Ben Wilson
Ben is the editor for everything in our tech channel at Windows Central, including desktop PCs, the components inside, and practically any accessory. Since most of this hardware tends to be compatible with Xbox, he also keeps an Xbox Series S close by for testing headsets, external storage, and anything with enough versatility to cover all the bases. A lifelong gamer since his first console, the SEGA Mega Drive, he has an affinity for taking things to pieces to see how they work.
Pursuing a recent career in technology journalism follows over a decade of experience in electronics retail and tech support roles, offering repairs and recommendations to consumers. A personal hobby in custom PC building built a strong desire to follow the latest cutting-edge hardware in a never-ending search to find the parts genuinely worth buying. Always on the hunt for the best value for money, he's fueled by a steady diet of caffeinated drinks and coffee-flavored food.
Forever a Windows XP fan, he's keeping up with the latest releases from Microsoft but dabbles in Linux to experiment with the inner workings of Valve's Steam Deck handheld. He'll look out for your best interests if you're considering tinkering with hardware upgrades and want the best bang for your buck. Find him on Mastodon @trzomb@mastodon.online to ask questions or share opinions.
Latest articles by Ben Wilson
Best PC cases for airflow 2023
By Ben Wilson, Cale Hunt published
Breezy Looking to build a new PC and want to be sure there's plenty of air moving through across your hardware? These cases are what you want to look for.
Best Wi-Fi 6E router 2023
By Ben Wilson published
6E Wi-Fi 6E routers feature cutting-edge networking enhancements, but it can be hard to choose one for you. I'm picking the best models worth picking up.
Sabrent's upcoming M.2 2230 SSD is perfect for Steam Deck
By Ben Wilson published
Steam Deck Valve initially warned users about replacing the M.2 SSD in their Steam Deck consoles with unmatched drives, but Sabrent's Rocket NVMe drive aims to be the best replacement.
Best Intel Z690 motherboards 2023
By Ben Wilson published
Z690 Find the best Z690 chipset boards to take advantage of super-fast DDR5 RAM and more. We've covered a range of budgets and specs ready for your new build.
How and where to buy a Steam Deck right now
By Ben Wilson published
Deck Valve's Steam Deck has enough power to handle modern portable gaming. Here's where you can buy one with prices, gifting info, and shipping outside the US.
How to add Discord bots to your server
By Ben Wilson published
Bots Running a Discord server can be overwhelming, but bots can simplify the process. Follow my easy steps to choose and install the bot of your choice.
Where to buy AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX GPUs
By Ben Wilson last updated
7900 XTX The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX cutting-edge graphics cards are ready for launch, taking on its NVIDIA rival and the RTX 40-series.
Best budget B660 motherboards 2023
By Ben Wilson published
B660 A motherboard using the B660 chipset can save you cash with a compatible 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU, so we found the best budget options for your next build.
How to install Epic Games Store on Steam Deck
By Ben Wilson published
Epic Games Games sometimes vanish from Valve's storefront and take an exclusive position on the Epic Games Store instead, but you can continue playing them on Steam Deck with our handy guide.
RODE NT-USB+ condenser microphone review: A worthy successor
By Ben Wilson published
Review RØDE sets out to refresh its world-class USB condenser microphone with the NT-USB+ upgrade, backed up with effortless post-processing effects that anyone can use for studio-grade recordings.
Up to 1.8x FASTER DirectX 9 gaming with Intel's latest Arc GPU driver
By Ben Wilson published
Arc DirectX 9 games enjoy a massive FPS boost with the new driver, including over 2x performance increase in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Samsung confirms GDDR7 DRAM for next-gen GPUs will use PAM3 signaling
By Ben Wilson published
GDDR7 Samsung revealed a slide in a presentation at the 2022 IEDM conference confirming that GDDR7 will use PAM3 IO signaling for increased GPU bandwidth.
Best CPU coolers for Intel Core i5-12600K in 2023
By Ben Wilson published
Alder Lake The i5-12600K processor is ideal for PC gaming, but you'll need to keep the temperatures under control. These are the best CPU coolers for your Alder Lake chip within various budgets.
My favorite keyboard is finally on sale for a reasonable price
By Ben Wilson published
Deal SteelSeries blew me away with this keyboard upon release, but the price was a big ask. Grab it for a fair cost while this deal lasts!
Haylou PurFree BC01 wireless bone conduction headphones review: Stylish sounds for safe exercise
By Ben Wilson published
Review Keep your wits about you when exercising outdoors with these open-ear headphones designed for comfort and safety, backed up with healthy battery life and some extras.
Thrustmaster TCA Captain Pack X Airbus Edition flight stick review: Take to the virtual skies
By Ben Wilson published
Review Take to the skies in Microsoft Flight Sim with 1:1 scale parts from the Airbus A320 in a beautifully accurate package from Thrustmaster, compatible with Xbox and PC.
Win a free Steam Deck from Valve during The Game Awards 2022 giveaway
By Ben Wilson last updated
Free Deck Valve is partnering with The Game Awards 2022 to giveaway its 512GB Steam Deck to multiple lucky entrants who register before the live show starts.
Steam Deck reservations in Asia finally have a confirmed shipping date
By Ben Wilson published
Steam Deck And the official docking station is coming, too!
The BEST Cyber Monday PC deals on components & desktop upgrades
By Ben Wilson, Jez Corden published
DEALS Cyber Monday is finally here, and we found the best savings on PC parts and components for upgrading your desktop. Grab a bargain before it's too late!
I wish these Cyber Monday 3D printer deals were live when I started
By Ben Wilson published
Cyber Monday 3D printing is a fun and rewarding hobby, and newcomers are welcome with these huge Cyber Monday savings on hardware and accessories.
Cyber Monday deals on webcams, capture cards, and more livestreaming essentials
By Ben Wilson published
Cyber Monday Want to share your epic gameplay moments as they happen? Grab these Cyber Monday deals on livestreaming hardware and get started!
Huge Newegg Black Friday CPU cooler deals: Save up to a whopping 36% on AIO and fans!
By Ben Wilson published
Deals Newegg Black Friday deals include various PC components, but these extra-special CPU coolers offer unmissable savings for your next PC build!
BEST deals on Black Friday gaming monitors
By Ben Wilson last updated
Deals Find your next PC gaming monitor with these huge Black Friday savings!
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