TechSpot Features

Firmware is essential to the operation of electronic devices, acting as the foundational software that makes it all work. While firmware is sometimes used interchangeably with "software," they are not the same thing.

When choosing a motherboard for your Ryzen CPU, you'll encounter various options like X670, B650, A620, and the new X870. This guide will explain chipset differences, PCIe lane setups, and help you pick the right board.

Recent Nvidia RTX 50 series GPU rumors and specifications have caught our attention. Could the RTX 5080 be the most cut-down 80-class GPU compared to the flagship ever? Let's investigate.

Zen 5 sales have not gone well and AMD is struggling to sell Ryzen 9000 CPUs. Let's analyze the flow-on effects this is having across the rest of the CPU market.

The TechSpot PC Buying Guide helps you navigate the current state of the PC hardware market. With AMD's Ryzen 9000 series underperforming and Intel facing stability issues, we guide you to the best current options.

30+ years ago, PC gamers could choose GPUs from over 10 different makers. The story of Rendition is a fascinating tale of engineering brilliance and lost opportunities from the golden age of graphics.

The Sony Walkman was a cultural revolution, enabling people to play any song, anywhere, anytime --- long before similar freedom existed for movies, e-books, or video games.

We've been using the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED exclusively as a productivity monitor for the last six months, and it's time to check in to see how the panel is holding up in terms of burn-in.

Black Myth: Wukong is quite a taxing game on PC hardware but even those with mid-range or older PCs should be able to play it after a few tweaks. Let's explore the game's optimal settings and performance impact.

Before smartphones became mainstream, the Motorola Razr was the spiritual predecessor to the iPhone, transforming phones from a necessity into an object of desire.

Relational databases manage structured data in tables, while non-relational databases handle unstructured data. Understanding these differences is key to selecting the right system for various business needs.

For the first time this year, we can no longer say that SSD prices keep on rising. While some drives are slightly more expensive, others have dropped in price, which is always good news.

AMD keeps botching their product launches, and Zen 5 is just another example in a string of releases over the last two years that range from disappointing to downright embarrassing.

Intel's CPU stability issues persist, with a microcode update expected in a few weeks. While TechSpot has covered various angles, hands-on testing remains pending, here's our take so far.

Is Windows 10 or Windows 11 faster for gaming? We revisit this question using four hardware setups benchmarked with fresh OS installations in 13 games, with updated drivers and testing software.

Developed by Nullsoft in 1997, Winamp is a media player that supports a wide array of audio formats and was an iconic software application in the heyday of MP3 music. Winamp was nearly ubiquitous, used by millions in the early 2000s.

The Nintendo Wii redefined casual gaming by introducing motion controls and capturing a wide demographic, setting it apart from Sony and Microsoft's traditional game consoles.

Precursor chipmaker Cyrix made personal computing accessible to millions with its affordable budget PCs, only to be killed by its best product and its inability to run a popular game.

Stop! If you're thinking of upgrading your gaming PC, don't buy that overpriced graphics card or even a new CPU. Instead, invest in a new monitor which will enhance your gaming experience much more.

With a new GPU generation not so far away, we're approaching the point where you'll have to decide whether to grab the graphics card you want now or wait for the next generation.

Did you know that AMD's old Zen 3 CPUs released back in 2019 are actually faster for gaming than Intel's latest Raptor Lake architecture? It's true, and AMD has the graphs to prove it.

These days, everyone has a phone in their pocket that can stream music. But two decades ago, you needed a dedicated player to listen to your favorite songs on the go. Enter the iPod.

Welcome to a fundamental area of computer design: how numbers are represented in hardware! As this can be the difference between a blazing fast machine and a costly $475 million bug - Pentium 4, anyone?

Before the PlayStation and Xbox, Sega was Nintendo's main rival in the console market, pioneering 3D graphics and online features. The rise and downfall of Sega is filled with drama and fond memories.

With class-leading hardware and software, the Apple iPad line has long been the default tablet recommendation for most people. But with various model differences and sizes, which one is right for you?

ICQ, short for "I Seek You," laid the groundwork for instant messaging clients upon its arrival in November 1996. ICQ influenced many popular chat programs of the era, including AOL, Yahoo! Messenger, and MSN Messenger.

It's been 3 months since we started our OLED burn-in test using an MSI 32" 4K QD-OLED as a productivity monitor. In today's update we're going to talk burn in, firmware updates, and general usage.

The dream of the handheld gaming PC is alive thanks to the Steam Deck and its ilk, but that road has been dotted with broken promises, unrealistic expectations, and some cool yet impractical machines.

Today, you can simply type the name of a destination and instantly get a map with turn-by-turn directions to get there. These advancements predated the smartphone, thanks to a service called MapQuest.

Something we hear a lot is that CPU performance doesn't matter for 4K gaming. Without proper context, CPU benchmark data can be misinterpreted. Let us explain to you what's what with some hard data.