If you’re trying to build a PC from scratch, it can be a little overwhelming, with the motherboard being the most challenging part for most folks since there are many different socket types, even for each of the two big CPU brands. Well, if you’re going for an AMD build using a 3rd-gen CPU in the Ryzen lineup, this B550 Phantom Gaming 4 motherboard from ASRock has a great deal. You can pick it up from Newegg for just $85, down from the usual $115 it tends to go for.
The B550 is a great midrange ATX motherboard if you’re building an AMD setup, and it supports the AM4 socket type, so you can’t get the newest AM5 CPUs, but you can grab quite a few of the best AMD CPUs, which is excellent considering the AM5 CPUs are expensive. Just keep in mind that you’ll need a Bios update for the AMD Ryzen 5000 if you grab that one. As for RAM, which is usually dependent on the CPU, it supports a whole host of DDR4 speeds from 2133MHz up to 4733MHz and has a maximum capacity of 128GB, although it’s not likely you’ll ever need that much, and you’re much better served to get 32GB across four sticks.
Much like some of the other best motherboards on the market, the ASRock B550 has all the modern expectations of a gaming motherboard, such as two M.2 slots and one PCI Express 4.0 x16, which you’ll need when you grab one of several GPU deals, one PCI Express 3.0 x16, and two PCI Express 3.0 x1. While you could, in theory, connect two AMD GPUs in crossfire with so many PCI ports, it’s probably not the best idea, especially since multiple-GPU setups currently have bad support. There’s also the Realtek ALC1200 audio chip that supports 7.1 surround sound, six USB 3.2 Gen 1, and antenna ports for a strong Wi-Fi signal.
Overall, the ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4 is a solid gaming motherboard that should fit most of your needs if you’re going for an AMD setup while also having a lot of room for expansion in the future. The fact that you can grab it for just $85 from Newegg makes the deal that much better, but if you’d like to avoid the hassle of building a PC and go with a prebuilt one, there are a few great gaming PC deals worth checking out.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.