Gaming
Gaming-related content
G-Sync vs FreeSync: What Actually Matters in 2026
Both standards now run the same VESA Adaptive-Sync tech and work across Nvidia and AMD GPUs. Here is the short answer, plus the VRR gotchas that still bite.
DisplayPort vs HDMI for Gaming: Which to Use
On a PC, DisplayPort is the safer default: it carries more data than the HDMI version on the same monitor, so it hits the higher refresh rate. But below 1440p/144Hz you will not see a difference, and consoles change the answer entirely.
Ryzen 7 7700X vs Core i5-14600K: What You Actually Pay For
The 14600K wins 1080p gaming by about 4% and dominates multi-core work; the 7700X is cheaper, cooler, and sits on a socket that's still alive. Here's which one fits your build.
RTX 5070 vs RX 9070: The Real 1440p Difference
The RX 9070 averages about 13% higher 1440p frame rates than the RTX 5070 and packs 16GB versus 12GB of VRAM, for about $41 more in our catalog. The RTX 5070 wins heavy ray tracing. Here is who should buy which.
RTX 5080 vs RX 9070 XT: What Double the Price Buys
The RTX 5080 costs about twice the RX 9070 XT in our catalog but leads by only roughly 15-20% in 4K raster. It pulls far ahead in path tracing. Here is who should buy which.
Single-Channel vs Dual-Channel RAM: What You Actually Lose
One 16GB stick or two 8GB sticks? Dual-channel is worth about 12% average FPS and 16% of your 1% lows at 1080p, and far more on an APU. The catch: the two-stick kit often costs less.
RTX 5070 Ti vs RX 9070 XT: Where Each One Actually Wins
The RX 9070 XT matches the RTX 5070 Ti in raster for about $266 less in our catalog, but the 5070 Ti pulls ahead the moment you turn on ray tracing and draws far less power. Here is who should buy which.
16GB vs 32GB RAM for Gaming: Is 32GB Worth It?
16GB still runs almost every 2026 game at the same average FPS as 32GB. The gap only shows up in 1% lows on the newest open-world titles and when background apps eat your headroom — here's when 32GB is worth the money and when it isn't.
Ryzen 7 7800X3D vs Core i7-14700K: Gaming vs Cores
The 7800X3D is the faster gaming chip and the cheaper one here, while the 14700K only wins in heavy multi-core work. Here's which one to buy in 2026.
Ryzen 9 7900X vs Core i7-14700K: Which to Buy
These two trade blows in games and split on productivity, but the real difference is the platform. Here's which mid-high CPU to actually buy in 2026.
Ryzen 7 7700X vs Ryzen 9 7900X: Do More Cores Help Gaming?
The 7900X has four more cores and higher clocks, yet at 1080p it beats the 7700X by only about 1%. Extra cores do not make games faster — here is when the 7900X is still worth $96 more, and when it is not.
Micro-ATX vs ATX: Which Motherboard Size to Build In
At the same chipset, a Micro-ATX board games exactly like an ATX one. What you trade is expansion slots and case size, not frames.