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.
Welcome • Custom PC Issue 230
Custom PC
THE STATE OF INTEL GRAPHICS • Intel’s GPU division is hemorrhaging billions of dollars, and can’t get its cards to market. Richard Swinburne hopes Intel can turn this situation around
IS THE GAME INDUSTRY REALLY RECESSION-PROOF? • Tracy King takes on recent media reports about the game industry’s ability to weather current and future market conditions
Incoming
DON’T MISS THE BRAND NEW ISSUE!
Reviews
THERMALTAKE TOWER 500/£200 inc VAT
ADATA XPG HURRICANE 140 ARGB/£20 inc VAT
BE QUIET! SILENT WINGS 4 140MM/£20 inc VAT
THERMALTAKE SWAFAN 12 RGB/£89 inc VAT (triple pack)
THERMALTAKE SWAFAN 14 RGB/£89 inc VAT (triple pack)
Z690 MOTHERBOARD NZXT N5 Z690/£209 inc VAT
27IN GAMING MONITOR AOC AGON PRO AG274QG/£850 inc VAT
MECHANICAL KEYBOARD DUCKY ONE 3 SF/£100 inc VAT
MECHANICAL KEYBOARD KEYCHRON Q1 V2/£159 inc VAT (chassis alone)
GAMING MOUSE ROCCAT KONE XP AIR/£150 inc VAT
GAMING LAPTOP ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 17 SE/£3,999 inc VAT
INTEL Z690 GAMING PC CHILLBLAST FNATIC PIONEER/£2,299 inc VAT
INTEL Z690 GAMING PC CYBERPOWER INFINITY X127 PLUS/£1,999 inc VAT
Custom kit • Phil Hartup checks out the latest gadgets, gizmos and geek toys
KENSINGTON COMBINATION LOCK/£37.79 inc VAT
PDP ELECTRIC/£29.99 inc VAT
LAZY READERS/£13.49 inc VAT
KENSINGTONCONTOUR 2.0 PRO/£77.49 inc VAT
How we test
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LABS TEST RAM raid • Antony Leather tests 11 of the latest DDR4 and DDR5 memory kits to find which ones offer the best bang per buck
ADATA XPG SPECTRIX D45G/£90 inc VAT (2 x 8GB, 3600MHz)
CORSAIR DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB DDR4/£122 inc VAT (2 x 8GB, 3600MHz)
CORSAIR VENGEANCE RGB PRO/£74 inc VAT (2 x 8GB, 3600MHz)
G.SKILL TRIDENT Z NEO/£91 inc VAT (2 x 8GB, 3600MHz)
G.SKILL TRIDENT Z ROYAL/£148 inc VAT (2 x 8GB, 3600MHz)
KINGSTON FURY BEAST DDR4 RGB/£90 inc VAT (2 x 8GB, 3733MHz)
KINGSTON FURY RENEGADE DDR4 RGB/£153 inc VAT (2 x 8GB, 4600MHz)
ADATA XPG LANCER RGB/£242 inc VAT (2 x 16GB, 6000MHz)
CORSAIR DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB DDR5/£266 inc VAT (2 x 16GB, 5200MHz)
KINGSTON FURY BEAST DDR5 RGB/£141 inc VAT (2 x 8GB, 6000MHz); £224 inc VAT (2 x 16GB, 6000MHz)
KINGSTON FURY RENEGADE DDR5 RGB/£305 inc VAT (2 x 16GB, 6400MHz)
LABS TEST Rollin’ around • Ideal for those with limited desk space or RSI concerns, trackballs are making a comeback. Edward Chester rolls five of them through their paces
ELECOM HUGE TRACKBALL M-HT1DRBK/£50 inc VAT
KENSINGTON EXPERT MOUSE WIRELESS TRACKBALL/£103 inc VAT
KENSINGTON ORBIT WIRELESS WITH SCROLL RING/£43 inc VAT
LOGITECH MX ERGO/£77 inc VAT
PROTOARC EM01/£44 inc VAT
Elite • Our choice of the best hardware available
STAR BORES • Bethesda claims Starfield is an authentic sci-fi experience, but Rick Lane says its combat is down to Earth in all the wrong ways
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge/£22.49 inc...