Custom PC UK

Custom PC is the UK’s best-selling magazine for PC hardware, overclocking, gaming and modding. Every month, Custom PC is packed with in-depth hardware reviews, step-by-step photo guides and informative features, all with a focus on tinkering with your computer’s insides. Along the way, you’ll also find hard-hitting tech opinion, game reviews and all manner of computer hobbyism goodness, from small Pi projects to extreme PC mods.

Innovation central

Custom PC

PCI-E 5 SSDs ARE COMING • Storage speeds will soon hit 12GB/sec, but Richard Swinburne asks if you’ll be able to notice the difference

MYTHS AND LEGENDS • Tracy King takes on some of the pernicious myths about gaming, from addiction to games causing depression and violence

Incoming

THERMALTAKE UNVEILS MID-SIZED TOWER

CHERRY RELEASES ULTRA LOW-PROFILE TACTILE SWITCH

CORSAIR DDR5 HITS 6600MHz

Rumour control • OUR ROUNDUP OF THE LATEST UNCONFIRMED TECH GOSSIP. TAKE THESE STORIES WITH THE APPROPRIATE PINCH OF SALT

KOLINK OBSERVATORY Z MESH ARGB / £120 inc VAT

NZXT H7 FLOW / £120 inc VAT

BACKFORCE ONE / €553 inc VAT (~£471 inc VAT)

ROCCAT BURST PRO AIR / £ 80 inc VAT

AUSTRIAN AUDIO PG16 AND PB17 / £130 inc VAT

ASUS ROG ZEPHYRUS M16 GU603ZW / £2,499 inc VAT

CYBERPOWER HYDRO-X INFINITY RTX / £4,699 inc VAT

CCL HORIZON 5 INTEL RTX 3080 GAMING PC / £1,889 inc VAT

SAMSUNG T7 SHIELD / £252.97 inc VAT (2TB); £137.98 inc VAT (1TB) • Phil Hartup checks out the latest gadgets, gizmos and geek toys

ARCTIC BREEZE / £14.17 inc VAT

LITETOUR DESK CORD ORGANISERS / £7.99 inc VAT

COOLER MASTER CONNECT STAND / £24.99 inc VAT

BOOMPODS SOUNDCLIP / £24.99 inc VAT

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Custom PC AWARDS

Little mix • Antony Leather tests ten of the latest mini-ITX motherboards, for both Intel and AMD platforms, to find the best options for building a mini PC

ASROCK B550 PHANTOM GAMING-ITX / ax / £200 inc VAT

ASROCK X570 PHANTOM GAMING-ITX / TB3 / £250 inc VAT

ASUS ROG STRIX B550-I GAMING / £180 inc VAT

ASUS ROG STRIX X570-I GAMING / £288 inc VAT

GIGABYTE B550I AORUS PRO AX / £167 inc VAT

GIGABYTE X570-I AORUS PRO WIFI / £140 inc VAT

MSI MPG B550I GAMING EDGE MAX WIFI / £190 inc VAT

ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-I GAMING WIFI / £373 inc VAT

GIGABYTE B660I AORUS PRO DDR4 / £200 inc VAT

GIGABYTE Z690I AORUS ULTRA PLUS / £280 inc VAT

Get a grip • A keyboard and mouse isn’t the only option for gaming on your PC, and you’ll want a gamepad for some titles such as Elden Ring. Edward Chester puts nine gamepads to the test

LOGITECH F310 / £23 inc VAT

MICROSOFT XBOX ELITE WIRELESS CONTROLLER SERIES 2 / £145 inc VAT

MICROSOFT XBOX WIRELESS CONTROLLER / £50 inc VAT

MSI FORCE GC20 V2 / £27 inc VAT

POWERA SPECTRA INFINITY XBOX SERIES X / £35 inc VAT

RAZER WOLVERINE V2 CHROMA / £130 inc VAT

SCUF INSTINCT PRO / £200 inc VAT

SONY DUALSENSE / £50 inc VAT

THRUSTMASTER DUAL ANALOG 4 / £18 inc VAT

Elite • Our choice of the best hardware available

FIFA FALL OUT • EA’s split from FIFA marks the end of an era, but its significance is superficial, says Rick Lane

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale / £31.99 inc VAT

Dorfromantik / £10.99 inc VAT

GALACTIC CIVILIZATIONS 4 / £39.99 inc VAT

THE STANLEY PARABLE: ULTRA DELUXE / £19.99 inc VAT

REALITY CHECK • Rick Lane brings news of virtual assassins and has space school lessons in this VR...