Close to the Metal Ep. 20: What do you get from a $10 gaming mouse?
Gaming mice are know to be expensive, yet the Amazon.com best-selling list is dominated by super-cheap, $10 gaming mice. Are they worth considering?
Close to the Metal Ep. 19: The new MacBook Pro is revealed, but is it fast?
Apple has revealed all the details of the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch, including what's inside. How do they stack up against Windows PCs?
Close to the Metal Ep. 18: GTX 1050 and 1050 Ti live review
Nvidia's GTX 1050 and 1050 Ti are the company's new budget video cards, with prices as low as $110. Can you use these cards as an upgrade to your existing desktop?
Close to the Metal Ep. 17: Can you really live with just one USB port?
Some of the best new laptops have just one or two USB Type-C ports. Can you really get by with one port, and if so, how?
Close to the Metal Ep. 16: WD Blue SSD live review, and how fast should your SSD be?
In this week's episode we discuss Western Digital's first solid state drive, then dive into the surprisingly deep and complex market for solid state drives.
Close to the Metal Ep. 15: 7th-Gen Intel Core and holiday laptops
Intel's 7th-gen Core processors are now appearing in laptops available online and in stores. How important is it to get the latest processor?
Close to the Metal Ep. 14: GTX 1060 review, and what’s up with video card prices?
We took a close look at a high-end GTX 1060 from Zotac. Though its performance was great, the price was hard to tolerate, given its increase over MSRP.
Close to the Metal Ep. 12: Should you give the gift of VR for the holidays?
Virtual reality isn't cheap, but that might make it the perfect gift for your favorite geek -- or not. So, should you buy, or wait until 2017?
Close to the Metal Ep. 11: Can the PlayStation 4 Pro defeat budget gaming PCs?
The war between consoles and PCs is heating up as Sony has announced its PlayStation 4 Pro at just $399. Does this spell trouble for budget gaming PCs?
Close to the Metal Ep. 8: Intel joins the VR revolution
Intel's Developer Forum in San Francisco is the company's most important yearly event. This year, virtual reality is the focus. But what is Intel's angle?
Close to the Metal Episode 7: AMD pushes entry level gaming with sub-$200 GPUs
AMD has two new budget-friendly cards in the RX family, but one of them has us much more excited than the other, and it might not be the card you think.
Close to the Metal Episode 5: Windows 10’s free upgrade is almost gone – should you upgrade?
Windows 10's free upgrade is about to go extinct, and many users are stressing over whether switching to the new OS is worthwhile. We have the answer.
Close to the Metal Episode 4: Who makes the best video card?
Most PC gamers need a discrete graphics card, and options from AMD and Nvidia have dominated the market for almost two decades. Which has the edge in 2016?
Close to the Metal Ep. 3: Is Falcon’s $8,700 Mach V desktop a justifiable expense?
The Falcon Northwest Mach V is one of the most expensive PCs. Is its high price tag worthwhile? What's real difference between it and a mid-range rig?
