Nvidia is reactivating a feature that many of you may have already written off: The new Game Ready driver 591.44 brings back PhysX support for selected older games. For owners of a GeForce RTX 50 graphics card, this is a very relevant change — especially if you enjoy playing classic games with elaborate physics effects. Why PhysX is important – and why it was removed PhysX has been a mainstay in PC gaming for many years, creating realistic effects for fabrics, smoke and particles in titles such as “Borderlands 2” and “Batman: Arkham City.” But Nvidia cancelled PhysX support at the beginning of 2025: New RTX-50 series graphics cards could no longer accelerate PhysX calculations in 32-bit games via GPU. As a result, the calculations landed entirely on the CPU — with significant performance losses compared to prior generation GeForce cards. Some gamers reacted with a hilarious, yet totally functional workaround: They plugged an older Nvidia card into their computer just to be able to continue using PhysX effects. Driver 591.44: PhysX returns – but only for select games With the current driver, there is now a turnaround. Nvidia is introducing a so-called “Custom Support” level. This is not a complete return of the old 32-bit support, but rather individually created profiles for a hand-picked selection of particularly popular PhysX titles. These nine games now benefit from GPU acceleration again: Alice: Madness Returns Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Batman: Arkham City Batman: Arkham Origins Borderlands 2 Mafia II Metro 2033 Metro: Last Light Mirror’s Edge Nvidia has announced additional support for “Batman: Arkham Asylum” for the first half of 2026. Whether other games will follow remains to be seen. Nvidia writes that it has initially focused on the most popular classics that are still frequently played today. PhysX technology originally comes from Ageia, which developed its own physics processor unit (PPU) around 20 years ago. Nvidia took over Ageia in 2008 and integrated PhysX calculations directly into the CUDA cores of its own GeForce graphics cards. This made the additional PPU card superfluous, but also tied the effects firmly to Nvidia hardware. Driver also brings optimizations and bug fixes In addition to the return of PhysX, Nvidia’s new Game Ready driver offers further improvements: Optimizations for “Battlefield 6: Winter Offensive” and “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7”, especially in conjunction with DLSS 4. Fixes for graphics artifacts in “The Witcher 3”. Stability fixes for Adobe Premiere Pro. Driver 591.44 is available for download as usual via the Nvidia app or the Nvidia website. If you play classic games with PhysX effects, the update should bring noticeable improvements — often significantly higher frame rates and reactivated graphical effects. If, on the other hand, you only play modern titles, you will primarily benefit from the general optimizations and bug fixes. Read...

In recent years, Minisforum has developed from an insider tip to a firm name in the mini PC market. The manufacturer has become renowned for its compact systems with high computing power, innovative cooling, and sophisticated designs. With the new AI X1 Pro, Minisforum wants to prove this claim – as a powerful all-round PC with integrated AI acceleration, which is not only intended for professionals and developers, but also for smart home enthusiasts and creatives. The following review shows whether the manufacturer lives up to its own claim. At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Outstanding CPU performance sufficient for the most demanding workstation and multitasking tasks Excellent and future-proof connectivity with dual 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7, two USB4 ports and OCuLink Superior upgradeability thanks to replaceable RAM and three M.2 slots Powerful NPU allows for advanced, local AI applications Sophisticated design with integrated power supply unit and fingerprint reader Sustainable product packaging without plastic Cons Graphics performance is somewhat slowed down by the slower DDR5 RAM compared to models with soldered LPDDR5X memory Our Verdict The Minisforum AI X1 Pro is more than just a mini PC; it’s the perfect machine for technology enthusiasts who don’t want to compromise on performance, expandability, and connectivity. If you’re looking for a compact but extremely powerful and future-proof foundation for complex automation, local AI, and media server tasks, you’ll find that the AI X1 Pro is one of the most powerful mini PCs on the market today. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Minisforum AI X1 Pro Retailer Price $1,087 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Specs CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, 12 cores / 24 threads, max. frequency 5.1 GHz AI performance (NPU): up to 80 TOPS Graphics: AMD Radeon 890M Memory: 64 GB, 2 × DDR5-SO-DIMM 5600 MHz Internal storage: 1 × M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD, pre-installed Kingston OM8TAP41024K1 1TB Connectivity: 2 × 2.5 Gbit/s LAN ports (RJ45), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Front connections: 2 × USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 1 × USB 4 (Alt PD Out 15 Watt, data rate up to 40 GB/s, 3.5 mm combo socket, co-pilot button, 2 × digital microphones (DMIC) Rear connections: 1 × USB2.0 Type-A, 1 × OCuLink (PCIe 4.0 ×4), 1 × USB4 (Alt PD-In 65-100 watts & PD Out 15 watts, 1 × DisplayPort 2.0, 1× HDMI 2.1 FRL, Kensington lock OS: Windows 11 Pro Dimensions: 195 × 195 × 47.5 mm (W × D × H), 1.5kg The Minisforum AI X1 Pro delivers an impressive overall package and soundly demonstrates how much performance can be packed into a mini PC today Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Design At first glance, the appearance of the AI X1 Pro with its silver-colored housing and black accents is subtly reminiscent of a Mac Mini, but this impression quickly fades when you look at the details. Minisforum takes a much more functional approach. When comparing the housings of the Minisforum AI X1 Pro and the Geekom IT15, fundamentally different design philosophies in the mini PC segment become clear. Whilst both devices focus on compactness, they pursue different goals, which is reflected in their dimensions and structure. Christoph Hoffmann With its dimensions of 195 × 195 × 47.5 millimetres, the Minisforum AI X1 Pro is a good deal larger than many of its competitors (IT15: 117 × 112 × 49.2 millimetres). Its square footprint is almost twice as large as that of the Geekom IT15. However, this larger volume is a deliberate design decision that brings two decisive advantages: Firstly, it enables the installation of an integrated power supply unit. Finally, the unsightly external brick that causes cable clutter in many mini PCs is no longer necessary. The result is a tidy and professional look. On the other hand, the larger interior offers space for more powerful cooling and superior expandability with three M.2 slots. Weighing in at 1.5kg, the AI X1 Pro is also significantly heavier due to its robust metal chassis and internal components. Despite its immense performance and internal power supply unit, the device remains compact, even if it’s slightly larger than some of its direct competitors. On the front, there are also modern conveniences such as a fingerprint reader for secure and fast login and a dedicated Co-pilot button that emphasizes the focus on AI functions. Christoph Hoffmann With a bracket, the AI X1 Pro can be placed upright or attached to the back of a monitor or even to a wall with the VESA mount. Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Features The true strength of the AI X1 Pro is revealed when you take a look at its inner values and connectivity. Minisforum has created equipment that redefines the term mini PC and makes it a real desktop alternative. The centerpiece is the ability to upgrade—a feature that has become rare in this class. At the heart of the Minisforum AI X1 Pro is the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, one of the first desktop APUs based on the Zen 5 architecture. In addition to 12 CPU cores and the powerful Radeon 890M graphics, the chip comes with a dedicated NPU that delivers up to 50 TOPS of AI performance—perfect for local language models, image analysis or Co-pilot functions without cloud dependency. Instead of relying on soldered memory, the AI X1 Pro offers two SODIMM slots for up to 128GB DDR5-5600 RAM. This gives enthusiasts the freedom to customize the system to their needs—be it for memory-hungry virtual machines running Home Assistant and other services, or for complex data processing. Our test device has 64 GB of RAM, although variants with 32 and 96GB RAM are also available. Another highlight is the mass storage: three M.2 slots for fast NVMe SSDs are available. This makes it possible to realize a huge and fast storage solution, ideal for an extensive media collection. A Kingston OM8TAP41024K1 with 1TB capacity is installed in the test device. The model with 96GB RAM comes with a 2TB NVMe SSD. The variety of connections is simply outstanding and sets the AI X1 Pro apart from the competition. In addition to two USB4 ports, which enable high data rates and the connection of external GPUs, there is also a dedicated OCuLink port. This offers an even faster connection to external graphics cards and turns the mini PC into an expandable gaming or workstation platform. Christoph Hoffmann Two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports ensure a stable and fast network connection, while Wi-Fi 7 makes wireless communication future-proof. The package is rounded off with HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0, and an integrated SD card reader The Minisforum AI X1 Pro offers exceptional flexibility when connecting monitors and can operate up to four displays simultaneously. It owes this capability to a combination of modern, dedicated, and multifunctional video outputs: HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0 and two USB4 ports. This makes the AI X1 Pro a powerful centre for demanding multitasking environments, whether in the office, for creative work or as a control centre in the smart home. Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Operating system The Minisforum AI X1 Pro is installed and activated with Windows 11 25H2 during the initial setup and with an active internet connection. The setup runs smoothly and drivers and firmware are automatically up to date. Copilot integration including NPU support is active and works seamlessly. This eliminates the need for the usual retrofitting of updates or AI packages—the mini PC is immediately ready for all new Windows AI features, from local text recognition and image understanding to automated workflows. Christoph Hoffmann We do not go into detail about Windows 11 25H2 itself in the test—however, it’s clear in many places that the Minisforum AI X1 Pro fully supports the system’s new AI functions. Copilot , Recall, and local model acceleration are active and access the NPU of the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 directly. As a result, AI-based tasks such as text recognition, image analysis, or voice assistance run noticeably faster and without cloud dependency—a clear indication that hardware and software are optimally harmonized here. Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Performance The Minisforum AI X1 Pro with the new AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is positioned well above the previous generation of mini PCs in terms of performance and competes directly with powerful ultrabooks and compact workstations in many scenarios. We used the PCMark 10 benchmark test to determine the desktop computing performance. This software gives us realistic values by running everyday tasks one after the other. The PCMark 10 total score of 7,809 points is in a range that only systems with high-end mobile processors such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H or the Apple M3 Pro have achieved to date. The “Essentials” (11,353 points) and “Productivity” (10,594 points) categories in particular show that everyday office, communication and multitasking applications are handled with absolute ease. The “Digital Content Creation” category with 10,746 points also demonstrates strong performance in photo and video editing—an indicator of an excellently harmonized CPU and GPU balance. Christoph Hoffmann The CPU profile from 3DMark shows excellent scaling across all thread levels: With 8,292 points at full load and 1,161 points in the single-thread test, the HX 370 is on a par with Intel’s Core Ultra 9 288V and only just behind the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS, although the chip relies on a more energy-efficient Zen 5 architecture. This means: high multi-core performance with excellent efficiency—a decisive criterion for continuous operation in compact housings. Christoph Hoffmann The system achieved 3,528 points in 3DMark Time Spy, with the integrated Radeon 890M scoring an impressive 3,152 graphics points. This GPU based on RDNA-3 is around 40 percent higher than the Radeon 780M and thus brings usable gaming performance to a mini PC without a dedicated graphics card. The Intel Core U9-285H installed in the Geekom IT15 however delivers a TimeSpy result of 4,244 points. Christoph Hoffmann Games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite or Forza Horizon 5 run smoothly in 1080p at medium to high settings with the AMD CPU. The more recent synthetic tests such as Steel Nomad Light (3,023 points, 22 FPS) and Solar Bay (14,762 points) also confirm the high efficiency for CPU graphics in DirectX 12 and ray tracing scenarios. Christoph Hoffmann The Geekbench AI Pro score of 7,007 points (quantised) illustrates the strength of the integrated NPU, which is based on the XDNA-2 architecture. This makes the HX 370 one of the few chips that can run AI workloads locally at desktop level—ideal for applications such as image analysis, transcription, or local language modeling. In comparison, the values of the Geekom IT15 with Intel Core U9-285H: 8,005 in the Quantised Score. Christoph Hoffmann Finally, the performance of the SSD is also impressive: The installed 1 TB Kingston NVMe drive achieves 6,132 MB/s read and 5,259 MB/s write in the Crystal Disk Mark, which further accelerates the system response time. Here, the X1 Pro is roughly on a par with the Geekom A9 Max with its Lexar SSD and 6,242 and 5,423 MB/s respectively. Christoph Hoffmann Is the Minisforum AI X1 Pro worth it? Overall, the Minisforum AI X1 Pro delivers an impressive overall package and soundly demonstrates how much performance can be packed into a mini PC today. With the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, the powerful Radeon 890M and the integrated NPU, it combines desktop power, energy efficiency and AI capability in a compact housing. Three NVMe slots, dual 2.5 GbE, OCuLink and USB4 make it extremely versatile—whether for home office, smart home, or gaming. The workmanship and features are clearly above the class average. Only the price and the lack of 10 GbE spoil the picture slightly. Overall: a powerful, future-proof mini PC for power users. Read...

I did not have “Micron kills its consumer business” on my 2025 bingo card. The company announced the shuttering of its Crucial brand on Wednesday morning in unexpectedly simple, transparent language. The short version: Micron is concentrating on their business customers, where the demand has “surged” for memory and storage—thanks to data centers and their scaling up for AI. (Translation: ‘We can make way more money through enterprise customers, so we will.’) As noted in this same post, this decision ends 29 years of the Crucial brand. I can’t say I’m completely shocked. But I am surprised by what this move partially implies. Namely, enterprise’s hunger for memory and storage lasting for years and years. Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletter—your weekly dose of hardware talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld. Missed the surprising topics on our YouTube show or latest news from across the web? You’re in the right place.  Want this newsletter to come directly to your inbox? Sign up on our website!  Am I nervous for consumers? Not just yet. But I am wondering if the somber estimate of RAM shortages lasting beyond this decade ends up proving true. I’m also wondering which other companies will back off consumer sales. And maybe more importantly, how such decisions will affect the development cycles and cost of new products. I don’t mean only RAM kits and SSD drives, though I could see any company producing memory or storage modules abandoning direct-to-consumer efforts. No, I mean anything that contains them, too—like graphics cards. For example, rumor has it that Nvidia may start expecting board partners to source their own memory. Individually, those smaller companies have less power to negotiate. That could then influence the pricing and quantities they get, which in turn would result in higher costs for consumers…and likely slower releases and fewer options, too. Similarly, I could see prebuilt PCs become less bleeding edge with their specs, either staying stagnant or even regressing. Sounds bad, right? So why am I not nervous? Let’s say consumers are faced with higher prices and sluggish innovation. Let’s assume too that everyday folk will push off tech upgrades for longer stretches. The market will have to adapt—and I am curious what that would look like. Chromebooks and GeForce Now have expanded what’s possible for people with low budgets or limited hardware. But I don’t want that approach to PCs to become the default.Matt Smith/Foundry To make up for lagging consumer hardware performance, does the shift to cloud computing accelerate faster? Or will software innovations make up for older, less performant consumer PCs and phones? Companies want everyone on a subscription model, but no one can afford all that exist.  I want the second scenario as our future, if we have to endure a hardware apocalypse. How can we make that happen? Consumers can vote with their dollars, and we must as things become bleaker. Local computing needs to remain a fundamental part of consumer technology. Chromebooks and GeForce Now are fantastic options, but the concepts they rely on—always online, fully dependent on remotely administered servers—cannot handle everyone’s needs. Plus, with online security devolving into a bigger and bigger dumpster fire, local computing is a defense against privacy and data leaks. When PCs first became mainstream, a basic model cost $1,500 to $2,500. Since then, consumer demand fueled the accessibility and openness of the PC—it’s a core reason for why I’m here writing these words and why you’re reading them. I don’t want to watch that die. So I’m choosing to believe we consumers can (and must) stave off such a regression. In this episode of The Full Nerd  In this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Alaina Yee, and Will Smith dig into my annual list of the best DIY gaming PCs buildable with Black Friday deals, plus our predictions for CES 2026. As gloomy as we sound, it was a fun discussion—I enjoy sifting through all the deals and then jigsaw-puzzling them into build lists. Really cool to have crossed the 10-year mark with this tradition! As for CES, we have decided not to play a drinking game based on how often “AI” is mentioned in keynotes and press releases. We’re too old to weather the guaranteed massive hangover. I lived my best streamer-beanie life during this episode. (Gordon’s takes on life were so hilarious.)Willis Lai / Foundry Missed our live show? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd Network YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We also answer viewer questions in real-time! Don’t miss out on our NEW shows too—you can catch episodes of Dual Boot Diaries and The Full Nerd: Extra Edition now! And if you need more hardware talk during the rest of the week, come join our Discord community—it’s full of cool, laid-back nerds.  This week’s packed nerd news I came back from our holiday weekend feeling as if I hadn’t heard much news. But plenty still happened behind the noise of AI and its affect on hardware, even if it wasn’t particularly cheery. So on theme with Thanksgiving, I’m grateful to all the wonderfully crazy weirdos who do things like play Minecraft on a receipt printer—I find it great for morale as a hardware enthusiast. And a lover of doing dumb, harmless things for entertainment. That drive is pretty tiny.Mark Hachman / Foundry Long live emoticons: I’m in the minority of folks who still use emoticons, rather than emoji, for conversations. Reading up on emoticon history (as cataloged by former PCWorld contributor Benj Edwards) put a real smile on my face. It was simpler times then. Though humans were still very human. Am I old now? No, it’s the children who are wrong: I identified strongly with this rant from my colleague Mark Hachman, about the physical size of modern external SSDs. (I have too many things to track these days…) So…Year of Linux for real? According to the Zorin OS developers, the latest release of their distro hit an all-time high of 1 million downloads in just five weeks. Steve benchmarked a bunch of Linux games, btw: Our friend Steve Burke & team over at Gamers Nexus dove deep into Linux gaming performance. If you’ve been curious about how a switch off Windows would go, definitely check out this video. Microsoft’s new ugly holiday sweaters are kind of… cute? Except that Zune one. Burn it with fire. Also, it’s a no for me on the Copilot logo mixed in with ’90s nostalgia. And the Xbox one is okay only if you’re a huge brand fanatic. …Okay, yeah, let’s just skip all of these. An expensive slice of Pi: Sadly, RAM pricing affects our favorite budget single-board computer, too. Oh no: I don’t want Google Gemini on my phone. I also rely heavily on Google Assistant to set reminders for me. If this goes beyond just Android Auto, March 2026 may be the month where everyone finds out just how truly bad I am at keeping track of things on my own. ð?? Yep, that’s Minecraft on a receipt printout.smilly (YouTube) / Tom’s Hardware Playing Minecraft on a receipt printer is a thing? Well, it was for a YouTuber who decided to give a go. Very entertaining concept. Almost as good as playing games with bananas or pomegranates. Friends laughed at my living room PC. But who’s laughing now? I mean, really no one, because Netflix killing casting support is just a crappy bit of news. But I do feel vindicated about the little buddy attached to my TV. My kind of ethical hacking: Organizers at Kawaiicon in New Zealand built a system to monitor CO2 levels in the air, as a proxy for viral infection risk. Pretty dang neat bit of hacking. (It’s a hacker conference though, so I guess the digital kind went wild and free, for science and fun.) (Yes, a hacker con, not an anime con.) (No, I did not expect that either.) On the topic of privacy: Proton just released an Excel alternative for its users. In combination with its Word alternative (Proton Docs), it’s now a possible viable alternative to Google’s free webapps. Time to roll up my sleeves and give it a spin, for the sake of reporting. Japan invents ‘human washing machine’: But fails to consider what will not get washed if a human sits in a recliner the whole time while being (gently) hosed down. (Ew.) I expected more from the land that gave us high-tech bidets. Uh oh. Cherry is having big financial problems: To stay afloat, parts of their business will be sold—and production of their well-known switches will shift from Germany to China and Slovakia. Feels like the Cherry we knew will not be the one that survives. RAM is so expensive, Samsung won’t even sell it to Samsung: My colleague Mike Crider has a way with headlines—and this one’s so good I had to include it here, even though everyone’s saturated with memory-related news. It is quite the sign of the times.  I have a dilemma: As mentioned on the show, I have an insufficient quantity of holiday sweaters for our December episodes. Should go with a classy holiday sweater to round out my collection? Or should I lean even harder into the ugly holiday sweater theme? Decisions, decisions. Catch you all next week! ~Alaina This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of hardware at PCWorld. Read...

The findings contribute to a controversial debate that pits green technology against the environment. Read...

In 2026, the true AI edge lies not in tools or data but in Human Intelligence, guiding ethical, innovative, and resilient use of technology. Read...

Solera advances AI claims technology, sustainability, and women`s leadership initiatives to boost collaboration and growth across the Asia-Pacific insurance sector. Read...

EY has launched a physical AI platform with NVIDIA tech and opened an EY.ai Lab to advance AI in robotics, drones, and smart devices across industries. Read...

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang. Joe Rogan. A match made in heaven, right? AI proponent Huang appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience, run by AI disciple Joe Rogan, on Wednesday night, and the two got on like gangbusters, not surprisingly. Huang jumped in early to describe how well AI has improved — not the least by using his company’s GPUs. “In the last several years, I would say AI technology has increased, probably in the last two years alone, maybe 100X — let’s just give it a number,” Huang said on the podcast. “Okay, it’s like a car two years ago was 100 times slower, so AI is 100 times more capable today.” “Now, how did we channel that technology? How do we channel all of that power?” Huang asked. “We directed it to causing the AI to be able to think, meaning that it can take a problem that we give it, break it down, step by step. It does research before it answers.” Nvidia has previously shown off technologies in which AI powers NPCs in video games, implying that the tensor cores in Nvidia’s GPUs will be used for more than just rendering ray-traced photons and pixels, but will be used as a fundamental part of creative interaction. Huang also recounted statements made by the Trump administration that Nvidia is a “national treasure,” and recent statements made by tech executives that energy, not computer power, will be the bottleneck to the AI expansion. “Every nation will have the benefit of AI,” Huang said. “It might not be tomorrow’s AI. It might be yesterday’s AI. But it will be very good AI. It will be freaking amazing.” Rogan, a self-described “Quake junky,” even called up a photo of the meeting that eventually produced OpenAI, with Huang, Sam Altman, and Elon Musk. “Look at that, bro,” Rogan said. “Same jacket.” The full video is included below. Read...

Swiss technology company Proton has been building up a wide range of privacy-centered productivity apps over the years, from Proton Mail for email and Proton VPN for encrypted connections to Proton Pass for password management and Proton Drive for cloud storage. Now Proton is bolstering its office offerings with Proton Sheets, the newly launched online spreadsheet software that’s part of Proton Drive. This alternative to Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets has one big selling point: its built-in end-to-end encryption that prevents anyone—including Proton itself—from accessing the data in your spreadsheets. Anyone with a Proton Drive account can use Proton Sheets for free. Proton Drive offers a free plan with 5GB of storage, with paid plans for more storage capacity: 200GB Drive Plus is $4.99/month, 500GB Proton Unlimited is $12.99/month, and 2TB Proton Duo is $19.99/month. In addition to cloud storage, Proton Drive also includes Proton Docs (the encrypted word processor) and Proton Photos (the encrypted photo organizer). With Sheets, Proton is becoming a real threat for both Microsoft and Google, especially with growing privacy concerns among users who want to decouple from today’s data giants. Read...

Is your PC slow, programs start sluggishly, and current games stutter? This does not automatically mean that you need a new computer. Targeted upgrades are often enough to significantly improve performance. In this guide, you’ll find out which components are really worthwhile – from SSD and RAM, to graphics cards and processors, through to coolers, fans, and peripherals. SSD: Faster storage for everyone An SSD (Solid State Drive) is the simplest and most worthwhile upgrade of all and provides the biggest performance boost per dollar invested in everyday use. Anyone still working with an old hard disk drive (HDD) is wasting time unnecessarily. However, SSDs differ in terms of design and technology. Classic 2.5-inch models use the older SATA interface and achieve up to 550 MB/s, while modern flash memory in M.2 plug-in card format can be plugged directly into the mainboard and deliver data rates of several thousand megabytes per second via PCI Express (via the NVMe protocol). These NVMe drives are therefore significantly faster, but require a corresponding M.2 slot on the motherboard. Our article“SATA, PCIe, and M.2: The slots on your motherboard, explained” also provides clarity here. Corsair PCIe 4.0 models such as the Crucial P310 or WD Black SN7100 offer up to 7,000 MB/s, making them ideal for gaming or video editing. Even faster are PCIe 5.0 models such as the Kingston Fury Renegade G5 or Crucial T710, which achieve transfer rates almost twice as high at over 12,000 MB/s. However, these high-end models are primarily worthwhile for professional applications, large video files, or particularly demanding users, as they generate more heat and are significantly more expensive. If you have an older system that can only boast SATA connections, you will still benefit enormously: A 2.5-inch SSD (such as the Crucial BX500) for around $60 will get even old PCs up and running again. It’s important that the motherboard supports the appropriate connection, i.e. M.2 for NVMe or SATA ports for 2.5-inch SSDs. Kingston Tip: Cloning old systems saves you time as you take over Windows and programs. However, this method uses a little more storage space because old system files, temporary data and possibly faulty structures are also copied. A new installation takes longer, but ensures a tidier system with a little more free memory. Be sure to check out our list of the best SSDs for even more great upgrade options. Working memory (RAM): More room for multitasking If Chrome has 20 tabs open and Excel reacts sluggishly, more RAM is usually the easiest solution. And upgrading is also less complicated than many people think: open the housing, release the side clips on the slots, remove the old latches, and insert the new modules firmly. Then after switching your computer on, usually the system will recognize the memory automatically. G.Skill Today, 16GB is standard for office users, 32GB is worthwhile for gamers and creative types, and those who regularly work with large photos, videos, or music projects will even benefit from 64GB. Currently, 16GB DDR4 can cost less that $50; kits such as the Kingston Fury Beast or Corsair Vengeance LPX are good options. DDR5 RAM, such as the G.Skill Ripjaws S5 kit, offers higher clock rates, lower power consumption and more bandwidth. However, this requires an up-to-date motherboard and modern processors: DDR5 is supported by Intel from the 12th Core generation (Alder Lake) with chipsets such as Z690, B660, and newer, and by AMD from the Ryzen 7000 series (AM5 platform) with B650, X670, or X670E boards. DDR4 therefore remains the first choice for older systems, while DDR5 is the future-proof option for new PCs. Above all, gamers should consider which DDR5 RAM is currently the best choice. Dual-channel operation is also important: If two identical modules run in parallel, the memory controller can process twice as much data at the same time, which can increase performance by up to 15 percent depending on the application. It’s therefore worthwhile to always install RAM in pairs and make sure there are free slots for both. Swapping out smaller modules pairs can maximize performance, stability, and value for money. Graphics card (GPU): The biggest upgrade for gamers If you want to enjoy games in high quality, there’s no getting round an up-to-date graphics card (GPU). The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT with 16GB or Nvidia Geforce RTX 5060 Ti with 16GB offer sufficient performance for Full HD resolution (1080p). If you want to play in WQHD (1440p), you should opt for a graphics card such as the Radeon RX 9070 or Nvidia Geforce RTX 5070. For 4K gaming, cards like the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT or Nvidia Geforce RTX 5070 Ti are the minimum required to deliver smooth results. Video memory (VRAM) is just as important as pure performance. Today, it should be at least 12 GB so that modern games have sufficient buffer for textures and effects. Cards with less memory are increasingly reaching their limits, especially at high resolutions. Before buying, you should check whether the power supply delivers enough power (at least 550 watts) and whether the correct connections are available: PCIe power connectors are the cables used to supply the graphics card with power in addition to the mainboard. Older power supplies often only have 6- or 8-pin connectors, while new GPUs sometimes require special 12VHPWR connectors. Also, make sure there is enough space in the case: many modern graphics cards are long and occupy up to three slots. Mifcom If you don’t game, you can save yourself the GPU upgrade. This is because the integrated graphics solutions of modern processors (such as Intel UHD or AMD Radeon Graphics) are completely sufficient for office, streaming, or everyday tasks. Processor (CPU): Computing power for those who need it A CPU upgrade is only worthwhile if the processor really slows things down – and if the new CPU is a good technical fit for the system. Compatibility with the socket and chipset as well as support for the existing RAM are important. Depending on the age of the PC, it may also make sense to change the motherboard so that you can install a modern processor. For many users, a current six-core processor such as the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is completely sufficient. If you absolutely need an Intel CPU, then the Intel Core i5-14600K is similar to the AMD CPU in terms of performance, but is typically more expensive. Nevertheless, both offer enough power for gaming, office, and multimedia, but both require motherboards with suitable sockets: Intel’s 14600K relies on an LGA1700 socket with a Z690, B660, or Z790 chipset, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F requires an AM5 motherboard with a B650 or X670 chipset and DDR5 RAM. More demanding users opt for eight-cores such as the Ryzen 7 7800X or Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, which deliver more performance in computing-intensive applications, but also require up-to-date platforms. Anyone coming from an older platform (e.g. Intel’s eighth Core generation or the Ryzen 1000 series) almost always has to change the motherboard and RAM as well. Although this increases the effort and costs, it also brings greater efficiency, better energy management, and future-proofing. A CPU replacement is rarely worthwhile for pure office computers. An SSD instead provides a more noticeable improvement here. If you need a lot of CPU performance, you should go straight for a modern 12- or 16-core processor such as the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X or AMD Ryzen 9 9950X. Intel currently isn’t competitive in this area, so we cannot make a recommendation here. Aorus Motherboard: A centerpiece for future upgrades A motherboard change usually goes hand in hand with a new CPU, as sockets and chipsets often change. This makes the replacement more complex than a RAM or SSD upgrade, for example, as the CPU, cooler, RAM, and cabling usually have to be completely reassembled during the upgrade. This can quickly become a challenge for beginners, as many sensitive components are affected. Anyone who dares to take this step should therefore prepare well or seek expert help. Whether the effort is worth it depends on how old the system is and which interfaces are required. As a rule of thumb, if your computer is more than five years old, a motherboard upgrade is usually worthwhile. Modern motherboards differ significantly in terms of size, connectivity, and features. The form factor determines the size of the board and therefore what the housing can be: ATX offers the most slots and expansion options, Micro-ATX is more compact and a good mid-range option, while Mini-ITX is primarily intended for small, space-saving systems. Aorus Technical features such as PCIe 5.0 slots for graphics cards and fast SSDs, several M.2 slots for additional memory, and sufficient RAM banks are important. A good power supply (VRMs) ensures stable performance, especially with powerful CPUs. Integrated functions such as Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and USB-C also increase convenience and future-proofing. A solid mid-range board typically costs around $200. Those who upgrade frequently or plan for the long term should invest a little more, as the motherboard forms the foundation of every system. CPU cooler: Targeted upgrading instead of overcooling A cooler upgrade is particularly worthwhile when new processors are installed or older systems are subjected to higher loads. Boxed coolers quickly reach their limits. Anyone switching from a Core i5 to a Ryzen 7, for example, should immediately plan for a more efficient cooler. Models such as the Arctic Freezer 36 or the Bequiet Pure Rock Pro 3 offer significantly more cooling reserve for $50 to $60 and remain whisper-quiet. For applications where CPUs get particularly hot – such as rendering or overclocking – AiO (all-in-one) water cooling systems from $100 are a good choice. However, AiO cooling is not automatically always the best choice. Phanteks However, it’s important to check whether the new cooler physically fits into the case before buying: For air coolers, the height is the most important factor, so that the cooler does not hit the side panel. For water coolers, there must be sufficient space for the radiator and the mounted fans – often at the top or front of the housing. Socket compatibility and housing size are equally important. A targeted cooler upgrade can improve stability, volume, and service life without breaking the budget. Case fans: Airflow efficiency for old and new systems Many PCs run too hot because the case ventilation is inadequate. Especially after a CPU or GPU upgrade, better airflow can be crucial. Two 120mm fans – one blowing in at the front, one blowing out at the back – significantly improve the cooling performance and cost less than $30. Models from Arctic or Noctua combine efficiency with low noise output. It’s worth cleaning or replacing the fans when upgrading. Dust filters, PWM control, and the correct air flow direction are more beneficial than additional fans alone. RGB light remains a matter of taste, the decisive factor is the temperature advantage. Bequiet Peripherals: The finishing touches An upgrade can also make sense outside the case as well. Those who work a lot will benefit from an ergonomic setup with a good monitor arm and flicker-free display. There are many good 27-inch 1440p monitors with 144 Hz that can be had for under $400 which are equally beneficial for gaming and working from home. The best mechanical keyboards with linear switches or quiet buttons offer more precision when typing or gaming. While a high-quality mouse with a low weight and precise sensor ensures control and comfort. Asus In general, the upgrades mentioned cost comparatively little, but increase productivity and well-being – the ideal finishing touch after a successful PC upgrade. Conclusion A targeted upgrade is almost always worthwhile. SSD, RAM, and graphics card deliver the greatest performance per dollar right off the bat, while CPU and motherboard upgrades can payoff in the long term. If you look after your PC regularly, keeping your components clean and upgrading wisely can keep your system running at peak performance for many years without having to buy a completely new one. Read...