The next graphics card in AMD's 7000 Series lineup is here! The Radeon RX 7600 is designed with 1080p gaming in mind, delivering 100+ FPS in top esports titles at max settings. It even supports 60+ FPS in AAA titles at high settings, making it a fantastic option for anyone looking to build or upgrade their 1080p gaming machine without breaking the bank!

AMD's new RX 7600 is jam-packed with the incredible features that make its big siblings - the 7900 XT and 7900 XTX - such incredible cards, like RDNA 3 Architecture and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution. With these groundbreaking features and a sub-$300 price point, the Radeon RX 7600 is ready to take the 1080p gaming world by storm!

What are our Champions Saying?

"Overall the AMD 7600 looks like a very promising graphics card that can offer excellent value."

See the full conversation over on our TikTok!

AMD Radeon RX 7600 Specs at a Glance

• Architecture: AMD RDNA 3
• Compute Units: 32
• RAM: 8GB GDDR6
• Memory Interface: 128-bit
• Infinity Cache: 32 MB
• Game Frequency: 2250 MHz
• TBP: 165W

What's New With 7000 Series GPUs?

The new Radeon RX 7000 Series cards aren't just an iterative upgrade. They're packed with industry-leading technology and designed to maximize power and efficiency with up to 54% better power efficiency and up to 1.7X better performance over the previous generation.

AMD RDNA 3 Architecture

AMD's RDNA 3 Architecture brings with it a new chiplet design, new compute units, and second-generation AMD Infinity Cache. What that means for you is improved performance, as new compute units work to share resources with rendering, AI, and raytracing to speed and performance no matter what you're doing.

The new chiplet - making the Radeon RX 7000 series the first GPU with a chiplet - delivers up to 15% higher frequencies with up to 54% better power efficiency. It takes advantage of AMD Infinity Cache to support up to 5.3TB/s of bandwidth. The compute units used for the RDNA 3 architecture include AI accelerators and second-generation ray tracing accelerators to deliver up to a 2,7x improvement in AI accelerations and a 50% improvement in ray tracing performance per CU (over previous generations). It also introduced a dual media engine with AV1 encoding for up to 8k video encoding and decoding!

AMD FSR 2.2 and Beyond

AMD FSR, or Fidelity Super Resolution, is AMD's own upscaling tool, built to help push your GPU even further by rendering frames at lower resolutions and then, utilizing AI, upping the quality. This means you'll be able to play the latest and greatest AAA releases without sacrificing your frame rate!

FSR 2.2 is the latest release and is designed to improve visual fidelity even further. It's planned to work with Forza Horizon 5 on release, with many more titles to be added. FSR 3 is coming in the new year and boasts an even bigger upgrade, with an expected 2x greater FPS over FSR 2!

Looking for ideas for your AMD Radeon RX 7600 build? Check out our stylish all-black Fractal Meshify parts list!

Quick Benchmarks: ASRock Challenger OC RX 7600

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is available now - stop by your local Micro Center to pick one up!

We got to play around with AMD's brand-new Ryzen 9 7950X a bit and it was immediately clear that this CPU was something special. With boot times that left us stunned and lightning-fast daily use, we knew we had to benchmark it.

Buckle up, it's fast.

Photo: @w8deywins

Our System:

• AMD Ryzen 9 7950X Raphael AM5 4.5GHz 16-Core Boxed Processor
• ASUS X670E ROG CROSSHAIR Hero AMD AM5 Motherboard
• Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR5-4800 PC5-38400 CL40
• SilverStone SX1000 1000 Watt 80 Plus Platinum SFX-L Fully Modular Power Supply
• PowerColor AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT Fighter Dual-Fan 8GB GDDR6 PCIe 4.0 Graphics Card
• Lian Li O11D Mini

Our choice of an RX 6600 XT might seem like an odd inclusion for this build, as it would ostensibly bottleneck the power of the Ryzen 9 7950X CPU. However, as we focused on CPU-intensive testing, we didn't notice any bottlenecking from the 6600 XT. Trust us, the benchmarks speak for themselves.

Benchmarks:

Cinebench:

Cinebench tests processors for responsiveness and power in both intensive tasks (multi-core) and general daily usage tasks (single-core). The higher the points the better, and these scores sit squarely at the top of the Cinebench records, both in single- and multi-core processing. For comparison, Cinebench has the Threadripper 2990WX 32-Core Processor, a high-end workstation CPU, with a score of 30054, over four thousand points lower in multi-core processing tests.

We've included our AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D benchmarks for comparison

3DMark:

3DMark's CPU Profile tests single- and multi-thread performance. Again, we have an incredible leap in performance, approximately 2-3X better performance over the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, AMD's last-gen flagship gaming CPU.

We've included our AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D benchmarks for comparison

PassMark:

PassMark's CPU Mark test puts the processor through a number of different tests, including maths, physics, and compressions tests. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scored 61,561.3, again showing up the Ryzen 7 5800X3D by a magnitude of 3, absolutely driving home the raw power of this CPU.

AMD's new line of 7000 Series CPUs are available now at Micro Center, along with a wide array of AM5 motherboards! Be sure to check out our AMD 7000 Series overview for all the new specs and our Ryzen 7 5750X Build Guide for ideas for your next rig!

Asus 27” VG27AQL1A 2K QHD 170hz Gaming Monitor by @w8deywins

 Looking for that next gaming edge? Before upgrading your internals, you should take a look at your monitor. If you’re gaming at 60FPS 1080p (or lower!), there are plenty of upgrade options available. The next step up would be 1440p or “2K”. Typically, 4K gaming monitors offer an incredible visual experience but do require more power, which can impact your framerate. A “2K” monitor is the best of both worlds, delivering you with a new, upgraded visual experience while maintaining a high, consistent FPS! Currently, I own the previous model(VWG27AQ) and look on with envy at this new, updated model. Some major highlights include an ultrafast refresh rate up to 170hz, an outstanding 1 billion+ color bits (which means it's a 10-bit display) and a beefy 90w power supply to support this beast! Also, it accepts the VESA 100 mount which means you can have an epic dual/triple monitor setup for your ultimate gaming experience.

Dell SE2723DS 27" 2K QHD Monitor by @tbarggs

The Dell SE2723DS is one of the best monitors for everyday use. Whether you’re just browsing social media or working on excel spreadsheets, this monitor is a great option for you! This Dell monitor has an IPS panel with a 2560x1440 resolution and a refresh rate of 75Hz. With a resolution of 2560x1440, sometimes referred to as “2K,” the SE2723DS delivers stunning clarity, no matter what you’re using it for. It also features a 5ms response time, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 178° viewing angles, and a brightness rating of 300 cd/m2. It has a USB Type C port, HDMI 1.4a, DisplayPort 1.2, DVI, and VGA inputs.

With these features, you can be comfortable in knowing that you have the setup for some incredible visuals, and the IPS panel ensures you have great color depth! One of the best, but often overlooked, features, but of of this model is the height adjusting stand. No longer will you have to crane your neck or hunch you back. It will always be perfect height for you to be as comfortable as possible while working. With its wide array of ports, it will absolutely work with your PC, no matter the age!

Dell Alienware 27 AW2721D 27" 2K WQHD (2560 x 1440) 240Hz Gaming Monitor by @lizzs

This monitor is an easy recommendation to anyone who is really into gaming, and more specifically if you’re into First-Person Shooters. I’m someone who is REALLY into playing Valorant. When I had first started playing the game, I had two monitors that I would switch between –A27-inch 2K 144Hz monitor, and a 24-inch 1080P 240Hzmonitor. I couldn’t make up my mind whether I wanted to play with a responsive, high refresh rate or at a higher resolution at a lower refresh rate. I was torn. When I saw Dell’s Alienware AW2721D 27” 2K 240Hz, I instantly fell in love. I was no longer torn between the two monitors, as I was able to get the best of both worlds!

The Alienware AW2721D has the top-of-the-line NVIDIA G-Sync Ultimate technology built in, which means that games have amazing contrast, HDR and eye-popping colors. Pairing this monitor with an RTX 3080 really has made me appreciate gaming so much more. If you’re looking to improve your gaming experience, this monitor is for you.

Acer Nitro XV272U 27" 2K WQHD (2560 x 1440) 170Hz Gaming Monitor by @TreBouncee

The Acer Nitro XV272U is arguably one of the best value 2K/144hz+ monitors. The combination of the high refresh rate and the crisp, bright panel (400cd/m2) is too great a pairing to be beat in my opinion. The 0.5 millisecond response time along with HDR 400 make for a colorful panel that doesn’t compromise on speed or reaction time, making for a great experience all around. Plus, with AMD FreeSync, you’ll be able to play without worry of stuttering or tearing. While you’ll get the most out of the monitor with a DisplayPort connection, it also supports up to 144Hz, still a fantastic framerate, with HDMI connections!

With its sale price (at time of writing) of $269.99, it’s currently in the range of a few budget monitors that it absolutely blows away. There are few other options that are as compelling at the same price point right now and I’d highly recommend picking one up if you’re in the market for a 2K monitor.

Still not sure which monitor is right for you? Stop in at any of our stores nationwide and our associates will be happy to make sure you get the monitor that fits your needs!

 More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more information on PC parts and accessories? We’ve got PC Build Guides as well as articles on How to Choose Parts for your Custom PC Build, Product Reviews, Part Comparisons, and even The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Gaming Laptop! And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

As technology advances, digital paintings, drawings, and illustrations are becoming more common. Personally, I’ve been working with digital art for 6 years and have developed a deep love for it, thanks in no small part to its versatility and accessibility. Traditional art materials can be very expensive, and not everybody will have the space for it. During the pandemic, I lost access to the painting studio at my university and did not have the space to set one up at home. That was when I picked up digital painting and used my iPad to finish my painting projects. To this day, digital drawing and painting continue to be one of my favorite ways of creating art. 

To help others get started in digital art – or just improve your studio! - I compiled a wide range of electronics, from computers to peripherals, that can be used for digital art. Whether you are just starting out, or thinking about going professional–there is something for you at Micro Center!

Computers and Tablets    

To get started, you would need a computer or a tablet to run your preferred digital art program. The system options are extremely flexible when it comes to illustration: it can be either Windows or Mac, and the tablet can be either Apple or Android. All illustration programs have one basic thing in common–they mimic traditional sketching and painting in a digital format.

When sketching with pen and paper, artists can create different line weights and shading depending on how much pressure is put on the tip of the pencil. This is exactly why artists need a device that captures pen pressure well. A device that has many levels of pen pressure will help us more accurately capture different increments of force. Artists can do so either with a drawing tablet such as the Wacom Intuos Pro Drawing Tablet, or a standalone device – like a tablet - that artists can draw on. A drawing tablet is a peripheral that you can connect to any computer, similar to a mouse or a keyboard. Some drawing tablets are larger, and some smaller; some even come in the form of an external display that you can draw on. Standalone devices, on the other hand, usually have that pressure-capturing feature built in and all that is needed is a compatible pen.

Another important consideration when it comes to a drawing device is the quality of the monitor in which you are viewing the artwork on. The specs to focus on for the screen are color accuracy, brightness, and resolution. Color accuracy refers to how closely the monitor can replicate certain colors in a defined color space, such as sRGB or DCI-P3. These color spaces are used in different applications, such as web, film, or games. Monitors with higher brightness allow colors to pop even in sunny environments, and this spec is measured in nits (cd/m2). Last but not least, higher resolutions, such as 4K or 2K, will allow images and text to look sharper and clearer.

Apple iPad 10.2 & Apple Pencil (1st Generation)

The best value option for entry level digital illustration is the Apple iPad 10.2 inch (9th Generation) with minimum 256GB of storage. This model of iPad comes in two colors, Space Gray and Silver. Featuring a 10.2” 2160 x 1620 glossy, 500 nits, IPS display, and 260 pixels per inch, anything you do will look crisp and sharp. The iPad has an amazing sRGB color gamut at 105.3%, making it ideal for content creation. With Apple True Tone, the colors on the display automatically adjust based on your environmental lighting, allowing the colors to stay accurate in direct sunlight or indoors. Not to mention, its battery life is also over 10 hours, allowing you to make sketches anywhere, any time. The iPad is compatible with the 1st Generation Apple Pencil, which uses the same lighting charger as the iPad itself. The iOS exclusive app, Procreate, is one of the most streamlined and feature-rich digital illustration platforms I have ever used. Personally, I purchased my iPad just to use this drawing app. Since it’s extremely portable and easy to use, it’s basically a digital sketchbook on-the-go. 

Apple iPad Pro 12.9” & Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)

 If you’re looking to step your digital art up a notch, I highly recommend the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch (6th Generation). Not only can it be used as an amazing illustrating tool, it can almost be qualified as a laptop replacement because of how powerful it is. With a brand-new Apple M2 8-Core CPU, the iPad Pro is incredibly fast and power efficient. The Pro offers storage capacity up to 512GB, and also features Wi-Fi 6 and 5G connectivity. For our illustrator purposes, the 5G is optional, but nice to have in case you want to search up references online, on-the-go. 

What truly makes the iPad Pro shine is its incredible display. This is a 2732 x 2048 Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR Display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 600 nits brightness. Unique to the iPad Pro, these displays also support DCI-P3 color gamut. The display is also capable of reaching much higher brightness levels in HDR content, making it great for both creating and reviewing content. 

The other big art feature is the improved Apple Pencil support. The second-generation Apple Pencil connects magnetically and charges through the side of the iPad wirelessly, making it easy to transport around. This model also introduces ‘hover over’ sensing, which is a massive quality of life improvement over the older generations. When the pencil is held close to the screen, there is a dot that appears right under the tip, showing you exactly where your mark starts. 

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is a great Windows-based laptop that can act as a drawing tablet and your daily driver, all-in-one. Micro Center carries a few configurations of this laptop, with varying amounts of power, storage, and memory. The screen on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is a 3:2, 14-inch display at 2K resolution at 120 Hz. Using the sRGB color space, this laptop screen is bright, vivid, and accurate. I love that you can use the laptop in many different ergonomic configurations, especially as it can lay flat and draw on the display directly. For the pen, we want to pair the Surface Slim Pen 2 with this machine. Not only will it magnetically attach and charge on the side, it’s also equipped with improved pressure sensitivity over its predecessor. 

Depending on how you plan on using the laptop, there are two amazing configurations for digital art. For on-the-go sketching and 2D illustration rendering, I recommend the model with the Intel Core i5 Processor, 16GB memory, and 512 GB of Solid State Storage. This particular model does not come with a discrete video card, allowing for better battery life. I also like that it comes with plenty of storage and memory for digital art applications.

For the artists that also use 3D software for their workflow, or would also like to game on the machine, I recommend the model with the i7 processor, 16GB of memory, 512 GB of storage, and an NVIDIA 3050 Ti. The discrete graphics card will massively improve the performance of 3D applications, and allow modern games to run smoothly on the laptop.

Printers 

 When it’s time to present artwork to a physical audience, a good-quality photo printer is crucial. While there are a wide range of color printers, artists do want something that can print excellent photographs. These photo printers typically take more than your standard cyan, magenta, yellow, and black cartridges, and have additional colors such as gray and red. 

Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000

One of my favorite Inkjet Wide-Format printers is the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000. Printing up to 13” x 44”, it takes more than 10 types of photo paper, and even CDs/DVDs. This is one of the photo printers that use a 6-cartridge printing system, making those vivid colors shine on paper. Simply connect the printer to your network, and print from any computer, smartphone, or tablet. 

Epson SureColor P900 Photo Printer

We also offer professional-grade machines for exhibition-quality prints from the convenience of your own PC. The Epson SureColor P9000 is an outstanding 17-inch photo printer capable of printing wide-format, which means it can handle images and artwork up to 17 by 22 inches, and even banners that are up to 129 inches long. The P900 uses a 10-cartridge system that accurately reproduces colors with excellent print-quality. There is also the slightly smaller 13-inch Epson SureColor P700 which has the same print quality as the P900, and a great choice if there is a space restraint. 

Monitors and Displays

For digital art, we are mainly looking for monitors that have good panels, high resolution, and great color accuracy. Personally, I prefer a flat panel for illustration as most high-quality flat screen monitors use an IPS panel and have great viewing angles. Also, because 2D prints are, well, flat. There are definitely also some curved and/or ultrawide monitors that will serve the same purpose as well, such as the QD-OLED Alienware AW3423DW. The following monitors are especially great for digital art, but also great for everyday use. 

Good: Acer V277U

Acer is known for making great products with amazing value. The V277U monitor is a 2K, 27-inch monitor with an IPS panel. Not only is it one of the best 2K monitors with great color accuracy with 100% sRGB, it’s also a great deal. While the stand that comes with the monitor isn’t adjustable, it is VESA compatible and can be mounted on a stand or an arm. 

Better: ASUS PA279CV 4K

The ASUS ProArt PA279CV is designed for creators. Pre-calibrated out of the box, everything from the aesthetics to the specs of this display fits the digital artist. This monitor comes with a 4K IPS panel with 100% sRGB and many other display presets to choose from. In addition to the two HDMI ports and the DisplayPort, the monitor is Type-C power delivery compatible, which means users with a Type-C laptop charger can use the monitor to charge their laptop and output display at the same time. There is also a USB 3.1 Hub built into the monitor as well, along with on-board speakers. 

I love that the stand on this monitor is adjustable and has a streamlined silver look to it. The ruler running through the bottom of the monitor bezel gives the monitor a professional aesthetic as well. 

Best: Dell U3223QE

For the best monitor, I picked the Dell UltraSharp U3223QE 4K monitor. This is probably one of the most feature-rich productivity monitors that I have seen, with features such as Picture by Picture, a built-in KVM switch, and the ability to daisy-chain multiple of these monitors together. The ports include five USB 3.1 Type-A ports, two USB 3.1 Type-C, HDMI, two DisplayPorts, audio jack, and even an Ethernet port. Most importantly, the monitor features a 4K IPS display at 400 nits brightness at 100% sRGB and 98% DCI-P3. Most consumer grade monitors do not have great DCI-P3 color gamut, as it is usually used in professional film industries. This just goes to show how incredible this display is. The Dell Ultrasharp is also one of the monitors that has true 10-Bit color. As a nice bonus, the stand on the U3223QE is fully adjustable and has great ergonomics.  

Peripherals

Wacom Intuos Pro Medium Tablet

We do carry a wide range of drawing tablets, but my favorite one has got to be the Wacom Intuos Pro Medium Tablet. The active area is close to 9” x 6”, and there are also programmable dials and buttons on the side. An incredible 8192 levels of pen pressure allows for precise control in various parameters such as line weight, transparency, and many more. A pen stand is included with the tablet, which also contains 6 standard nibs and 4 Felt nibs. This drawing tablet is universally compatible with any illustration application, and works great as an addition to your existing set up. Coming from an older Wacom Bamboo drawing tablet, this was a massive upgrade to my digital studio. 

More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more Creator guides? We’ve got a wide range of guides and articles, like The Essential Creator Laptop Buying Guide, Build Guide: Hobbyist Level 3D Graphic and Video Rendering PC, and Hands On with the MSI Titan GT77HX - Top-Tier Performance In a Portable Package And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

Dreamear Atari Pocket Player and Pimoroni PicoSystem

If you’re looking for a gift for the gamer on your list that won’t break the bank, I’ve got two great suggestions for you. First is the Dreamgear Atari Pocket Player. The Pocket Player gives you access to a wide range of classic Atari games on a full color screen, portably. This neat device includes 100 video games built in, including acclaimed titles like Asteroids and Centipede. With the built-in speakers and USB C charging capability, the Pocket Player delivers a fun, ready-to-play experience for only $39.99, making it a fantastic stocking stuffer.

If your list includes someone who craves a more advanced, customizable experience, the Pimoroni PicoSystem (362939) is a small, gaming handheld built around a Raspberry Pi. The PicoSystem features a full aluminum body with a high-quality D-pad, a 240 x 240 IPS screen, and a USB-C port.

The Picosystem uses a Pi RP2040 chip and is extremely programable, making it ideal for helping anyone learn to create games. The more experienced coder will be able to use C++ to write games, but novices have the option to use other platforms like MicroPython or CircuitPython. At $67.99, PicoSystem is a great gift for gamers and aspiring developers alike.  --Harry Green

See the Dreamgear Atari Pocket Player at Micro Center

See the Pimoroni PicoSystem at Micro Center 

Robotime DIY Models

Models don’t always have to be big robots or made of blocks. Robotime offers a wide range of wooden models that look great everywhere in the house.

From the gorgeous Cathy’s Flower House to mechanical Starry Night Orrery Music Box, these models are designed to fit on bookshelves and desktops, so there’s no worry that they’ll be “too big” to put together.

Robotime’s models are ready to be built out of the box, with all parts and even the required tools included. No need to run out to the store to buy a pair of cutters just to start building. Some, like the Holiday Garden House kit, even feature built-in lighting to highlight the ornate details of the model. 

See Robotime DIY Models at Micro Center 

BEACN Mic

In the world of microphones and audio setups, there are tens of thousands of possible combinations of mics, mixers, and interfaces. For the average user, having multiple audio devices on their desk just to get a mic running seems like a stretch. BEACN offers the best of both worlds with this USB microphone, saving desk space and money.

The BEACN Mic brings a lot to the table, including built-in voice processing, an amazing suite of software, and a 300-ohm DAC. What caught my attention was the noise filtering, somewhat similar to AI tools like NVIDIA’s RTX Voice, but without the latency and drop in quality. 

Another huge thing that I like is the ability to fine tune the EQ, compression, and noise gate to make the mic sound great with your voice. Everyone’s voice is different, and everyone’s voice sounds different through different microphones. Regardless of the type of voice you have, BEACN gives you the instruments to get you sounding your best. --Ryen Bothur

See the BEACN Mic at Micro Center 

JBL Go 3 Portable Waterproof Speaker

JBL is known for high-quality, great-sounding speakers and the Go 3 is no exception. The Go 3 is built with portability in mind, with the whole speaker taking up less than 5 inches of space. It also comes with a carabiner-style bag hook, so you can lace it through your backpack or laptop bag and forget about it. The Go 3 is even IP67 waterproof, so no need to worry if it starts to rain or you take an accidental dip while kayaking. 

If you’re looking for a gift for the music lover in your life (or maybe yourself), the JBL Go 3 is a great option. Choose from Red, Blue, and Black models then get out there and enjoy a life with music that goes where you do. 

See the JBL Go 3 at Micro Center

AQiA lightbulb

Smart lightbulbs are the easiest smart home upgrade and have the most immediate impact, with lots of very visible customization options. AQiA’s smart bulbs have a full RGB spectrum, to light your room with different colors whenever the mood strikes you. 

The best part of a smart bulb is the ability to use all the features remotely: turn it on or off, change the color, or dim the light with a phone app or even your voice through popular voice assistants. The AQiA smart bulb is compatible with both Google Home and Amazon Alexa. At under $10, this is a perfect add-on gift or stocking stuffer. 

See the AQiA Smart Bulb at Micro Center

For more great holiday gift suggestions, see all the deals see all the best Holiday Savings deals at Micro Center.

Meta Quest 2 by @Shoan041

The Meta Quest 2 is a wonderful way to game and find VR entertainment for all ages! You can watch movies/shows, play games, and even do exercise routines. While the Meta Quest was originally called the Oculus Quest, they have maintained all the original product qualities that were first loved since the initial launch. I have had the opportunity to use the Quest 2 myself and I am very pleased with the quality of the system, ease of use and its selection of games! The Quest 2 is great for the whole family, it is simple enough that even my grandma and parents have no problem using it and they aren’t the techiest people in the world. 

Two storage sizes are available for the Meta Quest 2: 128 GB and 256 GB. The hardware itself is very well made and they offer upgrades and accessories like hard straps and battery packs for more hardcore games who want to play for longer periods of time. There is an optional cable that you can purchase to connect the headset to a computer, so you can play games through PC as well. 

It also has a system that doesn’t require additional hardware for motion tracking, making setup a breeze! The controllers are well made and compact as well. It has a built-in battery pack, so you can play wirelessly. This makes the system easy to take with you when you go out, so you can play almost anywhere!

The selection of software and games available for Quest is extensive. You can find many different kinds of entertainment through their storefront or through computer sources like Steam with the link cable. If you have been on the fence about getting into VR, now is the time with the accessibility and support from all sources. The Meta Quest 2 is one of the least expensive ways to get into VR and get a quality system with good support and upgrade options for the future!

Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller by @tbarggs

I highly recommend the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller for anyone looking for a versatile and customizable gaming controller. What sets this controller apart from others is its modular design, allowing you to easily swap out and personalize various components such as the sticks, D-pad, and buttons. This means, whether you are someone who is used to Xbox controllers or PlayStation controllers, you will be able to customize this controller in a way that’s comfortable for you!

 In addition to its customizable design, the eSwap X Pro also features high-quality components, including responsive buttons and precise analog sticks. It even boasts advanced features such as trigger locks, which allow for faster firing rates in shooter games, and four customizable shortcut buttons on the back of the controller. Overall, the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller is an excellent choice for serious gamers who want a controller that is both comfortable and highly customizable for their specific gaming needs.

Nintendo Switch OLED Model with Neon and Blue Controllers by @w8deywins

I can’t help that I’m a gamer on the go. Always have been, always will be. I had a Gameboy Classic, PSP, and Wii U growing up. So naturally I had to have the new Nintendo Switch OLED when it came out. After putting in so many hours playing Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on my Wii U, I couldn’t wait to play Breath of the Wild on the go with a beautiful display!

But that doesn’t even begin to get into all of the new features you get with the Switch OLED. Right off the bat, you’ve got a bigger and brighter OLED display versus the previous LCD model. You get to game on a 7” OLED display which offers better contrast and power efficiency. The Switch even comes with 3D audio and controller feedback for a more immersive experience on the go. The OLED comes with 64GB of flash storage and supports up to 2TB of additional storage with a MicroSD card. While the internal hardware hasn’t been upgraded over the base Switch, the screen improvements on the OLED model make gaming on the go much more visually impressive and a worthwhile upgrade.

Of course, what is a Switch without games and accessories? Some great on-the-go games I highly recommend are Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Pokemon! And if you are taking your Switch on the go, you should definitely check out some of our themed travel cases like the Pikachu or Animal Crossing cases. I store mine away in a sleek Legend of Zelda case while I travel. It even stores extra games at the bottom as well, making it a must-have for my travel!

If you have more questions, feel free to ask below or find an in-store associate who would be glad to help you. 

8Bitdo SN30 Pro Bluetooth by @Rye_Bread

The 8BitDo SN30 Pro is hands down my favorite Bluetooth controller that we sell here at Micro Center. My first time using this product was when one of my fellow associates offered to let me play an emulated retro game on his Galaxy Tab. I was extremely impressed with the quality and feel of the buttons and joysticks. A short play session later, and this is now my go-to controller whenever I want to play emulator games on my phone or relax and do some cloud gaming on my Surface Pro. It’s small enough to tuck into one of the pockets of my laptop case or simply throw it into my messenger bag.

This controller is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and the Nintendo Switch. There are four different built-in input modes that complement the multitude of connection options. One of the included options supports Xbox inputs, making it a perfect companion for Xbox Cloud Gaming. The SN30 Pro even features rumble in supported software, which is a nice touch.

The SN30 Pro is one of those things that I didn’t know I was missing out on until I first tried it, and since then I’ve had a little obsession with it. I’d highly recommend picking one up if you’re looking for a high-quality controller for gaming on the go.

Sony Playstation 5 by @TreBouncee

It’s been a long time coming but the PlayStation 5 is becoming more and more readily available – including at Micro Center! Sony has always had a way of captivating the public since the first PlayStation, and they solidified their reign with the PlayStation 2. And while the specs are better than ever, the 5th iteration holds the same weight as the first two.

This blazing fast console features a custom 7nm AMD chip that reads at 3.5ghz, 16gb of RAM, and a custom AMD GPU as well. Couple that with an 825gb internal SSD (expandable!), The PS5 is an extremely fast and efficient console that not only games at a high level but also functions as an excellent media hub, with support for both streaming services and an on-board Blu-Ray player (disc models only). The support for 8k/60hz or 4k/120hz is a welcome edition as well. These increased specs will allow you to run games like Spiderman: Miles Morales or God of War: Ragnarök in stunning definition.

The new controller is also an eye-catcher. The Dual Sense wireless controller is not only comfortable but versatile, with support across multiple devices, including PC. The PS5 does come in two different iterations, one that supports disc and one that is digital only. I would recommend the disc version, just for the extra utility.

Whether you’re a gamer or just love streaming, the PS5 is a welcome addition to most homes!

Check your local Micro Center for stock information!

 More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more gaming? We’ve got articles on Gaming Without Consoles, Gaming Monitors, and Gaming Headsets! And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

Back to school is always a busy time at Micro Center. Students need a plethora of things, making this time of year the Season of Tech. From laptops and desktops to the increased popularity of mobile devices like the iPad or other tablets, students are gearing up for school.

Apple Macs and iPads are a mainstay on college campuses and for good reasons. Students cited the ease of use, longevity, and build quality as reasons why. Working at Micro Center, I’ve seen a similar trend. Students like Apple and I can’t blame them. With that in mind, I pulled two stellar Apple products that make for great back-to-school tech, whether you pick them up separately or together.

The MacBook M2 Air

In 2022, Apple announced the M2 MacBook Air to follow up the revolutionary M1 chip. The M2 featured increased CPU and GPU performance along with faster memory bandwidth and support for larger RAM sizes. For the average student, those spec bumps may not mean all that much. But when you factor in the discounts and deals available at Micro Center, that bump starts to look pretty good from a power-for-price standpoint.

The M2 Air is a fantastic machine for just about anyone, but for students in particular it has a combination of advantages, the most immediately noticeable being size. The machine comes in at just 2.7 pounds, making it lighter than its predecessor. As students go to and from class, the thin design should allow for not only your laptop to make the trip but also any accessories or books. The Air comes with only three ports, so it's possible students will need an adaptor. Thankfully, the Air is light enough for those adapters to travel alongside the MacBook with ease.

As mentioned, improvements go well beyond the updated design. Performance is given a huge boost thanks to the new M2 processor. In testing, single-core scores top out at 1919 on the M2, whereas on the M1 the single-core performance topped out at 1707. The multi-core score had an even wider gap at 8928 for M2 and 7419 for the M1.

While you get increased performance, you don’t sacrifice battery life as any of the M2 airs can get you up to 18 hours.  Simply put, students will feel the speed of the machine as they browse and surf the internet as well as when they do something more intense like coding, content creation, or gaming while still having enough battery to get through the school day.

MagSafe was reintroduced in 2022 with the M2 Air, and I believe that is an advantage for students in a rigorous college environment. That magnetic charger could be the saving grace of someone tripping over your charging cord. Instead of pulling your whole Air to the ground when that cord is yanked, it will safely and harmlessly unplug instead.

The M2 Air got a ‘small’ refresh in 2023 in the form of the long-rumored 15-inch Air. Bringing largely the same internals but getting a few extra inches on the screen may be worth it for the students who value screen real estate over portability considerations. That 15-inch Liquid Retina Display can be a game changer for anyone working with a visual medium!

Both the 13-inch M2 Air and its 15-inch counterpart both come in 4 colors: Space grey, Silver, Starlight, and Midnight. They also come with base storage options of 256 GB or 512 GB. I often recommend the base of 256 GB in whatever color you fancy. Admittedly this does limit your storage a bit, especially given how long Macs last, but with the advancement of the cloud and external storage options, you could save a lot of money to put toward Micro Center’s protection plan or AppleCare+ while still being able to save everything you need – and have the assurance that if anything happens to your Mac, you’ll be able to get it repaired!

Because a lot of students have already bought into the Apple ecosystem, adding the MacBook would unify that connective experience. From answering a FaceTime call or iMessage on your MacBook to using AirDrop to transfer files back and forth between devices, the convivence the Apple ecosystem offers is a massive draw for Apple users.

Speaking of unifying the ecosystem, for those that don’t have an Apple device yet or only have one, I’d recommend a product that could be of great use at the college level and be relatively easy on the pockets.

The Apple iPad

The iPad initially released in 2007 and retailed at $499. The device was wildly popular despite its for-its-time high price tag and set the stage for the successors we have today. The students I’ve come in contact with in 2023 are using their iPads for everything from note-taking to content consumption and even content creation!

That note-taking element is a potential game-changer for any student. Being able to handwrite your notes has been shown to help with memorization, which is obviously key to learning the material. You’d also have the option to get creative with the learning process and use the built-in camera to record lectures and listen back later. The two iPads I would recommend for this added functionality would be the iPad 9th Generation or 10th Generation.

I believe the 9th Gen is an iPad that almost anyone could make use of. From during research for your next paper to browsing YouTube, from note taking in class to watching your favorite show on Netflix, this iPad is more than capable of handling it all. The 9th generation retails at $329 but can commonly be found at Micro Center for much less. It features an A13 Bionic chip and is compatible with the 1st generation Apple pencil.

The 10th Generation gets a cosmetic upgrade as well as a performance boost with its retail price of $449.  The 10th gen ditches the lightning port for USB-C and abandons the physical home button to increase the screen size from 10.2” to 10.9”. The performance upgrade comes from the jump from the A13 chip to the A14, which offers a little over a 15% bump in CPU clock speed. In real-world use, that difference may not seem like much, but the newer chip can extend the device's lifetime – no need to upgrade as quickly as older models lose support! The 10th gen is also frequently on sale, making for an even better long-term-value purchase. It maintains 1st gen pencil support while giving you a newer chip and a larger screen. While the 9th Gen offers a great value, I’d recommend the 10th Gen in no small part because of these upgrades.

It's no secret that Apple devices are popular at colleges across the country and ease of use and ecosystem are large reasons why.  Being able to integrate your computer, phone and tablet together makes your workflow seamless. That’s a convenience that students will absolutely appreciate. 

More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more information about tech buying? We’ve got Community sections dedicated to buying guides and reviews, as well as buying guides for Back-To-School Computers and Build-Your-Own Computers. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

Microsoft Xbox Elite v2 Core Wireless Controller by @Shoan041

 The Microsoft Xbox Elite v2 Core Wireless Controller is a fantastic gift for any gamer who plays not only on Xbox One, or Xbox Series X and S, but also PC, iPad and mobile phone gamers as well. This controller works with Windows 10 and 11 computers through Bluetooth, or with the included USB type C to USB type A cable. Many games on PC offer full controller support and will seamlessly connect with the Elite V2. 

The Elite V2 is designed for longevity with an incredibly solid metal and plastic construction, featuring comfortable rubber grips for quality you can feel. The rechargeable battery lasts up to 40 hours, giving you plenty of game time without needing a recharge. When the battery does run out, plug it in and keep gaming while it’s charging. This controller comes in many colors such as black (with accessories), white, red and blue, so you can personalize the gift for your recipient.  It even features additional buttons to give your gamer that extra edge!

Keyboards and Hyper X Cloud III Headphones  by @phil_lost_zephyr_

If you’re not sure what to get your gamer, peripherals are always a safe bet. Keyboards and headphones are integral to just about every PC gamer and fresh options are always appreciated.  

If you’re looking at keyboards, mechanical keyboards are where it’s at. The Inland V83 Pro with Huano-Red switches and the Keychron V1 with Banana Switches are both stellar options. Both keyboards feature linear switches for a smooth press whether they’re going to be gaming or typing. They’re also both equipped with a dial to adjust volume on the go – an important feature more keyboards should have.  

 The best wireless headphones on the market are the HyperX Cloud IIIs. They offer unparalleled comfort and quality, improving gaming audio over the previous Cloud IIs. Of course, they’re not just great for gaming. If you’re buying for a student, they also provide great sound for listening to music while studying. 

Redragon HA300 Scepter Pro RGB Headset Stand by @tbarggs

As a gamer I find that I have no place to really set my headset when I’m done using it. I usually just toss it on the desk or sometimes it ends up on the floor. That is, until I picked up a headphone stand. The Redragon HA300 Scepter Pro RGB Headset Stand has been a saving grace when it comes to keeping my desk tidy and ensuring that my headset isn’t going to get broken when I accidentally step on it after setting it on my floor. 

Whether you’re buying for a console or PC gamer, HA300 adds a bit of flair to any setup thanks to its RGB base. It also features a built-in USB hub so you won’t have to hunt for empty ports to charge your controllers or headphones. The Red dragon HA300 Scepter Pro RGB Headset Stand will stand out and be useful in any gamers setup and is something I now recommend to all my gaming friends.

KBDcraft Adam 60% Brick-Built Wired Keyboard by @ricardo_ortega

The KBDcraft Adam 60% keyboard is, as the name implies, a 60% size keyboard. However, this one has a major twist: you build it yourself from the ground up, brick by brick.   

The Adam is a brick-built case, meaning this keyboard will be constructed like a traditional Lego-style brick-building set. If you or the person you’re buying for are into Legos, then this is a wonderful gift to have. The full kit comes with pre lubed linear switches and keycaps. The keyboard is further customizable as well, with support for any MX-type switches as well as RGB additions to really make it pop.  

 But that's not all - we've got tons on sale, so be sure to check out our Holiday Buying Guides  and Last Minute Holiday Gift Picks and then stop by your local Micro Center today and finish your holiday shopping!

This is part of a series on choosing your perfect mouse: Check out the Productivity Mouse edition as well as our Mouse Buying Guide!

 When gaming mice are made for all different tastes and preferences, it can be tricky to find the mouse that’s perfect for you. There are universal gaming mice, mice for MMOs, mice for shooters, and mice for just about every other genre of game. It can quickly get overwhelming. So, we’re going to break down what’s important to look for in a gaming mouse and then dig a bit into one of the most modular mice on the market.

Button Count

The easiest decision to make is button count. A traditional mouse has somewhere between three and five buttons, but gaming mice can have fourteen or more. Thankfully, a simple question makes it easy to choose between a mouse with a few buttons and a lot of buttons: what are you playing?

If your focus is on shooters or other similar games, you probably don’t need a ton of buttons. Mice geared towards FPS players have between five and nine buttons; left click, right click, scroll wheel, and then usually two side buttons as well as a DPI button (more on DPI in a bit). A few mice even have a ‘sniper button,’ an additional side button usually towards the front of the mouse that drops your DPI so you have more control over your aim while looking down a scope.

If you’re regularly playing MMOs or MOBAs, you might benefit from a plethora of extra buttons. Some mice have upwards of nine extra buttons on the side. These are frequently programmable for easy macro access, putting access to all of your abilities at your fingertip, literally. Of course, some MMO gamers find all those buttons daunting and make do with a more traditional gaming mouse.

DPI

DPI, or Dots Per Linear Inch, is, to put it simply, how sensitive your mouse is. It’s how much your curser will move on the screen relative to how much you moved your mouse. If you lightly nudge your mouse with a high DPI, your curser will rocket to the other side of the screen. On the flip side, if you have a low DPI, that same nudge might result in only the tiniest of movements from the cursor.

DPI settings are especially important for shooting games. Pretty much all gaming mice will have options to change your DPI in an app. Most will even have a button or two to change DPI settings on the go so you won’t need to fiddle with settings when you switch games or players.

When looking for a gaming mouse, make sure that your mouse can be set to your preferred DPI. If you don’t have a preferred DPI yet, pick a mouse that has a high DPI limit so you can play around with your options and find the setting that works best for you.

Latency

Low latency is very important but often forgotten about. We gamers need the input of our mouse movements to get translated to the game as soon as possible. It’s not fun when you click at a crucial moment only for your gun to go off seconds later, costing you the win.

The problem of latency has been solved for wired gaming mice for a long time now, as the direct connection all but eliminates delay. When it comes to wireless mice, latency is far more important. When I was growing up, it was almost unheard of to play with a wireless mouse, because of the long input delay. Now, with gaming-grade mice, wireless latencies are as low as 0.5ms. That’s well within playable ranges and makes using wireless mice for gaming possible! 

Extra Features

Some mice have extra features unique to themselves. Some mice, like the G502 Hero, come with attachments that will change the weight of your mouse, so you can dial in the exact weight that works for you. There are also super light mice for those who want a mouse to be as unobtrusive as possible. If you’re looking for a bit more control in your scrolling, Logitech’s G 903 features four-way scrolling. If you’ve got a feature you want in a mouse, chances are we’ve got it at Micro Center (not sure what you’re looking for? Stop in and talk to an associate!)

 There are tons of mice out there to choose from and we could spend days breaking down each and every one. Instead, we’ll focus on one mouse that’s a great option for just about everyone looking for a gaming mouse: The Razer Naga V2.

The Razer Naga V2

The Razer Naga V2 Pro Wireless MMO Gaming Mouse is one of the most versatile gaming mice currently available. It has several attachments for changing the macro buttons for different styles of gaming, combining several different gaming mice into one. Quickly and easily swap between a 12-button, six-button, and two-button setup and tailor your mouse to the game you are playing at that exact moment. Playing World of Warcraft for a bit? Toss on the 12-button. Buddies want to play Apex Legends? Log out of WoW and snap on the two-button.

The Naga V2 Pro Wireless is, as the name suggests, traditionally a wireless mouse with connections available using both Bluetooth and the included dongle. Thanks to Razer’s Hyperspeed Wireless technology, the Naga features high-performance connections with incredibly low latency so you can game without worry. When the battery starts to run low, simply plug the Naga into its charging cord and keep going!

While there are a ton of mice out there, and that can make it hard to choose, I think it’s great that gamers have so many options. It allows everyone to find the mouse that is perfect for them with the exact features that they need.

If you’re ready to take the plunge into the world of gaming mice, come swing by your local Micro Center and take a look our wide selection of mice. We’ll be happy to help you figure out which one is right for you!

This is part of a series on choosing your perfect mouse: Check out the Gaming Mouse edition as well as our Mouse Buying Guide!

What makes a good productivity mouse? For the longest time, as an Apple user going as far back as the original iMac, I just used the mouse that came with Macs, even when they only had a single button. I used those mice for everything, from casual browsing to design in programs like AutoCad. Eventually I would introduce a Logitech G502 Lightspeed into my repertoire, but that’s considered a gaming mouse. Neither of those are considered “true” productivity mice, but they’ve helped me get my work done plenty throughout the years. With that in mind, let’s dive a bit deeper into the concept of a productivity mouse.

What makes a productivity mouse different than a gaming mouse?

This is a tricky thing to define for many, including myself. It isn’t a price thing, as the range on both a gaming mouse and a productivity mouse can be anywhere from $3 to $300. How about the sensor sensitivity? Gaming mice are frequently more precise. But why wouldn’t I use that in an application such as Illustrator or SolidWorks? Many often tell me, “Well gaming mice have the extra buttons you can program for games.” I personally use a Logitech G502 for my productivity, and I use those extra buttons for programming macros for common commands I may need in AutoCad, Illustrator, or Photoshop. The software recognizes which app I am in and applies the macros accordingly. So, it isn’t about the extra buttons either.

What is it, then? Amount of RGB? Ergonomics? Arguably, it really comes down to why it was designed. Mouse companies design mice with a certain audience in mind and find features that are important to those end users through focus groups and R&D. From there, it’s about finding the niche. For instance, Logitech’s G series mice are geared toward gaming users, while their MX line is considered their productivity line. So, let’s look at some of the features in the MX line to see if we can spot the differences there. 

The Logitech MX Line

The first feature I notice when looking at this line is productivity mice do tend to lean heavily in the wireless realm, specifically in Bluetooth. This has a lot to do more with the way they are used. Productivity mice tend to travel with a business laptop more often and Bluetooth does away with the dongle that can easily get misplaced. Bluetooth mice also, often, have the ability to pair with more than one system. I have seen several productivity keyboard and mice kits that allow you to pair with a couple computers and, with a simple keystroke, switch between them, making it essentially a wireless KVM switch. Are there wireless gaming mice, absolutely, but productivity mice have become nearly entirely wireless.

Another key difference you may find in productivity mice is the wide range of ergonomic choices. People using ergonomic mice are often using them for hours a day, five days a week. As a result, you can find things such as a vertical mice, where you actually turn your thumb up toward the ceiling, removing repetitive stress by using a more neutral position. Productivity mice also often have things like trackballs which change how you hold it entirely, while freeing up a lot of space on your desk as you don’t have to move a mouse around. Other specialized features you may also find are things like a rolling thumb wheel in addition to a scroll wheel, allowing you to easily scroll through long contextual menus.

So, with all that clarified, lets ask the question again:

What makes A Good Productivity Mouse?

Whatever mouse helps you get things done. As with anything, I have found mouse choices to be as personal as which toothpaste is your favorite. Mice can be an expressive choice to show your style, a strictly performance choice knowing that the added shortcuts will help you get more done, or simply a choice that makes you enjoy what you are doing just a little bit more.

A mouse specifically designed for productivity can offer a ton of great quality of life features, but if a gaming mouse – or a single button mouse! – helps you get things done better, than that is your productivity mouse. And, when any mouse can be a productivity mouse, suddenly you have a lot more options. Which is why we’re more than happy to help you choose the perfect mouse for your needs; just stop by your local Micro Center and ask an associate for advice!

If you’ve been spending time looking at top-of-the-line gaming rigs or expansive smart-home set-ups, you’ve undoubtedly seen walls covered in colored, light-up shapes. But, you might not be aware of what those are or how easy they are to implement in your own home. So, let us, with the help of some Micro Center fans who submitted their Nanoleaf set-ups, introduce: Nanoleaf Shapes.

Instagram: RetroTurboTimmy 

What are Nanoleaf Shapes?

Nanoleaf Shapes are a lot of things: personal expression, room accents, computer highlights, and more. But mostly, Nanoleaf Shapes is customizable lighting beyond the RGB smart bulb, allowing for any number of combinations of lighting, colors, and design, anywhere you want them to be. 

There’s a limit to how much you can do with the average RGB smart bulb. You can set schedules for when they turn on or off, you can have them glow any number of colors, and you can access them anywhere with a cell connection. But once they’re set up, they remain static in their lamp.

Nanoleaf Shapes have all the features of the average RGB smart bulb - schedules, colors, remote access - plus complete customizability (and interactivity, which we’ll get to in a bit). Shapes come in three different styles: Hexagons, Triangles, and Mini Triangles. All three styles work with one another, so you can hook up your hexagons to your mini triangles and create something like Josh Beal did below:

Facebook: Josh Beal

What can Nanoleaf Shapes do?

As I hinted at just a paragraph above, there’s a lot that Nanoleaf Shapes can do that the average RGB light bulb can’t do. The most visually striking is per-panel RGB, meaning that you can create a color scheme all your own. Mix purples with pinks and blues and spread them out in a honeycomb pattern, punctuated with mini triangles. Add on a layered dynamic scene so every third Shape slowly shifts colors, and you’ve got something entirely unique to your house.

That customizability is far from the only thing Nanoleaf Shapes can do. Sync them up with your sound system, and they’ll react to music in a variety of different ways, depending on which dynamic scene you have on. They’ll pulse with the beat, pop into a shower of color at high points, and quietly shift to the rhythm.

If you watch movies or play video games in the same room as your Nanoleaf Shapes, you can connect them to your device through Screen Mirror and have them match the colors of your screen. Make in-game explosions pop off your monitor as Shapes burst into vibrant reds. Expand your movies beyond the limits of your TV and watch the latest blockbuster fill your living room.

Nanoleaf Shapes can even be set up to respond to touch, allowing for interactive light displays in your own home. Tap your Shape for a burst of color or a soft hue shift. And if you’re looking for even more interactivity, the Nanoleaf app enables games for your Shapes, including Simon, where you repeat patterns, Memory, where you find matching colors, and Whack-A-Mole, where the goal is to press Shapes as soon as they light up.

Facebook - Steven Osborne

Is it easy to set up Nanoleaf Shapes?

Yes - from hanging the Shapes on your wall to connecting them to your phone, everything about Nanoleaf Shapes has been streamlined for ease of use. 

Nanoleaf doesn’t use nails or any other wall-damaging hangars. Instead, Shapes are hung with wall-safe double-sided tape, included with every kit. It’s as simple as applying the tape to your Shape, then pressing it against the wall for thirty seconds.

And if you’re looking to connect two Shapes together, it’s as easy as a snap. Pick a side, snap in the connector, then snap in the second shape. And if you decide you want to adjust your setup, Shapes and connectors easily snap apart for reuse!

Connecting a new smart device to WiFi can be daunting, but Nanoleaf makes that a breeze as well, thanks to multiple connection methods. Every set comes with a QR pairing code printed in multiple locations, including the instruction manual, the power cord, and the controller. Scanning the QR code will automatically pair your device, so long as your smartphone is connected to your non-5G WiFi. Alternatively, if your smartphone has an NFC reader, just tap your phone to the controller to connect your Shapes set. And, if you don’t want to or can’t scan or tap, you can manually input your set’s code into your device. After that, you’re good to go!

Twitter - GianniMenasa

How do I control Nanoleaf Shapes?

Nanoleaf Shapes can be controlled by any smart home device, such as Amazon Alexa or Apple HomeKit, as well as with the smartphone app. Once your Shapes kit has been connected to your WiFi, use your chosen smart-home app to link it to your smart devices.

However, it is worth keeping the Nanoleaf app on your phone. While your smart home devices can be used to turn on your Shapes, change colors, and brighten/dim them, functionality is still a bit more limited than within the Nanoleaf app, which can delve far deeper into the personalization of your Shapes, including scenes and dynamic scenes. 

Nanoleaf shapes also feature a controller that can be attached to the Shapes, and serves as a power button, dimmer, scene changer, and activates Rhythm, which allows Nanoleaf to react to music.

Facebook - Jenna Washington

Win your own Nanoleaf Smarter Kit!

Getting excited about Nanoleaf Shapes and want a set for yourself? You’ve come to the right place! We’re giving away one of each of Nanoleaf’s Shapes Smarter Kits. That’s a Hexagon kit, a Triangles kit, and a Mini Triangles kit - and entering is incredibly easy. All you have to do is comment below what you’d like to do with a Nanoleaf Shapes set! Tell us about your dream living room setup, your gaming den, your under-lit media station, and maybe you’ll win a set of Nanoleaf Shapes to make that dream a reality!

Out today, the next wave of Intel processors have arrived! Launching today are the Intel Core 14th Gen i9-14900k, i7-14700k, and i5-14600k processors, bringing with them the next leap in Intel's processor technology. This new gen features improved speeds and, in the case of the Intel Core i7-14700k, increased cores and threads over its predecessor for even more power.

What's new with Intel Core 14th Gen Processors?

The biggest difference over the previous generation is power. Intel Core 14th Gen continues to make use of Hybrid Processing to better maximize the potential of your chip, sorting processes into Efficiency-Core tasks and Performance-Core tasks, depending on the intensity. E-Cores focus on easier, single-threaded tasks while P-Cores handle the high-intensity, multi-threaded work.

The i5K, i7K, and i9K all see an uptick in frequency in both their P- and E-Cores, with a focus on Max Turbo Boost speeds. The i9K has an additional .2GHz boost in its base clock speeds as well, for both the P- and E-Cores.

The biggest change over their predecessors, however, is in the i7-14700K. The 14700K introduces an extra four E-cores, bringing its total number of cores up to 20. It also ups its thread count by four, bringing it up to 28, as well bumping it's L2 Cache to 28MB and Intel Smart Cache to 33MB, for a total cache size of 61MB. That puts it even closer to the i9's 24 cores/32 threads/68MB Cache, closing the gap between the high-end and mid-tier processors and bringing more power to your average build.

Intel Core 14th Gen processors also feature, for the first time, support for Wi-Fi 7, the latest and greatest wireless connection to date. Wi-Fi 7 offers improved speeds and reliability over previous Wi-Fi generations.

Which Intel Core 14th Gen Processor is Right for My Build?

Deciding which processor to use in your new build boils down to one simple question: what are you planning on using your build for?

You Should Use the i5-14600K if:

You're looking for gaming performance. If your only concern is making sure your games are running smoothly, the Intel Core i5-14500K is a great fit. Intel's Hybrid Processing means that your games will be handled by the most capable cores - the Performance-cores.

You Should Use the i7-14700K if:

You're looking to game and do work. The 17-14700k gives you the power and freedom to game while streaming, giving you the tools to put yourself out there and start making your hobby a career. And when you're not live, the 14700K has the power to help with your video editing projects so you can chop down your stream to the most viral moments.

You Should Use the i9-14900K if:

You need power. The 19-14900k offers peak performance for both gaming and content creation. Export recordings and videos quicker than ever before and get right back to playing the latest AAA titles at killer framerates. Show your audience what you're really capable of.

Intel 13th Gen vs Intel 14th Gen Benchmarks:

Cinebench:

Cinebench tests processors for responsiveness and power in both intensive tasks (multi-core) and general daily usage tasks (single-core). The higher the points the better, and we can clearly see that in both multi- and single-threaded tests, the 14th Gen processors overtake their 13th Gen counterparts. For multi-threaded tests, the 14th Gen beats out 13th Gen by thousands of points.

Intel® Core™ 14th Gen Specs at a Glance

Intel Core 14th Gen Core i9-14900K

• Cores: 24 (8P+16E)
• Threads: 32
• Base Clock: 3.2Ghz Performance, 2.4Ghz Efficient
• Max Turbo Frequency: up to 6.0GHz (5.6GHz Performance, 4.4GHz Efficient)
• L2 Cache: 32MB
• Intel Smart Cache (L3 Cache): 36MB
• Socket: LGA1700
• Max Memory Speed: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
• Unlocked for Overclocking

Intel Core 14th Gen Core i7-14700K

• Cores: 20 (8P+12E)
• Threads: 28
• Base Clock: 3.4Ghz Performance, 2.5Ghz Efficient
• Max Turbo Frequency: up to 5.6GHz (5.5GHz Performance, 4.3GHz Efficient)
• L2 Cache: 28MB
• Intel Smart Cache (L3 Cache): 33MB
• Socket: LGA1700
• Max Memory Speed: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
• Unlocked for Overclocking

Intel Core 14th Gen Core i5-14600K

• Cores: 14 (6P+8E)
• Threads: 20
• Base Clock: 3.5Ghz Performance, 2.6Ghz Efficient
• Max Turbo Frequency: up to 5.3GHz (5.3Ghz Performance, 4.0 Efficient)
• L2 Cache: 20MB
• Intel Smart Cache (L3 Cache): 24MB
• Socket: LGA1700
• Max Memory Speed: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
• Unlocked for Overclocking

Intel's new line of 14th Gen processors are available now at Micro Center. Be sure to check out our Intel 14th Gen Build Guide for a great Intel Core i7-14700K build!

UPS Systems by @Julia_V

Having your PC shut off in the middle of an important project before you have time to save is one of the worst feelings ever. Whether it’s a Word document, a photo or video being rendered, or even just a checkpoint in a game. This is where UPS systems really come in handy. Not only do they provide protection from unexpected power loss and surges, but they also protect your work and time from being lost in a power outage. 

UPS stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply. They can be used for desktop computers, workstations, network devices, home entertainment systems, and other equipment. I personally use the CyberPower Systems PFC Sinewave Series for my gaming setup. It has a VA rating of 1500VA or 1000 Watts, which represents the maximum load that a UPS can support. Automatic Voltage Regulation on this UPS corrects minor power fluctuations without switching to battery power, which allows for extended battery life. This specific unit also features Pure Sine Wave output, which means that compared to other non-pure sine wave devices, it is guaranteed to produce a cleaner output for any piece of equipment connected to it. This allows for better stability and reliability for your devices. 

This unit features six battery backup and surge-protected outlets as well as six surge-protected outlets and two 3.1A USB charging ports. There are also ethernet ports on the UPS to prevent power surges that can travel through ethernet lines. I really love the Multifunction Color LCD Screen that comes with the UPS, as it can easily display any necessary battery and power conditions.

ESET Internet Security by @ricardo_ortega

Here at Micro Center, we carry a lot of options for protecting the hardware of your everyday devices, like tablets, phones, and computers. However, it’s not just the hardware that needs protecting. Whether you’re looking to pick up a new computer or just want to keep the one you have running strong, it’s recommended that you invest in antivirus software to protect yourself from unwanted viruses, malware, and more. Computers have become a central piece of nearly everyone’s daily life and, as a result, there is a lot of sensitive data on your devices. A single breach in one’s computer is a potential leak of lots of personal information, like your identity, bank accounts, and addresses. We recommend antivirus software like ESET to every customer who is in the market for a computer.

 ESET is a global digital security company that has been protecting customers and companies from around the world. Here at Micro Center, the store provides different licenses such as the Advance Security and the Premium Security versions. What I love about this software is that it uses little resources and does not require a huge chunk of RAM to run, unlike other antivirus software. ESET protects your home network and oversees what devices are connected and manages incoming traffic. They have improved their online banking & payment protection that encrypts the process of your transactions. On the Premium version, ESET LiveGuard is a nice feature that handles files and documents to be run to the ESET cloud to check for potential threats. While there are more features that ESET carries, I recommend speaking to any of the associates for more information about ESET and its benefits and promotions.

Mobile Phone Protection by @w8deywins

New mobile phones are always coming out, and if you're picking up a new phone, you should definitely keep it safe. The easiest option would be to add a durable case around the device. This is the best way to preserve its brand-new condition and to prevent accidents. Case designs range from bulky, ultra-durable designs to sleek and slim aesthetics. Personally, I like the cases from LAU, like the CRYSTAL MATTER X, as they have the perfect balance of slim but durable.

Of course, you also want to protect the screen, as it's arguably the most important part. I would make this a priority and find a screen protector that is impact-resistant and scratch-proof. Currently, I’m using the invisible shield glass screen protector by ZAGG. I’ve already had to replace mine because it cracked doing what it was designed to do - save my screen from breaking! Highly recommended. They even have protectors with privacy protection if you want to keep wandering eyes off your screen!

Pop sockets have become a staple for a lot of phones, mine included. I enjoy taking photos with my phone and Pop Sockets add a bit of extra grip, ensuring I won’t worry about dropping it while trying to get the perfect shot. Since I have an iPhone with MagSafe support, I recommended that one, but there are a bunch of styles out now. It doubles as a stand so you can prop up your phone and watch a video. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel confident about not dropping your phone again.

NAS by @Shoan041

Everyone needs to back up and protect their data. It’s so important because we all have files that can’t be easily re-obtained if they are lost. Students have papers, businesses have spreadsheets, and we all have pictures of our kids, family, and friends. Unfortunately, data storage devices don’t last forever and they can break, get lost, stolen, or corrupted. I’m sure we’ve all been devastated by losing some data that we wanted to hang on to. NAS drives are a great way to add an extra layer of security to your important files!

NAS stands for Network Attached Storage. It is pretty much spelled out in the name, but it’s like a hard drive system that is set up on a network. It’s basically a small server made to run like an online backup system or cloud drive. While cloud storage is found just about everywhere today, some of us have way more data than would be allowed on those services without paying extra fees.

Using your own NAS allows you to have the drives that house your data on your own personal network – no need for a third party. They can be used the same way as a cloud service, and you can choose how much storage is right for you. You also don’t have to worry as much about accidental data loss from mismanagement of the server, since it’ll be yours to manage how you choose. When it’s your own device, you also don’t have to be as worried about data leaks. Most hackers target large companies to get large information drops. You can even implement your own security to help keep your precious data safe! Having direct access to the drives inside your own NAS makes it easier to get to the information when you want to access them too.

Pictured: Glorious Raptor Clicky Keyboard Switches

Cherry MX Speedy Silver Switches by @Shoan041

There are a lot of switches out there and I think all of them are better than the membrane switches found in traditional keyboards. Not only do mechanical switches offer far greater durability, but the feel is far superior. I have used several different types in my day-to-day and pressed dozens in demos. I would have to say that my current favorite switch type is the Cherry MX Speed Silver. My main keyboard is a Corsair with the Cherry MX Speed Silver keys added. The keys are very light to press with 45cN operating force. They have a pre-travel of 1.2mm and 3.4 mm of total travel space. 

One of the biggest things that I had to get used to with the keyboard was how easy it was to click the buttons. Because of the light spring and early sensor on them, it takes very little pressure to activate the keys, so lightly resting your hands on them could result in a screen of “A”s. Now that I’m used to it, I like how quickly it presses the keys and I barely have to touch it to get the button pressed. It makes gaming reactions that much faster, which is the main thing that I use that computer for. We all know how important response time is for gaming!

Linear Switches by @BenjaminLaRocque125

My favorite switch type is Linear as they are seamless and typically quiet. Rather than a click or tactile bump when pressing, linear switches go straight down with no feedback. The benefit of this is speed, and linear switches are fast. And, as someone who primarily uses my keyboard for gaming, that speed is definitely important. If you ask me, they offer the most satisfying experience and are one of the best switches for gaming.

Red switches are the most common example of a linear switch, with a simple, no-frills, up-and-down keypress. Black switches are similarly linear but offer a bit more heft, making them slightly harder to press. If your hands rest heavy on your keyboard, these are a great alternative! Of course, manufacturers have their own take on linear switches as well, like Razer’s yellow switches.

Gateron Tactile Switches by @ChaosDTV

Building Your Own Keyboard is a daunting task but a very exciting one. One of the main features you'll need in your keyboard is to figure out what switch type you'll be satisfied with. My current favorite switch type is Tactile Switches. Tactile switches have a slight bump or click whenever you press the keys. You’ll most commonly hear people refer to these as “blue” or “brown” switches. Blues add a “click” to that tactile experience, adding a very satisfying auditory component to your typing. Browns have that tactile bump but no “click,” offering a quieter typing experience.

There are plenty of brands that make switches, but my current favorite is Gateron. Gateron switches offer a buttery smooth, tactile experience for any typing or gaming enthusiast. There is a slight bit of weight to the switches which make travel speeds feel that much better on your fingers. Gateron offers the traditional blues and browns, but also has a wide range of switches in between as well, like the linear Gateron reds.

Gateron Linear Switches by @phil_lost_zephyr_

For switch types, it depends on the person. I love building keyboards myself and one of my favorite switches to use is linear types. There is just so much variety in linear switches; you can game or even use them for work. When it comes to linear, the word that usually is associated with the switch type is “thock,” which is the sound and feeling of pressing onto a keyboard switch. That said, not all “thocks” are the same. It all depends on the switch itself as well as if you’re going to mod the switch with either lube or using switch film. Those types of factors can change the overall feeling of the keyboard typing experience. 

For linear switches, my go-to favorites are the Gaterons, like those found in the NZXT Function keyboard. Whether you're gaming or just planning on using your keyboard for typing, they're fantastic and a great switch to start your keyboard journey. Gaterons are great out of the box but feel even smoother when properly lubed, making for an incredible typing experience. Of course, there are many other linear switches out there, but overall, these are the ones I would highly recommend from experience for the daily user or gamer.

Redragon Bullet QT by @RachelleR05

When it comes to building your very first keyboard, it can be daunting and overwhelming. There's a variety of options to choose from the keyboard frame down to the keyboard switch. Personally, I love the Redragon Bullet QT mechanical switch. If someone asks me for a recommendation, they're my go-to and I will absolutely talk at length about how great they are.

These Redragon Bullet QT switches have a tactile feel and are super quiet, which I personally love because the other switches are too loud for me. I don't know about you guys but, every time I'm typing out a Word document or sending out an important email, I’d rather not let my neighbors know. Plus the switch is buttery-smooth. If you're thinking about building your very own keyboard and unsure what kind of switch you should get for your keyboard, I highly recommend the Redragon Bullet QT mechanical switches for that super smooth feel and super quiet sound.

Those switch options are just the surface – we carry a wide range of switches of different styles and feels. If you’re interested in learning more or want a bit more of a hands-on experience, stop by your local Micro Center and an associate will be happy to help you!

Acer Nitro 17 AN17-51-70CB 17.3" Gaming Laptop by @tbarggs

If you’re in the market for a gaming laptop that combines power and performance, the Acer Nitro AN17-51-70CB is a model that should be on your radar. With a focus on being built for gamers, this laptop packs a punch in both hardware and features. Sporting a generous 17.3-inch display, it immerses you in all your favorite AAA titles with its ample screen real estate. With the larger screen size, it is also great for productivity tasks, making it a versatile option for both work and play.

Under the hood, the Acer Nitro AN17-51-70CB boasts an Intel i7-13700H, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, which ensures that you’ll experience smooth gameplay even in demanding titles. These are important features for gamers who want to explore multiple titles, whether it be new AAA games, FPS titles, or RPG games. The inclusion of ray tracing capabilities and support for VR further extends its gaming prowess!

Moreover, this laptop doesn’t just excel in raw power, it also considers user comfort. Its keyboard offers responsive feedback, which any gamer knows is an extremely important feature. It also has great cooling, which will prevent overheating during prolonged use. The Acer Nitro AN17-51-70CB is a great machine that delivers both the power and features needed to ensure optimal gaming whether you’re a beginner or a veteran!

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 G533QS-DS94 15.6" Gaming Laptop By @ChaosDTV

The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 G533QS-DS94 is a top-of-the-line gaming laptop that offers the performance, features, and style that serious gamers demand. With its powerful AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 can handle even the most demanding games at ultra-high settings. The laptop also features a 300Hz IPS-Type display with a 3ms response time, ensuring that you'll never miss a beat in fast-paced action games.

In addition to its powerful hardware, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 also has several features that makes it ideal for gamers. The keyboard is backlit with per-key RGB lighting, so you can customize it to match your gaming style. The laptop also has plenty of ports, including two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, an HDMI port, and an Ethernet port. This gives you plenty of options for connecting peripherals and gaming accessories.

The ROG Strix SCAR 15 is also very well-built. The chassis is made of aluminum and magnesium alloy, which makes it both lightweight and durable. The laptop also has a number of cooling features to keep it running cool even under heavy load.

Overall, the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 G533QS-DS94 is the perfect gaming laptop for serious gamers. It offers the performance, features, and style that you need to dominate in any game. If you're looking for a killer gaming laptop, then the ROG Strix SCAR 15 is the one for you.

MSI Raider GE78HX 13VI-086US 17" Gaming Laptop by @ronwoodson

When it comes to pushing the limits of computing, the Raider GE78HX 13VI-086US Gaming Laptop is an unparalleled marvel. Featuring the latest 13th gen Intel Core i9 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 graphics with 16GB GDDR6, 64GB DDR5-5600 RAM, and a whopping 2TB SSD, this machine has been designed for those who won't settle for ordinary. Whether it's handling intricate 3D rendering, operating complex simulations, or gaming at the highest settings, the 17" QHD+ IPS 240Hz Display guarantees an experience that's nothing short of extraordinary.

But why is the Raider GE78HX an absolute necessity for power users? The answer lies in its groundbreaking capabilities. The synergy between the Core i9 processor and the RTX 4090 graphics creates a performance that's far beyond conventional standards, making it perfect for demanding tasks such as real-time video editing, large-scale data analysis, and high-fidelity virtual reality environments. Its futuristic design symbolizes a combination of high-performing technology, sleek aesthetics, and the promise to "Make the impossible possible." With Windows 11 Pro, Killer WiFi 6E AX1690i, and Bluetooth 5.3, it's not just a laptop; it's a statement of professionalism and relentless pursuit of excellence.

Imagine harnessing this immense power in your daily tasks and becoming part of an elite community that refuses to compromise on quality or performance. The Raider GE78HX is not merely a purchase; it's an investment into a future where limitations are abolished. Don't let this opportunity pass by. Embrace the future of computing, join the league of power users, and elevate your work to an unprecedented level. Visit one of our stores today and experience firsthand the beast that is ready to be unleashed. Take control of your destiny with the Raider GE78HX and redefine what's possible.

Dell G16 7620 16.0" Gaming Laptop By @TreBouncee

It is always gaming season. Whether you’re heading back to school or just looking for a mid-year upgrade, Micro Center has you covered with a wide range of gaming laptops that excel in both work and play. Take, for example, the Dell G16 7620 16.0". The G16 is a budget-friendly machine that can not only handle the day-to-day grind but also allow you game to game a reasonably high level.

The G16 features an Intel Core i7-12700H, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, 1TB of storage, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 with 6GB of dedicated GDDR6 RAM. Starting with the processor, the 12700H is a great chip. The six Performance Cores and the 8 Efficiency Cores should make even intense work a breeze. Just as in years past, the “H” series chip from Intel is their performance chip, signifying that computers that feature this chip are geared for high-intensity tasks. Backing that up is the GeForce RTX 3060, a low-key powerhouse. That card allows this “budget” computer to play some of the most graphically intense titles such as Red Dead Redemption, GTA V, and Far Cry 6. Beyond the GPU and CPU, the G16 comes with two sticks of DDR5-4800 ram and a 2280-sized 1TB. Both of those parts are removable and upgradable, which is a great way to extend the life of your laptop even further.

All these parts come in a 16-inch body with a 2560 x 1440 screen featuring a 16:10 aspect ratio to give the user a bit more real estate while maintaining clarity. Dell included a Thunderbolt 4 port as well three USB A ports, an HDMI 2.1, RJ-45, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

From the 2K display or the 12700H to the 3060 and expandable parts, the G16 checks a lot of boxes and is something I’m comfortable recommending for anyway looking to game as well as do high-intensity work.

More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more computer buying guides? We’ve got a full section dedicated to reviews and buying guides as well as The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Gaming Laptop, How to Choose Parts for you Custom PC Build, and The Best Laptops for Under $1000. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

Acer 16PM1Q Abmiuuzx 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 60Hz Portable Monitor by @phil_lost_zephyr_

When going back to school, a laptop is all but essential to take notes and do research. However, you'll inevitably end up in a situation where you have ten internet tabs open, three apps, and sound playing from some unknown location. That's a lot of stuff for just a single screen, especially when you're frequently flipping back and forth between windows. However, there is a solution: a portable monitor. 

The Acer 16PM1Q is a great and affordable portable monitor that helps get the job done. The 16PM1Q is a light, 15.6-inch monitor that comes with a built-in stand that doubles as a screen cover for privacy and protection. The 16PM1Q primarily uses the included USB-C to USB-C cable, allowing you to connect and power your monitor with a single cable. Of course, not all laptops have a USB-C port. If that's your laptop, the 16PM1Q also has a mini HDMI port in its arsenal, as well as a power adapter port for powering it up. With all these cables included, the Acer 16PM1Q is loaded with everything the student needs to create productivity to the fullest for their next class! 

SanDisk Extreme Portable 2TB SSD USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C External Solid State Drive by @ronwoodson

Hey there, all you scholarly tech-heads! Are you ready to arm your brand-new laptop with the coolest, most indispensable accessories as you head back to school? And we're not just talking about rainbow-colored keyboards or pop culture-themed mouse pads. No, today we're all about beefing up your laptop’s abilities with a crucial piece of tech - an external SSD. Say hello to the SanDisk Extreme PRO 2TB SSD, your new BFF (Best Flash Friend)!

This external SSD isn’t just your regular data storage solution. Hailing from SanDisk, a brand trusted by professional photographers worldwide, the Extreme PRO Portable SSD is like a supercharged beast under the hood, delivering powerful NVMe solid state performance. Picture this - 2000MB/s1 read/write speeds - that's nearly 2x faster than the previous generation. Now, that's fast!

What’s more, it comes with a chic forged aluminum chassis. And no, it’s not just to look pretty (though it does add some serious style points). It doubles as a heatsink, helping you work faster and longer by delivering higher sustained speeds. How's that for a study session power-up?

Worried about your data while traveling across campus or planning an adventurous weekend getaway? No sweat. The SanDisk Extreme PRO has got you covered with a 5-year limited warranty. This baby is built tough, featuring up to three-meter drop protection and IP65 water and dust resistance. It's even got a nifty carabiner loop to secure it to your belt or backpack, so it's always close at hand.

Of course, we haven't forgotten about security. The SanDisk Extreme PRO is equipped with 256-bit AES hardware encryption to keep your data private. It’s like having an elite bodyguard for your files.

All you aspiring photographers, videographers, or anyone dealing with large files, you’ll appreciate this professional-grade storage solution. With 2TB capacity, you'll have ample room for your projects, favorite movies, or even the occasional video game for those much-needed study breaks.

Now, if you’re thinking, “That sounds great, but managing all my files sounds like a pain”, SanDisk has got you covered there too. With the SanDisk Memory Zone app, available on the Google Play store, you can unlock, access, and back up your files all in one place. It can even automatically move files from your device to your SSD to free up space. How convenient is that?

So why wait? Supercharge your back-to-school tech setup with the SanDisk Extreme PRO 2TB SSD and say hello to a stress-free, ultra-efficient academic year.

Happy studying and even happier data managing, folks!

SOLO Urban Hybrid Laptop Briefcase Fits Screens up to 15.6" - Gray - @Lambdaben

The SOLO Urban Hybrid laptop briefcase backpack is a versatile and durable companion for all your daily school adventures. With multiple spacious compartments, it offers ample storage for your belongings, including a padded laptop sleeve to keep your tech safe on the go. It's hybrid design and padded shoulder straps ensure maximum comfort, making it suitable for both work and leisure activities. Whether you're heading to school, hitting the streets, or exploring the city, this backpack is a reliable and stylish choice to keep your essentials organized and secure.

Logitech G G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse by @ricardo_ortega

As the summer is ending, it is almost time to go back to school, and what better way to prepare than by upgrading our tech accessories and supplies? I don’t like using the laptop trackpad when I am on campus, so I carry a mouse on the go. Of course, I lean more toward a wireless mouse rather than a wired one since it can be a hassle and it can get tangled up in the bag. With a wireless mouse, you don't need to worry about wires, just a dongle that will be plugged into your laptop 99% of the time. If that sounds ideal to you, I highly recommend the Logitech G305 Lightspeed Gaming Mouse.

The G305 isn't just a great mouse because it's wireless, it's a perfect schoolmate thanks to its lightweight, stylish design. This mouse has two side buttons and a DPI button to adjust the mouse sensitivity, so if you have little room to use the mouse, you can increase the DPI for faster cursor movement. Now, although it relies on an (included) AA battery, the life per battery can go up to 250 hours, so you won't have to worry about your mouse dying in the middle of your third class of the day. Don’t forget that this mouse is a gaming mouse, so whenever you are in the mood to game for a bit, the G305 has your back. It also comes in a slew of colors, including black, white, lilac, mint, and blue. 

ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QR 26.95" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 165Hz Gaming Monitor Platinum Collection  - @Julia_V

The TUF Gaming monitor is a great choice for a back-to-school accessory, as it combines the best of both worlds for work and play. Whether you are shopping for a new monitor as an upgrade for a gaming PC, or if you are looking for a monitor to connect to a laptop, this monitor is extremely flexible and can be used in many different ways. 

Featuring a Full HD IPS display with a fast 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QR is fully adjustable with the ability to rotate to a vertical configuration. The IPS display gives the user incredible viewing angles and sharp visuals with no compromise. With two HDMI inputs and a DisplayPort input, the monitor can be used for both a computer and a gaming console. When I lived in the dorms with roommates, the optimization of space was crucial as I only had so much room to myself. During the day, I can use the monitor to work on my papers. When it is time to relax, I can take advantage of the fast refresh rate and the amazing image quality of the screen to play games. One other detail of this monitor that I love is the compact nature of the stand. Many gaming monitors these days have a kickstand that takes up quite a lot of space on the desk. The VG279QR features a square stand that maximizes desk space, which is extremely valuable when there is not a lot of it to begin with.

More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more information about tech buying? We’ve got Community sections dedicated to buying guides and reviews, as well as buying guides for Back-To-School Computers and Build-Your-Own Computers. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

The ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 has been one of my most anticipated laptops to test and write about. I have been a huge fan of ASUS’s ProArt product line since I started building my own systems, with their creator-centric sleek aesthetic and features. The Studiobook is one of the most beautiful, unique, and powerful machines I have ever tested. I love the fully-programmable ASUS dial and incredible pen support for both the main screen and the trackpad in particular–and that’s just the beginning of what this laptop can do. This laptop integrates all the essential creator features into one package, suitable for any hobbyist, professional artist, or content creator. As always, ASUS never ceases to amaze me with their innovative and bold design choices in both PC components and laptops.

Specifications

The ASUS Studiobook I got to test features a top-of-the-line mobile processor, the Intel i9-13980HX. The 13th Generation of Intel Processors continues to utilize the impressive hybrid architecture introduced with the 12th Generation Intel Processors. There are both dedicated Performance cores for intensive foreground tasks, as well as Efficiency cores for background processes such as video rendering. With 24 cores (8P and 16E) and 32 threads, this processor packs some incredible power. More specifically, this chip can turbo up to 5.6GHz and draw up to 100W of power. That's a higher power draw than some desktop processors. I’m really impressed by this ceiling of power, as it means that this machine can truly be used as a mobile desktop replacement workstation.

It also comes with 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR5 memory, which is upgradable to 64GB. The memory upgrade would serve as a very solid improvement later down the line, and I like that both slots are upgradable. I tend to open a lot of Chrome tabs all at once and have lots of other applications running in the background. With all that I am throwing at this machine, 16GB seems to be doing just fine for now. Storage is also easily upgradable, as there is a 2nd empty NVMe slot inside. Since the laptop already comes with 1TB, there is plenty of space to go around until an upgrade is required.

One thing that I am very impressed with on this model is actually the performance of the GeForce RTX 4060 8GB Mobile GPU. With the new Ada Lovelace Architecture of the 40-series chips, features such as DLSS 3 and AV1 encoding are available on this already powerful workstation. The Accelerated AI features on the 40 series GPU can greatly benefit artists and creators by automating and speeding up their workflows, whether it’s for live streaming, 3D modeling, or video editing. Even for gamers, the AI-upscaling frame generation feature is also great for boosting performance in demanding titles.

Display

When it comes to creator laptops, the display is probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest feature that matters. The ASUS Studiobook I am testing comes with a 16”, 16:10, 3.2K (3200x2000) OLED SGS Eye Care 120hz Touch Screen display. It is worth pointing out that compared to last year’s model of the Studiobook, this year’s StudioBook features a slightly lower resolution (compared to last year’s full 4K) but double the refresh rate - from 60hz to 120hz. This improvement is such a huge upgrade to the overall viewing experience, as the added motion clarity works extremely well with the extremely low response times of the OLED panel. While maintaining true blacks, the monitor can get as bright as 550 nits.

This OLED display is also VESA DisplayHDR True Black Certified, with 100% DCI-P3 industry standard color. In addition, the color accuracy of the screen is ensured with Calman Verified and PANTONE Validated certifications. Creators can use the built-in monitor that comes with the laptop and be assured that they are getting the highest caliber of color accuracy possible.

Another really cool feature of the display is that it supports a stylus, which means it’s possible to directly draw or notate on the screen itself. The StudioBook is compatible with the ASUS Pen 2.0, which is an MPP 2.0 Stylus that supports 4096 pressure levels. This feature makes it easy to use drawing software such as Clip Studio or Photoshop to create fast sketches and renders. The touchscreen on this laptop also makes it so much easier to navigate to different pages and open different tabs to speed up productivity workflows. Not to exaggerate, but everything about this OLED display is awesome.

With the ASUS ProArt Creator Hub Software included with the laptop, there is a built-in color management tool that can be used to calibrate the screen. Which means we don’t have to use 3rd party software to calibrate the screen, as the built-in software can already be used for that exact purpose.

Connectivity and Peripherals

From blazing-fast Wi-Fi 6E to HDMI 2.1 ports, the ASUS Studiobook has got it all. There are twin Thunderbolt 4 ports on the right side of the laptop, as well as a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port on each side. These Thunderbolt ports actually support 100W charging and DP video signal, which means two things: one, we can use Thunderbolt displays and charge the laptop through the monitor. Two, for travel, we can use smaller chargers than the 240W AC adapter that comes with the machine. There is also a real HDMI 2.1 port on the back I/O. With that, the laptop can use up to three external displays at the same time. Wireless connectivity is also extremely impressive, as the Studiobook features the latest Wi-Fi 6E and a 2.5GB LAN RJ-45 port on the back as well. In addition, there is also an SD Express 7.0 reader conveniently built into the left side of the laptop. I cannot express how much I love not having to use an adapter in order to read the SD cards from my camera on my computer.

Hands-On Experience: First Impressions

The laptop box has the signature ASUS ProArt black-and-gold accents on it. This is my personal favorite ASUS design, as it looks extremely minimalist and sleek. Inside the box, there is a separate box for the laptop and the charger. The version I was testing didn’t come with a separate ProArt backpack, but the higher end model of the Studiobook does. All the packaging, according to ASUS, can be recycled, and that just goes to show the attention to detail that was put into the entire laptop–even the cardboard box.

This model comes with anti-fingerprint coating and I was curious to try that out for myself. I started setting up the machine and testing out the keyboard soon after I took the laptop out of the box. Immediately, I was genuinely impressed by the lack of handprints from my palms resting on the lower half of the machine while I was using the keyboard. Without actually trying to find the handprints at a micro level, there was nothing that was noticeable at all from a normal distance.

After I got it set up, I took a closer look at the aluminum magnesium alloy laptop chassis. This is apparently a new version of the Studiobook chassis compared to last year’s model. Some improvements include better cooling with the addition of liquid metal and increased heatpipes. The screen is moved slightly forward to the user, and the hinge is able to lay flat at 180 degrees. Despite being a bigger laptop, it maintains a sleek and thin appearance, and I did not feel as if I had to strain myself to pick it up. With the amount of power that it packs, I feel like 5.29 pounds is a reasonable weight for a workstation laptop like this.

Of course, I also had to test the 4-way stereo speaker system. I can feel the power of the speakers on max volume through the subtle vibrations on the laptop itself. Physically, you can actually feel the 4 speakers on the corners. The sound is clear and the bass is deep, and I can absolutely use the built-in speakers for gaming. The speakers are Harman Kardon Audio and are Dolby Atmos certified.

General User Experience, Keyboard and Trackpad

I initially imagined that the large trackpad and the ASUS Dial might get in the way of typing on the keyboard. However, those fears proved unfounded. The Dial works really intuitively. For example, in Chrome, I can use the dial to shuffle through tabs, or turn down the volume of my music without having to open the apps while I am working on projects like this article.

This laptop features a close to full-sized keyboard with the number pad on the side. Not only does it feel nice and snappy to type on, I also really appreciate that it can be backlit in the dark. I can use the F-keys on the top row to adjust the brightness of the screen, mute my microphone, turn off my webcam, and so on. My favorite F-key feature on this laptop has to be F12, which is to take a screenshot. Normally I would search up “snipping tool” in my Windows search bar, manually find the app, and then activate the screenshot feature. With the amount of reference creators can collect sometimes, having this feature handy on the F-keys is incredibly useful. I also really like that I can feel the active cooling while typing on the keyboard. In the WASD area, there’s a cool breeze coming out from the laptop. While the middle part of the machine gets a bit warm, as that is where the CPU is located, the part where your hands would normally rest stays cool and breezy.

The ASUS Studiobook trackpad is truly one of its kind. While last year’s model featured three separate buttons to simulate mouse buttons, this year’s model features a brand-new haptic trackpad that makes every click feel responsive and fast. Another detail is the 16:10 ratio of the trackpad, which matches the screen 1:1. Now here is my favorite feature: the trackpad can actually be used as a drawing tablet when paired up with the ASUS Pen. I find that this feature very naturally mimics a drawing pad.

Benchmarking and Testing

The first thing I tried out on the laptop is the battery life. While working on this article, I had the laptop unplugged with music playing in the background. I generally open a lot of tabs while I work and run a lot of different background applications such as Discord and Spotify. During this test, I opted to not disable the GPU and ran the machine with the sub-optimal battery settings intentionally to see how it would perform. My test started at 7:27 PM with the battery at 100% and concluded at 9:39 with the battery at 23%. For 2+ hours of non-stop work, I found this to be quite satisfactory.

I then tested the CPU with Cinebench for its rendering capabilities. The first thing I noticed was that the cooling and noise levels on the laptop were extremely impressive. In the ProArt Creator Hub, I was given the option to change my fan curve. There were three modes: Standard mode, Performance mode, and Full Speed mode. In Standard mode, the CPU stayed around 70C while the usage was at 100%. In Performance mode, the internal laptop fans spun up to 5700 RPM, and I could feel the air blowing out of the sides and back of the machine. Personally, I found this mode to be a bit too loud for my liking, so I left the machine on Standard mode while I left the test to continue running. The Studiobook scored an impressive 23021 on the multi-core test, and 1627 on the single core test.

Performance

I tested Destiny 2 in both PvE and PvP modes on this laptop. During the entire test, noise levels were low, performance was excellent, and I was getting a consistent 80-100 FPS on the 3.2K resolution I was gaming on. At first, I expected the laptop to start feeling hotter as I ran the game for longer, but actually where my hands were resting stayed completely cool the entire time. The 120hz screen is a real game changer for this laptop compared to last year’s model, as it makes gaming extremely smooth. After running the game for around 30 minutes, I checked and the CPU temperature was around 67 degrees, which is very impressive for an i9 processor. During the entire gaming session, I felt the active airflow going through the keyboard of the laptop. While the Studiobook isn’t technically a gaming laptop, it is one of the quietest laptops I have used for gaming. I’m absolutely blown away by what this laptop was able to output for gaming performance.

The other software I was able to test on the laptop is Blender and I have to give a quick shout out to the number pad. Camera controls are much easier with a number pad in Blender, and I was able to take advantage of that. Blender is a really demanding piece of software also because there are real-time ray-tracing rendering tasks in the live viewport–this is called the Cycles rendering mode. While using this rendering mode, I found that the laptop stayed extremely responsive and quiet. With the fully programmable ASUS Dial, I also imagine that creators can personalize the way the dial works for them in Blender and speed up their workflows.

The opportunity to test and write about the ASUS Studiobook 16 OLED has been one of my favorite experiences as a Community Champion. I can’t recommend this laptop enough to any serious or hobbyist creators that want to boost their on-the-go editing capabilities. 

Looking for more reviews, news, and guides for laptops? Check out our Platinum Collection guide over here, as well as our Intel Evo Guide and Essential Creator Laptops! And if you're looking for more fantastic computers, be sure to visit us in person for even more options!

I’ve always had a thing for keyboards. Back when I was working primarily in the General Sales department, I spent many an hour testing out all of the cool demos we had on display trying to find my favorite one. Even now that I work in the Systems Department, I still find moments to wander back into the keyboard aisle to keep myself acquainted with what we offer. Plus, I still get the opportunity to help customers put together their dream setups and keyboards are no small part of it. I get excited whenever we get new keyboards in stock. Among the bigger brands putting out new models, we’ve been getting some cool options from our in-house brand: Inland. There’s a new foldable Bluetooth one, a 40% mechanical, and some really sweet 75% prebuilt and barebones keyboards. I’ve already got a couple keyboards on my wall, plus the one I’m using right now. Not to mention my collection of various other gadgets and baubles. I have absolutely no room for another keyboard.

I got one anyway.

The very first thing I noticed when I opened the Inland Gaming MK Pro Barebones was how solid it was built. I was genuinely surprised at how hefty it was. Speaking of opening, included in the box are the barebones keyboard itself, some documentation, and a baggie with a tiny screwdriver and an allen key. I immediately got to work on assembling my new keyboard.

The switches I chose were the Cherry MX Black Clear Tops. Ask anyone who knows me, I am absolutely horrible with seemingly easy decisions. I either make them spontaneously or take forever. This was one of the latter moments. After talking to another coworker who’s admittedly more into keyboards than I, I settled on my choice. They weren’t the ones he recommended, but he gave me some insight into others I was considering (thank you, Jim). These are linear switches with 63.5 centinewtons (cN) of force. Compare this to your more common MX Red switches that require 45 cN of force, they’re noticeably heavier. Cherry touts these switches as “Powerful, Direct and Retro” on their site, alluding to the fact that they are based on the MX Nixie switch which was popular in the 80s.

I went for the Inland-branded Black & White ASA keycaps for two reasons: 1) I have never owned a keyboard with an ASA keycap layout, and 2) This keycap set has a bit of a retro vibe to it that I thought would fit well with rereleased retro switches. Without getting too deep into it (trust me, that’s an article unto itself) there are over a dozen profiles out there and each type has a huge effect on acoustics and shape. ASA is a newer profile and, by extension, a little more uncommon than others. They sit up tall and have bevels in the center of each keycap to better guide your fingers into them. I personally think they are among the best looking keycaps out there. Their more rounded appearance gives them a stylish look that would match perfectly with more pastel-based color combinations (Looking at you, Inland). There is potential to make a genuinely very cute keyboard with these.  

Assembly was fairly straightforward, and I had no issues whatsoever. Everything fit into place perfectly. While connecting the switches, I noticed a very small amount of give in the PCB that hinted at foam being used to absorb sound. Once everything was together, I immediately plugged it into my Surface Pro and began typing. The quick brown fox jump sover the lazy dig. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dig. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. It took me a few tries to get acclimated to the new layout. The keycaps I chose don’t let light through the legend, but I was able to appreciate the Gaming MK Pro’s RGB between the keys and through the lightbars on the sides. RGB is controlled by holding down the function key and pressing the Backspace key to switch patterns, the left/right arrow keys to adjust speed, and the up/down arrow keys for brightness. A point of concern I have for some other keyboards is that sometimes the lighting can get choppy, especially with reactive lighting. I’m happy to report that the lighting was buttery smooth here, no matter how quickly I typed or how many keys I mashed.

Disassembly was easy, only requiring me to remove 8 allen head screws with the provided tool. I used the screwdriver to remove the secondary board from the main PCB, which houses the Mac/Windows switch and the USB Type C port. With further disassembly, one would be able to replace the preinstalled foam with another material of their choice if they want a more fine-tuned sound profile. For those interested in even further tinkering and customization, this keyboard would make it easy.

About halfway through typing this, I swapped from my daily driver to the Gaming MK Pro. It feels and sounds great, especially since I’m getting more used to the feel of these new switches and keycaps. I might just make this my new dedicated keyboard for writing up articles and school assignments. I honestly couldn’t happier with the quality of this keyboard, and especially at the price point it’s hard to bet.

Inland has been knocking it out of the park lately, and their keyboard products are no exception. I can proudly recommend the Barebones keyboard as well as their keycaps. They paired perfectly with the Cherry MX switches I chose, and I’m already trying to figure out what other combinations I may want to try next. Hopefully Inland expands upon the Gaming MK lineup with more accessories. I really would love to see more options for the frame and more keycaps. I’m excited for what’s to come! 

Keychron Q3 Pro & Pulsar X2 by @ChaosDTV

After testing so many different peripherals I finally found the combo that really suits me - and we just got them in stores! Starting off, my keyboard is the Keychron Q3 Pro. The Q3 pro is absolutely loaded with features, including options for both wired and wireless connectivity. The Q3 Pro can be connected to your devices wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.1 or wired via USB-C. Beyond your choice of connection, there are plenty of more tactile options, thanks to hot-swappable switches. You can easily change out the switches to customize the feel and sound of your keyboard. This is a great feature for people who want to experiment with different switches or who want to be able to repair their keyboard if a switch fails. The whole keyboard is brought together by its incredible, sturdy aluminum base, which definitely gives it a premium feel.

For my mouse, I’m using the Pulsar X2 Wireless esports mouse and I cannot stress enough how fantastic a lightweight mouse this is. Great, sturdy quality overall makes this an exceptional tool in my gaming arsenal. Plus, the X2 can be used while charging, so you won’t have to log off as soon as the battery runs out! Currently, Pulsar has one of the best sensors in the esports world, making this a must-have for any aspiring esports athletes who want to find a competitive edge. And it's reasonably priced, so you won’t have to break the bank to get a great gaming mouse!

Inland Gaming MK Pro & SteelSeries Aerox 5

I recently got my hands on the new Inland Gaming MK PRO and have been using it as my daily driver at work for the past month or so. I immediately fell in love with the design. The combination of old-school, egg-shell white keycaps with more modern blacks and oranges gives it a unique design that makes it stand apart from the crowd. And it’s not just the aesthetic that makes it such an incredible keyboard – doing my daily work on it is fantastic, thanks to unique keycaps and wonderful brown switches. The keycaps have a (relatively) deep concave design, making it easy to know exactly where my fingers are as I’m typing, without worry of them slipping and hitting other keys. The brown switches, my personal favorite, offer the tactile feedback of blues without clicking and annoying all of my coworkers.

My mouse, the SteelSeries Aerox 5, is lightweight, snappy, and ready to work all day. While the mouse is a bit more of a traditional gaming mouse (perhaps not needed for word processors and Community work), I appreciate the extra buttons for quick navigation. At only 66g, I can use it all day without my wrist getting tired and still have the energy to game when I get home!

Keychron V1 & Pulsar Xlite Retro by @BenjaminLaRocque125

I am currently using a Keychron V1 keyboard and Pulsar Xlite Retro wireless mouse. These two sitting next to each other are just so satisfying to use. The V1 is great because I wanted a budget-friendly board that is TKL (tenkeyless, or without the number pad), has hot-swappable switches, and uses open-source firmware. It has Keychron K Pro brown switches and sound-absorbing foam, so you get a nice tactile response from the brown switch without the loud “click.”

The Xlite is a gorgeous mouse with Huano Blueshell Pinkdot switches and flagship PAW3370 sensor in a lightweight, ergonomic, and simple design. In layman’s terms, that all adds up to a mouse that weighs just 59g, offers up to 80 million clicks, and a high-quality sensor for 400 IPS speed with 50g of acceleration and up to a whopping 20,000 DPI.

Combining the Keychron V1 and Pulsar Xlite you get a game-ready setup that’s still sleek and subtle enough that no one in an office would bat an eye at it.

Logitech G513 & Logitech G502 by @Vaganza

I have been a Mac user since 1984 and was an Apple II user prior to that, so for the most part I have always had a Mac Keyboard. While there have been some really great ones (and some that I question), eventually you find it’s time to try something new.

For the longest time, I had always preferred the super slim and really flat Magic Keyboard from Apple. I find I still type faster on that than just about everything and still use one often. My job made me move over to Windows mostly due to AutoDesk and several AV programming applications that I use daily. I played around with a dual boot for a while and, while I could work with that pretty much without issue, I found I lacked the dedicated graphics power needed for Revit. So, I moved everything to Windows. Initially, I kept using a Magic Keyboard but decided that the Magic Mouse was not going to work for me in the AutoDesk realm, so I switched that out and decided to trade out my keyboard at the same time. 

So, I researched. And researched. And researched. At the time, I had no idea how much there was to know about keyboards. But as with everything I do in life, I tried to learn all that I could. I read about things like keyboard switches, form factors, and control software and even I tried out a lot of them (thankfully, we have a ton of display units available for testing at our stores!). I figured out really quickly I do not like soft keys, and that the clickier and more annoying the keyboard the better, especially when on the phone with co-workers so they can hear every keystroke over the phone as loud as possible. 

Now, do I go custom? Maybe eventually, as I learn more and more, I may. But I decided to go to a brand I am familiar with and have always been comfortable with. I decided to look toward Logitech’s Gaming line and the G series. I don’t play games other than some occasional Star Trek Online, but I have found what gamers look for in keyboard and mice can be applied to designers easily. Customization of function keys on both the keyboard and mouse is hugely beneficial to program macros in AutoCAD or Illustrator, and I do both here. The software that supports the keyboard and mouse is awesome at supporting this. 

Being in the Cincinnati Area, part of my decision on which Logitech G Series Keyboard came from wanting to represent the good ole’ 513. So, the G513 from Logitech is what I went with, specifically the model with blue clicky switches. This thing is solid. Super sturdy and dense construction, with not a lot of extra buttons. I love the sleek and carbon-colored metal finish. It even has a handy passthrough USB port to plug in thumb drives or my iPod Shuffle to charge and load playlists easily. About the only thing I might have liked extra on this would be a reliable volume knob. 

Once I had the keyboard, I just had to pick a mouse. Thankfully, this was an easy decision as the G502 from Logitech has massive accolades in the community, and for the price point, it is stellar. There are just a couple of programmable buttons there and I use them for copy and paste in my design software. I opted for the non-wireless version here, as I prefer the wired benefits. This mouse comes with optional weights to add to it which I have loaded to the max, as I prefer the heftiness when drawing. 

The software is pretty straightforward, are there a lot of crazy whizbang things you can do with the Lightsync. It requires some work, but I did find the interface preferrable to a few others I had tested out. What I do love most about the software is that your preferences can be saved in memory slots on the keyboard and mouse itself so If I use my mouse on my notebook computer in the field, the settings travel with the mouse.  Another great feature that G Hub offers is you can share your settings with the community really easily. 

My Lightsync settings, for the most part, are pretty simple. When the computer is asleep, the keys are all red. When I log in, the red shifts from the center of the keyboard out, turning to white as it passes from key to key, just like a curtain opening on a stage performance (I appreciate that as a theater geek.) From there, I use Ripple, which is like dropping a pebble into a pond with each key press.

We'll kick it off with Ron's recommendation that doubles as a quick explainer of all the core computer components!

Acer Aspire 5 15 A515-58MT-70H4 15.6" Laptop Computer - Steel Gray - @ronwoodson

Hey there, future world changers! You're probably gearing up for the new academic year, and one question that's likely on your mind is: "What's the best laptop for my major?" Well, if you're on the hunt for a laptop that offers maximum power without breaking the bank (and let's face it, who isn't?), we've got a recommendation that's right up your alley - the Acer Aspire 5 15 A515-58MT-70H4. This isn't a gaming beast, but rather a high-performance, cost-effective workhorse that's perfect for a wide range of collegiate disciplines.

First off, the Acer Aspire 5 15 is a snappy-looking laptop sporting a cool steel gray color. It runs on Windows 11 Home and features a 15.6" full HD widescreen LED-backlit IPS touch display. This means that not only will your visuals be crisp and sharp, but you'll also have the convenience of a touchscreen at your fingertips (literally!). But that's just the surface, let's dive deeper.

At its heart, this laptop is powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor that clocks in at 1.2GHz and can turbo boost up to a whopping 5.0GHz. If the CPU is the brain of the computer, a turbo-boosted CPU is like having a super-smart brain that can think faster and process more information simultaneously. So, whether you're running complex simulations for your engineering course or editing a short film for your multimedia project, this laptop is ready to assist.

The Aspire 5 15 comes with a generous 32GB of onboard LPDDR5 RAM. Think of RAM as the space on your desk where you spread out all the books, papers, and tools you're currently using. The more RAM you have, the larger your "desk" and the more things you can work on at the same time without feeling cluttered. With 32GB of RAM, you can run multiple heavy-duty applications simultaneously without a hitch. For example, with 32GB of RAM, the Aspire 5 15 A515-58MT-70H4 provides ample memory space for today's virtual machine engineering operations, which can be memory-intensive, enabling smoother execution and better performance of RiSC and stack-based programs.

Graphics-wise, the Aspire 5 15 is equipped with Intel Iris Xe Graphics. That handles all the visuals, animations, and images. While it's not a high-end dedicated graphics card usually seen in gaming rigs, it's still pretty capable. If you're dabbling in light 3D modeling for your engineering designs or rendering animations for your multimedia class, this can handle it decently well.

The laptop also features a colossal 1TB Solid State Drive (SSD) for storage. That's plenty of room to store all your coursework, projects, programs, and even a sizable media library. And since it's an SSD, you can expect faster load and transfer times compared to traditional hard drives.

On the connectivity front, the Aspire 5 15 is well-equipped with the latest Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax for lightning-fast wireless connections, and Bluetooth 5.1 for all your peripheral devices. With multiple USB ports and an HDMI port, you're all set for presentations, external storage, and peripheral devices.

Additionally, the laptop boasts a backlit keyboard (perfect for late-night study sessions), a multi-gesture touchpad, and an array of smart tech features like Hyper-Threading Technology, Intel Speed Shift Technology, and Intel Deep Learning Boost to name a few. These all contribute to enhancing the overall performance and user experience.

All in all, the Acer Aspire 5 15 A515-58MT-70H4 is an excellent, budget-friendly choice for students seeking a powerful, feature-rich laptop that won't burn a hole in their pocket (SKU: 556951 | $799.99). Whether you're an engineer designing the next green technology, an animator bringing characters to life, a content creator influencing the digital space, or just a power user who needs a reliable machine, this laptop is a versatile companion that's ready to take on the challenge.

Now, go forth and conquer your academic year with the right tech by your side!

HP ProBook 450 G9 15.6" Laptop Computer - Silver - @Julia_V

The HP ProBook 450 G9, with its long battery life, excellent specifications, and sturdy chassis, is an excellent option for those that are looking for a back-to-school laptop. The ProBook 450 G9 is perfect for students that are looking to use word processing software, create presentations, and need to study on the go. 

The HP ProBook is a business-grade machine that features a 12th Generation Intel i7-1255U processor, 16GB of memory, and a large 1TB Solid State Drive. Battery life is excellent thanks to the power-efficient U-series Intel Processor, giving the user up to 10 hours with one charge. As this sort of machine is mainly used for creating and storing text files and PDF documents, I have no doubts that it will last several years with the massive 1TB drive. The Probook also has a wide range of connectivity options, with 3 high-speed USB 3.1 ports, an HDMI port, a fast USB-C port, and even the option for wired ethernet. The laptop can easily be hooked up to an external projector or monitor, and plugging in peripherals such as a wireless mouse and keyboard to the laptop is a breeze. Its 15-inch Full HD Anti-glare touchscreen display makes it easy to open multiple browser windows or applications to maximize productivity. More often than not, I find that students often use their laptops as much, if not more, than people that use their laptops for work. The business-quality chassis will be able to handle any online classes, online textbooks, and having to submit writing online over several years of school to come.

G516PowerSpec G516 Gaming PC - @Lambdaben

Whether you're looking for the ultimate gaming experience or the ultimate college workstation, the Powerspec G516 has you covered. Featuring the powerful, Micro Center exclusive AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, this is a desktop that is ready for school work and the much-needed breaks in between assignments. This beast of a CPU boasts 6 cores and 12 threads, delivering impressive performance and unrivaled multitasking capabilities. Paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT graphics card, you'll witness breathtaking visuals and seamless gameplay at max settings. Whether you're conquering the latest AAA titles or diving into creative projects, this PC build ensures you stay ahead of the curve.

With a swift 16GB of RAM, multitasking becomes a breeze, allowing you to run multiple applications effortlessly, like Word while you wait for your next round of Valorant to load. Say goodbye to long boot times, as the 500GB NVMe solid-state drive guarantees quick boot-ups and snappy performance. The ASRock B550M-C motherboard provides a reliable and feature-rich foundation, while the 650W Gold power supply ensures efficient and stable power delivery, reducing the risk of unexpected crashes during those intense gaming sessions.

Assembled with meticulous attention to detail, the Powerspec G516 is a masterpiece that balances power, efficiency, and affordability. Experience gaming like never before, where every frame comes to life, and never worry "can my computer run this class-required program" again! Don't miss out on the opportunity to elevate your college setup with our AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT, and cutting-edge components that guarantee an unforgettable journey. Upgrade your gaming arsenal today!

(We recently published a full review of the PowerSpec G516, if you want to know more!)

Acer Aspire 5 Spin A5SP14-51MTN-74SB 14" 2-in-1 Laptop Computer - Steel Gray - @tbarggs

If you’re looking for a recommendation for a great back-to-school computer, the Acer Aspire 5 Spin is a fantastic option. It boasts an Intel i7 13th Gen processor, 16 GB of RAM, & 1TB of storage. These specs make it perfect for back to school as it will handle any school needs ranging from word processing to watching videos! On top of the already great specs, it also is a 2-in-1 with a touchscreen. This means that it can be flipped over and used as a tablet, and it comes with a built-in pen which is great for handwriting notes.

This laptop is very portable and lightweight, which makes it a perfect machine for back to school. You don’t want to be lugging around a huge laptop for everyday use! This laptop also has an HDMI port, so if the 14” screen seems a bit small for your needs, you can still plug it into a bigger monitor to use when you’re at home or in your dorm. Overall, this machine is great for school and is a great recommendation for anyone looking for an easy-to-use, no-frills laptop!

More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more information about tech buying? We’ve got Community sections dedicated to buying guides and reviews, as well as buying guides for Back-To-School Computers and Build-Your-Own Computers. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

Over the past month, I had the opportunity to take home and test the MSI Stealth 14 Studio laptop. The Stealth, powered by an Intel Core i7-13700H and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, paired with 16 gigabytes of RAM and a terabyte of SSD storage, proved to be a very capable companion for a variety of tasks, whether it be photo editing, video editing, light gaming, or more menial tasks like online classes.

Pretty colors!

During my initial unboxing, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the laptop had a soft iridescent finish on the top and bottom white covers, which contrasts well with the black found on the rear exhaust and keyboard. Powering on the computer, I was greeted with gorgeous keyboard RGB powered by SteelSeries as well as some lighting on the rear panel highlighting, the STEALTH logo, and some soft lighting at the 11 and 1 o’clock angles. Clocking in at just 3.75 pounds, this laptop is light enough to carry and manipulate with ease. The right side features a Thunderbolt 4 port, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and a 3.5mm combo jack. The left side contains the AC in, HDMI 2.1, and USB C 3.2 Gen 2 (w/ DisplayPort and PowerDelivery). As a side note, this laptop does not charge over USB type C.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how pleased I was with the display, which was bright, crisp, and colorful. The screen is of the 16:10 aspect ratio, which is slowly becoming more and more popular for productivity laptops as people realize the benefits of having more vertical real estate. The resolution is 2560x1600, with a 240Hz refresh rate which makes the entire experience that much more fluid. MSI claims 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, which is a boon for anyone using the Stealth for Studio work (hint hint, it’s in the name). A side effect of the extra color is that games like Sonic Frontiers and Hi-Fi Rush—which make great use of color palettes to convey mood—look stunning. MSI doesn’t publish a brightness spec for this particular laptop, but its screen is just as bright if not a bit brighter than my Surface Pro 7 which clocks in at about 400 nits. I find that keeping the screen at 50% brightness is perfect even when under another light source.

Inside of the Stealth 14. The grey square in the middle covers two DDR5 RAM slots.

Disassembly is as easy as removing the 8 screws on the bottom cover and popping it off. This is one of the easier laptops to disassemble, as the plastic clips aren’t as willing to partake in Mortal Kombat with me as other laptops I’ve taken apart. Once inside, you’re presented with a bunch of stuff. The important bits consist of the Intel WiFi/Bluetooth card, a Gen 4 2280 M.2 NVMe provided by our friends at Micron, a 70Wh battery that can be replaced, and a metal plate. Two 8GB RAM sticks produced by SK Hynix sit under that plate, which is held on by a few clips. All well and good! The parts are fairly easy to access, replace, or upgrade if need be. MSI is pretty good with keeping their laptops easy to open and upgrade.

Experimenting with the SteelSeries GG software

On the gaming side of things, I tested Battlefield 2042, Rainbow Six: Siege, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, War Thunder, and Halo Infinite. These were tested with the laptop plugged in and they were run at the laptop’s native resolution of 2560x1600, which kept things nice and crisp. Although lowering the resolution a bit would have helped net some extra frames, I found that it wasn’t needed. All six games I tested were more than playable. War Thunder and Rainbow Six: Siege were both tested at their “Ultra” presets, as both games are known to be extremely well optimized. The four other games were tested at their “Medium” settings (or “Balanced”, as some games call it). I also played a few other games that frankly didn’t require any benchmarking, such as CS:GO, Worms W.M.D. ( a personal GOAT), and Sonic Frontiers. The latter is engine locked to 60fps, which is maintained perfectly throughout. And these aren’t just great-at-home-games either. The Stealth 14 makes for a solid portable gaming machine. It was quite nice being able to throw it in my Chrome bag along with a small controller and play games like Sonic Frontiers or Hi-Fi Rush. I just had to keep a close eye on my battery (a little more on that in a moment).

For a laptop marketed heavily towards creators, this device can handle a wide variety of games while maintaining steady framerates.

Of course, with any productivity laptop, you’re probably going to want to use it for things beyond gaming. There are a lot of options for benchmarks, but I opted for one of the most popular: Blender benchmarks. I ran the Stealth through the full suite – Monster, Junkshop, and Classroom. The results are impressive, showing that this isn’t a machine just for gaming on the go. It’s ready for productivity wherever and whenever you need it!

Temperatures and volume are worth noting. Anytime you fire up a game or perform any heavy productivity tasks—such as exporting videos—the cooling system gets to work. The volume of the fans is what I would refer to as “average” among the gaming laptops I’ve experienced, perhaps slightly louder due to the smaller form factor. During games, I found that CPU temperatures hovered around 90°C and the GPU temps settled near 80°C. I didn’t notice any 100° peaks from the CPU, nor any major throttling even during extended sessions. All said and done, the cooling system does exactly what it’s supposed to do but I would, as with most laptops, recommend a pair of headphones if you’re going to be playing games that require precise sound.

Finally, to cover battery life I performed two tests: One playing a YouTube video with the volume at 20% and brightness at 50%, and another playing various games with the volume also at 20% and with the brightness at 50%. The MSI Stealth provided 2 hours and 55 minutes of battery life during the video playback test, and 1 hour 35 minutes of gameplay. I’d highly recommend keeping the charger handy on longer outings and keeping an eye on the percentage. If you need to squeeze a little more juice out of this laptop, lowering your brightness and adjusting your power settings within Windows will help.

Back panel of the Stealth

All in all, I was quite pleased with the Stealth 14 Studio. It proved itself to be quite the performer and was a joy to use. It would make a great partner in crime for any on-the-go content creators or part time gamers. As with any gaming computer, I highly recommend taking some time and fine tuning the graphics settings in any game you play as this can make a huge difference in performance. The graphics presets are made to cover a wide berth of machines, and every configuration responds differently. There is some room for improvement when it comes to battery life, however, I do understand that having so much power in a small package comes with some considerations. I’m finding it kind of hard to let this little laptop go, but alas, I enjoy my job and would like to keep it. It’ll be on display at the Chicago Micro Center for the next few weeks.

Those shifts in color aren't a camera or a lighting issue, they're the iridescence!

As a final note, this was my first ever in-depth laptop review! Please let me know in the comments if there’s more you’d like to see next time around. I had so many ideas, but I didn’t want to make this too long, but I’m happy to go more in-depth on the things people want to see!

Looking for more reviews, news, and guides for laptops? Check out our Platinum Collection guide over here, as well as our Intel Evo Guide and Essential Creator Laptops! And if you're looking for more fantastic computers, be sure to visit us in person for even more options!

All prices taken at time of writing

There’s no denying that AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology has been a real game changer for gaming performance. It’s made the last-gen AMD Ryzen 5 5800X3D is still one of the best gaming CPUs you can buy, and that the new Ryzen 7000 X3D models are amongst the best gaming processors available. But none of them have been super affordable, until now.

Meet the Ryzen 5600X3D, a limited-run CPU available exclusively from Micro Center at $229.99 by itself, or as part of a $329.99 bundle that includes the processor, a motherboard, and RAM or in the PowerSpec G516 pre-build, while stocks last (more on both these later!). This is a single batch of processors, too, so stock will not last. If you want it, get it while you can, as there won’t be any more once they’re gone.

But why would you want this six-core 3D V-Cache CPU when newer, higher-end models are available? Because it’s a performance monster in gaming. While it is running on an older Zen 3 architecture, with an older 7nm process node, and it may “only” have six cores and 12 threads, none of that matters when it comes to gaming. In our testing, this CPU performs so close to the 5800X3D, that it’s arguably the best budget gaming processor in the world right now.

Thought you couldn’t afford an X3D CPU this generation? Think again. The Ryzen 5 5600X3D is here to give you superior gaming performance for less.

What is the Ryzen 5600X3D?

The AMD Ryzen 5600X3D is a CPU based on the Zen 3 architecture and using the AM4 socket. That makes it compatible with older motherboards based on the X570, B550, and some earlier chipsets. It’s compatible with motherboards that have updated to add support for the 5800X3D, although we did find it would boot in systems that hadn’t been updated – it just wouldn’t boost correctly. It’s only compatible with DDR4 memory.

This CPU is not getting a full release from AMD and will instead only be available exclusively from Micro Center as part of this limited run. Most of them have been made available individually for DIY customers and as part of several motherboard bundles. Some will also be available in Micro Center pre-built gaming PCs.

By the numbers

Before we dig into the benchmarks that prove what a capable little CPU it is, let’s take a look at the numbers to see how the 5600X3D fits into the line of available AMD processors.

AMD’s current CPU lines straddle a pair of generations, so there are a lot of different chips to pick from. Even with all this choice, though, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D finds a unique niche among the pack. It has the same six cores and 12 threads as the 5600X, but with the now-classic X3D clock speed reductions as we saw in the 5800X3D and 7000-series X3D CPUs. It also has the higher 105W TDP of the top-tier Ryzen 5000 CPUs, making it a hotter and more-power-hungry CPU than some of its compatriots.

But all of that is in service of the additional cache. Where the Ryzen 5 5600X has but 36MB of L2 + L3 cache, the 5600X3D has 100MB. That’s a gigantic improvement – and equally comparable to the 5800X3D’s leap over the 5800X. Will it have the same impact on gaming performance with a chip with fewer cores and lower clocks?

Is the Ryzen 5 5600X3D set to steal the value gaming crown? It certainly has the potential.

5600X3D vs 5800X3D

Throughout testing, I compared the 5600X3D to its most important competitor of the Ryzen 5000 generation: The Ryzen 7 5800X3D. With a $50 difference in price between the two chips, the 5600X3D will need to offer excellent performance to be a competitive alternative.

Test system and methodology

To test the AMD Ryzen 5600X3D, I put it through its paces in a number of synthetic applications and real-world games. The test PC used to benchmark the processor was made up of the following components:

CPU: AMD Ryzen5 5600X3D

Cooler: MSI MAG CoreLiquid C360 with Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut

Motherboard: ASUS X570 ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero

RAM: 16GB G.Skill Ripjaws 3600MHz CL19

Graphics: ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4090 OC Edition

Storage: 2TB WD Black SN770

Case: Cooler Master MasterFrame 700

Windows 11 and all drivers were updated to the latest available at the time of testing. The memory EXPO profile was turned on, and resizeable BAR was enabled in the BIOS. Although the RTX 4090 is overkill for a system like this, using the fastest graphics card possible ensures that the CPU is never bottlenecked by the GPU and therefore can show us the greatest disparity in performance between it and the competition.

The benchmarks used to test these processors were as follows:

• Cinebench R23
• 7Zip compression test
• PugetBench for Photoshop

I also used the following games:

• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Civilization VI (AI turn timer test)

All games were tested with a focus on 1080p and 1440p resolution, with no DLSS, FSR, or XeSS enabled. This is well below what our RTX 4090 is capable of (or designed for), but we did it for a few reasons. Firstly, these resolutions and lower represent over 90% of Steam gamers. They’re specifically likely to be the target resolutions of anyone purchasing an entry-level gaming CPU like the 5600X3D. Sticking to these lower resolutions also guarantees that our RTX 4090 won’t cause any bottlenecks that would inhibit the accuracy of our results.

That’s the same reason that I kept ray tracing off in all supporting games during testing – even if the RTX 4090 is the most powerful ray tracing graphics card ever made.

Cinebench R23

Cinebench is a great application for testing raw CPU performance, and though it doesn’t necessarily show exactly how a processor will perform in the real world, it’s a useful tool for comparing CPUs and their capabilities.

It proved to be a great example of the differences between our two tested CPUs, too. The Ryzen 5800X3D achieved a multi-core score of 14,155, and a single core score of 1,483.

The Ryzen 5600X3D achieved a multi-core score of 10,637 – showing the clear difference that two fewer cores can make in multi-threading performance. However, its single core score was 1,452. Considering gaming tends to benefit more from per-core performance than heaps of additional cores, this gives us our first hint of the tantalizing potential of the 5600X3D.

7Zip compression test

7Zip is an iconic, free and open-source file archiver with a great built-in benchmark for testing the abilities of a processor to compress and decompress files. Like Cinebench, it highlights how losing a couple of cores does inhibit the productivity performance of the 5600X3D.

The 5800X3D achieved compress and decompress scores of 85, and 114 MIPS, respectively. The 5600X3D, on the other hand, managed 71, and 86 MIPS.

PugetBench for Photoshop

Adobe’s PhotoShop is a demanding application, but most of its tasks, tools, and filters benefit more from stronger single-core performance than lots of additional cores, so it’s a good test to look at the difference (if any) between our two X3D CPUs. To make a simple, and repeatable benchmark, I used the PugetBench for Photoshop extension.

The 5800X3D managed a score of 1,050, while the 5600X3D achieved a score of 1,014 – that’s close to within the margin of error and shows little difference in overall performance between the two chips.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is still a demanding game and scales excellently with CPU and GPU performance, so it’s a great game to use to test these two processors. We used the in-game benchmark running at the highest settings for every setting (with ray tracing disabled) at both 1080p and 1440p resolution.

The 5800X3D managed minimum, 95%, and average frame rates of 182, 192, and 273 FPS, respectively, at 1080p. The 5600X3D, however, was nipping at its heels, with frame rates of 176, 188, and 263 FPS, respectively.

At 1440p, the story was much the same. Where the 5800X3D managed minimum, 95%, and average frame rates of 185, 196, and 277, respectively. The 5600X3D, was similarly close, with 171, 180, and 261 FPS.

This puts the 5600X3D CPU within just 2-3% of the 5800X3D at 1080p, and around 8% slower at 1440p. That’s very, very close for a CPU that is $50 cheaper and suggests the 5600X3D could be the best gaming processor around its price point for 1080p gaming.

Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition

Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition is a few years old, but still incredibly pretty and incredibly demanding, even with high-end hardware. Although it tends to demand more from the graphics card than the CPU, a good processor can still go a long way.

I used the game’s built-in benchmark and ran it with the Extreme preset at 1080p and 1440p.

At 1080p resolution the 5800XD managed minimum and average frame rates of 91 and 149, respectively. The 5600X3D was very close again, managing 86 and 143 FPS.

At 1440p it was even closer, with the 5800X3D achieving minimum and average frame rates of 79 and 124, while the 5600X3D was able to hit 78 and 122 FPS. That’s within the margin of error at 1440p, and less than 5% difference at 1080p, and shows that the 5600X3D is just as good for playing Metro Exodus as the more expensive 5800X3D is.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most demanding games you can play in 2023 with recent releases ramping up the ray tracing effects to utterly ludicrous levels. We kept the ray tracing turned off for our testing of this game but used the built-in benchmark with all settings at their highest, and ran it at 1080p and 1440p resolution.

The 5800X3D hit minimum and average frame rates of 67 and 195, while the 5600X3D actually beat it slightly, with frame rates of 70 and 196, respectively. Once again, the more-affordable 5600X3D is proving itself just as capable as the best gaming processor of its generation.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is still a beautiful-looking game, and it can scale really well with CPU and GPU performance. Its built-in benchmark makes it super easy to test too, so we used that for testing these two processors. I had all settings at ultra or their highest, with TAA enabled, at 1080p and 1440p.

The 5800X3D managed average and maximum frame rates of 120 and 261 FPS at 1080p. The 5600X3D was almost identical, at 119, and 223 FPS. The same was true at 1440p, where the 5800X3D achieved average and maximum frame rates of 118 and 260, while the 5600X3D hit 117 and 228 FPS.

While there was a notable difference in the maximum frame rates, that appeared to have very little impact on the overarching average, suggesting that the maximum was a brief spike somewhere in the test run. In actuality, the 5600X3D performed virtually identically to the more-expensive 5800X3D.

Civilization VI

Civilization VI is a demanding game for different reasons that the other games here. While its graphics don’t stress graphics cards too much, the AI calculations can put a processor through its paces. Turn times are faster on faster processors, and slower on slower ones. The added cache of 3D V-Cache CPUs has proved particularly effective at accelerating this, so both CPUs should achieve a great result here.

Both processors’ results were almost identical. The 5800X3D managed a turn time of 5.99, while the 5600X3D managed 6.05.

5600X3D vs. non-X3D CPUs

One of the downsides of AMD’s X3D processors is that the addition of the extra cache means lowering the maximum boost clocks for the processors. That tends to result in slightly worse general productivity performance, giving casual gamers a reason why they might prefer a CPU without 3D V-Cache.

To see just how much gaming performance you’d be giving up if you went down that route, we sent our lab tech to investigate how the 5600X3D compares to some popular non-X3D CPUs from AMD’s recent generations.

He used the following setups for testing the 5600X3D and other Ryzen 5000 and 7000 CPUs:

•  Motherboard: ASRock X570 Steel Legend Wifi (BIOS P4.10) [AM4], ASRock X670E Steel Legend (BIOS P1.07) [AM5]
• Processor: 5600X3D, 5800X3D, 5600X, 5900X [AM4], Ryzen 5 7600X [AM5]
• Memory: G.Skill DDR4 3200 2x8GB (F4-3200C16-8GVKB x2) [AM4], G.Skill DDR5 5200 2x16GB (F5-5200J3636C16GX2-RS5W) [AM5]
• Cooler: Corsair H110i 240mm AIO
• GPU: MSI RTX 4090 Gaming Trio 24G
• PSU: PowerSpec 1050W 80+ Gold Fully Modular (1050GFM)
• Chassis: Lian Li ATX 205 Mesh
• SSD/OS: Western Digital Blue SN570 1TB (Windows 11 22H2)

The benchmarks he used for testing included the following:

• Cyberpunk 2077
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition.

He tested each of the games at 1080p and 1440p to show how the CPUs perform at different resolutions, with all graphics settings set to Ultra.

Cyberpunk 2077

In Cyberpunk 2077, the 5600X3D performed within the margin of error of the 5800X3D at both 1080p and 1440p, with average frame rates of 176 and 153 FPS, respectively. That puts them both well ahead of every other Ryzen 5000 CPU, beating the 5900X and 5600X by over 35 FPS.

The Ryzen 5 7600X proved the most competitive, beating out both the X3D CPUs by around 8 FPS. That shows the strength of Zen 4, but you need a whole new motherboard and DDR5 memory for that setup.

Horizon Zero Dawn

In Horizon Zero Dawn, the two X3D CPUs were even more impressive. The 5800X3D had an average frame rate of 226 FPS, while the 5600X3D was very close, with 221 FPS. The average was over 30 FPS more than the 5900X and 5600X, and almost identical to that of the 7600X.

Where the X3D CPUs really shone though, is in their minimum FPS. Where they both had an average of 75 FPS there, the 7600X fell to just 58 FPS, showing the real strength of the 3D V-Cache in some games to smooth out frame rates for less noticeable drops.

Metro Exodus

As we saw with our previous head-to-head in this title, the results are very close for all CPUs, with a greater emphasis placed on graphical power. However, the 5800X3D and 5600X3D still performed excellently. The Ryzen 7 CPU managed average and minimum frame rates of 133 and 74 FPS, while the Ryzen 5 hit 131 and 71 FPS.

In comparison, the 5900X managed 121 and 68 FPS, while the 5600X just 122 and 67 FPS. The 7600X proved to be the best of the bunch, with 138 FPS average, although its minimums were once again slightly lower than that of the X3D CPUs, with just 71 FPS.

Power and thermals

One of the defining features of AMD’s Ryzen 7000 X3D CPUs is their energy efficiency. That’s not so obvious with the 5600X3D, which has the same 105W TDP of its higher-end counterpart, the 5800X3D – despite the lower clocks and fewer cores. Still, with some modern CPUs demanding well over 200W when boosting, a modest power draw and thermal output is a real standout in modern processors, so if the 5600X3D can be more energy efficient than its immediate competition, that would be a real selling point for some potential buyers.

During testing the 5600X3D had a maximum power draw of 95W during sustained all-core loads. During that time, it would hit a stable all-core boost clock of 4.2GHz under our 360mm AIO cooler. Despite the overbuilt cooler for this kind of CPU, it still hit 88 degrees under full load and stayed there throughout.

When running single-threaded tests, the CPU would boost a little higher, to 4.45GHz.

In comparison, our Ryzen 5800X3D hit 4.45GHz across all cores during heavy multi-threaded workloads, demanding 105W from the power supply and sitting at a sustained 82 degrees. When running single threaded workloads, it was able to boost a little higher to 4.55GHz.

The efficiency difference between these two CPUs is minimal, but if you’re trying to build a super-quiet and efficient gaming PC on a budget, the 5600X3D does pull less power than the 5800X3D, which may help you achieve your goals.

Overclocking

Overclocking is officially disabled on AMD X3D CPUs – the only ones it’s released in many years to do so. Although there are some slight potential gains to be made by undervolting the CPU, I didn’t find any tangible benefit from doing so. Likewise, enabling Precision Boost didn’t have any major effect on frequency or real-world performance.

Conclusion

The 5600X3D held its own fantastically in our testing and proved it’s a CPU that is worthy of being released into the general gaming public. Despite its lower core count, lower clock speed, and last-generation architecture and process node, it is very, very competitive with higher-end and newer processors with higher price tags.

The 5800X3D remains the best gaming processor of the Ryzen 5000 generation and its additional two cores do give it an advantage over the 5600X3D in some games and applications. AMD’s Zen 4 Ryzen 7000 CPUs are also a better buy for future upgrades. However, the 5600X3D is a tantalising option for anyone running older Ryzen processors who want an upgrade to a modern gaming processor. You’ll have to spend a lot more to get a lot better, and if you have an existing Ryzen gaming PC, it’s a simple drop-in upgrade that you can do with ease – just make sure your BIOS is up to date.

This is a processor that won’t be around for long, though. Like the 5800X3D it is a unicorn CPU, offering truly next-generation gaming performance but in the last-generation form factor. It’s close to the pinnacle of AM4 gaming performance for not-far-north of $200. Pair it up with any modern graphics card and you’ll have an amazing gaming PC for 1080p or 1440p play.

This is the first (and probably-last) batch of these processors, though. If you want one, get it while you can.

Ryzen 5 5600X3D Bundle and the PowerSpec G516

If you’re ready to make one of the Ryzen 5 5600X3Ds your own, you have a few options. The first, of course, is the chip by itself. If you’re looking to save a little money and get a full basis for your build, Micro Center is offering a $329.99 bundle that includes an ASUS B550-PLUS TUF Gaming Motherboard and 16GB of G.Skill Ripjaws V RAM. That’s the core of your build already ready to go!

Alternatively, if you want the power of the Ryzen 5 5600X3D but don’t want to build your own system, PowerSpec’s prebuilt G516 is a great solution. Built to maximize the power of the Ryzen 5 5600X3D, the G516 comes with 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, a 500GB SSD, and an AMD Radeon RX 6650XT, making it a killer 1080p – with the potential to dabble in 1440p – system.

The PowerSpec G516 gaming PC is an excellent entry-level gaming PC with a twist: It has one of the rarest and most capable gaming CPUs ever made. Alongside its impressive collection of components, from a powerful graphics card to fast storage and memory, it also includes the iconic AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D. This is a unique CPU available only through Micro Center, and while it’s been a hot seller as a build-your-own processor, for those less inclined to build their own PC, it’s also available in a Micro Center pre-built gaming PC, giving everyone a chance to enjoy this incredible CPU.

But Micro Center PCs aren’t just designed to look good on a sale page. They walk the walk as much as they talk the talk. So, let’s take a look at this PowerSpec G516 gaming PC in more detail to see just what it’s capable of.

The Spec Sheet

Before we take a look at performance numbers and talk about what it feels like to play your favorite games on this PowerSpec G516 gaming PC, let’s take a look at its specifications and key features to see what we can expect when we put it through its paces.

PowerSpec G516

CPU - AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D

Motherboard - ASRock B550M-C

Graphics - AMD RX 6650 XT

RAM - 16GB DDR4-3200

Storage - 500GB NVMe SSD

Networking - Wi-Fi 5, Gigabit Ethernet

The real standout in this build is the Ryzen 5600X3D processor. It has six Zen 3 cores and supports 12 simultaneous threads, with a high 4.6GHz boost clock speed. Its killer feature is its additional 64MB of L3 cache bolted onto the internal chiplet. This gives it the kind of performance you’d expect from the higher-end 5800X3D, which is still one of the best gaming processors in the world, giving some of the top chips from the latest generations a real run for their money.

Complimenting that processor, we have 16GB of high-speed DDR4 memory, ensuring it has all the bandwidth it needs to really shine, no matter what game you’re playing. With the AMD RX 6650 XT too, you have the perfect combination of high-detail 1080p gameplay and even the option of 1440p play with dynamic upscaling enabled.

There’s 500GB of fast NVMe storage, which is plenty of space for any of the latest and greatest games, and a few others besides. This super-fast drive is ready for Direct Storage games and has the kind of performance that will make sure you’re never sitting around waiting for games to load. It lets the G516 boot up incredibly fast, too.

With Wi-Fi 5 and Gigabit Ethernet support you have different networking options depending on your needs, but both have all the bandwidth you need for high-speed online and LAN gaming without interference. You also get Bluetooth 5.2 support for connecting all your wireless accessories, and USB-A and USB-C ports for all your wired ones.

This PowerSpec PC also comes complete with a mouse and keyboard, so if this is your first gaming PC, you’ll be able to get gaming right away from day one - unless you want to upgrade to official gaming keyboards and mice! There are some great gaming monitor deals available in Micro Center stores, though. If you’re keen to build an entirely new gaming PC, be sure to check out our accessories or ask one of our sales representatives for advice on pairing this awesome gaming PC with an equally awesome display.

How it looks

The PowerSpec G516 is an attractive gaming PC with an understated black chassis, a see-through side panel that gives you a great look at all your exciting new components, and some tastefully arranged RGB fans for those who like a little lighting.

In its default configuration, the front-mounted RGB fans and the AMD Wraith Prism cooler are synced, so they change their lighting colors in the same way at the same time. It looks great just cycling through – though if you prefer a stealthier gaming PC, you can easily turn it off.

Cable management on the inside has been handled extremely well, giving this system a super-clean look with very little cable clutter. This doesn’t just look nice, but ensures quality airflow through the case, too, with little turbulence, which further improves system cooling and helps reduce overall noise levels.

Even the back of the motherboard tray is neatly arranged, with excellent cable management making upgrades and cleaning easier. There’s also space for several 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives if you want to expand your storage down the line.

The roof-mounted dust filter is magnetically attached, so it is easy to remove to give the system a little more room to breathe or to clean it. The front panel can be easily popped off for cleaning the front filters and fans, too.

Performance

The look and feel of a PC is all well and good, but what is it actually like to use, and how well does it perform in demanding applications like games?

I’m happy to report, after using the PowerSpec G516 PC as my main computer for a week of day-to-day office work and evening gaming, it’s an excellent all-around system with some impressive gaming performance for such an affordable price.

Its SSD, RAM, and CPU make it a snappy and responsive system to use. It boots up fast and remains responsive, even when you have 10+ browser tabs open and are running other applications in the background. It transfers files and folders quickly and it feels perfectly fast enough for general admin tasks, office work, and even some light photo editing. If I was doing a lot of productivity work, I might opt for a system with eight CPU cores rather than six, but the PowerSpec G516 is more than enough for general use in all kinds of services and applications.

When it comes to games, I was impressed with how well it held up in both Esports and AAA titles, at often higher settings than you might expect from a more budget-conscious gaming PC.

Breaking out the esports games to see how this PC fares for competitive gamers, I found it incredibly capable. In CS: GO, the game defaulted to all settings at their maximum, with a 1440p resolution. Even at max, I still saw an average of around 300 FPS, with some spikes up to 320 FPS when there wasn’t much going on, and dips to around 225 FPS when the action picked up. These slowdowns weren’t noticeable to me, although I’m far from a competitive gamer.

Those are perfectly respectable frame rates for casual players like me, but those who take their PVP CS: GO a little more seriously should find them more than good enough for competitive play, too. That said, if you do want to improve performance further to shave a few more milliseconds off of your response time, there’s plenty of scope for lowering settings and resolution to boost it further.

I achieved similar results in Rocket League, where once again the game defaulted to 1440p resolution and everything on the highest setting (save anti-aliasing, which I set at medium). Since my monitor has a 144Hz refresh rate, I limited the FPS to 144 and I didn’t see it fluctuate more than a frame or two the entire time I was testing. The game felt superfluid, with no obvious stuttering or dropped frames, and I found it to be both enjoyable and engagingly responsive, again making this a great PC for competitive esports players looking to make a name for themselves online.

But what about more demanding games? In Cyberpunk 2077, I managed to get the game playing very smoothly at an average of about 50 FPS, with occasional dips into the low 40s. This was with the game set to its Ultra (non-ray tracing) preset, with 1440p resolution, and FSR 2.0 set to Quality mode.

This is much more of a cinematic experience than the esports games and is noticeably not as smooth in animations and character movements. However, with the settings set so high, that’s no surprise in such a demanding game and still shows how capable the PowerSpec G516 can be in one of the most demanding modern games. If you wanted a smoother gameplay experience, there are plenty of options to play with. You could lower the resolution to 1080p, turn down or turn off some of the additional beautifying settings, or try one of the lower FSR quality modes.

I also played some Hogwarts Legacy – and in particular, I ran around the extra-demanding Hogsmeade portion of the game. Again, aiming for a playable, beautiful experience with this game, I set everything to ultra-detail levels, at 1440p with FSR 2 quality mode enabled. With V-Sync enabled to help ward off any tearing, I was pleased to see the game locked itself to 60 FPS and barely wavered by a frame the entire time I was playing.

I couldn’t play around with a new gaming PC without also having a round of my current favorite game: Starship Troopers Extermination. It’s Early Access and isn’t the most well-optimized, but it’s still a good-looking game and there are a lot of arachnids and players on screen at once, making it a challenge for even some of the best gaming PCs.

This PowerSpec G516 gaming PC took it in its stride. At 1080p resolution with all settings on Epic (AA on medium), and XeSS enabled, I saw a solid 50 FPS average throughout gameplay. There were occasional dips into the 30s as the action picked up – and especially so when I blew up a particularly problematic plasma bug – but it was a generally solid experience.

I had a couple of obvious stutters, which weren’t fun, but I’d put those more down to the Early Access nature of the game than anything else. If this was my permanent gaming PC, I’d likely play with the settings more to find a better middle ground between visuals and performance, but it was perfectly playable in this short test run.

This might be an affordable gaming PC, but it’s capable of playing some of the best-looking and most demanding games available today at relatively high settings. Just because you’re going with a budget-friendly option, it doesn’t mean you need to miss out on anything.

Temperatures and noise levels

Affordable gaming PCs are often painted as noisy machines that you practically have to use headphones to play on, otherwise, you’ll be drowned out by the whine of the fans. That’s not the case with the Micro Center PowerSpec G516. Through its use of smart, low-power, efficient components, and above-average cooling for a PC at this price, this gaming PC remains pretty quiet during use, even during heavy gaming.

Yes, the fans do spin up faster when you’re pushing the CPU and graphics to their limits, but it never reaches an obnoxious level. As someone who prefers a silent PC over anything else, I wasn’t overly bothered by the noise levels and didn’t feel the need to game in headphones to avoid it.

It’s no real surprise this PC manages that, though, because none of the components get too hot. Even after a 20-minute stress test, the CPU hit just 82 degrees, allowing it to maintain maximum performance throughout the test run, even with reasonable noise levels. The graphics card stayed well within its temperature range, too, recording just 71 degrees on the GPU core. It’s hotspot temperature was 97 degrees, so if you’re playing in a hot room on a hot day you might see some slight throttling on the GPU, but it’s not something I’m overly concerned with.

Conclusion

The Micro Center PowerSpec G516 gaming PC is an excellent entry-level gaming PC, taking full advantage of its components to punch well above its weight in gaming and general use. It’s fast and responsive in Windows and Office applications, and, whatever game you want to play, you’ll be able to enjoy it at high detail settings with this combination of hardware.

The 5600X3D CPU at its heart proves itself once again as one of the best budget gaming processors ever made, with the kind of performance that just a few months ago you’d have spent hundreds of dollars more to achieve. Paired up with the AMD RX 6650XT? It’s a killer combination with incredible performance, at a low power draw and with impressively low noise levels.

With a bundled keyboard and mouse, great networking options, an attractive build with great cable management, and a decent selection of ports, this is a great all-round PC and an even better gaming machine, whether you’re an esports fanatic, or just looking to enjoy some cinematic AAA titles.

There aren’t going to be many of these PCs, though. That 5600X3D is a unicorn of a CPU and RX 6650 XT stock won’t last forever either. If you’re interested, grab this one while you can. It won’t be around for long.

LG OLED65C3PUA 65" Class (64.5" Diag.) 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV by @RachelleR05

If you’re shopping for a TV, you want something that has it all and will support everything you want to do with it. You can find yourself stuck between two different models not knowing which one to go with. Thankfully, I think there’s an easy answer: the LG OLED 65C3PUA 65"(557090). This TV has it all. The internal processor produces that crisp and vibrant color picture quality you crave, and the brightness booster keeps everything clear and visible. Its pixel-based screen and true black picture will fill the entire room, giving you that “in the middle of the action” feeling. With a low response time of 0.1ms and a high refresh time of 120hz, it can be used for both binge-watching and playing video games. This OLED has the perfect sound system inside, which uses Dolby Atmos, no sound bar needed. This is perfect because there is no extra wiring or extra remotes. If you’re like me living in an apartment with a bunch of windows where the sun always shines in, this is the best option to go with. It has anti-glare technology, which means the sun can shine all day and I won’t have that light reflecting back making it impossible to enjoy whatever I have on the screen.

To sum it all up, this OLED meets all the criteria for binge-watchers (like myself), gamers, and film buffs. From its perfect picture, and anti-glare quality to the high-quality audio without extra speakers, this is a stellar TV for anyone looking for an all-arounder.

Samsung QN98QN90AAFXZA 98" Class (97.5" Diag.) 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV by @Shoan041

Samsung has been a big name in televisions for a long time, but that doesn’t mean they’re resting on their laurels. Instead, they’re constantly innovating and improving with offerings like the QLED lineup. The QLEDs are Samsung’s main competitor for OLEDs on the market and have always looked very nice, even compared to the OLEDs they were made to compete with. They feature a brighter display and work better in well-lit rooms. They even made great efforts to make their blacks almost as dark as OLEDs. The QLED high-end televisions feature stellar light panels in the back with multiple dimming zones, which let them get darker in specific sections, rather than darkening the whole screen. They also excel in durability over older OLEDs, which can burn out or have screen burn-in problems with long-term use. And QLEDs are still getting better. Enter the Neo QLED!

The new Neo QLEDs have even smaller LEDs than the older QLEDs. They are only 1/40th the size of older versions of QLEDs, enabling the screen to display details better, show color changes to a smaller degree, and even more dimming zones! Neo QLEDs offer a smoother picture with more vibrant colors. I think this is the best LED 4K LED tv on the market, with blacks almost as good as an OLED and far better than any other LED option. It even performs well for gaming, though I recommend it for more cinematic, single-player experiences rather than twitchy, multiplayer gaming.

LG 42LX3Q 42" Class (41.5" Diag.) 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV by @ricardo_ortega

Ever had a hard time trying to debate whether to invest in a gaming curved monitor or a TV for your bedroom with limited space? I recommend going with the best of both worlds: an LG OLED Flex. This beauty has the capability to go from a flat display for your daily streaming to a 900R curve for gaming. But you don’t have to just choose one or the other - the Flex provides 20 flexible options to explore and find the perfect ideal arc. And that’s on top of a 42”, 4K smart TV base that provides a whopping 120Hz refresh rate and a 0.1ms response time for smooth gameplay. If you’re worried about glare, Flex features SAR (LG Super Anti Reflection) for 25% less reflection. It even has a USB switching hub for your mouse and keyboard as well as backlit colors that can be synced with the sound of the Flex.

Overall, this is one of the more unique designs that LG has made, with an ultra-thin display, and is an impressive idea to introduce in the market. Sometimes having the flexible option to go from flat to curve is a must-have. 

Samsung QN65QN85BAFXZA 65" Class (64.5" Diag.) 4K Ultra HD Smart Neo QLED TV by @ChaosDTV

The Samsung QN65 is a 2023 65 inch QLED 4K Smart TV that offers excellent picture quality, a wide range of features, and a sleek design. It features a Quantum Processor with 4K Upscaling that automatically transforms your content into 4K, and Quantum HDR 4X that delivers stunning contrast and color. The TV also has a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth motion, and it's compatible with FreeSync Premium Pro for enhanced gaming performance.

In addition to its excellent picture quality, the QN65 also has a wide range of features that make it a great choice for a smart TV. It runs on the Tizen operating system, which gives you access to a wide variety of streaming apps, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. The TV also has a built-in voice assistant, so you can control it with your voice.

The QN65 is a great choice for anyone looking for a high-quality 4K TV with a wide range of features.

LG OLED65C2PUA 65" Class (64.5" Diag.) 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV by @TreBouncee

OLED technology has been all the rage in the last 5 years. From portable devices like the Nintendo Switch to televisions, the screen type is popular for those looking for true blacks and deep, vibrant colors. And if you’re looking for high-quality OLED screens, The LG C2 stands near the pinnacle of TVs currently on the market. The entire series is known for its ability to display incredibly high-quality images while being great for gamers with a 120hz refresh rate. It tends to be the ‘monitor’ of choice for gamers as well as those looking for a crisp display. Like most LG OLEDs, the C2 features superb build quality while being lighter than its predecessor thanks to the carbon fiber materials it’s made from.

As I touched on earlier, the C2 tends to be a great choice amongst gamers, as it features HDMI 2.1 which supports 4k at 120hz. That combination gets a large, beautiful display that is just as quick as other monitors in its price range. From a value standpoint, I believe the “65C2PUA” – the 65” model - gives you the best bang for your buck. Whether it was placed in the living room, in a home theatre or in the bedroom, the C265 won’t fail to impress. Of course, there are a wide range of screen sizes, including 42”, 48”, 55”, 65”, or 77”. At the end of the day, you won’t be disappointed no matter the screen size, as the C2 series is one of the best television lines being produced right now, and because it has such a wide range of uses, it's got something for everyone.

More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more information about TVs? We’ve got Screen-Type Explainers, Buying Guides, and Tips for Cleaning Your Screen! And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

Whether you’re building your first PC or your fiftieth, you want to make sure that you are making the most of your budget. That means finding the components that are going to deliver the most power at the best price. And while your personal ideal Price-To-Performance ratio may be different from everyone else’s, Intel’s lineup is sure to have something that will fit your needs.

What is the Price-To-Performance Ratio?

You’ve more than likely done some quick Price-To-Performance ratio calculations in your own head while shopping. If you’ve ever looked at two CPUs “why would I get CPU A when CPU B offers so much more power for not much more money,” you’ve thought about the Price-To-Performance ratio. Put another way, the Price-To-Performance ratio is exactly what it sounds like: an examination of value based on how much power a component – CPUs, in this case – provides for the cost.

It’s easy to look up Price-To-Performance ratios online and get a rough estimate of what the value proposition of a certain CPU would be. However, these rarely tell the whole story, usually utilizing just one set of data points – IE, benchmarks – and ignoring other elements, such as bundle savings and raw power. So, sure, an older gen CPU may offer the “best” value proposition at first glance, but there’s a good chance you’ll be missing out on some of the real value that comes from newer CPUs. You may find that it simply doesn’t have the power needed to game, render, or edit. Or you may find that it quickly falls behind as it doesn’t have access to the latest and greatest advancements, like PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 RAM. So, before you commit to a CPU based on an online Price-To-Performance ratio, be sure to check that your new CPU can do what you need it to, otherwise, that ratio could end up a lot worse than it initially seemed.

The Best Intel Price-To-Performance Ratio: The Intel Core i7-12700K Bundle

The Intel CPUs you’re most likely to see in a store come in four distinct tiers: i3, i5, i7, and i9. The higher the number, the more cores, threads, and power they offer, but also the more expensive they get. Take, for example, the Core i3-13100 CPU. At an MSRP of only $149.99, it seems like it ought to be a stellar value. And, if you’re looking for a light-usage family computer, it absolutely is. But, if you’re looking to game or do any sort of editing or rendering, you could very quickly run into a bottleneck. On the flip side, you have the Intel Core i9-13900K, an industry-leading, bleeding-edge processor that can handle anything you need with power to spare. However, if you’re not planning on pushing the 13900K to its limit, the price can outweigh the performance.

That leaves the fan-favorite Core i5s and Core i7s right in the price-to-performance sweet spot. This is where we’d usually recommend choosing the CPU that best fits your needs – an i5 if your needs are a bit lighter and an i7 if you’re planning on doing more intense work, like streaming or high-res video editing. But right now, we’d be hard-pressed to recommend anything other than the Intel Core i7-12700K bundle. This bundle is jam-packed with just about everything you’d need to get your new PC up and running with a savings of nearly $150. Let’s break down what’s included:

The Intel Core i7-12700K

The Core i7-12700K may not be the most recent generation of Intel CPUs (but don’t worry – if you’re looking for the latest and greatest, we’ve got a bundle for you a bit further down!), but that doesn’t mean it’s out of date. The 12700k was the forebearer of a lot of the latest consumer tech, like PCIe 5.0 and DDR5. It even introduced the hybrid architecture system found across Intel CPUs, splitting the workload between Performance and Efficiency cores to improve efficiency, no matter what you’re doing. And, at only a single generation out, you’re getting some of the best Intel has to offer at a fraction of the price of 13th gen processors.

Quick Specs:

• Cores: 12 (8P+4E)
• Threads: 20
• Base Clock: 3.6Ghz Performance, 2.7Ghz Efficient
• Max Turbo Frequency: up to 4.9GHz (4.9Ghz Performance, 3.8Ghz Efficient)
• L2 Cache: 12MB
• Socket: LGA1700
• Max Memory Speed: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
• Unlocked for Overclocking

The Motherboard and RAM

This bundle doesn’t stop with a killer ASUS Z690-P motherboard, leaving you to figure out RAM. It’s ready to go with 16GB of DD5-5600 G.Skill Flare X5 RAM. Put both of these together, and you’ve got the base for a set up that is going to make the most of the 12700k, with high-speed RAM and PCIe 5.0 availability. There’s no threat of bottlenecking your processor and you’ve got the core of your computer already figured out, without having to check compatibility!

The Step Up: The Intel Core i7-13700K Bundle

If you love everything about the 12700K bundle but want to stay on the absolute cutting edge? Good news, we’ve got a 13th gen bundle that saves over $180 and includes even more power than its 12th gen sibling.

The Intel Core i7-13700K

The latest i7 processor from Intel, the 13700K takes everything great about the 12700K and ratchets it up a notch or two. Increased frequencies, increased core and thread counts, and increased efficiency make the 13700K a CPU that will last a long time – another important consideration when looking at a Price-to-Performance ratio! And, like its 12th gen counterpart, it gives you access to all the modern advancements like PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 RAM, so you’ll be blazing fast whether you’re gaming or working.

Quick Specs:

• Cores: 16 (8P+8E)
• Threads: 24
• Base Clock: 3.4Ghz Performance, 2.5Ghz Efficient
• Max Turbo Frequency: up to 5.4GHz (5.3Ghz Performance, 4.2 Efficient)
• L2 Cache: 24MB
• Intel Smart Cache (L3 Cache): 30MB
• Socket: LGA1700
• Max Memory Speed: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
• Unlocked for Overclocking

The Motherboard and RAM

Just like the 13700K, the motherboard and RAM also get a boost with this bundle. The motherboard bumps up to an ASUS Z790-P with support for increased RAM speeds, more PCIe 4.0 ports, and a Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet chipset. The G.Skill RAM doubles in size, up to 32Gb, with a modest increase in speed to go with it. If you’re looking for the most speed and power in your bundle, you’ve found it.

Conclusion

The price-to-performance ratio is an incredibly useful tool when you’re building a PC. Whether you’re building a high-end rig or a budget-friendly family PC, it can be useful in keeping your budget in line and not going beyond the scope of your build. And while bundles like the 12700K and 13700K offer fantastic price-to-performance options, the best ratio is often the one you feel in your gut, whether it’s the 13100 or the 13900KS. And thankfully, no matter what your gut says, Intel has a CPU that’ll work with your build.

Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 2 -in-1 Laptop Computer - Black by @ronwoodson

In today's fast-paced world, it's crucial to have tech that adapts to you, not the other way around. Enter the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 2 Laptop. Loved for its versatility, this little powerhouse quickly shifts from laptop to tablet and back again in the blink of an eye, making it the perfect companion for those who are always on the go. Students, professionals, and streaming enthusiasts alike applaud its blend of performance, speed, and abundant storage. Its portability and durability ensure that it can stand up to the challenges of your daily life.

The ThinkPad is more than just a device; it's a game-changer. It boasts a unique 2-in-1 design that lets you shift seamlessly between four distinct modes: Laptop, Stand, Tent, and Tablet. Need to type up a report or email? Laptop mode has got you covered. Want to stream your favorite shows or browse the web? Switch to Stand or Tent mode for a hands-free experience. In the mood for some digital artistry? Turn to Tablet mode and let the ThinkPad Pen Pro unleash your creativity.

What truly sets the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 2 apart is its impressive feature list. It showcases a 13.3-inch Full HD IPS Anti-Reflection Anti-Smudge Touchscreen Display that ensures your visuals are always sharp and vibrant. The backlit keyboard allows for a comfortable typing experience even in low-light conditions. A secure, one-touch fingerprint reader ensures quick access so you can dive into your tasks without a moment's delay. And the hardware specifications? They're nothing short of stellar.

Powering this workhorse is an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 1145G7 Processor with a base speed of 2.6GHz, perfectly paired with 16GB DDR4-3200 Onboard RAM. This makes the laptop robust enough to handle multiple tasks simultaneously without breaking a sweat. The Intel Iris Xe Integrated Graphics provide crisp, clear visuals, and with a 512GB SSD, you have ample space to store all your important files and favorite media.

Life is too short for slow charging and dead batteries. That's why the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 2 is armed with Rapid Charge technology. Even on the busiest of days, you can power up to 80% in just an hour. It's the perfect solution for those last-minute top-ups before you dash out the door. All these features wrapped up in a stylish package, it's clear why users love and recommend the Lenovo ThinkPad. Experience the power of flexibility for yourself today with the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen Laptop. This isn't just a device; it's your life, optimized.

ASUS TUF Gaming A15 FA507XU-MS94 15.6" Laptop Computer Platinum Collection - Gray by @phil_lost_zephyr_

The ASUS TUF A15 showcases a ton of power in a sub-five-pound laptop, an impressive feat for gaming laptops. Jam packed with tech, the A15 offers a 15.6-inch 1920x1080 resolution display with a high refresh rate of 144Hz. This laptop also carries with it the new AMD Ryzen 9 7940H as well as an (also new) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card. To top it off, ASUS gave this laptop 16GB of DDR5 RAM as well as a whole 1TB for storage, making sure you are ready for any type of gaming.

The end result is a laptop that is ready for just about anything you can throw at it and will look great doing it. A 144Hz refresh rate keeps your games looking fluid and smooth and gives you a distinct advantage over those with lower refresh rates. And when your gaming is backed by the incredible Ryzen 9 7940H and RTX 4050, you’re set to dominate whether you’re jumping into esports titles or just cleaning the streets of Night City in Cyberpunk 2077.

While the ASUS TUF A15 is great for gaming, it can also be used for light 3D work for modeling and just for regular school/work. This laptop carries so much and gives the user a variety of choices on how to use this thing to its full potential, all without breaking the bank. The A15 is a great intro gaming laptop, and it price absolutely reflects that!

HP ProBook 450 G9 15.6" Laptop Computer - Silver by @lizzs

The HP ProBook 450 G9 15.6" Laptop is a great option for small business owners who are looking for a powerful and reliable laptop at a reasonable price. The ProBook 450 G9 is powered by an Intel Core i5 1235U processor, which provides plenty of power for everyday tasks like word processing, spreadsheets, and web browsing. It also has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which ensures that your laptop will be able to handle multiple programs at once and boot up quickly. Its Full HD Anti-Glare WLED display reduces eye strain during extended use and ensures vibrant, detailed images on its 15.6" screen.

This ProBook has a number of features that are designed to make it easy to use for your everyday business worker. It has a long battery life, so you can work all day without having to worry about running out of power. It’s also full of security features, such as a fingerprint reader and a TPM chip, which can help to protect your data from unauthorized access. And if you need to connect keyboards, mice, or external storage drives, the ProBook has three USB 3.2, a USB-C port, HDMI and an RJ-45 jack, all built into its IO panels, making this laptop easy to plug into for a desktop experience.

Housed in a sleek, silver body and weighing only 3 pounds, the ProBook is easily compact and portable, making it a great option for those who are looking for a powerful, reliable, and durable laptop at a reasonable price.

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 G533QS-DS94 15.6" Gaming Laptop Computer - Black by @ricardo_ortega

The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15.6 laptop gives you the specs and performance needed to play just about any game at high/ultra settings. This laptop comes with an 8-core Ryzen 9 5900HX processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and 1TB NVMe SSD storage. The display is Full HD with an insane 300Hz refresh rate (with just a 3ms response time!) and a 100% sRGB color space. And, last but not least, an NVIDIA RTX 3080 8GB GPU to provide some of the best gaming experiences around.

Almost every component is adjustable or upgradable as well. Need more power? Boost the CPU to 4.6GHz. Want more RAM? The Scar supports up to 64GB. More storage space? There’s an extra slot just waiting for a second SSD.

On a personal note, I love the build quality and smooth texture on the chassis. The keyboard deck is translucent with stunning RGB lights around the laptop and has optical machinal keyboard switches, which is one of my favorite key types in a laptop. The trackpad can be used as an alternative touch sense numpad as well!

While this is a beefy laptop for gaming, this laptop has more potential to do productivity related work, like Adobe Photoshop or Premiere for content creation or professional work. We can’t forget that it’s also great for AutoCAD on the go. Whether you’re looking to game or knock out some projects, the Strix Scar is ready when you are!

More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more computer buying guides? We’ve got a full section dedicated to reviews and buying guides as well as The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Gaming Laptop, How to Choose Parts for you Custom PC Build, The Best Laptops for Under $1000, and reviews of the Maingear Vector Pro Series. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

The brand-new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is out now! The RTX 4060 is designed for 1080p gaming and comes jam-packed with all the improvements and upgrades you've come to expect from the NVIDIA 40 Series, like DLSS 3 and Frame-Generation Technology!

The GeForce RTX 4060 is launching for less than its past generation counterpart, the RTX 3060, without sacrificing any power. In fact, thanks to the improvements in 40 Series capabilities, the biggest reduction is in power draw, making the 4060 more powerful and more efficient. The addition of DLSS 3 doubles the frame rate of the RTX 3060 in select games, like Portal with RTX, when DLSS and RT is factored in. And, of course, you've got the new 3rd gen Ray Tracing Cores, 4th gen Tensor Cores, NVIDIA Reflex, AV1 Encoding support, and everything else that makes the 40 Series cards so powerful. Keep reading to learn exactly why all those upgrades are so exciting!

GeForce RTX 4060 Specs at a Glance

• RAM: 8GB GDDR6X
• CUDA Cores: 3072
• PCIe support: 4.0
• Architecture: Ada Lovelace
• Base Clock Speed: 1.83GHz
• Boost Clock Speed: 2.46GHz
• Ray Tracing Cores: 3rd Generation
• Tensor Cores: 4th Generation

What's new with the NVIDIA 40 Series?

If you've missed the past few launch breakdowns, you may be wondering what exactly is new with NVIDIA's 40 Series graphics cards and the answer is, in short, a lot. From a brand-new architecture to advancements in video upscaling, there's a ton to cover.

NIVIDIA Ada Lovelace Architecture

The brand-new Ada Lovelace architecture brings with it improvements on basically every front. NVIDIA Tensor Cores are crucial for a range of AI technologies, but most recognizably enable NVIDIA's DLSS (see below for more on DLSS!). The Ada Lovelace architecture introduces the fourth generation of Tensor Cores which offer up to 5x the throughput of previous generations and make DLSS 3 the frame-multiplying powerhouse it is. Without Tensor Cores, you might still be running Cyberpunk 2077 at 22FPS - well under what's considered playable!

Also new to Ada Lovelace is third-gen RT, or ray tracing, Cores. These updated RT Cores represent another giant leap forward for ray tracing, doubling the efficiency of many ray tracing tasks, including ray-triangle inspection throughput. There's also a new Opacity Micromap Engine and Displaced Micro-Mesh engine - both of which are huge for ray tracing - but really boil down to improved lighting effect in games. All of this is in service of making it look natural when sun shines through tree leaves in Cyberpunk's Night City and accurately catching light reflections in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Whether you're a streamer or someone who just spends a lot of time on video calls, the new AV1 encoders included in Ada Lovelace architecture will greatly increase your video quality. NVIDIA reports a 40% increase in efficiency over H.264, meaning if you regularly stream at 1080p, you'll be able to bump up to 1440p without sacrificing bit rate or quality.

DLSS 3

DLSS, or Deep Learning Super Sampling, is an AI upscaling program. It takes lower resolution frames, analyzes them, and upscales them to native-quality levels, reducing the strain on your GPU. What that means for you is that games that ran at 1080p without DLSS will see increased FPS at higher settings when DLSS is enabled. You might even be able to push the game to higher resolutions with a minimal hit to your frame rate. And all this is done without putting extra strain on your GPU, as it is all done. DLSS 3 takes this even further with the introduction of AI Frame Generation.

NVIDIA's AI Frame Generation technology - officially called Optical Multi Frame Generation - is the next step in what made the original DLSS so powerful. While the first DLSS analyzed frames and added pixels in order to upscale the images to the best fidelity it could, DLSS 3's Frame Generation technology does exactly what it says: it makes brand-new frames. This allows for smoother, more seamless gameplay without the need for the absolute top-of-the-line graphics card.

And more!

While the new Ada Lovelace architecture and DLSS 3 will be useful for basically anyone looking to pick up a 40 Series GPU, there are a ton of other features that have a bit more niche use.

• NVIDIA Reflex - NVIDIA Reflex improves response times and reduces latency to give competitive gamers even more of an edge over their competition.
• NVIDIA Studio - NVIDIA Studio is a platform designed for creative users to make the most out of their applications, whether it's 3D animation, video editing, photography, graphic design, architecture, or broadcasting.
• NVIDIA Broadcast - Get your stream or video calls looking and sounding the best they can with a range of helpful, AI-powered tools like echo removal and virtual background.
• NVIDIA Omniverse - Upgrade your 3D workflow with Omniverse, allowing you to create by yourself or work with cloud-based collaborators.
• NVIDIA Canvas - Canvas takes simple brushstrokes and, using AI, turns them into realistic images.

Check out even more features of the 40 Series GPUs over here!

Need some inspiration for your new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 build? We've got a parts list ready for a cutting-edge build that'll get the most out of your new GPU!

GPU: MSI RTX 4060 Ventus 2X 8G OC

CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K Raptor Lake 3.5GHz Fourteen-Core LGA 1700 Boxed Processor

CPU Cooler: DeepCool AK400 Performance CPU Cooler - Black

Motherboard: ASUS Z790-P PRIME WiFi Intel LGA 1700 ATX Motherboard

RAM: TeamGroup Elite 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-4800 PC5-38400 CL40 Dual Channel On-die ECC Memory Kit TED532G4800C40D - Black

Storage: Samsung 980 Pro SSD 2TB M.2 NVMe Interface PCIe Gen 4x4 Internal Solid State Drive with V-NAND 3 bit MLC Technology (MZ-V8P2T0B/AM)

Power Supply: G.Skill 750 Watt 80 Plus Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply

Case: Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh Type C Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case - Black

Quick Benchmarks: MSI RTX 4060 Ventus 2X 8G OC

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is available now - stop by your local Micro Center to pick one up!

The 14-inch LG gram Style, featuring the new 13th Generation Raptor Lake i7-1360P processor, is an amazing ultraportable laptop. For the week that I got to go hands-on with this laptop, it was clear the gram Style was truly one of its kind. Not only does it live up to its name–the gram–in terms of weight and portability, the gorgeous OLED display and the finish on the chassis really drive home the “Style.” And that is to say nothing of its incredible battery life when using productivity apps, like word processors and the internet.. The gram Style is an amazing option for students and business professionals on-the-go. 

First Impressions

The gram shows its uniqueness and innovative features right out of the box. It has a shiny, almost iridescent cover that displays hues of purple, blue, and white under different lighting. The area where the trackpad lives uses the same finish as the iridescent cover, creating an interesting contrast between the matte white keyboard. What surprised me initially was that there was no defined trackpad area, no clear indication of where it starts and ends, as you would typically find on a laptop.. But when I turned on the laptop, I noticed that there were actually two streaks of light that indicated the trackpad area–and these lights only turn on when you actually use the trackpad itself, helping to preserve battery life. The haptic response from the trackpad also feels natural and streamlined. Overall, the laptop is sleek, light, and incredibly pretty. 

Specifications 

The model I am reviewing comes with the 13th generation i7-1360P processor, 16 GB DDR5-6000 RAM, and a 512GB Solid State Drive. The LG gram Style is Intel Evo Certified, which means that it has features such as instant wake, all-day battery life, blazing fast connectivity, and rapid charging. and This laptop comes with Windows 11 Home, a Full HD webcam, and an IR camera–for Windows Hello. Windows Hello unlocks the laptop when it it recognizes your facial features.

For connectivity, there are two USB Type-C Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack on the left side of the laptop. On the right side, there is a standard USB Type-A port and a microSD slot. The battery of the laptop is rated at 72 Watt-Hours, and is supposed to provide up to 15 hours of battery life in one charge. The highlight of this machine is, of course, the light weight–only 2.2 pounds, or 1 kilogram. Even the power adapter that comes with the computer is compact and lightweight. The brick plugs directly into the wall, and the USB-C charger is detachable. I have never seen such a small and impressive 65W charger for a laptop–it looked more like a phone or a tablet charger than a laptop one. 

Personally, my favorite spec on this laptop is its OLED display. As an artist and creator, I always keep an eye out for color accuracy and my ability to enjoy content in true-to-life colors. I was super impressed with the 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and VESA DisplayHDR500 True Black that the screen is rated for. Not only can the laptop display film-grade colors, it also shows perfect blacks for amazing contrast. I also love how smooth the screen looks with the 120hz refresh rate and a 0.2ms response time. Even if I am not gaming on this laptop, simply switching between browser pages or scrolling through the web is a more-than-pleasant experience. 

Hands-On Test

For my hands-on test, I used the laptop to write this article, attend zoom calls, and respond to your posts on the Micro Center Community. I did these tasks while bringing the laptop with me between work and home for about a week. When I first received the laptop, I downloaded a couple of applications like Discord, Google Chrome, and Zoom. Then, I logged into my Google Drive so I can start writing my article on Google Docs.

Fairly quickly in the setup process, I found myself loving the LG gram’s keyboard. My personal laptop is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano, so I used that as my point of reference for the keyboard and feel. Lenovo ThinkPads are known for their amazing tactile laptop keyboards, so my bar for testing how comfortable the gram’s keyboard is was fairly high, and it absolutely surpassed expectations. The iridescent part of the laptop serves as a comfortable wrist-rest, while the matte finish on the keys themselves prevent my fingers from sliding around. The backlit keys have a gentle glow that makes the keyboard pleasing to work with in the dark. I typed on the keyboard on my lap, on a desk, laying down, and even while holding it with one hand. All of the configurations, no matter where or how I used the keyboard, felt exceptionally comfortable.

I also loved using the display to watch Netflix, browse YouTube, and look through digital illustrations. Since the colors on the laptop were so vibrant and accurate, I often found myself thinking how it would make for a great digital art laptop. While the gram does not have a touchscreen built in, a drawing tablet can definitely be paired up with it. With the powerful i7 processor and the color-accurate OLED screen, the gram would make an exceptional digital art laptop as well. 

The quality of the chassis is also something to note. Even if the laptop does not have a metallic finish, the overall exterior still feels very sturdy. As a nice bonus, fingerprints do not stick to the laptop easily. Even after using the laptop for a week, I don’t see any visible fingerprints on the front or back of it. 

Something else that I made sure to test was the weight and battery life. I have to admit, there were times where I would forget that I had the laptop on me, because it was so lightweight. Carrying it from work to home was exceptionally easy. Back in college, I would carry a lot of different notebooks, books that I was reading for my classes, and my heavy gaming laptop. If only I had an LG gram, I wouldn’t have needed all the different notebooks and the heavy laptop. I did not need to charge the laptop for almost a week–although I only used it for an hour to an hour and a half each day. Still, this makes me confident that the gram is exceptional for anyone that needs to be on-the-go with blazing fast performance. 

Looking for more reviews, news, and guides for laptops? Check out our Platinum Collection guide over here, as well as our Intel Evo Guide and Essential Creator Laptops! And if you're looking for more fantastic computers, be sure to visit us in person for even more options!

Last year, Intel entered the GPU market with the launch of Intel Arc graphics. When they launched, we were really impressed by the power they offered at a highly affordable price point. Since then, they’ve only gotten better thanks to a steady stream of driver updates from Intel.

What’s New with Arc?

At launch, the Intel Arc A750 offered performance comparable to other 1080p GPUs offered by the competition. However, while other GPU manufacturers have focused on releasing new models, Intel has doubled down on their support for their existing cards and worked tirelessly to make them even better than they already are.

Game On Drivers

Intel’s Game On drivers arrive ahead of some of the biggest games to ensure that your launch day experience is as smooth as possible. Games like STAR WARS: Jedi Survivor, Diablo IV, and Resident Evil 4 all saw driver releases before their launch (even before the beta release, in Diablo IV’s case!). These Game On Drivers push the Intel Arc A750 well above last generation’s 1080p cards. Since October, Game On drivers have supported 42 new games.

Intel XeSS

XeSS launched with Intel Arc graphics and has only gotten better with each driver update. XeSS, or Xe Super Sampling, boosts your frame rates and picture quality without putting additional strain on your GPU. It accomplishes this through AI upscaling – rendering a game at a lower resolution then using AI to review and upscale each frame. This opens up more bandwidth on your GPU for frame rendering, boosting your FPS, but without the lower quality resolution tradeoff that usually comes with improved FPS.

XeSS is already in a number of games, ranging from cult darlings like Redout II to AAA titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Call of Duty Modern Warfare II. XeSS improves frame rates up to 60% in recent titles. and is currently in over 50 games and is constantly being added to more games!

DirectX 9 Performance Improvements

DirectX 9 is still the cornerstone of some of your favorite games, like Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and it’s where Intel has made massive strides to improve performance. Since launch, driver updates have improved Intel Arc’s DX9 speed by an astounding 43%. That’s an extra 200+ frames in games like Half Life 2, with games like League of Legends and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim seeing proportional jumps in performance.

DirectX 11 and 12 have also seen improvements, with changes ranging from a percentage or two in speed improvements to vast boosts for underperforming games, all designed to bring your gaming experience up to the level you deserve.

Intel Balanced Builds: What is the Best Bang for your Buck?

Intel isn’t just hard at work improving their Arc GPUs, they’re striving to make sure all PC builders are getting the most out of their new PCs. And to do that, they ran tests. A lot of tests.

They combined just about every modern Intel processor with a plethora of GPUs in any and every combination imaginable. And then they put each and every one of those combinations through a series of rigorous tests in over 50 games at two different resolutions. There’s a lot of data to comb through (and it can all be found at the bottom of this page), but they helpfully boiled it down to this handy graph:

The big takeaway is that if you pair a high-powered CPU with a lower-power GPU (or vice versa), you’ll quickly start to see diminishing returns with high-intensity applications. In essence, you want to ensure that your CPU and GPU aren’t going to dwarf each other’s – or your! – needs.

When it comes to Intel’s A750 and A770 GPUs, the 12th and 13th gen Intel Core i5 and i7 processors hit that sweet spot perfectly. Those CPUs compliment the power and capabilities of the A750 and A770 in a way that won’t bog down either, allowing your whole build to sing in beautiful harmony.

This combo – whether you’re using an 12th Gen i7 with a A770, a 13th Gen i5 with an A750, or any combination therein – makes a great basis for a budget friendly build that can still deliver some incredible gaming experiences.

If you’re looking for an example of a Balanced Build, look no further than the Powerspec G234[RA7] . With an Intel Core i5-13400F and the Intel Arc A770 GPU, this is a prebuilt PC that carefully balances its components to ensure you’re getting a ton of power without breaking your budget!

Bundle and Save!

We here at Micro Center partnered with Intel to make this budget build base even better. We’ve unveiled a brand-new bundle, bringing together the Intel Arc A750 and an Intel Core i5-12600k, wrapped together with savings of up to $155 off!

That takes the A750 price reduction and chops even more off the top, really driving home Intel’s goal of bringing affordable gaming back to the masses.

Not sure what you want to build? Head over to Micro Center's Intel PC Builder and check out everything we have to offer. The PC Builder will help you choose compatible parts so your next Intel build goes smoothly! If you're looking for ideas, we put together a sample parts list for a gorgeous, minimalist build using the Arc A750 and Core i5-12600k that comes in at $1,005 before the bundle discount! That’s a killer 1080p system that’ll last you for years of high-quality gaming.

Prices taken at time of writing, availability of parts vary based on store

Creative Labs V3 Minimalistic 2 Channel USB-C Computer Speakers by @elcurr

The Creative Lab V3 Pebbles are my go-to computer speakers for beginners and for anyone who just wants something simple. I love how many options you have when it comes to connecting them to your PC: You can connect the Pebble V3s via USB-A, USB-C, and Bluetooth. They even have an AUX-in, allowing you to connect to other audio devices. They're minimal and discrete, ensuring they'll fit on almost any desk without taking up a lot of space, which is a major plus. In my eyes, though, the biggest selling point for me is the quality you get for the price point. You don’t have to break the bank for speakers, especially while you are just starting to test the waters on your personal likes and dislikes when it comes to audio equipment.

HyperX Cloud II Wired Gaming Headset w/ 7.1 Virtual surround sound

The HyperX Cloud II headset has become just about ubiquitous in the gaming space over the past few years, thanks to high-quality audio at a reasonable price. I was using pair of Cloud IIs for years (before upgrading to the Cloud Alphas early last year) and have recommended them to just about anyone who would listen. Not only are they incredibly comfortable for those long nights of gaming, the virtual 7.1 surround sound is spectacular and saved my in-game life on more than one occasion.

Out of the box, they come with two distinct options for your earcups: leatherette and velour. I've preferred the leatherette in my time with them, but I found the velour to be just as comfortable, offering a solid second option if the leatherette is not to your taste. The padded headband is just as comfortable. I've spent 6+ hours wearing the Cloud IIs and never felt the headphone fatigue you get from less comfortable headsets.

The audio quality rivals the comfort, with crisp highs and bassy lows. The 7.1 virtual surround sound is a genuine advantage in competitive shooters, letting you know exactly where your enemy is before they even get a chance to pull the trigger. And the microphone is just as good. I never once heard a complaint about the quality of my microphone audio, even back when I did live streams. It's even removable, if you're just looking to chill out and listen to music.

Whether you're looking to up your game or get some beats flowing while you work through your to-do list, the HyperX Cloud IIs are there with the comfort and quality you need.

Edifier R19BT 2.0 Channel Computer Speaker System with Bluetooth by @Lambdaben

The Edifier R19BT speakers may just be the perfect addition to your desktop setup. These speakers pack a powerful punch with their 16W RMS output, delivering crisp and clear sound quality that's perfect for both music and gaming. They also feature a built-in Bluetooth 4.0 receiver, allowing you to wirelessly stream your favorite music from your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

With their sleek and compact design, the Edifier R19BT speakers are a stylish addition to any workspace. The wooden enclosure not only looks great but also helps to enhance the sound quality by reducing resonance and providing a more natural sound. The side panel controls allow for easy adjustments to volume and bass, giving you complete control over your audio experience. And with the added convenience of Bluetooth connectivity, you can easily switch between devices without the hassle of cords or wires. The Edifier R19BT is the perfect choice for anyone looking for high-quality, versatile speakers that deliver superior sound and style.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Gaming Headset by @ChaosDTV

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is a high-end wireless gaming headset that offers excellent sound quality, comfort, and a wide range of features. It features the new Nova Pro Acoustic System with high-fidelity drivers that deliver clear and accurate sound. The headset also has active noise cancellation to block out background noise as well as 360° Spatial Audio for a more immersive gaming experience. And speaking of gaming experiences, the Nova Pro has a detachable microphone that provides crisp, clear audio, perfect for chatting with friends. And for those long gaming sessions, it's designed for comfort, with soft ear cups and a padded headband. It even features a swappable battery system that provides up to 40 hours of battery life!

Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is an excellent choice for gamers who are looking for a high-quality wireless headset with great sound, comfort, and features. It is a bit pricey, but it is worth the investment for serious gamers. No matter your system - PC, PlayStation, or Xbox, the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless has a compatible headset that will work for you!

Mackie CR4-X 4" 2 Channel Stereo Computer Multimedia Computer Monitor Speakers by @Lesaol

For those looking for a medium-sized speaker option that can fit on your desk, the Mackie CR4-Xs are a great pair of speakers that are able to produce amazing sound without a separate subwoofer. Whether you're using them for pc gaming, streaming movies, or even just listening to music while doing work, the bass sounds full and the high tones sound clear. Despite being a low-wattage (only 50 watts!) and a small driver size (4'!), these Mackies can deliver loud and clear sounds without cluttering up your desk with massive speakers. They even offer a wide range of inputs, including 1/4”, 1/8”, and RCA . There's even audio output via a headphone jack on the front of the speakers, so you don't need to mess around in your audio settings to get everything just right. The CR4-X is a fantastic jack-of-all-trades option and will feat seamlessly into almost any home workstation!

More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more great peripheral suggestions? We’ve got lots of guides and recommendations, like Upgrading Your Desktop Setup, Glorious Keyboard Reviews, and SteelSeries Recs! And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!