the pack. The most obvious is its 170Hz
performance
refresh rate (5Hz higher than typical 165Hz
+ Decent value competitors!), but such a small increase is
imperceptible in real-world gaming.
LOW FIDELITY Next up on its hit list is a high colour gamut,
- L
ow maximum covering 94 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour space
brightness (according to our tests), which is equivalent to 90
- Middling pricing per cent of the Adobe RGB and 131 per cent of the
sRGB colour spaces – that’s useful for professional image
and video editing and HDR. A three-pronged stand provides height, rotation, tilt and two-
We generally find that most wide gamut displays lack the way pivot adjustment, and the latter makes it particularly
high contrast that HDR also demands. However, we found easy to access the rear connections, regardless of which side
the Acer’s HDR reproduction quite compelling. The step up of your desk your monitor sits.
in colour saturation and brightness variation provided by the Overall image quality is excellent, with crisp text, great
dynamic backlight control (where brightness is changed viewing angles, dazzling colours and superb out-of-the-
from frame to frame to create the perception of box calibration. In both the default high gamut mode and the
SPEC better overall contrast), made for a more dazzling reduced gamut sRGB mode, it was less than 1 per cent off the
Screen size experience than with the display’s SDR modes. ideal colour temperature of 6,500K, while gamma ranged
27in However, this is largely because the display tops between 2.14 and 2.24 depending on the mode, which is
Resolution out at a maximum brightness of just 219cd/m² in again very good.
2,560 x 1,440 our tests in SDR mode. It’s only in HDR mode that When it comes to gaming, the 170Hz refresh rate, support
Panel technology it went up to 364cd/m² in our tests. The former for FreeSync and G-Sync, and even a backlight-strobing
IPS
result is only adequate for relatively dimly lit rooms mode add up to excellent all-round performance. An
Maximum refresh rate
170Hz (we calibrate our displays for use at 150 cd/m²) and average grey-to-grey response time of between 6.5ms
Response time is on the low side for a bright office. In both HDR and and 3.1ms, depending on the overdrive
0.5ms SDR, the contrast ratio tops out at between 916:1 setting, is good for an IPS panel too, so IMAGE QUALITY
Stated contrast ratio
1,000:1
and 1,033:1 depending on the exact mode.
The Acer is also surprisingly thick for a modern
fast-paced gaming is well handled.
25/30
Active sync gaming monitor, with a wide edge and a protruding Conclusion GAMING
23/30
AMD FreeSync and Nvidia
G-Sync compatible
middle section around the back. Around the edges While the Acer Predator XB273UNV
Display inputs
of this central section is a strip of RGB lighting, doesn’t do much to stand out from
1 x DisplayPort, 2 x HDMI which can be set to many colours and patterns but the crowd, aside from its slightly low FEATURES
Audio
2 x 2W speakers,
can’t be set to match the on-screen image, as with
Philips Ambilight systems. Housed in this middle
maximum brightness, it delivers the
goods on every front and does so for
16/20
headphone out VALUE
section are the connections, power supply and a reasonable, if not truly bargain price.
Stand adjustment
Height, pivot, rotation, tilt
2W speakers. The latter sound weedy, but provide
a touch more volume and clarity than the worst
EDWARD CHESTER 14/20
Extras
100 x 100mm VESA we’ve heard. OVERALL SCORE
Meanwhile, the on-screen display (OSD) is
78%
mount, 4-port USB 3
hub, rear RGB lighting
VERDICT
controlled by three buttons and a mini joystick on Decent all-round performance, a
HDR standard the display’s back right edge. They provide many smart design and reasonable price
VESA DisplayHDR 400
options that make setting up this display a breeze. make this a solid gaming monitor.
28
3 2 I N G A M I N G M O N I TO R
MSI OPTIX MPG321QRF-

QD /£499 inc VAT
OPTICAL
M
SI is clearly targeting stereotypical gamers
tom P
us
+ Punchy colours with the styling of its Optix MPG321QRF-
QD. Its plastic rear mimics brushed metal
+ Loads of features and carbon fibre, it sits on a dramatically angled
C
+ Decent base and around the back you’ll find RGB LEDs.
mainstream
refresh rate Happily, the Optix backs up the dramatic design with
+ practical features. PP
D
ROV E
A

G reat OSD
The stand offers 100mm of height adjustment alongside
swivel and tilt movement, as well as a cable-routing cut-out.
ILLUSITORY
Around the back there are two HDMI 2 ports, a DisplayPort either. While this screen doesn’t have the speed to sate high-
- E xpensive tom P
us
1.4 input and a USB Type-C connection that also handles end esports players, it’s fast enough to tackle mainstream
- M ediocre colour DisplayPort. There are also three USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two esports and single-player games. Moving to 175Hz only
C
accuracy
of which are helpfully located on the left-hand bezel. has a tiny impact, and we’d avoid the MPRT Sync option – it
- Tricky to build Meanwhile, a handy joystick navigates an excellent creates ghosting and darkens the display.
on-screen display – it’s fast, well organised and clearly The MSI is a bit ordinary in some other areas, however. Its
IT
CU
displays key information and the impact to expect when
ST
delta E of 4.14 is mediocre, and the colour temperature of
you change different settings. The MSI’s final big feature is OM K
6,143K is on the warm side. The peak brightness of 600cd/
its most surprising – a KVM switch. These are usually found m² and lack of high-end dimming means this screen isn’t
on business screens, and allow users to control good enough for HDR gaming too.
tom P
us
SPEC two devices with one set of peripherals – handy The rival LG is sometimes better. Its colours are
Screen size for switching between a PC and laptop. more accurate than the MSI, and it offers similar gamut
C
32in There are good gaming credentials too. The performance alongside a reasonable contrast ratio of 900:1.
Resolution MSI’s 32in IPS screen has a 165Hz default refresh Its output is more realistic, and better if you want to enjoy
A
EXT
2,560 x 1,440
rate that overclocks to 175Hz and it supports gritty games or need a panel for creative work.
TR
Panel technology
FreeSync and G-Sync. Its 2,560 x 1,440 resolution RE L
ME U
IPS
Maximum refresh rate
is good for mainstream gaming too, but it’s not Conclusion
165Hz (175Hz overclocked) particularly crisp on a 32in screen – you can easily The MSI is pricier than the LG, and not
Stated response time see the pixels if you look closely. everyone will appreciate its bright, bold IMAGE QUALITY
tom P
u 25/30
s
1ms Build quality is middling as well. Its plastic visual output. There’s no denying its
Stated contrast ratio rear feels weak, it’s not a tool-free build and the vibrancy, though, and it impresses with
c
1,000:1 monitor is heavy. LG’s rival UltraGear 32GP850 loads of features and an eye-catching GAMING
Active sync packs a punch against it too – it has the same design. The Optix isn’t the cheapest or
26/30
E
PRE
AMD FreeSync Premium,

AD
Nvidia G-Sync compatible core specification as the MSI alongside a 180Hz most mature-looking gaming display,
overclocked refresh rate, a sturdier, more mature but it’s bold, absorbing and has loads M FEATURES
R
Display inputs
1 x DisplayPort 1.4a, design and a cheaper £349 price. of features – it’s ideal if you want a I U18/20
M G
2 x HDMI 2b The MSI pairs its adaptable design with bold versatile, striking screen.
Audio colours though. This screen rendered 99 per cent MIKE JENNINGS VALUE
tom P
us 15/20
N/A
of the sRGB gamut with a monster 167.4 per cent
Stand adjustment
Height, tilt, swivel volume, and the default contrast ratio of 1,127:1 is
c
Extras good. Those figures mean colours are delivered OVERALL SCORE
VERDICT
with huge vibrancy and decent depth.
84 %
100 x 100mm VESA mount,
MSI’s panel is big, bold, and packed
AL
2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, KVM

PR
There’s no clear ghosting or inverse ghosting with features, although its gamer
HDR standard when the panel runs at its default 165Hz refresh styling lacks maturity and it’s a bit
FE
SSIO
N
O
VESA DisplayHDR 600

rate, and there’s hardly any halo around objects pricey too.
29
R E V I E WS / AUDIO
ST E R E O S P E A K E R S
CREATIVE T60/£60 inc VAT
SUPPLIER creative.com
C
CREATIVE SPARK reative’s venerable T20 speakers have been
around for many years and remain an excellent
+ Loads of
connection options option on a budget. However, their design and
+ Really easy to use feature set are showing their age, which is where Creative’s
new T60 speakers come in, hitting the same affordable price
+ Plenty of sonic
power and warmth with an updated design, and convenient Bluetooth and
+ Good value USB connections.
The new design sees the T20’s bright yellow drivers
ditched in favour of smarter-looking, gold-coloured ones,
BRAIN FOG
while the speaker grilles have been dropped completely. The
- L acks high- result is a cleaner, more modern design, although you need to
end detail
take care not to scratch the glossy plastic exterior.
- Lacks sub bass A single knob on the right speaker provides a slightly reasonable size, though, they only sport a single 70mm driver
- Audio weird-feeling volume control. It feels like it should be an per speaker – a downgrade from the two-driver setup of the
compromised for
convenience analogue control (it doesn’t spin freely or have detents), but T20s. A rear bass port also means you shouldn’t set these
it’s a digital control that responds with just enough delay speakers against a wall.
that you often overshoot the level for which you’re aiming. As a result, the T60s aren’t quite as sonically accomplished
Below the volume dial sit three buttons. On the left is the as the T20s. Not surprisingly, neither speaker set provides
power button that turns the speakers on and off with a long huge, booming bass, but the T20s have more top-end detail.
press. Tap this button while the speakers are on and it will The T60s can also sound a little overwhelmed when there’s
cycle through the various inputs, indicating which is selected a lot happening in the sound mix.
via the above LED. There’s still plenty of power and warmth to make for a
A tap of the middle button switches between stereo and satisfying listen at your desk or kitchen party volume levels,
a somewhat useful emulated surround sound mode, while but sound quality is clearly compromised in order to add the
a long press will switch between the speakers and any extra digital connections and hit the same price as the T20.
connected headset/headphones. The latter lets you keep a You can get a little more detail by connecting via the aux input,
set of headphones connected via the speakers and choose but that rather defeats the point of buying these speakers.
which device to use, rather than automatically
SPEC muting the speakers when headphones are Conclusion
Audio configuration connected, as on the T20. The Creative T60s offer USB and DESIGN
1 x 70mm driver per speaker
with rear bass port
The final button turns on the surprisingly
effective ‘clear dialog’ mode, which boosts
Bluetooth connection, a smart design
and entirely adequate audio quality
16/20
Nominal power output the upper mid-range frequencies associated for their price. They’re a huge step up FEATURES
30W RMS, 60W peak
Frequency range
with speech. This and the surround mode
are only available when in speaker mode, not
from any monitor speakers or smaller,
cheaper units. However, you’re paying
18/20
50Hz – 20,000kHz
Connections headset mode. for those extra digital connections and SOUND QUALITY
USB Type-C, 3.5mm stereo
input, Bluetooth 5, 3.5mm
Around the back of the right speaker is a
headphone port, a microphone port (enabling
similarly priced pure analogue speakers
often offer better sonic performance
20/30
mic and headphone VALUE
headset pass-through via the USB connection), for the same price.
Dimensions (mm)
93 x 147 x 199 (W x D x H)
a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm jack aux input and
the output to the left speaker (the left speaker’s
EDWARD CHESTER 22/30
Weight
1.9kg (pair) cable is tethered rather than removable). You can OVERALL SCORE
also connect via Bluetooth, with pairing initiated
76%
Extras VERDICT
Volume dial, power/source by the left front button. A great set of features and solid
button, surround sound button, The T60s aren’t tiny, portable units but they’re sound quality, but you’re paying for
clear dialog mode button
far from desk-hogging either. Despite their convenience over sound quality.
30
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R E V I E WS / PERIPHERALS
T K L M E C H A N I C A L K E Y B OA R D tom P
us
NZXT FUNCTION
C
MINITKL/£100 inc VAT
PP
D
ROV E
A
SUPPLIER scan.co.uk
tom P
us
F
FORM FROM amed for its cases and
C
FUNCTION coolers, NZXT has
+ Smart design recently branched out
+ into PC peripherals with the launch
IT
CU

H ot-swappable
ST
OM K
key switches of a mechanical keyboard and gaming mouse (see Brown (tactile), Blue (clicky), Silent Red, and Black (stiffer
+ Useful extra opposite). The Function keyboard range is available in linear action) switches.
features three main variants: full-size, tenkeyless (TKL) and the Even if you only buy the retail version, you can still easily
+ MiniTKL we’re reviewing here.
tom P
customise the switches, as they’re hot-swappable. Using

R easonable price
+
C ustom build option All versions sport the same core features, but the TKL
models lose the numberpads to make them more compact,
us
the provided switch puller, you can just pull the switches
straight out and pop in any other compatible switch. The
C
while the MiniTKL compresses its layout even more, default switches are quite loud – as is often the case with
FORM OVER
A
EXT
FUNCTION although it retains the same number of buttons as the TKL. linear keys – so you may prefer to use a Brown tactile switch
TR
The full-size and TKL versions also come with a wrist rest. for a different typing feel and lower noise.
- B asic default RE
Available in black, grey (only via NZXT’s BLD custom L
You get a handful of useful extras. The 2m braided cable
ME U
keycaps
- Only linear red build service – nzxt.com/build/keyboard) or white colour is removable, plugging into a USB Type-C socket on the
switches at retail options, all have a distinct minimalist sleekness, with the back of the keyboard (a quarter of the way in from the
- Custom build MiniTKL adding further to the effect with its compact layout left). Along the left edge, there’s also a rubberised volume
tom P
option expensive – it looks great. The matching black or grey (again, only via
BLD) keycaps and default white backlighting – despite each
us
wheel and three small buttons on the outside edge. These
provide control for mute, disabling the Windows key and
C
key having full RGB backlighting capability – further adjusting the backlight brightness. The keyboard is also fully
E
PRE
SPEC adds to the attractively minimalist feel. programmable and there are shortcut secondary functions
AD
Build quality is solid for the price, with a plastic on the F1-F4 keys for switching the profile on the fly.
Dimensions (mm)
M
339 x 123 x 40 (W x D x H)
Weight
base topped by a sturdy aluminium plate. There
isn’t the steel-reinforced solidity and heft of some Conclusion
IUM GR
718g with cable
custom keyboards, but it’s a clear step up from NZXT has hit the ground running with
Format
some cheaper, flimsy mechanical keyboards. its debut mechanical keyboard. Its
Mini TKL – 89 keys om
tDESIGN
Connection
Meanwhile, the keycap legends look crisp and
clear but their ABS plastic construction means
design is sleek, it isn’t priced too high,
its removable cable and extra buttons
us18/20P
c
C
USB Type-C socket
with 2m cable they won’t last as long as PBT keycaps. The are useful, and its hot-swappable FEATURES
Switch type legends are also just painted on rather than using switches make for an easy upgrade
16/20
AL
PR
Hot-swappable
Gateron Linear Red
longer-wearing doubleshot or dye-sublimation path. The only downside is having
techniques. However, as they’re standard Cherry Red linear switches as the only option FPERFORMANCE
ESSIO
N
O
Switch life
50 million key presses
Backlighting
MX-style caps, it’s easy to upgrade them later, or
you can upgrade to dye-sublimated PBT caps using
at retail. Although you can swap out
the switches or opt for others using
24/30
Per-key RGB the BLD service. the BLD service, both options add to VALUE
Polling rate
1000Hz
BLD also provides the option to swap the normal
black cable for a coloured one and add coloured
the price.
EDWARD CHESTER
25/30
Keyboard rollover
N-key accent keycaps for the Esc, Enter and cursor keys, OVERALL SCORE
plus you can change the key switches. By default,
83%
Extras
Hot-swappable switches, retail versions only come with Gateron Red VERDICT
volume wheel, keycap and switches, which provide a linear key movement. Stylish, capable and versatile – a great
key switch removal tools
However, via BLD, you can also opt for Gateron first keyboard effort from NZXT.
32
P
C
A
EXT
TR
RE L
ME U
tom P
us
C
E
PRE
AD
M
GAMING MOUSE IUM GR
NZXT LIFT /£40 inc VAT

tom P
us
c
C
AL
PR
LIFTS YOU UP FE
W
ith its debut keyboard (opposite) proving such easy to hit accurately with the tip of your index or middle
SSIO
N
O
+ Versatile, a success, can NZXT’s first mouse also make finger. All the buttons feel very snappy and precise,
comfortable a positive first impression? Well, on paper, with no mushiness or play. The scroll wheel also has
shape
there’s not much that makes this mouse stand apart well-defined notches, so it’s easy to hit the scroll wheel
+ Light weight from its peers. Its feature set is basic and its shape is fairly button without moving the wheel. Its rubber grip also
+ Great button unremarkable. However, in use it delivers all you would provides plenty of purchase.
layout
expect from a modern, simple and performance- As for the sensor, its headline figures aren’t
+ Excellent orientated gaming mouse. record-breaking but it’s still excellent and provides
performance
The most successful aspect of the Lift is its indistinguishable performance from the most extreme
symmetrical shape. It has a gently sloped back that sensors, provided you have a good mouse mat.
KNOCKS comfortably supports the palm for palm-grip use but Sprouting from the front of the mouse is its fixed braided
YOU DOWN stays out the way enough for claw and fingertip grips too. cable, which has an ample 2m length, and is light and
- F ixed cable The sides move from an outward slope at the rear to a flexible enough to offer almost no spring back, despite it
- M inimal button slightly inward slope at the front, providing an ideal middle feeling a bit more robust than some of the very lightest
selection
section just under the thumb buttons and at the balance cables. It’s a shame the cable isn’t removable though.
- N ot truly point of the mouse, where there’s a slight lip under which All of this generally excellent performance is backed
ambidextrous
your fingers and thumb can hook and grip the mouse. up by a smart, minimalist design. Available in base
So many mice have sides that slope the wrong way, so colours of black or white (with black buttons for both)
your fingers slide up them, or somehow the balance is you can also configure the mouse to have blue, cyan,
just a bit off. Here, though, whichever grip style we tried, purple, red and yellow buttons and front/undersection
it just worked. Mileage will vary depending on your hand if you buy it direct from NZXT. Aside from these optional
size and shape, but this is about as universally appealing flashes of colour, the only adornments are two strips
a shape as you can get. of RGB lighting that run down the front two thirds of the
The impressively low weight helps a great deal with this sides of the mouse, providing an
mouse’s overall handleability too. Despite not sporting attractive underglow. DESIGN
the many holes and other weight-saving gimmicks
of some mice, it weighs just 67g, Conclusion 19/20
SPEC making it effortless to fling around A fantastic shape, low weight, FEATURES
Weight
67g
your mat. On its underside, the Lift
has two large Teflon glide pads with
simple but functional button layout,
excellent sensor performance and
13/20
Dimensions (mm) a further smaller ring of Teflon round smart styling add up to making a truly PERFORMANCE
67 x 127 x 38 (W x D x H)
Sensor
the sensor, providing smooth gliding
and excellent stability.
excellent all-round gaming mouse.
For its £40 inc VAT asking price, it’s an
28/30
PixArt 3389 optical, 16,000 DPI,
50G acceleration and 400 IPS
However, the button arrangement absolute steal. VALUE
Buttons
is very simple, with sadly no extra
side buttons for left-handed users,
EDWARD CHESTER
28/30
6 (left, right, top, scroll wheel,
pair of side buttons) and just a single extra button on the OVERALL SCORE
Cable top that defaults to switching the
88%
2m, lightweight braided VERDICT
DPI setting. We found the latter too There’s almost nothing not to like
Extras small to hit with the lower portion about this excellent gaming mouse
RGB lighting, customisable colour options
of your middle finger, but it’s fairly debut from NZXT.
33
R E V I E WS / LAPTOPS
1 4 I N G A M I N G L A P TO P
ALIENWARE x14/£2,099 inc VAT
tom P
SUPPLIER dell.com
us
C
A
lienware isn’t
PP
D
ROV E
the first company
A
to build a small and light
gaming laptop, but the x14’s 14.5mm-thick
chassis undercuts every rival in this respect. It also On the inside, this £2,099 model of the x14 pairs Intel’s
tom P
looks fantastic, with a machined aluminium design that
mimics Alienware’s larger machines, and its 1.79kg body is
us
Core i7-12700H CPU with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
Laptop GPU. The processor has six Hyper-Threaded P-Cores
C
light and robust. with a peak boost speed of 4.7GHz, along with eight E-Cores
The Alienware impresses in practical areas too. Around optimised for efficiency. Meanwhile, the GPU has 6GB of
the rear you’ll find a futureproof HDMI 2.1 port, two memory, and a TDP that ranges between 60W and 75W.
IT
CU
ST
OM K
Thunderbolt 4 connections and a micro-SD slot. There’s The spec of the £2,099 model includes 16GB of 5200MHz
also a USB Type-C port that doubles as the power socket, DDR5 memory, and a 1TB SSD with excellent read and write
plus one full-sized USB port. Unlike Alienware’s larger speeds of 6,876MB/sec and 5,190MB/sec. Meanwhile,
machines, the rear isn’t ringed with RGB LEDs, so the ports wireless connections come from dual-band 802.11ax Wi-Fi
tom P
are easier to see. All of the ports are at the rear, so you’ll have
a tidy desk, but you also miss the easy access of
us
and Bluetooth 5.2. That 1080p 14in screen also has a 144Hz
refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync support, plus a 3ms response
C
SPEC side-mounted ports. time. The Alienware’s memory and storage beat the Razer,
A
CPU The x14 squares up against the Razer Blade EXT
but the Blade’s RTX 3060 has a TDP that ranges between
2.3GHz Intel Core i7-12700H
TR
14, which is our current favourite ultra portable 90W and 100W, giving it more power.
Memory gaming laptop. The Alienware is slimmer, and RE L
16GB 5200MHz DDR5
Graphics
there’s little between the two when it comes to PERFORMANCE ME U
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 6GB weight and build quality. Razer’s machine has an The x14’s GPU did an admirable job of keeping up with the
extra full-sized USB port, while the Alienware Blade in games benchmarks, however. The Alienware’s
Screen
tom P
14in 1,920 x 1,080 IPS 144Hz
Storage
has better Thunderbolt options. The x14’s only
design misstep is its depth – the large rear hinge
us
99th percentile result of 36fps in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
is a couple of frames per seconds behind the Blade, but its
c
C
1TB WD SN810 M.2 SSD means the machine is 263mm deep – while average is 4fps faster. In Cyberpunk 2077, the Alienware
Networking
E
PRE
the Razer is a compact 220mm. The x14 may be was only a couple of frames per second behind, and the two
Dual-band 802.11ax
AD
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2 slim, but the Blade is arguably more compact. machines delivered identical scores in Metro Exodus.
M
Weight
1.79kg
Meanwhile, the x14’s keyboard has 1.2mm of
travel, an extra column of volume buttons and a IUM GR
Despite the TDP differences, there’s not much to choose
between the two systems in gaming tests. As such, the
Ports pleasing typing action – the buttons are fast and Alienware will do a decent job in most situations – it can play
2 x Thunderbolt 4/USB
crisp, even if they’re shallow. The x14 improves single-player games at decent settings at the screen’s native
Type-C/DisplayPort, 1 x USB
tom P
3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 x USB
3.2 Gen 1, 1 x audio jack, 1 x
on the Razer with larger cursor keys and those
extra buttons, and both have n-key rollover, but
us
resolution – and most titles will only need moderate tweaks
to the settings. The x14’s Doom Eternal average of 209fps
c
HDMI 2.1, 1 x micro-SD slot

the Alienware has single-zone RGB LEDs, while also shows that you can run undemanding games at high
Dimensions (mm)
322 x 263 x 14.5 (W x D x H) the Blade had per-key lighting. frame rates with the 144Hz screen.
AL
PR
Operating system Don’t expect much from the trackpad or wrist Bear in mind, though, that you don’t have a huge amount
Windows 10 Home 64-bit rest either – the pad is small, and the wrist rest
FE
of power for outputting to the 8K/120Hz screens supported
SSIO
N
O
Warranty is so short that it may prove uncomfortable for by the HDMI 2.1 output. Some games will struggle with
One year parts and anyone with large hands. As always, you’ll want advanced graphics settings too – Metro Exodus was barely
labour return to base
to use a USB mouse for gaming. playable with ray tracing enabled, and Cyberpunk 2077’s
34
B E N C H M A R K R E S U LTS
65,225 795,118
GIMP IMAGE HANDBRAKE H.264
EDITING VIDEO ENCODING
254,780 285,422
HEAVY MULTI- SYSTEM
TASKING SCORE
DOOM ETERNAL
1,920 x 1,080, Vulkan, Ultra settings
Alienware x14 124fps 209fps
0 100 200 300 400
ASSASSIN’S CREED VALHALLA

1,920 x 1,080, Ultra High settings, High anti-aliasing
our heavily multi-threaded Handbrake video encoding EXCELLENT
test shows you’ll be able to run tough content-creation + Consistently
performance
great
0 30 60 90 120 workloads with this laptop.
CYBERPUNK 2077
1,920 x 1,080, Ultra preset, no ray tracing Not surprisingly, the x14 offers mixed thermal + Superb
quality
screen
performance. The machine’s exterior became warm during

gameplay, but never hot – it was cooler than the Razer. The + Good ports and
connection
0 30 60 90 120 options
CPU and GPU delta Ts of 51°C and 43°C are fine, and the
METRO EXODUS
1,920 x 1,080, Ultra settings, High RT, PhysX off, HairWorks off
machine is quiet during work tests. It’s loud during gameplay, + Slim, sturdy and
good-looking
though, so we’d advise using a headset for a comfortable design
27fps 48fps
Alienware x14
gaming experience.
0 30 60 90 120 The battery offers no surprises either. The x14’s gaming
EXASPERATING
99th percentile Average lifespan of 71 minutes is poorer than the Razer, and it
delivered six hours of video playback and five hours of
- Larger than
Razer Blade 14
everyday work use. Those middling results help the x14 to - Middling
prove more useful than most gaming laptops but the Blade battery life
frame rates also declined further at the Medium ray tracing made it through a full day in those latter tests. Finally, bear - Shallow keyboard
preset, even with DLSS enabled. in mind that the speakers sound muddy – you’ll want to use - Noticeable
Games look brilliant on the 14in display though. The a headset for gaming. fan noise
446cd/m² peak brightness is huge, the contrast ratio of
1,312:1 delivers ample depth and nuance, and CONCLUSION
the delta E of 2.42 is fine – colours are accurate The x14 is the slimmest gaming laptop we’ve seen, and it PERFORMANCE
enough for gaming, movies and everyday
content creation.
impresses elsewhere: it keeps pace with the GPU in the rival
Razer, its processor is excellent, and it has a great screen,
23/25
The panel rendered a mighty 99.9 per cent a robust design and versatile connection options. As ever, DESIGN
of the sRGB gamut and 97.7 per cent of the
DCI-P3 colour space, which are superb results.
this small laptop does have compromises. Its keyboard is
crisp, but shallow, the speakers are muddy and battery life
22/25
Comparatively, the Blade’s panel had better is mediocre. HARDWARE
contrast but it’s not as bright and its gamut
ability isn’t quite as comprehensive.
The Blade remains quieter, longer-lasting and more
compact but the X14 is a compelling competitor thanks to its
22/25
The Alienware’s mobile Alder Lake great design, fantastic screen and great CPU performance. VALUE
processor impressed in application
benchmarks too. Its overall score of 285,422
MIKE JENNINGS
20/25
trounced the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX in the OVERALL SCORE
87%
original Razer, and the score of 795,118 in
VERDICT
Great performance, a bold display and a slim, sturdy
design make for a great ultra-portable gaming machine,
despite some imperfections.
35
R E V I E WS / PC SYSTEMS
INTEL Z690 GAMING PC tom P

us
SCAN 3XS TORRENT
C
Ti /£4,899 inc VAT
PP
D
ROV E
A
SUPPLIER scan.co.uk
tom P
us
S
can’s 3XS Torrent Ti might be pricey,
but that’s because it features the
C
fastest desktop components you can
buy. For starters, it comes with Nvidia’s new
range-topping GeForce RTX 3090 Ti GPU – a
IT
CU
ST
OM K
brute with 10,752 stream processors and 24GB
of memory. What’s more, the EVGA’s FTW3
card used by Scan ups the boost clock from
1860MHz to 1920MHz. The monster GPU sits
tom P
below an Intel Core i9-12900K CPU, which has
eight P-Cores with a boost speed
us
c
C
SPEC of up to 5.2GHz alongside eight
A
EXT
CPU 3.9GHz E-Cores.

3.2GHz Intel Core i9-12900K Scan partners those powerful
RE TR
Motherboard parts with 64GB of dual-channel L
Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Hero
5200MHz DDR5 memory, a 2TB Samsung ME U
Memory
64GB Corsair Dominator
980 Pro SSD, and a Corsair RM850x PSU
with 80 Plus Gold certification and a modular We’re big fans of Fractal Design’s Torrent enclosures
Platinum RGB 5200MHz DDR5
tom P
Graphics
EVGA GeForce RTX
design. Those components go beyond the
specification we’d expect from a gaming PC,
us
too, and Scan has chosen the Compact model here. It looks
elegant, with two intake fans glowing through the slatted
c
3090 Ti 24GB
which makes sense – Scan is also aiming front section. Build quality is robust, and Scan’s building
Storage
E
PRE
2TB Samsung 980

this rig at content creators, with loads of GPU is impeccable. Around the rear you’ll find three 2.5in drive
AD
Pro M.2 SSD compute power (and memory) on tap, plus mounts, and on top, there are two full-sized USB ports
M
Networking
2.5Gbps Ethernet, dual-band
loads of multi-threaded CPU performance.
The warranty is great too, with three IUM GR
and a Type-C connection. It’s a great case, but the sheer
amount of hardware means it’s cramped inside – the PSU
802.11ax Wi-FI, Bluetooth 5.2
years of parts and labour cover, including cables block the 3.5in drive mount, and the huge graphics
Case
a year of on-site service. card and hefty Noctua NH-U12A CPU cooler obstruct most
Fractal Design Torrent Compact
tom P
Cooling
CPU: Noctua NH-U12A
Not surprisingly, this powerful PC has
a muscular motherboard. The Asus ROG
us
of the motherboard.
c
Chromax Black with 2 x Maximus Z690 Hero is a beast – the lightning- PERFORMANCE
120mm fans; GPU: 3 x 90mm
fans; front: 2 x 180mm fast PCI-E 5 protocol underpins two 16x Not surprisingly, the RTX 3090 Ti is very fast in games. In
AL
PR
fan; rear: 1 x 120mm fan PCI-E slots and one of the five M.2 sockets. our 4K Assassin’s Creed Valhalla test, the Scan returned
Ports Meanwhile, the ROG SupremeFX ALC4082
FE
a 99th percentile minimum of 49fps, which beat the RTX
SSIO
N
O
Front: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, audio codec has a high-quality ESS DAC, and 3090 by 5fps and the RTX 3080 Ti by a wider margin. The
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x audio;
rear: 2 x USB-C/Thunderbolt at the rear, you’ll find two Thunderbolt 4 ports RTX 3090 Ti was a couple of frames per second ahead of
4, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, alongside seven USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectors. the RTX 3090 in Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K, and the card had
6 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 2, The board also has a handy POST code a 19fps lead in Doom Eternal’s 4K test. This GPU can do
1 x optical S/PDIF, 5 x audio
display, plus on-board power and reset anything, including 4K gaming at fast frame rates.
Operating system
Windows 11 Home 64-bit buttons. Its heatsinks are huge, and the That said, the Scan still couldn’t quite hit a 45fps 99th
Warranty I/O and VRM cover glows with an array of percentile frame rate in Cyberpunk 2077 with Medium ray
Three years parts and customisable RGB LEDs. Speaking of VRMs, tracing and DLSS enabled, although its 43fps result here
labour. First year on-site, enthusiasts also benefit from a 20+1 power is still pretty good – a few tweaks to the settings and it will
then return to base
phase design. be smooth. Its Metro Exodus results show it can handle 4K
36
B E N C H M A R K R E S U LTS TORRENT
+ Glorious gaming
and processing
72,748 1,102,547 speeds
+ Great motherboard
GIMP IMAGE
+ Excellent memory,
HANDBRAKE H.264 storage and case
EDITING VIDEO ENCODING
+ Comprehensive
warranty
361,913 394,881 TORMENT

- Very expensive
HEAVY MULTI- SYSTEM - CPU doesn’t hit
TASKING SCORE peak boost speed
DOOM ETERNAL - Slightly cramped

2,560 x 1,440, Vulkan, Ultra Nightmare settings case
Scan 3XS Torrent Ti 285fps 437fps
0 150 300 450 600

3,840 x 2,160, Vulkan, Ultra Nightmare settings
0 150 300 450 600 is great, too, thanks to pacey read and write speeds of
ASSASSIN’S CREED VALHALLA 7,102MB/sec and 5,176MB/sec.
2,560 x 1,440, Ultra High settings, High AA However, while the Noctua’s NH-U12A air cooler on
Scan 3XS Torrent Ti 73fps 99fps top of the CPU does an admirable job of keeping this
0 30 60 90 120 high-end chip cool, with a delta T of 58°C, the CPU
3,840 x 2,160, Ultra High settings, High AA struggles to hit its 5.2GHz boost clock, instead topping
Scan 3XS Torrent Ti 49fps 66fps out at 4.9-5Ghz, which hurts its performance in our
0 30 60 90 120 image editing benchmark, which stresses single-
CYBERPUNK 2077 threaded performance.
2,560 x 1,440, Medium ray tracing, DLSS Balanced Nevertheless, the Scan’s benchmark results remain
Scan 3XS Torrent Ti 74fps 85fps superb, and you’re unlikely to see this difference in normal
0 30 60 90 120 use. The Scan is a good thermal performer elsewhere
3,840 x 2,160, Medium ray tracing, DLSS Balanced too – the GPU’s delta T of 50°C is fine, and noise levels are
Scan 3XS Torrent Ti 43fps 48fps great. The Scan produces modest and manageable fan
0 30 60 90 120 noise during gameplay, and it’s only slightly louder during
METRO EXODUS a multi-threaded CPU test.
2,560 x 1,440, Ultra, HairWorks off, Advanced PhysX off, High RT, DLSS
Scan 3XS Torrent Ti 60fps 113fps CONCLUSION

0 30 60 90 120 Scan’s 3XS Torrent Ti might not attain record CPU
3,840 x 2,160, Ultra, HairWorks off, Advanced PhysX off, High RT, DLSS benchmark speeds, but its GPU is still incredibly quick,
and its components and chassis are superb. Also, while PERFORMANCE
0 30 60 90 120 the Scan may cost £4,899, that’s no more than this
specification costs from any other UK PC builders.
24/25
99th Percentile Average
A stronger CPU cooler could probably extract a little bit DESIGN
more boost pace from the processor, but that’s the Scan’s
only flaw and fixing that would almost certainly involve
23/25
ray tracing in other games though. With DLSS activated, a larger, noisier build, removing some of the 3XS Torrent HARDWARE
it hit a 53fps 99th percentile result, beating the RTX 3090
by 3fps. It’s not massively quicker than the RTX 3080 Ti
Ti’s appeal. If you want buckets of CPU and GPU power, for
both gaming and content creation, this is a very fast, quiet
24/25
and 3090, especially considering the price, but it’s without and compact machine. VALUE
doubt the fastest GPU you can buy at the moment.
Meanwhile, the Core i9-12900K’s single-threaded
MIKE JENNINGS
19/25
score of 72,748 outpaces rival AMD Ryzen 9 chips, and OVERALL SCORE
90%
its multi-threaded Handbrake score of 1,102,547 remains
VERDICT
miles ahead of AMD’s chips. Likewise, the Cinebench R23 Huge speed, top-notch components and a great build,
multi-threaded test result of 26,520 is ahead of Ryzen although it’s expensive and the CPU doesn’t hit its peak
9 chips and Intel’s more affordable i7-12700K. The SSD boost speed.
37
INTEL B660 GAMING PC
CYBERPOWER INFINITY
X125 VR /£1,399 inc VAT
SUPPLIER custompc.co.uk/InfinityX125
W
e’re finally starting to see PC and component
prices come back down to conventional levels,
and the £1,399 CyberPower Infinity balances
its relatively affordable price with some reassuringly
familiar mid-range components.
The GeForce RTX 3060 may only have 3,584 stream
processors, but there’s plenty to like elsewhere – it has
a mighty 12GB allocation of GDDR6 memory, and its
1777MHz boost clock has been overclocked by board
partner MSI to sit at 1837MHz.
The Core i5-12400F is another mid-
SPEC range part, but it’s easily able to cope with
CPU everyday workloads thanks to its Alder Lake has pairs of USB 3.2 Gen 2 and Gen 1 ports, but no Type-C
2.5GHz Intel Core i5-12400F architecture, six Hyper-Threaded P-Cores and and only three audio jacks.
Motherboard 4.4GHz boost clock. Meanwhile, the 16GB of CyberPower’s own-brand NR640 chassis doesn’t
MSI PRO B660M-A WIFI DDR4 RAM runs at 3600MHz and a rock-solid have any high-end features either, but it’s a capable
Memory MSI MPG A850GF provides power with a fully mid-sized tower. It has a tempered glass side panel, a
16GB Corsair Vengeance
LPX 3600MHz DDR4 modular design and 80 Plus Gold certification. magnetic dust filter on the roof and decent build quality.
Graphics Impressively for the budget, the What’s more, its front panel looks fantastic thanks to a
MSI GeForce RTX 3060 12GB CyberPower also includes two SSDs – the trio of RGB LED intake fans that glow through a geometric
Storage 500GB WD Black SN770 boot drive delivered mesh fascia.
500GB WD Black SN770 good read and write speeds of 4,874MB/sec There’s a PSU shroud and neat cabling on the
M.2 SSD, 1TB WD Blue
SN570 M.2 SSD and 3,397MB/sec respectively, while the 1TB inside, and there’s loads of room to work – helped by
Networking WD Blue is a secondary option – and its decent CyberPower’s reliance on the modest Intel Laminar RM1
2.5Gbps Ethernet, dual-band speeds of 3,539MB/sec and 3,073MB/sec stock CPU cooler. Around the rear you’ll find space for
802.11ax Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2 easily outpace any hard disk, or SATA SSD for pairs of 2.5in and 3.5in drives, and a fan synchronisation
Case that matter. board with four free connectors.
CyberPower NR640
Those dual SSDs are the only real surprise CyberPower’s machine squares up with the Wired2Fire
Cooling
CPU: Intel Laminar RM1 with
about the CyberPower’s specification, though, Phoenix Intel, which is our favourite budget gaming
1 x 80mm; GPU: 2 x 90mm and MSI’s Pro B660M-A WIFI micro-ATX PC. The Wired2Fire includes the same CPU and GPU
fans; front: 3 x 120mm motherboard is another middling component. as the CyberPower for £1,099, but it has a similarly
fans; rear: 1 x 120mm fan
Happily, it has four memory slots, two M.2 weak motherboard and its SSD and PSU are both
Ports
connectors that support PCI-E 4 and rapid underwhelming. CyberPower’s PC also beats its rival in
Front: 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2
x audio; rear: 2 x USB 3.2 networking from 2.5Gbps Ethernet and dual- the build department – the NR640 case is 80mm deeper
Gen 2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x band 802.11ax Wi-Fi. than the Wired2Fire’s MSI case, giving you more space to
USB 2, 1 x PS/2, 3 x audio Beyond this, though, the board is sparse.
Operating system Its second PCI-E slot only supports PCI-E 3, LIGHTYEAR LIGHTHEADED
Windows 11 Home 64-bit
Warranty
it has entry-level Realtek ALC897 audio and + Solid 1080p gaming - Rivals are sometimes quicker
performance
Two years parts and labour, the reliance on Intel’s B660 chipset means - Underwhelming motherboard
plus three years labour you can only overclock the memory, not your + Two relatively fast SSDs - Pricier than competitors
only. Six months collect and
return, then return to base
CPU (although the 12400F can’t be multiplier- + Good-looking, spacious case
overclocked anyway). At the rear, the board + Comprehensive warranty
38
DOOM ETERNAL
CyberPower Infinity X125 VR
0
100
158fps
200
260fps
300 400 67,096

GIMP IMAGE
CyberPower Infinity X125 VR 116fps 119fps EDITING
0 100 200 300 400
544,068
1,920 x 1,080, Ultra High settings, High AA
CyberPower Infinity X125 VR 51fps 70fps
0 30 60 90 120
HANDBRAKE H.264
VIDEO ENCODING
0 30 60 90 120
CYBERPUNK 2077

247,082
0 30 60 90 120
HEAVY MULTI-
TASKING
expand with a large graphics card, a 280mm radiator and 2,560 x 1,440, Ultra preset, no ray tracing
more storage options. CyberPower Infinity X125 VR 33fps 38fps
217,922
Finally, CyberPower’s machine has a five-year labour 0 30 60 90 120
warranty with two years of parts protection and six
METRO EXODUS
months of collect and return service, but Wired2Fire 1,920 x 1,080, Ultra, HairWorks off, Advanced PhysX off, High RT
offers the same labour and parts coverage, and two years CyberPower Infinity X125 VR 31fps 48fps SYSTEM
of collect and return service. SCORE
0 30 60 90 120
2,560 x 1,440, Ultra, HairWorks off, Advanced PhysX off, High RT
PERFORMANCE CyberPower Infinity X125 VR 27fps 42fps
The overclocked RTX 3060 is a decent 1080p gaming
0 30 60 90 120
card. It played Cyberpunk 2077 with a smooth 99th
percentile result of 52fps, and returned similar pace in
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – proof that this GPU will play
big-name games at 1080p without fuss. Metro Exodus
with High ray tracing was the only test where the GPU CONCLUSION
couldn’t attain a 60fps average at 1080p, but activating There’s plenty to like about this £1,399 PC. CyberPower’s
DLSS took that average from 48fps to 57fps. Infinity X125 VR has rock-solid 1080p gaming pace and
The CyberPower’s Doom Eternal average of 260fps enough CPU power for everyday computing. Elsewhere,
shows you can run undemanding games in sync its SSD array, modular power supply, warranty and case
with monitors with high refresh rates too. This PC’s all impress. Wired2Fire’s cheaper rival has marginally
performance can’t quite compare with that of the more gaming power and remains a great choice if you PERFORMANCE
Wired2Fire rig, though, being consistently a couple of
frames per second behind.
want affordable mainstream gaming ability, but it’s
weaker in other areas.
20/25
CyberPower’s system gains ground on the Wired2Fire Despite those weaknesses, though, the Wired2Fire’s DESIGN
in application benchmarks, with marginally improved
performance in our Handbrake video encoding test and
lower price makes it a much more tempting budget
gaming rig. CyberPower’s machine is a tad too expensive,
20/25
our heavy multi-tasking benchmark. Its overall score of but the Infinity X125 VR uses its higher budget to deliver HARDWARE
217,922 is 3 per cent faster than the cheaper Wired2Fire
system. That’s welcome, but it’s not a game-changing
a well-rounded specification and a better chassis. It’s a
solid, affordable 1080p gaming machine with reasonable
21/25
result – the Core i5-12400F is fine for gaming, but you’ll room for future expansion, but it’s a bit too expensive for VALUE
want a more powerful CPU if you run a lot of heavily multi-
threaded content creation software.
the core spec.
MIKE JENNINGS
20/25
The CyberPower performed well in thermal tests too, OVERALL SCORE
81%
despite its modest cooling setup. Its CPU and GPU delta
Ts of 49°C and 36°C are solid, and there was no throttling. VERDICT
The PC is extremely quiet during gameplay as well, and More expensive than the competition, but this PC supplies
it’s only a bit louder when tackling tough work tasks. solid mainstream gaming power and a well-rounded design.
39
MINI-ITX GAMING PC
CHILLBLAST
FUSION TORRENT
MINI /£2,399 inc VAT
SUPPLIER chillblast.com
C
hillblast’s latest small
form factor system uses
the Fractal Design Torrent
tom P
Mini, and that’s a brilliant start – it
looks fantastic with its white
us
C
180mm intake fan glowing through
the front panel’s deep slats. The
good looks continue elsewhere, thanks
PP
D
ROV E
A
to the Torrent’s dark glass side panels,
SPEC and build quality is consistently excellent.
CPU Measuring 374mm tall and 417mm long, the
3.6GHz Intel Core i7-12700K Nano isn’t the smallest mini-ITX case, but it’s excellent all-rounder thanks to its eight P-Cores and
tom P
Motherboard
Gigabyte B660I
still compact enough to fit into tight spaces,
such as a cramped desk setup. On the inside, the
5GHz Turbo boost speed.
us
This rig’s 32GB of DDR4 memory runs at a solid
C
Aorus Pro DDR4
Memory
2.5-slot graphics card dominates the bottom of 3200MHz, and its 1TB Seagate FireCuda SSD delivered
32GB Corsair Vengeace RGB the chassis, while above it, you’ll find a Noctua speedy read and write speeds of 7,076MB/sec and
Pro SL 3200MHz DDR4 NH-U12S CPU cooler with two 120mm fans. 5,853MB/sec. It’s all protected by a superb warranty
IT
Graphics
Gigabyte GeForce
The interior is cramped, but Chillblast has CU ST
OM K
too – Chillblast now offers three years of on-site service
RTX 3080 10GB
done a brilliant job of keeping cables tidy, and covering parts and labour covered, followed by two years
Storage
you can still reach the memory slots and SATA of labour support.
ports, although you’ll have to remove the CPU The Gigabyte B660I Aorus Pro motherboard’s feature
1TB Seagate FireCuda
tom P
530 M.2 SSD
Networking
cooler to reach the top M.2 slot.
The wiring remains impeccable around the
us
set impresses too, with 2.5Gbps Ethernet, dual-band
802.11ax Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.2. At the rear, it has single
c
2.5Gbps Ethernet, dual-band

802.11ax Wi-FI, Bluetooth 5.2
rear, and there are helpful features around the USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C ports, and six more USB C
A
EXT
Case
case, including a soundproofed 3.5in hard disk ports of varying speeds. The board looks great too, and its
TR
Fractal Design Torrent Nano bay in the roof and two 2.5in mounts behind the rear I/O panel has a hefty pre-installed shield.
Cooling motherboard tray. RE L
There are limitations to this small board though. It only
CPU: Noctua NH-U12S with It’s all powered by an excellent Corsair ME U
has two DIMM slots and one M.2 connector, for example,
2 x 120mm fans; GPU: 3 x
90mm fans; front: 1 x 180mm RM850 PSU, which has an 80 Plus Gold and it’s not unusual to find two of the latter on mini-ITX
efficiency rating, and its fully modular design products. The PCI-E slot doesn’t support PCI-E 5 either,
fan; rear: 1 x 120mm fan
tom P
Ports
Front: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1
means Chillblast avoids unnecessary cables.
We only have one minor issue with this case,
us
and you’re restricted to DDR4 rather than DDR5.
Meanwhile, the reliance on Intel’s B660 chipset means
c
Type-C, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2

x audio; rear: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen which is that getting those side panels free you can overclock the memory, but not the CPU, and the
E
PRE
2 Type-C, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, involves sliding off the roof and releasing the board only has two audio outputs alongside an optical
AD
4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2, screws, which is a bit tedious.

1 x optical S/PDIF, 2 x audio M
Operating system
Still, that’s a small price to pay to have a
robust, good-looking and tidy mini PC case, and
WATERFALL
+ Good-looking, robust build
DROUGHT
- IUM GR
Pricier than competitors
Windows 11 Home 64-bit
Warranty Chillblast has done a great job with the spec too. + Great gaming and - M
issing motherboard features
The Gigabyte-made RTX 3080 rattles along processing power
Three years on-site parts
tom P
and labour, plus two years
labour only return to base
with an overclocked boost speed of 1800MHz, + Consistently quiet
us
and the Intel Core i7-12700K is a reliably + Excellent warranty
c
C
AL
PR
40
FE IO
N
O
DOOM ETERNAL
Chillblast Fusion Torrent Mini
0
100
232fps
200 300
358fps
400 77,281
GIMP IMAGE
Chillblast Fusion Torrent Mini 129fps 208fps EDITING
0 100 200 300 400


0 30
68fps
60 90
91fps
120
970,452
3,840 x 2,160, Ultra High settings, High AA HANDBRAKE H.264
VIDEO ENCODING
Chillblast Fusion Torrent Mini 47fps 61fps
0 30 60 90 120
341,981
CYBERPUNK 2077

0 30 60 90 120
S/PDIF. These restrictions aren’t problematic at the HEAVY MULTI-
3,840 x 2,160, Ultra preset, no ray tracing TASKING
moment, given that no PCI-E 5 graphics cards exist yet,
and that manually overclocking the Core i7-12700K CPU
0 30 60 90 120
357,187
is arguably pointless for most people anyway, but they’re
METRO EXODUS
worth bearing in mind. 2,560 x 1,440, Ultra, HairWorks off, Advanced PhysX off, High RT
Despite those minor issues, Chillblast’s rig remains a Chillblast Fusion Torrent Mini 52fps 88fps
great combination of parts. It’s pricey at £2,399, though, 0 30 60 90 120 SYSTEM
and your budget could stretch further if you consider SCORE
3,840 x 2,160, Ultra, HairWorks off, Advanced PhysX off, High RT
larger ATX PCs. The Gladiator Nocturnal is our favourite 32fps 49fps
quiet PC, for example – its motherboard has PCI-E 5 and 0 30 60 90 120
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support, and it costs £2,176 inc VAT with
a Core i7-12700K and RTX 3080.
PERFORMANCE
The overclocked RTX 3080 delivered a 99th percentile gameplay the noise levels are moderate and consistent,
minimum of 47fps in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla at 4K, and the Chillblast hardly makes any noise at all during
and it hit a 35fps 99th percentile in CyberPunk 2077 with creative workloads.
Medium ray tracing and Balanced DLSS. Also, while the
Chillblast’s 4K 99th percentile result in Metro Exodus with CONCLUSION
High ray tracing isn’t great at 32fps, that figure improves to The Chillblast Fusion Torrent Mini is one of the best
45fps with DLSS enabled. mini-ITX gaming PCs around today. Its RTX 3080 and
These are tough game tests, though, and if you really i7-12700K handle high-end gameplay and tough creative PERFORMANCE
want to play at 4K, you’re better off paying the extra
money for the RTX 3080 Ti. If you’re playing at 2,560 x
tasks, the chassis is excellent, and the Fusion Torrent
Mini slashes through benchmarks without making much
22/25
1,440, though, the Fusion Torrent Mini storms it. This mini noise. The motherboard has good connections and the DESIGN
PC averaged 358fps in Doom Eternal at this resolution,
with a 232fps 99th percentile results – great if you have a
warranty is excellent.
As ever, mini-ITX builds have foibles. The motherboard
23/25
monitor with a high refresh rate. Its results in our other test doesn’t have futuristic features, and the Chillblast is pricier HARDWARE
games were also superb at this resolution.
We have no concerns about the Core i7-12700K CPU
than similarly specified rivals. However, if you’re not
fussed about having PCI-E 5 and DDR5 support, and you
21/25
either. The Chillblast’s overall benchmark result of 357,187 want a fast, compact, and quiet system, the Chillblast is VALUE
outpaces machines based on AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900X.
For gaming, content creation and multi-tasking, it’s an
easily worth the comparatively high price.
MIKE JENNINGS
19/25
excellent chip for most people’s needs. OVERALL SCORE
85%
Impressively, the Chillblast has solid thermal abilities
too. The CPU and GPU delta Ts of 59°C and 49°C are great, VERDICT
and the CPU’s respective multi-core and single-core Great performance inside a robust, smart and good-looking
peak speeds of 4.7GHz and 5GHz are perfect. During case – it’s worth the comparatively high price.
41
R E V I E WS / CUSTOM KIT
Custom kit
Phil Hartup checks out the latest gadgets, gizmos and geek toys
Rii USB MOUSE JIGGLER /£10.99 inc VAT
There are several different approaches to simulate a person using

a computer when nobody is really there, from securing a control pad
stick with a rubber band (don’t do that, it’s bad for the pad), weighing
down keyboard keys and sitting your mouse on a device that literally
jiggles it about. The Rii USB Mouse Jiggler takes a much subtler and
sophisticated approach, with a USB device that’s smaller than its
own plug.
The Rii moves the mouse cursor on its own, so there’s no need
to move the mouse or have the mouse moved for you when you’re
absent. What makes this much subtler than traditional methods a game that might want to kick you out for disappearing for ten
is that it doesn’t use continuous inputs – you get a tiny, almost minutes. The movement itself is subtle enough you could even get
imperceptible flicker of movement once every two minutes while away with having it plugged in while playing, but the nagging concern
the device is installed. that your mouse is going to flinch every so often may be unpalatable
More complicated methods of detecting inactivity, if somebody for some players.
were inclined to employ them, might easily recognise the small
regular movement as mechanical, but it’s easy enough to flummox AWOL AFK
MOBVOI EARBUDS ANC /£49.99 inc VAT
SUPPLIER mobvoi.com
Mobvoi’s ANC earbuds are relatively large, and as as clearly as if you didn’t have earbuds in your
such, are easy to fit without accidentally pressing ears at all.
buttons or knocking them loose, making The sound quality is excellent for music
them comfortable as a result. Their active and calls, and the earbuds can bring a
noise cancelling itself isn’t as aggressive lot of clarity and volume. There’s also
as that of some earbuds – even on its a suite of voice commands, and the
highest setting (called Quiet), there’s no earbuds can interact with a phone’s
problem hearing cars, people, alarms smart assistant, which is a helpful
and so on. accompaniment to the button
This means the earbuds are fine for interface, which is both simple and
use out and about, where completely comprehensive. Battery life is around
negating your sense of hearing for the seven hours with 21 more hours stored in
sake of your tunes might be risky, the charging case. The Mobvoi Earbuds ANC
but it also means you don’t have the lack some of the finer attention to design detail
option to just drown out all the noise you would expect from higher-end earbuds, but the
around you. There’s also a sound quality is otherwise solid for the money.
pass-through mode, which allows you
to hear every sound around you, almost Mob rule Mobvoi
42
tom P
us
C
PP
D
E
A
CORSAIR iCUE LC100 LIGHTING PANELSR O V
/ STARTER KIT £99.99 inc VAT; EXPANSION KIT £79.99 inc VAT tom P
us
C
SUPPLIER corsair.com/uk
IT
CU
Science hasn’t yet discovered the point at which it can be said a PC ST
has too many lights, although the Corsair iCUE LC100 Lighting Panels OM K
look potentially push the limit. The iCUE LC100 system is built around There’s an
triangular RGB panels, each one containing nine RGB LEDs. You get immediate stom P
nine panels in the Starter Kit, one of which is a main panel, which is the and comforting
u
C
point of connection for the power and control wires, then you get eight easiness to the process of setting
A
EXT
other panels to attach to it with magnetic connectors. up the panels themselves. You easily can
TR
The magnets enable the panels to easily attach to any steel surface R Eplace, withL each one having two powered sides for
tile them into
inside your case. In addition to the regular connectors, you also get two connecting. What’s
U because it’s all done with magnets, no
M E more,
slightly larger versions of the connector on each panel, which allow mistake is permanent.
you to hinge a pattern of connected panels over a 90-degree angle. tom
The trickierspart P setup lies with hooking up the power and
of the
You get the same array of panels in the Expansion Kit, but without the
u
control system – the Lighting Node Pro needs to hook up to a USB
C
Lighting Node Pro, which is the controller and the means by which the header on your motherboard for control, and then it draws power
E
PRE
whole system interfaces with the iCUE software. from a SATA connector. The main panel also needs a SATA connector
AD
for power,M and R pair of three-pin ports on the Lighting
I Uone ofGthe
Node, so there’s M some wiring that you’ll need to tuck away in your
case somewhere.
The effectus om Pin use is amazing – there’s a muted tone to the
oftthem
panels that diffuses and softens the individual LEDs, allowing for
c
C
flowing colour transitions and patterns. Used in coordination with other
AL
PR
iCUE devices, you can set these patterns to carry across different parts
F E but even
of your system, on its own the LC100 is very cool. The iCUE
SSIO
N
O
LC100 Lighting Panels are a great way to cram more lumens into a PC
– they’re entirely unnecessary, but they look lovely.
Should we do it? Can we do it?
AUSKANG POWER BANK /£18.99 inc VAT
The Auskang power bank attempts to cram as much battery

capacity into the most efficient shape possible. As such, what
you get is a flat rectangular device roughly the same width as a
smartphone, but slightly shorter and narrower – an ideal size to
share a pocket with one in fact. With a capacity of 5,000mAh, the
Auskang carries enough charge to refill a Galaxy S21 or Google
Pixel 5 with around 20 per cent left over.
One of the ways the Auskang saves space is that, unlike more
versatile self-contained power banks, it only has one connector, supplied for this purpose. Paring back the features to focus on
in this case a USB Type-C port, although different versions with necessities works well for the Auskang – there’s very little to it but
different connections are also available. This is a limiting factor, but that’s enough.
it also streamlines the design. There also isn’t a built-in connector
to charge the bank itself, although a Type-A-to-Type-C cable is Features Focus
Seen something worthy of appearing in Custom Kit? Send your suggestions to phil.hartup@gmail.com
43
R E V I E WS / HOW WE TEST
How we test
MOTHERBOARDS MONITORS
TEST PROCESSORS We test image quality with an X-Rite
Angle-right Intel LGA1700 Intel Core i5-12600K iDisplay Pro colorimeter and
Angle-right Intel LGA1200 Intel Core i9-11900K DisplayCal software to check for colour
Angle-right AMD AM4 AMD Ryzen 9 5900X accuracy, contrast and gamma, while assessing more subjective
details such as pixel density and viewing angles by eye. For
Common test hardware between our CPU test rigs includes a gaming, we test a monitor’s responsiveness subjectively and then
WD Red SN750 SSD, along with a WD Black SN850 SSD to test also use Blur Buster’s excellent ghosting UFO test to check the
the speed of M.2 ports, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070. We use sharpness of the display in high-speed motion.
16GB (2 x 8GB) of Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 3466MHz DDR4
RAM, or 32GB (2 x 16GB) of Kingston Fury 5200MHz DDR5 RAM.
All CPUs are cooled by a Corsair Hydro-X water-cooling loop
with two XR5 240mm radiators, an XD3 RGB reservoir and an
XC7 RGB waterblock. We test with our RealBench suite and Far
Cry 6 on Windows 11. We also test each board’s M.2 ports, and
record the noise level and dynamic range of integrated audio CPU COOLERS
using RightMark Audio Analyzer.
We use CoreTemp to measure the CPU temperature, before
subtracting the ambient air temperature from this figure to give
us a delta T result, which enables us to test in a lab that isn’t
PROCESSORS temperature controlled. We use Prime95’s smallest FFT test
with AVX instructions disabled to load the CPU and take the
TEST MOTHERBOARDS temperature reading after ten minutes.
Angle-right Intel LGA1700 For the Intel LGA1200 system, we take an average reading
Asus ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi across all eight cores, and for the LGA1700 system, we take an
Angle-right Intel LGA1200 MSI MEG Z490 Ace average reading across both the P-Cores and E-Cores. AMD’s
Angle-right AMD AM4 MSI MPG Gaming B550 Carbon WiFi CPUs only report a single temperature reading, rather than per-
Angle-right AMD AM4 APU MSI MEG X570 Unify core readings, so we list what’s reported in CoreTemp.
Common gear includes a 2TB Samsung 970 Evo SSD and TEST KIT
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 FE graphics card. For LGA1700 CPUs, Fractal Design Meshify C case, 16GB of Corsair Vengeance RGB
we use 32GB (2 x 16GB) of Kingston Fury 5200MHz DDR5 Pro memory, 256GB Samsung 960 Evo SSD, Corsair CM550 PSU.
RAM and a Thermaltake Toughliquid Ultra 360 CPU cooler. For
other systems, we use 16GB (2 x 8GB) of Corsair Vengeance INTEL LGA1700
RGB Pro 3466MHz RAM and a Corsair Hydro-X water-cooling Intel Core i9-12900K at stock speed, Asus ROG Maximus Z690
loop, with two XR5 240mm radiators, an XD3 RGB reservoir Apex motherboard.
and an XC7 RGB waterblock.
We use the latest version of Windows 11 with security INTEL LGA1200
updates, plus the latest BIOS versions and drivers. We record Intel Core i9-11900K at stock speed with Adaptive Boost
results at stock and overclocked speeds, and tests include our enabled, MSI MEG Z590 Ace motherboard.
RealBench suite, Cinebench, Far Cry 6 and Dirt 5.
For games, we record the 99th percentile and average frame AMD AM4
rates either using the game’s built-in benchmark or Nvidia Ryzen 7 5800X overclocked to 4.6GHz with 1.25V vcore, or
FrameView. Finally, we note the idle and load power draw of the Ryzen 5 5600X overclocked to 4.6GHz with 1.25V vcore on low-
whole system, using Prime95’s smallfft test with AVX disabled. profile coolers, MSI MEG X570 Unify motherboard.
44
tom
ustom P
usstom PP
cc c
C CC
u
P
DD D
P PP R O VEE
A AA
P P ROV E
ROV
tom
ustom P
usstom PP
cc c
C CC
AWARDS
u
I TI TI T
C UC CU U
GRAPHICS CARDS S K
S TT O M K
STOM K
OM
tom
We mainly evaluate graphics ustom P EXTREME ULTRA
usstom PP
cc c
C CC
cards on the performance they u Some products are gloriously over the top. They
RA
EX
offer for the price. However, we don’t always offer amazing value, but they’re
AA
E EX
R
R EE M E ULL
T XT T
T RT
outstanding if you have money to spend.
also consider the efficacy and
TR
REM E UL
noise of the cooler, as well as the ME U
tom
GPU’s support for new gaming features, such as ray tracing. ustom P
usstom PP PREMIUM GRADE
cc c
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Every graphics card is tested in the same PC, so the results are u
Premium Grade products are utterly desirable,
EE
PP
ED
RP
directly comparable. Each test is run three times, and we report M offering a superb balance of performance and
DDA
ERRE E
M I U M GRR
AA
the average of those results. We test at 1,920 x 1,080, 2,560 x MIUM GR features without an over-the-top price.
IUM G
1,440 and 3,840 x 2,160, using an AOC U28G2XU monitor. tom
ustom P
usstom PP
cc c
C CC
u PROFESSIONAL
TEST KIT These products might not be appropriate for a
L LA L
PR
PP
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, 16GB (2 x 8GB) of Corsair Vengeance F gaming rig, but they’ll do an ace job at
F EE S SIIOO
NN N
OR R
AA
OO
RGB Pro SL 3600MHz DDR4 memory, Asus ROG Strix B550-E FESSIO workstation tasks.
SS
Gaming motherboard, Thermaltake Floe Riing 240 CPU cooler,
Corsair RM850 PSU, Cooler Master MasterCase H500M case, tom
ustom PP APPROVED
AOC U28G2XU monitor, Windows 10 Professional 64-bit. cc us
CC
Approved products do a great job for the
money; they’re the canny purchase for a
GAME TESTS PP great PC setup.
DD
ROV E
AA
PP
Cyberpunk 2077 Tested at the Ultra quality preset and Medium ROV E
ray tracing preset if the GPU supports it. We run a custom tom
ustom PP
benchmark involving a 60-minute repeatable drive around Night us CUSTOM KIT
cc
CC
City, and record the 99th percentile and average frame rates For those gadgets and gizmos that really
I TI T
CC
from Nvidia FrameView. ST impress us, or that we can’t live without,

OM K
UU
ST
OM K there’s the Custom Kit award.
tom
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Tested at Ultra High settings with ustom PP
us
cc
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resolution scaling set to 100 per cent. We run the game’s built-in
CUSTOM PC REALBENCH
AA
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benchmark, and record the 99th percentile and average frame

XX
TR
R
R EE M E U LL
TR
TT
rates with Nvidia FrameView.

ME U
Our own benchmark suite, co-developed with Asus, is
to
st om P
Doom Eternal Tested at Ultra Nightmare settings, with resolution m P to gauge a PC’s performance in several key areas,
udesigned
us
cc
CC
scaling disabled. We run a custom benchmark in the opening using open source software.
EE
PP
AD
RR
level of the campaign, and record the 99th percentile and M

AD
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I U M G RR
MGIMP
average frame rates with Nvidia FrameView. This test requires a IU IMAGE EDITING
M G
minimum of 8GB of graphics card memory to run, so it can’t be Wetouse
m P GIMP to open and edit large images, heavily stressing
run on 6GB cards. usstom P core to gauge single-threaded performance. This
uone CPU
cc
CC
test responds well to increases in CPU clock speed.

LL
PP
AA
Metro Exodus Tested at Ultra settings with no ray tracing and

R OR O
FE IO
NN
SS O
FHANDBRAKE
both Advanced PhysX and HairWorks disabled. We then test it ES SI H.264 VIDEO ENCODING
again with High ray tracing if the GPU supports it. We run the Our heavily multi-threaded Handbrake H.264 video encoding
game’s built-in benchmark, and report the 99th percentile and test takes full advantage of many CPU cores, pushing them to
average frame rates. 100 per cent load.
POWER CONSUMPTION LUXMARK OPENCL

We run Metro Exodus at This LuxRender-based test shows a GPU’s compute
Ultra settings with High performance. As this is a niche area, the result from this test
ray tracing at 2,560 x has just a quarter of the weighting of the other tests in the
1,440, and measure the final system score.
power consumption of our
whole graphics test rig at the HEAVY MULTI-TASKING
mains, recording the peak This test plays a full-screen 1080p video, while running a
power draw. Handbrake H.264 video encode in the background.
45
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47
L A B S T E ST / 240MM LIQUID COOLERS
L A B S T E ST
My loops
are sealed
Antony Leather puts seven of the latest 240mm
AIO liquid coolers to the test
How we test
2
40mm all-in-one units are de facto standard for sealed- For our AMD system, we used an MSI MEG X570 Unify
loop liquid cooling these days, and for good reason. Their motherboard, along with a Ryzen 7 5800X overclocked to 4.6GHz
large radiators offer ample cooling for any mainstream using 1.25V vcore, and 16GB of Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4
desktop CPU, and usually enough cooling headroom to allow its fans memory. Alongside these components sit a 256GB Samsung 960
to spin at lower speeds than 140mm or 120mm AIO liquid coolers. As Evo and Corsair CM550 PSU. Both systems are housed in a Fractal
a result, there’s a lot of variation in terms of pumps and fans between Design Meshify C case, and use the latest versions of Windows, plus
models, as manufacturers make use of this headroom to offer either the latest BIOS updates and driver versions.
better cooling or lower noise levels. We use CoreTemp to measure the CPU temperature, before
To differentiate products, RGB lighting, software control and snazzy subtracting the ambient air temperature from this result to give
designs are all in the mix, but this month we have a bunch of coolers us a delta T, which allows us to test in a lab that isn’t temperature
all vying for your wallet in different ways at a variety of prices. We’ll be controlled. We use Prime95’s smallest FFT test with AVX instructions
putting them to the test on both AMD’s Socket AM4 as well as Intel’s disabled to load the CPU and take the reading after ten minutes.
new LGA1700 socket, using adaptor kits where needed or checking To iron out any hot-running cores that might skew the results in
performance with the cooler’s existing kit where one isn’t available. our Intel LGA1700 system, we take an average temperature across
We used an Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Apex motherboard in the all-important P-Cores for the performance data. AMD only lists a
our Intel system, along with a stock speed Core i9-12900K, letting single temperature reading, so we list what’s reported in CoreTemp.
its boosting algorithms do their job rather than applying a manual We calculate the final scores based on cooling performance, noise,
overclock, which can lead to slower performance in some situations. features, ease of installation and value, with a weighted calculation
We also used 32GB of Corsair DDR5 Dominator memory. giving an overall score.
Contents
Angle-right ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 RGB /p49 Angle-right NZXT Kraken Z53 RGB / p53
Angle-right Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix / p50 Angle-right Phanteks Glacier One 240 T30 / p54
Angle-right EK EK-AIO 240 Basic / p51 Angle-right Sapphire Nitro S240 / p56
Angle-right Lian Li Galahad SL 240 / p52
48
ARCTIC LIQUID
FREEZER II 240
RGB/£80 inc VAT
SUPPLIER scan.co.uk
I
t’s been a while since we’ve looked However, the
at an ARCTIC all-in-one liquid cooler, mounting
but we’re quite glad the venerable mechanism is
PC cooling manufacturer sent the Liquid quite large, so
Freezer II 240 RGB in for review this month, if you’re using
and for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s the a mini-ITX
cheapest AIO liquid cooler on test this month, motherboard H100i Elite Capellix and EK EK-AIO 240 Basic
and one of the more affordable 240mm with a cramped CPU socket area, or indeed shaving a few degrees off its temperatures,
coolers available right now as well. any motherboard where there isn’t much it was far quieter than the competition.
As with the standard Liquid Freezer II 240 room around the socket, it’s worth checking Combine this with its VRM fan, pre-
model we reviewed a while ago, we love the the dimensions on ARCTIC’s website, which installed RGB fans and super-tidy cables,
fact that the fan PWM cables run through the provides detailed measurements. and it’s an excellent choice, especially
tubes and down to the pump, giving you just a Part of the reason for the large size of the for the generous £80 price tag.
single cable that powers both pump the pump waterblock/pump unit is the inclusion of a fan We’d like to see some slightly more
and the fans, with no cables trailing off the that pushes air towards your VRMs in order to powerful fans included in future revisions,
radiator itself. What’s more, with the RGB and keep them cool. It’s a handy feature, especially but it’s otherwise it’s easily the 240mm
A-RGB versions of the Liquid Freezer II, the if you’ll be using a Core i9 CPU. You also get AIO liquid cooler we’d pick for a PC unless
RGB cables from the fans do the same. a tube of MX-5 thermal paste in the box, so you really needed software control
In addition, the fans are pre-mounted to you won’t need to buy any more paste if you or more extensive RGB lighting.
the cooler, so installation couldn’t be easier reinstall the cooler at a later date, perhaps
tom P
or neater. Meanwhile, the attractive braided after a CPU upgrade. us
c
tubes, chrome tube ends and radiator shroud The fans and pump proved to be very quiet VERDICT
give the whole setup a cleaner, chunkier in our testing, although the fans only peak at Very Pquiet
P R O Voperation, decent cooling power,
D
E
A
look than some other coolers. Our sample’s 1,800rpm, so there isn’t an enormous amount a tidy setup and a surprisingly reasonable
stom P
fans have standard RGB lighting, but the of cooling power on tap. The ARCTIC’s CPU price. uA great cooler for the money.
c
A-RGB version can offer more granular delta T of 56°C in our Socket AM4 system
INTEL LGA1700
IT
CU
lighting control, with both coolers needing and 55°C in our LGA1700 system were a ST
OM K
COOLING FEATURES OVERALL SCORE
your motherboard to control the LEDs, using few degrees off the top spots this month
33/40 14/20
85%
tom P
3-pin or 4-pin RGB headers respectively. as a result, but the cooler still kept both us
c
The Liquid Freezer II 240 RGB is compatible our overclocked Ryzen 7 5800X and Core DESIGN VALUE
A
EXT
om
RuEst P L
TR
with Intel’s new LGA1700 socket for 12th-gen i9-12900K below 80°C after our toasty
19/20ME U
19/20
c
CPUs out of the box, and is fairly easy to install ten-minute stress test.
tom
on both this socket and AMD’s Socket AM4. PuPs P
FITTING
D
ROV E
cA
Conclusion Easy
E
PRE
om
AD
Must P R
SPEC While the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 IUM G
c
RGB might not top the cooling performance

Intel compatibility LGA1700, LGA1200, stom P AMD SOCKET AM4
IT
CU
charts this month, with the Corsair iCUE Su T

OM K
c
LGA115x, LGA2066, LGA2011 COOLING FEATURES OVERALL SCORE

32/40 14/20
84%
AL
PR
stom P
Fu E
AMD compatibility Socket AM4 SSIO
N
cO
ARCTIC COOLING ARCTIC ROLL

DESIGN VALUE
A
EXT
Radiator size with fans (mm)

+ Pre-installed fans - Fans aren’t
TR
19/20 19/20
RE L
and cables very powerful ME U
120 x 277 x 63 (W x D x H)
Fans 2 x 120mm + Low noise - Limited RGB lighting us

tom P
FITTING
c
- Competition offers
+ Excellent value Easy
E
PRE
AD
Stated noise 0.3 sone better cooling M

IUM GR
tom P
us
c
49
AL
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FE
SSIO
N
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CORSAIR iCUE
H100i ELITE
CAPELLIX/£110 inc VAT
SUPPLIER ebuyer.com
C
orsair is the latest firm to jump on fans to your own
the integrated display bandwagon, liking, although
with its latest iCUE H100i Elite LCD all eventually
cooler sporting a screen on the waterblock/ spin up to
pump unit. What’s more, you can also buy this maximum speed. The Corsair was nearly on par with the
feature as an optional upgrade kit (£90 inc Corsair also includes an iCUE Sapphire Nitro S240, Phanteks Glacier One
VAT from corsair.com) for the H100i Elite Commander Core hub, which offers six 240 T30 and NZXT Kraken Z53 RGB in our
Capellix we’re reviewing here. That gives you individual fan channels and Corsair 4-pin AMD system too, shaving 5°C off the ARCTIC
room to upgrade at a later date and, what’s RGB ports, which you can use to control up Liquid Freezer II 240’s temperature, but was
more, the H100i Elite Capellix has had a to six RGB fans directly using a USB header only a degree cooler than the much cheaper
recent price drop, with units now going for and Corsair’s iCUE software. The latter can EK EK-AIO 240 Basic.
£110 inc VAT from ebuyer.com control most motherboard RGB headers, so
Corsair’s Capellix RGB LEDs occupy the while Corsair still mostly uses its own RGB Conclusion
fans and waterblock/pump unit, making connectors, it’s still possible to use standard If you want all the bells and whistles, Corsair’s
for an exceptionally vivid lighting display, 3-pin or 4-pin lighting hardware with iCUE H100i Elite Capellix has them, and it’s a
while the pump speed is slightly faster than using your motherboard. powerful cooler. It lacks the ARCTIC Liquid
the pumps on Corsair’s previous 240mm You have to deal with plenty of cable Freezer II 240’s out-of-the-box readiness,
models, and the fans are extremely powerful spaghetti with the H100i Elite Capellix, and it’s still a bit pricey, but it’s a great AIO
too, peaking at 2,400rpm. unlike the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 liquid cooler that also looks the business.
The fans and pump are also controlled RGB, but most of it trails from the fans to
according to the coolant temperature (rather the hub, as the pump has a single cable to
than the CPU temperature), ensuring they control speed and lighting. Two pump tops VERDICT
only spin up after sustained heavy loads. At are included too, with one allowing the inner There are better-value options available,
temperatures below 40°C, they can stop logo plus two outer rings to be illuminated, but this is still a seriously powerful, well-
tom P
spinning completely, and there are several while the other flips the lighting, and has us and
equipped great-looking cooler.
c
presets available to fine-tune the pump and the logo and rings in black, but allows the
INTEL LGA1700
lighting to spread over a much larger area. PP
D
E
A
ROV
Installation is simple, especially on Socket
36/40 19/20
83%
ELITE LITE tom P
AM4 motherboards, where the standard us
- Noisy at full speed
c
+ Powerful software mounting brackets are used, although you’ll DESIGN VALUE
- No extra
+ Detailed fan, light and 12/20 16/20
IT
CU
need to invest in an LGA1700 mounting kit ST

OM K
pump control thermal paste
if you want to use an Intel 12th-gen CPU.
+ Excellent cooling - Still a bit pricey There’s also a second set of fan screws, us
tom P
FITTING
c
allowing you to add a second row of fans, Easy

A
EXT
tom P
TR
RuEs
SPEC but sadly no extra thermal paste with ME U
L
c
the supplied paste pre-applied to the

Intel compatibility LGA1700 (with optional PuPs
tom
P AMD Socket AM4
contact plate.
D
ROV E
A
c
kit), LGA1200, LGA115x, LGA2066, LGA2011 COOLING FEATURES

When dealing with our Core i9-12900K, OVERALL SCORE
37/40 19/20
E
PRE
82%
tom P
AD
Mus
AMD compatibility Socket AM4, AM3, TR4/X only the Sapphire Nitro S240 and Phanteks IUM GR
c
Glacier One 240 T30 were cooler (and DESIGN VALUE

Radiator size with fans (mm) tom
10/20 16/20
s P
IT
CU
noisier), with the H100i Elite Capellix Su T

OM K
c
120 x 277 x 52 (W x D x H)
otherwise comfortably bettering the tom P
AL
PR
Fans 2 x 120mm ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 RGB and Lian us

FE FITTING
SSIO
N
cO
Li Galahad SL 240, although they were also Easy

A
EXT
TR
Stated noise 37dBA RE L

much quieter. ME U
tom P
us
c
50
E
PRE
AD
M
IUM GR
EK EK-AIO 240 BASIC/£83 inc VAT
C
ustom water-cooling hardware
manufacturer EK has dabbled in the
AIO liquid cooler market for a few
years, and has now settled on a traditional
design with a sealed loop, which comes in
either plain black design or with an RGB-
enabled pump and fans. It’s the former that
we’re reviewing here in the form of the
EK-AIO 240 Basic; if you’re not fussed at all
by multi-coloured flashing lights, this is the Elite Capellix, you get enough paste to cover
cooler to buy this month. several remounts or upgrades. Unlike the the EK-AIO 240 Basic gets our vote. It’s a
At a price of £83 inc VAT, it’s very ARCTIC cooler, though, you’ll need to buy an shame LGA1700 compatibility doesn’t come
reasonably priced too, shaving over £25 LGA1700 mounting kit for Intel’s 12th-gen as standard and the, and the waterblock/
off the price of the Corsair iCUE H100i Elite CPUs separately. On the plus side, it only costs pump unit is a bit large, but we can’t argue
Capellix, although it does lack software a couple of quid. with the cooling, build quality or price.
control and a fan hub. On the other side of the With no lighting on offer, you only need For most people, we’d still recommend
pricing fence, the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 to deal with the 4-pin PWM cables for the opting for the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II
RGB is actually slightly cheaper and includes pump and fans. The latter benefit from a 240 RGB, which offers a VRM cooling
RGB lighting, as well as expertly tidied cables PWM splitter cable, so you need just one fan, slightly lower noise levels and RGB
and pre-installed fans. However, the EK’s fan header on your motherboard to power lighting, as well as out-of-the-box LGA1700
fans are more powerful, which was our one them. Installation is simple as well, with the compatibility. However, the EK-AIO 240 Basic
complaint about the ARCTIC cooler. The EK’s EK-AIO 240 Basic having a straightforward remains a great choice if you like its classy
fans can hit 2,400rpm, which gives the cooler mounting mechanism for all sockets, using minimalist appearance.
some clout on high-end CPUs. thumbscrews, springs and a backplate.
It’s also extremely well made, with braided In terms of cooling power, the EK cooler’s
and highly flexible tubing, along with chrome- CPU delta T in our Intel system of 49°C beat VERDICT
plated end caps – it’s a premium look that the Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix and was Great cooling and quiet operation for a
helps to set the EK apart from other coolers. 6°C lower than the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II reasonable price – ideal if you’re not fussed
The black brushed cap on the pump will 240 RGB too. What’s more, it made a similarly about RGB lighting.
look great with any grey or black-themed low amount of noise to the latter, and it was
Intel LGA1700
motherboards. Just be aware that the large far quieter than the former. It wasn’t quite
waterblock/pump unit may be an issue on as potent in our AMD system, though, only
36/40 8/20
80%
some smaller motherboards when it comes offering a 4°C advantage over the ARCTIC
to clearance. cooler, and it was also bettered by the Corsair DESIGN VALUE
EK also includes a tube of high-
performance Thermal Grizzly thermal paste
cooler in this system, although again the
Corsair was much noisier.
18/20 18/20
tom P
in the box, so unlike the Corsair iCUE H100i us FITTING
c
Conclusion
PP
Easy
SPEC While the EK’s setup is as basic as liquid
D
ROV E
A
coolers come, if you don’t want RGB lighting

Intel compatibility LGA1700 (with optional tom P AMD Socket AM4
and just want a reasonably priced, good- us
c
kit), LGA1200, LGA115x, LGA2066, LGA2011 COOLING FEATURES OVERALL SCORE

performing, classy-looking AIO liquid cooler,
36/40 8/20
79%
IT
CU
AMD compatibility Socket AM4 ST

OM K

DESIGN
tom VALUE
EK EEK
17/20
us
18/20
P
+ Jet-black design - Rather basic
c
120 x 275 x 52 (W x D x H)
A
EXT
tom P
+ Reasonable price - No RGB lighting
TR
Rus
Fans 2 x 120mm EM E UL FITTING
c
Stated noise 34dBA

+ Great build quality - LGA1700 kit is
optional extra PuPs
tom
P Easy
D
ROV E
cA
C
E
PRE
tom P
AD
Mus
IUM GR
c
51
tom P
SusT
IT
CU
OM K
c
C
P
LIAN LI GALAHAD
SL 240MM/£140 inc VAT
T
he original Lian Li Galahad AIO liquid metal sheets with plenty of shiny
cooler was a favourite from our last bevelled edges, which you’ll also
240mm cooler group test, thanks to find on the fans and waterblock/
its stunning appearance, decent performance pump unit. It looks stunning. The
and reasonable price, but a lot has changed pump also sports RGB lighting, with
with the latest version. The Galahad SL a ring around its base and a dot display
240mm now costs £30 more than the in the cap, which is either partially covered by
original Galahad, which puts it at a distinct a Lian Li logo or by an aluminium cap that’s GALAHAD SIR ROBIN
disadvantage when it’s up against the Corsair included in the box. + Fantastic looks - Poor cooling
iCUE H100i Elite Capellix, which has received If you want to use an Intel 12th-gen CPU, + Innovative fan linking - Expensive
a sizeable price cut and retails for £30 less. then LGA1700 compatibility is all included + Software control - Software is a bit clunky
However, the Galahad SL 240mm sports in the box too, as is a tube of thermal
a number of upgrades this time. Its trump paste to cater for future CPU upgrades
cards are its Uni Fan SL120 fans, which offer or motherboard changes. The fans and really can’t be justified when it has such
stunning RGB lighting, and their slot-together pump proved to be reasonably quiet in lacklustre cooling performance. The Corsair
design that means only one PWM and RGB our testing as well, but the fan blades are iCUE H100i Elite Capellix is cheaper and a
cable is required for both fans. The pump significantly shorter than those on usual much better performer, while the ARCTIC
has both power and RGB cables trailing from 120mm fans, in order to make way for the Liquid Freezer II 240 RGB is cheaper and
it, though, so the cable setup isn’t quite as lighting components. cooler, while still offering RGB lighting.
slick as that of the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II Unfortunately, this arrangement with the
240 RGB, although the Lian Li does at least fan blades seems to hamper cooling, with
come with a software-controlled fan and the Lian Li’s best delta T result of 57°C (on our VERDICT
lighting hub. LGA1700 system) being 2°C warmer than A stunning-looking cooler, but its performance
Using a USB header cable and Lian Li’s that of the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 RGB, is let down by weak fans.
own software, you can individually control which is quieter and costs £60 less. Using the
Intel LGA1700
the digital RGB lighting of each fan, as well low speed setting in the software saw this
as the pump, and control the speeds as temperature rise by a further 4°C. It was again
32/40 14/20
70%
well. The software is quite basic, and no not able to better the cheaper ARCTIC cooler
match for Corsair’s powerful iCUE software, in our AMD system either, and the Corsair DESIGN VALUE
but it does the job.
Meanwhile, the cooler’s build quality is
iCUE H100i Elite Capellix was 6°C cooler in
this test as well.
13/20 11/20
superb, and the radiator is clad in brushed FITTING
Conclusion Easy
SPEC It’s hard not to be disappointed by the Lian
Li Galahad SL 240mm, especially when
Intel compatibility LGA 1700, LGA1200, AMD Socket AM4
its predecessor was one of our favourite
LGA115x, LGA2066, LGA2011 COOLING FEATURES
240mm AIO liquid coolers. Here, though, OVERALL SCORE
31/40 14/20
68%
AMD compatibility Socket AM4 Lian Li has largely sacrificed cooling for
aesthetics, and its SL fans appear to be DESIGN VALUE
124 x 273 x 52 (W x D x H)
quite compromised – their small fan
blades simply don’t push air at a rate that’s
12/20 11/20
Fans 2 x 120mm consistent with the noise they churn out. FITTING
Stated noise 32dBA
This, is a real shame, as every other aspect
of the cooler is fantastic, but its high price
Easy
52
NZXT KRAKEN
Z53 RGB/£230 inc VAT
SUPPLIER scan.co.uk
W
hile Corsair’s iCUE H100i Elite
Capellix flagship 240mm AIO liquid
cooler has seen a hefty price cut, the
same can’t be said for NZXT’s Kraken Z53 RGB a frightening amount of cable spaghetti,
White, which is currently the company’s though, and at this price, we expect more to be while making less noise too. However, both
priciest 240mm model. As a result, it will set done to limit the excessive cabling, especially the EK EK-AIO 240 Basic and iCUE H100i
you back over £200 and cost nearly three as ARCTIC did a great job with its cooler for Elite Capellix were never far away in terms of
times as much as the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II considerably less money. The pump section is temperature, and they both cost significantly
240 RGB or the EK EK-AIO 240 Basic. extremely large too, being too big to fit some less money.
NZXT hasn’t just slapped a randomly high mini-ITX motherboards, including the Asus
price on the box though – it's an extremely ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi. Conclusion
good-looking cooler that’s packed with the The highlight of the cooler, of course, is If it cost £150 instead of £230, we’d be all
latest tech. Its 120mm AER RGB fans sport its 2.36in customisable display mounted in over the NZXT Kraken Z53 RGB, but the
amazing lighting arrays and can be software- the waterblock/pump unit, which can cycle competition in this market segment is fierce
controlled using NZXT’s CAM software, as can through data inputs, such as GPU, CPU and and some coolers have even received price
the 7th-gen Asetek-derived pump. coolant temperature, as well as clock speed drops too. This makes the Kraken less of a
We haven’t had any issues with the latest and CPU load. You can also upload GIFs, and lustworthy item and more of a hideously
version of this software, but we’ve seen customise the display’s text, background and expensive one. It undoubtedly looks great, but
some complaints online about it being a little detail sections separately. there are numerous coolers that are better
buggy. The pump and fans can be controlled Corsair’s latest displays are even better, buys on test this month.
separately, either using Silent or Performance but they’re not included with the iCUE H100i
profiles, a fixed speed or your own custom Elite Capellix and are a £90 optional extra.
curve, using CPU, coolant or even GPU However, even adding this option would still VERDICT
temperatures to control them. make the Corsair cooler significantly cheaper Great cooling, lighting and software control,
Despite the fans sporting daisy-chained than the Kraken Z53 RGB. but it’s just too expensive.
RGB cables, you do still have to contend with Sadly, the included RGB hardware only
Intel LGA1700
features proprietary connectors too, so you
can’t connect it to standard 3-pin or 4-pin
36/40 19/20
75%
THE KRAKEN BUBO THE OWL
controllers on your motherboard.
+ Excellent cooling - Expensive Meanwhile, the speed profiles on offer vary DESIGN VALUE
+ Brilliant fan and - Proprietary RGB
lighting control connectors
the fan and pump speeds, but even the Silent
profile will eventually ramp up to maximum
12/20 8/20
+ Great-looking display - Lots of cables speed at around 60°C, sitting at lower noise FITTING
levels below this temperature.
On the plus side, an extra set of fan screws
Easy
SPEC
is included if you want to install a second row
Intel compatibility LGA1700, LGA115x, AMD Socket AM4
of fans on the radiator. What’s more, Intel’s
LGA1200, LGA2066, LGA2011 COOLING FEATURES OVERALL SCORE
new LGA1700 socket for 12th-gen CPUs are
38/40 19/20
75%
AMD compatibility Socket AM4, AM3+, TRX/4 usually supported out of the box too, with all
coolers manufactured this year including a DESIGN VALUE
123 x 275 x 55 (W x D x H)
new installation kit.
Cooling from the Kraken Z53 RGB was
10/20 8/20
Fans 2 x 120mm excellent on both our CPU sockets, even FITTING
Stated noise 33dBA
matching the mighty Sapphire Nitro S240 in
our AMD system with a CPU delta T of 50°C,
Easy
53
PHANTEKS
GLACIER ONE
240 T30/£160 inc VAT
A
s its name suggests, the Phanteks
Glacier One 240 T30 comes with
Phanteks’ new T30 120mm fans,
which have received rave reviews and we can The rest of the cooler is the same as Conclusion
see why. They’re fantastically well made and Phanteks’ previous designs, though, with an The Phanteks certainly has formidable
they shift a huge amount of air, not only for identical PWM-controlled 7th-generation cooling, and it comes at a cost in terms of price
the amount of noise produced, but also in Asetek pump, and Phanteks hasn’t yet added and noise, but even at lower speeds, it’s still a
absolute terms. While there’s no software LGA1700 support to its liquid coolers either. match for the best-performing coolers on test
control for the pump or fans, each fan has a Instead, a mounting kit is available for free this month.
switch to toggle between Advanced, by contacting its customer support, or you The price for the Phanteks Glacier One 240
Performance and Hybrid modes. can buy one for a few quid from retailers or T30 is steep, though, especially given that the
The latter cuts the rpm to zero until a 50 per is included (overclockers.co.uk will include Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix was never
cent PWM signal is applied, before spinning one if you buy the Glacier One 240 T30 too). more than a few degrees off the pace and
up to a lowly peak of 1,200rpm. Performance Thankfully, installation is straightforward on costs significantly less money.
mode raises the speed steadily to 2,000rpm all sockets, with the familiar Asetek mounting The Phanteks is most at home when it's
and Advanced mode peaks at an unpleasantly mechanism making use of backplates, pins dealing with significant amounts of heat, so if
noisy 3,000rpm, but this gives you a huge and thumbscrews. you want the ability to tap into some extreme
range of speeds with which to play. As expected, the Phanteks’ performance cooling, the Phanteks is by far the most
The benefit here is that each setting offers a was exceptional, although we couldn’t help powerful 240mm liquid cooler we’ve tested,
maximum sound level and rpm speed, as well feeling that a more powerful pump could but you have to pay for it.
as an easy way to control fan speed ranges. have yielded even better performance.
That said, we recommend that anyone who’s Still, in Advanced mode it was the best-
familiar with their motherboard’s EFI should performing cooler on test, with CPU delta VERDICT
just opt for the 3,000rpm mode and fine-tune Ts of 49°C and 45°C in our AMD and Intel Monstrous cooling power, but it’s expensive
their fan speeds in the EFI themselves. systems respectively, outpacing the Sapphire compared with the competition.
In addition to the high-performance fans, Nitro S240 and bettering the ARCTIC Liquid
Intel LGA1700
the radiator is also much thicker than the Freezer II 240 RGB and Corsair iCUE H100i
others on test, sitting at 38mm deep, while Elite Capellix by wide margins. However, it
38/40 14/20
77%
most others are around 10mm thinner. This was extremely noisy at this setting, which
allows the radiator to dissipate more heat, we certainly wouldn’t recommend using for DESIGN VALUE
thanks to an increased surface area, and make
real use of its powerful fans, which can then
everyday computing.
Dropping to Performance mode and cutting
14/20 11/20
properly push air through the extra thickness. 1,000rpm from the fan speeds saw it match FITTING
the Corsair cooler in our AMD system, with
a delta T of 51°C and hit the same 49°C delta
Easy
SPEC
Intel compatibility LGA1700 (with T as the EK EK-AIO 240 Basic in our Intel
AMD Socket AM4
optional mounting kit), LGA1200, system, with comparable noise levels.
38/40 14/20
LGA115x, LGA2066, LGA2011
AMD compatibility Socket AM4, TR4/X

120 x 273 x 63 (W x D x H)
GLACIER
+ Fabulous fans
+ Extreme cooling
ICE CUBE
- Poor value
- No LGA1700
compatibility as
DESIGN
12/20
VALUE
11/20
FITTING
75%
Fans 2 x 120mm + Snazzy RGB lighting standard
Stated noise 40dBA - Noisy at high speeds Easy
54
Join us as we lift the lid
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The designer who created a
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LEAP IN
Composer Richard
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The rise and rise
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T HE DARK
Our pick of the most
GAME BOY
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HUMANS VS MACHINES IN A BLACKLY COMIC FIRST-PERSON SATIRE

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SAPPHIRE NITRO
S240/£130 inc VAT
S
apphire is a brand that we normally
associate with graphics cards, but
the innovative AMD GPU partner is
now branching out into the liquid cooler scene, speed. The fans have both speed and RGB
and the Nitro S240 seems like a decent first lighting signals sent over a single cable to
effort, featuring an attractive RGB-enabled reduce clutter, but with six cables running
pump and powerful 2,400rpm RGB fans. off the pump, you’ll need to spend some
The pump is the same 7th-generation time reducing cable tangles around your to have running in your PC at full speed. It’s
Asetek design as we’ve seen on other coolers motherboard’s CPU socket. cheaper than the Phanteks Glacier One 240
this month, such as the Phanteks Glacier The cooler is powered by a single SATA T30, but if we wanted the best cooling, we’d
One 240 T30, but we’re happy to report that, connector, while the RGB lighting is controlled opt for the Phanteks, which is even cooler and
unlike Phanteks, Sapphire includes LGA1700 using a standard 3-pin connector, so you can is also still excellent at its lower fan speeds,
mounting components in the box. link it to your motherboard or use a separate where it was quieter than the Nitro S240.
Sapphire also offers useful measurements RGB controller. The lighting is very bright and Meanwhile, if you want RGB lighting, the
for the waterblock/pump section, which is vibrant too, giving Corsair and NZXT a run Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix is a better
quite hefty, and the company's web page for their money this month, with beautifully buy, saving you some cash while still offering
(sapphiretech.com) needs to be a first port of diffusing fan blades. This is where the extras decent cooling and full software control.
call for anyone with a mini-ITX motherboard, end, though, as there are no additional fan However, this is a superb first effort for
so you can make sure it fits, as its 91mm screws, nor a tube of thermal paste for future Sapphire, and only a few niggles and some
width might foul memory modules in some applications, as the paste is pre-applied. stiff competition sees it miss out.
orientations. You don’t have to deal with an While the Sapphire Nitro S40 definitely isn’t
overly chunky radiator, though, as it has the going to be a friend of your ears at full speed,
standard 27mm thickness. though, the decibels did at least translate into VERDICT
Both the pump and fans have separate excellent cooling, with thermal performance Good-looking and powerful, but it’s also
PWM cables for speed control, and you’ll coming second only to the mighty Phanteks extremely noisy and rather expensive.
need them too, as it’s a noisy cooler at full Glacier One 240 T30 – the Sapphire even
Intel LGA1700
outpaced the Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix
and EK EK-AIO 240 Basic in both our AMD and
38/40 12/20
73%
SAPPHIRE BLUE GLASS
Intel systems.
+ Vibrant RGB lighting - Extremely noisy Its CPU delta T when cooling our Core DESIGN VALUE
+ LGA1700 compatibility - Lots of pump cables
out of the box
- A bit pricey
i9-12900K was 46°C, which is just 1°C behind
the Phanteks cooler and 4°C lower than the
11/20 12/20
+ Excellent cooling result from the iCUE H100i Elite Capellix. In FITTING
our AMD system cooling, our overclocked
Ryzen 7 5800X it managed a CPU delta T of
Easy
SPEC
50°C, again just behind the Phanteks cooler,
Intel compatibility LGA1700, LGA1200, AMD Socket AM4
but only a degree or two behind the Corsair
LGA115x, LGA2066, LGA2011 COOLING FEATURES OVERALL SCORE
and EK coolers. You can slow down the fan
37/40 12/20
70%
AMD compatibility Socket AM4, TR4/X speeds, but at low speeds, the Phanteks was
cooler and quieter than the Sapphire. DESIGN VALUE
120 x 273 x 52 (W x D x H)
Conclusion
9/20 12/20
Fans 2 x 120mm We can’t deny that the Sapphire Nitro S240 FITTING
Stated noise 36dBA
looks great, and it’s also extremely powerful,
but it really isn’t the most pleasant cooler
Easy
56
T H AT M A D E
OUT
“The Computers that Made Britain
is one of the best things I’ve read NOW
this year. It’s an incredible story of
eccentrics and oddballs, geniuses and
madmen, and one that will have you
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It’s utterly astonishing!”
- Stuart Turton, bestselling author
and journalist
Avilable on
Buy online: wfmag.cc/ctmb

L A B S T E ST / WI-FI 6 MESH ROUTERS
L A B S T E ST
Team work
Want Wi-Fi that covers your whole home? Edward Chester puts five
of the latest mid-range Wi-Fi 6 mesh router systems to the test
How we test
M
esh Wi-Fi routers are the best choice for getting a reliable Wi-Fi (where applicable) just outside the back door, in an outside shed. Wi-Fi
signal across a wide area, but the top-end systems can get speed tests were then performed in the same room as the router at a
very expensive, while the budget systems often lack the latest distance of 2m, in a first-floor rear bedroom (7m, one floor and one wall
Wi-Fi standards. So, to find out how to get high speeds without breaking away) and half way down the garden (20m and two brick walls away).
the bank, we’ve grabbed a selection of the latest mid-range offerings Tests were performed with one unit, two units then three units, again
that include Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) but still all cost under £350 – believe it or where applicable.
not, the top-of-the-range two-node systems cost double that figure. We tested Wi-Fi throughput using LANSpeedTest, setting up a
All the systems on test consist of either two or three units, or nodes, server attached via Gigabit Ethernet to the router, then connecting
one of which plugs directly into your broadband modem or ISP- to that server over Wi-Fi using a laptop with an AX1650 Wi-Fi card.
provided router, and the other units can then be placed throughout your We also tested for ping (the speed of response from a server) using
home, where they can pick up the original Wi-Fi signal and extend it netmeter.co.uk/ping-test. A low ping is essential for gaming and
on to the furthest reaches of your home. A typical setup might involve other applications that require a rapid, though not necessarily high-
having the first unit in a ground floor front room, putting a second unit on bandwidth, response.
the first floor and using a third unit for even higher floors, or in the garage Elsewhere, our assessment comes down to value for money, ease of
for wide coverage of your back garden. setup, reliability, features (some units include USB ports for sharing data
To test our systems, we set them up with the base unit in a ground and printers, while others include extra Ethernet ports for connecting
floor front room, one unit in a ground floor back room and the third unit multiple devices) and build quality.
Contents
Angle-right Asus ZenWiFi AX Hybrid XP4 /p59 Angle-right Netgear Orbi RBK752 / p62
Angle-right Linksys Velop MX8400 / p60 Angle-right TP-Link Deco X50 / p63
Angle-right Netgear Nighthawk Mesh MK63 / p61
58
PRO
tom P
us
C
IT
CU
ST
OM K
ASUS ZENWIFI AX
HYBRID XP4/£213 inc VAT (two units)
us
tom P
C
A
EXT
TR
RE L
T
he Asus XP4 immediately sets itself mains power cabling.
apart from the competition with one Circuit breakers, extension ME U
useful addition – it also supports leads, old wiring and
powerline networking. That’s where a more can result in a break
tom P
networking device uses your home’s power
cables to transmit data, allowing you to
or degradation of the
signal. Unfortunately, it’s
us
C
potentially get greater reliability, higher speeds just about impossible to
E
PRE
and much greater range than with Wi-Fi. know exactly how well
AD
In this instance, you just plug each of the powerline will work for
M
units into the wall, and they can automatically
create and use a powerline connection to pass
your home setup without
trying it.
IUM GR
data between each other (this link between In our tests, we set up the two
networking nodes is known as the backhaul). units with both a Wi-Fi backhaul and powerline
This is particularly useful if you have a garage backhaul. For the former, we placed the second
PEACEFUL
+ Powerline backhaul -u
stom
PAINFUL
P
Middling peak Wi-Fi
or summer house that has mains electricity, unit in the backroom as with our other tests. For
C
speed
but is well outside the range of a normal Wi-Fi the powerline backhaul ,we set up the second + Solid Wi-Fi speeds
- Only dual-band Wi-Fi
signal. Some mesh router systems also unit in the same position, but then also used a + Good value
AL
PR
allow for wired backhaul via their Ethernet 30m extension cord to stretch the powerline
connections, which you could then plug signal all the way to the bottom of our garden, FE
SSIO
N
O
into separate well out of reach of the other systems. server. Both units also have two LAN ports, so
powerline With the latter setup, we noted terrible you’ll have less need to buy a wired networking
adaptors, but Asus’ performance in our initial tests until we fully switch if you want to wire any of your network.
solution to this unfurled the spare 3-4m of the cable from
problem saves the the extension reel. With mains cabling being Conclusion
cost and hassle of unshielded, the coiled cable was causing The Asus ZenWiFi AX Hybrid XP4 isn’t the last
extra gear. massive interference with itself. With the word in peak Wi-Fi throughput but it puts in
The big caveat cable fully extended, we got solid speeds of a solid showing and outclasses some other
with powerline 284Mbps, with very impressive pings of no mesh systems rated to the same AX1800
networks is that higher than 28ms. Pings for our other test Wi-Fi speed. Its unique feature of built-in
they rely on the setups at location three (which is closer than powerline networking is also a boon for those
quality of your this test) would regularly jump to over 100ms. needing to stretch their Wi-Fi signal particularly
As for normal Wi-Fi speeds, the XP4 put in long distances or through thick walls –
SPEC a solid showing. With one unit, it essentially assuming they have mains cabling to those
Weight 667g per unit maxed out our laptop’s Wi-Fi adaptor, hitting locations. You also get plenty of features for this
710Mbps at close range. It also delivered competitive price.
Dimensions (mm) 143 x 65 x 207 (W x D x H)
per unit reliable performance in our second test location
(359Mbps), although failed to connect at our
Ethernet 1 x Gigabit LAN and 1 x Gigabit WAN
third location, as did all the single-node setups. VERDICT
per unit
With both units, speeds averaged 477Mbps Solid all-round performance, plenty of
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 AX1800 (802.1ax) with a Wi-Fi backhaul and 354Mbps with a features and potentially handy powerline
Claimed channel speeds 1 x 5GHz 1,202Mbps powerline backhaul at the second test location, networking make the Asus a cracking buy.
channel and 1 x 2.4 GHz 574Mbps channel per unit while both setups averaged around 250Mbps
USB ports 1 x USB 3.2 port per unit in the third test location. DESIGN FEATURES OVERALL SCORE
8/10 26/30
82%
Elsewhere, the XP4's feature set impresses,
Processor 64-bit 1.2 GHz quad-core
with each unit including a USB 3.2 port that
Extras Powerline backhaul, USB hard drive and supports a mass of features, such as printer
PERFORMANCE VALUE
printer sharing, USB media server
sharing and using USB storage as a media 22/30 26/30
59
tom P
LINKSYS VELOP us
C
MX8400/£300 inc VAT (two units)
PP
D
ROV E
A
SUPPLIER ebuyer.com
tom P
I
f you want the briefest possible This Linksys system firmly lands in the high-
summary of the key performance us
end, tri-band category. Available in packs with
C
differences between more basic one (£150 inc VAT), two (£300 inc VAT) or three
Wi-Fi 6-capable routers and higher-end units, units (£400), the Velop units are each identical,
it’s that the top-of-the-range units come with making it easy to buy only as many as you
three Wi-Fi bands (2 x 5GHz, 1 x 2.4GHz), with need and then add more units further down
IT
CU
ST
OM K
the second 5GHz band peaking at speeds of the line. They also support wired backhaul via
2,400Mbps. Meanwhile, cheaper units have their Ethernet ports, making them even more
just two bands (1 x 5GHz, 1 x 2.4GHz), with the versatile and further freeing up Wi-Fi bands for
5GHz band peaking at 1,200Mbps. client connections rather than backhaul.
tom P
For standalone routers, the extra bands
are useful for spreading the Wi-Fi load when c us
Setting up the Velop units has always
been expressly only via an app with a Linksys
C
many devices are simultaneously connecting account, which we find a little irritating – it’s
A
EXT
to the router, which can actually be quite a sometimes easier to just connect a PC to a
TR
rare occurrence. However, for mesh systems router to set it up via a browser. However, once
the extra bands RE L
you’ve signed up, it’s a slick (if decidedly slow)
are particularly process as you add each node to the networkM E U to get wide and fast Wi-Fi coverage. However,
useful for ensuring separately. Some systems are more plug-and- if you do need more coverage then the Velop
you get really fast play when it comes to setting them up.
tom P MX4200 system (as each unit is called) will
connections between
all the nodes, as well
us
Each unit houses three Gigabit LAN Ethernet
ports as well as a WAN Ethernet port, along
sort you out.
c
as to your devices. with a USB 3 port. The latter can be used to Conclusion
E
PRE
If you only have connect and share a hard drive on each node Previous Linksys Velop systems have felt
AD
two bands, mesh but it doesn’t support other features such as a little sparse on features for their price, but
M
systems can get a printer sharing. IUM GR this latest system is far more capable and
bit clogged up, as we In our tests, the MX8400 showed what more competitively priced. Its Wi-Fi speeds
see with the Netgear that extra 2,400Mbps band can do, but only are excellent and you get wired backhaul too,
Nighthawk Mesh
tom P
in certain instances. In test location one, the making it easy to setup complex hybrid wired/
system opposite.
adaptor whether using one or two nodes,
us
Linksys was limited by our laptop’s Wi-Fi wireless network systems. The addition of
extra Ethernet ports and a USB port in each
c
SPEC hitting 770Mbps. In our second test location, node adds extra flexibility too. It’s still not a
Weight 943g per unit though, we saw speeds hit 383Mbps with one cheap system but its premium price is matched
AL
PR
node and 535Mbps with two nodes. At the third with premium features and performance.
Dimensions (mm) 114 x 114 x 244 (W x D x H)
FE
test location, a single node wasn’t enough to
SSIO
N
O
per unit
reach our laptop, but with two nodes we saw
Ethernet 3 x Gigabit LAN and 1 x gigabit WAN
impressive speeds of 331Mbps. Pings were VERDICT
per unit
consistently low throughout too. Versatile and with strong Wi-Fi performance,
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 AX4200 (802.1ax) All told, that’s an impressive showing and the new Velop system is ideal for those
Claimed channel speeds 1 x 5GHz 2,400Mbps certainly proves the point that for most homes seeking a mesh system with more than
channel, 1 x 5GHz 1,200Mbps channel and 1 x a decent two-node mesh system is enough just two nodes.
2.4GHz 600Mbps channel per unit
USB ports 1 x USB 3 per unit DESIGN FEATURES OVERALL SCORE

MISSING LINK WEAKEST LINK
8/10 24/30
- Quite pricey
80%
Processor 1.4GHz quad-core
+ Very fast Wi-Fi
Extras Wired backhaul via Ethernet, hard drive + Wired backhaul - Slow initial setup PERFORMANCE VALUE
sharing via USB
+ Versatile 26/30 22/30
60
NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK
MESH MK63/£330 inc VAT (three units)
N
etgear’s Nighthawk Mesh system is
a bit of an oddity, as the company
normally reserves its Nighthawk
brand for its performance-orientated,
gamer-centric products. This system,
though, is decidedly basic and includes three
units rather than two for its relatively modest
asking price. system to largely work right out the box, speeds of 355Mbps and maximum pings of
Each node of this kit features a dual- with a predetermined network name and under 35ms. In location three, we also got a
band Wi-Fi configuration that tops out at password printed on the devices. Secondly, consistent 131Mbps, with pings that peaked at
1,200Mbps for the 5GHz band and 600Mbps it allows Netgear to add a sync button to the 128ms but largely stayed below 35ms.
for the 2.4GHz band. Not only does that devices that, when pressed, automatically Adding a third node resulted in some
mean its peak performance isn’t as high as adds a node to the network with no other bizarre performance results, which we’ve
some other routers on test, but also that configuration needed. seen before with some dual-band systems
performance at range will be limited by the Full setup can be done via a web browser when daisy-chained together. In location two,
lack of an extra Wi-Fi band, especially if you’re or the Netgear app, with the latter also we initially saw a big drop in performance
daisy-chaining all three nodes in a row. providing a useful network map view that until we manually disconnected and
Also, while we say ‘nodes’, this system shows how the various nodes are connected reconnected it, at which point performance
doesn’t have identical, multipurpose nodes and what devices are connected to each one. was about the same as with two nodes.
but instead has a dedicated router and This makes it easy to know if any particular Meanwhile, at location three, performance
two satellites. In theory, this could limit its device is mistakenly trying to connect to a dropped to just 59Mbps with maximum
versatility but in practice, one node will node that’s further away than another one, pings hitting over 500ms. We’re sure
always need to be configured as the primary for instance. performance would settle down over time,
router, so Netgear is just skipping a few setup Physical features are lacking though. Each but it was notable how the other systems
steps for you. tiny unit houses just a single Gigabit Ethernet on test didn’t have such issues finding an
There are some other advantages too. LAN port (other than the router, which also optimal signal.
Firstly, the company can preconfigure the has a WAN port) and there’s no support for
USB devices. Thankfully, the Ethernet ports Conclusion
can be used to provide wired backhaul, so The Netgear MK63 may feature the
DARK KNIGHT THE JOKER you can spread the network further, but if you company’s fancy Nighthawk branding but
+ Plug-and-play setup - Modest Wi-Fi speeds do, you have no way of connecting any other its performance doesn’t really live up to the
+ Wired backhaul - No USB ports wired devices to the two nodes at either end. name. It provides solid Wi-Fi coverage but
+ Good Wi-Fi coverage - Only dual-band Wi-Fi When it comes to performance, this it’s outclassed for overall Wi-Fi performance
modest Wi-Fi setup showed its limitations by several cheaper systems. Its lack of USB
SPEC from the off. With one node, it peaked at support and limit of a single Ethernet port per
Weight 286g per unit 662Mbps in location one and only managed node is disappointing too.
218Mbps in location two, with maximum
Dimensions (mm) 122 x 122 x 64 (W x D x H) per
unit pings regularly hitting over 50ms at the latter.
With two nodes, performance in location VERDICT
(router), 1 x Gigabit LAN (satellite)
two improved considerably, with peak A relatively affordable way to get wide
Wi-Fi coverage, but there are cheaper,
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 AX1800 (802.1ax) )
more capable systems available.
Claimed channel speeds 1 x 5GHz 1,200Mbps
channel and 1 x 2.4GHz 600Mbps channel per unit DESIGN FEATURES OVERALL SCORE
6/10 18/30
66%
USB ports None
Processor 1.5GHz quad-core per unit
PERFORMANCE VALUE
Extras Wired backhaul
18/30 24/30
61
NETGEAR ORBI
RBK752/£320 inc VAT (two units)
N
etgear’s Orbi systems have long held You can add several
the performance crown for two- more units but because
node mesh router systems, with its each unit still only has
flagship RBK852 system currently topping our three Wi-Fi channels,
overall test charts. However, with that system one channel can no
costing £700, it’s rather out of contention of longer be dedicated to
most buyers. This cheaper RBK752 system, backhaul. What you can
though, sits on the next rung down and still do for more complex or long-range
sports impressive specs. arrangements, though, is set up Ethernet printed on the two units, so you can easily get
This tri-band system can simultaneously backhaul. This will free up a Wi-Fi channel each away without having to think up a Wi-Fi name
handle one 600Mbps 2.4GHz stream, a on the nodes that are connected over Ethernet. and password that you’ll inevitably forget.
1,200Mbps 5GHz stream and a 2,400Mbps In practice, though, most households will When it comes to performance, the RBK752
5GHz stream. Like other Orbi systems, though, find that two nodes are plenty for getting showed what that dedicated backhaul band is
one of the 5GHz streams is dedicated to being good coverage. It’s only for enormous all about, with excellent performance across
a wireless backhaul. houses, offices or situations where you either the board. In location one, we were hitting
Netgear’s theory is that this dedicated have outhouses or garden space that need over 700Mbps with one or two nodes, while
approach allows for the system to best coverage that you’ll find you need a further- in location two, the Orbi hit 374Mbps with
optimise that single connection (with reaching mesh network. one node and 560Mbps with two nodes.
technologies such as beam-forming), Although the rather large nodes of the At location three, we didn’t get a signal with
increasing peak performance and reducing the RBK752 system look identical, one is actually one unit but had a consistent and test-
chance of signal drops from having the router a dedicated router and the other a satellite. topping 358Mbps with two nodes, and with
constantly trying to dynamically reassign The former includes a Gigabit WAN port for consistently low pings too.
the channels, as with other systems. That’s connecting to your modem, along with three
the theory and we’ve found it’s borne out in Gigabit Ethernet ports. The satellite just has Conclusion
practice too. two Gigabit Ethernet ports, while both units Netgear’s latest Orbi system brings its
A key factor to note, though, is that this lack any form of USB connection. excellent two-node Wi-Fi performance to
arrangement only really brings a significant Thanks to the units’ predetermined nature, a more affordable price point, making it an
performance advantage with a two-unit setup. one of the big advantages of this system excellent choice for those who need only a
is that it’s largely plug and play. Other than small boost in range but want high speeds. A
SPEC sometimes needing to reboot your ISP router lack of USB support makes this a less versatile
Weight 862g per unit or modem to get it communicating with the system than some, though, and its speed
Orbi router, you can just turn on the units and advantage is modest for its price.
unit they should automatically connect.
Netgear also uses a fun, yet secure, and
often quite easy-to-remember system for VERDICT
(router), 2 x Gigabit LAN (satellite)
naming its Wi-Fi signals too, using a random Excellent Wi-Fi speeds for a two-node
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 AX4200 (802.1ax) combination of two words and some numbers, system, but its feature list is modest and
Claimed channel speeds 1 x 5GHz 2,400Mbps such as orangecandle1234. These are then it’s quite pricey too.
channel, 1 x 5GHz 1,200Mbps channel and 1 x
2.4GHz 600Mbps channel per unit
DESIGN FEATURES OVERALL SCORE
ORBITAL PERIPHERAL
8/10 20/30
75%
USB ports 1 x USB 3 per unit
+ Very fast Wi-Fi - No USB ports
Processor 1.4GHz quad-core
+ Plug-and-play setup - Quite pricey PERFORMANCE VALUE
Extras Dedicated wireless backhaul
+ Excellent coverage - Large units 28/30 19/30
62
TP-LINK DECO
X50/£285 inc VAT (three units)
SUPPLIER box.co.uk
T
he TP-Link Deco X50 has an Finally, adding the third
intriguing Wi-Fi setup that combines node showed the lack of
a single 2,400Mbps 5GHz band and a third Wi-Fi band really
a 600Mbps 2.4GHz band, rather than the affecting long-range
1,200Mbps 5GHz and 600Mbps 2.4GHz performance. In location
combination we often see on mid-range, three, we saw only small
dual-band mesh systems. This means you gains in throughput
should get high peak performance up close, (171Mbps) over having just
but performance won’t hold up as well as tri- two nodes. However, the signal
band systems once you get further away with was stronger, making for more consistent DECOROUS DISASTROUS
multiple nodes daisy-chained together. speeds and reliably low pings. Exact + Good Wi-Fi coverage - No USB ports
That’s the theory, and it was our experience performance will also depend on your setup + Fast peak Wi-Fi speed - Only dual-band Wi-Fi
in practice too. Setting up our three-node and whether you’re daisy-chaining nodes, or + Decent value - Slow long-range Wi-Fi
system initially with just one node, in test if you have them arranged around a central
location one we saw chart-topping speeds of hub node.
775Mbps (although all routers were limited by That’s the performance story of the X50 VAT and as a twin-pack for £220, making the
our test laptop’s Wi-Fi adaptor at this range) system, but what else does it have to offer? triple-pack very clearly the best-value option if
and average speeds of 331Mbps in location Well, as its fairly modest price for a triple-node you’re likely to need that many nodes.
two. Pings were more inconsistent (regularly kit suggests, it’s not bursting with features.
jumping to over 100ms) than all the other Each very compact and fetching node houses Conclusion
routers on test this month in location two, three Ethernet ports, so you have plenty of Thanks to its reliance on a dual-band
though, so gaming and applications such as options for connecting wired devices directly. configuration, the TP-Link Deco X50 doesn’t
video calls could be affected. What’s more, the Ethernet ports support set new records for performance at long
With two nodes, we saw speeds jump to wired backhaul. However, you don’t get any range, especially if you’re having to daisy-
454Mbps in location two, and the pings then USB ports, which rules out a great swathe of chain three or more nodes together. It’s also
settled down. In test location three, we now potentially useful features. a shame it lacks any USB ports for sharing
had a signal but it was fairly slow at 147Mbps. Setup can be performed via a web interface connected devices. However, it has high peak
Pings were quite high too, with an average of or using the Deco app and it was a simple and performance up close, it’s easy to set up, it has
27ms and highs hitting over 125ms. quick procedure. The app also lets you see reliable long-range coverage and it’s versatile
connected devices, change device priority thanks to its support for wired backhaul. It
SPEC and set up guest networks. The system is offers decent value too, especially in this
Weight 456g per unit compatible with Amazon Alexa as well, so you triple-pack version.
can get your voice assistant turn on the guest
network, for instance.
unit
TP-Link HomeShield is also built in, VERDICT
Ethernet 3 x Gigabit LAN per unit providing features such as a real-time Not a speed demon at range, and not exactly
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 AX3000 (802.1ax) scanning for Internet of Things (IoT) devices, bursting with features, but the Deco X50 is a
checking that their security is up to par. There’s solid option for getting reliable wide coverage.
Claimed channel speeds 1 x 5GHz 2,402Mbps
also a malicious site blocker, parental controls
channel and 1 x 2.4GHz 574Mbps channel per unit
and it can spit out a host of impressively DESIGN FEATURES OVERALL SCORE
8/10 18/30
74%
USB ports None detailed reports to help you track time spent
Processor 1GHz dual-core online, sites visited, blocked activity and more.
As well as a triple-node pack, the X50
PERFORMANCE VALUE
Extras Wired backhaul
units are available individually for £130 inc 22/30 26/30
63
Elite Core component bundles
Our choice of the best hardware available
The fundamental specifications we recommend for various types of PC. Just add your preferred case and power supply, and double-check there’s
room in your case for your chosen components, especially the GPU cooler and graphics card. We’ve largely stopped reviewing power supplies, as the
80 Plus certification scheme has now effectively eliminated unstable PSUs. Instead, we’ve recommended the wattage and minimum 80 Plus
certification you should consider for each component bundle. You can then choose whether you want a PSU with modular or captive cables.
8-core system with 1,920 x 1,080 gaming

integrated graphics 6-core CPU, 1080p gaming
Needs an ATX case. We recommend a
8-core CPU, basic gaming 500W 80 Plus power supply. See Issue
Needs a micro-ATX or ATX case. We recommend
224, p76 for an example build guide.
a 450W 80 Plus Bronze power supply. See Issue
218, p76 for an example build guide.
PRICE
COMPONENT NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
PRICE (inc VAT)
COMPONENT NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT)
Intel Core #224

CPU scan.co.uk £169
i5-12400F p14
AMD Ryzen 7 #218
5700G p20
ARCTIC #224
CPU COOLER scan.co.uk £20
Freezer i13X p76
AMD Wraith air

#218
CPU COOLER cooler included N/A £0 AMD Radeon #220
with CPU p20 GRAPHICS CARD overclockers.co.uk £390
RX 6600 XT p53
16GB (2 x8
GB) Corsair
AMD Radeon RX #218 Vengeance LPX #224
GRAPHICS CARD Vega 8 integrated N/A £0 MEMORY scan.co.uk £62
p20 DDR4 3200MHz p76
into CPU (CMK16GX4M2E
3200C16)
16GB (2 x 8 GB)
Corsair Gigabyte B660
#224
#218 MOTHERBOARD Gaming X DDR4 box.co.uk £138
Vengeance LPX p50
MEMORY scan.co.uk £63 (ATX)
Pro 3200MHz p78
(CMK16GX4M
2B3200C16)
1TB WD Blue
#222
STORAGE SN570 scan.co.uk £77
p20
Asus TUF (M.2 NVMe)
B450M-PLUS II #218
MOTHERBOARD awd-it.co.uk £90
(micro-ATX) with p78
BIOS flash
Total £856
500GB WD Blue #222

STORAGE SN570 (M.2 scan.co.uk £43 UPGRADES
NVMe) p20
SWAP Nvidia GeForce #220

GRAPHICS CARD
scan.co.uk £480
RTX 3060 Ti p55
Total £476 1TB ADATA XPG

#215
SWAP STORAGE GAMMIX S50 cclonline.com £116
p43
Lite
64
2,560 x 1,440 Mid-range
gaming system gaming
10-core CPU, 1080p system
and some 2,560 x
1,440 gaming 10-core CPU, smooth
Needs an ATX case. We 2,560 x 1,440 gaming and ray tracing
recommend a 550-600W 80 Needs an ATX case with room for a 240mm all-in-one liquid
Plus Bronze power supply. cooler. We recommend a 750W 80 Plus Bronze power supply.
PRICE PRICE
COMPONENT NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE COMPONENT NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT) (inc VAT)
Intel Core #220 Intel Core #220

CPU scan.co.uk £269 CPU scan.co.uk £269
i5-12600K p19 i5-12600K p19
ARCTIC Liquid ARCTIC Liquid

Freezer II 240 Freezer II 240 #226
#226
CPU COOLER RGB (240mm scan.co.uk £80 CPU COOLER RGB (240mm scan.co.uk £80
p49 AIO liquid p49
AIO liquid
cooler) cooler)
Nvidia GeForce #220 Nvidia GeForce #220

GRAPHICS CARD scan.co.uk £480 GRAPHICS CARD overclockers.co.uk £630
RTX 3060 Ti p55 RTX 3070 Ti p43
16GB (2 x 8GB) 16GB (2 x 8GB)

Corsair Corsair
Vengeance RGB Vengeance RGB #221
#221 MEMORY Pro 3200MHz scan.co.uk £75
MEMORY Pro 3200MHz scan.co.uk £75 p76
DDR4 p76 DDR4
(CMW16GX (CMW16GX
4M2C3200C16) 4M2C3200C16)
MSI MAG Z690 #222

Gigabyte Z690 #222 MOTHERBOARD Tomahawk WiFi ebuyer.com £250
MOTHERBOARD scan.co.uk £200 p48
Gaming X DDR4 p46 DDR4
1TB ADATA XPG 1TB ADATA XPG #215

#215 STORAGE GAMMIX S50 cclonline.com £116
STORAGE GAMMIX S50 cclonline.com £116 p43
Lite p43 Lite
Total £1,420
Total £1,220
UPGRADES
UPGRADES
ADD SECONDARY Western Digital #166

ADD SECONDARY Western Digital #166 overclockers.co.uk £78
overclockers.co.uk £78 STORAGE Blue 4TB p54
STORAGE Blue 4TB p54
65
E L I T E / THE BEST KIT
Core component bundles cont …

4K gaming system Content creation
12-core CPU, 4K gaming system
Needs an ATX case with room for
a 360mm all-in-one liquid cooler.
16-core CPU,
We recommend an 850W 80 1,920 x 1,080 gaming
Plus Gold power supply. See p78 Needs an E-ATX case with room for a 360mm all-in-one liquid
for an example build guide cooler. We recommend a 750W 80 Plus Gold power supply.
PRICE PRICE
COMPONENT NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE COMPONENT NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT) (inc VAT)
Intel Core #220

Intel Core #226 i9-12900K p16
CPU cclonline.com £377
i7-12700K p78
Corsair iCUE
H150i Elite LCD #226
(360mm AIO p78
Corsair iCUE
liquid cooler)
H150i Elite LCD #226
(360mm AIO p78
liquid cooler)
AMD Radeon RX #220
GRAPHICS CARD overclockers.co.uk £390
6600 XT p53
Nvidia GeForce #226 32GB (2 x 16GB)

GRAPHICS CARD nvidia.com £1,050
RTX 3080 Ti p78 Corsair
Dominator #221
MEMORY Platinum RGB scan.co.uk £295
5200MHz DDR5 p76
16GB (2 x 8GB)
(CMT32GX5M2
Corsair
B5200C40)
Vengeance RGB
#226
MEMORY Pro 3200MHz scan.co.uk £75
p78
DDR4
(CMW16GX4M2 MSI MEG Z690 #222
MOTHERBOARD scan.co.uk £520
C3200C16) Unify p50
MSI MAG Z690

#226
MOTHERBOARD Tomahawk WiFi ebuyer.com £250 2TB WD Black #215
p78 STORAGE scan.co.uk £220
DDR4 SN850 p49
STORAGE
2TB WD Black
box.co.uk
#226
£178 Total £2,225
SN770 p78
UPGRADES
Total £2,180 SWAP GRAPHICS Nvidia GeForce #221

CARD
nvidia.com £1,050
RTX 3080 Ti p48
UPGRADES
ADD SECONDARY 4TB Western #166

ADD SECONDARY 4TB Western #166 STORAGE
overclockers.co.uk £78
overclockers.co.uk £78 Digital Blue p54
STORAGE Digital Blue p54
66
Mini PCs
Our favourite components for building a micro-ATX or mini-ITX PC. Always double-check how much room is available in your chosen case
before buying your components. Some mini-ITX cases don’t have room for large all-in-one liquid coolers, for example, or tall heatsinks. You’ll
also need to check that there’s room for your chosen graphics card.
Mini-ITX Micro-ATX
Motherboards Motherboards
PRICE
CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE PRICE
(inc VAT) CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT)
Asus ROG Strix
Intel Z690 #220
Z690-I Gaming scan.co.uk £375
(LGA1700) p22
WiFi AMD B450 Asus TUF #218
Intel Z590 Gigabyte Z590I #214 awd-it.co.uk £80
awd-it.co.uk £180 (AM4) B450M-PLUS II p76
(LGA1200) Vision D p18
AMD B550 Asus ROG Strix #206
scan.co.uk £205
(AM4) B550-I Gaming p44
AMD B550 MSI MAG B550M #204
scan.co.uk £130
Cases (AM4) Mortar p42
PRICE
CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT) Cases
Cooler Master
#206 PRICE
ALL-PURPOSE MasterBox scan.co.uk £100 CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
p18 (inc VAT)
NR200P
Ssupd #225
TOWER overclockers.co.uk £100 Kolink Citadel #218
Meshlicious p51 BUDGET overclockers.co.uk £63
Mesh RGB p26
Fractal Design #225
HIGH AIRFLOW scan.co.uk £110
Torrent Nano p45
Streacom DA2 #214
PREMIUM quietpc.com £203
V2 p51
Other components
PRICE
Networking
(inc VAT)
LOW-PROFILE #219
Noctua NH-L12S scan.co.uk £55
CPU COOLER p54
SFX POWER SilverStone #219
scan.co.uk £130
SUPPLY SX750 p72
PRICE
ATX cases
(inc VAT)
BUDGET Belkin #216

currys.co.uk £130
ROUTER RT3200-UK p52
PRICE #216
CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE Asus
(inc VAT) ROUTER scan.co.uk £170
RT-AX68U p51
Antec DF700 #214
BUDGET RGB scan.co.uk £75
FLUX p26
Asus ZenWiFi AX #226
SUB-£100 Corsair 4000D #222 MESH ROUTER amazon.co.uk £213
scan.co.uk £90 Hybrid XP4 p59
AIRFLOW Airflow p56
Fractal Design
#215
COMPACT Meshify 2 scan.co.uk £100 TP-Link Archer #196
p20 WI-FI ADAPTOR overclockers.co.uk £60
Compact TX3000E p58
Fractal Design #212
HIGH AIRFLOW scan.co.uk £136
Meshify 2 p45
DUAL-BAY NAS # 200
Phanteks Eclipse #202 Synology DS220j box.co.uk £154
MID-RANGE overclockers.co.uk £140 BOX p22
P600S p44
Fractal Design #204
SUB-£150 scan.co.uk £147 DUAL-BAY Synology #174
Define 7 p18 box.co.uk £202
MEDIA NAS BOX DS218play p34
PREMIUM HIGH Fractal Design #225
scan.co.uk £220
AIRFLOW Torrent RGB TG p20
2.5 GIGABIT #212
Corsair iCUE #224 DUAL-BAY QNAP TS-231P3 ebuyer.com £293
LUXURY scan.co.uk £350 NAS BOX p25
5000T RGB p22
67
E L I T E / THE BEST KIT
F = FREESYNC, G = G-SYNC, W = ULTRAWIDE

Monitors
Up to 25in Over 28in
PRICE PRICE
CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE (inc VAT) CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT)
24IN, 144HZ, IPS, #214
AOC 24G2U overclockers.co.uk £160 31.5IN, 60HZ, VA, iiyama ProLite #205
1,920 X 1,080, F, G p28 scan.co.uk £385
4K, F XB3288UHSU p43
25IN, 240HZ, IPS, Acer Predator #209
box.co.uk £200 iiyama
1,920 X 1,080, F, G XB253Q p57 32IN, 144HZ, VA, #224
G-Master ebuyer.com £359
25IN, 360HZ, IPS, Asus ROG Swift #212 2,560 X 1,440, F, G p30
amazon.co.uk £543 GB3266QSU
1,920 X 1,080, F, G PG259QN p20
32IN, 165HZ, IPS, LG UltraGear #220
overclockers.co.uk £469
2,560 X 1,440, F, G 32GP850 p38
Up to 28in 34IN, 144HZ, IPS,

3,440 X 1,440, W, F
iiyama
G-Master
GB3461WQSU
overclockers.co.uk
#206
p53
£450
PRICE
CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE 34IN, 144HZ, IPS,
(inc VAT) LG UltraGear #206
3,440 X 1,440, W, overclockers.co.uk £899
34GN850 p55
27IN, 144HZ, IPS, #201 F, G
AOC 27G2U overclockers.co.uk £180 38IN, 144HZ, IPS,
1,920 X 1,080, F, G p53 LG UltraGear #208
3,840 X 1,600, W, overclockers.co.uk £1,349
Asus TUF 38GN950 p30
27IN, 240HZ, IPS, #209 F, G, HDR
Gaming ebuyer.com £299
1,920 X 1,080, F, G p60 32IN, 144HZ, IPS,
VG279QM Asus ROG Swift #218
3,840 X 2,160, F, G, scan.co.uk £3,299
27IN, 165HZ, VA, AOC #223 PG32UQX p54
HDR
box.co.uk £280
2,560 X 1,440, F, G CQ27G3SU p45
Non-gaming
27IN, 240HZ, TN, #202
AOC AG273QZ overclockers.co.uk £570
2,560 X 1,440, F, G p27
27IN, 240HZ, IPS, Alienware #212

dell.com £699 PRICE
2,560 X 1,440, F, G AW2721D p21 CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT)
28IN, 144HZ, IPS, #221 27IN, 75HZ, IPS, #210
AOC U28G2XU amazon.co.uk £586 LG 27QN880 ebuyer.com £350
3,840 X 2,160, F, G p29 2,560 X 1,440, F p26
Peripherals and audio

Gaming keyboards Gaming mice
NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE PRICE
PRICE CATEGORY
CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE (inc VAT)
(inc VAT)
#226
SteelSeries #221 BUDGET GAMING NZXT Lift amazon.co.uk £40
BUDGET TKL currys.co.uk £48 p32
Apex 3 TKL p59
Glorious PC
FIRST-PERSON #215
OPTICAL Asus ROG Strix #209 Gaming Race overclockers.co.uk £45
amazon.co.uk £70 SHOOTER p57
ESPORTS Scope RX p43 Model O
#215
MECHANICAL NZXT Function #226 AMBIDEXTROUS Razer Viper 8K currys.co.uk £60
scan.co.uk £100 p59
TKL MiniTKL p32 #225
MULTI-BUTTON Roccat Kone XP roccat.com £80
p60
MECHANICAL Corsair K95 RGB #164
scan.co.uk £180 Razer Viper #217
MMO Platinum p26 WIRELESS amazon.co.uk £65
Ultimate p54
PREMIUM TKL Corsair K70 #214 Razer
scan.co.uk £140 PREMIUM #210
MECHANICAL RGB TKL p31 Deathadder ebuyer.com £125
WIRELESS p28
V2 Pro
PREMIUM Corsair K70 RGB #225 ULTRA #211
overclockers.co.uk £170 Roccat Burst Pro scan.co.uk £48
MECHANICAL Pro p30 LIGHTWEIGHT p28
LUXURY Razer PREMIUM
#208 Logitech G Pro X #217
WIRELESS BlackWidow overclockers.co.uk £180 LIGHTWEIGHT currys.co.uk £119
p60 Superlight p52
MECHANICAL V3 Pro WIRELESS
68
Peripherals and audio cont …
Game controllers Gaming headsets
PRICE PRICE
CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE CATEGORY NAME SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT) (inc VAT)
Logitech G29 #202 #210
RACING WHEEL currys.co.uk £269 BUDGET STEREO Roccat Elo X Stereo scan.co.uk £40
Driving Force p50 p56
Epos | Sennheiser #210
PREMIUM Razer Wolverine V2 #221 STEREO amazon.co.uk £50
currys.co.uk £139 GSP 300 p54
GAMEPAD Chroma p30
Corsair Virtuoso #204
WIRELESS ebuyer.com £155
BUDGET FLIGHT Logitech Extreme #207 RGB Wireless p50
currys.co.uk £37 #211
STICK 3D Pro Joystick p52 PREMIUM Razer BlackShark
scan.co.uk £149
WIRELESS V2 Pro p26
Thrustmaster
#207
Speakers
FLIGHT STICK T.16000M FCS scan.co.uk £100
p56
HOTAS
PRICE
(inc VAT)
Non-gaming keyboards STEREO Edifier R1280DB

overclockers.
co.uk
#224
p59
£110
PRICE
(inc VAT)
WIRELESS 84-KEY #220
Niz Mini 84 Pro keyboardco.com £165
ELECTRO-CAPACATIVE p29
#208
WIRELESS TKL MECHANICAL Keychron K2 Version 2 keyboardco.com £84
p57
Filco Majestouch Convertible 2 #203
TKL MECHANICAL keyboardco.com £140
Tenkeyless p55
BUCKLING SPRING #219
Unicomp New Model M keyboardco.com £129
MECHANICAL p26
PCs and laptops

Pre-built PC systems
PRICE
CATEGORY NAME CPU GPU SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT)
Wired2Fire Ultima Ryzen Integrated AMD Radeon #222
AMD APU PC AMD Ryzen 5 5600G custompc.co.uk/W2F £692
Gamestation RX Vega 7 p36
Wired2Fire Phoenix Intel – #224
BUDGET GAMING Intel Core i5-12400F Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 custompc.co.uk/Phoenix £1,099
Powered by MSI p38
#225
QUIET GAMING Gladiator Nocturnal Intel Core i5-12600K Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 custompc.co.uk/Nocturnal £1,799
p36
custompc.co.uk/ #226
SMALL FORM FACTOR Chillblast Fusion Torrent Mini Intel Core i7-12700K Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 £2,399
MiniChillblast p40
PC Specialist Magnus Pro Nvidia GeForce RTX custompc.co.uk/ #225
4K GAMING Intel Core i7-12700K £2,499
K500 3080 Ti MagnusPro p34
CyberPower Hyper Liquid Nvidia GeForce RTX #222
WATER-COOLED ALDER LAKE Intel Core i9-12900K custompc.co.uk/CPHL £3,820
Infinity X129 3080 p34
Nvidia GeForce RTX #226
ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE Scan 3XS Torrent Ti Intel Core i9-12900K custompc.co.uk/TorrentTi £4,899
3090 Ti p36
Laptops
PRICE
CATEGORY NAME CPU GPU SCREEN SUPPLIER ISSUE
(inc VAT)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 16in, 2,560 x 1,600 IPS custompc.co.uk/ #222
BUDGET GAMING Lenovo Legion 5 Pro AMD Ryzen 7 5800H £1,399
3070 Laptop 165Hz G-Sync Legion5Pro p32
ULTRA PORTABLE Nvidia GeForce RTX 14in 1,920 x 1,080 IPS #220
Razer Blade 14 AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX custompc.co.uk/Blade14 £2,120
GAMING 3070 Laptop 144Hz p40
Nvidia GeForce GTX
ULTRA PORTABLE Asus ROG Flow X13 13.4in 1,920 x 1,200 IPS custompc.co.uk/ #219
AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS 1650 Max-Q (laptop) / £2,956
GAMING + EGPU DOCK GV301 120Hz ROGFlow p28
RTX 3080 Laptop (dock)
69
Games
R I C K L A N E / INVERSE LOOK
RING OF CHANGE
Elden Ring may be brilliant, but Rick Lane argues that
it would be a mistake to try to mimic its success
hen I reviewed Elden Ring last month, I gave it one that spent well over a decade cultivating its design ethos.
W of the highest scores I’ve ever doled out in these
hallowed pages, and this opinion seems to be a
Like Nintendo and Kojima Productions, From Software excels
because its team doesn’t think like other developers, and you
general consensus. Within three weeks of launch, From can’t replicate creative minds that have dedicated themselves
Software’s fantasy magnum opus had sold 12 million copies, to this style of game design for years.
making it the biggest new title (not a sequel) since Tom We have evidence that you can’t outdesign From Software,
Clancy’s The Division in 2015. as developers have already tried. Dark Souls brought about
What makes this success particularly remarkable is that the emergence of the ‘Soulslike’ genre, inspiring Mortal Shell,
Elden Ring breaks many of the rules that have come to define the Surge and Nioh, among others.
mainstream gaming. It’s a difficult, obscure adventure that Some of these games have been commercially successful,
offers minimal hand-holding. Your foes are brutal and ruthless, but none of them is anywhere near as good as Dark Souls
while the game rarely provides information and Bloodborne. They’re lesser imitations,
on how to beat them. Quests aren’t marked From Software can’t be highlighting that From Software can’t be
on the map, so you might never meet some beaten by playing it at its own game.
of its most important NPCs. Indeed, it’s
beaten by playing it at There are lessons that developers can take
possible to play through the entire game its own game from Elden Ring. Consistent and contiguous
without ever truly comprehending the story. world design is one. Although it’s massive,
Every aspect of Elden Ring is wilfully mysterious and Elden Ring focuses on a very specific mood and atmosphere.
enigmatic. This, alongside its incredible visual design and You don’t see it shoving racing minigames into the mix to
spectacular combat, has proved popular at a time when open- bulk out the experience.
world games often spoon-feed the experience to players at It’s also possible to borrow elements of it and use them to
every turn. Naturally, other major studios will now look at build a different game, as the delightful Tunic (see opposite)
Elden Ring’s success and wonder how to get a slice of the pie, shows with its synthesis of Dark Souls and classic Zelda.
but this would be a mistake. However, lifting the game’s structure wholesale is simply
While you can identify elements within Elden Ring that never going to work.
players like, such as challenging boss fights and a story you Ultimately, the reason players love From Software’s games is
piece together yourself, trying to break down Elden Ring’s because they’re made by From Software. They’re special events
success into a repeatable formula is folly. Elden Ring is more on the calendar, artworks with a distinctive and unmistakable
than the sum of its parts, a holistic creation by a developer identity. They should remain as such.
Rick Lane is Custom PC’s games editor @Rick_Lane
70
tom P
us
C
Tunic / £24.99 inc VAT
PP
D
ROV E
A
DEVELOPER Andrew Shouldice/ PUBLISHER Finji
A
t first glance, Tunic resembles homage to classic alphabet (which can be deciphered, if you choose). However, TUNIC
Zelda, from its miniaturised, isometric world, to its exploration slowly reveals the pathways and rules of the tosynthesis
+ Cslever m P of
cute fox protagonist dressed in a ragged green shirt. game world. When fighting those aforementioned bulls, for uZelda and Dark Souls
C
But Tunic’s divergence from Nintendo’s second-best mascot example, you’ll quickly discover their swords cut through + Wonderful visual
presentation
becomes clear when you first meet one of its bullish soldiers, seemingly impassable shrubbery. Hence, when you pick up
and get the soul literally beaten out of you in three hits. your own sword, you unlock a bunch of new pathways as well + Fun puzzle-box world
IT
CU
Tunic might look like Zelda, but it feels like Dark Souls, as a better way to fight.
ST
PANTS K
combining the former’s presentation and spatial puzzling with Fighting and unlocking pathways is pretty much the Olacks
- Combat M depth
the latter’s brutal combat and, er, spatial puzzling. Developer structure of the rest of the game. The latter is where the game
Andrew Shouldice has cleverly latched on to the cross- excels best. Tunic’s world is a brilliantly devised clockwork
tom P
us
pollination of ideas between Nintendo and From Software, labyrinth, where you’re constantly lowering ropes, bridges
delivering a captivating adventure pointed at the intersection and ladders to unlock new areas and create shortcuts to c
C
between the two studios’ design philosophies. old ones. Each new area is simultaneously beautiful and
The game sees our nameless vulpine hero awaken on the dangerous, whether it’s an underground river prowled by
A
EXT
shore of some idyllic-looking land, pursuing a quest for an spinning octopuses, or a darkened tomb littered with spike
TR
unspecified objective. There are clues delivered in the form of traps and walking skeletons. RE L
statues and visions of a maternal-looking vixen, but whether Combat is a lighter but no less lethal variant on Dark Souls, ME U
she’s a goddess, family member or something else is unclear. where you combine precise sword swings with carefully
Indeed, much about Tunic is left to your own devising. timed blocks and dodges to avoid enemy attacks. It’s a neatly
Even the game’s manual, which is collected page by page designed system, but Tunic’s battles lack the depth and stom P
as you explore, is written in Tunic’s custom language and creative potential of the game that inspired it. u
/VERDICT
c
You’ll unlock a few new abilities as you progress, such Tunic blends a
as a magic staff and one-off equipment such as sticks of Zelda-like world
E
PRE
with Dark Souls-

dynamite. However, the combo you learn at the start of the
AD
ish combat for

game is the same one you’ll use throughout, and there’s M
simply not enough room in Tunic’s miniature world for battles IUM GR
an entertaining
and challenging
to really shine. adventure.
Still, Tunic’s gloriously presented world and cleverly
tom P
us
designed environmental puzzling more than make up for the OVERALL SCORE
comparatively basic combat. It clearly understands the appeal
82%
c
of classic Zelda, but mixes up the formula just enough to make

it more than a glossy imitation.
AL
PR
RICK LANE
FE
S S I O71
N
O
G A M E S / REVIEWS
Total War: Warhammer III / £49.99 inc VAT
DEVELOPER Creative Assembly / PUBLISHER SEGA
T
otal War: Warhammer III can’t be faulted for Whether you play the prologue campaign or not, the main
ambition. This wild and spectacular finale sees campaign sees the race to claim Ursun’s power open up to
Warhammer’s armies of Chaos battling across eight playable factions. These include the human factions
reality to claim the power of a giant bear god. You’ll field of Kislev and Grand Cathay. The former is a Slavic-inspired
armies of plague-spreading monsters, watch elemental faction that fields ice warriors and bear cavalry, while the
polar bears battle woolly mammoths, and send out your latter takes inspiration from Total War: Three Kingdoms,
hellish minions to collect skulls for the skull throne. blending dragon magic and gunpowder inspired by the
It’s a game filled with amazing units and silly, enticing Romance era of Ancient China.
concepts. However, within its maelstrom of ideas, the core They’re both excellent factions, but the true appeal
appeal of both Total War and Warhammer – conquering the of Warhammer III lies in its daemonic armies. There are
world with your army of choice – gets rather lost. It pulls in four from which to choose. The armies of Khorne are the
TOTAL WAR too many different directions while pushing all its cool ideas most straightforward, crimson-skinned daemons that
at you too hard, too soon. The result is that the most exciting overwhelm their foes with force and rage. The armies of
+ Fantastic new
armies entry in the trilogy is also the hardest to enjoy. Nurgle, meanwhile, cripple enemy armies with plague
+ Lots of new ideas This isn’t to say Warhammer III is a disaster though. For and pestilence, using units that range from sentient mould
starters, it has the best introduction to any Total War game, spores to huge, sickness-spitting blobs.
+ Good prologue in the form of a prologue campaign where you play a lost The units of the serpentine Slaanesh, god of temptation,
campaign
prince searching the frozen Chaos Wastes for the bear-god all seem to have arrived on the battlefield via an S&M
Ursun, imprisoned by a daemon named Be’lakor. convention, and can actually lure enemy units to their side
TOTAL CHORE
The prologue campaign meticulously explains the with their wily ways. Finally, there are the forces of the God
- Main campaign
forces you into base mechanics of Total War, while also providing an Tzeentch, whose shambling pink and blue horrors double
constant overview of the new Kislev faction, one of two new human as some of the best ranged units in the game.
firefighting
factions introduced in Warhammer III. It also provides an Each daemonic faction is so darkly appealing that it can
- Performance intriguing self-contained story that feeds cleverly into the be hard to choose which one to play. Luckily, Warhammer
issues on
campaign map main campaign. III is one step ahead of you, offering a fifth daemonic faction
72
named ‘Daemons of Chaos’. Led by a newly minted daemon
champion, the Daemons of Chaos can recruit units from any
of the other daemonic factions by earning favour with them
through missions or conquering settlements. They offer a
great way to tour the various armies of Chaos, making them
an ideal choice for your first campaign.
At least, that’s the idea. Although designed to be an
introductory faction, in practice the daemons of chaos are
one of the more challenging factions to play. Their starting
location near a long coastline, combined with the fact they
commence the campaign at war with all non-chaos factions,
makes them vulnerable to invasion by sea. Within just ten
turns you’ll be fending off large armies from Imperial and
Elven factions, as well as more local enemies designed to be
your first major encounters.
This is where the gap between Warhammer III’s ideas
and their implementation begins to reveal itself. The story
campaign isn’t won through conquest. Rather, you need to
collect the souls of four daemon princes to unlock the path More broadly, the structure of the campaign seems
to the Ursun. designed in direct contradiction to the core appeal of playing
This is achieved by taking your main army through Chaos as an Army of Chaos, namely rolling over the green and
Rifts into separate planes of existence, doing battle with pleasant lands of non-chaos armies in a tsunami of fire and
multiple armies there before engaging in a massive ‘survival blood. Perhaps Creative Assembly is saving that for the
battle’, which sees you fighting huge waves of enemy Mortal Empires update, which will stitch together all three
forces. Oh, and you can’t do this in your own time. You’re TW: Warhammer games and let you take on the entire
racing with other AI factions to acquire these daemon prince Warhammer world with the faction of your choice. However,
souls. If they beat you to them, it’s game over. that doesn’t change the fact Warhammer III’s campaign
The idea is clearly to create a campaign that’s pacey and feels more like a daemonic rat race than a glorious conquest.
intense from the start. However, being accosted by multiple The campaign map is also poorly optimised, with
huge armies within a handful of turns is more stressful frame rates frequently dropping to half that of battle-map
than entertaining. It means you’re constantly fighting performance on the same settings. It’s a hugely detailed
fires; strategy games are about balancing reaction and map, but often that detail makes the map harder to read,
preparation, but in Warhammer III, you’re always reacting which isn’t ideal in a strategy game. In addition, there are
and never preparing. some smaller changes that are just annoying, such as pre- /VERDICT
battle summaries not showing you the relative strength of Total War:
Warhammer III
each army.
truly embraces
You can have a good time with Warhammer III, but it Chaos, with both
doesn’t give all its systems equal room to breathe, and positive and
you need to play it the way it wants. You need to be up for negative results.
making lots of difficult decisions and engaging in almost
constant battles. If you’re looking for the slow-burn empire OVERALL SCORE
building on which Total War made its name, you’re better off
with Total War: Three Kingdoms, or waiting for the Mortal
Empires update.
RICK LANE
70%
73
G A M E S / REVIEWS
SHADOW WARRIOR 3/ £34.99 inc VAT
DEVELOPER Flying Wild Hog/ PUBLISHER Devolver Digital
S
SHADOW ince the surprisingly decent reboot in 2013, the these made you feel supremely powerful against even
WARRIOR Shadow Warrior series has opted to parody other the toughest foes. In Shadow Warrior, there are no such
+ Colourful shooters, with the latest one picking Doom strategies. Enemies are made either of titanium or tissue
environment and
enemy designs Eternal as its target for inspiration/mockery. It wholesale paper, meaning the game alternates between way too
borrows the mechanics from id Software’s excellent FPS, easy and way too hard.
+ Some fun
weapons as protagonist Lo Wang embarks on an adventure to save Ironically, Shadow Warrior 3 is strongest where it’s
the world from a giant, planet-eating dragon. least like Doom Eternal. Both its world and enemy
SHADOW OF ITS Killing enemies with guns makes them drop health, while designs are colourful and creative, while certain levels,
FORMER SELF killing enemies with your katana makes them drop ammo. such as That Damn Dam, provide impressive views and
- Rough adoption It even has a grappling hook because, as Lo Wang put it, platforming challenges.
of Doom Eternal
mechanics
‘everybody is doing it these days’. The game’s most novel mechanic is that performing a
Flying Wild Hog clearly aims to replicate the brutality finishing move on special enemies gives you temporary
- Poor balancing and intensity of Doom Eternal’s combat, but it’s a clumsy access to a new weapon, such as the arm of a Minotaur-like
- Dreadful humour imitation. The grappling hook, for example, is locked into beast, which Lo Wang uses as a bludgeon. It’s a neat idea,
specific animations, meaning the game has to awkwardly but finishing moves can only be performed after killing
levitate Lo Wang into the right position before completing a certain number of enemies, so often you’ll only access
the swing. Meanwhile, the game’s equivalent of ‘glory kills’ these special weapons when the fight is almost over.
only have one animation per enemy, and they take too long The game’s main problem, though, is its humour. It
/VERDICT to complete, quickly becoming tiresome. isn’t simply that it’s puerile, although there are endless
Shadow Warrior’s Doom Eternal also gave players specific strategies references to body parts and bodily fluids, it’s that the
continuing search for finishing off enemies quickly; if executed correctly, developer seems to have forgotten what makes a joke.
for an identity Many of Lo Wang’s quips involve just reciting the lyrics to
leads it to a
a song, or making witless references to other games or
middling Doom
Eternal cosplay general pop culture. It’s also relentless. Lo Wang’s verbal
and a bunch of diarrhoea is so acute that quips are frequently interrupted
bad jokes. by another one-liner before the punchline.
The fun that Shadow Warrior 3 offers simply doesn’t
OVERALL SCORE warrant putting up with its egregious humour and ethically
questionable representations of Chinese and Japanese
48% culture. Thanks for the ride, Lo Wang, now please, shut up
and get out.
RICK LANE
74
LOST ARK
/ FREE-TO-PLAY
DEVELOPER Smilegate/ PUBLISHER Amazon Games
L
ost Ark is a sprawling MMO and ARPG hybrid,
essentially World of Warcraft meets Diablo. The
game sees you pick one of eight classes as you
search for seven fabled ‘Arks’, artefacts of enormous
power that could turn the tide in humanity’s war against
the demonic hordes.
These classes range from warriors and mages to
gunslingers and martial arts specialists. However,
they’re all built to look spectacular and feel powerful,
able to blow away crowds of enemies with rays of
holy light, devastating meteor showers and massive
artillery bombardments.
Using these powers, you carve a path through Lost Ark’s
fantasy world, which is split into around a dozen different
continents, each of which is completely different. One
might see you explore the miniature civilisation of a race
of pixie-like creatures, before sailing off to a steampunk
society with fully functioning railways and airships. Each
zone ends in a colourful dungeon, while each continent has
at least one spectacular set piece, ranging from awakening
gods to battling an army of clowns.
It’s filled with wonderful highs, but there’s a fair amount theory, but are ultimately grindstones designed to keep LOST ARK
of MMO drudgery involved in seeing them. Many of the you playing the game. + Excellent
combat system
game’s secondary systems, such as the instanced Fortress Quest design, meanwhile, is utterly insipid. Some quests
you can build, or the ship-sailing minigame, sound cool in ask you to move in-game objects a matter of yards, while + Colourful, diverse
fantasy world
others are resolved by performing an emote. This isn’t too
much of a problem in the early game, when you’re pushing + Good dungeons
through zones at lightning pace. However, at around level + Great set-pieces
50, character progression switches emphasis from XP to
the level of your equipment, meaning you must actively CRYSTAL SKULL
seek out small islands filled with these tenuous missions in - Boring story
order to progress.
Lost Ark’s biggest flaw is that, for all its locational variety
- Empty quests
- Too much
and stunning set pieces, the story is downright inert. Its few MMO fluff
consistent characters are all one-dimensional archetypes,
from the tedious King Thirain to its pantomime demon
lords. Most of the other characters you encounter are /VERDICT
little better than quest dispensers, making it all the more Lost Ark may not
ironic that there’s an elaborate sub-system called ‘rapport’ be the smartest
MMO around, but
dedicated to getting to know them.
it offers some
Lost Ark is too wedded to MMO convention to be a truly big flashy fun for
great game, but as a free-to-play experience, it’s worth free, which isn’t a
trying for its propulsive combat and dazzling class design. bad deal at all.
Moreover, while the story lacks both brains and heart, the
game world constantly tempts you to look around the next OVERALL SCORE
corner, and there are some truly breathtaking moments
that make it worth persevering with the more arduous
parts of the journey.
RICK LANE
70%
75
G A M E S / VIRTUAL REALITY
REALITY
NEWS
COLOSSAL CAVE 3D ADVENTURE
CHECK
In what is surely the most dramatic video pandemic I wrote a book about the old Sierra
game glow-up of all time, foundational game days. Its success surprised me and brought
Colossal Cave Adventure is getting a VR back many memories of our days making
remake. Originally released in 1976, Colossal games. This led me to investigating how
Cave Adventure was one of the first text modern games are made and I just started
adventures, inspiring games such as Zork coding using the Unity game engine for fun,’
and Rogue among many others. Williams said in a statement.
Created by developer Will Crowther, an Colossal Cave 3D Adventure will stay
enthusiast cave explorer, it saw players delve true to the original game’s core premise and
Rick Lane checks into an elaborate cave network, seeking
treasure and encountering characters such
story, but will obviously be quite a different
experience, featuring a wide array of puzzles
his time-travelling as bears, snakes and trolls. in what Williams describes as a ‘completely
The remake, named Colossal Cave 3D immersive 3D world with almost 150
watch, and has a look Adventure, is being designed by Cygnus locations’. The final product is due to release
at some upcoming VR entertainment, a new studio founded by
Sierra On-Line creators Ken and
this summer.
retro remakes, in this Roberta Williams, themselves

pioneers of adventure gaming
month’s VR roundup through the King’s Quest series.
Speaking to IGN, Ken Williams
revealed that the project came
about because he was bored
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘While locked down by the
NEWS
STAR WARS: DARK FORCES MODS
Although there are several decent Star Wars projects were recently announced that both a demo that lets players don their headsets
games on VR now, such as the excellent focus on remaking games from the Dark and blast stormtroopers in a segment of the
Star Wars: Squadrons and the (slightly less) Forces series into VR. original game’s first level.
excellent Vader Immortal trilogy, this hasn’t First up is Dark Forces VR. Developed Arguably even more ambitious is Jedi
prevented the VR modding community from by small UK studio Shadow Art Games, it Knight II VR Remaster, which strives to
adding their contributions to the VR sector of attempts to recreate the 1996 FPS in Unreal recreate the 2002 hybrid of FPS and third-
Disney’s sci-fi universe. Indeed, two separate Engine 4. Funded via Patreon, there’s already person melee combat originally developed
by Raven Software. This is an enthusiast
project by a solo designer, Guido Mariano,
and Mariano’s footage of his work shows
an impressive recreation of JK II’s lightsaber
combat, right down to the way it scores red-
hot gashes into walls and floors.
Both projects look exciting, but whether or
not either sees the light of day is debatable.
Mariano admits his work is a personal
endeavour, offering no guarantee as to
how far it will go. Shadow Art seems more
committed to seeing its project through, but
long-term viability isn’t the only factor at
play. The spectre of Disney hovers over both
projects, and the corporate behemoth could
easily step in and attempt to shut down these
remakes at any time.
76
REVIEW
WANDERER / £29.99 incVAT
DEVELOPER M-Theory, Oddboy / PUBLISHER M-Theory, Oddboy
Wanderer is a rare VR title with a premise that detailed and convincingly designed, although travelling watch doubles as your inventory,
goes further than ‘experience X, but in VR’. the most striking location is arguably the one letting you store objects to carry across time
A time-travelling extravaganza, M-Theory’s in which you start, with flooded, overgrown (don’t ask how this works, it just does).
game puts you in the role of a young man Boston offering some truly impressive To store items, however, you must first tap
named Asher Neumann, who begins the VR vistas. the watch to bring up the inventory, which
game searching for his grandfather’s Boston In any case, each location is themed around means dropping the item you want to store,
apartment in the year 2061. elaborate, bespoke puzzles, from trying to bringing up the inventory, then picking the item
The city is flooded and overrun by hostile open a Mayan tomb to assembling the Enigma back up before you can finally store it. Also, the
gangs after an unspecified disaster in the past. machine. What makes Wanderer’s puzzling game arbitrarily locks storage slots behind an
Upon reaching the apartment, Asher discovers interesting, however, is the crossover between upgrade system, which seems to exist solely
what’s essentially a talking watch that lets him timelines. For example, you may need to bring so that the game can have an upgrade system.
travel to different time periods, along with a a power tool from Asher’s post-apocalyptic Still, Wanderer’s impressive locations and
message from his grandfather tasking him present to open a container on the moon, elaborate, tactile puzzles more than make up
with ‘fixing’ the timeline, so the apocalypse or use an anti-bacterial spray to clean off a for these shortcomings. It doesn’t quite reach
never happens. Mayan plaque, so it can be translated. It’s like the heights of Half-Life: Alyx in terms of its
It’s a slightly convoluted premise, but a big-budget, VR Day of the Tentacle, only with significance for VR gaming, but it’s nonetheless
Wanderer quickly gets you on board with both more elaborate puzzles. one of the better premium VR experiences,
its fiction and puzzling. You approach your Wanderer can’t match Day of the Tentacle comfortably justifying its price tag.
given objective by visiting a bunch of historical for humour, though, despite making a
locations, such as a Mayan temple and 1940s concerted but ill-judged effort. While WANDERER BLUNDERER
German bunker. You even get to visit the lunar the broader story is well told, your main + Great concept - Annoying sidekick
surface in 1969. These locations are highly companion – the watch itself – has a built-in + Some fantastic - Fiddly inventory system
AI that affects a US ‘Southern Gentleman’ locations
persona. It’s an exaggerated performance + Complex, entertaining

puzzles
that’s frankly more irritating than endearing,
particularly when you’re stuck on a puzzle
VERDICT
and your timepiece keeps chiming in with its OVERALL SCORE
Wanderer is a delightful
unfunny ‘Ma Gawsh’ shtick.
85%
time-hopping adventure,
Beyond a slightly annoying sidekick, even if your travelling
Wanderer’s other notable issue is that companion should have
interaction can be a little clunky. Your time- been left in the past.
77
F E AT U R E / CUSTOMISATION
BUILD A
GAMING PC
RUNNING THE LATEST GAMES IN ULTRA
HIGH DEFINITION REQUIRES SOME SERIOUS
COMPUTING POWER, AND A CAREFUL
4K
SELECTION OF COMPONENTS.
ANTONY LEATHER SHOWS
YOU HOW IT’S DONE
P
icking the right parts to build a 4K
gaming PC can be tricky, as you not
only need to factor raw gaming
performance into the equation, but CPU
power and cooling too. This month, we’ve
picked some of the best PC hardware for the
job that, until recently, would have been a
very tough (and prohibitively expensive) job.
However, now that GPU prices are
finally starting to settle, you can pick up
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders
Edition, which is a great 4K gaming GPU,
for just over a grand. Meanwhile, CPU and
motherboard prices are reasonable, and
cases, PSUs, coolers, memory and SSDs
are all readily available.
With Intel’s latest Alder Lake CPU
architecture, a decent storage system and
plenty of cooling power, this month we’ll
show you how to build a cracking 4K gaming
PC with hardware that’s actually available
and for a decent price. Plus, we’ve also got
an extensive list of alternative parts and
detailed discussion to suit lower or higher
budgets, so you’ll be equipped to build the
best PC for you. Finally, we’ll show you how
to put it all together and what frame rates
you can expect in the latest games.
78
OUR 4K PC SHOPPING LIST
CPU then the Core i9-12900K might well be worth
the extra money, but for a pure high-end
Intel Core i7-12700K gaming system, the Core i7-12700K covers all
£377 inc VAT your bases, while still offering plenty of multi-
cclonline.com threaded power if you ever need it.
Intel’s current stack of 12th-generation CPUs
are fantastic, but it still pays to do a little digging Alternatives
into the specifications and prices, so you’re not Intel’s Core i7-12700K strikes a good balance fantastic control over your PC’s lighting and
wasting hundreds of pounds on a pointlessly of power and value, offering plenty of change cooling and uses a large 360mm radiator to
powerful processor. For starters, while the Core from £400, but you can save even more keep your PC cool. As the radiator and its three
i9-12900K and more recent Core i9-12900KS money by opting for its Core i5-12600K. It 120mm fans can dissipate more heat than
are the flagship models, they won’t leave you costs just £260 inc VAT, shaving over £100 off a 240mm radiator, it will be able to keep its
with any change from £500. the price of its bigger sibling. The downside fans at slower speeds, but cool your CPU to
There’s also the fact that, at our target is that while it has the same four E-Cores, it the same level as a smaller cooler with much
resolution of 4K, the graphics card will be the only has six P-Cores compared to eight for the louder fans.
bottleneck in terms of gaming performance. Core i7-12700K. It also has lower peak boost
It has to deal with a huge amount of pixel frequencies for both its E-Cores and P-Cores. Alternatives
pushing power, and it’s only really at 1,920 x However, benefits of the Core i5-12600K If you’re not too concerned about noise, and
1,080 and 2,560 x 1,440 that bottlenecking are its reasonable overclocking headroom you want to save a bit of cash, then using a
could result from a poor choice of CPU. and reduced cooling and power requirements, 240mm liquid cooler can save you over £150.
We’ve opted for the Core i7-12700K ,as so you’ll likely end up saving more than just Corsair’s own iCUE H100i Elite Capellix costs
even in our tests at 1080p, it was barely any £100 for very little performance sacrifice. It’s just over £100, and offers the same level of
slower than the Core i9-12900K with little also a better option for gaming than AMD’s control as our chosen cooler, except with a
to no difference at higher resolutions and it Ryzen 5 5600X. less funky pump top out of the box.
will save nearly £150 over a Core i9-12900K. ARCTIC’s Liquid Freezer II 240 RGB is also
The two CPUs each have eight performance- an excellent choice and costs just £80. Unless
optimised P-Cores, which account for the CPU COOLER you’re pushing the Core i7-12700K to its limits,
bulk of performance, with the pricier Core Corsair iCUE H150i Elite LCD neither of these coolers is likely to get near
i9-12900K benefiting from eight efficiency- their peak fan speeds often anyway.
optimised E-Cores compared to four for the
£250 inc VAT
scan.co.uk
Core i7-12700K.
In all other areas, the two chips are evenly As we’ve seen in this month’s AIO liquid cooler MOTHERBOARD
matched, with slight drops in cache amounts group test (see p48), 240mm liquid coolers MSI MAG Z690 Tomahawk
and frequencies, but nothing that will result can cope with Intel’s Core i9-12900K at stock WiFi DDR4
in noticeable performance sacrifices at high speed. Some can even do it at reasonable
resolutions. Of course, if you’ll be doing a fair noise levels, and if you’re on a tight budget, we
£250 inc VAT
ebuyer.com
amount of multi-threaded content creation, highly recommend taking a look at the Labs
before reaching for your wallet, as they cost Given that a manual all-core overclock on the
less than our chosen cooler here as well. Core i7-12700K will result in slower gaming
With 12 cores under the hood, though, performance than leaving the CPU to its own
your cooler will need to be able to shift quite boosting algorithms, there’s no need to opt
a lot of heat from the CPU, despite the cores for a very expensive motherboard. The MSI
being produced using a 10nm manufacturing MAG Z690 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 is a great
process. If you’re serious about your gaming, all-rounder. It costs £250 inc VAT, which is
and want your PC to be as quiet as possible, reasonable for a Z690 motherboard, but it
then we’d argue the money saved by opting for doesn’t hack and slash its feature set to get
the Core i7-12700K over the Core i9-12900K there. For starters, you get Realtek ALC4080
would be best spent on a potent CPU cooler. audio instead of the basic and dated ALC897
We’ve picked Corsair’s iCUE H150i Elite codec provided by many cheaper offerings.
LCD, as it not only looks fantastic, but it’s also What’s more, all its M.2 ports are equipped
LGA1700 compatible out of the box, gives you with heatsinks (and three of them support 4x
79
there is some good news as, following 18

months of sky-high graphics card prices, the
price of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080 Ti has
plummeted in price over recent weeks.
Most GPUs have seen small price reductions
in both new and used markets, but the RTX
3080 Ti’s hard-wired low hash rate makes
it unattractive to crypto miners, and the fact
it’s pretty expensive in the first place limits its Radeon RX 6900 XT from £999 from
appeal to mainstream users too – amazingly, overclockers.co.uk
it’s now back to its MRSP in several places. Below this level, the GeForce RTX 3080
We’ve picked the Nvidia GeForce RTX gets our vote. It’s still a capable 4K card,
3080 Ti Founders Edition, as it’s been in stock especially if you enable DLSS, but you’ll be
on Nvidia’s online GPU shop (which links to entirely reliant on partner cards, the current
scan.co.uk) for a couple of weeks at the time of price of which will only save you a couple of
writing. It’s available for £1,050 inc VAT, which hundred pounds at most compared with the
is the MSRP of the Founders Edition card – yes, RTX 3080 Ti.
the mind-bogglingly expensive RTX 3090 Ti is
faster, but it costs over £800 more for a pretty
PCI-E 4) and there are 16 power phases for minimal boost in performance. MEMORY
the CPU, along with large heatsinks to cool the If it’s out of stock when you’re looking to 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200MHz
VRMs. There’s a smattering of futureproofing buy, there are also some other options. At the DDR4 Corsair Vengeance
too, with a 16x PCI-E 5 slot and, as its name time of writing, KFA2’s RTX 3080 Ti SG 1-Clock RGB Pro
suggests, there 802.11ax Wi-Fi and 2.5 Gigabit OC costs the same £1,050 inc VAT price at
Ethernet. You also get a USB Type-C port on overclockers.co.uk, and there are plenty of
£75 inc VAT
scan.co.uk
the back panel, as well as a header on the PCB. other options from board partners, with more
RGB bells and whistles, going for under £1,300 For our system, we’ve opted for a 16GB kit
Alternatives at various etailers. As usual, we suggest of Corsair’s Vengeance RGB Pro memory
Gigabyte’s cheaper B660 Gaming X DDR4 checking prices to see what’s around, as the with a speed rating of 3200MHz. Our chosen
might lack the ability to tweak the unlocked situation changes all the time. motherboard supports DDR4, which is still
multiplier on Intel’s K-series CPUs, but it significantly cheaper than DDR5 for the same
handles them perfectly well at stock speed, Alternatives capacity, and our tests show that going for
plus it has decent cooling for its VRMs and M.2 Once you get above the RTX 3080 Ti, the DDR5 memory currently only gives you a
SSDs, solid power circuitry and a USB Type-C situation starts to get tricky and extremely miniscule performance advantage.
header. However, there’s no Wi-Fi or rear USB expensive, as the RTX 3090 and RTX 3090 16GB is the bare minimum we’d
Type-C port and its audio codec is Realtek’s Ti are retailing for silly prices. They have a recommend for a high-end system now,
paltry ALC897. lot more memory than the RTX 3080 Ti, though, and with memory prices currently low,
The MSI MAG Z690 Tomahawk WiFi which can be useful for workstation use, but it’s worth considering buying a 32GB kit instead,
DDR4 isn’t particularly lavish either, and if our tests have shown it doesn’t make much especially if you like to have lots of software
you want to go all-out with a good-looking difference in games yet. These cards are also and browser tabs open at the same time.
motherboard that’s packed with features, a bit faster in games than the RTX 3080 Ti,
then MSI’s MEG Z690 Unify or Asus’ ROG but not to an extent that’s justified the huge
Maximus Z690 Apex get our votes, although difference in price. CASE
they cost a lot more money. AMD’s Radeon RX 6900 XT is another Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB
option – in some titles, such as Assassin’s
Creed Valhalla, it beats the RTX 3080 Ti, and
£147 inc VAT
GRAPHICS CARD in non-ray-traced software it’s competitive,
ebuyer.com
Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti but its ray -racing performance is poor. You We’ve opted for Corsair’s beautiful iCUE
Founders Edition can also currently pick up a Sapphire Nitro+ 5000X RGB for this top-end build. It’s a great-
looking case, and it’s equipped with three RGB
£1,050 inc VAT fans as standard, it has tempered glass all
scan.co.uk
around it, and even has its own fan and lighting
Your choice of graphics card for a high-end control. There’s plenty of scope for liquid
gaming system is extremely important, and at cooling too, with 360mm radiator mounts in
the moment ,a pretty complicated one too, so the front, side and rear. It’s a great premium
we’ll go into some extra detail here. Thankfully, case in terms of both looks and features.
80
the latest gigabyte-munching titles Thankfully,
the 2TB model of the SN770 is now one of
the cheapest 2TB PCI-E 4 M.2 SSDs available,
retailing for just £178 inc VAT, which is over
£100 less than the cost at launch.
This is a steal and offers great way to
ditch hard disks for any task other than
mass storage. With read and write speeds
around 5,000MB/sec, it’s not the fastest
SSD available, but it’s plenty quick enough for
gaming needs.
Alternatives
There are even cheaper ways to ditch your
hard disk ,as Crucial’s 2TB 2.5in BX500 costs
just £130 inc VAT, giving you a great way to
add extra storage space for less frequently
used games and programs. Also, in real-
world use, you won’t notice a huge difference
between this drive and the WD Black SN770,
at least outside of large file transfers. If you EXTRAS
need more space for mass storage, then we Corsair ML120 Pro RGB
can recommend WD’s Blue hard disks, with
a 4TB drive available for £80.
£25 inc VAT
scan.co.uk
Alternatives
There are dozens of fantastic cases available We’ve not had to add much to our PC, but as
right now, and we’re also huge fans of Fractal POWER SUPPLY the case lacks a rear exhaust fan, we’ve added
Design’s Define 7 and Meshify 2 cases – it’s Corsair RM850x another RGB fan to the mix in the form of a
easier to work with both of them than the Corsair ML120 Pro RGB fan. It can be controlled
Corsair case, they cost around the same price
£130 inc VAT by our cooler’s fan and lighting hub, and will
scan.co.uk
and they both come in compact versions too, boost cooling while occupying the otherwise-
which cost significantly less money. We fell Nvidia’s high-end GPUs are pretty power- vacant rear fan mount.
in love with Fractal Design’s Torrent case hungry, and using the likes of the RTX 3080
last issue too, with its fantastic cooling and Ti will see your PC draw over 500W when it’s Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro
eye-catching front grille, making it our most running games. This means that you need to Light Enhancement Kit
wanted case for around £200. factor at least another 300W into your PSU £30 inc VAT
budget on top of this figure, in order to ensure scan.co.uk
your PC isn’t pushing your PSU to its limits,
STORAGE which will only result in it making more noise Filling all your motherboard’s memory slots
2TB WD Black SN770 and running less efficiently. We’ve opted for always looks better than just filling two of
Corsair’s RM850x – it has 850W of power on them, especially when you’re using Corsair’s
£178 inc VAT tap, which is plenty for this system, and it costs Vengeance RGB Pro modules. Thankfully,
scan.co.uk
around £130. It’s quiet and has plenty of after- there’s a cheaper way to fill vacant slots
Since we reviewed the WD Black SN770 in our market custom cable support too. than buying extra memory, which is to use
last issue, the price of the 1TB model has fallen Corsair’s Light Enhancement Kit. This is simply
from around £130 to just £100. However, if a pair of dummy modules that fill out your
you’re serious about your games, you’ll need lighting array across all four memory slots.
larger capacity in order to house half a dozen of They’re completely superfluous to computing
requirements, but they look lovely.
TOTAL
£2,512 inc VAT
81
BUILDING THE PC
identify these parts and use them – you don’t
want to end up using the LGA1200 kit by
mistake. The new CPUs sit a little lower than
their predecessors, and using the wrong
fittings can result in higher temperatures.
tart by installing the CPU in the the CPU socket 2 . This will ensure the Install the cooler’s backplate in the back of
motherboard. Press on the handle memory runs in dual-channel mode. Not your motherboard, then secure it in place by
next to the CPU socket and lift it up, doing this could result in the memory installing the LGA1700 mounting pins 4 .
along with the socket lid. The CPU can only running in single-channel mode, making The cooler’s waterblock/pump section
fit in the socket one way around, but be your PC slower. has a removable top, and it’s a good idea to
extremely careful with the CPU socket pins Now install the SSD. We’ve placed it in detach this before installing the pump. It’s
as these are easily damaged. the top slot above the graphics card, as it’s also a bit easier to install the pump with the
Don’t lower the CPU down into the socket slightly easier to access once the system is motherboard out of the case than once all
from a height. Instead, move it over from the built. The motherboard includes a tool-free the gear is installed.
side an inch or so above the socket and clip, so you don’t need to use screws 3 . However, it’s a good idea to hold the
gently lower it into place 1 . When it’s in Next, remove the protective film on the radiator up and orientate it into the position in
place, gently place the lid over the top of underside of the heatsink to reveal the which it will sit in the case. This way you can
the CPU and slide down the handle. thermal pad, then replace the heatsink on work out the best orientation for the tubes.
Next, install the memory modules and top of the SSD. Thermal paste is pre-applied to the pump’s
Light Enhancement modules into the The Corsair H150i Elite LCD CPU cooler contact plate, so there’s no need to apply any
motherboard, placing the actual memory includes specific components in the box for here. Fit the waterblock/pump unit to the
modules into slots two and four away from Intel’s new LGA1700 socket, so be sure to LGA1700 mounting pins around the CPU
1 3
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6
7 8
socket 5 , and secure it, following the

instructions with the cooler.
MAKE SURE YOU INSTALL THE FANS WITH
Another reason to check which way THEIR CABLES POINTING TOWARDS THE
around the radiator will sit in the case before
you install it is to make sure you install the MOTHERBOARD TRAY
fans with their cables pointing towards the
motherboard tray 6 . Do this using the long Now screw the motherboard into the tubes sat best with the tubing end of the
screws provided with the cooler. We’ll be standoffs in your case 7 , using the provided radiator positioned towards the front of the
installing the radiator in the roof and it’s screws, and place the radiator next to the roof fan vent. Before you install it, though,
important to point the cables this way, or the case, supporting it if necessary, so it doesn’t thread the fan cables through the routing
wires will end up dangling from the radiator dangle. You can now also install the extra holes in the case’s motherboard tray 8 . It
in full view of the side window. 120mm fan in the rear of the case. This is will be impossible to do the latter after
We’re using the radiator as an exhaust, optional, but it will improve airflow as well as you’ve installed the radiator.
as this means the heat from the CPU will filling the vacant rear mount with some extra To install the radiator in the roof, you’ll
be expelled straight out of the case, and the snazzy lights. need to remove the dust filter and top glass
Corsair iCUE 5000X case has three front Now move the radiator and its attached panel in order to access the fan mounts –
120mm fans to balance out the airflow too. fans into the case. We found the radiator these parts are tool-free and simple to
83
9 10
11
remove 9 . Both will need to be replaced there are two headers required for the Edition’s flow-through cooling system, with
later, with the dust filter protecting the inside cooler, powering both the pump and the a row of roof fans helping to exhaust the
of the PC from dust falling into the case. Commander Core hub. warm air from the case 14 .
Use the small screws provided with the Thankfully, Corsair has included a USB However, we’d don’t recommend using
cooler to mount the radiator into the roof of header splitter cable, so even though you the vertical GPU mount in the case, as it
the case. The 360mm radiator has 12 screw have three header cables to connect, you will mean the hot exhaust air from the RTX
threads to accommodate three 120mm fans, only need two actual USB headers. 3080 Ti will be pointed straight at your
motherboard, and there’s also very little
CORSAIR HAS INCLUDED A USB HEADER clearance between the cooler and the side
panel of the case.
SPLITTER CABLE, SO YOU ONLY NEED TWO We’ve also opted for an extension cable
ACTUAL USB HEADERS for the graphics card’s power cable. This
replaces the rather unattractive one provided
with the graphics card and simply connects
but you only need to use four screws, with Connect the cooler’s two headers to the to two 8-pin PCI-E power connectors.
one in each corner of the radiator, in order to splitter cable, and then connect this and the The CPU cooler’s Commander Core hub
mount it 10 . case header cable to the USB 2 headers on can be installed anywhere with a flat surface,
The radiator tubes need to be routed so the motherboard 13 . thanks to its included double-sided foam
that they don’t straddle the memory You can now install the graphics card. pads – we found the perfect place was
modules. We found that one tube can sit Our system is well suited to the Founders behind the motherboard tray beneath the
where the radiator meets the case, and the
other can rest just below (make sure it’s not 12
touching) the middle fan, clearing the
memory so it’s in full view 11 .
The case includes its own fan hub and RGB
lighting controller, which can be connected to
your motherboard and controlled using
Corsair’s iCUE software. You’ll need to
ensure the case fans and connected to these
parts, including the new 120mm fan we
added 12 . We’ve opted to use the
Commander Core hub included with our
cooler to control its fans and lighting, as
neither the case or cooler’s hub has enough
connectors to power every part .
As both the case and cooler are software-
controlled, they both need to be connected
to motherboard USB headers. However,
84
13 15
14
case’s own RGB hub 15 . Don’t worry about highly recommend removing the hard disk headers at the bottom of the motherboard
connecting the RGB cables in order, as you mount that’s located here too. 18 . There’s a table next to the headers that
can rearrange them in Corsair’s iCUE You can now route the power cables from shows where the connectors go, but you can
software later if necessary. the power supply to the parts where they’re also refer to the motherboard manual if
You can now install the power supply in needed. The case has a large cover to hide you’re not sure.
the case’s mount 16 , being sure to only the cable-routing holes, so make sure to The rear of the case has a large area to
connect the power cables you’ll be using. thread as many cables as possible through stow cables, and hefty Velcro ties to anchor
For this specific build, we didn’t need any here in order to keep the PC neat and tidy. them down too. However, there’s no point
4-pin Molex connectors, for example, and Next, thread the case’s USB 3 and USB going too overboard with the cable tidying, as
we only needed a single pair of 8-pin PCI-E Type-C cables under the cover and connect the case includes a large cover than hides
connectors, as well as the usual 8-pin CPU them to the motherboard as well 17 . At this them all anyway. However, it won’t fit if all the
and 24-pin ATX connectors. point, you also need to hook up the case’s cables are loose, so you’ll need to at least tie
Space is tight in the lower chamber, so if front panel connectors for its power and down the key ones 19 . The basic PC is now
you don’t plan to use a hard disk, we also reset buttons, as well as its audio jacks to the built, so you can plug in your monitor,
16
85
17 20
18
21
19
keyboard, mouse and power supply, and Once you’ve installed Windows, as Here, we can see the three fans on the
switch it on. well as the latest Intel chipset driver, the cooler’s radiator, with the four case fans
We’re leaving our Core i7-12700K at stock motherboard drivers and the driver for the combined into one setting at the bottom,
speed, as there are limited gains to be had Nvidia GPU, install Corsair’s iCUE software. running at a slightly lower speed. Above
from a manual overclock, especially in This is easy to use, but can be a little these readouts are the icons to control the
games. However, you’ll need to enter the EFI overwhelming if you’re using it for the first memory lighting, case fan lighting, cooler
in order to make sure the correct memory time, especially with the hefty amount of and pump display, as well as the lighting on
speed and timings are applied. Press the Del fans in our system. the graphics card.
key as soon as you see a display on your We decided to connect the PWM input for From the iCUE software, you can
screen and you’ll enter the EFI. You can then the case’s own fan hub to the Commander select from profile presets or create your
switch to Advanced mode, find the setting Core hub on the cooler, as this will allow us own custom fan speed curve based on
for Extreme Memory Profile, and in the to control all four case fans as one in order various temperature inputs. However, we
Overclocking section and enable it 20 . to save time 21 . suggest using one of the presets unless
86
THERE ARE LIMITED
GAINS TO BE HAD BENCHMARK RESULTS
FROM A MANUAL
OVERCLOCK,
ESPECIALLY
77,667 855,918 316,761 323,329
IN GAMES GIMP IMAGE
EDITING
HANDBRAKE H.264
VIDEO ENCODING
HEAVY MULTI-
TASKING
SYSTEM
SCORE
TOTAL SYSTEM POWER CONSUMPTION

you know what you’re doing. There’s
plenty of headroom here, so feel free to CPC 4K gaming PC 57W 480W
experiment and fine-tune your own cooler
0 200 400 600
to your surroundings. Lower is better
Beware of the temperature input that Idle Load
controls the fans though. This should be
set to coolant temperature and not CPU ASSASSIN’S CREED: VALHALLA
2,560 x 1,440, Ultra settings
temperature, but you also need to bear in
mind that CPU and coolant temperatures CPC 4K gaming PC 62fps 85fps
have different thresholds – 70° might be fine
for the CPU, but not for your coolant. 0 30 60 90 120
You don’t want the coolant to get this hot, 3,840 x 2,160, Ultra settings
so run a load test using Prime95’s small FFT

CPC 4K gaming PC 47fps 62fps
test for ten minutes with your custom curve,
and see how warm the coolant and CPU 0 30 60 90 120
become. Loading one of the presets and
CYBERPUNK 2077
tinkering with it is a good place to start. 2,560 x 1,440, Medium ray tracing preset, DLSS Balanced
You can also use iCUE to customise the
screen on the cooler’s waterblock/pump CPC 4K gaming PC 61fps 76fps
unit, which we’ve done with a CPC Premium
0 30 60 90 120
Grade award as an example 22 . It looks
3,840 x 2,160, Medium ray tracing preset, DLSS Balanced
great when it’s all lit up with the rest of
the system 23 .
22 0 30 60 90 120
DOOM ETERNAL
0 100 200 300 400

0 100 200 300 400
23
0 100 200 300 400

0 100 200 300 400
87
F E AT U R E / ANALYSIS
BY
N D F L U MMOXED
CS A EXPLAIN
S
F U S E D BY CODE H E S T E R
CON DC GETTING
E N C I E S ? EDWAR A B O U T
F R EQ U TO
U N E E D TO KNOW E F OR YOUR
PC
A L L Y O R I E N C
B E S T A U DIO EXPE
THE
he world of PC audio has gone digitally. If you’re trying to get a sound into However, many devices these days come
T through all manner of shifts in
trends when it comes to device
your computer, it will need to go through
an analogue to digital convertor (ADC),
with built-in ADCs and DACs, and use a
convenient USB interface to connect directly
capabilities over the years. A decade or two and if you’re trying to get sound out of a to your computer, negating the need for
ago, a quality gaming sound card was a computer, it will need to go through a digital any other sound interface devices – even
must-have, along with a surround sound to analogue convertor (DAC). on-board motherboard audio. Many gaming
speaker setup. These days, though, built-in At their core, then, the role of any audio headsets, gaming/streaming-orientated
motherboard audio is greatly improved and interface is to perform either or both the microphones and even many speakers
most 3D effects and other gaming features ADC and DAC conversion for the devices come with a USB connection, while any
are handled in software by your CPU, connected to it. The simplest audio wireless devices with a USB dongle, such
negating the need for fancy gaming interfaces do that and nothing more, as wireless headsets, will take care of ADC/
features in sound cards. providing an input for a microphone or DAC duties internally.
Meanwhile, headphones with virtual output for a set of speakers or headphones, In many ways, this greatly simplifies your
surround sound have well and truly taken such as with USB headphone DACs. buying decision, as a device with all these
over from surround sound speakers, and
external headphone amps are all the rage
instead of internal sound cards. All of which
ANY WIRELESS DEVICES WITH A USB DONGLE,
begs the question of just what is the overall SUCH AS WIRELESS HEADSETS, WILL TAKE CARE
situation with PC audio these days – are
you better off with an audiophile-grade
OF ADC/DAC DUTIES INTERNALLY
headphone amp, a wireless headset, an
internal sound card or just sticking with your Crucially, any such dedicated interface features built into it will only ever deliver
monitor speakers and integrated audio? is only useful when connecting analogue sound quality of a certain level, so you don’t
That’s what we’re here to find out. devices to your computer, such as a set of need to worry about whether to buy a fancy
speakers with a line level input, an analogue sound card or headphone amp to get the
Digital tech in an analogue world headset or a microphone with an analogue best from it. If the whole unit is high-quality
The most fundamental difficulty that any output. Buying the best-quality or most then it will produce quality audio, regardless
audio device connected to a computer feature-rich interfaces/converters will bring of your other hardware.
needs to overcome is that sound is an benefits to any such analogue devices that However, the downside of devices that
analogue signal and computers operate are plugged into them. don’t have an analogue input or output is
88
Creative T60, this set’s USB and Bluetooth
connections are convenient, but sonically,
these speakers aren’t as good as the
company’s identically priced, simpler and
all-analogue T20 speakers. However, you
will need a decent-quality audio output to
Recording-focused interfaces provide useful
get the best from the T20s. functions, such as XLR input and microphone gain
All of which is to say that, if you’re eyeing controls, as well as top-notch sound quality
up a wireless headset, USB microphone
or Bluetooth speakers, almost all other adjust any settings, such as microphone gain
considerations about PC audio go out the or headphone volume, except via software.
window. If they’re high-quality, they’ll deliver With external interfaces, though, you
that quality consistently whichever device get easy access to sockets in which you
they’re connected to, and if they’re not very can quickly plug and unplug headphones
External audio interfaces, such as the Epos GSX 1000, high-quality, there won’t be much you can and microphones (or other devices such
bring convenient audio controls to your desktop do to get around it. as keyboards and guitar amps if you want
We always recommend seeking out to record your own music), and you often
that, if the internal circuitry isn’t very good, it devices that at least give you the option of get convenient gain/volume controls and
can hold back the potential performance of an analogue input, especially when it comes even extra buttons for quickly muting your
the analogue parts of the device. to any vaguely portable device. Being able audio, turning on effects or playing and
We find this quite often with cheaper to fall back on plugging in a 3.5mm jack pausing music.
speaker sets, such as the Creative T60 plug is always preferable to a device being For example, devices such as the Epos
(see p30), that offer a USB or other digital unusable because its digital input is down. GSX1000 provide just three jack sockets
connection. Circumvent their cheap circuitry for an analogue headset (separate
by using an analogue input, and they can Utility first headphone and microphone inputs) and
often produce better audio quality – you’ll Assuming you’re not investing purely in a stereo speaker output – so there’s no
still be relying on the cheap amplifiers in the standalone USB or wireless audio devices, fancy multi-channel audio here – but
speakers, but they’ll at least be fed the best at some point you’ll need to plug your then you also get a volume wheel and
quality signal. analogue device into an audio interface, touch-buttons for switching between a
Some wireless and USB headsets can which is where all the other considerations host of virtual surround sound modes,
suffer noticeably from this phenomenon about motherboard audio, sound cards and different EQ settings and more.
too. Their audio quality is seldom terrible external interfaces come into play. Other gamer-focused examples include
with the built-in hardware, but if an analogue However, while many buyers primarily the Elgato Wave XLR, which provides a
input is available, they’ll often sound better consider sound quality and price, it’s also headphone output and an XLR input for
when hooked up to a quality headphone worth thinking about the features and utility attaching a professional-grade microphone
amp. Analogue inputs in headphones also of these devices. With motherboard audio, for streaming. The desktop interface then
skip any internal amplifiers, so this method it’s just inconvenient to be reaching round allows for volume control, mic muting, and
means you’re often getting the very best the back of your PC to plug in devices, as controlling the mix of your own voice and
possible signal to the headphones’ drivers. is also the case with internal PCI-E sound your game.
You pay extra for digital convenience cards. Most such devices offer the option of Taken to extremes, you have the Creative
too. Again, taking the example of the front panel audio connections to plug into Sound Blaster GC7, which provides a
Some audio interfaces provide a huge array of extra your case, but not all cases have multiple whole mixing desk-like desktop interface,
controls and connections for gaming and streaming jack sockets on the front. You also can’t with volume knobs, game/voice faders,
dedicated buttons for mic mute and EQ, plus
extra programmable buttons. You also get a
mass of inputs and outputs that allow it to be
used for both PCs and consoles.
For those more interested in home
recording than gaming, the options are even
vaster. Something of an industry standard
entry-level option is the Focusrite Scarlett
2i2, which provides a headphone amp
output and two combined XLR and 1/4in
jack inputs (with gain controls) for use with
microphones and musical instruments such
as electric guitars. This style of interface
89
The Logitech Z906 is one of the last holdouts for

an all-in-one surround sound speaker system
designed to plug straight into a computer
do at least widen the perceived sound field

and can sometimes pull out the dialogue to
sound a little clearer. However, equally we’ve
come across systems – we’re looking at you,
cheap TVs and monitors – where the virtual
surround setting sounds downright terrible.
Make sure you play around with these
settings to find the one you prefer, as often
the default setup will have these features
turned on, making your device sound worse
than necessary.
As such, if you’re in the position to hook
up a full surround system with multiple
Razer’s spatial audio software makes it particularly
easy to fine-tune its virtual surround sound In particular, we’ve been impressed by speakers and a subwoofer and not worry
Razer’s spatial audio tuning software, which about disturbing your neighbours or family,
can also scale all the way up to models with is based on THX virtual audio and can be then a true surround speaker setup is still
dozens of inputs. bought separately for use with any headset far superior to any sort of virtual surround
All these extra features are at the heart of for £20 inc VAT. speaker setup.
why most people should consider investing The crucial addition is a little graphic Unfortunately, the trickiest aspect when
in external audio interfaces, although that shows a top-down view of a person it comes to real surround sound these days
certainly there can be audio quality benefits standing in the sound field, allowing you to is the lack of options for direct connection to
too, as we’ll discuss shortly. move the speakers relative to the person to a PC. Creative no longer lists any surround
adjust the surround effect and tune it to how systems on its site, while the Z906 is the
Virtual vs real surround you perceive the sound. This enables you only system from Logitech.
One of the key shifts we’ve seen in to account for any slight imbalance in your Even Edifier – one of the last holdouts for
computer audio over the past decade or hearing, and ensure the delivered surround making a wide range of quality PC speakers
two has been away from surround sound effect reflects what you perceive. – only lists a single system on its website.
speaker systems, and headsets with The situation is far less clear-cut when For more choice, you’ll have to invest in an
multiple drivers in each earcup, to virtual it comes to speaker surround sound. AV receiver and dip your toes into the vast
surround sound. The latter uses just two Virtual surround through stereo speakers array of home cinema surround sound
drivers in a headset (or set of headphones), is inherently limited by the speakers being systems if you want to take the surround
or two speakers, and then uses digital in front of you and not directly next to your speaker route.
manipulation of the signal to emulate the ears. As such, any software manipulation
effect of surround sound. has to not only account for how the sound Motherboard audio
It seems like it should be a gimmick, but it bounces around a virtual world and into your When it comes to the specifics of
ultimately makes sense given we only have ears, but also how it bounces around your motherboard audio options, there are four
two ears. As long as the sound manipulation room before reaching your ears. main factors to consider. The first is, as
is sophisticated enough, it should be There are systems used to tune rooms highlighted above, whether you have any
possible to recreate as decent a sense of and speaker systems in this way, but they’re audio devices that already have their own
direction as our ears can otherwise provide. not readily available for home PC users, and ADC and DAC hardware.
Sure enough, that’s been our experience, even then, they’re generally still designed If you have an external audio interface
particularly in recent years as the technology for optimising physical surround systems, for your speakers, a USB microphone and a
has improved. In fact, when it comes to rather than producing virtual surround over wireless headset (or a similar combination
headphones and headsets, we find good stereo speakers. that doesn’t use your motherboard’s audio
virtual surround is actively better than the Our experience of the various stereo sockets), you simply don’t need to worry
old multi-driver surround sound headsets of ‘surround’ modes often provided on about motherboard audio at all. In fact,
the past. speakers and hi-fi systems is that they you can even go as far as turning off the
90
Headsets with multiple drivers used to be the
only viable surround sound headset option but
virtual surround is now as good, if not better
on-board audio in your motherboard’s Also, one specific consideration for different functions), echo cancellation
EFI. Doing so makes for one less driver on-board audio is whether you’ll be using on mics and support for alternative audio
to install and one less audio device from a headset or headphones, and whether formats, such as direct stream digital (DSD),
which you have to choose when setting up your case has audio connections on its along with various EQ and audio effects.
your programs. front panel. If the answer is yes to both We’ll discuss these features in more detail
Next will be the number and type of those questions then you’ll want to pay shortly, but the key point here is that the
connections you need. If you’re hoping to attention to the specific capabilities of your codec is only a part of the audio circuit.
run an analogue surround system (with motherboard’s front panel audio. The final consideration is the amplifier
individual speakers connected to multiple The latest and highest-end motherboards circuitry and noise isolation between the
jack plugs), you’ll require a sufficient number specifically provide headphone-friendly codec, and the inputs and outputs.
of outputs from the motherboard to attach features for these outputs, such as a high- It’s all very well having lots of ports and
all those speakers. Or, if you have a digital quality DAC with a high signal-to-noise ratio software/digital features, but it counts for
nought if there’s lots of noise on the line and
the amplifiers aren’t up to snuff for driving
IT COUNTS FOR NOUGHT IF THERE’S LOTS OF NOISE your devices. It’s for the latter reason that
ON THE LINE AND THE AMPLIFIERS AREN’T UP TO most motherboards have a gap on the PCB
SNUFF FOR DRIVING YOUR DEVICES between the audio section and the rest
of the board; the extra physical isolation
reduces the chance of interference from the
surround system, it may require an optical (SNR), the use of a capacitor-free connector rest of the board.
or coaxial digital S/PDIF output. that reduces the loud pops and crackles These features are among the trickiest to
However, if you’re only using stereo when you plug in your headphones, and an find when browsing through motherboard
speakers and a headset, you’ll only need amplifier that’s optimised for use with high- feature lists and reviews. Unless
the trio of jack plugs that come with basic impedance headphones. manufacturer websites (or reviews of the
on-board audio. The next factors to consider are the products) really highlight exactly what high-
At least that’s the theory. In practice, fewer internal features that the main audio coder end features have been added to a board’s
outputs tends to be a sign of lower-quality decoder (codec) chip provides. Modern audio circuit, it can be very tricky to know
on-board audio, so you often have to invest codecs support all manner of extras, such how the real-world audio quality will sound.
in boards with many extra connections just as port routing (so you can plug a device into Generally, though, the better the codec, the
to get good quality audio from one of them. one of several ports and have it perform better the hardware matched with it.
91
The Creative Sound Blaster Z SE is one of the few

dedicated internal sound cards still available
Codec cracking
At the heart of any motherboard audio – and
indeed most audio interfaces – is the codec
chip. The biggest player on the market is
Realtek whose chips are used on just about
every motherboard available these days,
but the features of its codecs can also be
compared with those of other standalone On higher-end motherboards, the audio codec is
sound cards and audio interfaces. In comparison, the lower-end ALC892 often shielded from interference by an extra cover
Among the most popular current- codec, for instance, still has ten DACs but
generation high-end Realtek codecs is the their SNR is only 95dB, so every output is devices, we set up a test using RightMark
ALC1220, which boasts ten 110dBA SNR DAC just a little noisier and less clear. Likewise, Audio Analyzer. It feeds a set test signal
channels for supporting up to 7.1 channel the ADCs drop to a 90dB SNR, making it less out through an output of the audio device
speaker setups and two other stereo suited for use as a device for high-quality then records that signal back through one
outputs via the front panel headphone recordings, although it’s still ample for most of the inputs of the device (via a cable, not a
output (they can be multi-streamed in-game chat and video call input. microphone).
together). It also provides three 102dBA SNR Meanwhile, the Creative Sound Blaster The software then analyses the combined
ADC channels for microphone and line-level Z SE – among the most popular internal ability of the two connections to produce a
input, with the microphone input supporting sound cards on the market – provides an clear signal.
acoustic echo cancellation, beam forming,
noise suppression and far field voice pickup.
Three of the outputs can be driven by
WHEN IT CAME TO SUBJECTIVE TESTING, WE DID IN
internal headphone amplifiers, with the front FACT PREFER THE SOUND BLASTER Z SE’S SOUND
panel output given a boosted SNR of 120dB
compared to 110dB for the other outputs.
TO THE OTHER DEVICES TESTED
It also has a 2.1V RMS output voltage that
can drive headphones with up to 600Ω impressive 116dBA SNR front panel output, It’s not a perfect, all-encompassing test,
impedance, and it has a capacitor-free while its rear outputs are rated to 102dBA. but it gives reliable results for indicating
output that reduces the pops when you plug Its headphone amplifier can also drive the combined quality of a device’s inputs
in your headphones. headphones with an impedance of up to and outputs. We also plugged a set of
600Ω. However, it has less multi-channel headphones into one of the outputs
output support, providing connections for to assess the subjective audio quality
only a 5.1 speaker system (although it can produced by each device.
provide 7.1 virtual surround). All of which In our RightMark tests, we saw a fairly
puts it a little behind the highest-end Realtek linear relationship between the claimed
on-board codec. abilities of any given device’s codec and
the SNR, dynamic range and total harmonic
Audio quality compared distortion numbers of our tests. In particular,
To test the audio quality claims of the latest the ALC1220 codec we tested was an
On lower-end motherboards, the audio motherboard audio codecs, as well as a outright winner, showing that on-board
codec tends to be left uncovered range of sound cards and external audio audio really has come a long way in recent
92
RightMark Audio Analyzer results
Creative Sound Creative Sound
Realtek ALC1220 Realtek ALC892 Blaster Z SE Blaster X4
Frequency response (dB) +4.97, -3.79 +3.13, -2.93 +0.02, -0.2 +5.18, -3.57
Noise level (dBA) -106.2 -88.5 -99.5 -91.3
Dynamic range (dBA) 106 88.5 99.5 91.2
Total harmonic distortion (per cent) 0.00606 0.00327 0.00839 0.00308
Intermodulation distortion + noise

0.268 0.016 0.00971 0.014
(per cent)
Stereo crosstalk (dB) -16.8 -82.6 -92.2 -84.4
Intermodulation distortion + noise -

0.053 0.015 0.011 0.484
swept frequencies (per cent)
Frequency response -
+9.1, -3.9 +3.1, -2.8 +0.0, -0.1 +3.5, -2.6
swept sine (dB)
Our tests showed the latest on-board audio really

Codec comparison can outperform discrete audio hardware, but that
Realtek Realtek Creative Sound doesn’t tell the whole story
ALC892 ALC1220 Blaster Z SE
As an aside, our tests were done with
Channels 7.1 7.1 5.1 lossless FLAC encoded tracks, rather than
MP3s or a streaming service. When using
Input SNR (dB) 90 110 101 Spotify, although the ALC892 board was
still noticeably worse, the difference was
Output SNR (dB) 95 110 102 muddied considerably by the low overall
quality of that streaming service.
Front audio SNR (dB) 95 120 116 Even when opting for the best streaming
quality, we noticed a massive difference
Stereo ADCs 2 3 2 compared with the FLAC tracks. Suffice to
say, make sure your audio source is good-
Standard output, Capacitor-free Standard output,
Front audio port (Port D) quality before spending lots of money on
32Ω output, 600Ω 600Ω
high-end audio hardware.
Nonetheless, what our tests proved
Headphone impedance
No Yes No sufficiently for us was that motherboard
detection
audio really is good enough for most uses
these days, assuming you’re getting a top-
Different codecs and sound cards provide
fundamentally different capabilities that can audio quality, such as the PCB design and end codec. An external headphone DAC
significantly impact sound quality and usability shielding of the board. might be more convenient, but you’ll have
Also, when it came to subjective testing, to spend quite a bit of money to get a clear
years. The older ALC892 chip came dead we did in fact prefer the Sound Blaster Z advantage over a good on-board setup.
last, with poor results across the board. SE’s sound to the other devices tested, with Of course, discrete devices – whether
Meanwhile, the Creative Sound Blaster Z the X4 coming next, then the ALC1220- internal or external – mean you only have
SE sound card and Sound Blaster X4 USB equipped motherboard and finally the to spend the extra once to get the benefit of
interface both sat in the middle of the pack, ALC892 setup. The difference between the great audio across multiple motherboards.
comfortably behind the ALC1220 codec. top three options was very small though. Plus, any external devices can be plugged
However, in some areas, the ALC1220 All three had a much fuller bass sound than into laptops and other devices.
setup wasn’t quite as accomplished, with the ALC892 codec and more articulation Add in all the extra features such devices
very high stereo crosstalk in particular. This in the top-end. There was just a hint more can bring to the table and there’s still plenty
is testament to how other factors can affect smoothness again in the Z SE. of reasons to opt for one.
93
C U STO M I SAT I O N / HOBBY TECH
G A R E T H H A L FAC R E E ’ S
Hobby tech
The latest tips, tricks and news in the world of computer hobbyism,
from Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and Android to retro computing
REVIEW
Argon Eon
A
rgon40 is no stranger to building Produced following a highly successful
boxes in which you can nestle a crowdfunding campaign, the Argon Eon is a
Raspberry Pi computer. Its first case that turns any Raspberry Pi 4 model into
design, the Argon One (see Issue 188) a four-bay network attached storage (NAS)
launched in late 2018, and was updated for the system. Like its predecessors, it has a near-
latest Raspberry Pi 4 in 2019 (see Issue 197). full-metal construction (the two magnetically
2021’s Argon One M.2 (see Issue 213) added attached side panels are made of thin acrylic),
a neat new feature in the form of an M.2 slot with the metal doubling as a heatsink for the
connected to a USB-to-SATA adaptor for high- Raspberry Pi 4 inside.
speed storage, but the Argon Eon is a different It’s a lot larger than an Argon One, though,
beast entirely. and for good reason. Inside are four SATA 3
ports, connected to a USB-to-SATA bridge
chip, supporting up to four hard drives or SSDs.
To keep down the size, Argon40 has opted to
focus on 2.5in drives – you can install four 2.5in
drives with plenty of room for each to breathe, The big sibling to the Argon One, the Eon packs in up
or two 3.5in drives and two 2.5in drives, but the to four SATA drives for a home-brew NAS system
two larger drives will end up being crammed
very closely together. The rear of the machine exposes the
There’s an internal USB 3 port too, designed Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2 and USB 3 ports of the
for booting from an SSD without sacrificing a connected Raspberry Pi 4, although one USB
SATA port. Oddly, this also works around a flaw 3 port is occupied by a bridge connector to the
in the design that renders all four SATA ports SATA backplane. There’s also an audio-video
The Raspberry Pi 4 mounts upside down, with
pillars connecting to the system-on-chip and non-bootable for reasons that didn’t make daughterboard with 3.5mm AV jack socket and
RAM for cooling themselves known during the review. two full-sized HDMI ports, an easily accessible
94
NEWS IN BRIEF
FreeDOS reaches
version 1.3
FreeDOS, the open-source alternative
to MS-DOS, has hit version 1.3 – a
release that brings support for FAT32
storage devices on 8086 hardware, new
The OLED display is handy, although it fails if you networking support, updated packages
configure a slow fan speed and a floppy disk installer that requires
around half as many disks as MS-DOS.
micro-SD slot, a 12V jack for the bundled 60W ‘The new FreeDOS 1.3 reflects all
power supply and access to the Raspberry the hard work of everyone who wrote
Pi 4’s 40-pin general-purpose input/output code, translated messages, edited
(GPIO) header. documentation, tested new versions,
Two round break-out sections are also offered support,’ says project maintainer
present, near an unidentified expansion Jim Hall, ‘and all the other things that go
header. Argon40 has yet to reveal its plans into a new version.’
for these sections, although an optional high- FreeDOS is available to download
The rear includes full-sized HDMI ports and
quality audio board seems a likely guess. two break-outs for an as yet unpopulated from freedos.org now.
Assembly is reasonably straightforward, expansion header
although the instructions are lacking – pushing
the Raspberry Pi 4 home is near impossible Firing up the device reveals a bonus feature
without removing the back I/O shield, a step – a single-colour OLED screen hidden behind
not shown in the small manual provided. the power button on top. Once Argon40’s
There’s not much room to manoeuvre 3.5in software is installed, this pages through a
hard drives, and until secured with the bundled selection of system stats, including CPU
screws, they bend the SATA ports alarmingly. temperature, CPU usage, RAM usage, storage
On the plus side, you can fasten the screws usage, IP address, and date and time. The
with the high-quality bundled screwdriver. latter is linked to a real-time clock, which
requires an optional CR1220 battery, and is
capable of waking the system from standby
on a schedule. it makes little difference to drive temperatures
As with the Argon One, the metal chassis and makes a real racket at the same time, plus
acts as a passive heatsink, although it’s also when it’s running at slow speeds, it somehow
easily scratched, making installing the rubber disables the OLED display.
feet on the base the first step to take during That’s a shame, as a better fan could have
assembly. A 40mm fan at the top provides made all the difference to cooling – with
active cooling, and it’s configured to pull in a whisper-quiet USB-powered, speed-
air through three thin vents and blow it down controlled 120mm fan pointing at the rear
through the case. panel, the hard drive temperatures plummet
Community-driven testing shows that by over 10°C each in our tests.
flipping it over to exhaust hot air instead Performance is good though. The
makes for a better setup, with Argon40 Raspberry Pi 4 runs exactly as you’d expect,
saying it will ship future models in that with no thermal throttling, and the SATA
configuration instead. bridge benchmarked at 390MB/sec read and
With all that metal, it’s no surprise to see 261MB/sec write speeds.
the Raspberry Pi 4 keeps cool. The same can’t Power draw is a little high – the Eon idles at
be said for the hard drives, however. With two 5.5W with no drives installed, a notable uplift
3.5in 6TB NAS-spec SATA drives installed, the over the 2.9W sipped by the Raspberry Pi 4
hottest drive idles at 41°C. alone. With two 3.5in drives installed, that idle
Meanwhile, the internal software- draw jumps to 14W. The Argon Eon is available
For best results, use 2.5in drives; you can squeeze
two 3.5in drives into the Eon, but they practically controlled fan is almost entirely ineffective. to order from argon40.com now at $150 US
end up touching Whether it’s working as an exhaust or intake, (around £115 ex VAT).
95
REVIEW
RoundyPi and RoundyFi
D
esigned by self-described ‘DIY programming, and an
enthusiast’ Om Singh, and unpopulated 2.54mm
produced by SB Components, header at the bottom
the Roundy family consists of a pair of for breadboard use or
development boards with a difference – the external expansion.
fronts feature surprisingly high-resolution It’s here that
colour displays shaped as perfect circles. the Roundy range
The two devices use identical displays, begins to show its
Unpopulated pin headers
but different microcontrollers. The RoundyPi limitations. Only four are provided for access to
is based on the Raspberry Pi RP2040 general-purpose input/output four GPIO pins
microcontroller, offering a dual-core Arm (GPIO) pins are brought out to the 2.54mm
Cortex-M0+ processor running at 133MHz, header, leaving a lot of the microcontroller
with 264KB of static RAM, an eight-state- features inaccessible. NEWS IN BRIEF
machine programmable input/output (PIO) The next disappointment, which isn’t
block, 1MB of external SPI flash memory and surprising given a little thought into the Monotech offers hope
a micro-SD slot for local storage. matter, is the display’s resolution. for missing MOS chips
The RoundyFi, by contrast, has an Espressif While SB Components claims the screen
ESP-12E, one of the company’s ESP8266 has a 240 x 240 resolution, astute readers Pseudonymous electronics designer
range, running its single Tensilica L106 core will note that an image with 240 pixels on Monotech has designed a carrier board
at up to 160MHz. It also has 128KB of static each side forms a square – not a circle. In the to address the increasing scarcity of
RAM, 4MB of flash memory and its key company’s demo code square format, 240 x MOS Technology chips found in vintage
feature, 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. 240 images are loaded into flash for display, computing hardware, by converting
Regardless of whether you’re using the and appear as a cropped circle with a 240- the considerably more common MOS
RoundyPi or RoundyFi, the boards include pixel diameter. 6502 chip.
a 1.28in 65,000-colour display, with a A quick calculation reveals a usable display Dubbed the MOS CPU Replacer,
240 x 240 resolution, driven by a GC9A01 pixel count of around 45,239 – notably lower Monotech’s carrier board accepts an
driver module. There’s a micro-USB port at than the 57,600 available from a square original MOS 6502 and adds in the
the top of each board for power, data and display of the same claimed resolution. missing logic to convert it to the equivalent
of a much rarer MOS 6510/8500, 6510T,
7501/8501 or 8502 chip. Design files for
the boards are available at custompc.
co.uk/CPUReplacer, while assembled
boards can be purchased now from
custompc.co.uk/ReplacerBoards,
starting at $15 US (around £11.50 ex VAT).
The two variants differ in microcontrollers and features – one has Wi-Fi, the other a micro-SD slot
96
CircuitPython code for the RoundyPi. It’s The RoundyPi is programmable as a Raspberry
Pi Pico in MicroPython and CircuitPython
very much a learn-by-doing approach with
little hand holding, and the provided brief and a Wi-Fi-connected clock – the latter
instructions are sometimes misleading and is the only one of any of the samples that
occasionally entirely wrong. makes use of the boards’ circular display.
The projects themselves are basic too. It’s not a deal-killer, by any means. If you
The display on the Roundy range is eye-catching, The company’s Kickstarter campaign shows don’t mind poring over source code and
colourful and bright, but also glossy a RoundyPi being used as a smartwatch, jigsawing things together, there’s enough
complete with heart monitoring, step there to build a bigger project – loading
If you want a square display, though, tracking, time, date and weather information, images from a micro-SD card instead of
there are plenty to be found. If you’re but that’s just a mock-up, and these graphical the RoundyPi’s tiny 1MB flash memory, for
picking up a Roundy, it’s because you want smartwatch features aren’t found in the example, or having the RoundyFi pull down
a circle – and it’s certainly eye-catching. The provided source code. system stats via Wi-Fi for a system monitor
display is bright and clear with good colour Instead, the RoundyPi has a project to with realistic gauges. However, it’s unlikely
reproduction, but the glossy finish to its glass load predetermined images from flash you’ll get close to the company’s smartwatch
cover makes it ill-suited for use outdoors or in memory, another to read and write text to a mock-up, particularly given the relatively
the presence of bright light. micro-SD card, and another to interface with primitive drawing tools included in the
The documentation, sadly, is less clear. SB an external air quality sensor and display graphics library.
Components has prepared a small handful the readings as flat text on the screen. The The biggest issue with the Roundy
of sample projects for both boards, offering RoundyFi has a simple web server example, range, however, isn’t the accessibility of
Arduino-based code for the RoundyFi and a weather app that again, uses basic flat text, programming it but its price. The RoundyPi
is the cheapest mode in the range, yet costs
£35 (inc VAT), while the RoundyFi will cost
you an additional £5 at £40 (inc VAT).
With a 1.28in display at the front, the
Roundy range is pleasingly compact The same GC9A01-driven round LCD
panel purchased from a Chinese seller
in single quantities, meanwhile, will set
you back as little as £5.74 (inc VAT) – and
a Raspberry Pi Pico to drive it costs just
£3.60 (inc VAT), while providing access to
all the RP2040’s GPIO pins. Add a micro-SD
breakout for under a pound and you’ve built
your own RoundyPi.
The all-in-one format of the Roundy range
is admittedly attractive – particularly for
projects where space is at a premium, with
a footprint only marginally above that of the
1.28in display itself. If SB Components can
improve the documentation and build some
better sample projects, the premium asking
price could potentially be justified.
Both Roundy boards are available to buy
from shop.sb-components.co.uk now.
9797
REVIEW
The Colouring Book
of Retro Computers
T
he Colouring Book of Retro Computers, Each reference photo has been turned into a
by Neil Thomas, host of the ‘RMC’ detailed line-art illustration, with casings opened
YouTube channel, is on the surface a to reveal circuitboards and other components –
similar tome to the Retro Computer Colouring an opportunity to drop the beige pencil and pick
Book (see Issue 214). It’s aimed at adults and up some greens, blacks and golds.
packed with nostalgia-tinged line-art illustrations To keep it interesting, every page also has a
of vintage computers. While the Retro Computer background containing joysticks, batteries, floppy
Colouring Book had 15 entries, though, Thomas’ disks, tapes, CD-ROMs and more. However,
version of the idea packs a grand total of 31. background imagery is shared between pages,
Every machine pictured is found in Thomas’ and there isn’t a great deal of choice when it
collection, housed in an old mill dubbed The comes to colouring button-cell batteries.
Cave, which Thomas is opening to the public What isn’t found inside the book, sadly, is any
as a museum of classic computing – complete labelling. Each page has a caption at the bottom,
with a mock-up shop where users can browse, but it’s provided by those who paid for the
but not buy, old games and software. privilege of leaving a personal message during
While Thomas took the reference photos, the book’s crowdfunding campaign.
This vintage computing colouring book gives
though, the line-art illustrations were created None of the machines is identified, which is you an excuse to sharpen your beige pencils
by Stuart ‘Stoo’ Cambridge, a former Sensible a missed opportunity, but also gives the book a
Software staffer best known for his iconic pixel- second life as a ‘guess-the-machine’ quiz, albeit A bigger problem is the print quality or, rather,
art work in games including Cannon Fodder and one where no answer is provided. It’s also made image quality. Many pages are perfectly clear,
Sensible World of Soccer. more challenging by Thomas’ decision to skirt showing dark line-art against a bright white
any potential copyright complaints by replacing page with clearly defined boundaries. Others are
Stoo Cambridge’s art is great, although the print
version has quality issues and no systems are company logos and product identifiers with muddied by the tell-tale block-like artefacts of
labelled or even badged ‘RMC’ equivalents. heavy or repeated JPEG compression. This isn’t
nearly as visible, oddly, in the digital download
variant, suggesting a mistake was made
somewhere during the printing process.
It’s a minor nitpick, and any quality issues are
quickly buried when you whip out the Crayolas
for a colouring session. The 31 machines include
an arcade cabinet, a Commodore PET, an NEC
PC Engine with CD-ROM add-on, a Nintendo
Game Boy, an immediately recognisable Vectrex
and an equally standout Sinclair ZX Spectrum –
there’s certainly plenty to keep even the quickest
colourist busy.
It does, however, come at a price. While the
Retro Computer Colouring Book was priced at
just £4.50 (inc VAT), Thomas’ take on the concept
will set you back £9.60 for the PDF download
or £12 in print (both inc VAT). The former is the
version to choose – the image quality is higher,
and you can print multiples of your favourites to
experiment with different colour schemes. The
Colouring Book of Retro Computers is available
from rmcretro.store now.
Gareth Halfacree is a keen computer hobbyist, journalist, and author. His work can be found at freelance.halfacree.co.uk @ghalfacree
98
F O R T H E W I N / COMPETITION
WIN
AN NZXT GAMING
PERIPHERALS BUNDLE
Fresh off the launch of its new award-winning
mechanical keyboard and gaming mouse (see p32-
33), NZXT has partnered with Custom PC to give
away a cracking bundle of peripheral goodies in this
month’s competition. One winner will bag a Function
full-sized mechanical keyboard, Lift gaming mouse,
Capsule USB microphone with matching boom arm
and an extra-large mousepad.
NZXT FUNCTION
The Function keyboard features hot-swappable
Gateron key switches, per-key RGB backlighting and
a slick black or white design (winner’s choice). With
its handy USB Type-C socket, you can also swap out
the main cable or easily replace it if it ever gets broken.
NZXT LIFT
The Lift mouse weighs just 67g and sports a
comfortable symmetrical design that we found to
suit all grip types. Again available in black or white,
it features six main buttons and uses the excellent
PixArt 3389 optical sensor for faultless tracking.
Coming with an extra-large fabric mousepad that will
fit under your keyboard and mouse, you’ll have no
excuses for missing your shots.
NZXT CAPSULE
The Capsule is a stylish and compact USB microphone
that houses a single condenser capsule, USB
connection and headphone amp to provide superb
audio quality for your home recordings, video calls
or gaming streams. Coupled with NZXT’s matching
Boom Arm, you won’t even have to worry about how
to fit the Capsule on your desk – it can clamp to the
side of your desk and swing easily in and out of range.
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY AT CUSTOMPC.CO.UK/WIN
Competition closes on Friday, 10 June. Prize is offered to participants in the UK aged 13 or over, except employees of the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Raspberry Pi Ltd, the prize supplier, their families or friends. Winners will be notified by email no more than 30 days after the competition
closes. By entering the competition, the winner consents to any publicity generated from the competition, in print and online. Participants agree to receive occasional newsletters from Custom PC magazine. We don’t like spam: participants’ details will remain strictly confidential and
won’t be shared with third parties. Prizes are non-negotiable and no cash alternative will be offered. Winners will be contacted by email to arrange delivery. Any winners who have not responded 60 days after the initial email is sent will have their prize revoked.
99
MODDING / OPINION
A N TO N Y L E AT H E R ’ S
Customised PC
Case mods, tools, techniques, water-cooling gear
and everything to do with PC modding
Keep an eye on your

AIO liquid cooler
L
ast month I wrote about my the radiator are
experience with NZXT’s left exposed to
original H1 case, and its the coolant. NZXT makes some does seem to be relatively rare, and the
included AIO liquid cooler filling up with The anti-corrosion additives then great liquid coolers, NZXT H1’s AIO liquid cooler is the first
but the one in its
gunk. This gunk ended up clogging the react with the flux to create the gunk original H1 case
time I’ve come across it.
copper contact plate and saw my CPU that clogs the contact plate, reducing didn’t last long at all This is off the back of a decade of
temperatures skyrocket – only heat transfer and eventually killing flow using AIO coolers to test CPUs, and
extensive flushing ridded the loop of rates too, which is what I found. The models from the likes of Corsair, EK
the gunk that kept blocking it. It seems Igorslab investigation went through and NZXT have lasted years, so I’m
this issue is more widespread than you some serious lengths to identify the in no doubt that not all liquid coolers
might suspect too, according to a well- chemical reactions and compounds not suffer this problem, at least not in
researched article I found after writing concerned, and it seems that cheaper under a year. Still, it does bolster the
last month’s column. coolants that use aluminium silicate as argument for opting for custom liquid
I found an article on igorslab.de a protective layer against corrosion are cooling, especially if you’re considering
looking at this exact issue, posted the prime suspects. an AIO liquid cooler that costs upwards
after I wrote my article last month, What can we do as PC enthusiasts? of £200. At the very least, a custom
and the issue seems to be related Well, not a lot other than monitor CPU loop will certainly last longer than some
to comparatively cheap AIO liquid temperatures, and if they start to climb AIO liquid coolers.
coolers that use aluminium radiators. for no apparent reason then you have Don’t be put off using an AIO liquid
These aren’t uncommon, of course, two options. The first is to clean the cooler though. Good-quality units that
but they skip one or two steps of the contact plate and flush the coolant, match the correct coolant with decent
manufacturing process. To achieve as we did our last issue on p106. The quality control should be fine. However,
lower prices, Igorslab claims residues second is to send back your liquid I’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on
from the solder flux used to create cooler via RMA. Thankfully, this issue any models that we use long-term.
100
Why I’ll never give
up water cooling
A
couple of years ago I Intel’s various boosting add-ons, such
remember saying (after as Thermal Velocity Boost and the
several new CPU launches) numerous power limits available for its
that boosting algorithms would have a 12th-gen CPUs.
huge impact in the future, and that they Of course, cooling a Core i9-12900K
could even make overclocking only or Ryzen 9 5950X is no easy task
worthwhile on a select few CPUs. In either. You’ll need a large liquid cooler,
fact, this situation has changed even or one of the biggest air coolers, to cool
more than I predicted. Intel’s Alder them under load at low noise levels. In
Lake CPUs don’t just rely on boosting smaller cases with less airflow, you’ll
to optimise performance in varying need to pay even closer attention to
workloads, but dynamic clock speed your choice of cooling. For me, the case
adjustment also has an impact on for water-cooling your PC is as strong Overclocking might
features such as Intel’s thread director, as ever, whether you’re overclocking be useful in only
limited scenarios,
which divvies up work across a CPU’s your CPU or not. but water-cooling
loudest components in PCs when
P-Cores and E-Cores. It’s not just CPUs that push the limits your PC is also you’re gaming as well.
The result is that most mid-range of mainstream power and cooling relevant with a Some of the massive coolers can
and high-end CPUs are now hitting demands – graphics cards do it too. stock-speed CPU keep noise in check with good airflow,
frequencies at stock speed that Graphics card coolers have to be but another benefit of water-cooling
are too difficult, time-consuming enormous these days, in order to cope your graphics card is that you don’t
or power hungry to better achieve with the large heatloads produced in need to worry as much about airflow.
with a manual all-core overclock. gaming workloads, and the memory For instance, if you want to mount
As usual, all-core frequencies can modules on the rear of some cards your graphics card vertically or near
usually be bettered with an overclock, get so hot, they can result in the card a tempered glass panel, perhaps in a
making them a tempting overclock throttling too. way that allows you to fit more cooling
for those who want the best multi- It’s no surprise, then, that waterblock hardware in your case, your graphics
threaded performance. The issue is manufacturers such as EK have For most people, card will always be cooler if it’s water-
that you usually kill all boosting on the produced actively cooled backplates there’s little cooled than air-cooled.
CPU if you do an all-core overclock, for some high-end cards – in particular point in manually For these reasons, whichever CPU
overclocking the
potentially reducing single and lightly Nvidia’s RTX 3000-series. Even if I use in my next PC, I’m pretty sure it
latest high-end
threaded performance. you don’t consider the backplate heat CPUs, such as the won’t be manually overclocked, since I
I can safely say that my next PC will issues, graphics cards are usually the Core i9-12900K mainly need the best single and lightly
likely not have any kind of overclock, threaded performance from my CPU,
especially as I’ll be upgrading from which is best achieved by using its
a Ryzen 3000-series CPU – I’ll be boosting algorithms.
getting a huge boost from either the However, it will still be water-cooled,
Ryzen 5000-series CPU or Intel as having some cooling headroom
12th-gen chip I buy, whether it’s means I can still use a monstrous
overclocked or not. CPU and graphics card, but keep
However, both those ranges of noise levels low even in games, while
CPUs, while more efficient than allowing the boosting algorithms to
their predecessors, still benefit hit the highest speeds possible. It
from high-end cooling setups. Both might also be useful when it comes
have options to boost performance to dealing with the next generation
above default settings, such as AMD of GPUs, which are reportedly very
Precision Boost Overdrive, as well as power-hungry.
Antony Leather is Custom PC’s modding editor @antonyleather
101
M O D D I N G / HOW TO GUIDES
How to
Install a
custom display
Antony Leather shows you how to 1 / PICK THE RIGHT LOCATION
You can mount a screen almost anywhere in your PC, but on or in your
fit a customisable stats screen in PSU cover if it has a cut-out, or against a glass side panel, are the best
various places in your PC options. You need to be able to see it clearly and not have graphics
cards or cooling components obscuring its view. You can mount it
horizontally or vertically.
TOTA L P R OJ E C T T I M E / 3 H O U R S
A
vailable in a variety of sizes, small 5in or 7in displays are ideal
for creating a custom screen in your PC to display your own
graphics, videos, images or stats from your PC, such as
temperature, fan speeds, CPU and GPU load, and a whole host of other
pieces if information.
This month we’ll be showing you how to solve the tricky task of
installing one of these screens in your PC using a variety of methods,
while also taking you through the main ways to create a custom PC
stats display using software.
TO O L S YO U ’ L L N E E D
2 / BUY THE RIGHT SCREEN
Picking the right resolution for your screen is important, as you
need to work with specific sensor panel software designs. You
need one that has HDMI and micro-USB ports, so avoid models that
mount straight to a Raspberry Pi. We’ve opted for a 5in screen with
Waveshare 5in TFT LCD Dremel and cutting disc
a resolution of 800 x 480.
800 x 480 monitor Most hardware stores
amazon.co.uk
Finger files Double-sided

Most hardware stores mounting tape
Most hardware stores
Coloured card 2mm sheet acrylic

Most hardware stores ebay.co.uk
3 / IDENTIFY MOUNTING OPTIONS

Work out how best to fix the screen to your particular case. Our screen
has motherboard standoffs, so it can be screwed to flat areas in your
Drill with 3mm and Angled micro-USB-to- case with the aid of a drill or you could create your own mounting
7mm bits USB header cable surface to secure to the standoffs and use mounting tape.
Most hardware stores amazon.co.uk
102
INSIDE PSU COVER
4 / USE MOUNTING TAPE

The screen has a thin bezel on which you can apply mounting tape to
1 / CHECK PSU COVER secure it to the inside of the PSU cover. Apply the mounting tape in 1cm
A PSU cover is an ideal location for the screen, as it’s close to the side strips in each corner to this area, but be prepared to use more depending
panel and some covers even have openings to see the PSU that could be on the strength of the tape you use.
used to reveal the screen if you mount it inside.
5 / INSTALL SCREEN
Connect the screen’s HDMI cable, and micro-USB-to-USB header
2 / MEASURE OPENING cables (see Connection and setup, p105), before you insert it in the PSU
If the PSU cover has an opening, measure it up and consider whether cover, as it will be tricky to do this afterwards. Line up the screen with
it’s large enough to show the screen. You can consider enlarging it the hole and press it firmly into place, so the mounting tape holds it.
if it’s too small, or even cut a new opening if your cover doesn’t have
one already.
INSIDE A FRAME
3 / CREATE HOLE AND FILE EDGES 1 / CREATE YOUR OWN FRAME

The opening should line up with the edges of the illuminated display If you want to install the screen so that it’s exposed, it’s worth covering
area, which is 11 x 6.5cm in our case. Check the display can sit inside the unsightly frame around the display itself. To do this, you can use thick
the cover, mark up the area you need to cut and use a Dremel with a paper card in the same colour as your case and stick it to the display to
cutting wheel on medium speed to create or enlarge the hole. Then hide the bezel. You can also use a 3D printer, or cut some acrylic or thin
smooth the edges with a finger file afterwards. metal sheet to size, to create a thin frame.
103
2 / CUT OUT AND STICK TO SCREEN

If you’re using card, simply use a scalpel to cut out the inner section
of the frame and trim the rest of it to size with scissors. You may need 5 / FIX INTO POSITION
to add an extension to cover the cables, depending on your cable Press the screen firmly into place on the side panel, ensuring you stick it
management setup. to the correct side and that it’s level.
OTHER CASE LOCATIONS
3 / FIND BEST LOCATION

The easiest way to mount your screen in the open is to fix it to your case’s 1 / INSTALL STANDOFFS
glass side panel. Place it on the inside of the panel and investigate where To mount the screen to a flat surface such as your motherboard tray,
it would look best. Check there’s enough clearance behind it and that your install the included standoffs to the mounts on the screen’s PCB. You can
USB and HDMI cables are long enough – you may need to buy longer ones. use standard M3 PC screws with the standoffs included with our screen.
2 / CUT ACRYLIC TO SIZE

If you want to fix it to a flat surface without drilling holes into your
4 / APPLY MOUNTING TAPE TO FRAME case, you can create small flat acrylic pads to mount to the standoffs,
Apply mounting tape to the card. It’s best to place the tape over all of the and then apply mounting tape to these pads. Cut out four 10 x 10mm
card, so there’s no uneven colour due when the screen is illuminated. sections of 2mm acrylic sheet.
104
3 / DRILL HOLES
Use a 3mm bit to drill holes in the middle of each of the four pads, 6 / FIT INTO POSITION
which will allow M3 screws to pass through them. On one side, use a Press the screen into place firmly, pressing on all four corners to ensure
7mm drill bit to cut a shallow recess in which the screw head can sit. they’re all secure. Move the screen from side to side to ensure there’s
This way, you can apply mounting tape over the top. no movement.
CONNECTION AND SETUP
4 / INSTALL MOUNTS
Use standard M3 PC mounting screws to secure the pads to the 1 / USE MICRO-USB HEADER CABLE
standoffs. These are the same screws that come with most cases It’s best to use a micro-USB-to-USB header cable, as this will mean the
to install 2.5in SSDs, so you should have a few spare, but they’re display switches on and off with your PC. Using the included Type-A
otherwise very cheap. cable also means you need to route it to your motherboard’s I/O panel,
which creates unnecessary extra cable mess round the back.
2 / CONNECT HDMI CABLE

5 / APPLY MOUNTING TAPE The HDMI cable needs to be connected to your graphics card, or
Once you’ve screwed each pad to the standoffs, cut the mounting tape if you’re using your CPU’s integrated graphics, a second display
into 10 x 10mm strips and apply it to the pads. This tape will be strong output on your motherboard. To get it there, you can remove a blank
enough to hold the screen in place, but it’s also easy to remove should expansion slot cover or find an opening in your case that allows you to
you want to place it elsewhere or remove it in future. route the cable to the HDMI port.
105
3 / SET UP WINDOWS
With your screen connected and powered on, you should be able to 6 / IMPORT SENSOR PANEL FILE
set it up in Windows’ Display settings, accessible by right clicking on In AIDA64, click Preferences and scroll down to SensorPanel. Here you can
the desktop. Here you can set the display orientation, as well as make load the default panel and adjust its parameters. Once you’ve loaded the
sure it’s set to run at the right resolution. default panel, right click on it and click on SensorPanel Manager. Here you
can import the panel file you downloaded, which will load the new panel.
4 / USE EXISTING MONITORING SOFTWARE

The easiest way to use your screen is to upload an image, play a video
or use existing monitoring software such as MSI Afterburner or NZXT
CAM. However, these packages can be limited, and some can’t be
resized either, meaning they sometimes won’t fill your screen or are too
7 / ADJUST SENSOR PANEL
large, as is the case here.
As people of all languages create sensor panels, and in various resolutions,
sometimes you might need to tweak the design. Right click on the panel
and you can move objects in it. Also, if you click Modify, you can adjust the
names, colours and sensor inputs.
5 / USE CUSTOM SENSOR PANEL

Monitoring programs such as AIDA64 can create custom sensor 8 / DRAG SENSOR PANEL TO YOUR DISPLAY
panels, or you can download ones made by the community. For We’ve chosen a vertical panel, so we’ve adjusted the Windows Display
AIDA64, visit custompc.co.uk/SensorPanel, sign up and browse the settings to have the screen in portrait mode. You then just need to drag
files. HWiNfO64 is another option paired with Rainmeter, with guides the sensor panel onto your screen. If it doesn’t fit, check that the sensor
available online. We credit Leandroltp67 for the one we used. panel design resolution matches that of your screen.
106
R E T R O T E C H / ANALYSIS
Retro tech
WINDOWS 3.1
Screensavers, colourful icons and proper fonts. 30
years after its release, Stuart Andrews looks back at
the version of Windows that finally put it on the map
W
indows 3.1 is arguably the most crucial Windows horrible, text-based MS-DOS Executive of Windows 1.x
ever – the Windows that defined how PC and 2.x with the new Program Manager and File Manager
computing looked just as it was beginning to take components. Instead of clicking on a program or a file in a list,
off. Before version 3.1, Windows was a successful operating you could double click on an icon to launch it. Yet Windows
system, but one that looked and felt like a GUI shell perched 3.1 went further, taking advantage of the VGA and SVGA
precariously on DOS. graphics standards to introduce a revamped UI with more
With the launch of Windows 3.1 in April 1992, Windows colourful icons.
finally looked and felt like the real deal. What’s more, it was a What’s more, those icons could now do more than just
sales phenomenon, shipping over 3 million copies in its first get clicked on, as Windows 3.1 introduced drag and drop. You
six weeks on the market and 25 million within the first year. could explore your PC’s file system visually, copying files from
Windows was already big, but 3.1 put Windows in the lead. one folder to another by clicking on the file, dragging it over
How did Windows 3.1 do this? That’s not something you and releasing the mouse button. You could drag a file onto the
can nail down to any one factor. It was partly a question of Print Manager icon to print it out, or onto the application’s icon
stability, partly features and partly look and feel. Believe us – in Program Manager to open it and start work.
Windows 3.1 looks rough by today’s slick standards, but not Yet perhaps the most vital enhancement over Windows
half as rough as what came before. 3.0 was the introduction of TrueType fonts. At this point,
Cue a sigh of relief Windows still involved a lot of text and, up until Windows 3.1,
when this splash LOOK AND FEEL this text didn’t look good. It was pixelated, primitive and ugly,
screen showed up.
Look and feel certainly played an important part in Windows with no real provision to vary horizontal or vertical spacing.
Launching Windows
from MS-DOS could 3.1’s success. Windows 3.0 has already done some of While developing Windows 3.1, Microsoft put a team
be s…l…o…w the hard work of introducing a proper GUI, replacing the together to fix this problem, and that team worked with
The Program Manager was the heart of Windows 3.1. Double clicking
icons launched the applications, or you could drag and drop files onto
the icons or open windows
107
R E T R O T E C H / ANALYSIS
monitors, and After Dark’s fish and flying toasters had already
appeared on Windows 3.0 and macOS. However, Windows
3.1 made screensavers a standard component, introducing
long-time favourites, such as the classic flying Windows logo,
the Star Trek-style Starfield, and the psychedelic Mystify and
Swirl. Seriously. After few too many shandies, they blew our
primitive, PC-loving minds.
ARCHITECTURAL IMPROVEMENTS
Yet the most important features that Windows 3.1 introduced
were those you couldn’t see. Windows 3.0 had introduced
protected memory – a way of using the protect mode of the
80286 CPU to allow Windows and Windows apps to use up
to 16MB of RAM rather than just the first 640KB.
Coded by ex-physicists David Weise and Murray Sargent,
TrueType fonts were a revelation to Windows users, making the OS
look significantly better and opening up more sophisticated WYSIWYG this feature had been crucial, making Windows a viable
DTP and design applications alternative for Microsoft to working with IBM on what would
become OS/2. Running in protected mode gave Windows
one of the two leading typesetting companies of the era, programs more stability, and enabled MS-DOS applications
Monotype, to design a new set of core fonts. Meanwhile, to run under Windows and still access all the available RAM.
Microsoft worked on the technology to render those fonts This in turn meant that Windows spent less time crashing,
on-screen, so they could be scaled upwards and downwards, which made it a lot more attractive to people trying to get
rotated and respaced, and still look pretty good. some actual work done.
Monotype came up with the Times New Roman, Arial and Windows 3.1 built on this foundation by taking the new
Courier New fonts that Windows still incorporates today, memory management features built into the newer 386
while Microsoft licensed and adapted Apple’s TrueType processors and using them in a 386 Enhanced mode. Where
technology, adapting the font hinting tech that made these Windows 3.0 was limited to a maximum of 16MB, Windows
fonts clear and legible even on a VGA resolution (640 x 480) 3.1 upped that limit to 256MB (or, in theory, up to 4GB) and
screen. This not only made Windows look a whole lot better, enabled programs to use virtual memory above and beyond
but made it a viable platform for desktop publishing and the physical memory installed.
design. Suddenly, the Mac had competition. It also enabled most DOS programs to be run inside a
Window with mouse support, and multiple DOS programs to Windows 3.1 gave
This was also the first version be run simultaneously. What’s more, all these enhancements us new ways to
meant Windows 3.1 only worked on an Intel 80286 CPU or customise our
of windows to include a built- later. Rocking an old-school 8086? Tough. desktops, although
not much of any
These changes improved not just Windows’ overall
in screensaver stability, but its multi-tasking capabilities as well. Applications
value with which to
customise them
FUN AND GAMES

Other aspects of Windows 3.1 revealed a more playful side
to Microsoft. Windows 1.0 includes one game – Reversi,
while Windows 3.0 introduced Solitaire, a patience card
game originally developed by a Microsoft intern, Wes Cherry,
and responsible for so much lost productivity that Microsoft
banned its ‘boss key’ feature, which switched from the game
to a mocked-up Excel spreadsheet, before release.
Windows 3.1 added Minesweeper, the classic game of
grid-based bomb discovery so addictive that, legend has it,
Bill Gates had it uninstalled from his PC. Not that this stopped
him or anyone else playing it. While Gates was known to
sneak onto a colleague’s computer after hours to play it, the
rest of the company joked that Minesweeper was the most
carefully tested of all Windows 3.1’s new features.
This was also the first version of windows to include a built-
in screensaver. As with so many new features, this wasn’t all
that new – screen burn-in was an issue for CRT-based VGA
108
CONFOUNDING ISSUES
Let’s not heap too much praise on Windows 3.1; it still had its
fair share of issues. One was that Windows still didn’t support
long filenames, so both files and directories were limited to
names eight characters long, followed by a three-character
suffix that told the OS what kind of file it was. This meant
users became ingenious at truncating filenames, which in
turn made looking through a folder full of documents or save
games feel like decoding some esoteric text.
What’s more, while Windows 3.1 had support for
multimedia hardware, which was just about becoming
affordable and available, ease of installation wasn’t on
Microsoft’s list of priorities. Restrictive hardware didn’t help
– these were the days when solving hardware conflicts
involved moving jumpers from pin to pin to swap Direct
Memory Access channels. However, Windows 3.1 made the
whole process of installing drivers for a CD-ROM drive and
sound card as challenging as possible – it might take hours
to get the whole setup running.
Networking wasn’t any better either, because Windows 3.1
This was as exciting mostly got the resources they needed, and a central didn’t have any built-in networking support. Instead, it piggy-
and intuitive as file messaging system alerted them to hand over resources backed on networking clients for the underlying MS-DOS
management got in
Windows 3.1. Notice
as and when they were needed, although not all Windows operating system. If you hadn’t already mastered Novell
those old-school 8.3 programs behaved as well as others. A Task List enabled Netware or Microsoft LAN Manager, you were still going to
character filenames you to see all the currently running programs and halt any have to get to grips with them here.
that were gumming up the system, although the more likely Nor was the Windows shell ideal. Simply finding a program
outcome was that they would crash Windows first. in Program Manager could be daunting, especially if you
What’s more, all of this went hand in hand with another weren’t sure which folder or group held it. With screen space
major Windows feature. Windows already had the Dynamic at a premium, you would have to constantly minimise and
Data Exchange (DDE) protocol, which allowed you to take restore Windows while you looked. Don’t even ask about
messages and/or data from one Windows program to finding files in File Manager.
Most of all, Windows wasn’t a great platform for games.
WinG worked on a technical Dodgy drivers and the massive overheads involved in just
running Windows itself made it much, much easier to run
level, as proven by a WinG Wolfenstein 3D or The Secret of Monkey Island 2 in DOS,
which Windows needed to run anyway and for which all
port of id Software’s Doom Windows users had to pay. This also meant that getting
games running still required tinkering at text editor level
another. Windows 3.1 went one better with Object Linking with a range of crucial system files, to the point that most PC
and Embedding (OLE), which enabled you to embed an gamers were on intimate terms with config.sys, himem.sys
object created by one application into a document created by and autoexec.bat. Windows 3.1 didn’t change this one bit.
another, with both apps updating seamlessly when you made With time, there was some movement. In 1994, Microsoft
any changes. released a new API, WinG, which was designed to deliver
Suddenly, you could create a chart in Microsoft Excel and faster graphics performance under Windows and encourage
stick it in your Microsoft Word report, then update the data more developers to port their DOS games. WinG worked on
in Excel and see the changes rolled out in Word. I know. It a technical level, as proven by a WinG port of id Software’s
doesn’t sound that thrilling, but at the time, this rocked the Doom. Yet it didn’t work so well on the commercial level, with
computing world. developers looking at the work involved and the existing DOS
Last, but not least, Windows 3.1 gave the world the user base, then shrugging their shoulders until Windows 95
Windows registry. At the time, this central database of and DirectX came along.
settings wasn’t all that well known or understood, and Still, for all these faults, Windows 3.1 was a major leap in the
we never felt the need to edit it directly as we would in the right direction, paving the way not just for Windows 95, but for
Windows 95 years. Still, it showed a willingness to gather vital the switch from IBM and OS/2 towards Windows NT. Without
system information and preferences in one place, rather than that we might never have had the PC boom of the mid-1990s,
in a horde of SYS, INF and INI files, as had been the Windows Windows XP and everything beyond. And where would we all
way until this point. be without that?
109
M O D D I N G / READERS’ DRIVES
Readers’ drives
Ikigai
Inspired by Japanese Kumiko woodworking,
Nick Falzone made this exquisite wooden
scratch-build with a custom hard-tube
SEE THE FULL
water-cooling system PROJECT LOG AT
custompc.co.uk/Ikigai
What inspired you to to keep the case

build Ikigai – what were your and wiring as
design influences and what look clean as possible.
were you trying to achieve? I chose the name
Nick: I wanted to make a compact, ‘Ikigai’ firstly because
scratch-built case I thought it sounded cool,
with a clean look plus most of my mods have
and a small desk Japanese names and I liked how
footprint. As for the the kanji (written characters)
aesthetics, I really looked. The main reason, though,
wanted to combine was because the term ‘ikigai’ means
my love of Japanese to find meaning in one’s life and, for these models, as nothing seemed
woodworking and the months that I worked on this to turn out in real life like it did
design with my mod, this is mostly what I thought in CAD. This process also helped
new CNC machine’s about and spent my time doing. me work on the CNC G-code.
capabilities. I really
/MEET THY MAKER wanted to incorporate How did you go about Tell us about the basic chassis.
Name Nicholas Falzone Japanese Kumiko planning and designing this build? What materials did you use, and
woodworking into the Nick: I’m not very good at how did cut and shape them?
Age 36
design and the wood sketching, but I did a couple of Nick: The case is a full scratch-build.
Occupation Bicycle choices were based rough sketches before I took it to Most of the hardware is centred
technician on that decision. CAD. The Cooler Master Case Mod around a sandwich layout, with
Location Alameda, The wenge wood contest for which I made this case most of the wiring in the centre
California, USA that I used for the has size constraints (under 20 panel of the case. The centre is made
rest of the case has litres), so I really had to squeeze out of acrylic and contains most of
Main uses for PC
a modern look that it all into a smallish envelope. the guts of the wiring and lighting,
Gaming,photoediting,3D
helped contrast with It turns out I’m not great at plus it had a distribution plate for
modellingandYouTubing
the light-coloured using CAD either, so I made several the water-cooling system built into
Likes Tools, whiskey Kumiko wood. I also full-scale models of the case out of it. This piece alone took a long time
and hiking wanted every aspect cheap wood to see how it would to get right, as there were many
Dislikes Phone calls of the case to have a all fit together in real life. The different parts of it and I hadn’t
purpose, which helped case design changed a lot with made a distribution plate before.
110
I made several test iterations out wanted to play with the scale of
of wood, which allowed me to check the ‘flower’ portion of the pattern
for fitment, check my G-code files and use two different sizes of the
and learn the process I would use main element. I made the design
to make the final product. The CNC in CAD to make sure I had the
mill does a lot of the work, but it still proportions right and, once this was
takes a lot of practice to anticipate close enough, I milled up the wood
any issues that might crop up with to several different thicknesses
the manufacturing of the plate, and to make the Kumiko piece.
to optimise the order of operations. I used Sitka spruce for the wood
In terms of layout, I have the I/O and left it unfinished. I started with
plate on the bottom. This is because the main grid and cut each piece by
I envisioned making a custom desk hand using traditional hand tools
for this case, which will have a and techniques. With the main
plate on the desktop to allow cables grid done, I turned to the flower
to be routed under the desk for a portion and made angled blocks,
clean look. This also gave me the using a hand plane to get consistent
freedom to make the other sides of angles on each piece. From there,
the case more decorative and in line I finished each piece and put
with the rest of the case design. them into place, using only a few
drops of glue to keep it together.
That’s some amazing detail
in front of the mesh on the front. There are so many wooden
How did you design the pattern details scattered around the power
and cut the wood to shape? connectors, heatsinks and so on.
Nick: The pattern itself is a Are these also made from wood?
traditional Kumiko design that I’d Nick: These are all made from
wanted to make for years and this scraps of the wood used for the
seemed like a great opportunity main case. I wanted every aspect
to use it. It’s based on a grid, so I to tie into the case design down to
111
M O D D I N G / READERS’ DRIVES
SYSTEM SPECS
CPU AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
GPU MSI Radeon RX 5700
Storage 1TB WD Black
SN750 SSD
Memory 32GB G.Skill
Ripjaws 3600MHz DDR4
Motherboard MSI B550I
Gaming Edge WiFi
PSU Cooler Master 650W SFX
Cooling Alphacool GPU
waterblock and radiator,
Optimus CPU waterblock,
EKWB fittings and tubing,
Cooler Master SF360R fans
How did you plan

the lighting?
Nick: I was going to go no-RGB
with this build, since I didn’t want
to deal with routing all the RGB
cables, but since the GPU block was
going to have lights, I decided to add
more. The fans I used from Cooler
Master also have lights and only one
I remade the rest of the power cable, so they were easy to route.
There’s a RBG hub in the acrylic
cables using 16-gauge wire behind the graphics card, where
all the lighting cables connect to
and custom cable combs go to the motherboard header. I
was unsure if lighting the distro
the smallest detail. I made most of to the GPU block, and then back plate was doable, but I used a very
the pieces with my CNC machine, into the distro plate and pump. cool and small strip of RGB lights
usually making a couple of test I used an Alphacool GPU block from Alphacool and put them into
pieces first. I made models of each and radiator, EK fittings and an a slot in the plate to light it up.
piece in CAD, machined a test Optimus CPU block. It took a lot The beauty of the RGB lightings
piece, then made the final piece of mocking up to get all the parts is that I can make them whatever
out of the wenge wood. It was matched up cleanly with as few colour I want – I just used orange
time-consuming but the details bends and fittings as possible. for most of the photos since I liked
help to bring it all together. This was also my first loop using the warmth it added to the wood.
hard plastic tubing, so getting the
Take us through the water- bends right took a lot of practice. The cable tidying is
cooling loop – what parts did you I used EK PETG tubing with a immaculate for an open-air
use and how does it all hook up? 12mm outer diameter. I used a heat build – how did you hide all the
Nick: I used the distro plate to gun and a couple of inexpensive cables and route them so tidily?
keep the loop as neat as possible, forms to do the bends, and I cut Nick: The cable routing was a big
and because I didn’t have a ton the tubing with a PETG tubing deal for me, especially with little
of space with which to work. It shear and sanded the ends even room to hide excess cables. I started
all starts at the pump mounted and smooth. To get the lengths by using as few cables as possible
in the distro plate, which also and angles right was mostly – there are only two cables for the
acts as a small reservoir. It then a process of trial and error. I fans and their RGB lights, and only
heads to the CPU waterblock, probably threw away as much two other RGB strips. The cables
then to the radiator, back around tubing as I eventually used. that came with the Cooler Master
112
power supply were already great, difficulties – the hardest part was WIN CORSAIR HYDRO X
and didn’t have cable sheathing on staying the course and working on WATER-COOLING GEAR
them, making them thin already. the same project every day to get To enter your rig for possible inclusion in Readers’ Drives,
I used the 24-pin ATX cable as it the case done in time. The planning your build needs to be fully working and, ideally, based in
came out of the box, but I remade in the earlier stages really paid off as the UK. Simply send us a couple of photos on Twitter (@
the rest of the power cables using far as avoiding stressful situations CustomPCMag) or Facebook (CPCMagazine), or email
16-gauge wire and custom cable with the build production itself. low-res ones to ben.hardwidge@raspberrypi.com. Fame
combs. I used some space by the isn’t the only prize; you’ll also get your hands on some
PSU to hide some cable slack, but How long did the build fabulous prizes, courtesy of Corsair.
there isn’t much, since I cut the process take from start to finish?
cables to length. I stashed the rest Nick: Going from the first concept
of the cables into the acrylic portion to the finished product took me Corsair Hydro X Series XD3
behind the graphics and next to
the motherboard’s 24-pin socket in
around four months overall, but
a lot of this time was spent on
RGB Pump/Reservoir C
the wenge cover plate area. Some planning and design – the actual The Corsair Hydro X Series XD3 RGB Pump/
WORTH
£151
of the cables took some creative production time was pretty fast. Reservoir Combo features a high-
soldering to get small enough to performance DDC PWM pump,
fit, but it all worked in the end. Are you happy with the end integrated RGB lighting and in-loop
result, or do you wish you’d done temperature sensor to drive even the
Did you come across some of it differently in retrospect? most compact custom cooling systems.
any difficulties? Nick: I’m very pleased with how It has a high-performance Xylem DDC
Nick: The hardest aspects of the this case turned out. With the PWM pump controlled via PWM to
build process were dealing with the amount of time I took planning deliver the perfect flow balance for your loop. There are also
size constraints and the amount and designing every part down 16 individually addressable RGB LEDs, which light up the
of time I had to finish the mod. I to the smallest detail, I was happy pump head to produce stunning, customisable lighting
worked for around two months, that the bigger picture of the case effects to match your build.
almost every day, including turned out to be cohesive too. I
nights after work, to get this case didn’t have a master drawing
done by the contest deadline. or render of how the case was Corsair Hydro X Series XC7
That would have taken a toll on
me had I not been so excited about
going to look – it was mostly just
a design in my head, so it was a
RGB CPU Water Block
the project. The size constraint relief when I made it all work well. The Corsair Hydro X Series XC7
WORTH
issues were mostly self-inflicted, I have made a couple of changes RGB CPU Water Block combines
£70
but an extra centimetre here and since I took the photos. I’ve premium construction, vivid RGB
there would have made my life a lot upgraded the Radeon RX 5700 lighting and extreme cooling
easier. I didn’t have a lot of specific card to a GeForce RTX 3080, which performance to become the
resulted in a new loop being made centrepiece of your water-cooling
for the GPU side, and new wiring loop. It has a nickel-plated copper
for that side as well. The new card cold plate and more than 60 high-
is a lot smaller than the first one, so efficiency micro-cooling fins, which
fitting it took a lot more reworking efficiently draw heat away from your CPU, lowering operating
than I’d planned. I also upgraded temperatures and allowing for maximum overclocks. You
the 650W SX power supply to the can choose a version for Intel or AMD CPU sockets.
850W version, but luckily they use
the same cables. I upgraded the riser
cable too, but otherwise, the build Corsair Hydro X Series XR5
is still the way I made it originally.
I wouldn’t change much now,
240mm Radiator
WORTH
other than making more of a The Corsair Hydro X Series XR5 £55
reservoir for the water-cooling 240mm Water Cooling Radiator
loop. Getting the loop filled takes delivers extreme custom cooling
quite a while, and it got messy performance, with a 30mm radiator
a couple times. Also, the on/ thickness and premium copper core. Its
off switch was an afterthought dual 120mm fan mounts on each side are ready for
and I could have incorporated your most ambitious custom cooling build, and its 25
it better into the design. micron-thick cooling fins offer a high thermal transfer rate.
113
OPINION
JA M E S G O R B O L D / HARDWARE ACCELERATED
CACHE VS CLOCK SPEED

James Gorbold takes a look at AMD and Intel’s differing
approaches to boosting performance
his month marks the release of two new CPUs aimed die and all the problems that would entail in terms of yields
T squarely at the PC enthusiast readership of Custom
PC. It’s great to see AMD and Intel in true competition
and cost. There is a downside though – the 3D V-Cache SRAM
can’t run at the high voltages normally used by the 5800X, so
once again, although the two companies are on very different the 5800X3D’s base and boost clock are respectively 400MHz
technology tracks, with little in common between their and 200MHz lower than on the 5800X.
latest CPUs. In the extensive testing carried out in Scan’s 3XS lab, and
The first CPU out of the gates was Intel’s Core i9-12900KS from the reviews I’ve read, it’s clear that the whopping 96MB
(see p16), a fine-tuned version of the 12900K, with a 200MHz of cache gives the 5800X3D a massive shot in the arm in
higher base clock and 300MHz higher boost clock, if your games. Even at 2,560 x 1,440 or higher, where typically you
motherboard, cooling and power supply are up to the challenge. don’t expect to see much performance difference between
This makes the 12900KS the fastest CPU on the block, although CPUs, the 5800X3D really shines, with an average lead of 7
in a weird way, it actually feels a bit underwhelming, no per cent over the 5800X and in some notable cases, such
doubt because the 12900K is such a damn fine as Borderlands 3 and Far Cry 5, as much as 42
CPU already, being the all-round champion in per cent.
the vast majority of benchmarks. In effect, Intel It shows that AMD is That’s frankly a staggering achievement, and it
is competing with itself. really onto something shows that AMD is really onto something with 3D
The second CPU released this month is the V-Cache. However, one downside is that the lower
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (see p14). Like Intel’s with 3D V-Cache clock speed means the 5800X3D is on average
aforementioned new CPU, it’s also based on an 6 per cent slower than the 5800X in many non-
existing model, the 5800X. However, rather than chasing gaming tasks, such as rendering and encoding, so if these
clock speed to increase performance, AMD has gone in a sorts of tasks are important to you, it’s not such a good choice.
different direction to Intel with the 5800X3D, instead opting However, despite its gaming credentials, I’m not sure the
to massively scale-up the Level 3 cache. 58003XD makes a huge amount of sense. Yes, it delivers
Ryzen 5000-series CPUs such as the original 5800X already incredible gaming performance and, on that metric, puts
had a large 32MB Level 3 cache, but rather than redesigning AMD back into contention. However, when you’re spending
the CPU from scratch with an enlarged cache, the 5800X3D this much money, why would you not want the best CPU
has an additional 64MB of SRAM made from a separate wafer possible – not just the best at one sort of software? As such,
stacked on top of the CPU die, above where the existing Level the 5800X3D feels more like a proof of concept for 3D V-Cache
3 cache is located and connected via a bi-directional ringbus. rather than a well-rounded, really desirable product. However,
Given the branding name of 3D V-Cache, it’s an ingenious way it does bode extremely well for the future of CPUs, with
to add a tonne of extra cache to a CPU without a monolithic increased competition leading to more innovation.
James Gorbold has been building, tweaking and overclocking PCs ever since the 1980s. He now helps Scan Computers to develop new systems.
114
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. 01204 47 47 47

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FASTEST GAMING GPU EVER THE GEFORCE RTX 3090 Ti TESTED

CACHE FOR QUESTIONS

HOW TO FIT A STATS DISPLAY TO YOUR PC

/ FROM THE EDITOR

Unleash the pixel flood

W Shop webpage over the course of writing this issue, just

Contents Welcome to Issue 226

08 Lost Arc COVER

Intel Core i9-12900KS

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D

100 Customised PC Custom kit

Wi-Fi 6 mesh router Labs

RICHARD SWINBURNE / VIEW FROM TAIWAN

INTEL’S ARC DESKTOP GPUS

T R ACY K I N G / SCEPTICAL ANALYSIS

HELP BACK UP UKRAINE’S

CORSAIR INTRODUCES AOC AND PORSCHE

STEAM DECK BENCHMARKED

Pure Power series so popular, such as an 80 PLUS® Gold efficiency, the

INTEL CORE tom P

+ Superb gaming and multi- - Very expensive

1,015,501 to 1,125,845, resulting in a system score

AMD SOCKET AM4 CPU

Cache 5800X an L3 cache boost from 32MB to

Features also use existing AM4 cooler mounts

Precision Boost 2, Precision

CPU BENCHMARK RESULTS

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 75,022 AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 21,555

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 70,595 AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 15,608

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 14,463

HEAVY MULTITASKING 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000

0 200 400 600 AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 92fps 106fps

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 66fps 79fps Radeon RX 6900 XT 71fps 98fps

Radeon RX 6900 XT 59fps 79fps GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 70fps 97fps

0 40 80 120 160 GeForce RTX 3080 Ti *RB 64fps 86fps

GeForce RTX 3090 61fps 80fps

Radeon RX 6900 XT 33fps 39fps

GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 44fps 51fps Radeon RX 6900 XT 46fps 60fps

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti *RB 46fps 60fps

0 40 80 120 160 GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 70fps 122fps

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 66fps 114fps

DOOM ETERNAL GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 47fps 83fps

GeForce RTX 3090 303fps 408fps Radeon RX 6900 XT 45fps 68fps

Radeon RX 6900 XT 261fps 391fps 0 40 80 120 160

0 150 300 450 600

GeForce RTX 3090 159fps 247fps Radeon RX 6900 XT 48fps 73fps

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 148fps 227fps 0 40 80 120 160

0 150 300 450 600

Radeon RX 6900 XT 29fps 40fps

0 150 300 450 600 GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 59fps 107fps

GeForce RTX 3090 59fps 107fps

LOAD TOTAL SYSTEM POWER CONSUMPTION* 0 40 80 120 160

99th percentile Average

front panel also offering a pair of USB 2 ports and a single

MSI OPTIX MPG321QRF-

AMD FreeSync Premium,

2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, KVM

VESA DisplayHDR 600

CREATIVE T60/£60 inc VAT

Buy online: store.rpipress.cc

NZXT LIFT /£40 inc VAT

ALIENWARE x14/£2,099 inc VAT

HDMI 2.1, 1 x micro-SD slot

08 Lost Arc COVER

+ Superb gaming and multi- - Very expensive

DOOM ETERNAL - Slightly cramped

Fans 2 x 120mm + Low noise - Limited RGB lighting us