Luckily, this isn’t as big an issue as it might seem. If your TV says No Signal but the cable box is on, or if there’s a message that says No Source or No Input, it could be one of a few technical issues. You can get to the bottom of this by testing each component one by one.

Let us walk you through the troubleshooting process. Remember that the problem is almost certainly not with the TV unit itself. You may wonder if, in the process of figuring out how to save money when buying a new TV, you might have been at the end of a raw deal. Thankfully, that is almost certainly not the case.

TV Not Properly Connected to The TV Box: No Signal Problem #1

It’s entirely possible that everything seems right. You might find yourself saying “my TV says No Signal, but everything is plugged in!”. This is a tricky problem and a surprisingly easy one to fix.

Even if everything is plugged in, sometimes a No Signal on TV means that the cable box is either powered off or not plugged in properly. Even the best android TV box can’t do much for you if you forget to plug it in properly or turn it on!

Pressing the power button on the remote control can help. There might even be a different button, such as a CBL button, that you have to press first to power it on.

Sometimes a “natural” occurrence can also cause a similar problem. A Direct TV no signal on one TV in your house, place of work, or dormitory might mean that it’s a problem specific to that TV, but if it’s on more than one, then you might have what is known as rain fade.

TV Being Set to The Wrong Input: No Signal Problem #2

Your TV has unique and multiple input ports for each device that can be connected to it. These devices can be a TV box or a DVD/Blu-Ray player. Even the best outdoor TV antenna isn’t of much use when it isn’t set to the right input port, or if your TV isn’t set to the input that the cable box is connected to.

To ensure this, make sure both the TV and the cable box are powered on, and then look for an INPUT button, or similar, on your remote control. Pressing the button for INPUT will bring up options on your screen. Even if they’re confusing, you can try them to see where the right input that you want is. Cycle through each of them and see if any of them is a signal to your TV.

HDMI Not Working on TV: No Signal Problem #3

The HDMI input having issues can also contribute to a No Signal on TV. Comcast can frequently have this issue. To get around this, power your device off, and take out the plug. Disconnect your HDMI cable from its input port on the TV and change it to another port. Plug it back in, turn it back on, and then change your TV’s input to where you plugged in the new HDMI input and see if the issue is resolved.

It’s also best to keep the cables unplugged for a few minutes in the process, as well as waiting a few minutes after plugging them back in to give some time to allow the signal to stabilize.

There can be some other problems, too. One of these is inherent in a TV remote, and it has to with the base channel. This has everything to do with the remote and the default setting it’s on, which is often 1 or 2 but might sometimes need to be moved to 3, or 4.

There is also something known as HDCP error, which stands for High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection. Non-licensed devices can sometimes be rejected by your TV set, as most of them are built-in with HDCP-compliant features. Removing the offending device (such as a Kodi box) will restore signals.

What if None of These Solutions Work?

If you have tried everything and you still can’t get a signal, you should call a professional. The problem could be with your cable box or your antenna (if you are using satellite TV). A professional would be able to identify the exact problem and make sure that it is solved.

Luckily, the best soundbar under $200 is not difficult to find in a market that promotes brand and product diversity. But now you have a different dilemma. Which one is best for your needs?

We took the burden of research and learning upon our shoulders, and below you can read about the best products on the market that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Also, we have a comprehensive buying guide, in case you want to continue looking.

Top Picks

Preview	Product
	SAMSUNG HW-T450 2.1ch Soundbar with Dolby Audio (2020)	Check at Amazon
	Yamaha Audio YAS-109 Sound Bar with Built-In Subwoofers, Bluetooth, and Alexa Voice Control...	Check at Amazon
	Sony S200F 2.1ch Soundbar with built-in Subwoofer and Bluetooth Home Theater Audio for TV, (HT200F),...	Check at Amazon
	Polk Audio Signa S2 Ultra-Slim TV Sound Bar, Works with 4K & HD TVs, Wireless Subwoofer, Includes...	Check at Amazon
	Bose Solo 5 TV Soundbar Sound System with Universal Remote Control, Black	Check at Amazon
	Roku Smart Soundbar, 4K/HD/HDR Streaming Media Player & Exceptional Audio Includes Roku Voice Remote	Check at Amazon
	Sony HT-S350 Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer: S350 2.1ch Sound Bar and Powerful Subwoofer - Home...	Check at Amazon
	VIZIO Sound Bar for TV, 36” 2.1 Home Audio Surround Sound System for TV with Wireless Subwoofer...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-10-01 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best Soundbar Under $200?

Compatibility with your TV

Most soundbars will connect with most modern TVs using an HDMI (ARC) or optical connection. However, just because it plays the sound coming from the TV, it doesn’t mean the arrangement is 100% a fit.

First, think about the size. Esthetically, the soundbar should be shorter than the TV so that you can place it right in the center, under or above. It’s also a good idea to make sure both the TV and the soundbar come in a similar color.

Second, think about the remote control. If they are compatible, you’ll be able to use the one from your TV, which means less clutter on your coffee table.

Finally, modern devices have preset sound modes (gaming, movie, news, and so on). And, to access them, they must match with the input received from the TV.

Available Controls

Some bars come with their own remote control, but all of them have integrated buttons (usually at the top). These should be easy to access, whether the bar sits on a flat surface or is mounted on a wall. If you have a remote control, it should be slim and easy to understand (no useless buttons).

Sound Quality & Power

Pay attention to the bass and treble settings. These should be easy to adjust during setup, and the bar should come with pre-set modes that let users change the settings by simply pressing a button. Furthermore, if the bar comes with a subwoofer, make sure the bass is not over- or under-powering.

Setup & Connectivity

You shouldn’t have to spend more than 10 minutes setting the soundbar up (including deciding where to install it and how to run cable management). A good soundbar doesn’t need anything else besides the cable connection with the TV.

Furthermore, look for a device that supports WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity. This way, you can use the bar to stream music or videos from a phone, tablet, laptop, or gaming console without having to mess around with the cables.

Price

Now, there’s a clear difference between a soundbar under $100 and one over this price tag, but the price is not always a clear indicator of quality. To get the best, keep in mind the features mentioned in this guide.

Best Soundbars Under $200

SAMSUNG HW-T450

A Solid Sound in an Affordable Package

SAMSUNG HW-T450 is an affordable and solid performing 200W soundbar that comes as the successor, of the already well established HW-R450 model and brings a very good entry-level 2.1 setup to the customers.

This is, for the most part, the basic device, with the most standard functions, but above all, affordable price. It comes with Bluetooth connectivity, support for Dolby Digital and DTS sound, as well as a Smart sound function that adapts the sound depending on content.

On top of that, it is fitted with an Optical Audio In port and USB port and has a few nice touches such as, for instance, special Game mode and ability to be used with the help of your Samsung TV remote, which aren’t knock-down characteristics; nevertheless, present the nice addition.

The build quality of the SAMSUNG HW-T450 isn’t at the peak level and isn’t really up to Samsung standards; however, it is good enough for the most and is in the class with the competition. More importantly, its sound quality is pretty decent and with the help of its wireless subwoofer produces clear audio, with deep rich bass, making this device more than a solid option and one of the best soundbars under $200, available on the market.

Yamaha YAS-109

An Excellence in a Budget-friendly Edition

Yamaha YAS-109 is easy to use and feature-rich soundbar that brings the great audio performance and excellent build quality in the middle tier segment of the market.

With this device, you are getting great connectivity that involves a subwoofer port, Ethernet port, USB port, and two HDMI ports, as well as both Wi-Fi and BT4.2 connection. Furthermore, there is support for Dolby Digital, DTS and DTS Virtual:X, and a variety of audio formats that involve MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC, ALAC and more.

Before anything else, Yamaha YAS-109 provides clear and crisp sound and comes with enhancing sound features such as Compressed Music Enhancer that optimizes the quality of streamed audio from Amazon Music and Spotify connect that is also supported on this soundbar.

This is a 120W device, with two 30W front channels and two 30W subwoofer drivers, as well as built-in subwoofers for deep bass. More importantly, this is an easy to use and setup device that brings great value for the price and overall presents an excellent option for anyone seeking a compact, but highly capable soundbar.

Yamaha YAS-109 weighs only 3.4Kg and has a built-in microphone that allows for its control with the help of Amazon Alexa voice control.

Moreover, it provides five different audio modes (Movie, Sport, Music, TV, and Game), dedicated to different audio-video content, and altogether presents everything that the best soundbar under $200 should be. It is easy to use, feature-rich and above all, it provides excellent audio performance for the price.

Sony S200F

A Compact & Elegant Solution

If you don’t like running wires throughout the house or installing big and bulky subwoofers, the Sony S200F soundbar is a wonderful option! It is compact, it can be mounted on the wall or simply placed on a shelf or table, and it comes with an integrated subwoofer.

The soundbar uses Bluetooth connectivity to avoid wires and can be used with your TV, smartphone, and even PC (it also has USB connectivity). Of course, for those TVs that don’t support Bluetooth, you can use the HDMI ARC port, which reduces the entire connection to just one cable.

The system features virtual surround sound technology with 2.1 channels so you can enjoy a truly cinematic experience without having to install speakers all over the room.

Polk Audio Signa S2

A Compact Design with a Lot of Power

Signa S2 is marketed as a universal soundbar that delivers a room-filling home theater experience without taking up the space that an advanced audio system would. It has a low-profile, which means it will fit under most TVs and can be mounted on the wall.

Among its most convincing features, we need to mention Dolby Digital decoding (for the perfect audio experience) and the fact that it is compatible with most 4K and HD TVs. It also comes with Leverage Polk Adjust Technology, which enhances the voice whenever there’s a dialogue in your movies or games.

The system is easy to install (it comes with all the necessary cables), and it supports both wired and wireless connectivity. Furthermore, it comes with a wireless subwoofer, which helps improve the bass output to new levels.

Bose Solo 5

Elevate your TV Sound to New Levels

This soundbar is designed to enhance the sound of your TV, so you would understand dialogue in news and movies, but also enjoy games and music. The device can connect to your TV using one out of three different ports (optical audio – digital, coaxial audio – digital, and a 3.5 mm aux input – analog), but also supports Bluetooth connectivity.

As such, the soundbar can be used with the TV, or with Bluetooth devices for streaming music. Also, setup is incredibly simple, as once you insert the right cable, the soundbar will know which port you’re using and will apply the necessary settings.

In terms of design, the Solo 5 is easy to integrate in your home and can be either put on a shelf, under the TV (on a flat surface) or on the wall (with the additional wall mount).

Roku Smart Soundbar

A Great Sound and Features at a more than Fair Price

If you are seeking a decent, but affordable soundbar that has a good build quality and first and foremost produces a nicely balanced sound, Roku Smart Soundbar is the device you should seriously consider for.

This is the sound system that comes with solid connectivity, which involves Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, optical input, and HDMI connection. It is easy to setup and comes with a plenty of streaming options that make it suitable for a wide variety of users.

Roku Smart Soundbar remote is identical to Roku TVs remote and offers all the necessary functions, while its audio performance delivers full and powerful sound and allows for clear dialogue reproduction. The sound itself produces a fairly wide sound field and comes along with the nice dynamic bass that, on the other hand, can be a bit stronger.

This soundbar supports HDR10, as well as voice commands, or to be exact, Roku Assistant. Moreover, it is fitted with the Speech Clarity function that fine-tunes your sound and overall delivers more than a good value for its price, which ultimately makes it one of the best soundbars under $200 available on the market.

Sony HT-S350

The Best There Is in Entry-level Market

Sony HT-S350 is an affordable 320W soundbar with a subwoofer that brings the premium build quality and excellent sound performance in the entry-level market. This is the device that produces great voice clarity and deep, rich bass that makes it suitable for every sort of multimedia.

Sony HT-S350 is a lightweight device (2.4Kg), with seven different sound modes (Game, Cinema, Auto sound, News, Sports, Standard Audio, and Music) and above all, it is very easy to setup and use. This soundbar is fitted with a special S-Force PRO Front Surround feature, for the enhanced surround sound experience and also comes with the boost audio frequency feature that isolates voices and by increasing their volume neutralizes background noise.

When talking about the connectivity, Sony HT-S350 comes with Bluetooth connection, an HDMI port, with ARC functionality, as well as the digital optical input, which pretty much sums its Spartan list of connectivity options. On top of that, there is also a USB port; however, its functionality is limited only to firmware updates and nothing more than that.

Moreover, this sound system comes in the package with a solid remote controller, which has only the basic functions, but before everything else, this soundbar offers a powerful audio experience, with strong bass and clear sound that rightfully position it among the best soundbars under $200.

VIZIO 2.1 Sound Bar SB3621n-H8

An Affordable, yet Very Good Sound System

VIZIO 2.1 Sound Bar SB3621n-H8 is an entry-level soundbar that doesn’t bring a ton of features; nonetheless, it brings all the necessary ingredients for a good user experience.

It is easy to use, it is equipped with a wireless subwoofer that creates booming bass and on top of that it is pretty compact and lightweight (2Kg), which lets you use it anywhere.

VIZIO 2.1 Sound Bar SB3621n-H8 comes with a built-in Bluetooth connection, 3.5mm stereo mini-jack, USB port and Optical Audio Input. Unfortunately, it lacks HDMI connectivity, which is one of its major downsides.

Looking from the bright side, VIZIO 2.1 Sound Bar SB3621n-H8 is fitted with the DTS Virtual:X sound enhancement and more importantly, delivers good quality sound, with plenty of basses. In other words, this soundbar probably doesn’t bring the same level of features as its competition; however, it brings what it matters, great sound and excellent usability, which is the key function of any soundbar in the first place.

Wrap Up

Because they are low-profile, slim, and occupy less space, soundbars are the best alternative to a home theater system when you don’t have the room. But are they worth the hype?

Well, modern devices manage to deliver a great audio experience, even though it’s not at an audiophile level. Furthermore, in small to medium-sized rooms, a soundbar may be a better choice because it is powerful enough to fill the space with amazing sound details.

In conclusion, soundbars are the ideal option when you don’t have the budget or the room for an authentic home theater system.

However, that doesn’t always represent an easy task and for that reason, the following lines are written in the first place – to bring much-needed help and make your choice much easier.

Top Picks

Preview	Product
	Anker Powerline+ Micro USB (3ft) The Premium and Durable Cable [Double Braided Nylon] for Samsung,...	Check at Amazon
	RAMPOW Micro USB Cable [6.6ft] Long Android Charger Cord - QC 3.0 Fast Charge & Sync - Nylon Braided...	Check at Amazon
	Cable Matters 2-Pack Retractable Micro USB Cable - 2.5 Feet	Check at Amazon
	iSeekerKit Short Micro USB Cable 1Ft Nylon Braided Fast USB Charging Cord Compatible for External...	Check at Amazon
	Micro USB Cable Android Charger - Syncwire [2-Pack 3.3ft] Super-Durable Nylon Braided Fast...	Check at Amazon
	JSAUX Micro USB Cable Android Charger, (2-Pack 6.6FT) Nylon Braided Cord Compatible with Galaxy S7...	Check at Amazon
	UGREEN Micro USB Cable, 6FT High Speed Fast Charging USB Cable, Nylon Braided Durable Android Phone...	Check at Amazon
	AINOPE 2-Pack Micro USB Cable Android Charger [6.6ft], Unbreakable Micro USB Charging Cable, Micro...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-28 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best Micro USB Cable

Since the micro USB cables are not too complicated, their important aspects can be summed into the following aspects:

Fast charge

Although fast charging is a function you can live without, its existence makes life much easier and gives you flexibility, and more importantly, it saves time. In other words, it is not mandatory but is surely a good option.

Length

Another important characteristic of micro USB cables is their length. The cable that is too long may get tangled in your bag, while one that is too short may present difficulty and prevent its easy usability. For that reason, think through what will suit you best and choose in accordance with that.

Warranty

Micro USB cables warranty isn’t that important as is the case with other, more expensive products; however, it should be a good indication of products durability. Therefore, if a cord has a lifetime warranty, there is a large chance you will never again need another one.

Best Micro USB Cables

Anker PowerLine+ Micro USB

One of the Best There Is

If you are looking for a reliable, efficient and durable micro USB cable that is available in a variety of sizes and colors, Anker Powerline cable is an ideal choice for you.

This cord supports fast charging, it comes in red, grey, white and gold color and is available in several lengths (0.3m, 1m, 2m and 3m). Its inside is built of 20AWF wiring that guarantees for efficient power transmission, while its outside shell is reinforced with Kevlar, which significantly improves its durability and allows for more than 10.000 bends.

Anker Powerline cable has an 18-month warranty and more importantly, a very reasonable price for its level of quality. Moreover, it is one of the best micro USB cables for charging your devices, but also a great data transmission tool, which altogether makes it the perfect micro USB cable for many people.

RAMPOW Micro USB Cable

A Highly-Durable Micro USB Cable for Everyday Use

RAMPOW Micro USB Cable is a solid performing cord, with great durability, which ultimately makes it an optimal solution for everyday use.

Its nylon braided outside, reinforced with aluminum and stainless-steel connectors, are the most responsible for its great durability, while its 21AWG thick inside provides quality power transmission and allow its use for quick charging. This cord supports QuickCharge 2.0 standard and allows for charging at up to 2.4A, which isn’t amazing, but it is more than enough for the majority of people.

RAMPOW Micro USB Cable comes in a variety of colors (red/black, red, blue and two grey combinations) and unfortunately, only two-meter length, which is kinda limiting, but still highly usable. Moreover, this cable comes with a lifetime warranty and generally represents one of the best micro USB cables available and overall a great cord for the money.

Cable Matters Retractable USB to Micro-USB Cable

An Ideal Micro USB Cable for Travelers and Users Who Are Seeking for Practicality

Practicality at an affordable price is always a good deal and Cable Matters Retractable USB to Micro-USB Cable goes along with that thought.

It is retractable, which allows for the cable to be from 0.05m to 0.8m, making it easy to handle it and preventing the cable tangling in your bag or desk drawer.

Cable Matters Retractable USB to Micro-USB Cable is equipped with gold-plated connectors, with a molded strain relief that positively affects its overall durability, but more importantly, has a great price for a pack of two that make it one of the best values for the money on the market.

However, other characteristics, such as modest one-year warranty, and especially the lack of fast-charge support, make it a bit less attractive. Nevertheless, its decent performance with data transfer rates of up to 480 Mbps and the already mentioned great practicality overcome the negative sides and definitely make it one of the best micro USB cables available on the market.

iSeekerKit Short Micro USB Cable

Durability and Decent Performance in One

If you are looking for multiple Micro USB cables that will provide decent durability and efficiency (480Mbps data transfer speed), iSeekerKit Short Micro USB Cable 3-pack should be high on your radar.

This cheap set offers three 0.3m cables in one package and is available in a variety of colors: red, black, silver, gold, blue, white, etc. In other words, there is an option for everyone.

Unfortunately, it is available in only one length. However, for a large number of users, that doesn’t play such an important role, but it is a limiting factor, so keep that in mind.

The cable itself offers great durability (it can withstand up to 8.000 bends) that comes as a result of double-braided nylon outside and laser-welded connectors and is followed by a fairly convincing lifetime warranty.

Altogether, iSeekerKit Short Micro USB Cable is not the best micro USB cable available; however, it brings great value for the money and ultimately, it presents a good overall deal for the price.

Syncwire Micro USB Cable

A Heavy-Duty Micro USB Cable

Syncwire Micro USB Cable is a tough, well-performing cord, built to last. It supports fast charging (up to 2.4A) and offers good performance, with a data transfer speed of up to 480Mbps.

Moreover, it offers great durability (it can withstand more than 10.000 90-degree bends) thanks to its triple-braided nylon shell and aluminum connectors, and in compliance with that comes with a lifetime warranty.

Its inside is built out of 21AWG wire, which guarantees for efficient power transmission, while its availability only in grey color limits its overall great impression a bit. This cord is available in one and two-meter length and comes in packages of two cables that should be enough to fulfill all your micro USB needs.

Overall, if you are looking for the best micro USB cable for charging and general usage, Syncwire Micro USB Cable is a great deal.

JSAUX Micro USB Cable

A Perfect Micro USB Cable

JSAUX Micro USB Cable is a durable, fast-performing cord that supports 2.4A fast charging, and more importantly, 480Mbps data transfer speeds that position it neck and neck with the best micro USB cables available.

This cord brings a premium build that involves 21/28AWG copper core, premium nylon braiding, as well as 3D aluminum, laser-welded connectors. To make things even better, this cable comes with a Strain Relief design that offers extended durability and allows JSAUX Micro USB Cable to withstand more than 20000 bends.

Moreover, this two-meter cable is available in five colors (blue, red, gold rose, grey, and purple) that make finding the perfect fit much easier, while the great overall value makes JSAUX Micro USB Cable an excellent choice if you are only looking for the best for your money.

UGREEN Micro USB Cable Nylon Braided

A Great Micro USB Cord for the Money

UGREEN Micro USB Cable is a cord that combines excellent durability with quality performance and all that at a fair price.

This cable supports for QuickCharge 3.0/2.0 standards and allows for charging at up to 2.4A. Furthermore, it offers decent data transfer speed of up to 480Mbps and delivers great durability that is managed thanks to the nylon braided housing, phosphor bronze contacts and gold-plated connectors.

UGREEN Micro USB Cable Nylon Braided can stand up to 10.000 inserts and overall offers a very flexible and robust build.

Moreover, it is available in four different lengths (0.5m, 1m, 2m and 3m) and unfortunately only two colors (black and white), which actually is its only flaw.

In other words, UGREEN Micro USB Cable is a good deal and very attractive purchase for everyone looking only for the best micro USB cable.

AINOPE Micro USB Cable

A Highly Versatile Micro USB Cable

AINOPE Micro USB Cable is an affordable and highly durable two-meter cable that offers solid performance and a very good value for the money. The fact remains that its supported data transfer speed of 480Mbps is nowhere near the best lightning, or the best USB C cables’ data transfer speeds; however, for a micro USB cable, that is more than enough.

If you also add that this cord is available in multiple colors (grey, black, blue, and red) and that it can withstand more than 40000 bends, it becames more apparent why this piece of equipment is among the best micro USB cables available.

A built-in smart chip for stable data transfer speeds, 2.4A fast charging, as well as the nylon-braided coating, along with the double glue reinforcement, are other great benefits coming with it.

In other words, if you are after one of the best micro USB cables on the market that brings an excellent balance between the price, performance, and versatility, AINOPE Micro USB Cable is the cord to consider.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a new Micro USB cable that will withstand bending, falling and other mishaps, you should find your new pal in the above list. Look through it carefully and get ready to pack up your new asset. Happy charging!

In that case, finding you the best SD card reader might become a stressful experience. However, a guide such as this one should make things much easier and allow you to easily find the ideal card reader.

Top Picks

Preview	Product
	Kingston MobileLite Plus USB 3.2 microSDHC/SDXC UHS-II Card Reader (MLPM)	Check at Amazon
	Anker USB-C and USB 3.0 SD Card Reader, PowerExpand+ 2-in-1 Memory Card Reader with Dual Connectors,...	Check at Amazon
	USB C Card Reader, Syntech 3- in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Memory Card Reader Hub for CF, SD/SDHC, TF/Micro SD...	Check at Amazon
	Transcend USB 3.1 Gen1 SDHC / SDXC / microSDHC / SDXC Card Reader, TS-RDF5W (White)	Check at Amazon
	SanDisk ImageMate PRO USB-C Reader/Writer - SDDR-A631-GNGNN	Check at Amazon
	SD UHS-II Dual-Slot Memory Card Reader by ProGrade Digital | USB 3.2 Gen 2 for Professional...	Check at Amazon
	SD Card Reader, uni USB 3.0 SD Card Adapter High-Speed Micro SD Memory Card Reader Support SD/Micro...	Check at Amazon
	UGREEN USB C SD Card Reader, 2-in-1 Micro SD Memory Card Reader for TF SD Micro SD SDXC SDHC MMC...	Check at Amazon
	SanDisk MobileMate USB 3.0 microSD Card Reader- SDDR-B531-GN6NN	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-27 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best SD Card Reader

Card readers, in general, are not too complicated devices. Therefore, their most important characteristics don’t include many categories:

Read/Write speeds

Your super-fast SD card will be of little help if your card reader doesn’t support its full speed. Therefore, before the purchase, determine what the reader’s characteristics are and try to get the maximum out of your investment.

Price

There is nothing more to be said about the price, except that you should choose the card reader in accordance with your budget. Be aware that price isn’t always a guarantee of quality and that there are many affordable devices, which provide performance worthy the best SD card readers. For that reason, don’t rush and be patient in your search.

Compatibility

Speedy performance and an affordable price will be worth very little if your device isn’t compatible with the card type that you have. For that reason, think through about what your present, as well as future demands are, and choose the card reader that will perfectly fit into these requirements.

Best SD Card Readers

Kingston MobileLite Plus (MLPM)

A Budget-Friendly High-Performing SD Card Reader

Kingston MobileLite Plus (MLPM) is a portable, attractive-looking, and, before anything else, cheap UHS-II SD card reader that can be compared with the best SD card readers available on the market due to its excellent performance.

This card reader supports USB3.2 Gen 1 standard and is backward-compatible with UHS-I devices. Moreover, it is capable of working with every major operating system such as Windows, Linux, Mac, and ChromeOS.

Kingston MobileLite Plus (MLPM) comes with a two-year warranty and overall delivers a pretty good value for its price. It is compact, portable, and high-performing. In other words, it has everything you may need from an SD card reader, including the ridiculously low price.

Anker USB-C and USB 3.0 SD Card Reader

A Solid and Highly Versatile SD Card Reader

If you are seeking an affordable, yet capable SD card reader that brings exceptional versatility and great compatibility, Anker USB-C and USB 3.0 SD Card Reader is the device for you. With this reader, you get separate SD and microSD card slots, and exceptional compatibility that allows this reader to be used with SDXC, SDHC, SD, MMC, RS-MMC, Micro SDXC, Micro SD, and many other card types.

Moreover, this card reader offers both USB-A and USB-C connections, and supports data transfer speeds of up to 104MBps, which isn’t amazing; however, it should be enough for the most.

Anker USB-C and USB 3.0 SD Card Reader comes with an 18-month warranty and is built out of aluminum and polycarbonate that makes the great combination with its slim-line design, and as a result, makes this reader a perfect fit for the high-end laptops of today.

Therefore, if you are after one of the best affordable card readers available, Anker USB-C and USB 3.0 SD Card Reader is a great choice and a device worth having that certainly won’t disappoint you.

Syntech 3-in-1 Memory Card Reader

A Fast and Reliable SD Card Reader

If you are seeking a good-quality SD card reader that will give you a lot of versatility and great practicality at a fair price, Syntech 3- in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Memory Card Reader is the thing for you.

This device comes with three card slots (SD slot, Micro SD slot, and CF slot), and thanks to that, it is capable of working with all sorts of cards, including SDXC, SDHC, TF, CF I, Ultra II CF, and many other card types. Syntech 3- in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Memory Card Reader can accept cards that are up to 2TB in capacity and operate together with every major operating system, such as Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, Chrome, and so on.

Keep in mind that this is a compact and highly portable device, with a sleek look, and more importantly, solid USB3.0 data transfer speeds.

To conclude, for the price and the overall value that it delivers, this is certainly a great product and one of the best SD card readers you may find on the market.

Transcend TS-RDF5W

A Well-Performing Device at More than a Fair Price

When you are searching for both good performance and a fair price, in most cases, Transcend products are the best option. They will not blow you away by their efficiency or astonish you with design, but it will certainly deliver reliable and above-average performance, at a great price. Transcend TS-RDF5W card reader is no exception to this rule and it offers compliance with USB3.1 Gen1 and UHS-I standards and compatibility with various card types (SD, SDHC, SDXC and microSD/SDHC/SDXC ones).

This card reader is supplied with both SD card and MicroSD card slots, has a LED transfer activity indicator and is equipped with RecoverRx software that can prove to be crucial if any data corruption occurs.

Transcend TS-RDF5W is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux and delivers modest performance, with sequential read/write speeds of around 100MBps, which isn’t much but is still more than enough for a decent SD card reader that this device certainly is.

SanDisk ImageMate PRO USB-C Reader/Writer

A Bulky, but High-Performing SD Card Reader

SanDisk ImageMate PRO USB-C Reader/Writer is a practical and easy-to-use card reader that brings exceptional compatibility that allows its use with multiple card formats, including SDHC, SDXC, microSD, and CompactFlash cards. This is a UHS-II, UHS-I, and UDMA 7 compatible device, which supports 312MBps data transfer speeds, with SD and MicroSD cards, as well as 160MBps data transfer speeds, with CompactFlash cards.

Moreover, it offers USB 3.2 connectivity and is also backward compatible with the previous iterations of the USB standard. It weighs 177 grams, which makes it highly portable, while its full compatibility with both Mac and Windows machines makes it a solid card reader option for a large base of users.

In short, SanDisk ImageMate PRO USB-C Reader/Writer is a highly functional and versatile device that brings fast performance at a reasonable price, which ultimately makes a win-win situation.

ProGrade Digital SD UHS-II Dual-Slot Memory Card Reader

Great Performance in a Compact Package

ProGrade Digital SD UHS-II Dual-Slot Memory Card Reader is a compact and highly portable dual SD card reader that offers great data transfer speeds and functionality to the user. Although it features the USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C connectivity that supports 1.25GBps data transfer speeds, the readers themselves support only 312 MBps data transfer speeds. These speeds are pretty good for an SD card reader; however, they could certainly be better considering the price.

Moreover, this card reader comes with a two-year warranty and a LED indicator for data transfer activity. Furthermore, it features a metal mounting plate that attaches the card reader to any metal part with the help of magnetic characteristics, offering easy mounting and allowing the creation of the compact workstations.

This card reader is compatible with both Mac and Windows system, it features a lightweight design and weighs 204 grams, and more importantly, offers pretty good performance, as it should be the case with one of the best card readers out there.

uni SD Card Reader

The Best Affordable SD Card Reader You Can Find

If you need a basic and affordable SD card reader that will do a proper job and offer solid compatibility and usability along the way, uni SD Card Reader is the perfect choice for you.

With this device, you are getting compatibility with Windows, Linux, Mac, Chrome, basically every major operating system, as well as solid performance and the ability to use it together with a variety of card types, such as SDHC, SDXC, MicroSD, MicroSDHC cards, and many others.

Unfortunately, uni SD Card Reader doesn’t support UHS-II speeds, but only UHS-I ones, which may be a drawback for many; however, the fact is that even the UHS-I speeds are more than enough for most people, especially mainstream users.

uni SD Card Reader offers a durable build and comes with an attractive-looking aluminum body; it is capable of handling SD cards that are up to 2TB in size and overall provides a pretty good value for the money.

To make a long story short, if the best SD card reader in the low-price market is what you are after, uni SD Card Reader is the device for you.

UGREEN USB C Micro SD Card Reader

A Super Cheap, yet Solid SD Card Reader

UGREEN USB C Micro SD Card Reader is a compact and highly portable SD card reader that offers exceptional compatibility and can work with a whole set of card types that include UHS-I SD, UHS-II SD SDHC, SDXC, MICRO SD, MICRO SDHC, as well as MICRO SDXC cards.

This card reader is fitted with a USB Type-C connectivity that supports 5Gbps data transfer speeds, while the data transfer speed of the dual card reader slots is significantly lower than that. Moreover, this card reader is compatible with Windows, Mac, Chrome, and Linux OS and offers a plug-and-play functionality that makes its use super easy.

When talking about its build, UGREEN USB C Micro SD Card Reader is a pretty durable device, with a sleek look and made of aluminum, and fitted with nylon-braided cable, and reinforced connectors that guarantee a reliable performance.

All in all, UGREEN USB C Micro SD Card Reader is a cheap, yet functional card reader option, and certainly one of the best card readers available, suitable for a large base of users, and ultimately a pretty good deal.

SanDisk MobileMate SDDR-B531-GN6NN

A Great Data Transfer Tool for the Not-Too-Demanding Users

SanDisk MobileMate SDDR-B531-GN6NN is one of those card readers that offer decent performance at an affordable price. Its read/write speed of around 170MBps doesn’t position it in the group of the best card readers; however, it guarantees for good user experience and relatively fast data transfers.

Unfortunately, this card reader supports only MicroSD cards, which kinda limits its usability, but on the other hand, is compliant with UHS-I and USB 3.1 Gen 1 standards that certainly help its overall performance.

SanDisk MobileMate SDDR-B531-GN6NN offers a compact and highly durable construction, followed by a two-year warranty, and all in all, it presents a modest, but still efficient tool for your MicroSD card management.

Conclusion

Whether you want to back up your phone photos, transfer materials from your camera, or give your classmate some pdf files, an SD card is a good way to go – if you have the right reader. Pick your companion by using our guide and we are certain you can find your right fit among the lines above.

What are CPU Sockets?

Motherboard sockets are made using a pin array called PGA (pin grid array), or a contact plate array called LGA (Land Grid Array). These pins or plates become a securing mechanism that holds the processor in place, as well as connect the motherboard to whatever processing power is available.

Each socket also supports multiple chipsets, which allow you to control budget and performance. More expensive motherboards will showcase more capable chipsets.

Why Should You be Familiar with Socket Types?

Different generations of CPUs support different sockets, so it is important for you to know the different types available. Say you need to replace your motherboard, or maybe you’re looking to upgrade the CPU itself. Both these cases will require at least some basic knowledge of socket types.

If your CPU and socket aren’t compatible, this will obviously become a problem. The best case scenario is that you won’t be able to physically connect the respective component. However, the worst case scenario is possible irreparable damage to either component.

The Major Types of Sockets Available

Motherboard sockets are predominantly produced by either Intel or AMD. Intel produces LGA based sockets. AMD uses PGA mostly, although it has begun to use LGA for some of its more complex server sockets.

Intel Sockets

Intel motherboard sockets tend to support at least six different chipsets. Here is a quick look at the most popular Intel sockets.

LGA 1150

Designed to work with the latest Haswell processors (Haswell is 4th generation Intel Core), this also supports some 5th generation Intel chips. The six chipsets on this socket are H81, B85, Q85, Q87, H87, and Z87.

A drawback is that none of these chips (which are the only ones compatible with the LGA 1150 socket) support more advanced features such as Intel Rapid Storage. Intel later introduced two more chipsets (H97 AND Z97) to provide SATA Express compatibility.

That being said, there is limited potential for upgrades with LGA 1150. LGA 1151 was introduced in 2015 as a replacement for LGA 1150, and it is much more suited for the modern processor.

LGA 1151

Introduced in 2015 to fit with Skylake’s new class of 14-nanometer processors, it supported six different chipsets which were (from lowest to highest) H110, B150, Q150, H170, Q170, Z170 (it later also supported B250, Q250, H270, Q270, and Z270. These chipsets were of the Kaby Lake family). All chipsets support USB 3.0 connections and DDR4 RAM DIMMs, which can be faster than the traditional DDR3 RAM.

LGA 1151 did not allow you to overclock the CPU or RAM except with Z170 and Z270. However, that all changed with the advent of Coffee Lake CPUs. Now, you can overclock both Z370 and Z390 chipsets. However, the H310, B360, H370, and Q370 chipsets can still not be overclocked.

LGA 1151 supports 6th to 9th generation Intel processors and thus is perfect for both the casual as well as the power user. This socket is also futureproof as a 9th generation processor is bound to be more than enough for the foreseeable future.

LGA 2011

LGA 2011 (often referred to as Socket R) came out after LGA 1155 was introduced, as a sort of high-end counterpart to it, because it serves Sandy Bridge-E/EP and Ivy Bridge-E/EP processors.

While LGA 2011 also has six chipsets like all Intel sockets, the only one you really need to know about is X79. This is because X79 was built specifically for the processors mentioned above. Since many home users don’t use these processors, this socket won’t be for everyone.

Like LGA 1150, there is some limited potential for upgrades, but remember to check your motherboard’s BIOS compatibility beforehand. For the modern user, we recommend sticking with the LGA 1151 due to the fact that it is both versatile and has enough performance for almost every single user.

AMD Sockets

Now let’s take a quick look at AMD’s most popular motherboard sockets.

AM3/AM3+

AM3 came out in 2009 as the successor for AM2+, to support a change to DDR3 RAM. The subtle key change thus used means that AM3 breaks compatibility with its predecessors. However, since AM3 processors support DDR2 RAM, they are backward compatible with AM2 and AM2+. For this reason, some manufacturers label AM2/AM2+ boards as being AM3 Ready.

AM3+ was introduced as a modification to AM3, to accommodate Bulldozer-based processors. It is backward compatible with AM3 but breaks compatibility with AM2/AM2+ because it does not support DDR2 RAM.

In short:

• AM3 processors will work with AM3+ sockets
• But AM3+ processors will not work with AM3 sockets
• However, cooling solutions are generally interchangeable for both

AM4

This is the most common and popular socket produced by AMD because it is compatible with a wide range of AMD desktop CPUs. However, it was primarily designed to work with AMD’s Ryzen processors. An advantage here is that AMD’s processor compatibility can span over generations. So for instance, AM4 can support older generation Ryzen CPUs as well.

X370 and X470 are the popular chipsets used with AM4. However, these can be expensive. AMD offers a more budget-friendly offer with B450, B350, A320, and A300 based motherboards, which may not be as efficient but will get the job done for the most part. B450 and B350 support the same memory speed and overclocking as the high-end X370 and X470.

AM4 is one of the best options out there for gaming purposes. However, do remember that AM4 will not be compatible with the old CPU coolers that its predecessors used.

Conclusion

As mentioned above with AM3 and AM3+, cross-compatibility is still sometimes an option with different sockets. This generally depends simply on the configuration of pins or plates. Again, as with AM4, some sockets can support multiple generations. A perfect example is that LGA 1151 can not only support 6th and 7th generation CPUs but also 8th and 9th ones (Rev 2).

Whether you’re looking to upgrade or install new sockets, the following tips are helpful to remember.

• Most store listings will tell you the sockets supported by each motherboard and CPU available.
• Avoid pushing down on the CPU when inserting into a socket, because you risk permanent damage this way.
• Make sure to clean out any old thermal paste beforehand.
• You can get CPU coolers that have multiple brackets in order to support more than one socket at a time.

Using a well-designed ergonomic mouse will make all the difference in the world in regard to both comfort and productivity, whether we’re talking about a wireless mouse or a wired variety. Obviously, if you want to enhance the experience even more in terms of comfort for your fingers and wrists, you should also get yourself an ergonomic keyboard. And speaking of ergonomics, a lot of people with CTS (carpal tunnel syndrome) swear on vertical mice, but we’ll talk about that a little bit later in the show, right after a short commercial break.

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Last update on 2023-10-08 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

Why Use an Ergonomic Mouse

First, here’s the TL;DR version of why use an ergonomic mouse in the first place: as we’ve already told you in the preamble of the article, using a regular mouse (even a trackball mouse by the way) when doing repetitive tasks all day while immersed in the matrix may result in various 21st century diseases, like repetitive strain injury or repetitive motion syndrome. However, you should know that these matrix-related issues are not actually new, as RMS and RSI go way back to the industrial revolution, when people started to act like robots on proto-assembly lines, doing the exact same moves thousands of times a day.

Today we are confronted with basically the same issue, sans the physical work of the industrial age, whether we’re playing GTA 5 and Candy Crush or doing PowerPoints all day: due to poorly designed (standard) mice, obsessive-compulsive “clickazoids” are suffering from tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and various other things that affect their fingers, wrists and even shoulders. And that’s all due to the unnatural posture related to the unnatural task of staying in front of a screen all day and doing repetitive tasks.

A well designed ergonomic mouse (and keyboard) will not force your forearm, wrists and fingers in an unnatural posture, and that’s all there is to know at this point if you want to mitigate the risks of “job-related injuries”.

How to Choose the Best Ergonomic Mouse

There are hundreds of options out there, which means choosing the best ergonomic mouse may be quite difficult, especially if you’re a total noob. To make things simple, think along the lines of choosing the best gaming mouse, because yes, gaming mice are also ergonomically designed, since gamers are basically doing the same things as “clickazoids”(yes, we made this term up). So here it comes:

Size

Size matters in all aspects of one’s life, i.e. the bigger the better, whether we’re talking about your car, smartphone or TV set. However, when it comes to ergonomic mice, this is a matter of personal preference, i.e. for best results, you’d have to take a test drive with different sized mice to see which one fits perfectly in your hand.

Grip

Grip is correlated with size, i.e. size and grip go together like peas and carrots, as in the ideal size of a given mouse depends on the type of one’s grip. And speaking of grip types, there’s the palm grip, which is the fastest and best for gamers (also comfortable), then the claw grip, and finally the fingertip grip. For more “intel” on “grip issues”, I’d recommend you to check out Razer’s mouse ergonomics guide as well as this YouTube video. As the general rule of thumb, palm-grip mice are best for people with RSI problems, as they put the least amount of stress on your forearm and wrist.

Wireless or Wired?

This is another factor that depends on one’s particular situation. Wireless mice are more expensive, and obviously require batteries (which makes them heavier), while some models may suffer from noticeable lag, an issue which can be particularly annoying in certain tasks. However, if you’re looking for convenience (no cables on your desk) and you don’t care about spending more money, a well-designed high-performance wireless mouse is hard to beat.

Weight

Again, this is a matter of personal preference. However, keep in mind that a heavier mouse requires more effort to move it around, hence on a long enough time-line, a heavier mouse may cause problems long-term, even if the difference in weight is negligible.

DPI

Since we live in the “current year”, adjustable DPI resolution is a must-have feature in an ergonomic mouse. Basically, adjustable DPI means you can adjust the cursor-speed to match your requirements/preference, as some tasks may require a low DPI setting, while others need a higher one. Adjustable DPI is very important if you’re a graphic artist, a gamer, a video editor or all of the above.

Ambidextrous Design

If you’re a “leftie”, you should know that most mice are designed for right-handed people; however, some of the best mice out there feature an ambidextrous design, while very few are specially designed for lefties. If you fall in the latter category, keep your eyes peeled before you buy.

Vertical Design

Here comes the mother lode of clickazoid ergonomics: vertically designed mice. The philosophy behind vertical design is that your hand forms an arch or a contour when it’s at rest. A vertically designed mouse will reproduce that contour, thus allowing you to keep your forearm in a neutral posture, also known as the handshake position. This posture promotes both accuracy and comfort.

Now that we’ve cleared things up, let’s see the contenders for the best ergonomic mouse.

9 Best Ergonomic Mice

Logitech MX Ergo Wireless Trackball Mouse

Amazing Duo

The Logitech MX Ergo is a very interesting beast, as it plays on both ends of the specter, i.e. it’s both an ergonomic mouse and a trackball, with an emphasis on the latter. Some say that the MX Ergo makes for the best thumb operated trackball in the known universe, due to its specially designed tilt-feature, which makes it supremely comfy (can tilt twenty degrees). To make a long story short, if you’re looking for a thumb-operated trackball, which by the way is smooth, relatively small and easy to use, the MX Ergo should rank high on your shopping list.

Logitech also provides a rechargeable battery in the retail package, which lasts for months in a row (more than a year according to the company), and on top of that, the MX Ergo can connect to your PC via Bluetooth or by using Logitech’s unifying dongle. Bottom line: in the land of regular mice, the Logitech MX Ergo is the king (of trackballs).

Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical Ergonomic Optical Mouse

The Best Ergonomic Vertical Mouse

If you’re looking for a dirt cheap vertical ergonomic mouse, the Anker 2.4 G checks all the boxes: for a ridiculously low price, you’ll get a vertical design, 5 programmable buttons, adjustable DPI resolution (800/1200/1600) and wireless technology. To make a long story short, the Anker 2.4 G delivers amazing value for money, and that’s pretty obvious if you consider the fact that this mouse is a best-seller since its debut (6 years ago!).

To tell you the truth, this is arguably the best vertical ergo-mouse in the ~$20 range, and you can take that to the bank. The vertical design minimizes wrist movement, which is associated with carpal tunnel syndrome and RSI, and despite its affordable price, this mouse doesn’t look or feels cheap. Bottom line: if you’re looking for an entry-level vertical ergo-mouse, the Anker 2.4 G is very easy to recommend.

Logitech MX Anywhere 3

A Compact and Efficient Travel Mouse in One

Logitech MX Anywhere 3 is a premium build product that due to its performance and a long list of features belongs to the sheer top of compact, but highly usable mice. This is a highly versatile device that can work with every major operating system such as Windows, Linux, Chrome, Mac, and others and, above all, provide fast and quiet operations.

Logitech MX Anywhere 3 comes with a precise 4000 DPI TrackAnywhere Sensor, as well as an electromagnetic steel scroll wheel. This, along with its ability to work on glass, six remappable buttons, ability to adjust its resistance and tracking speed, make this device the best there is and definitely one of the best ergonomic mice out there.

When you also add its FLOW control capability (it can simultaneously work with up to three devices), both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as lightweight 95 grams build, the final result can be nothing else than the device that won’t keep anyone indifferent.

Logitech MX Anywhere 3 is available in Pale Gray, Graphite, and Rose color; it supports USB-C charging and more importantly, provides very good ergonomics and comfort that come as the result of its low-profile design and soft silicone side grips that make its use pleasant in a long run.

All in all, if you are after one of the best ergonomic mice there is that you can use while on go, Logitech MX Anywhere 3 is certainly one of the better options and devices that will satisfy your every need with ease.

Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse

The Best Ergonomic Mouse for Wrist Pain

Here comes another vertical wireless mouse, this time from Logitech, the granddaddy of PC peripherals. As usual, when it comes to a Logitech product, the MX Vertical Wireless mouse is over-engineered to the point of ridiculousness, but that’s hardly a surprise, at least for our regular readers. However, unlike the Anker Vertical Wireless ergonomic gizmo we’ve told you about previously, this Logitech is way more expensive, more than 4x actually, and the question is, is it worth it?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is Hell Yeah! Here’s why: as far as vertical mice go, the MX from Logitech is precision crafted to reduce muscle pain by exactly ten percent, and that’s according to Logitech’s own in-house study. The point being that the MX Vertical uses a 57-degree angle to keep your hand in the handshake position, thus helping to reduce muscular strain and preventing forearm twisting.

Besides top-notch ergonomics, the MX Vertical comes with a strong 4000 DPI sensor and cross-computer control, i.e. you can copy-paste images, text or whatever over 3 computers (simultaneous navigation) using Logitech’s Flow software. And the thing is, you can literally use this mouse on 3 computers in the same time, Mac or Windows machines, as the MX Vertical comes with three ways to connect: Bluetooth, USB Type C (cable included in the retail bundle) or Logitech’s USB Unifying Receiver.

Razer Basilisk v2

An Ergonomic Mouse that Has It All

If you are seeking a premium quality ergonomic mouse that can give you both comfort and excellent performance in one, Razer Basilisk v2 is the device for you. Although its price may be too high for many, its top-class build quality, along with great features will fast convince you that is worth the price.

Simply, when you have Focus+ 20K DPI Optical Sensor, 11 programmable buttons, Customizable Chroma RGB lighting, as well as support for complex macros, resistance customization, and, on top of that, great ergonomics, the resulting product can be nothing less than a great one.

All in all, Razer Basilisk v2 presents the sheer top among the best ergonomic mice and altogether a great device that brings excellent precision, low-latency operations, and a whole bunch of customization options that can be managed with ease through the Razer Synapse 3 software.

Furthermore, this mouse comes with the sniper button, mechanical switches, with light beam-based actuation, as well as lightweight 92 grams build. The characteristics that make it a perfect choice for both gamers and professionals that don’t accept any compromise and are looking only for the sheer top of the offerings, which Razer Basilisk v2 is.

ZLOT Vertical Gaming Mouse

An Affordable and Practical Vertical Gaming Mouse

ZLOT Vertical Gaming Mouse is a cheap, yet very capable gaming mouse that brings an excellent combination of performance, comfortability and great customizability that makes it a great entry-level device.

This mouse weighs 170 grams and comes fitted with a 10000 DPI Pixart PMW3325 IR sensor that provides five DPI adjustable levels, as well as RGB lighting on both sides of the mouse.

ZLOT Vertical Gaming Mouse has 11 programmable buttons and its onboard memory for easy storing of its gaming profiles. On top of that, it has a 1000Hz maximum polling rate and solid compatibility that allows its use with both Windows and Linux operating systems.

To conclude, ZLOT Vertical Gaming Mouse presents a pretty good value for the money and altogether one of the best ergonomic gaming mice out there, especially for gaming fans.

Logitech MX Master 3

Productivity BFF

When it comes to computer peripherals, Logitech is king, and their latest MX Master 3 is arguably one of the best ergonomically designed mice in the universe. We’re only exaggerating a little bit for dramatic effect, but the truth is that the MX Master 3 is the master of ergonomic mice, making for a super-comfy gadget, boasting an electromagnetic (!) scroll wheel which allows precise/freewheeling motion. Everything’s at superlative with the MX Master 3, and its launching raised the bar in the industry, as this baby was specifically designed to enhance comfort and customizability (yes, that word really exists) for its target audience: designers, software developers and other PC-addicted professions.

Design-wise, the MX Master 3 is heavily inspired from the previous MX Master 2s generation, and that’s a good thing, because after all’s said and done, if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it. However, when it comes to “what’s under the hood”, well, here’s a different story, as the Master 3 comes with a redesigned scroll wheel made from machined steel (the electromagnetic thing dubbed MagSpeed), and one flick of this marvelous wheel can scroll through literally thousands of lines. The coders in the audience are smiling, we know, we can feel it, especially when they find out that the MX Master 3 will stay alive for 70 days on a single charge.

ELECOM M-HT1DRBK Wireless Trackball Mouse

Good Choice for Carpal Tunnel

Here comes another trackball beast, this time from Elecom, a wireless and ergonomically designed mouse which looks like it just landed on Amazon from a science fiction movie. To enforce the science-fiction comparison even more, the ELECOM M-HT1DRBK’s bright red track-ball looks just like HAL 9000, the sentient AI from 2001 A Space Odyssey. The point being, as far as mouse design goes, this baby looks and feels awesome. Another peculiar thing about this alien artifact is that it’s almost twice as big as a regular mouse, comes with eight buttons and its ergonomic design works quite well, i.e. the mouse is very comfy provided you don’t have tiny hands.

Another advantage of the ELECOM M-HT1DRBK is that it allows your wrist to maintain a neutral position, i.e. it helps with preventing carpal tunnel syndrome. Furthermore, the mouse is well built and rock solid, while its OMRON switches deliver an excellent tactile response.

Razer DeathAdder V2

A Perfect Ergonomic Mouse

Razer DeathAdder V2 is a very responsive and extremely accurate mouse that thanks to its amazing performance presents a perfect gaming option and a great choice for all sorts of professionals.

With this device, you are getting everything you need, from a great Focus+ 20K DPI Optical Sensor to eight programmable buttons that support advanced macros. Moreover, there is a Razer Speedflex cable, fully-customizable Chroma RGB Lighting and even mechanical switches that use light beam-based actuation.

To make things even better, Razer DeathAdder V2 comes with 50G acceleration, lightweight 82 grams build, and, equally important, a highly comfortable build that should allow for its pleasant use and let you use it for long periods.

To be exact, Razer DeathAdder V2 is an excellent ergonomic mouse that delivers nothing else than the top performance and as that presents one of the best, if not the best ergonomic mouse available on the market and the option that is built to stay on top for a long time, in other words, it presents the great choice.

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How to Choose the Best PC for Video Editing

Choosing the best tool for the job is quite important, especially if we’re talking about the best computer for gaming and video editing. Just as it’s the case with gaming rigs, video-editing leans heavily on the GPU, hence besides the most powerful CPU you can afford, you must not skimp on GPU quality.

Why Desktop PC and not a Laptop?

That’s a good question actually, and the answer is a well-built desktop PC will give you more bang for the proverbial buck than any laptop. Or to put it in a different way, you’ll get more computing power for less money in a desktop PC compared to a “portable”. And power is everything when choosing the best computer for video editing. We are aware of the fact that there are many cool laptops for video editing out there, but the budget is always an issue in the real world, else we’d all driving Ferraris.

Universal Hardware Requirements for Professional Video Editing

This is another important issue when it comes to getting the right tool for the job, and speaking of video-editing, the software you’re going to use is almost as important as the rig itself. However, in order to keep things simple, when buying the best pc for video editing, you must concentrate on 4 key specifications.

Processing Power

CPU is king, as it does most of the processing work, in “collusion” with the GPU in our particular case, hence try to go for the latest gen quad-hexa-octa-core high-end CPUs (read I7/I9 from Intel) for optimal performance in video editing tasks.

RAM

The amount of RAM is also paramount in heavy video editing jobs; whether you have DDR4/DDR5, it’s not the type of RAM, but the quantity, which in this case supersedes quality. The bare minimum for a workstation would be 8 GB of, but 16GB and above would be best. The more, the merrier.

Graphics Card

Most importantly, when choosing the best computer for video editing (or a gaming PC by that matter), pay extra attention to the GPU, which is going to be the actual work-horse on your system. Even if some may say you can run video-editing software like Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, After Effects etc. using the GPU integrated into your CPU (the HD thing in Intel CPUs), you should consider a dedicated graphics card if you want to get the most of your PC. Read along the lines of the NVIDIA Quadro series, which are specifically designed for professional video-editing software. Else, you can choose anything from Nvidia or AMD, provided it has at least 4 GB of VRAM.

Storage

We live in a day and age when 1 TB SSDS are relatively affordable. And SSDs are way faster than HDDs, hence if you’re going to work with big media files and you want to save time and nerves in the process, a large capacity SSD would be best, provided you can afford it. However, a SSD/HDD combo would also work great, especially in terms of value for money, provided the HDD is spinning fast enough (7200 RPM).

Ports

Video-editing implies you’re going to move around giant video files, from various devices to your PC to store them and/or modify them. Here the USB connection comes into play. Stay away from USB 2.0, as it’s painstakingly slow compared to the “standard” 3.0, not to mention latest USB 3.1 Gen 2 with a data rate of 10 GB/s. The point being, you want to get the fastest data rate possible on a video editing PC, so choose carefully.

Expandability

Things change fast in the tech world, both in terms of software and hardware, hence it would be a good idea to get a computer with expandability that would keep up with the times 3 years from now, i.e. a rig that allows you to upgrade its internal components with ease, things like adding more RAM, a beefier HDD/SSD or even a CPU/GPU upgrade.

Best Computers for Video Editing

Apple iMac Pro

The Best PC for Video Editing For Professionals

We could not have a “Best PC for Video Editing” contest without mentioning the 500-pound gorilla in the room. That would be the latest iMac Pro ladies and gents, to no one’s surprise actually. Now, forget about prices and common sense value for money.

What we’re dealing with here is the wet dream of any geek, a cool all-in-one desktop, with the incredible build quality, an awesome design and running on state of the art hardware. Oh, we almost forgot the fantastic 27’’ 5K 500 nits Retina display. It’s an easy mistake to make, really.

But let’s check out what’s inside: first, we must mention the “military-grade” 10-core Xeon W processor, which is capable of launching a spaceship to Mars on its own. Then, check out the 32 GB of RAM installed from the factory, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 GPU with 8GB of HBM2 memory, and finally the beefy 1TB of SSD storage.

Are you impressed yet? If not, keep reading, especially if you’re a photographer and/or a video editor, because it gets better every time you look at it. One of the best things about the iMac Pro is its hallucinogenic computing power, which is due to the latest-gen Xeon Intel CPU, which is capable of balancing single-thread performance with multicore processing, offering you unparalleled power and flexibility, regardless of the task.

Basically, you can handle tons of data quicker than ever before, and that’s crucial for video editing, rendering and manipulating images and photos at light speed, creating real-time audio FX or compiling your next 5* app with zero hassle. Oh, we almost forgot: this creature can edit up to 8K video.

The Vega GPU also plays a part in this tech-porn, as it delivers real-time 3D rendering, higher frame rates than ever before, lifelike special FX and, if one so inclined, gameplay at max settings. Okay, maybe not quite 5K, but close to it. How fast is it? 24 teraflops fast, in 32-bit precision. If you’re ready to go all-in, as in broke, and put a second mortgage on your house, this baby is rock and roll.

Dell G5 5090

Amazing Value for Money

Dell is another powerhouse in the OEM-desktop business, and their latest G5 5090 makes for an entry-level gaming desktop, with an ultra-compact design and high-quality components, which makes it ideal for video editing. Why? That’s an easy one: a gaming desktop has everything a video-editor needs, and then some: solid CPU, powerful GPU and a ton of RAM.

So, here’s a few words about the G5 5090: unlike the iMac Pro, this premium desktop is quite affordable. That counts if you’re not a hipster, and even if the G5 costs a little bit over a thousand smackaroos, you’ll get a lot of bang for the buck. To begin with, the 5090 runs on a 10th Gen Intel Octa-Core i7-10700F CPU (that’s eight cores), a GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6 VR-Ready GPU, has 16 GB of RAM installed (upgradeable) and 1 TB SSD, everything powered by Windows 10.

So far, so good, so what? The thing about the G5 5090 is that it manages to stuff a lot of computing hardware inside a very sleek and compact chassis, with proper cooling and optimal cable management, i.e. things that are not achievable from a DIY job. As in, this baby is really worth buying if you don’t have a lot of space on your desk, as the unit measures 14.5 by 6.7 by 12.1 inches (HWD).

To make a long story short, this gaming desktop has everything you need for video editing and nothing you don’t (like a monitor, provided you already own one) at an affordable price, i.e. it offers solid value and stellar build quality/component selection in a space-saving form factor, which also looks pretty cool, especially if you’re a Zoomer or a Millennial.

And speaking of Zoomers, this machine can run GTA V, PUBG, Red Dead Redemption 2, Apex Legends, Minecraft and Fortnite (between video editing tasks) at a recommended level.

Skytech Azure

Solid Specs for The Money

If you’re looking for a solidly built PC and great performance at an affordable price tag, I would definitely recommend a Skytech Azure. This particular unit is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 3.8GHz CPU, which is great for Intel haters; the graphics part is taken care of by an RTX 3070 8GB GPU, and then there’s 16 GB of RAM and a 1 TB gen 4 SSD.

Everything sounds pretty okay until now, and here’s the deal, to quote from the classics: the Skytech Azure is built to be a jack of all trades, master of all, i.e. it can do gaming and video editing with flying colors. Even if you’re going to open large videos, this monster will just shrug at them.

When it comes to texture processing and things of that nature, you will learn to appreciate AMD power, and we really find the AMD/Nvidia thing to be an amazing combo for both work and play. For the specs, this PC is really worth the money, it ships bloatware-free, and with most of the drivers already installed.

Cabling is good, the PC itself is super quiet even under heavy load, as the Skytech case cools pretty well, and we must mention that the retail package contains a mechanical (and heavy) keyboard, which is pretty good news for gaming aficionados. Even the complementary mouse is more than decent.

Bottom line, this is a solid PC for video-editing for the money asked, and best of all, it’s assembled in the USA, which is rare nowadays.

CyberpowerPC SLC8260A3 Gamer Supreme

The Best Computer For Video Editing And Multimedia

It’s time for something extraordinary: enter CyberpowerPC Gamer Supreme, a state of the art gaming computer, as per its name, which features a sophisticated liquid cooling system. Needless to say, if this makes for any gamer’s wet dream, it will definitely do a great job with video editing, right?

The liquid cooling thing is put there to help the hardware deliver optimum performance at max loads, and by hardware we mean an AMD Ryzen 7 3800X 3.9GHz GPU, helped by a Radeon RX 5700 XT 8GB, 16 GB of DDR4 and 1 TB of SSD. If you know a thing or two about gaming PCs, you’ll understand why the SLC8260A3 is a solid investment for video editing.

To put it succinctly, you’ll get solid parts and great value for money, so even if you’re the kind of person that tends to avoid pre-builts, this is definitely not the case. If you’ll try to build your own machine with these exact specs, provided you know what you’re doing, you’ll most probably end up spending more than the SLC8260A3’s asking price.

Basically, this unit is an A+ for value, and in terms of sheer power, it has few rivals in its price range. The liquid cooling system does its job with flying colors, and keeps the system cool and quiet, running like a dream.

Alienware Aurora R11

Alien Powered

Also known as the Benchmark Destroyer, the Aurora R11 is basically an alien artifact stolen from Area 51. If money is no object to you, this is the alien you were looking for your whole life. For a bit over 25 hundred bucks you’ll end up with a gaming desktop that looks like it was teleported from the MotherShip.

More precisely, the design is alien in nature to say the least, and under the hood you’ll discover a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, 16 GB of premium RAM in dual-channel, HyperX Fury DDR4 XMP respectively for connoisseurs, a top-shelf NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, and an interesting 1TB HDD + 512GB SSD combo.

As usual, if this system is designed to do a bang-up job in gaming, it will definitely work just as great in video-editing tasks. Specs aside, this is truly one of the fastest gaming PCs on the market, and also easy to service and to upgrade, provided you can lay your hands on an RTX 3090. However, if you’re going to use it just for video editing, you will not need any upgrading, at least for the foreseeable future.

Basically, if money is not an issue for you, you’re into futuristic design and you want a super high-end desktop from Dell to take care of your gaming and editing needs, the Aurora R11 has your name on it.

Origin Millennium

Desktop Battle Station

Origin Millennium is a fancy name for a computer, and it must be noted that this particular model comes from a company specialized in highly customized machines, Origin respectively. Hence, you can build your own Millennium, from the ground up, with just a few clicks of your mouse on Origin’s official website.

The only limit is the sky and your budget, obviously; so, you can build a gaming (cough, video-editing) computer starting with the side panels and ending up with the MOBO’s orientation. Also, the Millennium is impressively expendable/upgradeable, which makes it future proof, as in you can put for example 8 SSDs inside, or 2 GPU’s in SLI mode, you got the point.

If you’re not into customizing, there’s a base model available, which comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT processor, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super GPU, 16GB of RAM and 250GB storage (SSD), but even this low-end version will cost you dearly, over $2k.

Premium buyers can spend over $10k on a maxed-out version of the Millennium, which comes with an AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090, 256GB of RAM and 8TB of SSD storage, everything packed inside a super fancy full-tower case featuring Origin Cryo Core and a hot-swappable cage upgrade.

Truth be told, the Origin Millennium is a rather unique approach to building a computer for video editing; if money is no object, you’ll have a crazy amount of components to choose from, 3 different cases, 3 liquid cooling solutions for both the CPU and the GPU, expansion kits, RGB lighting options for the child within, the option between top-notch AMD and Intel CPUs as well as a wide array of Nvidia and AMD GPUs.

However, whether you’re a DJ, a professional audio producer, or an amateur, you will need to find the best laptop for music production that supports your needs. Since the world of computers and IT components can be confusing for a beginner, we created a detailed guide that walks you through the features that matter for a laptop destined for music production.

Also, we reviewed some of the best products on the market, so you can make an informed decision.

Top Picks

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	Apple 2019 MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage, 2.6GHz Intel Core i7) - Space Gray	Check at Amazon
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	Dell XPS 13 9310 Touchscreen 13.4 inch FHD Thin and Light Laptop - Intel Core i7-1185G7, 16GB...	Check at Amazon
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	ASUS ROG Strix G15 Gaming Laptop, 240Hz 15.6" FHD 3ms IPS, Intel Core i7-10750H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce...	Check at Amazon
	Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" FHD Display, AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage, NVIDIA...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-17 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best Laptop for Music Production?

First, it’s important to understand that there are not that many devices created for music production, per se. However, you don’t need highly specific features, just the ones that work best for your needs.

OS & Software

Which operating system do you like to work on?

The most popular ones are Windows and Mac OS, and most people have a strong preference for one or the other.

You should also consider the software you’ll use to produce music since some are not always compatible with both systems mentioned above.

So, before you decide on anything else, make sure you know your preferences for both the OS and software.

Configuration & Audio Quality

Audio software is quite demanding which is why you’ll find several gaming laptops in the products we reviewed.

The configuration of a laptop refers to the components that provide processing power such as the processor, RAM memory, and storage space. If these components work well together, your device will not choke when you try to open two different programs at once.

Moreover, since you are producing music, you will need a device that features good audio quality. Otherwise, you won’t be able to listen to your own creations.

Portability & Battery Life

Some music producers only work in a studio, but if you’re in a band or you’re a DJ, portability is going to be an important factor. Not to mention that you’ll want a laptop with good battery life that doesn’t drain too fast when the workload increases.

So, make the decision according to your needs. As you’ll see, some devices are ultra-portable while others are a bit more difficult to carry along.

Connectivity

Finally, as a music producer, you may need to transfer your creations online or to other devices. This is why you should select a laptop with good port configuration (at least one Thunderbolt3 port and plenty of USBs) and good connectivity (both Bluetooth and WiFi).

Best Laptops for Music Production

Summary

As you can see, the offer is rather varied. However, the prices can be a bit steep for a beginner. Still, if you’re looking to get a good start, any one of the laptops mentioned above will help with both performance and durability.

So, instead of worrying about the price, consider this a first investment in your career as a musician!

To this end, we have compiled a list of the best laptops for graphic design. Our selection is based on a few key qualities of good laptops for graphic design; features like performance (RAM and processor), screen size and resolution, input features (keyboard, touchscreen, etc.) and battery life and portability. The best laptops for graphic design have a solid mix of all these qualities. We also have lists of laptops for video editing and laptops for programming.

That being said, the sheer number of products on the market can make narrowing down the choice that much more difficult. So sit back as we go over a list of the best laptops for graphic design.

Top Picks

Preview	Product
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	Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15” Touch-Screen – Intel Core i7 – 16GB - 512GB Solid State...	Check at Amazon
	ASUS ZenBook 15 Ultra-Slim Laptop 15.6” FHD NanoEdge Bezel, Intel Core i7-10510U, 16GB RAM, 512GB...	Check at Amazon
	Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060-11th Gen Intel 8-Core i7 CPU - 15.6” QHD...	Check at Amazon
	MSI P65 Creator-1084 15.6" 4K UHD Display, Ultra-Thin and Light, RTX Studio Laptop, Intel Core...	Check at Amazon
	Dell XPS 17 9710 Touchscreen Laptop, 17 inch UHD+ Display - Intel Core i9-11900H, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB...	Check at Amazon
	ConceptD 7 Ezel CC715-71-7196 Convertible Creator Laptop, Intel i7-10750H, GeForce RTX 2060, RTX...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-10-09 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best Laptop for Graphic Design

Performance

In general, laptop performance can be boiled down to RAM, processor, GPU and storage.

The CPU (central processing unit) is the central unit that performs the most basic computations. Essentially, the processor is the thing that allows your computer to have multiple applications working at the same time. A better processor means faster computations which result in faster performance on all open applications.

GPU is also important but comes into play when you work with animation and 3d modeling.

RAM (random access memory) is part of the hardware that temporarily stores information for processing. Basically, the more RAM you have, the more tasks your processor can handle. Some graphic design applications are heavy and a large amount of RAM makes these applications run smoother.

The storage can be an HDD or SSD. Unlike RAM, data in the storage device is stored permanently (unless manually deleted). An SSD is faster than HDD and can make processing quicker and reduce boot and load times.

Screen

Another important feature for graphic design laptops is the screen. A better resolution screen means higher graphical details and a wider range of colors. The size of the screen also determines how easy it is to work on the laptop. In general, a 15-inch screen is considered standard among the graphic design industry. Many laptops for graphic design and multimedia are 2-in-1 laptops that double as a computer or a tablet.

Input Features

A good graphic design laptop should have enough ports to connect a mouse, keyboard, drawing pad, or even an integrated touch screen.

Touch screens are an increasingly popular addition to graphic design laptops as you can work on your stuff by directly touching the screen, almost like drawing on a piece of paper. Whether or not you should want a touchscreen depends on your personal preferences; some designers love them because of the integrated features and ease of use, others may prefer a more traditional approach to graphic design.

Battery Life and Portability

As much as working in an office is the standard locale, many graphic designers like a change of scenery and take their work with them to different places. That’s why it is important to have a laptop that has a good battery life, so you can work wherever without worrying about a drained battery. Portability ties into this too, as the more compact and transportable your laptop the easier it is to work while enjoying your freedom.

Best Laptops for Graphic Design

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″

A Perfect Fit for Graphic Designers

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″ is a practical, all-mighty laptop that offers excellent performance and amazing versatility that makes it an exceptional option for a variety of activities, including graphic design. This machine is fitted with the powerful Apple M1, 8-core chip, as well as a very good Retina display, with True Tone technology and 500 nits brightness. Moreover, there is also the 2560 x 1600 resolution and wide P3 color gamut that is another reason this laptop is a great choice for designers.

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″ also features 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD for storage, and an 8-core GPU that should give more than enough resources for trouble-free image rendering. In addition, there is also the Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, Magic Keyboard, as well as Touch Bar and Touch ID functions.

This laptop’s battery life is amazing, and it delivers some 13 hours of work, while the limited number of available ports (there are only two Thunderbolt 3 ports and one 3.5mm jack) is the only major downside of this otherwise exquisite device. However, it is somewhat expected from the more affordable Apple devices.

All in all, if you are after the best laptop for graphic designers, you can be more than sure that the Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″ will fulfill your every need.

Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop

An Affordable Multifunctional Beast

Acer Nitro 5 is a reasonably priced, full-featured laptop that offers a clean look, and more importantly, delivers an excellent performance. Its combination of Intel Core i7-11800H CPU, with 4.6GHz boosting speed and 24MB Intel Smart Cache, and AI and Ray-Tracing ready NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti GPU, is doing miracles. In other words, this laptop will perform every task you confront it with.

Equally importantly, this laptop also comes with a 17.3″ FHD IPS screen, with 144Hz refresh rate, 16GB of RAM, as well as 1TB of NVMe SSD storage that are other welcomed features, and an additional reason for its amazing performance.

Also, this laptop offers exceptional networking capabilities and is fitted with Intel Killer E2600 Ethernet, and Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i, which allows fast throughput, and easy network optimization.

In other words, there is the whole package needed for trouble-free work. Therefore, if you are seeking an affordable, yet efficient machine for graphics design, Acer Nitro 5 should be more than an acceptable choice.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

Everything You Need for a Good-Quality Design

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 is a practical and reasonably priced laptop that offers a great 11-hour autonomy and brings high-end performance, ideal for businesspeople, including designers. This is a stylish-looking device, with a comfortable keyboard, yet more importantly, a great 2496 by 1664 pixels 15” IPS screen, perfect for split-screen tasks. On top of that, there is also the Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor, as well as integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD storage. All of this combined delivers more than satisfying results.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 comes along with the Windows 10 Home Operating System and features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, the number of ports is limited to only two USB ports, which is a bit disappointing for this class of device.

On the other hand, there are Omnisonic Speakers, with Dolby Atmos 6 support, 720p HD camera, and dual far-field Studio Mics that are delivering a very good sound and perfect conference call setup.

In other words, Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 brings not only great performance, but also great versatility and usability, offering a whole set of functions, as should be the case with one of the best laptops for design available on the market.

ASUS ZenBook 15 Laptop X534FTC-AS77

Powerful GPU And Large Screen For Stunning Visuals

The ZenBook 15 is a very interesting choice for graphic designers looking for an affordable yet performant machine with an UHD screen. This baby comes with a 15.6” UHD 4K NanoEdge display, which is relatively rare in this price bracket, plus a solid Intel Core i7-10510U CPU and a GeForce GTX 1650 GPU under the hood.

As far as graphic design goes, this setup is more than enough to meet and exceed the strictest demands. On top of that, you’ll get 16 GB of RAM (upgradable), a beefy 512 GB SSD and Amazon Alexa compatibility, though it’s not clear why you would need that for.

Anyway, the ZenBook 15 is a great all-rounder and it manages to tick off all the important boxes in our preamble. This is the master of productivity, and it can handle anything you throw at it, even some light gaming due to its dedicated GPU. Also, from a productivity point, the UHD display is one of the best screens available on a 15 incher.

We must also mention its gorgeous design and the cool metallic lid, which looks and feels great to touch, though it’s a literal fingerprint magnet. The ErgoLift hinge is another interesting feature that will delight avid typists, as it allows you to raise the keyboard deck for a more ergonomic typing experience. Finally, the laptop weighs 3.6 pounds and measures 13.9 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches, which makes it a great choice for people on the go.

Razer Blade 15

One of the Best out There

Razer Blade 15 is a premium-quality, high-end machine, ideal for gaming, as well as numerous other activities, such as video rendering, design, and other image-oriented activities. The main reason for that is its 15.6” QHD screen, with 100% sRGB gamut coverage, and 240Hz refresh rate, which is more than respectable.

Equally importantly, this laptop features the RTX 3060 graphics card and comes with an Intel i7-11800H, 8-Core CPU, with Intel Turbo Boost Technology capable of providing up to 5.1GHz speed, and special Vapor Chamber Cooling. Moreover, there are also 16GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, as well as both Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth connectivity. Also, there are three USB ports, one HDMI 2.1 port, two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, and a 3.5 mm Combo Audio jack.

Razer Blade 15 is also fitted with an additional M.2 slot for extra storage capacity, it provides THX Spatial Audio and offers excellent battery life. In addition, there is also the per-key RGB Razer Chroma lighting – in other words, an excellent overall package is there.
Therefore, if you want a powerful and efficient laptop for your designing tasks, Razer Blade 15 is more than a great choice.

HP ZBook Create G7

Excellent for Work and Play

Just like the, the HP Zbook Create is specially designed for gaming, but also for creators, which makes it ideal for graphic design, obviously. According to HP, the Zbook Create is the world’s smallest 15’’ machine for gaming and creation, and considering its metrics, i.e. it weighs 1.9 kg and it’s 17.5 mm thin, this statement is hard to contradict.

If you’re on an unlimited budget, you can configure your ZBook Create G7 to take you to the Moon and back, i.e. this stylish and incredibly thin laptop can house an RTX 2080 Super GPU, as well as the latest Intel Core i9 and Intel Xeon CPUs. The sky is the limit, customization wise, and if that’s not enough for you, there’s even a ZBook Studio alternative that comes with an Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 GPU.

The display is another strong selling point for the ZBook Create G7, and it’s obvious that this is a machine designed for professional creators. To give you a hint, you can get high res and incredibly accurate 4K OLED panel, with 100% DCI-P3 color coverage and 600 nits brightness in the highest-end version.

The unibody chassis is built from machined aluminum, and that confers it exceptional cooling capabilities, due to HP’s gaming-class VaporForce Thermal platform. Even the sound system is tuned by Bang & Olufsen, hence if you can afford it, just go for it.

Dell XPS 15 9500

The Best Laptop for Graphic Design

The Dell XPS 15 9500 is arguably one of the best (if not the best) 15’’ laptops on the market, and that makes it a prime contender for the title of the best laptop for graphic design. If you’re ready to pay the price for a beefed-up version of the XPS 15 9500, we can say that the ultimate laptop has arrived for you.

Depending on the configuration, the XPS 15 9500 can be extremely powerful (and expensive), but in the same time, light enough to carry around town hassle-free, and, most importantly, stylish and discrete. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this laptop, as it ticks absolutely all of the boxes in the preamble of the article.

First, you’ll get a stunning display, which is highly important for graphic design work, then the keyboard is terrific for typing, comfortable and ergonomically designed, the speakers are pretty good, the trackpad is also big enough and comfy enough to use for extended periods of time, the configuration options are endless, and so on and so forth.

For the starting price of $1,299, you’ll get a 10th gen Intel Core i5 Comet Lake CPU, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. If you’re not married with Apple’s MacOS, the Dell XPS 15 is the best laptop money can buy in 2020: it’s thin, light, well designed, the speakers are on top, the display has small bezels, you get 3 T3 ports, an SD card reader, and even a headphone jack.

The chassis is made from CNC milled aluminum, and features clean edges, while the keyboard deck is carbon fiber, reminding us of sports cars. Finally, we must mention the stellar 3,840 x 2,400 resolution display, with 500 nits of brightness and capable of hitting of 100 percent the Adobe RGB color gamut, and you’ve got yourself a winner for the best laptop for graphic design, especially if you take into consideration the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU.

MSI P65 Creator-1084

Almost Overkill for Graphic Design

This is the MSI alternative to the HP ZBook Create, and as the name suggests, this hardcore machine is focused on content creators, and by that we mean graphic designers, photo editors and so on. The laptop comes loaded with the best components, including a 15.6″ 4K UHD Display, the latest-gen Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, a GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, 32 GB of RAM and a 1TB Teton Glacier SSD.

Everything’s on the up and up with this machine, including the retail price. However, if you’re looking for sheer power, this speedy, powerful and stylish laptop can do anything: 2D/3D design, 4K video editing, gaming, you name it, it got it. MSI is well known for high-end gaming computers, like its Trident desktops or GT series laptops, but this one is will definitely make creative professionals happy.

Even if this is far from cheap, it’s definitely worth your money if you’re looking for high-end performance and top-notch components at a reasonable price. Even the design is pretty sleek and discreet, connectivity is well taken care of, performance is on level with the best in class, and the only compromise we can think of is the built-in speakers which are not great.

Dell XPS 17 9710

A Designer’s High-End Dream

Dell XPS 17 9710 is a powerful and highly capable laptop that offers nothing but the best. This laptop comes with all the latest hardware and features the Intel Core i9-11900H CPU, with 4.6GHz boost speed and 24MB of cache, as well as the 6GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. It’s a killer combination that is perfect for a variety of activities, including gaming, video rendering, graphic design, and others.

Dell XPS 17 9710 is also fitted with an excellent 17” UHD Touchscreen, with an Anti-Reflective display, 500 nits brightness, and HDR support. Also, it features 32GB of DDR4 RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD storage, and offers and exceptional connectivity that includes Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 and Bluetooth 5.1.

When talking about available ports, you will be more than pleased, since there are four Thunderbolt 3 ports, accompanied by a full-size SD card reader and 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack that should provide more than enough versatility and functionality.

Dell XPS 17 9710 also offers full support for Alexa voice controls, it comes fitted with Windows 10 Pro Operating System, and presents an excellent multifunctional tool for any sort of business or personal use. For that reason, if you want a powerful and highly capable device for a variety of tasks, Dell XPS 17 9710 is a wish coming true for you.

ConceptD 7 Ezel

A Unique and Efficient Designer’s Machine

ConceptD 7 Ezel is a sleek and attractive-looking laptop, with an innovative screen design, which involves two hinges, and allows the screen to rotate outward, letting you position the screen in almost any position, making a unique product on the market.

In addition, this laptop is also packed with good quality hardware that includes Intel i7-10750H CPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and 1TB of NVMe SSD storage. There is also the GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card, with 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM, as well as the 15.6″ 4K UHD IPS, with 60 Hz refresh rate, 350 nits brightness, and 100% Adobe RGB Color Gamut coverage, which is an excellent characteristic for any design work.

ConceptD 7 Ezel comes with four-hour battery life, a flat, yet comfortable keyboard, and also includes a built-in stylus pen (Wacom EMR Pen) that is another huge bonus for its creative nature. In other words, this laptop is designed to be practical and efficient in performing graphics-oriented tasks; therefore, if you are after the best laptop for graphic design, ConceptD 7 Ezel is certainly an exceptional choice.

Conclusion

So what is the best laptop for graphic design? As always, the answer will depend on your specific wants and needs. More powerful laptops tend to be bigger and have less of battery life while those that excel in portability and user-friendliness tend to be less powerful. A touch screen can be a great option for a graphic designer who wants an intuitive interface. Regardless of your needs, hopefully, this guide will give you some pointers and put you on the right path to find a suitable laptop for your graphic design needs.

It’s not a secret that in modern headsets the sound is prioritized over the mic quality. Some headphones may even not have a built-in mic. So, if you are aimed to win it’s better to get the best microphone for gaming.

Top Picks

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	HyperX QuadCast - USB Condenser Gaming Microphone, for PC, PS4, PS5 and Mac, Anti-Vibration Shock...	Check at Amazon
	Logitech for Creators Blue Snowball iCE USB Microphone for PC, Mac, Gaming, Recording, Streaming,...	Check at Amazon
	Shure MV5 Digital Condenser Microphone with Cardioid - Plug-and-play with iOS, Mac, PC, Onscreen...	Check at Amazon
	Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ Cardioid Condenser USB Microphone, With Built-In Headphone Jack & Volume...	Check at Amazon
	Elgato Wave:3 - Premium Studio Quality USB Condenser Microphone for Streaming, Podcast, Gaming and...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-26 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best Mic for Gaming

Sure, a perfect microphone is suitable for any kind of activities. It can be a great mic for streaming and at the same time an excellent item for gaming or studio recordings. Still, if you need a mic for a specific purpose then it’s better to get the best one of that category.

So what does the best mic for gaming look like? It has got a lifelike sound, easy setup, reasonable price and, of course, it’s versatile. A perfect mic will turn your game into a real adventure. But how to find it? Here are some tips which will help you choose a suitable mic for gaming.

Sound quality

Great mics have high-grade recording quality. It is achieved through wide frequency response, which will let you select a necessary mode. Another thing that affects audio quality is the level of noise reduction. Some mics come with vibration dampening or have special filters for background noise. This aspect is responsible for sound clarity and accuracy. Undoubtedly, no one wants the audio with picked up keyboard cluttering.

Don’t forget to pay attention to pattern selection as well. Some mics are versatile while others offer only one audio setting. A universal mic is a multi-pattern one and includes all directional properties such as omnidirectional, bidirectional and unidirectional (cardioid). Here you can learn more about the difference between them.

Form factor

Though there are a lot of microphone form factors, those which are typical for mics for gaming are desktop, clip on and mini. Desktop mics are usually more expensive than mini. Nevertheless, they are richer in options and usually have better sound quality.

Comfort

Comfortable mics are easy to set up and simple in use. Besides, you can easily adjust them to the necessary conditions. Such mics are highly adaptable.

Some other things to pay attention to is the quality of material and construction. Check whether it is a durable item and won’t break after the slightest push or drop.

Accessories should be also taken into account. Some mics come with additional desktop stands, Y-adapters, a carrying case, pop filters and ports. Just makes sure there is everything you need for gaming.

9 Best Mics for Gaming

V-MODA BoomPro Microphone

Great Budget Mic for Gaming

In case you are looking for something inexpensive and compact but at the same time with great audio quality V-MODA BoomPro is one of the models to take into account when selecting the best mic. It is especially recommended for those who need a mic not only for playing games but also communicating with family, friends or business partners. Note that despite its low price V-MODA BoomPro delivers clear audio as it comes with background noise reduction.

It is a highly compatible model which can be used with nearly all kinds of devices including PCs, tablets, smartphones and gaming consoles. V-MODA BoomPro is a detachable mic with a unique bendable SteelFlex design, thanks to which it can be easily adjusted to different conditions. This mic for gaming is also durable as it is equipped with a reinforced cable and 24k gold plated plug.

Blue Yeti USB Microphone

The Best Microphone for YouTube Gaming

Need a premium mic for gaming? Then have a look at Blue Yeti USB microphone. There are a lot of things to like about it. This mic comes with Blue’s proprietary tri-capsule technology. It means that there is a tri-capsule array with three condenser capsules, which can record almost anything even under less-than-ideal conditions.

What is more, there is multiple pattern selection including cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional and stereo pattern settings. Such variety allows you to use this mic for different purposes –podcasting, video recording, conference calls, music, and, of course, game streaming.

Blue Yeti USB microphone has a simple control system and doesn’t require any driver install. All you need to start using it is just to plug this mic into your device’s USB port with the included USB cable.

Another reason why Blue Yeti is considered to be one of the best mic for gaming is its up-to-date design. You can easily adjust its desktop stand and pivot mic in a way you need it. You can also use set screws to secure it in the most suitable position.

Razer Seiren Mini

Built From The Ground Up For Streamers

Razer knows about the modern gamer’s needs, so they created the Seiren Mini – a microphone designed for in-game chat and streaming. As such, this is a plug-and-play easy-to-use microphone, that can be installed almost anywhere, without too much of a fuss.

The case is made from anodized aluminum, which makes it lightweight and durable. Also, the mic is delivered with a built-in shock mount and has a super-cardioid pick-up pattern. In addition, it is equipped with a professional-grade single dynamic capsule for a rich and warm vocal effect. This means that your broadcasting experience will be as true to life as possible, due to minimal electronic interference.

There’s also a built-in high-pass filter for ultra-clean recording – it cuts out any unwanted low-frequency vibrations (such as background noise). This way, you can record your streams and publish them on your channel without too much editing.

Lastly, the microphone also has a digital/analog vocal limiter for zero distortion and supports 16 bit/48kHZ resolution.

NZXT Capsule

A Simple, yet Powerful Gaming Microphone

If you seek a solid audio-performing microphone for your gaming activities that will do more than a good job, the NZXT Capsule is the device for you. To be exact, this microphone offers a simple design and plug-and-play functionality, perfect for a large portion of gamers.

Yes, there is no EQ tweaking, yet luckily the overall performance and the default profile are more than good and will certainly satisfy the majority of users. In addition, its build is rugged, while the gain is set at the ideal 50%.

NZXT Capsule is a unidirectional microphone, with a Cardioid polar pattern and 24-bit/96kHz resolution voice pickup that drastically reduces background noise. Moreover, this microphone brings low-latency performance, USB-C to USB-A Cable connectivity, and much-needed ease of use, which is always welcomed, no matter the class of the device.

All in all, NZXT Capsule is a very good product, and certainly one of the best microphones for gaming, especially if the simplicity and great performance are the main goals of your search.

HyperX QuadCast

Intuitive & Versatile on a Wide Range of Platforms

The HyperX QuadCast microphone is not just for gamers as it delivers amazing quality for podcasts, streaming, interviews, and even recordings. Designed with an anti-vibration shock mount and a mount adapter that lets you install it in any position, the microphone is easy to use and setup.

It has four selectable polar patterns (stereo, bidirectional, omnidirectional, and cardioid), a pop filter, and gain control adjustment that’s easy to reach and switch. Furthermore, it has tap to mute with an LED indicator that lets you avoid any accidental tea spilling. This way, you know for sure that when the light is on the mic is active and when the light is off, you can talk freely.

Lastly, the mic has a headphone jack, so you can hear your own voice. This feature is great for gaming sessions, streaming, and even podcasts.

Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone

The Best Affordable Microphone for Gaming

For those with some financial constraints, we would recommend paying attention to Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone. It’s also a good option in case you just don’t want to spend a fortune on a new mic for gaming.

This Blue Snowball mic is designed with a custom condenser capsule which provides crisp and clear sound for communication and recordings. Having this mic you can also create podcasts or add narration to home movies. By the by, Blue Snowball iCE Condenser is very easy to set up. You don’t need any driver installation – just plug and play.

Shure MV5 Digital Condenser Microphone

The Best Affordable Gaming Microphone

Finding the perfect equipment for your gaming is never easy, especially if you have a limited budget. However, some products deliver excellent performance and still don’t have a premium price, and Shure MV5 is precisely that type of device.

This is a highly compatible microphone that can work along with Windows, Mac, and iOS, offering a clean and clear voice, surprisingly good for its price. Moreover, this microphone also comes with a built-in headphone output and both USB and Lightning cable, offering a great level of versatility.

Its frequency range is between 20Hz and 20kHz, while the microphone itself has the 16/24-bit, 44.1/48kHz recording quality.

Shure MV5 is available in black/gray color combination, as well as black/red color. Also, it features three DSP Preset Modes (Vocals, Flat, and Instrument), and brings an excellent value for the price, as it should be the case with one of the best microphones for gaming available.

Audio-Technica AT2020USB+

The Best PC Mic for Gaming

Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ is another mic for gaming with unparalleled sound quality. Its high-grade A/D converter provides 16bit and frequency response, which is quite extended and smooth. Add to this 44.1/48 kHz sampling rate as well as high-output internal headphone amplifier and you will get lifelike and detailed sounding suitable for gaming, podcasting and home studio recording.

This USB microphone comes with mix control due to which you can blend the mic signal and pre-recorded audio. There is also volume control using which you can monitor the signal any time you need it. Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ is compatible with such OS as Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000 and Mac OS X.

Elgato Wave:3

Premium Condenser Microphone & Digital Mixer for Streaming

Designed with a streamer’s needs in mind, the Wave:3 has several impressive features that also make it a gamer’s dream!

On the surface, Wave:3 looks like a regular streaming microphone with a steel grille. It also has a built-in control interface (the multifunctional dial), a capacitive mute button, and comes with a heavy-duty desk stand (U-mount with padded base). It also has the necessary fittings for your boom arm of choice).

Under the case, you’ll find superior circuitry that supports 24bit/96kHz analog to digital conversion and can deliver broadcast-grade detail and clarity. There’s also a premium condenser capsule with a cardioid polar pattern (fine-tuned for speech) and a multi-layered noise shield.

Wave:3 is a USB-C plug-and-play microphone that can be used for any production (from podcasts to gaming, even to ASMR).

Now all these cool features can be perfectly controlled and fine-tuned with the Wave Link app that lets users control up to seven audio sources and create two independent mixes. Lastly, the mike comes with proprietary Clipguard technology that makes distortion virtually impossible.

Summary

When it comes to gear for gaming, a high-quality mic is one of the things a gamer should have. We offer the list of mics which vary both in price and options, so you can easily choose the most suitable one.

The thing about arcade sticks is that they arguably make for the best way to play fighting video-games, as they’re built and designed to be the perfect hardware for this particular genre. Not even the best fight stick in the world will necessarily make you a better player, as they’re no magic wands by any metrics; however, they are clearly superior to game-pads or keyboards for fighting games. Finally, it’s up to you to decide if you’re a fight stick guy, or you’ll “stick” to your gamepad or keyboard.

However, keep in mind that Street Fighter inspired fight sticks are tailor-made for the best virtual fighting experience, and if you’ve ever watched professional E-sports events like East Coast Throwdown, you may have a clue about why pros never use Xbox One or PS4 controllers but fight the good fight with an arcade stick.

Now, if you’ve already decided to go the way of the samurai with a fight stick, keep reading, as we’ll give you the basics on how to choose your gear, and we’ll also provide you with some of the best fight sticks to suit anyone’s budget.

Our Top Picks

Preview	Product
	HORI Real Arcade Pro 4 Kai for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PC	Check at Amazon
	Qanba Obsidian USB Joystick for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 and PC (Fighting Stick) Officially...	Check at Amazon
	Victrix Pro FS Arcade Fight Stick, Game Fighting Joystick Controller : Black - PS5/PS4	Check at Amazon
	MAYFLASH Universal Arcade Fighting Stick F500 for Switch, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4,...	Check at Amazon
	HORI Real Arcade Pro N Hayabusa Arcade Fight Stick for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PC...	Check at Amazon
	Mayflash F300 Arcade Fight Stick Joystick for Switch, Xbox Series X, PS4,PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360,...	Check at Amazon
	Razer Atrox For Xbox One: Fully Mod-Capable - Sanwa Joystick and Buttons - Internal Storage...	Check at Amazon
	Qanba Dragon Joystick for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 and PC (Fighting Stick) Officially...	Check at Amazon
	Mad Catz The Authentic EGO Arcade Fight Stick for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC (Windows...	Check at Amazon
	Qanba Drone Joystick for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 and PC (Fighting Stick) Officially Licensed...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-28 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose an Arcade Stick

There are quite a few options with regard to arcade/fight sticks, whether we’re talking about Qanba, HORI, Mayflash or Razer. Since Mad Catz “has left the building”, HORI is now arguably the best-known arcade stick manufacturer out there. Speaking of budgets, there are $99 or less and over $100 fight sticks. The latter fall in the “premium” category so to speak.

Experience

If your fight-stick experience is very limited or zero, we’d recommend you to buy a cheaper model until you figure things out. Since we’ve been using loosely the words arcade stick and fight stick, you should know that they’re basically the same thing, except the fact that fight sticks are specifically designed for fighting games, especially in terms of joystick responsiveness and button layout.

They’re “fine-tuned” so to speak to deliver more accurate input in order to bring a more realistic gaming experience to your home console. An “arcade-like” experience if you want, as arcade fight games were played back in the day in arcade cabinets, but we are getting nostalgic here.

Compatibility

So, novice players should stick with cheaper fight sticks, that’s rule number one. Rule number two: be careful on how you’re spending your money, as these bad boys are hugely addictive. Besides fighting games, you can use them also for other arcade style video-games, such as Puzzle Fighter, Metal Slug 3 or Ikaruga. So, you should be extra careful on what gaming platforms are you going to use your arcade stick.

Some of them are specifically designed for Xbox, others work exclusively on PlayStation. The good news is that all of them work on PC if you know a bit or two about how to tinker with the drivers.

Size and Weight

Size and weight come to mind next. This is important for a number of reasons: do you have small hands or big hands? Where do you keep the fight stick, on your lap or on the table? If you’re far away from the console, you should also consider cable length, for cable management issues. Size matters, in all these situations. If you have big hands, stay away from extremely small fighting sticks, such as the Hori Fighting Stick Mini 4. On the other hand, there are beasts like Hori Real Arcade Pro 4 Premium VLX KURO out there, and this one’s an absolute unit.

Modding

Finally, there’s the modding and parts thing. If you’re going deep down the arcade rabbit hole, you may want to engage in “modding”, as in to swap the buttons/joystick at some point in the future. Even if it sounds intimidating, modding your fight stick is very easy, once you get the hang of it. Modding is defined as replacing (as in upgrading)original parts of your arcade stick, things like the joystick, actuators, restrictor plates, plexis, Sanwas, boards, bat-tops, different size buttons and so on and so forth.

Replacing them with what, you asked? Well, with “tuning parts”, as in better parts, from brands like Seimitsu or Sanwa. Usually speaking, all is needed for these “complex tasks” is a screwdriver, so don’t sweat it too much, as most arcade/fight sticks are designed to be easily customizable. The golden standard when it comes to “tuning parts” for one’s fight stick is the brand Sanwa Denshi, followed closely by Hori Hayabusa and Seimitsu, so keep that in mind for future upgrades. Also remember that modding your gaming gear usually voids manufacturer’s warranty, but not necessarily.

Razer-made arcade sticks are cool with modding, i.e. Razer is a mod-friendly company (it doesn’t void warranty), as long as you’re not modifying the printed circuit board. As the general rule of thumb, HORI’s RAP models (Real Arcade Pro) are excellent for beginners, as they’re not very expensive, yet they’re built with high-quality parts, hence you won’t feel like modding them right away, thus risking voiding warranty.

On the other hand, the Razer Pantera or Atrox can be modded anytime, without fear of voiding the warranty, but the question is: can you afford them?

Ideally, you should go for a high quality/premium fight stick, provided you’re in it for the long haul, as these bad boys are built with arcade quality components that will last you forever, as they’re designed to support unimaginable levels of abuse. The next level is to buy a custom fight stick, but that’s another story altogether. So, let’s get right into it.

Best Fight Sticks (Arcade Sticks)

This is urgent mostly because constant exposure to increased heat can cause serious damage on all the hardware components, even on those that haven’t been affected in the first place. Therefore, a quick reaction is crucial in order to prevent any additional damage.

What Are the Safe Temperatures?

When we talk about the GPU, there are no universal GPU temp values that are acceptable. Graphics cards are different in their build and architecture and therefore, offer different normal and max GPU temps.

This is especially noticeable with AMD cards, where max GPU temps may vary from 57°C to 94°C, depending on the graphics card type. In case of Nvidia these values are much closer to each other and are in the range from 94°C to 105°C, but still, there is no common GPU temperature. Therefore, only the manual, or official specifications of that exact graphics card, can give the definite answer to the question: How hot should my GPU be?

Of course, the maximum GPU temp is a value that should be reached during heavy GPU loads such as gaming, but not during the idle mode or easier tasks. For that reason, visit the forums and blogs to discover what the average GPU temp of your card is, and once you have that information along with the max temp values of your GPU, proceed to the next step.

How to Monitor GPU Temperature?

If you are wondering how to check GPU temp, know that there are two ways:

• Through BIOS
• With monitoring software

BIOS

One of the easiest ways to check your GPU temp is, of course, BIOS. Unfortunately, this action requires for PC restart and cannot give you the temperature values under load. In other words, it can be used for reference reasons, but for the more precise monitoring, it is advisable to use a monitoring software.

Temperature monitoring software

Today, there are numerous software solutions that offer not only the information about your GPU temp, but also detailed data about all the hardware in your computer. Of course, we’ll only mention the programs that are the best suited for your GPU temperature monitoring, and they include:

• OpenHardwareMonitor is one of the most popular hardware monitoring software out there. It is free and offers plenty of information not only about the temperature values but also about the fan speed, voltages, etc.
• SpeedFan is a software solution similar to the OpenHardwareMonitor that offers various data about the voltages, fan speeds, temperatures and allows for the fan speed change, access to the S.M.A.R.T. data of your hard drive and much more.
• Nvidia Control Panel is an Nvidia utility that offers access to numerous data and GPU functions, and among them, a GPU temperature monitoring feature.
• AMD Catalyst Control Center presents an AMD version of the Nvidia’s Control Panel software, with similar functions and options placed in a different “package”.
• MSI Afterburner is predominantly an overclocking tool that, on the other side, offers a quality temperature monitoring feature. It will give you very precise information about your GPU temperature.
• Asus GPU Tweak is a great ASUS overclocking utility, one that, just like the Afterburner, offers plenty of features, including the temperature monitoring option.
• AIDA64 is among the best software alternatives that offer a wide scope of system information, including GPU thermal monitor, but also a plenty of diagnostics and auditing options. Unfortunately, this app isn’t free, but luckily, there is a trial version that can show you what the app’s real potentials are, and surely help you with your temperature monitoring.
• Unigine Heaven is a great graphics cards stress testing utility that also offers some monitoring options, including GPU temp. Therefore, it is a great solution that will allow you to try simultaneous testing and monitoring of your GPU.

After you have decided on your monitoring software, it is the time to establish what your idle and average GPU temp values are. For the first value, wait for a couple of minutes after the system boots, until all the processes finish and there are only the essential ones. If you are not sure when that is, wait some 5 or so minutes – values that are then read should be more than acceptable.

When you have finished that, start some graphics app such as Photoshop, play a not-that-demanding game or something similar that will not load your GPU that much, and make the readings of your average GPU temps.

The last step in concluding if you have a normal GPU temp is determining what your max GPU temp is. For that purpose, you can use the already mentioned Heaven software that has both stress testing and monitoring function, a dedicated graphics cards testing utility such as 3DMark in combination with some of the monitoring software options previously mentioned, or even games themselves (if they have built-in temperature monitoring software). If you have finished collecting the data and you have normal GPU temp readings, you can relax and forget about the rest of the text.

On the other hand, if your readings are above the usual values by 5-10 degrees or more (this mostly applies to max values, since the average and idle temps may vary) solving the problem is your only alternative. In this case, read the following lines carefully.

What to Do When the Temperature Is Too High?

When GPU temperature is well above the acceptable values it is the time to take some serious action that includes the following:

Dust Cleaning

Cleaning the heatsinks and the whole computer from dust with a vacuum cleaner, or even better, an air compressor, can do miracles for your GPU temp, as well as other hardware. Just be careful not to make any damage and be extra careful.

Pay additional attention to the fans and clean them the best you can. First, remove the dust from the fans with a vacuum cleaner, or blow it away with an air compressor. After that, you may use the baby wipes and ear sticks to wipe off and clean all the remaining dust, including the one that is placed below or on the fan blades.

You just need to be careful not to create the small dust piles that can later create problems with the fan spinning. In other words, just do it slowly. Your GPU will be more than thankful.

Also, be aware that dust cleaning is recommended to be done regularly every six months, as a type of prevention. So, follow the rule and don’t let things heat up too much.

Cable Management Check

Cables that are spread around the whole PC case without any order and organization can make a huge problem when talking about heat dissipation. This happens because they are blocking the airflow and they present a great place for dust accumulation.

For that reason, it is good to always keep your cables in order. To group them, organize and keep them as tight as possible and attach them to their designated places on your case.

Airflow Check

Poor airflow can be a result of many things, one of which is already mentioned above, but. It can also be caused by an inadequate case design, wrong components case positioning, etc. Luckily, in most cases, this can be easily fixed with the installment of an additional fan or few of them.

The best option is to have a large fan at the front of the case to bring the fresh air in and one large fan at the back to extract the hot air out. If your case doesn’t support that sort of positioning, be aware that even the 8 cm fan installed anywhere on the case (up, down, on the side, etc.) should make a difference.

Therefore, if you have the opportunity, install the largest possible fans wherever there is a place for them. Also, if your case doesn’t allow for additional installment or you just don’t want to spend additional resources, you can always remove the cases side panels, and prevent the temperature build up inside the case that way, and help your card have a normal GPU temp.

Ambient Temperature Check

If you live in a hot climate region, or a place that has at least a couple of warm summer months during the year, the increased GPU temperature is an expected thing. In that sort of situation, the only real problem solver is an air conditioner.

If, on the other hand, your budget doesn’t allow for that type of investment, you can always install some additional fans, but also make sure that your cooling is working at optimal capacity, not silent/saving mode.

GPU Cooler Change

Changing the stock GPU Cooler for an aftermarket one can be very beneficial in reducing the max GPU temp. This approach will certainly help, but you need to purchase one that will suit your card the best. The best option is to Google it and see what other people are suggesting.

Also, if your budget allows it, go for water cooling solutions over the air cooling ones. Although there are air coolers that deliver similar performance as the water coolers, the reality is that the majority of them are well behind. So, if it is possible, install a water cooler and make the max GPU temp more than acceptable.

Thermal Paste Change

Although changing the paste usually doesn’t give the expected results, it is good to do it from time to time anyway, especially in the situations with high GPU temp. This mostly helps with the older graphics cards with a paste that already lost its attributes, but it can’t do any harm if you do it with the newer ones too.

Therefore, if there are high GPU temperature readings, change the paste. It won’t cost you much but it can be an easy problem solver.

Rollback to Previous GPU Driver

Even though you are constantly bombarded with the information that you need to keep your drivers up to date in order to use all the benefits of your hardware, facts show that updates sometimes may not be that beneficial. On the contrary, they can sometimes do more harm than good.

A disadvantage that may appear is a rise of a GPU temperature by 10°C, or even more after the update. Therefore, if you realize that your GPU temp has raised, especially if you updated the driver recently, roll back to the previous driver version. There is a huge chance it will do the trick.

Disable Overclocking

If you overclocked your rig some time ago and you realized that the GPU temp is higher than it used to be, and you have already tried every other solution without any success, maybe it is the time for desperate measures. In other words, it is probably the time to disable your GPU overclock and start the overclocking process from the beginning, or maybe even replace your graphics card.

GPU Clock Speeds Underclock

Although this activity isn’t that common, underclocking GPU clock speed can be very advantageous. By doing this, you will reduce your graphics card power consumption, lower the GPU temp, but also help the card longevity.

For this purpose, you can use overclocking utilities such as MSI Afterburner, ASUS GPU Tweak, or any other similar software.

The Last Sanctuary

If none of the previously mentioned things help, the only option left is a computer repair shop. There are just times when there is no other solution than to leave the things for professionals to handle and resolve.

This step can prove to be expensive, but there are also cases when the troubles are a result of a small problem that is easy to fix. No matter what the end scenario is, you will at least know where you are standing and you’ll be able to plan the future steps according to that.

Conclusion

This article’s main purpose is to help you better understand the whole GPU temperature subject, but also assist you in trying to solve the issues that may be the cause of your increased GPU temperature. If it succeeded in that intention, its purpose is fulfilled.

On the other hand, if your problem prevailed, we hope that this piece at least cleared some doubts that you had and that it helped you find the final solution for your problem. Good luck!