In this double length episode we do a travel log for our most recent CES adventure which is special since it is the first time back to the show in two years. The topics include a basic CES schedule breakdown including some highlights with Gigabyte and a zero-emissions cargo ship.

Normal computer product cycles tend to slow down during the Holiday Season to give consumers a chance to buy the components and gadgets they want while giving retail channels time to stock up for the holiday shopping rush. In this episode the duo talk about the items on a few popular lists and throw in their picks for this shopping season.

In this episode we get an update on the various box configurations and designs that Dennis has experimented with in his question to build an extended range sound system for Retro and Modern PCs. The duo talk through the various designs and determine if they were successful or needed some extra work.

In this episode the duo talks about the current issues with the RTX 4000 series launch from melting power plugs to the “just kidding” removal of the 12GB edition of the RTX 4080. On the surface neither of these things are a huge deal however, for gamers and hardware enthusiasts when we see troubles at launch that usually indicates rocky times are coming, and exactly what needs to be avoided.

In this episode Dennis talks about an impromptu trip for some Retro PC Hardware that ended up being a nighttime cannonball run for an extremely successful grab of old PC games, some Commodore 64 parts and a number of desirable motherboards and video cards. The interesting thing Is that while trips like this are somewhat rare, they can oftentimes turn into a fun little adventure.

In this episode we talk about the NVIDIA RTX 40 Series graphics cards and dive into the specs to see if this will be the generation to buy and how to know if you should skip this generation. Unlike in previous generations there should be no shortage of RTX 40 Series cards making the decision to buy rather straight forward.

When building a PC you have many choices to make, do you go small and keep things functional or do you go big and start flexing for your friends and family. In this episode we talk about big computer cases and why you would want to build in one like the Cooler Master HAF 700.

In this episode we take a first look at the long awaited Z690 Dark Kingpin Edition from EVGA. This is a motherboard targeted at overclocking but does not skimp on the essentials needed to be a proper gaming or working station build. We later transition to some progress we made on the Retro PC Subwoofer project to bring boom to your beige box.

We talk about building your own PC and what parts you need to buy and how much you should spend but, then often take the stance that you should stop your building with the tower and then flood your build with purchased accessories. While this makes good sense from economical standpoint you are missing out on the point of building a PC. In this episode we touch of the subject of sound quality and why you are leaving so much on the table by going retail with your sound solution.

We all know that the current PC world is a price driven market and we have often spent hours comparing specs, reading reviews, checking forum posts and watching shitty YouTube videos all to determine “what is the best bang for the buck”. Hardware makers have caught on to this and have gone to great lengths to create products that conform to a level of Minimum Viable Product then promote these cut down versions to influencers across the globe.