http://www.tomshardware.co.uk en 10 Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:58:52 +0100 http://m.bestofmedia.com/i/bestofmicro/design/groupe/logo_toms_uk.jpg http://www.tomshardware.co.uk http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/surround-sound-headset-benchmark,review-32376.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/surround-sound-headset-benchmark,review-32376.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:10:00 CET Surround sound headsets are often more practical than a home theater system attached to your PC. We compare eight premium models from Arctic, Psyko, Cooler Master, Logitech, Creative, Thermaltake, Corsair, and Razer to figure out who sells the top option.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/36-pc-fail-fx-itanium.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/36-pc-fail-fx-itanium.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:10:01 CET We've endured a great many annoyances in the 16 years since Tom's Hardware first appeared online. What follows is a list of 16 of them. Although it's by no means all-inclusive, it represents one seasoned reviewer's worst experiences in technology.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/34-ces-2012-booth-babe-model.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/34-ces-2012-booth-babe-model.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:50:00 CET CES 2012 was packed to the brim with new tablets and 3D display technology, but somehow exhibitors found a way to include booth models as part of their showcase. Take a peek through our picture story to see some of what we saw this year in Las Vegas.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/geforce-gtx-560-benchmark-review,review-32362.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/geforce-gtx-560-benchmark-review,review-32362.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:10:00 CET We were foiled in our quest to find the best vendor-provided GPU cooler for Nvidia's GeForce GTX 560. But out of the ashes sprung a round-up of cards armed with those very same solutions. Which of these five GF114-based boards is right for you?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/toms-hardware-community-contest-ces,review-32360.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/toms-hardware-community-contest-ces,review-32360.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:20:01 CET I just got back from CES 2012. And although I’ve attended a great many Consumer Electronics Shows, Computexes, and Comdexes (never a CeBIT), this year’s show was by far the most intense. It wasn’t that there were tons of really awesome products...]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/31-2011-review-pc-technology.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/31-2011-review-pc-technology.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:10:01 CET Another year has come and gone. Do you remember everything that happened in 2011? Before you toss out your old calendar, we remember major events, the passing of several technology greats, and a few memorable products that made their way through our lab. ]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/nokia-lumia-710-phone-t-mobile,review-32355.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/nokia-lumia-710-phone-t-mobile,review-32355.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:10:01 CET Nokia's Lumia 710 is designed to make Windows Phone 7 accessible to the masses. How does it fare under our test suite? You might be surprised. We're starting down the path of smartphone testing with a different take and a few exclusive benchmarks as well.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i5-fx-6100-overclock-benchmark,review-32345.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i5-fx-6100-overclock-benchmark,review-32345.html#xtor=RSS-1426 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?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i5-overclock-performance-gaming,review-32343.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-i5-overclock-performance-gaming,review-32343.html#xtor=RSS-1426 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.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/fx-overclock-crossfire-ssd,review-32342.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/fx-overclock-crossfire-ssd,review-32342.html#xtor=RSS-1426 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.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-core-i7-sli-liquid-cooling,review-32341.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-core-i7-sli-liquid-cooling,review-32341.html#xtor=RSS-1426 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.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/holiday-gift-hardware-computer,review-32340.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/holiday-gift-hardware-computer,review-32340.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:10:00 CET Welcome to Part 2 of Tom's Hardware's 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. This second installment is geared toward the folks who want to buy components that stand alone as respectable gifts--call them the add-ons to go with the complete machines we built last week.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/holiday-gift-hardware-computer,review-32337.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/holiday-gift-hardware-computer,review-32337.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:10:00 CET Welcome to Part 1 of Tom's Hardware's 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. This first installment is geared toward system builders planning to pool some Christmas cash to build a new performance- or value-oriented system. We have something for everyone this year.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/30-home-automation-security-wireless.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/30-home-automation-security-wireless.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:10:00 CET If you think CCTV is still the pinnacle of home security, check out this Tom’s Hardware writer putting his home under Vivint’s knife (literally). How much peace of mind and home automation can over $4000 of Z-Wave and IP-based gear get you?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-cpu-overclocking,review-32328.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-cpu-overclocking,review-32328.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:10:00 CET November was a busy month in the CPU world, with the introduction of Intel's LGA 2011 platform and the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition CPU. The Core i7-3930K and Core i7-2700K processors also made it to online retailers, in addition to AMD's FX-4100.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-cpu-overclocking,review-32306.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-cpu-overclocking,review-32306.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:10:00 CEST AMD's long-awaited FX-series CPUs arrived in October, and we discuss the impact that the company's Bulldozer architecture has on gaming. AMD also introduced other products into retail, including its Phenom II X4 960T, A4-3300, and Phenom II X2 270.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/iphone-4s-battery-life-benchmark,review-32305.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/iphone-4s-battery-life-benchmark,review-32305.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:10:01 CEST Despite the fact that it looks identical, the iPhone 4S is significantly different from its predecessor. To begin, it offers better performance without a big battery life penalty. Plus, we uncover display differences that Apple didn't bother to mention.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/radeon-hd-6950-1gb-benchmark,review-32300.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/radeon-hd-6950-1gb-benchmark,review-32300.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:10:00 CEST AMD’s 1 GB Radeon HD 6950s are certainly cheaper than their 2 GB predecessors. But are they really a better value? In theory, the Cayman GPU runs out of steam before 2 GB is needed. So, we're comparing five custom 1 GB cards to the 2 GB part to find out.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/iphone-4s-a5-performance,review-32298.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/iphone-4s-a5-performance,review-32298.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 23:40:00 CEST Apple's latest iPhone, the 4S, is here. Is it evolutionary, or all-new? Most of us already know it's a small step forward. Still, we take a technical look at what makes the iPhone 4S different, noting why you shouldn't judge a phone on appearances alone.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/nettop-zbox-coreht-252b,review-32293.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/nettop-zbox-coreht-252b,review-32293.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Mon, 10 Oct 2011 06:10:01 CEST We're testing four nettops: Arctic Cooling’s MC001-BD, ASRock’s CoreHT 252B, Giada’s i50, and Zotac’s Zbox AD03BR-PLUS. All of these tiny, quiet systems take a very different approach to compact computing, and we fill you in on what makes them unique.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-sandy-bridge-cpu,review-32284.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-sandy-bridge-cpu,review-32284.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Wed, 28 Sep 2011 06:10:00 CEST AMD's Zambezi processor isn't here yet. But Intel is keeping us busy with 16 new Sandy Bridge-based CPUs, all of which are covered in this month's update. AMD shows us a couple of new Llano-based chips, and we get our hands on Intel's Core i7-3960X.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-value-overclock,review-32282.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/build-a-pc-value-overclock,review-32282.html#xtor=RSS-1426 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?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/phenom-ii-overclock-graphics-card,review-32280.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/phenom-ii-overclock-graphics-card,review-32280.html#xtor=RSS-1426 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.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-cpu-ssd,review-32279.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-cpu-ssd,review-32279.html#xtor=RSS-1426 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?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-cpu-sli-ssd,review-32278.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/overclock-cpu-sli-ssd,review-32278.html#xtor=RSS-1426 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.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/hp-psg-enthusiast-pc,review-32267.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/hp-psg-enthusiast-pc,review-32267.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Sat, 03 Sep 2011 06:10:00 CEST Apparently, HP's preferred course of action is spinning its Personal Systems Group off into its own entity. But that's not necessarily what will happen. Would our world as enthusiasts change if HP ended up selling its PC business? Chris and Alan discuss.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charlie-miller-battery-hack-security,review-32242.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charlie-miller-battery-hack-security,review-32242.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 06:10:00 CEST Accuvant Labs' Charlie Miller talks to Tom's Hardware about the Defender's Dilemma, the security of data in the cloud, looking for vulnerabilities in notebook batteries, and the ramifications of using Apple's iPad in an enterprise environment.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/23-zotac-pcpartner-factory.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/23-zotac-pcpartner-factory.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 07:20:00 CEST Have you ever wondered where your graphics card came from? There's a good chance it’s made by PCPartner in China. Zotac, PCPartner’s in-house brand, invited us on a tour of its factory in Dongguan, China, right after Computex, and we couldn't pass it up.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/wi-fi-performance,review-32231.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/wi-fi-performance,review-32231.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 06:10:00 CEST In Part 1, we explained what can go wrong with Wi-Fi signals and how access points can work to improve your wireless performance. It's time for a reality check. We throw six contenders against 65 clients and some hellish interference. Who's left standing?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/22-wi-fi-beamforming-networking.html#xtor=RSS-1426 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/22-wi-fi-beamforming-networking.html#xtor=RSS-1426 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:40:00 CEST Our reliance on Wi-Fi networks is exploding. But the more popular 802.11n gets, the more it seems prone to performing poorly. In this first of two parts, we explore exactly how clients and access points communicate and, well, why your Wi-Fi sucks.]]>