Custom PC issue 221 out now!
Issue 221 is packed with all you need to know about upgrading to Intel’s latest 12th-gen CPUs, with options starting from just £540. We take you through the CPUs’ cooling requirements, whether you want DDR4 or DDR5 memory and how to overclock the new CPUs. There are also reviews of Z690 motherboards and a guide to building an Alder Lake PC.
Back Issues
Issue 220
Issue 220 is all about Alder Lake; Intel’s revolutionary new CPU design that contains two types of cores. We review and overclock Intel’s latest CPUs, explore what makes the new microarchitecture tick and see what DDR5 memory has to offer.
Issue 219
In Issue #219 we show you how to downsize your desktop and build a top-notch gaming PC that’s no bigger than a shoebox. From choosing the right case to picking the right components and setting up your cooling, we’ll show you how to assemble an uncompromising mini PC that’s perfect for your needs.
Issue 218
In Issue #218 we show you how to build an 8-core PC for just £625, complete with 16GB of RAM and a 500GB PCI-E SSD. Our affordable powerhouse takes advantage of AMD’s latest Ryzen 7 5700G APU, giving you loads of CPU power without having to buy a graphics card - it can even play Doom Eternal at 1080p with High settings.
Issue 217
In Issue #217 we show you how to beat the scalpers by building an RTX gaming PC for just £1,099. There’s guaranteed stock for 100 systems, and the rig includes a GeForce RTX 3060, a liquid-cooled Ryzen 5 5600X, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD.
Issue 216
In Issue #216 we show you how to build a dazzling dream PC that you can proudly show off. We take you through the ins and outs of water cooling, spray painting, glass etching, metal engraving, vinyl effects and more.
Issue 215
In Issue #215 we show you how to take your PC building skills to the professional level. Our in-depth ‘Build a Better PC’ guide takes through loads of tips and tricks, from the art of cable tidying to reducing fan noise and lighting up your PC’s interior.
Issue 214
In Issue #214 we cut through the sprawling jungle of modern overclocking, clearing a path from basic manual overclocking to advanced techniques, on both Intel and AMD chips. There are settings for 24 old and new CPUs to try, so grab this issue and make your CPU faster for free.
Issue 213
In Issue #213 we pit Rocket Lake-S against Zen 3 in a mammoth clash of the CPU titans. We review 14 new and old chips from both AMD and Intel, with prices ranging from £130 to £750. Can Intel finally catch up with AMD or is it too little too late? Read our latest issue to find out.
Issue 212
In Issue #212 we show you how to build a first-class water-cooled gaming PC that can play the latest games at top settings. We take you through all the component choices, as well as the process of building it, water-cooling it and overclocking it. If you’ve ever fancied taking your PC building skills to the next level, then now is your chance.
Issue 211
In Issue #211 we put all of Nvidia and AMD’s latest GPUs through their paces in several top-tier games, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, to find out which cards offer the best bang per buck in each price league. We’ve tested with and without ray tracing, and with DLSS, and found some surprising results.
Issue 210
In Issue #210 we show you how to build a gaming PC with the latest tech for £1,396, including a liquid-cooled AMD Zen 3 CPU, a 1TB PCI-E 4 SSD and a GeForce RTX 3070 GPU. We take you through component selection, building the machine, flashing your motherboard’s BIOS and overclocking your new PC.
Issue 209
In Issue #209 we fully interrogate new Radeon RX 6800 and 6800 XT gaming graphics cards. With ray tracing support, buckets of memory and 400fps+ frame rates, can AMD finally beat Nvidia? In addition to the GPU reviews, there’s also a deep dive into AMD’s new RDNA 2 GPU architecture where we show you how it all works.