Close To The Metal

Intel will be releasing a consumer version of Optane Memory later in April, but is this something you'll want to pick up? We'll discuss who this memory is targeting and whether that market will be able to utilize it. Also, is this a bridge between HDD and SSD, is it a replacement for one of them, or is it something new altogether? We'll explain why, take a stab at performance and let you know who will benefit from the entire line.

The first release in about 5 years for the franchise, Mass Effect: Andromeda has been receiving fairly scathing reviews. From issues with the game engine, to render scaling, to characters just dong bizarre things, there is a lot to talk about. We'll cover what we know so far and let you know what our thoughts are regarding any redeeming qualities of this roll out.

IBM has made clear their ambitions for Quantum computing. The IBM Q is an actual quantum computing machine that could change the way we live our lives. However, it's still a difficult concept to grasp, as that the technology is truly in it's infancy. Today we'll go further in depth with what we know and prognosticate where we think the technology could take us in the future.

AMD has released the Ryzen line of CPUs, but should you buy in? We'll go over the details of the release, where the excel, where they lag behind and who this chip is really designed for. How does it compare to Intel's line and how will Intel respond to what AMD is doing? We'll discuss this and answer your questions in today's episode.

It appears we're about to get a new Graphics Card and a new GPU announcement in the same day. Nvidia is most likely releasing the GTX 1080 Ti. AMD is set give out some more details on the upcoming Vega line of GPUs. Today we'll go over what we know, what we're speculating and what to expect with the big announcements from the GPU giants. 

The folks at Valve are finally pulling the plug on Steam Greenlight. While there were some success stories, mixed with some annoying non-games that somehow made it through, they are going to a different model with Steam Direct. We're joined by game developer Mo Cohen, who is the programmer, writer and designer for Greenlight game Queer Quest: All in a Gay's Work. She let's us know about her experiences with Steam and what she would like to see in a new platform. What are you looking for and what would you like Steam Direct to become?

Modern gaming is placing increasingly higher demans on gaming computers. Today we'll take a look at what those higer frame rates mean and how Windows Game Mode is attempting to adjust systems for it. We'll also analyze the newest Ubisoft release, For Honor. It's an incredible game, but what systems will actually be run it at it's full capability? 

While we still consider Microsoft's Windows 10 to be our favorite operating system, there is a lot of competition out there. Google's Chrome OS has converted many bargain-PC users to their platform. We got our our hands on a leaked copy of what is currently being called Windows 10 Cloud. It's not been officially revealed from Microsoft, but we'll let you know what we discovered, answer some questions, compare it to Chrome OS and try to predict what this means for the future of the Windows OS.

Gaming laptops have been one of the few segments of computing that still remain difficult to perfect. Today we'll cover what generally tends to go wrong with them and how those factors effect performance. We'll also touch on the important things to look for when purchasing your new system and review a couple of brand laptops designed just for gaming.

We touch on four different subjects hitting the news and also take live questions. Microsoft has laid off 700 people, including the notable presenter Bryan Roper. Microsoft also added an eBook reader to Edge. Google has announced that all new Chromebooks (and many old ones) will now run Android apps. Razer has released a patent for touch displays in keyboards/mice.

The Nintendo Switch has brought a lot of excitement to the gaming world and today we go in depth with the new system. We'll cover what games will be available, how the system works, the advantages of portability and take view questions. For PC Gamers, the Nintendo Switch fills a gap in a way that no system really has before.

The wait is over and the Oculus Touch is now available. Matt Smith gives his review of the new controllers for the Oculus Rift, explaining how they work, where they fall short, how they compare to the HTC Vive and much more. We also take your questions live on Facebook and YouTube. 

Matt and Brad provide everyone one with a list of their Best and Worst in the world of computing for 2016. The key to it is that they don't know what is on each other's lists. Will they agree, or disagree? Did Apple or Microsoft have a good year? Also, what are you Best and Worst for 2016?

'Tis the season to game. The past few months have been packed with high-profile releases, from Battlefield 1 to FIFA 2017. Many of these major games will be available on not only multiple consoles but also the PC. And that...can cause a problem.

Fortunately, this holiday season is a great time to buy a monitor. Prices have dropped drastically across the board, and deals are tending to stick around for awhile, rather than appearing in a quantity of 10 before vanishing to never be seen again. Today we'll go over everything you need to know, from recommendations for gaming, to photography/video editing, to everyday use. Want to know if you should get an ultrawide, or 4K? We'll cover that too.

The wait is over. After four years, Apple has finally updated its MacBook Pro 13 and 15, revising the design to be slimmer, lighter, and more attractive than ever before. We'll cover the design, the keyboard, the touchbar, performance, portability and more.

With the Ultrabook initiative successful and behind it, Intel and the PC industry is moving on to the next challenge -- the 2-in-1. This is vague term covers a very wide variety of laptops that can also serve as tablets. Today we'll take a look at where the 2 in 1's are at now and what pros/cons still exist. Plus we'll review the HP Spectre x360, Lenovo Yoga 910, Surface Book with Performance Base and let you know our recommendations for this holiday season.

Hardcore PC gamers are willing to shell out serious cash on the right peripherals. That includes mice which, in their most extravagant forms, look nothing like the cheap two-button hunk of plastic that ships with most desktops. In this episode, we review the top selling $10 gaming mice from Amazon. Are they functional, what do you get for that price and are they a good value? We'll compare them to the top end of gaming mice and let you know our recommendations. 

Apple has announced an update for the MacBook Pro 13 and 15, a pair of laptops that went four years without a chassis overhaul. On this episode we'll go in depth, detailing the new Touchbar, Processor performance, Solid State drive speeds, Graphics performance, Battery Life, Ports and even the pricing.

Nvidia's GTX 1050 and 1050 Ti are the company's new budget video cards, with prices that start as low as $110. Can you really use these cards as an upgrade to your existing desktop, and do they beat the competition form AMD?