<![CDATA[Reviews Tom's Hardware UK - How To - Build Your Own]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk en 10 Sun, 27 May 2012 08:53:34 +0200 <![CDATA[Reviews Tom's Hardware UK - How To - Build Your Own]]> http://m.bestofmedia.com/i/bestofmicro/design/groupe/logo_toms_uk.jpg http://www.tomshardware.co.uk <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon Bonus: Newegg Customer Choice PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/newegg-pc-benchmark-review,review-32410.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/newegg-pc-benchmark-review,review-32410.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Fri, 30 Mar 2012 06:10:00 CEST We've shown you our three System Builder Marathon picks. Now it's time for something new. Using Newegg's user ratings as a guide, we picked the site's most celebrated components, built a PC, and overclocked it. Can this "Customer Choice" setup compete?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, March 2012: System Value Compared]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-benchmark-build-a-pc,review-32409.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-benchmark-build-a-pc,review-32409.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 06:10:00 CEST Three different builders took two different approaches this quarter. Paul and Don struck out in search of more graphics performance, while Thomas gave up some GPU horsepower in favor of a stronger CPU. Whose strategy paid off? It's time to compare!]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, March 2012: $2600 Performance PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i7-3930k-overclock-radeon-hd-7970,review-32408.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i7-3930k-overclock-radeon-hd-7970,review-32408.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:10:00 CEST At four times the budget of our cheapest PC, today's build minimizes compromise in the name of delivering unparalleled quality, performance, and features. Thomas takes the opposite approach as Paul and Don, beefing up on his CPU. Was it the right call?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, March 2012: $1250 Enthusiast PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-budget-overclock,review-32407.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-budget-overclock,review-32407.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Tue, 27 Mar 2012 06:10:00 CEST Using the same sort of approach as Paul did yesterday, Don picks the parts for his System Builder Marathon machine with a bias toward gaming. How much performance can you expect from a mid-range PC sporting a $550 Radeon HD 7970? It's time to find out!]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, March 2012: $650 Gaming PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-gaming-pc-overclock,review-32406.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-gaming-pc-overclock,review-32406.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:10:01 CEST This quarter, we're starting our System Builder Marathon with a little experiment. Paul wanted to build a gaming PC for $650 that'd target smooth performance at 1920x1080. He had to make a couple of sacrifices in the process, but the result is compelling!]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, Dec. 2011: System Value Compared]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i5-fx-6100-overclock-benchmark,review-32345.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i5-fx-6100-overclock-benchmark,review-32345.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:10:00 CET A 20% budget boost for this quarter’s machines gave every builder room to fix former foibles, yet only the cheapest system showed big performance gains. What effect will those big and small changes have on price-per-performance proficiency?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, Dec. 2011: $600 Gaming PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i5-overclock-performance-gaming,review-32343.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i5-overclock-performance-gaming,review-32343.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:10:01 CET You've already seen our first two System Builder Marathon configurations, both of which are more expensive than last quarter's. Our entry-level build costs a bit more too, but we think it's a much more capable collection of parts.]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, Dec. 2011: $1200 Enthusiast PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/fx-overclock-crossfire-ssd,review-32342.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/fx-overclock-crossfire-ssd,review-32342.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 06:10:00 CET We mix things up with a $1200 budget, a brutally powerful Radeon HD 6950 CrossFire combo, and AMD's new FX processor in the final mid-range System Builder Marathon PC of 2011. The results are predictable in some ways, but surprising in others.]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, Dec. 2011: $2400 Performance PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-core-i7-sli-liquid-cooling,review-32341.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-core-i7-sli-liquid-cooling,review-32341.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:10:00 CET Lessons learned over the past two quarters have helped us build one of our fastest PCs yet. But is it really worth the extra $400 over the previous high-end System Builder Marathon PC? The benchmarks will answer that question.]]> <![CDATA[Power Supply 101: A Reference Of Specifications]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/power-supply-specifications-atx-reference,review-32338.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/power-supply-specifications-atx-reference,review-32338.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:10:01 CET Today's article contains everything you've ever wanted to know about PC power supply specifications. Form factor dimensions, cable end pinouts, voltage/amp/watt specifications, and even compatibility issues are covered in this comprehensive reference!]]> <![CDATA[Building A Liquid-Cooled MicroATX Gaming Monster ]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/microatx-gaming-overclocked,review-32290.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/microatx-gaming-overclocked,review-32290.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Wed, 05 Oct 2011 06:10:01 CEST You don't need a massive case to cram in tons of computing muscle. With a little help from a few manufacturers, our excessively-overclocked GeForce GTX 580 SLI build is small enough to sit atop most desks (and smoke our $2000 SBM machine).]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, Sept. 2011: System Value Compared]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-value-overclock,review-32282.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-value-overclock,review-32282.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 06:10:00 CEST Big changes to a few components radically alter the performance profile of every machine in this quarter's competition. We’ve already seen how these changes affect the value of each machine, but how will they compare to each other?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, Sept. 2011: $500 Gaming PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/phenom-ii-overclock-graphics-card,review-32280.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/phenom-ii-overclock-graphics-card,review-32280.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:10:01 CEST A few months ago, we built our $500 gaming PC using Intel's Sandy Bridge-based Core i3 processor, and it was a real screamer. This time around we're switching back to an overclockable Phenom II X4 and hoping threaded performance helps our case.]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, Sept. 2011: $1000 Enthusiast PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-cpu-ssd,review-32279.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-cpu-ssd,review-32279.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Wed, 21 Sep 2011 06:10:00 CEST This quarter's $1000 enthusiast-oriented PC gets a new lease on life with a 30 GB solid-state drive and a couple of GeForce GTX 460s. Does that make a difference over the last build and its conventional hard disk and Radeon HD 6850 CrossFire setup?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, Sept. 2011: $2000 Performance PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-cpu-sli-ssd,review-32278.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-cpu-sli-ssd,review-32278.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 06:10:01 CEST Falling memory prices make it easier to spend our $2000 budget on the fastest available components. How much faster is a pair of GeForce GTX 580s than two Radeon HD 6970 cards? Noticeably. But is the value any more compelling? You're about to find out.]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, June 2011: Alternative $2000 PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/toms-hardware-supercombo,review-32218.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/toms-hardware-supercombo,review-32218.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 06:10:00 CEST You spoke up in the first story from this quarter's System Builder Marathon, and we listened. Today we compare that first $2000 build to an alternative system based upon a flood of your recommendations. Call it the people's choice, if you will.]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, June 2011: Value Compared]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/system-builder-value,review-32217.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/system-builder-value,review-32217.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 06:10:00 CEST With so little happening in the hardware world since the beginning of this year, our second-quarter System Builder Marathon sees only minor hardware changes. But each builder unquestionably comes closer to dialing in ideal setups at each price point.]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, June 2011: $500 Gaming PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/diy-gaming-pc,review-32216.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/diy-gaming-pc,review-32216.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 06:10:00 CEST This quarter's $500 PC is sure to be a little controversial. We've built plenty of AMD-powered budget boxes in the past, but now we're testing the mettle of Intel's (multiplier-locked) Core i3-2100 in a gaming system priced right around $500.]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, June 2011: $1000 Enthusiast PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc,review-32215.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc,review-32215.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 06:10:00 CEST This quarter, we're keeping the Core i5-2500K processor from our previous build, but we're adding a pair of Radeon HD 6850s in CrossFire. How will those two boards stand up against the modified Radeon HD 6950 we used last time? The answer is within!]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, June 2011: $2000 Performance PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/system-builder-gaming-pc,review-32214.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/system-builder-gaming-pc,review-32214.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 06:10:00 CEST The launch of Intel's Z68 Express platform affects our build in a way we aren't benchmarking. But can we still put together a better configuration than last quarter's stunner? Will we achieve even better high-end value? The answer is a resounding yes.]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, March 2011: $2000 Bonus Build]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-computer-high-end-gaming-pc,review-32154.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-computer-high-end-gaming-pc,review-32154.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:10:00 CEST We used our second chance opportunity to hand-pick a $2000 PC with even more graphics power, at a lower cost. Getting more powerful GPUs means compromising elsewhere to maintain the same budget, though. Will that decision affect this config's value?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, March 2011: Value Compared]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-cpu-overclock-best-compouter-component,review-32153.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-cpu-overclock-best-compouter-component,review-32153.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 06:10:00 CEST Day 4 of our System Builder Marathon compares performance achieved to money spent. With outright speed the top priority, can either of our high-end systems beat the low-cost build when it comes to value? Or will the middle machine strike the best balance?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, March 2011: $500 Gaming PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/budget-gaming-pc-phenom-ii-radeon-hd-6850,review-32150.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/budget-gaming-pc-phenom-ii-radeon-hd-6850,review-32150.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:10:00 CET The last two System Builder Marathon configurations centered on Intel's Sandy Bridge architecture. But AMD still seems to rule the budget-oriented segment. This quarter, Paul buys an upgraded CPU and a Radeon-based graphics card for more performance.]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, March 2011: $1000 Enthusiast PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/radeon-hd-6950-unlock-build-a-pc-overclock,review-32148.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/radeon-hd-6950-unlock-build-a-pc-overclock,review-32148.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 08:10:00 CET We give Sandy Bridge yet another shot in our second System Builder Marathon configuration of the month, leaning on Intel's Core i5-2500K. How well does it fare against the Lynnfield-based Core i5-700-series processor it’s replacing?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon: TH's $2000 Hand-Picked Build]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/newegg-combo-toms-hardware-do-it-yourself,review-32085.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/newegg-combo-toms-hardware-do-it-yourself,review-32085.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Mon, 27 Dec 2010 07:10:00 CET The first $2000 build in this quarter's SBM series provided astonishing performance overall, but a few disappointments forced us to consider alternative parts. Today, we see how much improvement we can make when we hand-pick the configuration, TH-style]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, December 2010: Value, Compared]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-overclock-ssd,review-32077.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-overclock-ssd,review-32077.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 07:10:00 CET New benchmarks, new test methods, and new hardware mark exciting updates to this month’s System Builder Marathon. Today, we cover the most exciting part of all: the value competition. Remember, we're giving all three systems away, so enter to win them!]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, December 2010: $500 PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-overclock-athlon-ii-x3,review-32075.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-overclock-athlon-ii-x3,review-32075.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 07:10:00 CET We've already seen results from Thomas' $2000 PC and Don's $1000 build. Now it's time for Paul's $500 machine to take the stage, showing what an Athlon II X3 can do when it's matched up to a GeForce GTX 460. Can it deliver better value than the others?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, December 2010: $1000 PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-core-i3-overclock-system-builder,review-32072.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-core-i3-overclock-system-builder,review-32072.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 07:10:00 CET Although we were afraid of the results, this time around we decided to try something new, forgoing the Core i5 in favor of a dual-core Core i3 CPU in our build. Can the higher clock rate compensate for the loss of two physical cores in our $1000 system?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon, December 2010: $2000 PC]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-overclock-ssd,review-32071.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-overclock-ssd,review-32071.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 07:10:00 CET With all of your feedback from last quarter's System Builder Marathon under our belts, this time around, we attempt to fit a no-sacrifice, luxury and performance build into our moderately-high $2000 budget. Will this new build succeed on all fronts?]]> <![CDATA[System Builder Marathon: TH's $2000 Hand-Picked Build]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/newegg-combo-toms-hardware,review-32011.html#xtor=RSS-142416 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/newegg-combo-toms-hardware,review-32011.html#xtor=RSS-142416 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 08:10:00 CEST Each quarter, our System Builder Marathons include parts picked by three Tom's Hardware editors aided by comments from our readers. This quarter, we're adding an Editor's Choice PC with parts hand-picked by Thomas to go up against the top SBM config.]]>