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GROUP TEST<br />
BEST <strong>PC</strong>s FOR<br />
I<br />
n March, AMD launched its muchanticipated<br />
Ryzen processors.<br />
We’ve written plenty about them<br />
over the past couple of issues, but now<br />
we’re in a position to see how they fare<br />
when viewed as part of a whole <strong>PC</strong>.<br />
For this group test, we asked some <strong>PC</strong><br />
builders to send us their best system based<br />
around a Ryzen chip and others to use<br />
something from Intel’s seventh generation<br />
Kaby Lake range.<br />
It’s no secret that games run better on<br />
Intel processors at the moment, despite<br />
Ryzen’s better performance in many CPUbased<br />
tests. The fact is that although you<br />
get more cores for your money, most game<br />
developers have not yet optimised their<br />
titles to work well on Ryzen.<br />
Because of the lack of competition from<br />
AMD in recent years, studios have tended<br />
to optimise for Intel processors, and there’s<br />
no guarantee that your favourite games<br />
will ever be updated so they run faster if<br />
you have a Ryzen chip.<br />
But as we explain on page 77, this<br />
doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy a gaming<br />
system with a Ryzen processor.<br />
As Overclockers UK demonstrates, you<br />
don’t have to spend top dollar to get a <strong>PC</strong><br />
that will handle the latest games. And it<br />
will be plenty quick enough for all the other<br />
stuff you need to do besides gaming.<br />
Buying advice<br />
The reviews will tell you all you need to know<br />
about each <strong>PC</strong>, but here’s some extra advice<br />
to help you choose the best <strong>PC</strong> for you.<br />
Processor<br />
Different games place different demands<br />
on your computer hardware, but choosing<br />
a gaming rig will involve a balancing act<br />
between CPU and graphics performance.<br />
For gaming <strong>PC</strong>’s we’re happy to<br />
allow overclocked processors, which<br />
will significantly increase your overall<br />
processing power without having to stump<br />
up for the most expensive chips.<br />
To keep the overclocked processors cool,<br />
most <strong>PC</strong> builders fit third-party coolers,<br />
some using the traditional heatsink and fan<br />
design, while others opt for a liquid coolant<br />
pumped through a radiator. This is known<br />
as a closed-loop cooler or CLC for short.<br />
Overclocked processors place additional<br />
demands on the system’s power supply<br />
and also require better cooling, so expect<br />
Photography by Dominik Tomaszewski<br />
60 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews <strong>July</strong> <strong>2017</strong> TEST CENTRE
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