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Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletter—your weekly dose of hardware talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld. Missed the burning topics on our YouTube show or the latest news from across the web? You’re in the right place. Want this newsletter to come directly to your inbox? Sign up on our website! Bigger bar better. My late colleague Gordon Mah Ung coined this catchphrase to summarize the general attitude toward benchmarks. When each successive generation comes out, most people look to see if the numbers went up—and by how much. You already know the outcome. The bigger the jump in number, the happier the conversations. (Or at least, one “side” in the debate is much happier.) When the numbers appear to only crawl forward, everyone reacts in a more subdued way. But is this truly natural behavior—or is it learned? I’d say it’s both. I bet many of you remember when benchmark data felt like a win. In the late 1990s, when Gordon first devoted himself to the benchmarking grind, having such data simplified what felt complex to measure. (Ex: Framerates could tell you what to expect from new hardware when gaming—and helped us calculate how long to stretch the life of our existing setups.) More importantly, the community could replicate the tests and thus verify. If it all checked out, then reviewers could be viewed as trustworthy. Hardware has increased in complexity, though—as you’d expect over the course of almost 30 years. It jumped particularly dramatically in the last ten, with the focus on chiplet designs, more silicon layers, and additional processors to help with specialized tasks. These advances make the hardware great to use, but difficult to evaluate. As CPUs (and other hardware) have become more complex, so has benchmarking them.Willis Lai/Foundry I think we’re overdue for a wide conversation around benchmarks. Balancing consistency, repeatability, and simplicity has been a core tenet of testing. In our chat this week with guest Matt Bach, who oversees benchmarking for respected workstation vendor Puget Systems, these themes span our entire discussion. But I think this balance is fraying at its edges. It’s time to blow things up. The decades of expectations around simple numbers to encapsulate complex situations is doing us no favors. I think reviewers and consumers alike need to rethink what consistency truly encompasses these days. Because from where I sit, variability is the key factor in the quality of our experience on PC these days. Your 1 percent lows or microstutters? Their frequency and severity impact the fluidity of your gameplay more so than raw framerates. You could argue for similar impact with how cores and threads boost or how efficiently instructions pass between CPU chiplets. Like with medical research, a harder and more thorough look at variables and their effects would address a wider range of experiences, and in some ways, more accurately identify and address subtle nuances that have big impact. To be clear, we shouldn’t do away with benchmarks performed with consistent, repeatable factors. But the data that comes from purposefully examining situations where all factors can’t be controlled? Trends and even patterns lurk within that seeming chaos, too. I have hope that the internet can adapt. In this episode of The Full Nerd In this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Alaina Yee, Will Smith, and special guest Matt Bach, Labs Supervisor and PugetBench PM of Puget Systems talk about hardware, benchmarking, and the reliability of modern parts. The most important detail we cover: How to properly pronounce “Puget.” (It’s “pew-jet.”) We also dig into the importance of PC reliability overall, first from the perspective of consistent performance, and then of failure. In fact, the idea of consistency comes up often in our discussion—so much so that it may just have influenced my focus for the newsletter this week. Matt digs deep into his behind-the-scenes reveal of how the Puget Systems team benchmarks—not just how they come to deciding how to craft the tests, but also their philosophy and approach. Our almost two hour talk all but flew by! Willis Lai / Foundry Missed our live show? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd Network YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We also answer viewer questions in real-time! Don’t miss out on our NEW podcast series too—our first episodes of Dual Boot Diaries and The Full Nerd: Extra Edition just launched! And if you need more hardware talk during the rest of the week, come join our Discord community—it’s full of cool, laid-back nerds. This week’s eclectic nerd news A major change to Intel’s ownership, the new Commodore 64 smashing sales records, an actually cool use of AI, and yet another appearance of Doom in an unexpected place—the most interesting news to me currently spreads off in every direction. (And there’s so much!) I love it. Yes, that is Doom running on a power bank.Aaron Christophel / YouTube The U.S. will now own almost 10 percent of Intel: The government is currently promising to be a “passive” investor. Meanwhile, Intel has warned that its ability to secure non-U.S. business could be impacted by this involvement. Ready to rumble? Rumors suggest that AMD’s upcoming RDNA5 architecture may trade blows with Nvidia at the top of the stack. (No one tell Brad I’m sharing speculation.) Battlefield devs wish secure boot wasn’t necessary: But it’s going to be a requirement anyway. Blame this outcome on our fellow humans who won’t stop cheating. Huh, I don’t hate this use of AI: I actually love the idea of hobbyist AI models helping people access and experience history more easily. It’s possibly a more accessible format for digital museums. Key to this anecdote is the use of high quality data—if only that were a universal approach. Autofill is a double-edged sword: I like convenience, but not at the expense of security—and this week’s news about 11 password managers vulnerable to clickjacking attacks proves out my wariness. Is an intervention needed? Gen X and Millennials love throwing money at nostalgia. It’s not a new phenomenon—my Boomer relatives’ repeat purchases of 1950-1970s music CD sets prove that out—but let’s be real. We don’t have the same amount of real estate to store continual reproductions of PC and gaming hardware from our youth. At the same time, please take my money. Slap some duct tape on that problem: More than once, Will and I have bemoaned the wretched state of identifying USB cables and ports. This tester helps mitigate some of the issues, if you want to get deep in the weeds. Gordon would have loved it, but also that meme of slapping tape over a crack in a water tank is applicable here. Speaking of duct tape solutions: Amid all the reports of melting power cables, ASRock has released a cable with overheating protection. I think we’d all rather not have to worry about fires. RIP to my youth: The death of TypePad is just adding to all the signs that significant time has passed since I was young. Kind of hilarious that LiveJournal still is shambling about while its more elegant competitor is being laid to rest. What can’t Doom run on? I firmly believe the answer is “nothing.” I’m not ready to say good-bye yet: AMD’s Wraith Prism cooler is one of the most underappreciated stock coolers, in my opinion. (I guess this opens the opportunity for Hall of Fame nomination, though. Hmm.) A Redditor made a Lego 3D printer, and I’m a fan: It’s slow, cute, and perfect just as it is. Just like me. Happy birthday, Linux: It’s your year, or so I hear. Look, we even have a whole new podcast series dedicated to you! Catch you all next week—I’ll make a bold prediction that I’ll still be as unprepared then as I am now for autumn’s imminent arrival. How is September already on our doorstep? Alaina This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of hardware at PCWorld. Read...

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If you want to upgrade your budget PC gaming setup without shelling out a ton of cash, what are your options? One thing that’ll make a big impact is sizing up to a speedy gaming display, like the 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C. Now’s a great time to snag one because it’s down to $219.99 on Amazon (was $329.99), a hefty 33% off its original price. The Samsung Odyssey G55C offers plenty of screen real estate with its 32-inch panel at 2560×1440, allowing you to enjoy your games or movies while also providing enough space for all your windows and apps. Our only complaint here is that we wish it were an IPS panel instead of VA, but that’s partly why the price is so affordable on this thing. That VA panel also makes it possible for this monitor to hit its speedy 165Hz refresh rate, providing smooth visuals for all the frames your PC is capable of cranking out. Between that and the 1ms response time and HDR10 images and AMD FreeSync compatibility, it’s about as good as it gets at this price. Connectivity is slightly lacking, only offering HDMI and DisplayPort, but you can’t expect too much here. This is a great step up for any budget gaming PC battlestation that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Get the 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C for $219.99 before this limited-time deal runs out! Save 33% on this budget-friendly 32-inch 1440p 165Hz gaming monitorBuy now at Amazon Read...

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If you’re going to get an insanely large monitor for your PC, you might as well splurge on the best out there, right? I’m talking about something like this 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED that’s 44% off on Amazon, with its price slashed down to just $899.99. That’s an insane $700 savings on one of the biggest and baddest gaming monitors you can get right now. This 49-inch behemoth of a curved display is an absolute beast that’ll take over your desk. With its gorgeous 5120×1440 resolution and ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio, it’s essentially like having two 1440p monitors side by side except there’s no distracting bezel down the center. The OLED panel will make everything you watch pop with vivid colors and deep contrast. And when you’re gaming, you’ll have a fantastic experience since this monitor can reach 240Hz of refresh. (Of course, your GPU will need to be powerful enough to hit those numbers at this massive resolution, so keep that in mind.) This is a fantastic monitor, not just for immersive gaming but also for work, providing plenty of screen real estate so you can split your desktop space into as many areas as you need to get your tasks done. It’s a fantastic display size for researching, writing, or procrastinating like a pro. Hurry up and grab this Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 for just $900 while this deal’s still active on Amazon! Snagging an ultrawide 49-inch monitor for this cheap is a dream come true. Or if it isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, see our roundup of the best monitors worth your money. Samsung`s ultrawide 49-inch OLED monitor has never been cheaperBuy now at Amazon Read...

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So you’ve got your college student hooked up with a laptop and a backpack. They’re all set to take on the world, right? Well, yeah, but they’re going to need a few accessories to really make the best of that dorm space. Hunching over a laptop screen for hours of studying isn’t exactly ideal.  Fortunately, we’ve got everything they’ll need to make the most of their setup in a one-stop shop. Kit them out with some or all of these extras, and they’ll be a studying, class-taking, test-passing machine. Or possibly just play a lot of League of Legends. Don’t judge, college is stressful.  I’ve ranked this list starting with what I consider the most essential additions to a standard laptop. If you’re on a budget, go for the top items first.  USB-C Monitor: Dell S2722DC  Dell I think the number one thing you should equip your student with to maximize their productivity with a laptop is a monitor. Not only is it far bigger than their portable screen, the laptop becomes a secondary monitor when connected, giving them a serious boost in real estate and window management.  Dell makes super-reliable monitors at great prices, and this model has everything you could want. With a 27-inch display and a boosted 2560×1440 resolution, it’s bigger and sharper than a standard budget screen, and the IPS panel is color-accurate enough for photo or video editing and other media work. And with a USB-C connection, students can connect and charge their laptop with a single cable.  Dell 27-inch USB-C monitor$245 on Dell Mouse: Logitech Marathon M720  Logitech Your student is probably used to using a laptop touchpad, but for maximum productivity they really need a separate mouse. And this Logitech model is one of my favorites: big enough to be comfy for extended use, small enough to travel easily, and multiple years of battery life from a single AA. It’s also a fantastic deal at just forty bucks, and compatible with multiple machines at once thanks to a quick-switch button. For a student who’s constantly on the go, it’s the whole package.  Logitech travel mouse$45 on Amazon Keyboard: Nuphy Air V2 Michael Crider/Foundry As a keyboard nut, I’m usually prepared to recommend a huge, clacky keyboard for long typing sessions. But there’s a pretty good chance that your student will have to share a living space with someone in a dorm or an apartment…and that being the case, something a bit more unobtrusive is ideal.  So I’d say go with a Nuphy Air V2. This low-profile board has plenty of padding for quieter typing, and it’s easy to slip into a bag for longer sessions on the go. Once again multi-device pairing comes in handy, and you can go with the Air 60 for maximum portability or the Air 96 if your student does a lot of data entry.  Nuphy Air V2 low-profile mechanical keyboard$150 on Amazon Noise-canceling headphones: Sony WH-CH720N Sony So you’ve picked a keyboard that won’t annoy your student’s roommate. What if said roommate isn’t so conscientious? This set of noise-canceling headphones from Sony should take care of that, and its Bluetooth connection will work with their phone for mobile music sessions, too. With an integrated mic that’s better than the usual headphone pack-in, it’ll be great for the occasional remote class.  Sony WH-CH720N noise-cancelling headphones$98 on Amazon USB-C dock: Anker 555 Anker Being able to pick up their stuff and head to class with a minimum of fuss is a big deal for a student — I would have killed for a USB-C laptop when I was in college, constantly unplugging a charger, monitor cable, and USB hub. Thankfully you can do it all with one cable now, and this Anker hub can handle it on the cheap.  With USB-C power, video-out, Ethernet for a reliable and fast wired internet connection, and multiple card readers, everything your student needs to connect to is just one cable away. It can handle up to 100 watts from a laptop charger without issue.  Anker 555 USB-C hub$50 on Amazon Monitor Arm: Monoprice Single Monitor Adjustable Gas Spring Desk Mount Matt Smith/Foundry Odds are pretty good that your student won’t have a massive desk to work with, so space will be at a premium. There’s no better tool to free up space than a monitor arm, raising the screen to a more ergonomic position at the same time. This Monoprice model is a fantastic deal, and it can clamp onto the back of most desks, so there’s no drilling required. The all-metal construction with two swivel points and a gas spring should last well beyond graduation.  Monoprice Single Monitor Adjustable Gas Spring Desk Mount$85 on Amazon Laptop stand: Metal Laptop Riser Gogoonike If your student needs even more space for books and other school materials, consider adding on this laptop stand to the setup. With plenty of lift and clearance it’ll make it easy to set up and break down, and that’ll put the laptop screen even with the monitor and make plenty of room for a mouse and keyboard.  Metal laptop riser stand$17 on Amazon Monitor lamp: Melifo Monitor Light Bar Melifo Dorm lighting isn’t always great, and we’ve already covered the space crunch. You can address both of those problems with this LED work lamp that sits right on top of your student’s monitor. With adjustable lighting temperature it’ll cut down on eye strain, and you can power it right from one of the monitor’s standard USB-A ports. It even has a handy wireless controller. I use this model on my own desk, and highly recommend it.  Melifo Monitor Light Bar$40 on Amazon USB drive: SanDisk 512GB Ultra Dual Drive Luxe USB-C SanDisk Your student will probably be transferring most of their files wirelessly, but sometimes you can’t beat good old sneakernet. This 512GB SanDisk USB drive is massive, able to hold just about anything a student could throw at it (including high-definition video) at a super-fast speed. And with both USB-A and USB-C connections in the same tiny, metal housing, they’ll never be hunting for an adapter cable even for a phone or tablet.  SanDisk 512GB Ultra Dual Drive Luxe USB-C$41 on Amazon Desk Mat: Topographic Contour gaming mat  Siski For the finishing touch on this student setup, add a nice, big desk mat. It’s a mouse pad that doubles as a food tray, because you know they’ll be snacking at the same time. I’ve bought this exact model for myself and I like it a lot, but you can find literally hundreds of different designs all over Amazon at low prices.  Topographic Contour gaming mat $16 on Amazon Read...

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China has been the manufacturing juggernaut of the world for decades, thanks to low labor costs and a lot of business-friendly moves from the government. But now that the U.S. is apparently on a very personal crusade to disrupt this status quo, businesses are starting to look elsewhere. Asus recently confirmed that it’s moving PC and motherboard production elsewhere…but not to the U.S. According to a representative speaking to investors on an earnings call, over 90 percent of PCs and motherboards destined for the U.S. market are now being manufactured outside of China, primarily in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The translation provided by PCMag does not explicitly call out U.S. president Trump’s deep and constantly shifting import taxes as a cause. After a wild escalation of tariffs earlier this year capped at 145 percent, the current tax rate for goods and materials shipped from China to the US sits at 30 percent. Most other countries have a 10 percent tariff, with higher taxes set for certain countries and industries. Trump has often wildly swung back and forth on tariffs and other economic policies, most recently threatening a 100 percent tax on all imported chips with exceptions for companies that are investing in U.S. manufacturing. Asus, notably, would not qualify for this exception, though the chips contained in its products might, as they’re provided by companies like Intel, AMD, and TSMC. Motherboard manufacturing, which relies on hundreds of individual components for each board, is an especially unlikely candidate for shifting to U.S.-based manufacturing. Aside from the higher costs of labor and real estate, the simple logistics of creating these devices are so concentrated on Asia that it would be all but impossible to move to any western nation on a large scale. Manufacturing in China is still so lucrative, even without devices sold in the U.S., that its domestic business is unlikely to be imperiled by one country massively taxing imports. U.S. and international businesses that rely on China for manufacturing have been scrambling to adapt to Trump’s tariffs for most of 2025. The increased costs have driven prices up, especially on finished goods. Nintendo, notably, made a shocking increase in the price of the original Switch console, now almost 10 years old, to adapt to market trends. Asus laptops announced at CES reached the market with price tags notably higher than previously indicated, though they’ve also gone on sale shortly thereafter. The most visible upcoming product from Asus is probably the ROG Xbox Ally handheld, made in partnership with Microsoft (which also had to raise prices on years-old Xbox hardware). European prices have allegedly leaked at €599 and €899 for the standard and upgraded X variant, but despite an expected announcement later this month, there is no price information available so far. Read...