Can you imagine a time when computers didn't have GPUs? Here are graphics technologies that helped take computing out of the lab and into the hands of consumers and professionals

Can’t handle gaming, and beaten by cheaper media cards too.

From budget laptops to ultra-tiny netbooks, ultraportables and high performance, we explain the tricks to finding out the ultimate laptop at the right price.

With so many factors to consider, choosing a motherboard can be a bewildering exercise. We put 11 models through their pace to find the ultimate in performance, flexibility and value

Ever wondered what a particular acronym stands for? Find the answer in our comprehensive reference guide to computer industry acronyms. RTFM!

Looking to build your dream machine? We explore the latest components on the market, and give you advice on which ones to hunt down, along with the general price you can expect to pay for each major component.

Is Centrino 2 the leap ahead that Centrino was? Zara Baxter investigates.

Nvidia’s latest graphics cards and chips throw down the gauntlet to Intel and AMD. Go behind the scenes with this guide to the big technologies including PhysX, CUDA, and games like Far Cry 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R Clear Sky.

We know you want to play games, so we've put 18 PCI Express graphics cards under the microscope to see who really does the job the best.

An old PC is like putty in your hands. Tim Dean looks at how you can shape it into a new system with a few easy upgrades.

Both AMD and Nvidia are now shipping chipsets with hybrid graphics. So what is it, and is it a good idea for games? See what our tests revealed.

When we think of SiS graphics, we usually think of low cost, low-end cards or integrated offerings for the entry-level 2D market, with the possibility of some rudimentary 3D capabilities thrown in.

VideoLogic is a name few people would now instantly associate with graphics accelerators. In fact, its parent company, Imagination Technologies, was present at the birth of the PC 3D accelerator field in June 1996 with its PowerVR card.

ATI gives the integrated graphics world a kick in the arse, John Gillooly feels the vibrations.

In the workstation graphics market, the name 3Dlabs carries considerable weight, and its Wildcat III series of OpenGL cards continues to be dominating in the high-end workspace. However, in the mid-range sector, NVIDIAs Quadro2 and Quadro4, and ATIs FireGL 8800 have made serious inroads. The new Wildcat VP870 looks set to redress the balance, thanks to a brand-new GPU that takes programmability to a new level.

nVidia GeForce 256

Neither fish nor fowl, the N10J nonetheless manages to command both graphics and portability

If your PC is less of a speed demon and more of a dinosaur then it's time to upgrade your CPU. We put the latest low, mid and high end processors to the test.