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

Will splashing out on expensive RAM make a real difference to PC performance? And if so, how much should you buy? We supply the benchmarks and lay the details bare

AMD’s next generation of CPUs brings 45nm technology and higher clock speeds - but is that enough to compete with Intel’s latest and greatest?

A high-quality Core i7 motherboard with great expansion potential and premium features.

Intel’s three new CPUs promise Core i7 power in an economical and efficient package. We put them through their paces to see whether small really is beautiful

This motherboard is a promising appetiser – although the real meal is yet to come.

An uninspiring board with no strong selling point

Our full guide to saving cash-saving secrets is here, from how to get discounts on PCs, to SIM only phone contracts, the best DSLR cameras deals, and discount licensing from Adobe, Microsoft and others.

An appealingly upmarket board at a fair price

A cheap, lightweight choice for single-core applications, but you get the performance you pay for.

Intel’s new range of desktop processors has been a long time coming, but at last it’s arrived - and it leaves all others in the dust

LGA 1366 is Intel's first new desktop socket in four years. It uses the same ZIF design as the familiar LGA 775 architecture, but it incorporates many more contacts

A capable little package at an attractive price

A feast of features for those willing to pay

An old standard, but one that still provides decent performance at a great price.

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.

A simple board that struggles to justify its price

All the options you could want, although it’s pricey

A smartly engineered processor, but for today’s applications it’s lacking in bang per buck.

The move to a new platform brings credible new challengers to Intel’s Core 2 processors