Custom PC issue 233 — Custom PC magazine
4 CUSTOM PC / ISSUE 233 08 Pricing problems With pleasingly competitively priced new GPUs on the horizon, Richard Swinburne argues that AMD still needs to work on its AM5 system prici ng.
CUSTOM PC / ISSUE 233 Contents Welcome to Issue 233 Highlights 08 Pricing problems With pleasingly competitively priced new GPUs on the horizon, Richard Swinburne argues that AMD still needs to work on its AM5 system pricing. 10 Extreme recruitment services The subject of games being a vessel for pushing players towards extremist views has reared its head again. Tracy King is having none of it. 14 Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Nvidia's second-rung Ada GPU boasts much improved ray-tracing performance, but can it justify its huge asking price? 18 AMD Ryzen 9 7900X With its 12 cores and big clock speed boost over the 5900X, the 7900X is a powerful CPU but can it hold its own against stiff competition? 28 PCI-E 4 SSDs While PCI-E 5 SSDs are starting to arrive, PCI-4 isn't done yet. Antony Leather checks out two new highend models from Samsung and WD. 30 Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 Corsair's latest Vengeance kits include support for AMD EXPO, and of course, the very latest in fashionable RGB lighting. 32 Free roaming rodents Cooler Master and Corsair's latest wireless gaming mice have arrived. Edward Chester takes them for a test drive. COVER STORY P14 40Mince Pie megatest It's that time of year again. We've rounded up 19 of the nation's most readily available festive pastry offerings and taste tested until we're blue in the face. Which one will come out on top this year? 4832in gaming monitors Want a sizeable screen without the hassle of a huge resolution? Edward Chester puts six of the latest 32in 2,560 x 1,440 models through their paces. 66Return to Monkey Island Among the most celebrated pointand-click adventure game series of all time, Monkey Island finally gets a concluding episode. 70 N vidiaAdaLovelacedeepdive Learn all you need to know about Nvidia's newest GPU architecture, including the arrival of a new version of DLSS that creates extra frames out of thin air. 4 80RGB lighting demystified RGB lighting might look lovely, but getting your head round all the different types of connectors, as well as different control systems, can be a nightmare. Antony Leather takes you through the tangled jungle of RGB cabling. 90How to 3D-print PC accessories Antony Leather guides you through 3D-printing basic parts for your PC, such as component mounts, quickly and easily. 94Readers' drives Daniel Hunter puts his aluminium window and door manufacturing skills to good use, building this hefty desk PC. 98Ready for launch Seldom has the CPU market been more competitive than now, but how is the sales race going so far? James Gorbold reveals the winners and losers. Cover guide 14 80 48 90 30 48 40 Regulars 3 From the editor 8 Richard Swinburne 10 Tracy King 12 Incoming 39 Custom kit 44 How we test 58 Elite products 64 Inverse look 84 Hobby tech 88 Customised PC 90 How to guides 94 Readers' drives 98 James Gorbold 24 36 Reviewed GRAPHICS CARDS 14Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 27 PRODUCTS REVIEWED PROCESSORS 18 AMD Ryzen 9 7900X MONITORS 21 AOC 27G2SPU CASES 22 Jonsbo D30 MOTHERBOARDS 24 Asus ROG Strix X670-E Gaming SOLID STATE DRIVES 28 Samsung 990 Pro 29 WD Black SN850X MEMORY 30 Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 31 G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB GAMING MICE 32 Cooler Master MM712 33 Corsair Katar Elite Wireless PC SYSTEMS 36 Scan 3XS Fluid Torrent CS Custom kit 44 Beurer TL41 Daylight Therapy Lamp 44 HyperX Pulsefire Mouse Mat 44 Kensington SD5700T Docking Station 32in gaming monitor Labs 49 Cooler Master GM32-FQ 50 Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 51 Dell G3223D 52 iiyama G-Master GB3271QSU 53 MSI Optix MPG321QRF-QD 54 Philips Momentum 5000 32M1N5500VS Games 65A Plague Tale: Requiem 66 Return to Monkey Island 68 Grounded 69 Prodeus Hobby tech 84 Eaton 3S Mini UPS 86 Keyboardio Model 100 5Adobe InDesign 18.0 (Macintosh) Adobe PDF Library 17.0