Building a gaming PC can be a daunting task, and parts selection is arguably the most time-consuming step of the process. Choosing a good motherboard is vital, as this is the base of your build and will determine what other hardware you can use. The Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming 5, now available for just $122 on Amazon with a limited-time mail-in rebate, is one highly rated option if you’re building a gaming-focused rig on a budget.
The Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming 5 is an ATX motherboard designed for use with sixth and seventh-generation Intel Core CPUs. Four DDR4 DIMM sockets give you plenty of room to maximize your RAM and three SATA Express connectors provide data transfer speeds of up to 16GB per second. Six standard SATA connections offer regular transfer speeds of 6GB/s as well. If you want to install an SSD or two, dual PCIe x4 M.2 slots deliver speeds of up to 32GB/s. The motherboard also utilizes an Intel USB 3.1 controller and third-generation PCIe lanes for compatibility with newer USB-C connectors along with older USB 2.0 and 3.0 devices.
For graphics, the GA-Z170X-Gaming 5 offers two-way support for Nvidia SLI cards and three-way support for AMD Crossfire technology, allowing you to easily create a multi-GPU setup if desired for heavy-duty gaming. The onboard HDMI is 4K-ready as well. A built-in Turbo B-Clock Tuning IC gives overclockers complete control of their rig and lets experienced users push past the usual clock speed ranges. The Realtek ALC1150 HD audio codec, Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 software, and high-end Nichicon audio capacitors work together to deliver clear and crisp sound, while the adaptive Killer E2200 gigabit Ethernet controller enhances wired internet speeds while in-game.
The Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming 5 goes for as high as $160 at many retailers and is currently listed on Amazon at $142. Gigabyte’s ongoing mail-in rebate sweetens the deal, letting you take another $20 off, bringing the price down to just $122. The rebate is only offered until February 28, however, so if you’re in the market for a feature-laden and budget-friendly motherboard for your gaming build then don’t hesitate to jump on this deal before it’s gone.
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.