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.

Can You Mix RAM Brands and Sizes? Yes, With Two Catches

You can mix RAM brands and sizes and a PC will usually boot with the full capacity — but everything runs at the slowest stick's speed, and two loose sticks aren't guaranteed to train together. Here is when to mix and when a matched kit is the smarter buy.

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.

Will a PCIe 5.0 SSD Work in a PCIe 4.0 Slot?

Yes — a PCIe 5.0 SSD works in a PCIe 4.0 slot; it just runs at Gen4 speed. Sequential bandwidth roughly halves, real game load times don't move, and the actual thing to watch is how your board shares M.2 lanes.

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.

Do You Need an M.2 Heatsink for a PCIe 5.0 SSD?

A PCIe 5.0 SSD runs hot enough to throttle with no cooling at all — but the M.2 heatsink your motherboard already ships with stops that. Here is when a separate heatsink is worth buying and when it does nothing.

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.

X870 vs X870E: What the Pricier Chipset Actually Buys

X870 and X870E run your GPU and main SSD at the same PCIe 5.0 speed straight from the CPU, so gaming FPS is identical. The extra money buys USB and SATA ports, not frames.

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.

September 2, 2026

8 min