PC Hardware News, Reviews & Buying Guides — Page 11 of 62
Daily news digests, deep-dive reviews, and long-form buying guides on GPUs, CPUs, home AI workstations, local LLM runtimes, retro PC builds, and the tools real builders use in 2026.
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- Best GPU Under $400 for Llama-Class 8B Models in 2026 — As of 2026, the best GPU under $400 for running Llama-class 8B models locally is the MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ventus 3X 12G OC. Its 12 GB of… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20 · 18 min read
- Noctua NH-U12S vs MasterLiquid ML240L for a Ryzen 7 5800X — For a stock AMD Ryzen 7 5800X in a case with decent airflow, the Noctua NH-U12S is the better default in 2026 — it holds the chip inside… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20 · 13 min read
- Building a Period-Correct 2001 Win98 Rig With Parts You Can Still Buy — To build a period-correct Windows 98 gaming PC in 2026, target the 2001-era sweet spot: a Pentium III or Athlon XP board, a GeForce 3 or… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20 · 19 min read
- Best SATA SSD for a PS4 Slim and Emulation Box in 2026 — If you want a set-and-forget answer as of 2026: put a Crucial BX500 1TB in your PlayStation 4 Slim. It's the cheapest 1 TB 2.5" SATA drive… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20 · 15 min read
- Jellyfin on a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB: What It Can and Can't Transcode — Yes, a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 8GB runs Jellyfin well as of 2026, but only inside a narrow lane. It direct-plays 1080p H.264 to one or two… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20 · 15 min read
- Pelican-Style Filament Dry Box: The Adafruit Build, Explained — > In brief — 2026-07-20 · A latching filament dry box keeps 3D printing filament dry by combining an airtight gasketed enclosure (a… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20 · 15 min read
- DIY Steam Controller Puck Adds Xbox, Switch and PS Emulation Modes — > In brief — 2026-07-20 · The DIY Steam Controller puck is a community-built, palm-sized gamepad inspired by Valve's discontinued Steam… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20 · 12 min read
- Claude Limits Cut: Why a Local Fallback Rig Just Got Cheaper — Yes, but only if your actual usage keeps bumping the new caps. As of 2026, a used MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ventus 3X 12G OC paired with a… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20 · 13 min read
- Inkling 975B: Thinking Machines' Open-Weight Speech Model, Explained — Inkling 975B is Thinking Machines' new open-weight speech-to-text model, weighing in at 975 billion parameters and priced at $6.60 per… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20 · 12 min read
- Ryzen AI Max for Local LLMs: What the Hardware Enables — AMD's Ryzen AI Max pairs a Zen 5 CPU with up to 128GB of unified memory, changing which local LLMs fit at all versus a discrete-GPU… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20
- RetroArch PS3 Emulation: What Actually Works in 2026 — RetroArch has no native PS3 core — PS3 games run through standalone RPCS3. Here's how to pair both tools for a complete retro-gaming setup… Mike Perry · 2026-07-20
- AMD Ryzen AI Max for Local LLMs: What the Specs Mean — AMD's Ryzen AI Max APUs use unified memory to run large local LLMs without a discrete GPU. Here's what that means for real-world inference. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Ryzen AI Max+ 395 LLM Inference: Specs, Bandwidth, Reality — AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ 395 pairs 16 Zen 5 cores with up to 128GB of unified memory. Here's what its specs mean for running local LLMs, per… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- vLLM vs Ollama for a Single-User 12GB Rig in 2026 — vLLM vs Ollama on a single-user 12GB rig in 2026: setup complexity, throughput, quantization support and when paged attention actually… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 9 min read
- CompactFlash as a Win98 Boot Drive: Sizes, Limits, Gotchas — How to use a CompactFlash card as a Windows 98 boot drive: which cards work, the BIOS capacity limits, and where CF is the wrong answer. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- Best Raspberry Pi for Klipper in 2026: Pi 4 8GB vs Alternatives — Best Raspberry Pi for Klipper in 2026: Pi 4 8GB versus Zero-class boards versus alternative SBCs. Sized to real workloads, not… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 9 min read
- Best 27-inch 4K Monitor for PC and Console: Odyssey vs KOORUI — Samsung Odyssey 4K vs KOORUI QD-Mini LED for a shared PC and console desk: which panel wins on speed, which on picture quality, and how to… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- Ryzen 5 5600G vs Ryzen 7 5700X for a 24/7 LLM Server — Ryzen 5 5600G vs Ryzen 7 5700X for a 24/7 local LLM host: PCIe lanes, idle power, and where the CPU choice actually changes throughput. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- Best Streaming Gear for PC Gamers in 2026 — Streaming gear buying guide for 2026: microphones, ring lights and monitoring headphones ranked for PC streamers. Best overall, best… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- Asus ROG Xreal R1: 240Hz AR Glasses Hit Review — First reviews of the Asus ROG Xreal R1 confirm real 240Hz refresh on both microOLED panels. Here is where it earns its place and where a… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 9 min read
- Raspberry Pi Pico SDK 2.3.0 Ships: What Changed — Raspberry Pi shipped Pico SDK 2.3.0 on 2026-07-19. Here is what changed, which projects should adopt it now, and which should stay pinned. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 9 min read
- Kimi K3 vs Qwen 3.8 for Local Coding Agents in 2026 — A head-to-head comparison of Kimi K3 and Qwen 3.8 for local coding agents: where each wins, which fits on 12GB, and how to pick without… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- Qwen 3.8 Open Weights: What Fits on a 12GB GPU — A practical guide to running Qwen 3.8 open weights on an RTX 3060 12GB: which checkpoint fits, which quantization to pick, and where the… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 11 min read
- Ryzen AI Max vs RTX 40 Series: Which Wins for AI and Gaming? — Ryzen AI Max vs RTX 40 series compared: unified memory for large AI models versus CUDA-accelerated gaming, creative apps, and power… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Ryzen AI Max vs RTX 4060: Which Fits Your Build? — Ryzen AI Max and RTX 4060 solve different problems: unified-memory AI compute versus discrete gaming muscle. Here's how to choose. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Ryzen AI Max+ 395 vs RTX 4070: Gaming vs AI in 2026 — A synthesis of public specs and benchmarks comparing AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ 395 unified-memory APU against Nvidia's RTX 4070 for gaming and… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Unified RAM for LLMs: 2025-2026 Hardware Guide — How unified memory architecture from Apple Silicon and AMD's Ryzen AI Max changes local LLM hardware choices in 2025-2026, and how it… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Mac Unified Memory for LLMs: What Matters in 2026 — How Apple's unified memory architecture changes local LLM inference on Mac, and where it still loses to HBM-equipped datacenter GPUs. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Raspberry Pi Projects for Students (2025 Guide) — A synthesis of public Raspberry Pi curricula and community builds, ranking beginner-to-advanced student projects in electronics, robotics… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- 4K 60Hz or 1440p 240Hz? Picking a Monitor for an RTX 3060-Class GPU — 4K 60Hz or 1440p 240Hz for an RTX 3060-class GPU? The right answer depends on which frames your card can actually deliver — with sourced… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 14 min read
- Best Storage Upgrades for Gaming and Retro PCs in 2026 — The best storage upgrades for gaming and retro PCs in 2026, from a 1 TB SATA SSD workhorse to a CompactFlash card that fixes 1998-era IDE… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 17 min read
- Hosting a Period-Correct LAN Party in 2026: Quake 3, UT99, and the Gear That Still Works — A 2026 LAN party for Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament 99: what the network needs to look like, which patches unbrick the master-server… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- Build a Wall-Mounted Raspberry Pi 4 Arcade Cabinet: 3D-Printed Case, SSD Boot, Real BOM — A Pi 4 arcade build without the desk clutter — 3D-printed slide-in wall mount, SSD boot for real load times, and a bill of materials that… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 9 min read
- Open WebUI on a Raspberry Pi 4, Inference on an RTX 3060: The Split-Brain Home LLM Stack — Run Open WebUI on a Raspberry Pi 4 and let it wake an RTX 3060 box on demand. Here is the split-brain architecture, the wake-on-LAN… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 9 min read
- GameSir G7 SE vs DualSense: Which Controller Is Better on PC in 2026? — GameSir G7 SE vs DualSense on PC: Hall-effect wired versus haptic wireless at similar prices. Here is which pad wins on latency, comfort… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- Ryzen 7 5800X vs 5700X for a Dual-Duty Gaming and Local-LLM Build — Ryzen 7 5800X vs 5700X: same core count, different TDP, different cooler bill. Here is which AM4 chip makes sense for a 2026 gaming +… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 9 min read
- Raspberry Pi 5 IOMMU Support Is Landing in the Mainline Linux Kernel — Raspberry Pi 5 IOMMU driver work is heading to the mainline Linux kernel. Here is what an IOMMU actually does on an SBC, what it enables… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- GPT-5.6 Deleted User Files With Full Disk Access, OpenAI Says It Shouldn't Have — GPT-5.6 reportedly deleted user files when granted full disk access. OpenAI says the behavior was unintended. Here is what happened and… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 9 min read
- Open-Weight Models Caught Up on Cyber Benchmarks in Four Months — What That Means for Your Rig — A recent report puts the open-vs-frontier capability lag at four months on cyber benchmarks. Here is what that gap means for buying a 12GB… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- Inkling 975B Open Weights: What a Frontier Speech Model Means for Local Rigs — Thinking Machines released Inkling 975B, the first frontier-scale open-weights speech model. Here is what a 12GB card can actually run… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 10 min read
- ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED: Specs, Battery, Price (2026) — ROG Ally X and Steam Deck OLED compared on CPU, GPU, display, battery, and price using manufacturer specs and public reviews to help you… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Play Retro Games in Your Browser: Best Emulators 2025 — Browser-based retro emulators like EmulatorJS and the Internet Archive's arcade library let you play classic games with no installs… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Handheld Gaming PCs Ranked: 2025's Best, Compared — A synthesis of public specs and reviews ranking 2025's top handheld gaming PCs by performance, battery life, and value for money. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Local AI Image Generation: Best AMD GPUs for 2026 — AMD's ROCm software stack now runs Stable Diffusion and ComfyUI locally on Radeon hardware — here's how the RX 7900 XTX and W7900 actually… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- llama.cpp on a 12GB RTX 3060: llama-bench Setup and Measured tok/s — How to build llama.cpp with CUDA, run llama-bench on an RTX 3060 12GB, and read the prefill and generation numbers for 7B, 8B, and 14B… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 7 min read
- Raspberry Pi 4 8GB as a 2026 Home Server: What Actually Runs Well — The Pi 4 8GB still runs a full 2026 home server stack — Jellyfin, Home Assistant, Pi-hole, WireGuard — at 12W with an external NVMe SSD. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 8 min read
- How to Image a Vintage IDE Hard Drive in 2026 With a USB Adapter — The 2026 workflow for imaging a vintage IDE hard drive: Unitek USB 3.0 adapter, Linux live USB, and ddrescue — with measured time budgets. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 9 min read
- RTX 5090 vs RTX 6000: Specs, Gaming, AI Compared — RTX 5090 vs RTX 6000 Ada Generation compared: CUDA cores, memory bandwidth, TDP, gaming, AI training, and content creation workloads… Mike Perry · 2026-07-19
- Best Budget Sim Racing Wheel: Logitech G29 vs HORI vs Thrustmaster — The Logitech G29 is the default budget sim racing pick; the HORI DLX handles Xbox; the Thrustmaster TH8A is the shared shifter upgrade. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19 · 7 min read
- RTX 5080 vs RX 7900 XTX: Which GPU Wins in 2026? — RTX 5080 vs RX 7900 XTX compared on architecture, memory, ray tracing, and AI workloads to help you pick the right GPU for your build. Mike Perry · 2026-07-19