Brad Bourque

Former Staff Writer

Brad Bourque is a native Portlander, devout nerd, and craft beer enthusiast. He studied creative writing at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon before returning home to Portland. Now Brad resides in North Portland, surrounded by breweries, local music, and fellow members of the Timbers Army. Say hi to him on Twitter or Instagram, and maybe you'll run across him in a game of Heroes of the Storm.

The untold story of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

Brendan Greene, the creator of the game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, sat down with Digital Trends to talk about how he helped turn a mod to a video game sensation. PUBG propelled the battle royale game genre into the mainstream, inspiring the likes of Fortnite and Apex Legends.

Features         April 25, 2023

The tables have turned! Hardware finally has to catch up to software

Software developers are starting to progress fasters than hardware is capable of keeping up, a trend we've seen at CES this year.

Features         April 25, 2023

This year’s VR milestones elevated it from novelty to art form

Virtual Reality headsets finally made their way into homes in 2016. There were a few speed bumps on the road to perfect immersion, and we still haven’t solved some of them, but the journey has just begun.

Features         April 25, 2023

Hands on: Oculus Touch

The Oculus Touch controllers will be making their way to Rift owners soon. We’ve had some time with them, and despite a few kinks, there’s a lot to like about the new controllers.

Reviews         April 25, 2023

Hands on: ‘Rock Band VR’

The virtual reality version of Rock Band lets you make each song your own and play straight from the heart. But beware -- being up on stage may feel a little too real.

Reviews         April 25, 2023

How ‘Gears of War 4’ chainsaws its way back to the essence of Gears

The fourth episode after a trilogy can be awkward, but 'Gears of War 4' avoids that fate by going back to what made the first three games so successful, and rebuilding the engine from the ground up.

Features         April 25, 2023

Hands on: ‘Star Trek: Bridge Crew’

Forget the holodeck. 'Star Trek: Bridge Crew' will have you and your friends sitting at the helm of a massive starship, working together to pilot it on new adventures.

Reviews         April 25, 2023

A rare peek at Presto, Pixar’s secret weapon for animation domination

Everyone loves the vibrant worlds and characters of Pixar, but behind every Dory and Buzz Lightyear are impressive machines and sophisticated software.

News         April 25, 2023

Asus rolls out a raft of high-end gaming products at its ROG Unleashed event

Asus has been hard at work on its new systems and components, including 4K screens, liquid-cooled laptops, overclocked graphics cards, and motherboards.

News         April 25, 2023

G-Sync promises to make games buttery smooth, but does it really work? We tested

With Nvidia's proprietary refresh management technology finding its way into more systems, it's time to sit down and ask whether it's worth investing in.

Features         April 25, 2023

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 vs. HTC One M9: Which Android phone is best?

Mobile World Congress this year brought with it a number of updates to major flagship phones, including additions to the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy lines.

Mobile         April 25, 2023

8 awesome Ubisoft games at E3 2014 (including the new Rainbow Six)

With late 2014 releases scheduled for big Ubisoft games, we start getting some substantial details and some new video.

News         April 24, 2023

Case Logic Prevailer review

The Case Logic Prevailer is one of the most affordable laptop backpacks for 17-inch laptops, but does it cut too many corners to get there?

Computing         June 24, 2022

Cougar 550m review

With a no-nonsense feature set and top-notch performance, the Cougar 550M is a great choice among gaming mice - depending on what genres you play.

Computing         June 24, 2022

‘For Honor’s’ performance will cut down many PCs, but you can fight back

Ubisoft’s For Honor is putting gaming PCs on notice with an appetite for power, and you’ll be sent packing if your machine can’t hold up its own sword. Here’s what to expect.

Features         June 15, 2022

LG announces every Gram notebook for 2017, starts selling them immediately

LG's new lineup of Gram notebooks with Intel's Seventh-Generation processors are in stores now, and the heaviest is just 2.4 pounds.

News         June 15, 2022

Ryzen proves the PC industry can no longer ignore AMD’s comeback

AMD's Ryzen may not dominate every aspect of performance, but its presence may be enough to jolt an industry starved for competition back to life.

News         June 15, 2022

IBM ThinkPad 770E review

We’ve had enough of these slims laptops with fancy hinges and carbon fiber whatever. IBM’s newest ThinkPad is a reminder of a simpler time, and its design is a real head-turner.

Reviews         June 7, 2022

What’s the difference between Windows 8 and 10?

If you're still on Windows 8, you should give Windows 10 a look and compare their core differences. Don't wait too long -- support for Windows 8 ends in 2023.

Best Ofs         May 13, 2022

Installing a new PC graphics card is easier than you think

Upgrading your video card will improve your computing experience across the board, and open up a new world of video games. It couldn't be easier.

Guides         May 6, 2022

Definitive Technology Symphony 1 review

With premium features like active noise-cancelling and Bluetooth connectivity, it’s not hard to see the benefits of the Symphony 1.

Audio / Video         April 26, 2022

Intel NUC Core i7 (NUC5i7RYH) review

The Intel NUC Core i7 is a customizable, compact computer, with a speedy processor. That being said, most users will find the cheaper Core i5 version will get the job done just as well for $100 less.

Reviews         April 26, 2022

Netgear brings powerline adapters, range extenders, and a modem/router to CES 2016

A combination modem/router, powerline adapter kit, and a pair of Wi-Fi range extenders are among the many products Netgear is ready to debut at CES 2016.

News         April 21, 2022

Surprise! The Surface Pro is here, how does it stack up against Samsung’s Galaxy Book?

Two of the biggest tech manufacturers are going head-to-head with familiar 2-in-1s. Should you stick to the Surface, or shoot for the Galaxy?

Best Ofs         April 21, 2022

OSVR Hacker Dev Kit Hands-on: Twice the Rift at half the price

VR headsets have exploded onto the scene, but one, the open source Hacker Dev Kit, has been quietly building a following for a year, and it's time to shine.

Reviews         April 21, 2022

Missed out on the NES Classic? Don’t worry, building one is easier than you think

Nintendo may be discontinuing the NES Classic, but that doesn’t mean you must give up on playing classic Nintendo games. Crafting your own is as easy as picking a few parts off Amazon and formatting a memory card.

Features         April 21, 2022

Why 2015 is the beginning of a golden age for PC builders

With a wide selection of components, a fast-moving landscape, and a wealth of resources, there's never been a better time to build your own computer

Best Ofs         February 21, 2022

Reader Poll: Build your own gaming desktop, or let someone else take care of it?

While there's no wrong way to build a gaming desktop, there are some that are better than others. We want to know which method you prefer.

Features         February 21, 2022

Secure world domination with the highest frame rates in ‘Civilization VI’

While the turn-based Civilization VI looks simple enough to run on paper, it takes some serious hardware. We’ve got some tips to achieve advanced-era frame rates.

News         February 2, 2022

Master the front lines of WWI with our ‘Battlefield 1’ PC performance guide

: Is your performance in Battlefield 1 crashing like an airship? We’ve got the best tips for getting your PC performance into top shape. You’ll have it running smoother than a thoroughbred Arabian in no time.

Guides         February 2, 2022