Thursday, October 3, 2019

Apple : I spent way too long playing with the new Steam Library

Apple : I spent way too long playing with the new Steam Library

I spent way too long playing with the new Steam Library

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 12:16 PM PDT

I have a confession to make: I've despised Steam for years now. I just cant stand to look at it – looking like it came out of the '80s the way it does. For all their problems, I'd much rather use Origin, GOG, or yes, even the Epic Games Store. Go ahead and get the booing out of your system now – it's not going to change my mind. 

However, now that PC Gaming Week is here, and I have an excuse to poke around and just relish in PC gaming, I went ahead and activated the latest Steam Library beta, and I'm never going back. 

Tiles are underrated

For the longest time, the Steam library was this barren list of PC games, and before you selected something a good portion of the screen was completely barren. Then, when you did select something, a good deal of information would populate beneath that "Play" button, along with your achievements – something the Epic Games Store still doesn't have – along with news and your installed DLC. That's all well and fine, unless you have a high resolution display. 

If you're playing on a 2,560 x 1,440 display or sharper, it's likely that you still had a ton of wasted gray space on your library page, even when you had a game selected. Before I downloaded the new library beta, I would not stand for this. It got to a point that, rather than using Steam, I would just hit the start button and type in the name of the game I wanted to play. I probably could have left it at that. 

Look, I know I'm making a big deal out of what is simply an interface that I could completely ignore, especially when the world is full of so many other more important issues. But, the aesthetic matters to me.

On the other hand, when you load up either GOG Galaxy or Origin, the colorful game art is the first thing you're greeted with. With Galaxy, you get these adorable little virtual shelves that your games are stored upon. It's a nice touch, and makes it feel like you're actually collecting something.

Aside from Steam, Epic Games Store is probably the weakest here, but at least there you still get to see some game tiles, but there it's far too slow and inconvenient to browse through without frustration. Hey, at least Epic finally added a search function. 

Luckily, Steam is finally up there with the best of them once again – in a market it basically created.

I really can't praise this new library design enough

That Steam beta update, though

Now that I've covered just how broken my brain is, it's important to note that everything is better now. Well, with the Steam library, at least. 

The other day, I spotted a post over on PCGamesN that detailed how to add custom artwork to your Steam library. That alone was enough to make me download the beta, and once it was updated, I was blown away. I spent about an hour going through a subreddit dedicated to art for the Steam Grid, and got some lovely animated thumbnails for some of my favorite games, including the Witcher 3, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice.

The time-wasting could have ended there, but I wanted to custom tune my Steam library even more. You see, when you first install this beta update, you'll be greeted by a single row of "recent games" with your entire Steam library underneath. That wasn't good enough for me. 

You've always been able to divide your games into different categories, but this new Library update takes it to another level. Underneath the row of "recent games", you'll see a button to add a new shelf. Click that, then click the drop-down for "choose a shelf" and you can display any of your Steam game categories, whether it's just "Favorites" or a custom group, like my "Final Fantasy, Duh" category. 

I spent more time than I'm willing to admit thinking up new categories, so I could have a row for each of my unstable moods. Looking back on it, it was probably time well spent: my Steam library will be prepared for all the new games I add to it when Black Friday comes rolling around.

At the end of the day, I still have some problems with Steam, especially when it comes to how it polices its content, but this library update is more than enough to keep me placated for a little while. I know for a fact that I will likely spend more time finding custom art for all of my games than actually playing my games. And, really, isn't that what PC gaming is all about? 

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

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Best RAM 2019: the top memory for your PC

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 12:05 PM PDT

Do yourself a favor, and invest in the best RAM your budget can afford. If you don’t, even if you have an absolute beast of a computer, you’re still likely to run into some kind of slow down at some point. 

Thanks to memory hungry operating systems like Windows 10 or macOS Mojave – not to mention, demanding applications – having the best RAM is more important to your PC than ever before. If you desktop computer or laptop isn’t running quite as fast as it used to, it just may be time to go out and pick up the best RAM.

Before you head out and buy the first stick of RAM you run across however, consider that there are many things to consider. There are many different capacities, speeds and even sizes of memory. And, if you’re not very familiar with the PC components scene, you may have a tough time finding the best RAM for your rig.

Lucky for you, we spend entirely too much time obsessing over PC components. To help you find the best RAM that fits your needs, we went ahead and gathered the best RAM kits on the market right now. Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy upgrade that’ll let you open more Chrome tabs, or you’re trying to run the best PC games, this best RAM list is for you.

Image Credit: Corsair

Best RAM: Corsair Vengeance LED

Corsair is one of the most trusted names when it comes to the best RAM on the market. Its Vengeance series, especially, has something for everyone with its LED DDR4 offerings. On top of giving PC builders that extra touch of vibrant lighting, this RAM has robust heat spreaders that maximise cooling for higher overclocking and maximum performance. Corsair’s Vengeance LED DDR4 series also features CL16 latency and whopping 3,466 MHz speeds, so it’s just as fast and responsive as it is aesthetic.

Image Credit: G.Skill

Best DDR4 RAM: G.Skill Trident Z RGB

At this point, everyone kind of knows about G. Skill and its Trident Z RGB series of RAM. This is some of the best RAM not just because it’s fast, but the top of every DIMM features a full-spectrum rainbow wave light bar that you can use to match your RGB lighting across your entire system. Trident Z RGB DDR4 RAM features CAS latencies between 14 and 19 which is awesome enough, but with speeds up to 4,266, it’s almost perfect. No matter your aesthetic, it’s hard to argue with the G. Skill TridentZ RGB as the best RGB RAM.

Image Credit: Kingston

Best DDR3 RAM: Kingston HyperX Predator

Kingston’s high-performance HyperX has some of the best DDR3 RAM on the market and the Predator models is particularly tuned for  and extreme-performance that’s further expandable with XMP profiles. The Predator DDR3 series achieves CL9 to CL11 latencies and speeds between 1866MHz to 2666MHz.

Image Credit: Kingston

Best Budget RAM: Kingston HyperX Fury 

This Kingston HyperX Fury is auto overclocked memory that won’t empty your wallet. This smart DDR3 or DDR4 RAM auto-detects system components to overclock to the highest speeds possible, optimizing performance for all of Intel’s latest chipsets. It comes with latencies between CL14 and CL16, and has speeds between 2,133 and 2,666MHz. While it’s inexpensive, it really can have a huge impact on the performance of your rig. 

Image Credit: Corsair

Best High-end RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB

If you want the best of the best, and you don’t care about pricing, Corsair’s Dominator Platinum memory has always been at the top of the list. However, in 2019, it’s been refreshed to include Corsair’s new Capellix RGB LEDs, leading to a much richer and more colorful design. It’s the same high-end RAM we know and love, with speeds up to 3,600 MHz, but the better RGB make the Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB the best RAM around in 2019. 

Image Credit: G.Skill

Best double capacity memory: G.Skill Trident Z RGB DC

Sometimes, especially when you’re looking for the best gaming components, ‘go big or go home’ is the best advice. And, when you want more RAM than you’ll know what to do with, you’re going to want to go with the G.Skill Trident Z RGB DC memory. The DC stands for double capacity, as in,  32GB per stick. Now, this is definitely not the fastest memory in the world, right now it’s only available in up to 3,200 MHz, but if you need a lot of RAM without taking up too many DIMM slots (like if you have a big CPU cooler or a Mini-ITX board), you can’t go wrong with the G.Skill TridentZ RGB DC.

Image Credit: Adata

Best gaming RAM: Adata Spectrix D80 

If you’re building an all-out gaming rig, you’ll want the flashiest hardware on offer – who doesn’t want a gaming rig that lights up the entire room? If this sounds appealing, the Adata Spectrix D80 is the RAM to go for. Not only is it available in frequencies up to 5,000MHz, but it’s also liquid cooled, meaning you don’t have to worry about it overheating. The Adata Spectrix D80 is going to be the best RAM for gaming in an RGB-lit cavern. 

HyperX Fury RGB

Image Credit: Kingston

Best RGB RAM: HyperX Fury RGB

Finding RAM that fits in perfectly with your lit up gaming rig is easy with HyperX. In fact, their HyperX Fury RGB memory gets our vote as the best RGB RAM on the market right now, and that goes beyond its dynamic RGB lighting that’s an absolute stunner. And, with speeds of up to 3,466MHz with CL15 and CL16 timings, it’s just as fast as it is beautiful. For an even more immersive gaming experience, you can daisy chain this RAM to sync with multiple other RGB devices. This is some of the best RAM to invest in right now, especially if you’re an RGB fiend.

Image Credit: Corsair

Best Low-Profile RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX

Corsair’s Vengeance LPX RAM is made for users who want the maximum performance with minimum footprint. This low-profile RAM is essential for PC builds with massive CPU coolers. Despite being so low-profile, they still feature an eight-layer heat spreader to cool while overclocking. While its thin design doesn’t allow for LEDs, but you can get it in three colors: black, red or blue.  

Image Credit: G.Skill

Best Mac RAM: G.Skill Mac RAM

 G.Skill isn’t just dedicated to laptop and desktop RAM, but it also has memory upgrades for Macs. You see, Apple charges inordinate amounts for RAM upgrades, so going with a third party kit can save a ton of money. Well, as long as your Mac is old enough to still have upgradeable RAM. These SO-DIMM kits have a CAS latency between 9 and 11 and feature speeds between 1,333MHz and 1,600MHz. The best bang for your buck seems to be the G.Skill DDR3-1,333 for Mac. 

Image Credit: Crucial

Best Laptop RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport

Crucial is by far the best RAM for laptop systems. This manufacturer has designed its Crucial Ballistix Sport SODIMMs for efficient battery life while still delivering fast speeds for multi-tasking. It’s ideal for anyone wanting to speed up the best laptops, and this memory likely offers higher memory speed than anything coming stock in your laptop. Just make sure your laptop actually lets you upgrade the RAM – repairability is falling out of fashion these days.

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

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Best gaming chair 2019: the best PC gaming chairs

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 11:52 AM PDT

Let’s say you just got a new gaming PC, a new gaming monitor and maybe even picked up some of the best PC games that’ve been on your list for a while. But, where are you going to sit? Rather than settling for that ratty old office chair handed down to you by your dad, the best gaming chairs can take your gaming experience to another level. After all, no one wants to emerge from an hours-long gaming binge looking like Igor from Young Frankenstein. 

But, there are so many gaming chairs on the market today, plus plenty of knockoffs that will break in a few weeks. So, we here at TechRadar put our sitting expertise to the test, picking out the best gaming chairs on the market right now. From chairs that will make you look like a futuristic race car driver to more bland and stealthy affairs, we’ve covered all the bases.

Best gaming chairs, at a glance:

  1. Secretlab Titan
  2. noblechairs Epic Real Leather
  3. Autonomous ErgoChair 2
  4. SecretLab Omega 2020
  5. Respawn-300
  6. Corsair T2 Road Warrior
  7. noblechairs Icon gaming chair
  8. Edge GX1
  9. Vertagear Gaming Series Triigger 350 Special Edition
  10. Nitro Concepts C80 Pure Series

We’ll help you find the perfect gaming chair for your set up, so you can spend more time sitting and gaming, and less time shopping. Because – let’s be honest – we do our own fair share of sitting here at TechRadar, and we’re very familiar with the best gaming chairs. Keep in mind that, in the run up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we may see some great deals around the selected gaming chairs, too.

Secretlab Titan

Whereas most gaming chairs try to market themselves as being luxuriously upholstered with leather, Secretlab has shown fabric is the way to go. Between the Secretlab Titan’s SoftWeave fabric exterior and extremely plush padding, you won’t find anything softer or more comfortable this. This throne of gaming chairs also comes with a larger seat, subdued molding and built-in lumbar support, so it really is unlike anything else on the market.


It’s no exaggeration to call the Noblechairs Epic Real Leather the best gaming chair. From the cross-thatched embroidery to the real leather of its namesake, if you’re looking for a no-compromises gaming throne, this is it. Plus, it’s surprisingly quick and easy to set up. And, once the set-up is complete, the Epic Real Leather is a dream to sit on – and you can customize your position however you want. Just do us a favor, and read the instructions while you’re setting it up.


If you’re looking to sit back and play games all day in comfort, but you don’t want a chair that looks like a gaming chair, you’ll want to take a look at the Autonomous ErgoChair 2. Marketed as an office chair, the ErgoChair 2 has a very modern and stylish aesthetic to it that will appeal to anyone that doesn’t use RGB as a personality trait. It’s not all style, either, as the ErgoChair will also let you adjust basically every part of the chair, so that no matter how your body is built, you’re guaranteed to be comfortable while gaming.

  • This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Respawn 115 

SecretLab Omega 2020

Incorporating that sleek, Mad Men-level sophistication with that SciFi gaming look, the SecretLab Omega 2020 is simply stunning, especially if you opt for the PU leather model. But, the SecretLab Omega 2020 doesn’t just rely on looks alone; one of the best gaming chairs of 2019, this one comes with a head pillow and a lumbar pillow – both memory foam – and offers even better support than its predecessor. That’s not to mention the improvements over the 2018 model, like the metal support on the armrests, that makes the SecretLab Omega 2020 feel so much more robust. So expect, after a grueling gaming session, to just go straight to napping for a couple of hours without moving an inch – without having to worry about the chair falling apart on you. 


Leather and fabric have their advantages, namely to comfort and texture, but sometimes a mesh office chair is best – especially if you live in a warmer climate, where breathability is of utmost importance. The Respawn-300 combines the racing-seat design and lumbar support and mesh material from some high-end office chairs. It really does take comfort to another level and is one of the best PC gaming chairs you can buy today. 

  • This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Noblechairs Epic Real Leather. 


Corsair is known for making popular and high-end PC components and gaming peripherals, and now it’s making a mark in PC gaming chairs. This has resulted in one of the best gaming chairs we’ve ever sat in. The Corsair T2 Road Warrior is covered top to bottom in breathable PU leather with neck and lumbar pillows wrapped in microfiber, you’ll be able to game in both comfort and style. And, with its rollerblade-style wheels, you can move it around on any surface without having to worry about scratching up your floor. 

Noblechairs is well known for crafting some of the best gaming chairs out there – and the Noblechairs Icon makes it clear why. While it’s more affordable than the flagship Epic Real Leather, it’s still extremely comfortable and one of the best PC gaming chairs out there. This is thanks to its nice lumbar pillow, which you can easily remove if you don’t like it.  

The Edge GX1 is a gaming chair that actively avoids the popular racing style that is increasingly popular with modern gaming chairs. Rather than sticking to a form factor that’s designed to limit your movement, the Edge GX1 instead aims to give an ergonomic experience, where comfort is the priority – while also providing a premium chair. And when we say premium, we mean it, with the Edge GX1 costing £800, a huge amount for a gaming chair. It’s hand-crafted in the UK, and there’s some great touches, such as inflatable lumbar support. It’s a huge asking price, but we’ve been using it for a while now, and it is very comfortable. You’ll have to adjust a bit, but once you get it right, it’s worth the high price. It ships worldwide from the UK, but US and Australia readers should beware the high shipping costs.

You can only buy this chair direct from Edge

There’s a certain subset of the PC gaming community that needs to have the absolute best of everything, at whatever the cost. These people are going to be absolutely enamored with the Vertagear Triigger 350 SE. It features over 350 individual components with a mix metal, mesh, leather and high-end plastics to create the ultimate PC gaming chair. If you have the money to spare, and you can’t stand to have anything less than the best, you might want to give this chair a look. 

The Nitro Concepts C80 is a gorgeous, comfortable gaming chair that could easily blend in in an office environment – it looks more expensive than it is. Nitro Concepts made one of the best gaming chairs by keeping the price down, while keeping compromises to a minimum – like using polyurethane instead of leather. And, no compromises were made in the build quality, either – this is an impressively sturdy gaming chair. Just make sure you get a friend to help you put it together – constructing this thing had us tearing our hair out.

  • This product is only available in the UK at the time of this writing. US and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Noblechairs Icon 

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

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Best processors 2019: the best CPUs for your PC

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 11:45 AM PDT

Are you looking for the best processor 2019 has on offer with which to build your new computer? Lucky for you, the CPU market is teeming with powerful silicon and growing. Thanks to the fiery competition between Intel and AMD, now is a great time to invest in a new processor. 

AMD has been slowly dominating the market, especially now with its Ryzen 3rd generation processors to compete with the likes of Intel Core i9-9900K and Intel Core i9-9920X. Intel, on the other hand, has its 9th-generation Coffee Lake Refresh chips with the Intel Core i9-9900K leading series, and they are still ever popular. Plus, not to be outdone by AMD, Intel has been rolling out Ice Lakechips, and we should start seeing them in computers by the end of 2019.

The market is completely packed with a number of impressive chips, from budget big shots, like the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G, to HEDT heroes, like Intel’s Basin Falls Refresh lineup. There are also many mid-range megastars to round out this best processors list, like our current favorite, the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X.

In fact, you can hardly throw a stone without hitting an impressive processor that does the job and more. This just means that finding the most ideal one for your rig is key. Lucky for you, even if the latest and greatest silicon is out of your wallet’s reach, there are many excellent Coffee Lake and Ryzen Gen 1 chips on the market.

Get ready to experience incredible PC performance – as well as great deals thanks to our included our price comparison tool. These are the best processors on the market in 2019.

AMD Ryzen 9 3900X


The AMD Ryzen 9 3900X isn’t just AMD’s best mainstream processor right now; it’s also currently the king of all mainstream processors. With multi-threaded performance that destroys everything in its path to start, you won’t find a processor more impressive without stepping up to the HEDT market. Sure, there are some workloads where the Intel Core i9-9900K will still come out better, like with old games that are completely single threaded. However, thanks to this chip, the gap is definitely starting to narrow.

Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X

Intel Core i9-9900K

Image Credit: Intel

Thanks to increasing pressure from AMD, Intel’s offerings have been heating up like crazy (sometimes literally.) Out of this fiery competition came the Intel Core i9-9900K, an absolute beast of a processor that packs eight cores and 16 threads. That’s more cores than any mainstream processor released by Intel. The performance shows that it’s worth it, as this chip can go head to head with some of AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper chips. If raw performance is what you’re seeking, the Intel Core i9-9900K is, without question, one of the best processors you can go for. 

Read the full review: Intel Core i9-9900K

AMD Ryzen 5 2600X

Image Credit: AMD

Looking to purchase one of the best processors for content creation on a tight budget? The AMD Ryzen 5 2600X might just be an ideal choice for you. With 6 cores, 12 threads and a base clock of 3.6GHz, you’re getting a much better performance than the pricier Intel Core i5-8600K. As a bonus, you get a gorgeous RGB CPU cooler included. Yes, the gaming performance over the blue team is marginal at best, but when you start multi-tasking – and who doesn’t always end up with 100 chrome tabs open by lunchtime – that value starts to manifest.

Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X 

AMD Ryzen 3 2200G

Image Credit: AMD

If you’re putting together a gaming PC while on the tightest budget, the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G might just be your best investment yet. It doesn’t inherit the hyperthreading capability of its predecessor, the Ryzen 3 1200. However, the introduction of integrated graphics makes this APU one of the most affordable ways to experience casual PC gaming, a good enough reason to give this a spot in our best processors list. Impressively, we were even able to play Overwatch at 4K Ultra-HD resolution at ‘Epic’ settings.

Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 3 2200G 

AMD Ryzen 5 3600X


With more threads than the Intel Core i5-9600K, this mid-range graphics card delivers impressive multi-threading performance. However, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X doesn’t just stop there: it takes that budget-minded stage of performance to a new level, with its increased IPC (instructions per clock) performance and a higher clock speed while staying at the same price point. It also stays competitive in even the most intense single-threaded applications.

Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X

AMD Ryzen 7 1800X

Image Credit: AMD

Initially the Intel Core i7-7700K’s biggest competition, the AMD Ryzen 7 1800X still holds its own today, despite having been succeeded by the Ryzen 7 2800X. Its high core count, when compared to its Intel rival, means that it's better suited for VR workloads. Now that it’s dropped considerably in price, it’s more affordable than ever. If you’re building a VR rig, do yourself a favor: save some cash without sacrificing too much on performance with the Ryzen 7 1800X. It’s undoubtedly one of the best processors for VR gaming.

Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 7 1800X

AMD Ryzen 7 3700X


The single-threaded performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X admittedly still falls behind Intel, but what matters most in video editing and rendering is how a chip does with multi-threaded workloads. If you’re building a computer that can handle your video editing demands, this chip is an absolute beast and our top pick for video editing. That’s not all: this AMD chip offers impressive performance and a Wraith Spire cooler at a very affordable price.

Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X

Intel Core i9-9980XE

Image Credit: Intel

Are you the kind of user that demands world-class performance, and money is no object? The Intel Core i9-9980XE is among the best processors for you. With 18-cores and 36-threads, it absolutely destroys all its competitors on the market right now, if just barely. Multi-threaded applications and workstation-class projects are going to breeze by with this chip. However, if that steep price tag makes you do a double take, then you might want to look somewhere else.

Read the full review: Intel Core i9-9980XE

Intel Pentium G4560

Image Credit: Intel

If you choose the Intel Pentium G4560 over a Core i3 chip, you might not even notice the slight loss of performance, as you’ll be too busy counting all the money you saved. As the first Pentium chip in a long time to boast hyper-threading, the G4560 shows us what low-end CPUs have been missing for a long time. In benchmarks, it proves that it’s easily adjacent to the pricier Intel Core i3-7100.

AMD Ryzen 5 2400G

Image Credit: AMD

One of the only things that was missing in AMD’s Ryzen processors when they blew up was the integrated graphics support. But then, the Ryzen 5 2400G hit the streets and changed everything for mainstream PC users. With excellent AMD Vega graphics, it’s a fantastic APU most ideal for anyone looking to build a home theater PC. In addition, now that AMD has slashed the price, you can get your 4K action for cheaper than ever.

Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 2400G 

Michelle Rae Uy also contributed to this article.

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

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Best CPU cooler 2019: top CPU coolers for your PC

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 11:32 AM PDT

What’s cooler than being cool? That’s right, keeping your PC components ice cold. Before you go out to find more exciting components like the best graphics cards to soup up your rig, you have to seriously consider picking out the best CPU cooler first, as you’ll need it to build the best gaming PC you can. After all, keeping your CPU at a low temperature will increase your computer’s performance, not to mention, longevity.

The best CPU coolers will come in every shape, size and even price point in 2019, but finding the perfect cooler for your build depends on your processor, your budget and your overclocking demands. Luckily, even if you’re trying to save some cash, you can still pick up one of the best CPU coolers, as many air coolers are extremely cheap these days. If you’ve got the cash, on the other hand, you also have the option to splurge on a high-end liquid cooler, taking your cooling performance to the next level.

Regardless of what kind of CPU cooler you need, we’ll help you find the most ideal one. We gathered some of the best CPU coolers on the market, using our PC component expertise. And, because we’ve tested these coolers ourselves, you know these heat dissipators will be worth your money. Plus, with our price comparison tool, you’ll know you’re getting a killer deal every time.

Noctua NH-D15

Image Credit: Noctua

The Noctua NH-D15 is one of the best CPU coolers you can buy in 2019 simply because it performs just as well as – if not better – than some liquid coolers, while costing a fraction of the price. You might not be too familiar with Noctua’s name, as they’re relatively small in the CPU cooler world, but its business is revolves around designing coolers, so you know that when you buy one of their products, you’re getting a product by people who really know their craft. On top of delivering a fantastic cooling performance, the NH-D15 is nearly silent as well. 

Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition


Cooler Master’s Hyper 212 CPU RGB cooler is back with a vengeance, and sporting a sleek gun-metal black brushed aluminum finish to boot. It’s not only jet black look that’s upping this CPU cooler’s cool factor – though it does help what with that aluminum top cover and nickel plated jet black fins to complete the look. It’s also easily one of the best CPU coolers on the market with its stacked fin array that ensures least airflow resistance, four heat pipes that boast Direct Contact Technology to better battle the heat, and a wide speed range for fine-tuning cooling performance and silent operation.

Noctua NH-L9

Image Credit: Noctua

Noctua is an Austrian manufacturer that does one thing, and one thing only: make the best CPU coolers and fans. What this means is that even though the Noctua NH-L9 is tiny, it is still more than capable of insane cooling with no compromises. This is a fantastic cooler for anyone with a smaller build, or even if you’re using a ton of large components, and you’re not comfortable with liquid cooling.

Corsair H100i Pro

Image Credit: Corsair

Corsair has enjoyed a position at the top of the liquid cooling game for a while now, and the H100i Pro continues the trend. Not only is this thing obviously strapped in RGB lighting, but it also boasts impressive cooling performance, thanks to Corsair’s unique and powerful fans, which you can control through the iCue software. All these combined, and you’ve got among the few best CPU coolers that not only performs well, but that is also completely customizable.

Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage


With the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage in your gaming rig, you won’t only end up playing for hours on end without worrying about thermal throttling or overheating. You might just an hour or so admiring your CPU, especially if you have one of those glass-window cases, as this CPU cooler is indeed hypnotically pretty. It’s mostly thanks to its transparent pump design that lets you see the impeller spinning while bathed in different RGB lighting, like a colorful spinning wheel at a funhouse. Performance-wise, it definitely deserves a spot in our best CPU coolers list, with its PPS+ glass fiber housing and nozzle that provides temperature and liquid resistance, EPDM rubber O-Ring that helps eliminate liquid emission, and a low-resistance radiator that increases flow rate, heat exchange efficiency and cooling performance.

NZXT Kraken X72

Image Credit: NZXT

If you’re running one of the best processors, and you want to push it to the limit, you’ll need one of the best CPU coolers for overclocking, like the NZXT Kraken X72. Not only does it pack a gigantic radiator, but its high fan speeds ensure that cooling performance is top-notch all the time. And, because it’s 2019, it features addressable RGB and an infinite mirror design that looks amazing in any case. To top it all off, the NZXT Kraken X72 is backed by a 6-year warranty.

Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML120R RGB

Image Credit: Cooler Master

There isn’t a single component that can’t be improved through RGB, and Cooler Master is well aware – jumping on the RGB bandwagon with the MasterLIquid ML 120R RGB. What’s more, it integrates some of the first addressable LEDs seen on a liquid cooler. This all-in-one liquid cooling solution isn’t just about aesthetics – it features an oxidation free pump and an efficient radiator. This means that not only will it last longer – but it’ll keep your CPU cooler, and all without giving up too much case real estate, which is why it’s made our best CPU coolers list.

Arctic Liquid Freezer 120

Image Credit: Arctic

For less than 70 big ones in both US dollars and British sterling, the Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 is a deal you can’t pass up if you’re on the prowl for a liquid cooler that won’t break the bank. While it lacks the bells and whistles of pricier, more extravagant liquid coolers, like the NZXT Kraken, the Arctic Liquid cooler is enough to get you by, not to mention it’s still a massive step up from the classic fan and heatsink pairing. So, while you can’t expect RGB lighting or software – or even hardware-based fan control, the 120mm variant of the Arctic Liquid Freezer makes our best CPU coolers list as it will keep your system refrigerated at a (mostly) quiet volume. 

  • This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair Hydro Series H5 SF 

Corsair Hydro Series H5 SF

Image Credit: Corsair

Even if your budget will allow you to really go all-out on a serious liquid cooling solutions, if you have a smaller PC case, you’ll likely not have enough space. That’s where something like the Corsair Hydro H5 SF comes into play. Even on the smallest PC cases, you’re able to use this CPU cooler to keep your CPU chilled, even if you have some beastly overclocks happening. Plus, because it’s a closed loop, you don’t even need to worry about maintenance. Set it up, and let it do its thing – you won’t be disappointed. 

NoFan CR-95C

Image Credit: NoFan

Rounding out our best CPU coolers list is the NoFan CR-95C. You’ve probably never heard of NoFan – unless you’re already neck deep into the rabbit hole that is silent PC assembly. The South Korean component company specializes in helping enthusiasts reach that 0dBA silent sweet spot. In doing so, of course, will severely limit your set-up in terms of power, with its CR-95C fanless solution being limited in compatibility to processors whose TDP fall below 95W. Still, the NoFan CR-95C is worth a shot if you want to build a low-power computer that completely blends into the background.


  •  This Product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Noctua NH-L9 

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

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Taboola and Outbrain announce major ad merger

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 11:23 AM PDT

Online advertising rivals Taboola and Outbrain have announced that they will form a single company to take on the likes of Facebook and Google.

Both companies provide advertising-based content recommendation engines for publishers that typically appear as boxes at the bottom of online articles which feature a mix of stories from the publications themselves, ads and sponsored content from other sites.

Taboola and Outbrain describe their deal as a merger though the combined entity will be called Taboola and Taboola's current CEO, Adam Singolda will lead the new company.

Taboola will pay Outbrain investors $250m in cash alongside a 30 percent share of the combined companies. All in all, the merger will create a company valued at $2bn which means the transaction value of this deal is $850m.

Taboola and Outbrain

The combined company's customer list now includes 20,000 online properties with an audience of 2.6bn and Taboola and Outbrain believe that together they can go up against the biggest names in online advertising.

The deal itself has actually been in the making for years with reports of talks between the two companies going back as far as 2015. However, the deal has taken so long because it has been difficult to iron out the details between the two companies and getting longtime rivals to trust each other is never easy.

The combined group now has a long list of customers from the largest online media properties around today including CNBC, NBC News, USA Today, BILD, Sankei, Huffington Post, Microsoft, Business Insider, the Independent, El Mundo, CNN, BBC, The Washington Post, The Guardian, El Pais, Sky News and even TechRadar.

Founder and CEO of Taboola, Adam Singolda shared his thoughts on the merger in a press release, saying:

“Over the past decade, I’ve admired Outbrain and the innovation that Yaron Galai, Ori Lahav and the rest of the Outbrain team have brought to the marketplace. By joining forces, we’ll be able to create a more robust competitor to Facebook and Google, giving advertisers a more meaningful choice. We’re passionate about driving growth for our customers and supporting the open web, which we consider critical in a world where walled gardens are strong, and perhaps too strong. Working together, we will continue investing to better connect advertising dollars with local and national news organizations, strengthening journalism over the next decade. This is why we’re merging; this is our mission.”   

Via TechCrunch

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What it takes to become a professional esports player

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 11:09 AM PDT

It’s probably every PC gamer’s dream: playing games and getting money for it. But how can you go about becoming a professional gamer?

We spoke to Eli Gallagher, a professional Overwatch gamer who plays with the Evil Geniuses esports team about what you need to make it in professional gaming, from the hardware to the training.

“I’m the in-game leader and shot-caller for them,” he explains. “It’s mostly healing, making sure everybody is stocked up. For my particular role it’s mostly also movement, so I make sure that everybody is in the right spot and then keeping them all up mid-fight and stuff like that.”

In his support role, Gallagher mainly plays as Lucio. “He’s one of the support heroes who’s really focused on like positional healing. So, I have an aura around me and my team needs to be in that aura to actually get the buffs that I provide. That means it’s a lot about where my team is and where I can position myself.”

PC Gaming Week 2018

Playing full time

Of course, even those times playing Overwatch in his spare time are useful.

“It’s really important to stay up on your mechanics and make sure you can still play at that high level.”

Gallagher has been playing Overwatch, an extremely popular online game, since its launch, and currently plays around 10 hours a day.

“And that’s really more of a recent development,” he explains. “When the game came out it was closer to like three to four hours a day, because I didn’t really know anybody in the professional scene, so I was playing with the friends I have from school. But, now that I’m on a pro team, I try to put in as many hours as I can.”

"When I have an off day, usually at least half of that day is still spent playing Overwatch. I just really enjoy playing the game."

Eli Gallagher


If you’re playing any game for that long, and for that many hours a day, you must end up growing a bit bored of it. However, Gallagher hasn’t found his enthusiasm for Overwatch waning.

“I don’t know if everybody would be able to play the game for that many hours but I still find new things in it, and really enjoy playing. Especially the strategic aspect of it.”

Gallagher even plays Overwatch when he’s not training or taking part in events. “When I have an off day, usually at least half of that day is still spent playing Overwatch. I just really enjoy playing the game.”

PC Gaming Week 2018

Going pro

So, how did Gallagher get into playing Overwatch professionally? “It wasn’t really something I’d set out to do originally. In my school everyone was really excited about esports, and League of Legends was really cool, so I really just enjoyed the concept of it. And I thought ‘well, I like strategy games, this might be something that I’m interested in!' I then started playing casually and ended up getting scouted. I was thought of as a really good player and ended up getting picked up.”

Players getting found by talent scouts is a familiar tale in traditional sports, so you may be surprised to know that it happens with esports as well. If you’re playing well, you may get noticed.

“I had posted in a Discord channel, which is a chat service which a lot of gamers use, that I was looking for a team. I got approached by a coach, and then going from amateur team to amateur team to amateur team I finally landed on the team Eastwind. And then we had a good tournament performance and we ended with Evil Geniuses, which was really awesome".

Evil Geniuses is an esports organisation based in San Francisco and founded in 1999 as a Counter-Strike team. It has a number of teams specialising in a range of games, including Defense of Ancients (Dota), League of Legends, StarCraft II, Halo and, of course, Overwatch. In 2015, the Dota team won the largest prize payout in esports history.

"Usually, the way I practice is I try to get ten hours of serious game-play in a day."

As for Gallagher, getting found by a couch helped him hone his skills.

“I like to think I had the basics of the game down, but I’m sure there were many things that he taught me that I may not have figured out on my own. It’s really helpful to have multiple perspectives when you think about the game, because sometimes you can miss something that’s really important. He definitely really helped my development in the game.”

So, what does training for a game like Overwatch entail?

“Usually, the way I practice is I try to get ten hours of serious game-play in a day, where I’m taking the game 100% seriously. That means I’m playing to win, I’m playing to do the best I can in each of those games. That wasn’t always easy when I started, because I had high school. Balancing playing Overwatch and sleeping and going to school was a really tight fit.”

Tips for beginners

So, what tips does Gallagher have for people who want to get started in playing esports professionally?

“I think that if you’re looking to get into competitive esports, you really just want to play whatever game interests you.”

It’s certainly wise advice, as if you’re going to be pouring so many hours into playing a game, it should be one you enjoy.

“It’s really hard to put that much time to become a professional into a game that you just don’t enjoy playing, so that’s the baseline for trying to get into it. You want to make sure that you’re having fun when you’re playing the game, and that it’s something you enjoy doing.”

"You want to make sure that your passion in the game isn't fuelled by like a want for money, you want to do it because you like playing the game."

A passion for what you are doing should always be a priority if you’re thinking of becoming a professional gamer.

“It’s something that I had to think about a lot when I considered going pro with Overwatch. If it’s going to be your job, and it’s going to be what you’re doing every day, and you want to try to be the best and improve, you really want it to be something where your drive is coming from the fact that you want to play. You want to make sure that your passion in the game isn’t fueled by like a want for money, you want to do it because you like playing the game.”

And, as Gallagher points out, it’s better to stick to one game and concentrate on that.

“I think that there are some skills that can spread across all games, but it’s really mastery of a specific game that helps. When you know all the ins and outs of the characters you like playing, and you know how much damage your counters do, when you can take fights to the enemy team and stuff like that. It’s really important to have knowledge of the game you want to play.”

PC Gaming Week 2018

Getting the right kit

So, what kind of kit does Gallagher use when playing professionally?

“When I was 13 my parents bought me a laptop for my birthday, and I of course only had a trackpad because I didn't have a mouse. So, I actually bought a Steelseries Sensei to use with that. I used that for around four years. Then, just recently when I joined EG and went to their gaming house they sent me home with a Steelseries M800 keyboard. I was using a laptop keyboard for like all that time, but now I could never go back to that keyboard, that’s just how much I like the M800."

Steelseries is one of the sponsors of Evil Geniuses, which makes it a bit easier for Gallagher to get hold of its kit. However, Steelseries has a number of entries in our best gaming mouse and best gaming keyboard lists, so it must be doing something right.

As for the laptop his parents bought him, while the portability of the device was welcome, it didn’t necessarily make things easier when playing competitively.

“Most tournaments will supply a computer for you, and the laptop wasn’t really capable of high frame rates, so it was a bit choppy to play on, sometimes. Most of the people I played with were like ‘really, you play on a laptop?’ But, I dunno, I made do. I didn’t think it was that big of a disadvantage, personally.”

High frame rates and refresh rates are essential to competitive play, and while many new gaming laptops come with screens capable of 144Mhz refresh rates, not all do.

“The refresh rate on that thing was just 60Hz,” Gallagher explains, “like, I guess, a standard monitor. But it was interesting to upgrade to a PC, especially when I went to the EG house [where they train]. The desktops I played on there were just so incredibly superior to the laptop I was using, I was like, ‘maybe I should look into getting one’”.

Upcoming games

So, are there any other games Gallagher is looking forward to playing?

“As weird as it sounds, I’m always excited to play more Overwatch.”

But, surely there must be other games that have caught his eye.

“I get excited whenever there’s an update. But, games other than Overwatch that I’m excited to play? Erm, Player Unknown Battlegrounds is a fun game to just play with teammates. I can have a more relaxing experience with them, because most of the time when you’re working with teammates, it can get intense and stressful when you’re playing with them so many hours every day. So, it’s just nice to sometimes wind down with some more relaxing games."

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

First published June 2019

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Best phone in the US for 2019: the top 15 smartphones we've tested

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 10:51 AM PDT

Our best phones 2019 list has changed dramatically thanks to new smartphones that keep being released: the Galaxy Note 10 in August, iPhone 11 in September, and soon, the Google Pixel 4 in October. It's smartphone buying season, for sure.

It's an expensive investment, whether it comes from Samsung, Apple or Google. A lot of these phone prices start at $1,000, so you'll want to take your decision seriously. But don't worry: we're here to help guide you.

You might be thinking already about saving money with the the forthcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals - so just bookmark those hyperlinked pages to make sure you're getting access to the top curated deals from across the web by our in-house experts. Yes, these will include phones too - including ones from this list, though the discounts will mostly hit Android handsets.

Today's best phone has a big screen, yet is easy to handle; packs a camera suite capable of replacing a point-and-shoot; and has enough processor power and battery to get work done while you're on the go. You won't find smartphones with slowdown and anything less than all-day battery life on this list.

Tomorrow's top smartphone? That'll probably be a 5G phone, like the Galaxy S10 5G, and then, eventually, a foldable phone with 5G, starting with the Huawei Mate X and Samsung Galaxy Fold. But foldable phones are unproven, and 5G in the US isn't in enough cities around the country to recommend. Our list will remain practical.

Why we have more than a No. 1 pick: We have a top pick, but not everyone looks for the same smartphone features. Some will demand iOS 13 and cling to Apple's iMessage, while others will want customizations and Google Assistant tools available in Android 10. Our phone reviews and best phone list reflect that diversity. 

Likewise, your contract with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint or T-Mobile is a preference. The best phone for AT&T may not be available on-contract on Verizon, and vice-versa. While we've seen more unlocked phones in the US in 2019, not all are available for every carrier. We have to take that into account when recommending phones, and we favor those that are completely unlocked or available on the four major carriers.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are only a couple of months away, and we'd expect to see a lot of discounts on the products listed here over that period so you may want to hold off buying just yet.

Our pick for best phone isn't just crowning the newest iPhone and calling it a day, though our list does have a lot of familiar names: Apple, Samsung, Google and LG, all in the top 15. Newer companies in the US like Huawei and OnePlus make the list, too, though their limited availability is noted.

Best phone at a glance:

  1. Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
  2. iPhone 11
  3. Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
  4. iPhone 11 Pro Max
  5. Google Pixel 3
  6. Samsung Galaxy S10e
  7. OnePlus 7 Pro
  8. Huawei P30 Pro
  9. Samsung Galaxy S10
  10. iPhone XR
  11. Huawei Mate 20 Pro
  12. iPhone XS
  13. Google Pixel 3 XL
  14. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
  15. Samsung Galaxy Note 9

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is the best phone you can get for Android right now, if you're just going by specs. Naturally, as the first flagship of 2019, its new Snapdragon 855 processor is the big standout here with even better performance than the phones that closed out 2018. Add in a few cool new (but not essential) features, Samsung's stunning-as-ever display and design as well as top specs and you have a true flagship – for a true flagship price, of course, starting at  $999.

Screen: The 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display is gorgeous, but that's not surprising. it's the same size as the Galaxy Note 9's screen, and far larger than the Galaxy S9 Plus' 6.2-inch display. The 'Infinity O' display ditches the notch for a punch-hole in the top right corner. Yes, it's twice as wide as the hole in the S10 and S10e, but how else will you fit in the extra selfie camera? This choice (and thin bezels) enable a stunning 93.1% screen-to-body ratio, which keeps the phone as slim as possible.

Battery Life: The S10 Plus' 4,100mAh battery is Samsung's largest yet, just nudging past the Note 9's 4,000mAh and far beyond the 3,500mAh one in the Galaxy S9 Plus. While that didn't lead the new phone's battery life to outpace its predecessors, it still kept it going through the full day with 10%-30% to spare in our casual testing. This is, of course, with standard settings: bump up the resolution from Full HD+ to QHD+, brighten the display or keep it on longer, and the battery will drain faster.

Camera: The S10 Plus has three cameras on the back: a 12MP regular lens, a 12MP optically zoomed telephoto lens, and a new 16MP ultra-wide lens. We found the photo quality to be a bit variable – perhaps due to the dual-aperture main lens – with good but not consistent low-light performance. It's not quite up to par with the Google Pixel 3's Night Vision mode, but it still outpaces most other phone cameras on the market. The two front-facing cameras allow depth for Portrait mode-style photos, which is worth the wider punch-hole gap in the display.

Mini verdict: After some time with the standard Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e, we can say for sure that the S10 Plus beats them out. It has the best specs, cameras and battery life of the whole set, and it's not too much more expensive than the other models. If you want a phone that will blow every other device out of the water in early 2019 – as well as its in-screen fingerprint sensor and reverse charging – this is your only real option. 

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review

The iPhone 11 isn't technically superior to the iPhone 11 Pro series, but it's priced so well (for an iPhone) and has most of the key features you'll won't need much else from an Apple device. It takes the place of the iPhone XR with the same 6.1-inch screen, but a new dual-lens camera on back.

Screen: The 6.1-inch screen fits in between the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max sizes, making it an appealing choice if you want a large screen, but not the biggest. While it doesn't have the perks of the OLED display on the Pro models, some people won't notice a difference unless you see all of the phones side-by-side. It's still a brilliant-looking phone, if you don't mind the notch.

Battery life: This iPhone can delivery all-day battery life, and it's slightly better than the iPhone XR battery, which we thought was stellar last year. The iPhone 11 Pro does last a bit longer and comes with a fast charger in the box – the iPhone 11 does not.

Camera: This is close to the best iPhone camera, with both a 12MP main camera and a new 12MP ultra-wide camera to cram more into the frame.  It's missing the triple-lens camera on the Pro models, which adds in a telephoto lens, but you're getting the two essential cameras from that pairing, and it includes a long exposure night mode that will automatically bright up dark photos.

Mini verdict: The best thing about this new iPhone is that it costs $699, cheaper than the XR at launch a year ago.

Read more: iPhone 11 review.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus

This is Samsung's most expensive non-foldable phone, and the big perk is that it comes with the handy S Pen that does new tricks. The screen is the most exquisite part of this really big phone, but you'll have to be able to handle its large size and equally big starting price. 

Screen: Can you handle a phone with a 6.8-inch display? If the answer is yes, then you'll really enjoy this big-and-tall curved Infinity Display. It's immersive and easy to ignore the small front-facing camera hole at the center-top of the screen. It's the best display we've seen on a big phone.

Battery life: The Note 10 has a 4,300mAh battery, and we found that it goes a day and a half with normal use without a problem. Samsung has improved its underlying battery saving tech and it's also equipped its phone with a 25W fast charger in the box and, there's compatibility with 15W fast wireless charging now.

Camera: This is where the Note 10 Plus shines, even if it isn't the best camera phone – it's the camera we had the most fun playing with. Some of that it thanks to the five cameras: four on the back and one on the front. You have the standard wide lens, the 123 degree field-of-view ultra-wide lens, and the 2x optical zoom telephoto lens. But we really liked the selfie camera here thanks to fun filters like Color Point that keep you in color but isolate the background in black-and-white. 

Mini verdict: The Note 10 is impressive and certainly impressively big. The S Pen is used for more than taking notes these days, and contains some tricks like trigger a remote camera shutter and a few new gesture controls. These won't sell you on the phone, though. They're nice-to-haves. What will tempt you is that immersive screen and great battery life. 

Read our in-depth: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus review

The iPhone 11 Pro Max is the biggest phone Apple has created, and it's also the most high-spec'd phone from the company.

It's expensive even by iPhone standards, but it features an all-screen, notch-toting, almost bezel-free design with masses of power under the hood. The big upgrades compared to the iPhone XS Max are the improved cameras and boosted power.

Screen: The 6.5-inch OLED screen on the iPhone 11 Pro Max really grabbed our attention - it's fantastic for video streaming and gaming.

Battery life: This is some of the best battery life we've ever experienced on an iPhone, with further optimizations within iOS and a larger cell inside the phone itself. It's still not game-changing, but it's better than other Apple handsets.

Camera: The triple camera setup on the iPhone 11 Pro Max is fantastic. This is the first time Apple has implemented three rear cameras, and it offers a great experience. Plus, it can be fun to use.

Mini verdict: If your hands are as big as your bank balance, the iPhone 11 Pro Max takes Apple's smartphone to a whole new level with an improved camera and more.

Read our in-depth iPhone 11 Pro Max review

The Google Pixel 3 came out in October, offering some internal upgrades, improved camera performance, a second front-facing camera, and a better screen than its predecessor. And, as with past Pixels, when it comes to smartphone cameras, this is a top contender. 

Screen: The Pixel 3 stretches the previous model’s screen to 5.5-inches for an 18:9 aspect ratio. There are no notches taking up any of the screen space either. Colors are rich on the OLED display, and thanks to the dual front-facing speakers, it makes for a handy streaming device.

Battery life: A 2,915mAh battery is nothing to get excited about in a modern smartphone. That said, with conservative us, it’s not hard to get all-day battery life. If you’re not taking a lot of photos, it may be easier to get a full day of battery, but with such a good camera, it may be tough to avoid.

Camera: The Pixel 2’s cameras are its best selling point. On back, the 12.2MP sensor paired with Google’s brilliant software optimization make for stunning photos in most situations. Optical Image Stabilization certainly helps, too. Selfie lovers get a bonus with dual front-facing cameras that can snap photos with different viewing angles.

Mini verdict: The Pixel 3 is powerful on the inside, and even though its design isn’t the most exciting from 2018, nor is its battery, it’s all about the camera in the end. And, with Google’s knack for photo optimization, this phone can almost sell itself with the camera alone.

Read more: Google Pixel 3 review

The Samsung S10e is the littlest (and least pricey) sibling of the S10 line in both size and features. While it loses out on a few of the cutting-edge features like in-screen fingerprint scanner and a telephoto lens, its remaining arsenal of flagship specs, ultrawide camera and good interface make the S10e a standout at a discount. Plus, it's small enough to use one-handed.

Screen: The 5.8-inch AMOLED screen is crisp and sharp, with enough bright colors and customization options to tweak to your liking. While it's nice that the budget flagship of the S10 line has an OLED screen (unlike the iPhone XR with its LCD display), it's not as high resolution as its bigger siblings, capping out at 1080 x 2280 pixels to the S10 and S10 Plus' 1440 x 3040 pixel maximum. 

Battery life: A 3,100mAh capacity isn't the biggest battery on the market, but it will see you through the day, and may last longer than you think thanks to the phone's smaller screen. You'll need to stretch it out if you plan to use Wireless PowerShare, the S10 line's new feature that lets you donate battery charge to another Qi-charging device. Don't worry, it won't drain yours to oblivion: the feature shuts down when your phone hits 30% battery.

Camera: Considering the standard Galaxy S9 had a single lens, the S10e is a major upgrade with its two useful cameras. The first is the standard 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4 Dual Aperture lens found in the phone's predecessor (switching between the two in day/night shots), while the second is a 16MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens that manages 123-degree field of view. While the phone misses the 2x telephoto of the other S10 phones, its ultrawide is far more useful.

Mini verdict: The S10e is a fantastic little phone, perfect for anyone who wants to use their flagship phone one-handed – or just wants all the best specs at a lower price. While it's still more expensive than midrange phones or the current value champion, the OnePlus 6T, the S10e has more features and cutting-edge specs to push it beyond the competition.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S10e review

This is the best in phone value if you want an all-screen display and don't want to pay for the Samsung or Apple name. it's a bit cheaper than the Galaxy S10e, though not as affordable as last year's OnePlus 6T. It has almost everything except wireless charging, a microSD card slot and a perfect camera.

Screen: This is the main draw. Thanks to a mechanical pop-up selfie camera, the OnePlus 7 Pro has the best screen we've tested. No notch and punch-hole camera in sight, and it stretches from edge to edge. Even better, its 90Hz screen refresh rate gives it more fluid movement. Samsung's screen has been dethroned.

Battery life: The OnePlus 6T has fairly good, but not great battery life thanks to its 4,000mAh battery. It'll get you through a whole day, but not much more than that. The real news is its Warp Charge 30 adapter that allows this phone to go from 0% to 100% in a little over an hour. It's very fast.

Camera: The camera has always been the weakest part of the OnePlus lineup, but we've experienced better phones from the OnePlus 7 Pro. It's not going to top our best camera phones list, but the triple lens (regular, ultra-wide and telephoto) did a fine job in proper light. Nightscape mode has been improved, but begs for a tripod in mixed light (any lights in dark scene tend to smear). 

Mini verdict: The OnePlus 7 Pro has the wow factor missing from smartphones in 2019 thanks to what's on the screen (90Hz fluidity) and what's not (a camera notch). It looks the part of a flagship phone and acts more expensive than it really in part because of its top-shelf specs. As long as you don't want the best camera phone, this a solid option. 

Read more: OnePlus 7 Pro review

Huawei P30 Pro

Image Credit: TechRadar

Here in the US, Huawei phones are not as familiar to shoppers as Apple and Samsung's best phones. But, that doesn't mean they don't have as much to offer. From Hauwei's Mate line to it's P series, it is making some of the very best phones, and the P30 Pro is is a true champion from the Chinese manufacturer.

Screen: The P30 Pro has a large, 6.47-inch display with only a thin chin bezel at the bottom of the screen and a teardrop notch at the top. It's a sharp OLED display, and though it doesn't have as high a resolution as some others, we'd be hard pressed to see the difference.

Battery life: The Huawei P30 Pro turns up in the battery department with a 4,200mAh cell. That's easily enough for a whole day, and can pull through a day in a half comfortably or even two days with light use. There's enough power there that Huawei enabled reverse wireless charging to let the P30 Pro power other phones.

Camera: While plenty about the P30 Pro is of flagship quality, the cameras are where it really stands out. Its suite of cameras make it among the very best camera phones in the world. It combines a high-resolution main camera, a camera with powerful zoom, an ultra-wide angle camera, and a time-of-flight sensor to handle depth. This makes it incredibly versatile, capable of taking better long-distance and low-light photos than most other phones.

Mini verdict: If you're after a phone with great looks and a camera that's ready for just about anything, then the Huawei P30 Pro is an excellent option. It also offers a price that stays below a lot of its competition. However, availability concerns in the US hold it back a bit.

Read more: Huawei P30 Pro review

The bigger S10 Plus is by far Samsung's best phone, but the standard S10 backs almost all the same top-end features into a more compact form factor and slightly lower price tag. And yet, the S10e loses a few of those for even lower cost, putting the standard S10 in an awkward place. This middle child is a great phone, but it's overshadowed by both its siblings, which occupy more desired niches in the smartphone market.

Screen: With a 6.1-inch display you're not exactly getting a small screen with the standard S10, but Samsung has reduced bezels even more over the S9, keeping the dimensions surprisingly compact. You also get a fingerprint scanner embedded in the display, meaning there isn't one on the back for a seamless rear cover.

Battery life: The battery in the S10 has grown versus the one in the S9, but with the increased screen size as well you're still looking at all-day battery life with a nightly charge. The S10 also has Samsung's new Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to wirelessly charge other devices on the rear of the handset.

Camera: Like the S10 Plus, the trio of cameras on the Galaxy S10 are among the best on the market, building on the excellent setup on the S9 series by offering more features, shooting modes and overall clarity. 

Mini verdict: The Samsung Galaxy S10 gets proper under-the-hood upgrades, two more lenses and fun new perks. You’ll like all of these powerful features, while your friends will like the new Wireless PowerShare perk – it helps them out more than you. 

Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S10 review 

Apple’s iPhone XR was a little bit late to launch after the iPhone XS and XS Max that launched a bit earlier. But thanks to its lower price point, it makes for a more affordable option than the XS models. For some, the powerful internals paired with the large screen and lower price will make for a compelling buy, especially thanks to the surprisingly good battery.

Screen: The iPhone XR screen isn’t its strongest selling point, as it’s a notable downgrade. It’s resolution falls short of Full HD, and it’s not a battery-friendly OLED. Still, the Liquid Retina LCD display used still has good sharpness and brilliant colors.That said, the 6.1-inch display offers plenty of real estate.

Battery life: Though this is the more affordable iPhone to come out in Apple’s latest batch, its battery life stands out. Thanks to the A12 Bionic and chipset and lower resolution, the battery performance is great, making it the first iPhone that could comfortably get through a whole day of use in our testing without us worrying about.

Camera: While the other iPhones have dual rear cameras, the iPhone XR has just one sensor. For normal photo shooting, it does a great job though. The lack of a second camera also reduces the quality of Portrait Mode photos. But, the detractors came largely in comparison to other top cameras. 

Mini verdict: The iPhone XR has all the performance of its more expensive siblings on the inside. It’s camera and screen may not be as impressive, but where it truly dazzles is in the battery life. If you want an iPhone with a battery you won’t always worry about, the iPhone XR is it.

Read more: iPhone XR review

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is one of the most impressive phones from the Chinese firm to date, offering up a heady mix of design, power and performance with a few party pieces thrown in too.

It builds on the excellent P20 and P20 Pro, offering up even more screen, enhanced triple rear cameras and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

Screen: The Mate 20 Pro packs a huge 6.39-inch display giving you a huge amount of space for gaming and movies, and its QHD resolution and HDR10 support ensures everything looks great. There is a wide notch at the top of the display though.

Battery life: You'll get great battery life from the Mate 20 Pro, and we regularly achieved a day and a half of usage from a single charge during our review time with the handset.

Camera: The Mate 20 Pro comes with three cameras on the rear, nabbing the excellent 40MP wide-angle and 8MP telephoto lenses from the P20 Pro - but the third sensor is new. It's an ultra-wide 16MP snapper allowing you to cram even more of your surroundings into each shot.

Mini verdict: The Mate 20 Pro is a full-featured phone for a full-featured price - it even has a few tricks you won’t see elsewhere, and more powerful specs than most of its competitors.

Read more: Huawei Mate 20 Pro review 

iPhone XS is a minor, but important upgrade over last year's completely redesign iPhone. It's noticeably faster and has an improved dual-lens camera to make it a better choice, if you're willing to pay the same launch price. No the look of the 5.8-inch new iPhone hasn't changed on the outside, but if you want a more one-hand-friendly size for a cutting-edge iPhone, this is the one to buy.

Screen: The 5.8-inch OLED on this iPhone is big, but not a turn off for some people who literally can't handle the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max (which we like a bit more in our big mitts). This phone size isn't too much bigger than your old 4.7-inch iPhone 7 or iPhone 6 thanks to its reduced bezel – though you'll miss the Touch ID home button. You'll forget about that when staring into the color-rich OLED that's dreamier than the old iPhone LCD.

Battery life: The iPhone XS has about the same battery life as the iPhone X, so you'll get all-day battery life with normal use. Power users may struggle a bit without one of the best power banks, and although Apple says it has 30 minutes more battery life than the iPhone X, the smaller capacity and our tests show it's shy of that claim.

Camera: This is where you'll see differences in the otherwise familiar-looking iPhone XS. Its dual-lens camera offers Smart HDR and optical image stabilization (OIS). It's not as vivid as the cameras on a Google Pixel 2 or Samsung Galaxy S9, but you'll get true-to-life photos that make the 2018 iPhone's a worthy upgrade.

Mini verdict: Although still expensive, the iPhone XS is our best phone for someone who wants to use iOS 12 and doesn't want to spend even more money on the bigger iPhone XS Max. You have your limits, and that may be 5.8 inches and $1,000.

Read more: iPhone XS review

The Google Pixel 3 XL brings higher end internals and a notched screen to the latest iteration of Google’s larger phone. It’s got the same great cameras as its smaller sibling, but more screen and more battery. Unfortunately that also means a higher price.

Screen: The Pixel 3 XL has a sizable 6.3-inch OLED screen with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. There’s HDR support and a sharp 1440 x 2960 resolution. The viewing experience is good, though this screen does have a rather chunky notch that may not be to everyone’s liking.

Battery life: In our testing, we found the 3,430mAh battery to be plenty. Power users can get a full day, and average users are likely to find themselves getting a day and a half. Some of that battery performance is likely coming from good battery optimization within Android Pie. Fast charging and fast wireless charging just round out the offering.

Camera: The Pixel 3 XL has the cameras to beat. Google knows how to make a good camera that far exceeds what the specs sheet says. It uses a 12.2MP rear sensor, but software optimization helps it outperform other smartphone cameras in just about all cases. The dual front-facing cameras also give selfie-lovers some extra versatility.

Mini verdict: The Pixel 3 XL improves on the previous generations design, fitting more screen into roughly the same size. It also manages a battery life that should satisfy most. Best of all, the camera is better than anything else you’ll find (except the Pixel 3, which is just as good).

Read more: Google Pixel 3 XL review

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is aging gracefully. It's cheaper and a bit less powerful than its Galaxy S10 Plus successor. But, it's still a big phone with an expansive screen, top-of-the-line camera and all-day battery life. This is still one of the best Samsung phones you can buy in the US if you have large enough hands for its massive size.

Screen: Its 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display that really sells this phone, and not because it has more pixels than before (it doesn't) than last year's S8. It’s the futuristic-looking curved edges, vibrant colors, and high contrast ratio that make the screen pop. It's hard to go back to any other size once you hold this large, beautiful light beam in your hand. 

Battery life: Samsung's 3,500mAh battery is large enough to last all day and a little bit more. It's better than the normal-sized S9, though other phones out of China are maxing out at 5,000mAh these days. It's the one area this handsets seems adequate and not Plus-sized. Luckily, it support Samsung's very quick fast charging standard.

Camera: Low-light scenarios are no match the the Galaxy S9 Plus dual-lens, dual-aperture. It does a fine job at amping up dark environments without adding noise that you'll see from other camera phone. It does smooth out textures in the process, but it's on par with, and at times better, than the Google Pixel 2.

Mini verdict: The Galaxy S9 Plus is Samsung's answer to the iPhone X, but better in several ways. It too has stereo speakers, face unlock, AR Emoji and vertically stacked 12MP dual cameras. What's better? Its better low-light photos, 3.5mm headphone jack and larger 6.2-inch curved all-screen display – without a notch. No one else has this combination right now. 

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus review

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has shown some staying power, even as the Galaxy S10 line launched. It's intro price of $999 was staggering to see, but Samsung's best phones have a way of coming down in price within a few months of launch, and that helps make the Note 9 a bit of a steal.

Screen: Samsung's 6.4-inch Infinity Display is slightly bigger (taller, but actually more narrow than the Note 8) and wraps around the sides for a nice curved look and feel. Samsung is anti-bezel and anti-notch. What you may not see at first is the extreme brightness of this display and the color reproduction. It's impressive when you see it in person.

Battery life: The Note 9 has a 4,000mAh battery and is the key reason we like it over the S9 Plus. The capacity is 14.2% bigger than the S9 Plus and 33.3% bigger than the S9. It lasts all day with heavy use and deep into a day two with normal use. You can also charge over wireless easily, and fast charging boots in 17% battery in 15 mins.

Camera: The Note 9 camera is impressive, just like the S9 Plus six month before it, and it has the added benefit of remotely capturing photos from up to 30 ft away via the Bluetooth S Pen. Samsung also added AI smarts to the camera that automatically adjusts the white balance and color based on the scene it detects. The camera does as well as the Google Pixel 2 in low-light (sometimes better, sometimes worse, but not by much in either direction), and the default camera app is robust (more so than Google's), yet remains streamlined and initiative. It does lack HDR video recording, seen on other Android phones from Sony and LG.

Mini verdict: The Note 9 is bigger in all ways, including the price. It was one of the most expensive phones in the US when it launched, but that's not the case anymore. And, you're still getting a great camera and ample storage (and a microSD card slot) for your money. The battery is big, too. Samsung packs a lot into its all-day smartphone with a stylus.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review

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The most impressive PC mods ever made

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 10:48 AM PDT

Nothing quite sums up the limitless possibilities of PC gaming like the humble mod. When a developer eventually moves on from a game to digital pastures new, or a title fails to live up to the expectations of its audience, there’s a good chance said game will simply fade away into obscurity. 

But then, one or more talented users step in and that’s where the magic really starts to emerge. Games that are completely overhauled into something new; games that are fixed or finished where the original version was lacking. Games once lost, but now refreshed a new.  

As part of TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2018, we look at the best PC mods that extend the gameplay of our favorite games. If you're after mods that totally changed the way games are played, check out our list of the 10 best total conversion mods.

1. DayZ (ARMA 2)

No list covering the most influential mods in history would be complete without the mod that helped popularise an entire genre - one that still dominates headlines and streaming platforms today. 

Built using the engine and basic assets of military simulator ARMA 2 (and one of its expansion packs, ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead), creator Dean ‘Rocket’ Hall envisioned a survival sim where a player would spawn in large map with no resources of weapons. 

The aim was to scavenge for gear, while avoiding or defeating both other players and AI controlled zombies. With realistic damage models (including the ability to break bones), DayZ became an instant hit in 2012.

2. Star Wars: Galactic Warfare (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare)

Years before EA and DICE revived the Battlefront franchise with two very enjoyable entries in 2015 and 2017 respectively, PC players were clamouring for a proper first-person multiplayer shooter set in the sprawling vistas of a galaxy far, far away.

First released in 2009, Star Wars: Galactic Warfare used Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare as its base, and features a complete overhaul of everything from weapon models to sound effects. 

Even now, almost a decade after its release, it’s still one of the most impressive fan-made projects. With a huge number of maps based on iconic locations for the original trilogy, it’s one of the most immersive mods on our list.

3. Black Mesa (Half-Life)

There are mods, and then they’re are mods. These are the fan-made projects that are so professional in quality, content and execution you’d expect it to have come out of a proper studio with a price tag attached. 

That’s what it’s like playing Black Mesa. A complete remake of the original Half-Life, the mod took eight years to build and offers and uses the more advanced Source engine (well, more advanced than the now antiquated GoldSrc one used for the original).

It’s an incredible achievement, and even received the quiet blessing of Valve itself, which also greenlit its addition to Steam as part of the Early Access program.

4. Defense of the Ancients (Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos)

Much like DayZ and its vital role in popularising battle royale games, Dota served as one of the progenitors for the MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) genre. 

As with the aforementioned zombie survival sim, DotA began life as a mod for Blizzard’s RTS classic, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, and mixed the top-down strategy mechanics of an RTS and combined it with the levelling and character progression of a traditional RPG. 

It was built using the in-built World Editor tool included in Warcraft III, which enables players to share custom maps and scenarios online, and soon became a mainstay on the competitive scene.

5. NeoTokyo (Half-Life 2)

Starting out as a mod for Half-Life 2, NeoTokyo took the basic building blocks of Valve’s seminal shooter and transformed it into one of the most polished and uncompromising multiplayer shooters you can play on PC.

Originally released in 2009 (and added to Steam Greenlight in 2012), this fan-made project began in 2004 and took design cues from classic futuristic anime such as Akira and Ghost in the Shell. 

Designed as a single-life, round-based FPS (similar to Counter-Strike), NeoTokyo is famed as much for the detail of its art style as it is the difficulty of its mechanics. It plays and feels more like a military sim, but with the speed of a modern shooter.

6. Skywind (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

Few mods have grown in scope and size as much as The Elder Scrolls Renewal Project. 

A vast, multi-person initiative that aims to remaster every entry in the iconic action-RPG series, its become a labour of love that continues to grow and evolve in 2018.

Skywind is by far the most well-known of all the builds, which aims to remaster The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (which came out in 2002) in the engine of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Over 70 volunteers worked on mod, creating brand new models, textures, quests and gameplay features - including over 70,000 lines of re-recorded dialogue.

7. Counter-Strike (Half-Life)

It might seem like overkill for three mods based on the Half-Life series, but that just shows you how influential Valve’s shooter franchise has been for amateur developers - and how malleable its source code is. 

And come on, as if we were going to talk about mods and not mention one of the biggest and most popular: Counter--Strike. 

While it remains a firm favourite in the esports community in 2018, it started out life in 1999 as a mod overseen by two-man volunteer team Minh ‘Gooseman’ Le and Jess Cliffe. 

With a simple premise of two teams of terrorists and counter-terrorists looking to eliminate one another it became an international hit and impressed Valve so much the two were hired and Counter-Strike remade as a proper standalone game.

8. The Sith Lords Restored (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II)

While many of the mods on this list offer enhancements to the base experience,  some are there to ‘finish’ a game many felt shipped undercooked. 

One such game was Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, and with its original campaign having ended so abruptly, a group of dedicated players worked tirelessly to restore the quests, locations and characters that were cut by developer Obsidian due to time constraints. The result was The Sith Lords Restored.

The additional content patches in longer questlines, alternate endings, extra dialogue and more. It even fixed a handful of bugs that dogged the original version.

9. Long War (XCOM: Enemy Unknown)

With the original XCOM proving to be one of the best turn-based tactical sims ever made, most modders weren’t interested in overhauling the game but rather enhancing it with more content and greater stakes. 

Enter Long War, a partial conversion that effectively extends the length and breadth of the game in almost every way. 

Squad sizes are increased to eight, customisation was increased tenfold and the ability to retake countries by assaulting multiple alien bases was introduced. 

Its four core members were assisted by 29 modders, 20 voice actors and even some members of developer Firaxis as well. It became so popular Firaxis hired the main modders and formed a new studio to work on the sequel.

10. The Dark Mod (Doom 3)

If you like your games with a healthy dose of stealth, then there’s a good chance you’ve played one or more of the Thief games over the years. 

The original trilogy of games remain some of the genres best (despite not aging that well graphically by modern standards), but a lack of a fourth sequel eventually put a set of dedicated fans to work. 

Using the Doom 3 engine as its base, this project became The Dark Mod, it introduced a revamped (and ultimately superior) lockpicking system, brand new locations to explore and all manner of denizens from which to rob and pilfer. Originally released in 2009, it eventually received a standalone version in 2013.

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

First published June 2018

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The best free software for your gaming PC

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 10:30 AM PDT

So you’ve bought yourself a gaming PC or built one from scratch. Now it’s sitting in pride of place in your office, just waiting to be pushed to its limits.

Whatever the origin, that humming mass of silicon and plastic is in need of superior software to take it to said limits. The catch? You’ve blown all your cash on your rig and now your bank balance is looking decidedly depleted.

The solution? Our carefully collated collection of complimentary curatives, of course. These 10 free Windows apps will help turn your burgeoning beast into a towering powerhouse, enabling you to track frame rates, voice chat with ease, and stream like a seasoned pro.

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Steam

1. Steam

Valve's essential PC gaming platform and marketplace

Okay, this one’s an easy sell. If you’ve built or bought a shiny new PC for the express purpose of gaming, there’s one piece of software you simply won’t be able to live without: good ol’ Steam. We love it here at TechRadar, and we’re pretty sure you’ll have a lot of affection for it too.

Steam gives PC owners the kind of secure, professional ecosystem normally associated with closed–box consoles. You can search for free–to–play games, inexpensive indies or full blown triple–A titles, and launch them directly from the software. There’s even support for achievements, plus Big Picture mode for gaming from your sofa.

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LogMeIn Hamachi

2. LogMeIn Hamachi

Enjoy multiplayer games over a secure virtual network, completely free

If you want to organize secure meetings or record multiple contributors to a podcast or game session, you need to be able to rely on a strong and robust VPN (virtual private network).

As you might have guessed since it’s included in this list LogMeIn Hamachi is totally free to use, but don’t let the absence of a price tag scare you off – free most definitely does not equal 'cheap'.

Hamachi enables you to establish an airtight network between multiple computers and do everything from sharing files to playing private games, using a super–secure P2P protocol to ensure it can smoothly access servers, firewalls and routers. It boasts one of the simplest interfaces we’ve ever used in the world of VPNs, so if you’re relatively new to the concept, Hamachi won’t make you feel a total noob.

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Razer Cortex Game Booster

3. Razer Cortex: Game Booster

Optimize your PC's settings, no matter what gaming platform you're using

Razer, as a long established maker of PC gaming peripherals, also makes some very powerful free software to optimize your machine. Of course, there are areas of the suite that will lead you to some of Razer’s premium apps, but there’s still a lot of gratis gold to be mined from Razer Cortex: Game Booster.

It’s been designed to work with every kind of PC, so whether you’re rocking a basic build or a souped–up monster of a rig, Game Booster has something to offer your machine. Whether you’re using Steam, Origin or any other platform to launch your games, Game Booster will  start trying to enhance your settings to improve your experience automatically.

It’s a really clever bit of free software for your gaming PC, and it’s ideal if you're looking for a little extra improvement without much effort. It’s also great if you want to make an older PC work a little harder.

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TeamSpeak

4. TeamSpeak

The perfect voice chat application for gamers, with optional encryption

Gaming can be a great source of escapism, but few things compare to joining up with your friends online for a good chat over your headset. Whether you want to link up on World of Warcraft or simply chew the fat while everyone is playing their own thing, a great a VoIP (voice over internet protocol) app is essential.

There are a lot of options out there when it comes to voice chat, but our favorite VoIP app is TeamSpeak. You can connect to your friends with ease, and its suite of options is seriously impressive, enabling you to tune sound levels, employ echo reduction and even use encryption.

TeamSpeak is free for everyday non-commercial PC use, though you'll have to open your wallet to rent a server or use the mobile app.

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MSI Afterburner

5. MSI Afterburner

The best free overclocking tool to wring extra performance from your GPU

MSI originally wrote Afterburner to overclock its own range of graphics cards, but the software has since been opened up to enable Nvidia and AMD card owners to push their hardware to the limit. If you have even a passing interest in making your new gaming PC's graphics card earn its price tag, free optimization software MSI Afterburner is essential.

Think of MSI Afterburner as the way to unlock the inner potential of your GPU – the software opens up the voltage settings of your chosen bit of hardware and enables you to improve its overall performance.

Video memory and clock speed are the two areas MSI Afterburner shines the most when it comes to overclocking your machine. Be warned, though – mucking about with this settings can seriously overheat your rig, so make sure your cooling unit is set to full blast before you start cooking your GPU.

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OBS Studio

6. OBS Studio

High-end recording and streaming software for YouTube, Twitch and more

You’ve got your new PC, a stable internet connection and an unhealthy obsession with gaming. There’s only one way this is going to go: streaming.

There are plenty of options out there when it comes to broadcasting your games, but far too many constrict you with unnecessary limitations. That’s where OBS Studio comes in – a brilliantly customizable piece of freeware that enables you to stream to your own server or a variety of popular portals (including Twitch, DailyMotion and more).

Setting up OBS Studio is really easy too, so if you’re relatively new to the streaming scene you won’t get lost amid all those options. Should you want to get a little more advanced, there’s the option to adjust your webcam footage and add images/graphics to add that extra level of professionalism.

OBS Studio also supports HD streaming, so if you’re into broadcasting with a higher level of quality you can maintain your pristine image online.

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f.lux

7. f.lux

A free app that adjusts your display automatically to protect your eyes

Away from your smartphone, gaming sessions usually mean long stretches in front of your display, straining those peepers of yours in the quest for trophies and achievements. It’s a fine old life, but it’s not going to do your eyes any good in the long run. One potential solution is a piece of software specifically designed to make your monitor that bit less damaging over long periods.

One such option is f.lux, and it’s especially useful if you like getting in your gaming hours later at night with the lights down low. This free Windows app works by dynamically adjusting the colour temperature of your display depending on the time of day and the light sources in the place you have your new gaming PC PC set up. It will help reduce eye strain and potentially improve sleep patterns when gaming later in the evening. It's also pretty tiny, and won't gobble up system resources better used by your favorite games.

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CPU-Z

8. CPU-Z

Get detailed info about your PC's performance and identify ways to boost it

Much like MSI Afterburner and f.lux, CPU–Z is all about fine–tuning your beloved PC gaming machine into a well–oiled, well, machine.

It’s certainly not an attractive program, but it’s the kind of back end kit you should really try if you want to get your PC in the best possible condition (especially if you’re trying to break into the eSports scene or you’re building a career in streaming).

CPU–Z enables you to review all kinds of detailed information about various areas of your PC in a fairly straightforward format. It’s certainly not for the faint hearted, but it’s definitely worth spending some time with if maximizing PC performance is your bag. You can see what's going on in real time, and save reports at any time in TXT or HTML format.

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Piriform CCleaner screen grab

9. Piriform CCleaner

Clean out junk files to free up space, and suspend resource-hungry programs

Whether you realize it or not, your gaming PC or laptop is full of files and various bits of digital detritus you simply don’t need. All those extra bits and bobs take up valuable space, and that means said PC is going to run slower and slower as time goes by. Not the kind of situation you want with a gaming–dedicated rig. The solution: a proper cleaning utility like Piriform CCleaner.

It can delete temporary files and broken Windows registry entries automatically, and identify software your system doesn’t need. There is a caveat, though: CCleaner is very powerful, so make sure you check its settings before turning it loose on your machine to avoid accidentally deleting anything you'd rather hang onto (saved passwords in your web browser, for example). Still, CCleaner is an excellent free app for your new gaming PC.

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Iolo System Mechanic

10. Iolo System Mechanic

Analyze and optimize your PC for a noticeable performance boost

Another great option for cleaning up and optimizing your Windows PC is Iolo System Mechanic. There isn't much benefit in running both, but this would be our preference if you're not too confident tinkering with software settings yourself and would prefer a wizard-based program to make the decisions for you.

You'll need to invest in the premium version of System Mechanic if you want extra tools like real-time optimization, but for clearing out the cruft from your system without the worry that you might accidentally delete something important, the free edition is hard to beat.

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

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WhatsApp chats hacked with a malicious GIF

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 10:22 AM PDT

A security researcher has discovered a new vulnerability in WhatsApp which leverages malicious GIFS to compromise user chat sessions, files and messages.

The security flaw, referred to as CVE-2019-11932, is a double-free bug that exists in WhatsApp for Android in all versions below 2.19.244.

A double-free vulnerability occurs when the free() parameter is called twice on the same value & argument in software. This kind of bug could lead to memory leaking or becoming corrupted and this gives an attacker the chance to overwrite elements or even execute arbitrary code.

The WhatsApp vulnerability was discovered by a researcher who goes by the handle “Awakened” who created and used a malicious GIF file to trigger the vulnerability to perform a Remote Code Execution (RCE) attack.

WhatsApp double-free vulnerability

In a technical writeup on GitHub, Awakened explained that the bug can be triggered in two ways. The first way requires that a malicious application is already installed on a target Android device and the app then creates a malicious GIF file used to steal files from WhatsApp by collecting library data.

The second attack method requires that a user be exposed to a malicious GIF's payload in WhatsApp either as an attachment or through other channels. However, if a GIF is sent directly through WhatsApp's Gallery Picker, the attack will fail. Once a user opens the Gallery View in WhatsApp, the GIF file will be parsed twice which will trigger a remote shell in the app and lead to RCE.

Android 8.1 and 9.0 are both exploitable using the flaw though versions of the OS below 8.0 are not. According to Awakened, the double-free bug can still be triggered in older versions of Android but a crash occurs before any malicious code can be executed.

The security researcher informed Facebook of the vulnerability which has since been patched in version 2.19.244 of WhatsApp. To prevent falling victim to this attack, it is highly recommended that all WhatsApp users update the app to the latest version.

Via ZDNet

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11 best open world games on PC today

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 10:16 AM PDT

Now that gaming PCs are more powerful than ever before, the best PC games have evolved in ways you wouldn’t have seen coming a decade ago.

Just take a look at the best open world games on PC. Even traditionally linear franchises are opening up their worlds. The Witcher and Witcher 2, for example, were traditionally narrative-based RPGs, but The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt took that formula and turned it into one of the best open world games we’ve ever played. Quite a few of the best indie games have adopted this style.

Of course, we’d be remiss not to mention all the excellent franchises that have been open world games from the beginning. Games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Grand Theft Auto V have not only set a high standard for the open world game design, but also taken it to a whole new level.

There are many great open world games on PC, but since such games take up so much free time, you should only go for the best of the best. Luckily, we here at TechRadar spend so much time playing open world games that we know the best open world games to recommend.

Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

The first two Witcher games were compelling, complex and challenging, but only enjoyed minor success. However, all the word of mouth about the first two games led to the Witcher 3 blowing up when it came out. It was a massive step up in quality as well, and arguably one of the best RPGs of all time. 

You step in the role of Geralt, a mutated monster hunter or witcher, to scour the world for your adopted daughter in a medieval period ravaged by war. Geralt can walk, ride or sail across the war-ravaged lands (and seas) of Novigrad, Velen and Skellige. You can even forage for herbs, explore under the seas or the city back alleys, and encounter all kinds of folk and creatures. The other elements of the game are spectacularly polished as well - limber, agile combat, a deep levelling system and a storyline with some unusually-smart storylines. Plus, with the Blood and Wine expansion, you’ll be able to take on a clan of Vampires in the colorful land of Toussaint, too.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is now four years old, but it definitely stands the test of time and is still one of the best open world games on the market right now. This well-realized world blows the likes of Skyrim out of the water.

Last year’s Assassin’s Creed: Origins already felt like a revelation of what an Assassin’s Creed game could be. It replaced many of the gameplay mechanics with what feels are more immersive, organic and even fun. But, Ubisoft went even farther. With Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, it has refined everything that made Assassin’s Creed: Origins so great, turning it into the best game in the series so far.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey places you in the shoes of Alexios or Kassandra in the middle of ancient Greece, as you take on the role of a mercenary trying to find his or her family. Everything else you do is completely up to you – you choose your alliances, you choose your missions and the world is your oyster.

The fantastic RPG mechanics from Origins make a return in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, alongside some much-needed improvements. In many ways, this game perfects the legendary series’ formula, making for one of the best open world games of all time.

Plus, if the massive world wasn’t already enough content for you, there’s more good news: Ubisoft is constantly updating it with new content, new mercenaries to hunt down and even some fresh expansions. If you pick up the season pass, you get even access to Assassin's Creed III Remastered, which includes Assassin’s Creed: Liberation.

You might not quite understand why Forza Horizon 4 is even on a list of the best open world games. After all, Forza is a racing series, not an open world game. Well, you’d only be half right. Yes, it’s definitely a racing game, but the Forza Horizon series has always sat among the best open world games to date. And, Forza Horizon 4 takes that winning formula even further.

Not only are all of the systems that were in place in 2016’s Forza Horizon 3 present here, but they’ve also been refined to create one of the smoothest open world racing games we’ve ever had the pleasure of playing.

The map is a tad smaller than the previous offering, but Forza Horizon 4’s world changes seasons every week, which changes how each track plays every time you play it (or, at least until you’ve played it on 4 separate weeks). Simply put, Forza Horizon 4 is one of the most fun racing games on the market. With all the added open world content – like collectable cars and randomly placed ramps – it’s also one of the best open world games on the market.

There are new expansions getting added as well, like Forza Horizon 4: Fortune Island, for even more content.

Grand Theft Auto V has been out for quite a while now, but because we still don’t have Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC, it remains to be the best open world game on PC from Rockstar. It’s a huge pastiche of L.A. through which you can fly, run or drive across. It’s an amazing achievement, and the fact that it works in multiplayer is astounding.

What makes it such a success, however, is the freedom it gives you. When you’re not running around and robbing banks during the campaign, GTA V basically lets you do whatever you want – even if it breaks the game. You can go anywhere, do anything and commit however many atrocities as your wicked heart desires.

There are also a ton of activities available you can do on the side. This means that when you’re not busy causing all sorts of mayhem, you can take up some tennis, do yoga or even kick your feet up and watch some TV. There’s a reason this game is so beloved.

The plot may not have made much sense, but Hideo Kojima’s last entry to the Metal Gear series was a masterpiece of layered open world mechanics, which is why we’re so excited about Death Stranding.

In the twin deserts of Afghanistan and Angola, Big Boss, or Venom Snake, has a range of objectives to tick off. As him, you roam the areas on foot, horseback or in a variety of ground vehicles. You can take either lethal or non-lethal weapons, and a variety of AI companions. 

The world of Metal Gear Solid V is unbelievably bleak, weather-torn and heavily guarded. Uniquely, it learns from your behavior – overuse a particular tactic, and your enemies will adapt. For instance, rely too much on headshots, and they’ll start wearing metal helmets.

Away from the frontline, you can develop Mother Base by building new facilities and airlifting enemy soldiers, prisoners, resources, vehicles, animals and anything else you want to from the battlefield to beef up your armory.

Bethesda has made a name for itself over the last couple of decades by rolling out some of the best open world games, and Fallout 4 is a fantastic example of why. You’ll be in post-apocalyptic Boston, where you’ll explore the ruins of the city in all it’s retro-futuristic glory.

While the plot ultimately revolves around rescuing your kid from their kidnappers, you might temporarily forget all about that with all those side missions and plunder loot from super mutants and bandits.

Once you get everything done (if you ever get everything done), Bethesda’s games have a tendency to be immensely replayable thanks to the way different character builds can interact with the world around you.

Get even closer to the action by playing through Fallout 4 in VR, with the HTC Vive.

When Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor was unveiled nearly five years ago, it was heralded for its portrayal of Tolkien’s Mordor as well as its unique nemesis system. The sequel, Middle Earth: Shadow of War, takes this concept and turns it up to 11, letting you roam in the last human stronghold in Mordor. 

This is one of the best open world games you can immerse in 2019. Especially after the removal of the microtransactions that plagued the game at launch, the Nemesis system feels fresh. Plus, the combat is just as good as ever, with a wealth of new skills you can unlock during its lengthy campaign.

Later in the game, it will start introducing some RTS elements as you command an army of dominated orcs to retake different strongholds. The Middle Earth series has shown some real innovation, and we can’t wait to see what else is Monolith Studios capable of in the future.

Last year, Ubisoft took one of the most venerated squad-based shooter series in its arsenal, Ghost Recon, and turned it into an open-world paradise. You’re set loose in Bolivia, tasked with taking down a drug cartel that has taken power over the region – by set loose, we mean you’re free to pursue this goal however you feel like. 

Ghost Recon Wildlands may be one of the best open world games when you’re playing by yourself, but where it really shines is when you’re playing with friends. This is because Ghost Recon, at its very core, has always been a tactical shooter that’s built around working with a team of AI companions. Naturally, when you team up with your friends, this gameplay is elevated to another level entirely. 

Just keep in mind that this game is a stunner, which means it demands a pretty beefy setup to run properly, so make sure to pay close attention to those system requirements. 

When the first Crackdown was rolled out in 2007, it kind of changed the game. You took the role of a superpowered cop out to bust a cast of zany criminals. While Crackdown 3 hasn’t evolved much in the 12 years since, it still has its own identity.

Crackdown 3 takes the super-powered hijinks of the original and scales it to modern graphics without changing too much of what made the original game so great. This might make it feel a little dated to some folks, but if you were into the first one, there’s lot to love here. 

What really stands out here, however, is the new Wrecking Zone multiplayer game mode. It utilizes the power of Microsoft Azure cloud computing to make the entire city destructible.

Far Cry 5 might just be the epitome of what the best open world games on PC should be in 2019. This games is unique in the fact that it allows you to truly go anywhere on the map, as well as, do anything. As it doesn’t water this freedom down by limiting the amount of space you have open to you, it’s also perhaps one of the biggest game maps we’ve ever explored. 

Far Cry 5 takes place in the middle of the Montana wilderness, and while it does feature a plot that involves cultists or something, that all falls into the background as you wander around and get lost in the massive world. We haven’t finished Far Cry 5, and we don’t think ‘finished’ exists in this game. 

We’re not the only ones that love Far Cry 5, either. At the Game Awards 2018, Ubisoft announced Far Cry: New Dawn, a direct follow-up – a first for the classic shooter series.

For years, the Yakuza franchise has been a bit of a best kept secret. Recently, however, these fantastic games have gained some well-deserved mainstream success. And, thanks to this success, these classic titles are finally, albeit slowly, making their way to PC with Yakuza Kiwami leading the charge. 

It’s a remake of the first Yakuza title, which was released nearly 13 years ago in the US. With it, PC gamers can finally see how the franchise got its start, placing players in the shoes of Kazuma Kiryu as he fights his way through the Yakuza’s ranks. More than that, it’s a compelling mix of serious storytelling and silly moments – something that the Yakuza series would become famous for over the years.

When Rage came out back in 2010, it was critically lambasted for being a technical mess on PC. Now, almost a decade later, Rage 2 is here, and it has improved dramatically on almost every aspect of the original. So much so that it’s made our best open world games of 2019 list.

id Software teamed up with Avalanche Studios to bring the perfect marriage of excellent gunplay and open-world shenanigans. You’re let loose in the middle of a surprisingly colorful post-apocalyptic wasteland, where you’re free to destroy everything in your path.

Not only are there a ton of big guns, but you also get a bunch of deadly Ark powers that you can use to eviscerate your enemies. The mark of a true Rage 2 pro will be the ability to combine all of these abilities together into visceral chains of carnage. 

The gameplay feels excellent. In fact, you’ll have so much fun blowing everything up that you’ll hardly notice how empty the open world is. And, really, that’s exactly what we wanted out of an open world shooter from id Software, especially after the excellent Doom 2016.

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How to watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK online: stream from the UK or abroad

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 09:57 AM PDT

The library is open and mother has arrived! Back with more drama, make up and lip-syncing than ever, RuPaul's Drag Race UK is almost here. We know you don't want to miss a second of the action so here is how you can watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK online. 

Sissy that walk because RuPaul's Drag Race UK is here and no one can contain their excitement, everyone's ready to see the best woman win and the rest sashay away! A wonderful exploration of drag, art and sexuality, with a lot of borrowed catchphrases from the Paris is Burning documentary, RuPaul's Drag Race has such a massive global presence that they decided to create a UK version.

The three main judges throughout the series are set to be Alan Carr, Michelle Visage and Andrew Garfield. Garfield himself announced on the trailer that he felt like he had won a day in gay heaven by being able to be a judge. It certainly is set to be a dramatic experience for the contestants, of which all 10 have been announced (discover more about them below).

As if this isn't enough, the trailer of the latest season has teased that guest judges will include Maisie Williams and Cheryl Cole. Basically you can not miss this, so keep keep reading to find out here how you can watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK online.

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Watch RuPaul's Drag Race online

How to watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK online for free in the UK:

For those trying to watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK, BBC Three is the place to be. The show will be put up at 8pm UK time on Thursday nights. BBC Three no longer features on your freeview channels or Sky tuners, so you'll have to go online or login through iPlayer (where they'll stay well after the event) to watch.

Live stream RuPaul's Drag Race UK from outside your country:

As well as the UK above, we'll tell you about your viewing options in the US, Canada and Australia further down this page.

Planned a holiday at the wrong time? Had to go on a business trip? Don't panic, you can still watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK online. This is by using a VPN to bypass the whole geo-location situation. 

Which VPN is the ideal one for you? Our top pick is ExpressVPN. And how do you use that to watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK? We're glad you asked...

How to watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK online in the US:

RuPaul's Drag Race UK will be available in the US on WOW Presents Plus. It's also fairly cheap to subscribe with subscriptions starting at $3.99 a month with a 30-day FREE trial.

The only issue is that it hasn't announced when it will be available but we're expecting it will air shortly after it airs in the UK.


Where to watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK from anywhere else 

Neither in the UK nor the US? Don't worry hennies we have tracked down other countries where you'll be able to watch RuPaul's Drag Race UK online.

In Canada, subscription services Crave and OUTtv have picked up the rights. While it's WOW Presents Plus and Stan in Australia. But the same issue applies here as in the US - they haven't yet announced when it will be available, but we're expecting it will air shortly after it does in the UK.

If you're elsewhere, maybe holidaying abroad or living in a country not on this list? Don't worry, you can always get a VPN and stream the show from one of the countries above.

Who are the RuPaul's Drag Race UK Contestants?

Just like the US version, RuPaul's Drag Race UK will start with ten contestants. And now, without further ado we introduce to you the Queens: 

  • Divina De Campo, 35 from West Yorkshire
  • Cheryl Hole, 25 from Essex
  • Blu Hydrangea, 23 from Belfast
  • Baga Chipz, 29 from London
  • Gothy Kendoll, 21 from Leicester
  • Crystal, 34 from London (originally from Canada)
  • Sum Ting Wong, 30 from Reading
  • Vinegar Strokes, 35 from London
  • Scaredy Kat, 19 from Wiltshire
  • The Vivienne, 27 from Liverpool


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The best PC case 2019: top cases for your desktop computer

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 09:53 AM PDT

If you’re setting out to build one of the best PCs you can muster, it’s tempting to channel all of your energy into finding the best processors, SSDs, RAM and, of course, the best graphics card. But, you should focus on finding the best PC case, so your PC components are kept cool – both in temperature and style. This is because the best PC cases will make your PC look better and last longer. 

The best PC cases might not sound quite as important as something like one of the best processors or that beefy Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti you’ve had your eyes on. But, because heat is the mortal enemy of all PC components, having a reliable PC case that can boost airflow is extremely important to the lifespan of your computer. And, the best PC cases can determine how much room you have for future expansion. So, if you want to keep your PC running cool and up to date, you’ll want one of the best PC cases.

But, there are just so many PC cases out there right now. And, while this means there are plenty of affordable options out there, it can be hard to get something worthwhile. That’s why we gathered up the best PC cases on the market right now. So, if you don’t know which chassis you’re building in yet, you’ve come to the right place. 

Image Credit: Corsair

If you’re going to do it, do it big – if the Corsair Obsidian 1000D had a slogan, that would be it. Packed front to back with a whopping 18 fan mounts and enough room for four 480mm radiators, this massive PC case will keep your system cool, no matter how extreme it is. What’s more, the Corsair Obsidian 1000D is a dual-system case, so you can build two separate computers here. Just think about it – a gaming PC and a streaming rig in the same chassis.

Image Credit: Fractal Design

It is extremely rare to see any PC case that even vaguely resembles the Fractal Design Meshify-C. Given that the front of the case is entirely made of a mesh material sectioned off into an array of polygonal shapes, the Meshify-C has a unique style – without compromising on function. With two fans pre-installed, cooling is (forgive us) a breeze, even if the Meshify-C is held back by a number of obstacles. 

Image Credit: Nanoxia

As its name suggests, the Nanoxia Deep Silence 4 has the sole purpose of being quiet as a mouse. This silence-focused case is a well-balanced Micro ATX chassis that’s affordably priced, without sacrificing room for expansion. That’s right you can fit even the biggest, most powerful graphics cards in the Nanoxia Deep Silence 4. The fact that you will never hear it go above 30 decibels is just icing on the very taciturn cake. 

  • This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Phanteks Evolv Shift X. 

Image Credit: NZXT

Every single day mini-ITX gets more popular, and closer to toppling Micro ATX. And, it makes sense – why not spring for a small computer that can get just as much work done as a full tower? NZXT’s new H-series case line manages to integrate a ton of the same features as its Micro ATX and mid-tower equivalents, with mesmerizing, built-in and smart device-controlled RGB lighting and an adaptive noise sensor that sees improvement only by way of the Grid+ V3 fan controller.

Image Credit: Phanteks

When you first look at the Phanteks Evolv Shift X, it looks more like a sound bar than one of the best PC cases, but this helps it vanish into any living area or studio setup. It’s flexible to the point that it looks natural placed under a TV as it does on a desk, next to one of the best gaming monitors. It may only be compatible with a Mini-ITX motherboard, but the Phanteks Evolv Shift X offers tons of space for components and liquid cooling loops. If this case is  a little large for your preference, you can get the smaller Phanteks Evolv Shift for easier management.

Image Credit: Fractal Design

Fractal Design wins again with the Define R5, yet another mid-tower case with a gorgeous aesthetic. The metallic and blue LED-lit face of this case is simple, yet elegant, and is accompanied by noise dampening materials throughout its interior. In spite of the detachable ModuVent panels and drive trays not being toolessly accessible, it’s incredibly easy to build a system inside of the Fractal Design Define R5, plus it’s not as expense as you’d expect from a PC case with such a pretentious name, either.  

Image Credit: Cooler Master

Cooler Master is kind of known for, well, cooling things – and the Cooler Master H500P Mesh is evidence of how it got there. This beautiful RGB-packed case has plenty of room for airflow, even accommodating up to 360mm radiators on the top and front for when you really want to take your cooling to the next level. Add on top of that the RGB lighting and tempered glass side panel and you have the potential to build something beautiful with this case. Go for it.

Image Credit: Corsair

If you’re looking to save a few bucks, while still getting one of the best PC cases, look no further than the Corsair Carbide Series SPEC-04 Tempered Glass. Not only does it have plenty of space for airflow, it also has a deceptively large amount of space for future expansion, meaning that even at this low price point, you won’t have to worry about fitting a full-sized graphics card. And, when you’re done building, the tempered glass side panel will allow you to show off your handiwork. 

Image Credit: Antec

The Antec Cube is without a doubt the best PC case for you Razer fans out there. While Razer hasn’t made its own desktop PC (not yet, anyway), you can build a Mini-ITX gaming PC, pretending it’s a razer product. You see, Antec partnered with Razer to bring its signature green-infused flare to the Cube, a small form-factor chassis. Complete with a deceptively high amount of space for future expansion, the Antec Cube is also compact enough to travel with. 

Image Credit: Phantex

Who says dual-system builds have to be in a hulking full-tower case? The Phanteks Evolv X takes dual-system compatibility and squeezes it into a mid-tower. Even with that second Mini-ITX motherboard installed,  there’s plenty of room for E-ATX motherboards and power supplies, and ample cooling. It is pricey for a mid-tower case, but with all this functionality, it kind of has to be. It’s thanks to all of these high-end features that the Phanteks Evolv X is one of the best PC cases around today. 

Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place.

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FIFA Ultimate Team: should you play?

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 09:48 AM PDT

Over the past decade, every teenager with a fleeting interest in soccer and access to their guardian’s credit card has gotten somewhat into FIFA Ultimate Team. 

The FIFA Points revolution has completely changed EA’s approach to its flagship sports series year after year, and the game mode has quickly ballooned into its own money-printing beast. 

EA has essentially created a self-fulfilling economy within its game by attaching granular statistics like chemistry and per-player abilities and rankings to virtual soccer players, and now they have most players in a vice-like grip. 

“I would have beat them if I had ‘X’,” you may cry. “My fitness was too low...” “Maybe if I buy some more packs I’ll get a better midfielder and start winning again.” This strange collision of always-wavering player ability and the blurry possibilities of paying to win make FIFA Ultimate Team an addicting liaison with serious monetary consequences.

The epidemic of Ultimate Team is in fact so pressing that it has alerted governments, regulatory bodies and plenty of disgruntled parents with terrifying credit card bills to speak out about how predatory it is. EA acknowledges the concern but continue to pass the packs off as “Kinder Eggs” and proclaim their ethical nature.

Is it a score?

Personally we purchased 2,200 FIFA Points when we were provided FIFA 20 for review to give ourselves a head start in Ultimate Team. We usually do this every year and vow to never purchase again - then ultimately fail. But, luck be damned, the real-life spending came to fruition as we unpacked players like Marcus Rashford and developed a team we enjoy playing with. 

Despite this annual spending, we’re nowhere near the most ambitious or serious Ultimate Team players - who log in on a daily basis. But the allure that there can always be something better will inevitably trick you into spending if you leave the itch long enough. 

If you get bored with Ultimate Team then you can back out a few months down the line, but the kicker is that you can never transfer your progress year after year. Once you make the jump to the next FIFA (like from FIFA 19 to FIFA 20), you have to start from scratch and build your Ultimate Team once more. The baffling part is that legions of fans willfully do this each year, no questions asked. 

If you’re wondering why EA hasn’t just dropped the yearly model given the lack of gameplay upgrades, this is probably why.

"It's a complex system but it works in favour of the house. With frustration on both sides, it's the dealer who always wins"

Yet, as exploitative as it is in the hands of children, it’s also the most fun you can have whilst playing FIFA. It’s quite the double-edged sword. 

Many adult FIFA players with a firm grasp on the concept of currency understand the trap they’re walking into, but the gameplay is very difficult to beat. Defeating another player online in Ultimate Team is much like unravelling the tactics of your opponent in Starcraft, or their character builds in an RPG/MMO. You feel like a master strategist afterwards, and the game makes you feel like the small statistical decisions you made snatched the win more often than it makes you feel like it was your own FIFA skill on a fairly level playing field, which is most of the problem here.

You could have a 90+ rated team full of In-Form players, and someone with a barely functioning gold team with good chemistry will hammer you 5-0. These situations where David can overcome Goliath are the crux of adrenaline-led exquisite gameplay in FIFA Ultimate Team and provide EA with a clear rebuttal to the idea that the game mode is pay to win.

It’s a complex system but it works in favour of the house. With frustration on both sides, it’s the dealer who always wins. Layered systems on top of the initial adrenaline like divisions, objectives and now the never-ending progression of the battle pass only adds to the despondency of a cynical beating or the euphoria of a hard-fought win. With no middle ground, you’re forced back onto the transfer market, wallet in hand with all the inevitability of the rising sun.

Road paved with gold

In terms of where we started with FIFA Ultimate Team, and how it’s developed, the mode kicked off in 2009 as a paid expansion with rudimentary systems in place. There were packs to pick up that issued random players, and the mode eventually became free with FIFA 11 and has been ingrained ever since, with web and mobile apps, legendary and loan players trickling out in the years since release.

As the mode has developed, so has the fanfare. With FIFA 20, there’s now a new dugout animation that plays when you open each pack, a sizzling stride onto the open pitch that creates a palpable rush of endorphins or a frog in your throat when it stops way before you can see the green and you get some unrecognizable wing-back. 

Every aspect of the once-rudimentary loot box has been bejewelled, creating a luxury experience for the paying participant. You can also see pack odds now - if you’re keen on seeing the raw data on how much you’re being screwed over.

Beyond that, FIFA 20’s approach is even more cynical than usual. As well as the battle pass, we have more unlockable packs and challenges to get lost in. You can earn packs simply by playing and, if you’re smart with your purchases, you can finish squad-building challenges, receive in-form and specialized players and bolster your team. This certainly feels more fair on the surface, and technically if you’re an upstart without any capital you can still develop something solid. 

Fifa 20

It makes you believe that climbing the ladder is a lot easier than before, assuaging the need to buy a set of packs upon launch, but all they’re doing is saturating the market with worthless untradeable players from the free packs and challenges, that often cost coins to complete.

It’s all just padded seating and set dressing to ensure that you’re truly hooked on the formula. If you keep feeling like the game is being fair to you, you’re eventually going to think “You know, I spend so much time with Ultimate Team, so a few more packs can’t hurt?” At that point, you’re so far into the mentality of addiction that it’s hard to walk your habit back. 

Even so, the goalposts for unlocking these players that EA holds on a pedestal - like the Player of the Month - all but require you to spend more money to create the squads necessary to complete the often absurd and criteria-laden challenges that range from simple 82 squad exchanges to scoring a finessed goal with a player on their team debut on a designated difficulty. Even so, they’re often time-sensitive, and if you miss out they’re gone for good. This urgency will force many to shell out.

Worse still, special packs are now limited, adding another layer of interest. If you can only have five spins on the one-armed bandit, but the rewards are more luxurious, your brain will tell you it’s a worthwhile investment. 

So what's our advice?

It’s this kind of psychological warfare Ultimate Team employs that makes it so sinister, but then… if this is understood by many, why can’t we stop playing it? That’s because the design that underpins the gameplay of Ultimate Team is honestly genius. 

The architect of this mode will no doubt be sipping champagne on a yacht in the Maldives’ as we write this. If Team Fortress 2, CS:GO and Ultimate Team has proved anything, it’s that as players, we seem to love an economy based on virtual data. The rub here is that whilst you can cash out on Steam, with Ultimate Team your assets are all on EA’s terms.

If you’re an annual player of FIFA, it’s not a question of whether you should play Ultimate Team. At this point, you’ve probably played enough of it with your friends, chatting about potential upgrades and swapping players on the market that you look forward to the new season every year. 

"The architect of this mode will no doubt be sipping champagne on a yacht in the Maldives' as we write this"

For those of you already in this mindset, our advice would be to mitigate your playtime if you want to save money, or at the very least try and settle with what you have in an economy that wants you to do anything but. Beyond that, your only option is to go cold turkey and delete the application. 

For those of you still on the fence about whether you should click through on that alluring advert on the FIFA 20 home screen, we hope we’ve provided enough of a cautionary tale to warn you about the questionable ethics of the system. You can certainly approach Ultimate Team in a healthy way and still have fun, it’s just going to be a hard grind.

As long as you’ve got a very disciplined mind and understand that FIFA Points have equivalence to cold hard cash in the real world, you should be ok. But even the simple trick of turning your actual currency into EA’s funny money is enough to make many feel like what they’re spending isn’t real. 

A good antidote if you’re feeling the itch is to simply look at the odds. Be realistic with your money and think about the chances of you picking up that one player you’re desperate for, and when it sinks in, hang onto that feeling and looks elsewhere for your thrills.

  • FIFA 20 Volta: everything you need to know about FIFA's new street mode

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The best cheap TV sales and 4K TV deals in the UK in October 2019

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 08:54 AM PDT

We've been super busy this week adding lots of highlights of the very best cheap TV sales. TV prices on some fantastic Ultra HD 4K TVs have been dropping nicely in recent months in the UK. We've got you covered if you're looking for TV deals in the US too.

We've found something for everyone here. So we've got you covered for multiple size categories and we've looked at both ends of the pricing scale so you can get a cheap TV on a low budget, or you might find a higher quality set for a lower price than you expected - although those super new 8K models aren't coming down any time soon. Not to worry though, as some of these HDR 4K TV deals will make your jaw drop.

Netflix, Amazon, Sky TV and the like are all increasing their 4K content too so you won't be short on Ultra HD content to watch. Standard HD content will be upscaled on these TVs too, so you can feel the benefits of 4K straight away.

We keep our eye on the latest TV deals throughout the year, so we're poised to find you the best price whenever the need to replace your old TV arises. We're fully behind the 4K TV movement too as a competitive market has seen prices reach affordable levels much quicker than when HD tellies first came around. One look at the prices below and you'll see what we mean. So much so, we've stopped covering the older standard HD TVs now seeing as Ultra HD TV deals are so cheap today.

Finding you the best cheap TV deal

We've split our carefully curated 4K TV deals into different size categories immediately after our pick for cheap TV deal of the week. Whatever your budget, we're sure we can find something for you. 

Note: all of our selected TV sales highlights are for 4K/Ultra HD TVs and include a built-in freeview tuner as standard. Pretty much every deal comes with Smart TV functionality built-in along with HDR technology. If they don't, we'll clearly mention it.

cheap tv deals

The best cheap TV deals you can buy today

Hisense H43AE6100UK cheap tv prices sales deals

cheap tv deals sale 4k

Extra retailer cheap 4K TV sales links:

Not found the right cheap TV for you today? Or maybe you'd prefer to directly browse the offers at your favourite retailers instead of our highlights of the best cheap TV deals? We're updating this page on a regular basis, so you may have better luck another day. If you want to take a look for yourself now though, here are the direct links to a the full collection of TV sales at multiple stores. 

More large screen 4K TV sales

If you're after more seriously large TV deals, we should warn you, they don't come cheap. However, if you want to see some more large screen TV deals -we're talking about 65 to 85-inch TVs- we'd recommend heading over to AO.com,  John Lewis, Currys and Amazon as they seem to stock more models than most UK retailers.

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Best HP laptops 2019: the top HP laptops we’ve seen and tested

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 08:34 AM PDT

Over the last few years, HP has been rolling out the best HP laptops we’ve ever seen to date. The company has been hard at work in rebuilding their reputation in the high-end laptops game, and it’s certainly looking like they’re succeeded. 

HP laptops are going through their own renaissance, thanks in large part to their line of Ultrabooks running on Windows 10, and they’re risen to the ranks of the best laptops in 2019. This isn’t surprising, as HP’s road to rebranding has resulted in some of the most stunning – not to mention, truly powerful – laptops we’ve ever seen. That includes the new HP Spectre x360 2019, for instance, with its gold trimming and high-resolution displays.

This resurgence has also brought about the popular ‘privacy filter,’ christened Sure View, to prominence.

It doesn’t seem like HP is slowing down any time soon, either. Cool new products like the HP Envy Wood are slated to hit the streets later in the year, expanding this best HP laptops list further. Of course, you need not wait until then, as there’s already a good number of HP laptops on this list to choose from, some of which will surely be price-cut on Black Friday.

The best HP laptops at a glance

  1. HP Spectre x360
  2. HP Spectre x360 15T (2019)
  3. HP Spectre Folio
  4. HP Chromebook 14
  5. HP EliteBook x360 1040
  6. HP Omen 17
  7. HP Envy x360 (2019)
  8. HP Omen X
  9. HP Envy 13t 2019
  10. HP Spectre 13

HP Spectre x360

Image Credit: HP

The HP Spectre x360’s 2019 refresh has only hurtled it to the top of our list of the best HP laptops to buy right now, touting a smart redesign that takes its look and performance to a new level. This gorgeous gem-cut 13-inch will draw admiring looks at whatever coffee shop you work in, while the powerful hardware will handle anything you throw at it, including strategy games. It even has the 4K display option, if you’re willing to splurge.  

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 2019

HP Spectre x360 15T (2019)

Image credit: TechRadar

There’s no denying that the HP Spectre x360 15-inch is dressed for success, from elegant gold trimming on a matte black finish to powerful innards that include an 8th-generation Intel chip, Nvidia GTX graphics and more than enough storage space most typical users will need. It’s undeniably one of the best HP laptops on the market, and you will be impressed by it the moment you behold that stunning 4K screen. If you’re looking to move to the Windows 10 environment, this is a fantastic alternative to MacBook Pros, but with a better gaming experience.

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 15T (2019)

HP Spectre Folio

 Image Credit: HP 

While it doesn’t exactly redefine the PC, the HP Spectre Folio does enough right things to merit a place among the best HP laptops you can buy in 2019. Clad front to back in leather, this 2-in-1 laptop is intended for the luxury buyers, as evidenced by its lofty price tag. Unfortunately, it’s not the fastest laptop out there. However, the fanless chip on board has enough juice to get you through your day-to-day workload, as long as you’re not expecting to get any serious video editing done. This is more for the professional taking a device between meetings.

Read the full review: HP Spectre Folio 

HP Chromebook 14

 Image credit: TechRadar

The HP Chromebook 14 may not be as powerful as other Chromebooks, but this tiny laptop has a few aces up its sleeves, helping it secure a well-deserved spot among the best HP laptops. Those aces include striking a good balance between ample screen space and portability, as well as a surprisingly excellent keyboard and a decent trackpad. That’s without mentioning how vivid the display and how low its price tag is.

Read the full review: HP Chromebook 14

HP EliteBook x360 1040

Image credit: TechRadar

We dubbed the EliteBook x360 1040 G5 as the “apex predator of the business world” in our review because, well, it is. It boasts many excellent features in its handsome-looking chassis, as well as plenty of ports to go around, including a port that works wonders and impressively audio. Simply, this HP laptop is an ideal match for the professional who demands seamlessness and power at work. It’s not the perfect machine, but it’s got plenty of features that make up for its flaws, making it among the best HP laptops on the market.

Read the full review: HP EliteBook x360 1040

HP Omen 17

Don’t judge this budget gaming laptop by its cover. It’s modest design and poor quality chassis aside, the HP Omen 17 is one incredible gaming machine packed with excellent features. With its G-Sync display, solid speakers, and 4K gaming (if you’re ok with lower frame rates), this is one of the best HP laptops for gaming. Best of all, it offers great value at an affordable price. So if you don’t have the funds to splurge on a premium gaming laptop, you know you’ve got an option in this one.

Read the full review: HP Omen 17

HP Envy x360 (2019)

Thanks to its sleek, 13-inch design, this 2-in-1 is thinner that you would have expected, which works in your favor when using it in tablet mode. There are other compelling reasons why the HP Envy x360 (2019) is worth considering when you’re in the market for o. If you are interested in the latest AMD innards, this is a great choice. This HP beauty also offers a premium build, boasts 9 hours of video playback and delivers a performance that will get you through most of your schoolwork and project, at a very affordable price.

Read the full review: HP Envy x360 (2019)

HP Omen X

 Image Credit: HP 

If you’ve been watching the laptop market as long as we have, you’ll have noticed that the best gaming laptops kind of get a bad rap because of their lack of mobility. However, HP has addressed this issue by packing plenty of new features that gaming laptops tend to lack. First, you can overclock the Omen X, which just means free performance – which will keep it at the top of the stack longer than competitors. For gamers, the HP Omen X is a no-brainer.

HP Envy 13t

 Image Credit: HP 

For a second-tier laptop, you might be surprised to find so very few faults in the new HP Envy 13t 2019. This elegant beauty combines a premium design and premium internal components without costing you an arm and a leg, which makes it a terrific alternative for MacBook lovers looking to save money for their next computing investment. There are other things to love as well – the ultra-thin chassis, the tactile keyboard, and a battery that will outlast yours.

Read the full review: HP Envy 13t 2019

HP Spectre 13

 Image Credit: HP 

The HP Spectre 13 is arguably one of the most stunning laptops we’ve ever seen or used. The ceramic white finish is beautifully complemented by a two-prong hinge design that’s extremely appealing as well as utilitarian. The Spectre 13 goes even further by packing some serious horsepower. It leverages the power of 8th-generation Intel Kaby Lake Refresh processors to outmatch the competition. It’s been discontinued on the HP site, but the HP Spectre 13 is still one of the best HP laptops this year. Search for it, as third-party retailers still sell it.

Read the full review: HP Spectre 13 

Bill Thomas and Michelle Rae Uy has also contributed to this article

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Should you buy Argos Care to protect your Black Friday purchases?

Posted: 03 Oct 2019 08:32 AM PDT

Argos will be offering some huge deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but when you go to the checkout you'll have a decision to make: should you hand over a little extra cash for an extra insurance policy for your Argos Black Friday deals, or take a chance and go without so you pay the lowest possible price?

Almost all new laptops, phones, white goods and other electronic products will come with a warranty from their manufacturer, but that only covers faulty products. If you have an accident or your product is stolen, you could claim on your household insurance, but you'll have to pay an excess and your premium will take a hit next year if you've made a claim. That's where Argos Care comes in...

What is Argos Care and what does it cost?

Argos Care (provided by Domestic and General) isn't just one policy - there are different options that give different levels of coverage. Here we've explained the plans most suited to home appliances, computers, phones and gadgets, but there's also a dedicated option for jewellery and watches, and one for furniture.

The cost of Argos Care will vary depending on the product type, price, and manufacturer's warranty. Domestic and General has provided a comparison tool so you can compare it with other providers.

In a hurry? You don't have to decide straight away – you have a generous allowance of 45 days to decide if you want to add Argos Care to your order. If you decide to add it later, visit a brick-and-mortar Argos store with your receipt and your products will be covered from that day.

Coffee spilled on laptop

Argos Monthly Care

The Argos Monthly Care policy is only available in stores, but if you snagged your Black Friday bargains online you can still request it by taking your order confirmation into to the customer service desk. It's paid by monthly Direct Debit, so have your bank details to hand.

Argos Monthly Care covers accidental damage (which applies immediately, so you're even covered if you drop your laptop on the way out of the store), breakdown cover once the manufacturer's guarantee expires, and unlimited repairs. Your products are covered worldwide, so you can take them on holiday without worrying.

If your product is thoroughly broken and can't be repaired, Argos will replace it like-for-like with a new item, or give you a store voucher for the same value.

If you've bought a phone, it will be covered for theft with force (mugging) or from a break-in, but if you've snapped up a great deal on a premium laptop, it would be wise to add it to your home contents insurance, or invest in a dedicated gadget insurance policy in case of theft. If your phone cost over £150, there'll be an excess to pay if you make a claim.

Argos Breakdown Care

Argos Breakdown Care is worth considering if you've found a great deal on an appliance like a washing machine, tumble drier, fridge or dishwasher on Black Friday. It covers accidental damage, and breakdowns after the manufacturer's warranty has expired. Domestic and General will send an engineer as soon as possible, so you won't be left without an essential appliance for long. You get unlimited repairs, and cover is worldwide.

If it can't be fixed, Argos will replace it with a new appliance or hand over a bundle of vouchers to the same value.

Argos Breakdown Care doesn't cover loss, theft, cosmetic damage (so no scratches and scuffs) or deliberate damage. It also doesn't cover installation of your Black Friday bargains, or disposal of any old appliances.

Broken dishwasher

Argos Replacement Care

As the name implies, Argos Replacement Care doesn't cover repairs – only replacements if your Black Friday purchase breaks down unexpectedly. The product will be replaced like-for-like straight away, so you aren't inconvenienced.

You're covered immediately for accidental breakdowns, and for breakdowns once the manufacturer's warranty ends. You won't be covered for loss, theft, neglect, cosmetic and deliberate damage, any accessories that didn't come with the product, or any breakdowns covered by other insurance policies.

So should you get Argos Care on Black Friday?

The answer largely depends on how risk-averse you are, but there are good reasons to consider it, even though it will add a little extra to the overall cost.

For phones and computers (particularly laptops), which are especially liable to accidental damage, Argos Monthly Care could be a sound investment. Make the most of insurance comparison tools first though and check that you don't have suitable insurance already. Some current accounts include mobile phone insurance, for example.

If you're buying a large appliance, Argos Breakdown Care could be a wise decision, though again, check with other insurers before taking the plunge. You might also find that there's additional insurance available through the manufacturer, which could work out cheaper in the long run.

Remember, you have 45 days to make up your mind, so there's no need to rush to a decision in the heat of the Black Friday sales.

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