As mobile technology has continued to progress, laptops have caught up in many areas to their desktop counterparts. SSDs have shrunk in size, CPUs have become more power efficient, and batteries have improved capacity and efficiency. But there remains one major component that simply cannot perform as well within the thermally and space-constraints of a laptop: the graphics card. Due to their size and power needs, discrete graphics cards remain the single most important component in distinguishing the power of a laptop and the power of a desktop. But luckily, that’s changing too.

With improvements in external connection technology like Thunderbolt and USB-C, bandwidth has improved to the point that a GPU can be housed externally to a laptop (or desktop) and connected via cable to provide significant improvement in GPU-heavy tasks like gaming or rendering. Although still uncommon compared to traditional desktops, this solution is growing, and there are several great options available today. Depending on your reason for seeking an eGPU, our recommendations will help you find the housing that works best for you. Let’s take a look at the different options!

Best eGPUs – Our Recommendations

Best eGPU for Macbook Pro

Apple may continue to be a polarizing company, with some very strong supporters as well as strong critics, but Apple laptops continue to grow in market share and popularity. However, one segment where they remain rare is those looking for a strong graphics card, either for gaming or productivity. And especially as Apple introduces its in-house M1 chip that has shown stellar performance so far, buyers will be looking for graphics power to match the processing speed. For a Macbook Pro user that wants to beef up their graphics power to either game or perform productivity tasks, we recommend the Razer Core X.

This is a bit of an easy recommendation because in many ways, the Razer Core X is a great recommendation for any eGPU usage. But specifically, we like it for Macbook Pros because the Razer Core X only supports AMD graphics card when used with a Mac, which makes sense as Apple has historically played nicer with AMD than Nvidia (this is changing slowly for some applications). But generally, the Razer Core X is a just a solid eGPU enclosure that is officially supported by Apple. It contains the typical Thunderbolt 3 connection, as well as a built-in 650W power supply that both charges the laptop and gives power to the GPU. The compatibility list is very long, including recent cards like the 5700 XT, and the performance is as good as it gets for eGPU’s. When combined with the affordable $300 price tag, the Razer Core X is a very strong choice.

Best eGPU for Gaming

While it is pretty much understood, when we talk about gaming, we are basically leaving the world of Apple behind. Although more and more games are available for Mac, Windows remains the premier operating system for gamers. Most portable gamers will look for a gaming laptop that includes the GPU directly within the main enclosure, but there is a small subset of gamers that want a very portable laptop for travelling or schooling and then an add-on at a main station when looking to game. For these users, an eGPU is the perfect solution and our recommendation for best eGPU for gaming is the Aorus Gaming Box.

The two main ‘gaming’ oriented eGPU enclosures that are most often recommended (other than the Razer Core X) are this Aorus Gaming Box and the ASUS ROG XG Station. Between the two, there is not a huge difference, but we prefer the Aorus version for a couple of reasons: the GPU is included (the price reflects this), there is a window to see the internal parts, and the usage tends to be easier based on multiple user reviews. Aorus, a Gigabyte sub-brand, is known for high-quality components and the eGPU is a well-thought out enclosure that works with both Nvidia and AMD cards and focuses on performance to give the best gaming experience possible. If you already have a GPU that you plan on using, the Razer Core X might be a better buy, but if you don’t already have a graphics card, their bundled options make a lot of sense (going all the way up to a water-cooled 2080Ti version!) and should give you the gaming experience you crave.

Best Compact eGPU

One thing you might notice about the above recommendations, and especially the gaming recommendations, is the size of the enclosures. Many buyers end up with a set-up that rivals the size of a desktop. For some, this is no problem at all, but others want a smaller solution that keeps the advantages of the laptop while still drawing the extra graphics power. If you are looking for an external GPU enclosure but want to minimize the footprint, we recommend the Akitio Node Lite.

Akitio was one of the first to introduce the Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3 connector eGPUs, and for a long time they were the major name in eGPU technology. As more and more competitors have entered the market, Akitio has become less of a household name, but they maintain their edge in compact and clean design for the space-conscious buyer. The Node Lite is the epitome of this, offering a very compact enclosure that still allows for 2-slot GPUs with a moderate power draw (usually ITX cards only unless you add the external adapter). If you are space conscious but want a larger GPU with more power, the Akitio Node Thunder2 and Akitio Node Thunder3, or even Akitio Node Pro/Akitio Node Titan for really big cards, are also great options to consider, as they provide more power and allow for larger cards. At right around $300 depending on your retailer, the Akitio Node Lite (and co.) is a stellar compact eGPU enclosure.

Best eGPU for RTX 3080 or RX 6800 / XT

As of right now, the number of professional benchmarkers or hardware testers looking into eGPU’s is limited, and the newest generation Ampere Nvidia GPUs and AMD Radeon RDNA2 GPUs continue to have major stock problems. The combination of these things means that pure eGPU comparisons for RTX 3080 (or 3090) or RX 6800/XT cards are limited, so much of the current analysis revolves around specification tracking and individual user opinions. Despite that, to accommodate the size/power draw of the RTX 3080 in particular, one eGPU has begun to rise to the top as the best option available. It shouldn’t come as a surprise considering how much we like its little brother, the Razer Core X. For an eGPU to use with the new RTX 3080 or AMD 6800/XT, we recommend the Razer Core X Chroma.

This beefed-up eGPU enclosure from Razer not only adds a little RGB-goodness, gigabit ethernet support, and additional USB ports, but most importantly, gives that little extra PSU wattage to help even the newest, most powerful cards achieve top performance. While most examples of even the RTX 3080 wouldn’t exceed the power draw of the Razer Core X, the Chroma additional power and features are likely worth it to be sure you don’t risk peaking above the power draw maximum. There exists even one level higher within the Razer lineup, the Razer Core V2, but it isn’t easy to find in stock nowadays. Unless you are thinking of upgrading to a RTX 3090 later down the road, the $430 Razer Core X Chroma is a great product and our recommendation for an eGPU to pair with an RTX 3080 or AMD 6800/XT.

Best eGPU for Video Editing

This category is a bit of a mixture of others as the GPU itself is much more important than the eGPU enclosure when it comes to video editing, and even then, most powerful GPUs will perform well for video editing as they would for gaming. Depending on the type of video editing you are doing, however, you may have a few specifics that are important for your workflow or added useful features. Luckily, one particular eGPU includes add-ons like additional SATA3 connectors, dual-chip LAN, USB ports, and broad compatibility including professional-grade GPUs like Nvidia Quadro or the VRAM beast AMD Radeon VII. For video editing or general productivity tasks, we recommend the Mantiz Saturn Pro.

Just because we are choosing to recommend this eGPU enclosure here does not mean it can’t perform perfectly well for gaming too! But the differences in features, like the added SSD/HDD connectors, can be especially useful for someone that is constantly working with large 4K video files and wants a dedicated external drive for storage. Similarly, the ability to connect a large range of graphics card, including RTX 3080 or RTX 3090 and up through professional grade cards, means that even the most serious video editor should be able to capitalize on eGPU technology to accelerate their workflow. And maybe the best part, despite the major strengths of this eGPU, the price remains eminently reasonable at $299. For all of these reasons, we have no trouble recommending the Mantiz Saturn Pro for your video editing/productivity eGPU.

Conclusion

As eGPU technology matures, more and more companies are entering the fray to offer an enclosure that enhances any laptop (or even desktop) to combine portability for travel and power for stationary use. Importantly, these eGPU’s are normally just the enclosure (with a few exceptions), and the graphics card itself needs to be bough separately. Of course, the exact power and increase in performance you will see from the eGPU is directly related to the GPU itself. More powerful cards tend to see larger performance gaps when compared to direct PCIe connection in laptops, but that gap is shrinking as Thunderbolt3 and other connectors increase their bandwidth.

Only you can decide if you rather have a desktop for your power-hungry needs, but if you do choose to add a performance eGPU solution to your existing laptop, these recommendations should guide you in making the right choice.

The post 5 Best External GPUs (eGPUs) for 2021 appeared first on PremiumBuilds.

Sculpting your own PC gaming setup allows you to add your own touch of flair and personality to your build, and what separates your build from any other PC gamers.

In this article, we will help you build your gaming setup, letting you know our most important considerations when picking the parts for your gaming setup, as well as giving examples of great gaming setups from the community, to get your design-inspiration juices flowing.

If you have any questions about your upcoming gaming PC build or want some advice on which setup to go for – why not drop us a message in the comments!

Creating the Ultimate Gaming Setup: What to Consider

There are certain considerations you can take to really take your gaming setup to the next level – and we would recommend considering the following if you’re looking to upgrade your existing gaming setup, or starting completely fresh with a new PC gaming setup (e.g. new desk, chair etc).

• Cable management: Cable management is king when it comes to creating clean, envious gaming PC setups. It allows for a clutter-free desk and helps create a killer work/gaming environment.
• Minimalistic: We think it’s better to go full-Scandinavian and embrace a minimalistic approach when building a gaming setup – less is more. Less clutter, less to think about, fewer products to spend money on.
• Functional: To create a truly Premium Build, make sure everything on your desk justifies its place, you don’t want items to be stacking up and cluttering your gaming setup without having any real meaning or purpose.
• Theme: What is the main desired look of the build? Do you want to replicate a white-themed build, or perhaps an RGB-centric build? You need to decide exactly what ‘look’ you’re going for and then base as many PC component, peripheral and furniture purchases around that desired look.
• Budget: The quality of your gaming setup shouldn’t have to be dictated by your budget – but it’s important to note that if you want to go for a triple monitor, enthusiast-grade 2080 Super + 9900K PC gaming setup – it will be unrealistic to do it on a shoestring budget. Be realistic with what you are able to afford and build the gaming setup around that. Tip: if you want to save money on your gaming setup, look at buying used vs new. This applies mainly for desks, chairs and furniture (Ikea especially) – where you can often find preowned items which bear a huge discount on the retail price of the original product. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

Inspiration is your Best Friend

When looking to create a new gaming setup, if you’re struggling for inspiration or just want to perfect the gaming setup before you pull the trigger on the purchase – just remember that you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel.

Look at other PC gaming setups from the community and see if there is any other builds that you like, or perhaps take a design element you like from one gaming setup and one from another, to create your own unique, personalised gaming setup.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to building a PC gaming setup, but a good starting place is always to look for what is already out there.

Our 9 Favorite Gaming Setups for 2021

Below is a curation of our favorite gaming setups we have seen over the years on /r/battlestations – and we have tried to list all the known parts, peripherals and specs that we are able to find out from the build images, to help you recreate the desired gaming build (should you want to!).

If you have a gaming setup that you think is worth sharing to our audience, we would love to hear from you! Show us your gaming build, along with a brief description of the build and design thesis, for a chance to be featured on our ‘best gaming setups’ guide!

Without further ado, here our (in our eyes) the best gaming PC setups of 2020 – with emphasis on clean, elegant, minimalistic but purposeful setups.

‘Clean White Themed Build’ by /u/ItsMehRuby

What we like about this gaming PC setup

This build really hits the nail on the head when it comes to building a white-themed gaming setup – and ticks the boxes of being clean and minimalistic. Parts listed below.

Relevant Components

• PC Case: NZXT H510i Matte White
• Case Fans: NZXT AER RGB 2

Peripherals

• Desk: Ikea Karbly Countertop (74″ Length) + Ikea ALEX Drawer unit
• Mouse: Logitech G305 Lightspeed
• Keyboard: Anne Pro 2
• Mousepad: KAZAIRA Extended Mouse Pad
• Monitor: Acer Predator X34
• Monitor Arm(s): VIVO Monitor Arm
• Microphone: Rode NT-USB
• Boom Arm: Rode PSA1
• Speakers: Audioengine A2+
• Speaker Stands: Audioengine DS1 Stands
• Lamp: tomons DL1005US-W
• Lighting: Philips Hue Go White Smart Table Lamp & LIFX LED Strip

Cable Management Used

• Cable Raceway
• Velcro Straps
• 3M Mounting Tape

Wallpaper

How would we improve it further?

If you wanted to complete the ‘white themed’ PC look it’s actually possible to change the GeForce logo to white (instead of green!).

‘RGB Heaven’ by /u/willostyllos

What we like about this build

This gaming setup has really been done well – it’s full of (tasteful) colour, with the Nanoleaf wall lighting really complementing the RGB internals of the Meshify C build.

Relevant Components

• PC Case: Fractal Design Meshify C

Peripherals

• Desk: Acacia wood countertop (Pre-oiled) + Ikea ALEX Drawer unit
• Keyboard: Ducky One 2 Mini (w/ Aluminum case & GMK Karksel keycaps)
• Monitor(s): MSI Optix G27C2
• Monitor Arm(s): VIVO Dual Monitor Stand
• Speakers: Logitech G560
• Wall Lighting: Nanoleaf (Set of 9)

How would we improve it further?

Adding a third vertical monitor or centre aligning the two monitor setup for perfect symmetry! Also, opting for a dual monitor style background, where an image is continued from one monitor to another, would complete this RGB PC gaming setup.

Minimal Dual Monitor Gaming Setup by /u/t8nlink

What we like about this build

This build by /u/t8nlink is a great example of a clean and minimal build – with plenty of room on the desk with minimal clutter – with the beautiful Dan Cases A4-SFX tucked away in the corner! Super nice, and built with the ever-so-popular combination of the Ikea Karbly countertop and Ikea Alex drawers.

Relevant Components

• CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K
• Cooler: Alpenfohn Black Ridge
• Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX
• Storage: Samsung 970 Evo 1TB
• Graphics Card: Nvidia RTX 2060 Super
• PC Case: Dan Case A4-SFX V4

Peripherals

• Desk: Ikea Karbly Countertop (74″ Length) + Ikea ALEX Drawer unit (Black)
• Mouse: Logitech MX Master 2S
• Keyboard: Vortex Tab75 w/ MX Blue Switches
• Monitor(s): ASUS ROG PG279Q & LG 27UL600-W
• Monitor Arm(s): VIVO Dual Monitor Stand
• Headphone Stand: EURPMASK Headphone Stand Clamp
• Lamp: Globe Electric 5698601 Architect Desk Lamp

How would we improve it further?

Bigger mousepad, for sure! And perhaps a chair..?

‘Warm Tone Gaming Setup’ by /u/Steffis

What we like about this build

The warm, earthy colours of this simplistic, purposeful build really do it for me – it makes the build feel like it has personality and substance. A bit generic feedback, but it just works! The dual monitor setup with the LOUQE Ghost S1 is very neat, too. With the fresh glass of orange juice ready-to-go!

Components

• CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K
• Cooler: Alpenfohn Black Ridge
• Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX
• RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB
• Graphics Card: EVGA GTX 980 Ti SC
• PC Case: LOUQE Ghost S1 (Limestone)
• Power Supply: Corsair SF600

Peripherals

• Desk: Custom Oak/Ash Countertop, Ikea ALEX Drawer & Ikea Legs
• Mouse: Glorious Model O
• Keyboard: Vortex Race3 RGB
• Mousepad: Novelkeys Mousepad
• Monitor: 2 x Dell U2414H
• Monitor Arm(s): Unknown
• Headphones: Sennheiser HD600
• Microphone: AntLionon Audio ModMic
• Lamp: Artemide Tizio

Wallpaper

How would we improve it further?

Personally, I would opt for a black IKEA ALEX drawer unit to complement the other dark accents of the setup!

‘Neon Rider’ by /u/RelodeBell

What we like about this build

Although this design isn’t on the more simplistic and clean side of the scale, if you like Neon themed designs (think: Cyberpunk or Tron) then you will no doubt be impressed by ‘Neon Rider’ build from Reddit user /u/RelodeBell!

This build has gone to town with RGB, creating that immersive neon build that will impress PC builders who want to make a statement. The underglow from the Steelseries mousepad really is the icing on this neon-themed cake!

Parts list below for those who are interested.

Relevant Components

• CPU: Intel Core i9-9900K
• Cooler: Cooler Master ML360R RGB
• Motherboard: MSI Z390 Ace
• Storage: WD Blue SSD 500GB
• RAM: 16GB Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro
• Graphics Card: MSI RTX 2070 Super Gaming X Trio
• PC Case: Lian Li O-11 Dynamic Razer Edition
• Power Supply:
• Case Fans: Cooler Master ARGB 120mm Fans

Peripherals

• Desk: Custom Wood Countertop + Ikea ALEX drawers + Ikea Finnvard Trestles
• Mouse: Razer Viper Ultimate
• Keyboard: HHKB Pro 2
• Mousepad: Steelseries QcK Prism XL Neon Rider
• Monitor: Acer Predator X34 & Acer 2717H (Portrait)
• Monitor Arm(s): Vesa Mount Adator & 3rd Party Arm
• Speakers: Sound Blaster X Katana

Wallpaper

Both wallpapers are from Steam’s Wallpaper Engine

1. Neon View by ‘ChilledCatz ツ’
2. Raining in Tokyo by ‘OmurraMo’

How would we improve it further?

No further improvements we could think of!

‘Cable Management is King’ by /u/thatsawipe

What we like about this build

Possibly my favorite build I have seen from the PC gaming community – to date. This extreme minimalistic ‘scandi-esque’ PC gaming setup really shows the importance of cable management to create a sleek, clutter-free setup. The black, white and grey. colour palette really works, too – and is so versatile that it can be applied to any type of build, room or setup.

Components

• CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K
• Cooler: Noctua L9i
• Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix Z390-I Gaming
• Storage: Samsung 970 Evo 1TB
• Graphics Card: EVGA RTX 2070 Super XC
• PC Case: Dan Case A4-SFX v4
• Power Supply: Corsair SF600W Gold
• Case Fans: Noctua NF-A9

Peripherals

• Desk: Ikea Linnmon
• Keyboard: Apple Wireless Keyboard
• Mousepad: Ktrio Extended Gaming Mouse Pad
• Monitor: ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q
• Monitor Arm: VIVO Single Monitor Stand

Cable Management Used

• Zip ties
• Velcro straps
• J Channel Desk Cable Organizer

How would we improve it further?

I’m surprised the OP didn’t opt for a wireless mouse! Thats our only complaint..

‘Minimal Setup’ by /u/imsorrybae

What we like about this build

Minimalistic approach, black and white themed accents, clean lines and makes well of the limited space – what is not to like about this build from /u/imsorrybae. Oh, and the perfectly aligned shelf and framed pictures make the setup look that just more refined, too. Possibly one of the best PC gaming setups for college students or for bedrooms.

Relevant Components

• PC Case: Fractal Design R5

Peripherals

• Desk: Local hardware store (N/A)
• Gaming Chair: DXRacer F-Series
• Mouse: Logitech G602
• Keyboard: Royal Kludge G87
• Monitor: AOC Q27P1
• Headset: HyperX Cloud Stinger
• Speakers: Anker Soundcore Pro+

How would we improve it further?

Perhaps this build could be improved ergonomically by adding an XL-size mousemat.

‘New Hangout Spot’ by /u/RowbotWizard

What we like about this build

The microphone layout of this dual-monitor build is just outstanding. Clean, natural colours paired with the plants and background just oozes zen.

Relevant Components

• CPU: Ryzen 7 3700X
• Cooler: NZXT Kraken X52
• Graphics Card: EVGA RTX 2070 Super XC
• PC Case: NZXT H510i Matte White
• Case Fans: Corsair LL120

Peripherals

• Desk: Structube Samia Desk (150cm)
• Chair: Sayl Chair
• Mouse: Unknown (sorry)
• Keyboard: Logitech G915
• Mousepad: Steelseries
• Monitor: 2x Samsung C27JG52
• Monitor Arm(s): North Bayou F160
• Headphones:
• Microphone: Blue Yeti Blackout Edition w/ Pop Filter + NEUMA Microphone Stand
• Speakers: Kanto YU2

Wallpaper

The wallpaper is from Steam’s Wallpaper Engine, called ‘Foggy Forest’.

How would we improve it further?

The only personal change we would do is to have a black-colored cushioned Sayl chair rather than blue! Nitpicking here..

‘City Slicker’ by /u/acremona22

What we like about this PC gaming build

Clean, tick. Minimalistic, tick. Functional, tick. This build has made the most of the space, as well as keeping the window-space free for minimum obstruction of the view! Unfortunately, if you were to buy the exact build like above, the Chicago skyline view is not included. If you want that view in your gaming setup, it’s going to cost a pretty penny..

Relevant Components

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600
• Cooler: AMD Wraith MAX
• Motherboard: MSI X570-A Pro
• Memory: G Skill 16GB DDR4-3600Mhz
• Storage: Crucial MX500 500GB
• Graphics Card: EVGA RTX 2080 Super XC Ultra
• PC Case: NZXT H510
• Power Supply: EVGA 600 BQ 80+

Peripherals

• Desk: Ikea PINNARP Countertop, Ikea ALEX Drawers & Ikea ADILS Legs
• Chair: Autonomous ErgoChair 2
• Mouse: Logitech G PRO Wireless
• Keyboard: Logitech G915 Wireless
• Mousepad: AUKEY XXL Mousepad
• Monitor: LG 27GL850 (Left) & LG 27UL600 (Right)
• Monitor Arm(s): VIVO Dual Monitor Arm
• Headset: ASTRO A50 Gen 3
• Lamp: Revel Grace Mod Century Modern Floor Tripod Lamp

Cable Management Used

• IKEA SIGNUM Cable Rack

How would we improve it further?

Floor to ceiling, wall-sized windows of the beautiful Chicago skyline!

Looking to build a PC? View our top PC builds for 2021

If you are looking to do a build, why not check out our fully-vetted, recommended build guides for 2020? We have a range of builds to choose from – depending on budget, form factor, function or specific component-orientated builds!

The post The Best Gaming Setups of 2021 (& How to Build the Ultimate PC setup) appeared first on PremiumBuilds.

As the world moves wireless, tech lovers are eliminating cables wherever they can. New laptops often come without ethernet ports entirely and a minimum of USB ports, forcing users to rely on Bluetooth and WiFi for their connectivity needs. Fixed-tower desktop users, and gamers especially, have been often resistant to this change, preferring the speed and reliability of ethernet to the inconsistency of WiFi. But with the most recent WiFi ac and ax generations, wireless internet has gotten really good. With a strong router and a strong internet connection, all that you need to be able to have a reliable connection is a good WiFi card. And this guide will help you choose the WiFi card that is best for you.

Some of you might be thinking of a WiFi dongle when we talk about adding wireless internet connectivity, based on the older USB models that were common for years as a method of adding wireless internet connections to desktop PC’s. DON’T BUY ONE OF THOSE! This guide focuses on PCIE WiFi cards for a reason. Unless you absolutely cannot add a PCIe WiFi card (due to lack of slots or lack of compatibility), avoid the USB dongles! They do not provide the same level of speed or reliability as a PCIe WiFi card and cost nearly the same amount.

So with that in mind, let’s dive in and give you our recommendations for the four best PCIe WiFi cards available today:

Best PCIe WIFI Cards – My Recommendations

Best PCIe WIFI Cards	Design	Recommendation
Best Overall PCIe WIFI Card for 2019		TP-LINK Archer T6E
Best Budget PCIe WIFI Card		Rosewill N300
Best High-End PCIe WIFI Card		ASUS PCE-AC88 AC3100
Best PCIe/M.2 WIFI Card Combo		Intel AX200 M.2 WiFi card & Fenvi PCIe/M.2 Adapter

Best Overall PCIe WIFI Card

Perhaps not the cheapest WiFi card available, but definitely not the most expensive, our choice for best overall PCIE WiFi card combines a high-level of reliability, very fast dual-band connectivity, and an ease-of-use that will help you ensure a great connection. We have no difficulty recommending the TP-LINK Archer T6E for your next build.

The Archer T6E is an overall great combination of all the things we want in a WiFi card: dual 2.4GHz/5GHz options, speeds of up to 1300Mbps, a heat sink to avoid overheating, long range with a double-antenna set-up, and all with a two-year warranty and tech support in case of any questions. While we would love to see an updated model with 802.11ax, ac is still by far the most common WiFi generation right now and is industry standard, providing more than enough speed for 99.9% of users.

At $35, the T6E is definitely a step up in terms of price from the cheapest PCIe or USB WiFi options, but it is also a leap up in terms of speed and reliability and unless you really need to save every last dollar, well worth the cost. It may not match a hard-wired ethernet connection, but if wireless is the goal, the T6E will help you get there.

Best Budget PCIe WIFI Card

At the budget level, we are really looking for something that will just get us online. Big file downloads might be rough, and while we want as much stability as possible, we might have to put up with the occasional spike in latency when gaming. But, with the right set-up, gaming should still be possible and watching HD video shouldn’t be a problem either. So if you’re looking for a cheap solution to get you online without any wires, the Rosewill N300 is a good choice.

With still good speeds of 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz WiFi 802.11n protocol, and a dual-antenna design to help increase range and coverage, the Rosewill N300 is a good choice for a basic PCIe WiFi card. Rosewill is a known producer of budget-level components, and is tied to Newegg as their ‘in-house brand’, so we are able to avoid going for one of the really-cheap-no-name-products that is just as likely to break when we plug it in and provide any sort of connection.

At right around $20, it would be hard to find a cheaper solution that will actually give you a reliable internet connection. You aren’t getting the latest or greatest with the Rosewill N300, but at this price point, you can expect a reliable connection with enough speed to avoid feeling like you’re back in the 90’s. For a budget PCIe WiFi card, we would say that’s exactly what you need.

Best High-End PCIe WIFI Card

On the other end of the spectrum from the N300 are the luxury, high-end PCIe WiFi cards. We are looking for extreme stability, serious speed, great build-quality, strong warranty and reputation, and the newest tech possible if we are going to spend a good chunk of change on a WiFi card. So for someone with the budget to ensure the best possible wireless connection possible, we recommend the ASUS PCE-AC88 AC3100.

Other online reviews refer to this adapter as the ‘crown jewel’ of wireless choices, or as the absolute best you can find, listing only the price as a detractor from simply telling everyone that the AC88 is the only choice possible. But for a luxury buyer where price isn’t the issue…. well, the AC88 really is the only choice worth considering. With a dual-band 4×4 WiFi set up for speeds up to 3100 (!) Mbps, four antennas that can be removed or replaced as needed to increase lifetime, an external base to allow for ideal placement of receptor, WiFi AC support, and the ability to operate in almost any temperature environment, we are truly talking about an adapter that has any and all features available for PCIe cards today. ASUS is a known brand with a great reputation, and this component seems to offer the same quality we expect from one of the biggest names in computing.

For this type of elevated quality comes a similarly elevated price, and if you want to ensure the best WiFi connection possible with the AC88, you are looking at spending between $115 and $120. For most people, that price just is too much to pay when something like the T6E is available at a fraction of the price, but for someone that is going to be downloading/uploading large files or competitive gaming regularly over their WiFi connection and want as much stability and speed as possible, the AC88 truly is the ‘crown jewel’ and the only choice at this price.

Best PCIe/M.2 WIFI Card Combo

So we’ve covered the three budget segments for PCIe cards and given our recommendations for the overall, budget, and luxury tiers. But when considering a PCIe WiFi card, there’s one other solution to think about based on your specific needs. M.2 slots are becoming a popular alternative to PCIe for WiFi connectivity, and many motherboards are even now including M.2 WiFi/Bluetooth adapters out of the box. But if you are using an older motherboard or do not have a M.2 slot available, you can search for an M.2/PCIe adapter that combines the two technologies to give you a strong and reliable internet connection. And if you are curious about this, we recommend going with the Intel AX200 M.2 WiFi card & Fenvi PCIe/M.2 Adapter.

Now this option is for those that are more comfortable with PC’s and do not mind fiddling around a bit as the Fenvi adapter requires an internal USB header, and you need to be ready to put the M.2 card itself into the Fenvi slot. But it is really not too difficult, and if you are thinking of adding a PCIe card, this is not much more in terms of necessary steps to get you online. And the biggest upside is that for a price similar to the T6E, you get the latest and greatest in WiFi/Bluetooth technology because the Intel AX200 does not only support WiFi AC, but also the newest generation WiFi AX, which promises increased speeds and reliability.

So if you have an internal USB header available, don’t mind doing a little bit more work, and are comfortable with a two-part solution, this combination of the Fenvi adapter and Intel WiFi M.2 card will give you the newest generation WiFi. For the price of the T6E adapter, right around $35, this is definitely an option to consider.

Conclusion

Best PCIe WIFI Cards	Design	Recommendation
Best Overall PCIe WIFI Card for 2019		TP-LINK Archer T6E
Best Budget PCIe WIFI Card		Rosewill N300
Best High-End PCIe WIFI Card		ASUS PCE-AC88 AC3100
Best PCIe/M.2 WIFI Card Combo		Intel AX200 M.2 WiFi card & Fenvi PCIe/M.2 Adapter

We are living in an increasing wireless world, and WiFi has become a central component of that push towards wireless connectivity. While many desktop owners will continue to look to ethernet as the fastest, cheapest, most reliable internet connection available, some people will use WiFi to either avoid wires or simply because they do not have easy access to a hard-wired solution.

And if you need WiFi, then you will want the fastest, most reliable connection available, no matter your budget. If you can stretch it, the T6E will provide a great all-in-one solution. If you have to keep your budget as small as possible, the N300 should be a great value-tier choice. If you have enough money to shoot for the moon, the AC88 will ensure your WiFi is as good as it gets. And for one last alternative, if you don’t mind playing around a bit and have an internal USB header available, the combined Intel AX200 M.2 card and Fenvi PCIe/M.2 adapter will give you access to the newest technology at a reasonable cost.

The post 4 Best PCIe Wireless Adapters for 2021 appeared first on PremiumBuilds.

So you’ve just got a new RTX 2080 or RTX 2080 Ti, and you want to finish off your build with a monitor that not only looks the part but performs the part – too. There’s no point of having a $1200 card that can push 144hz at 1440p, for you to only run it on a dusty-old 1080p monitor capable of only 60Hz!

In this guide, we will show you the best monitors for the RTX 2080 / 2080 Ti cards, with selections for each different resolution/Hz the RTX 2080 is possible of pushing out. If you have yet to buy an RTX 2080 Ti, we have also produced guides on the top aftermarket RTX 2080 Ti cards and best PSUs to pair with the RTX 2080 Ti – I hope that these may be of use to you, too.

RTX 2080 / 2080 Ti Monitor Resolution Pairings

The best kind of monitors to pair with the RTX 2080 Ti are as follows – and all push between 500-600 million px/sec:

• 1920×1080 @ 240Hz (500m px/sec)
• 2560×1440 @ 165Hz (610m px/sec)
• 3440×1440 @ 120Hz (595m px/sec) (Our recommended resolution)
• 3840×2160 @ 60Hz (500m px/sec)

We will split this guide up based on the mentioned resolutions the RTX 2080 / 2080 Ti is capable of and offer our best monitor recommendations for these resolutions.

In today’s day and age, ultrawide monitors are king and present countless advantages over the standard 16:9 ratio, thus if you are looking for a decent monitor to pair with the RTX 2080 / 2080 Ti then we recommend ascending to the ultrawide league. They require beefier graphics cards to run, but lucky this article is based on the assumption you are looking to build with one of the most powerful graphics cards ever built – the RTX 2080 Ti.

In addition, with a NVIDIA based card such as the RTX 2080 Ti, it is possible to take advantage of their proprietary G-SYNC technology available on many high-end monitors – aimed at reducing screen tearing by operating a variable refresh rate – and thus producing far smoother looking gameplay. We have taken into consideration G-SYNC when recommending the following monitors. Even if the RTX 2080 Ti is comfortable of pushing 4K 60Hz it is still worthwhile as G-SYNC will then remove the need to use V-Sync and the input lag associated with that. Investing a few extra dollars to get G-SYNC on a monitor is a sound investment for futureproofing your RTX 2080 build – if you choose to upgrade the card in the future or perhaps want to run an SLI RTX 2080 / 2080 Ti build.

Interestingly, new TV’s in 2019 will begin to support HDMI 2.1 – which actually allows for 4K 144Hz – something worth to take into consideration in the future as Televisions become more viable options for gaming with RTX 2080 Ti/high-end PC builds. If you want to read more about this, here is our guide to all HDMI 2.1 supported televisions and FreeSync-enabled TVs currently available.

Our monitor recommendations for the RTX 2080 / 2080 Ti

Award	Design	Monitor	Retailer
Best 1080p 240Hz monitor for RTX 2080 Ti		ASUS ROG Strix XG258Q
Best 1440p 165hz G-SYNC monitor for RTX 2080 Ti		ASUS PG289QR
Best 1440p 120hz G-SYNC ultrawide monitor for RTX 2080 Ti		Alienware AW3418DW
Best 4k 60hz G-SYNC monitor for RTX 2080 Ti		ASUS PG27AQ

Best 1080p 240Hz monitor – ASUS ROG Strix XG258Q

There are only a few 1080p 240Hz monitors on the market in 2020 that are worth considering, and the one that gets our pick for the RTX 2080 Ti is the ASUS ROG Strix XG258Q. The reason we picked this over the likes of the BenQ ZOWIE XL2546 competitive eSports monitor is that the XG258Q has G-SYNC which the RTX 2080 / Ti can take advantage of, as well as being slightly cheaper.

This monitor is very neat, with an understated design with features such as RGB to customise to anyone’s personal setup, a large height adjustment range and tilt ability the XG258Q was built to large and lengthy gaming sessions. With HDMI 2.0, this monitor is able to take advantage of V-Sync and future proofing for newer graphics cards in the future that can take advantage of this new HDMI standard.

If you’re a competitive gamer who needs the over-worldly refresh rate of 240Hz at 1080p, then the ASUS XG258Q is the best 240hz 1080p monitor for the RTX 2080 Ti, thanks to the addition of G-SYNC as well as its low price relative to other models.

Best 1440p 165hz G-SYNC monitor – ASUS PG278QR

There are actually two monitors we recommend for the RTX 2080 / 2080 Ti in this section, depending on whether gaming or picture quality is your main focus. Either way, both 1440p 165Hz monitors for the RTX 2080 come from ASUS, and both feature G-SYNC for that all-important V-Sync and butter-smooth gameplay – and these are the ASUS PG278QR and the ASUS PG279QZ.

We recommend the ASUS PG279QZ over the PG278QR if you prefer having superior colours and viewing angles, and gaming isn’t your absolute number one priority. This is a beautiful IPS panel with stunning picture quality and a thin-bezel design makes this one of the best looking monitors on the market in 2020. Many users reported that the predecessor to the PG279QZ, the PG279Q suffered from backlight bleed and many users ended up returning the monitor because of this. It really because a panel lottery but the new version by Asus, the PG279QZ has reported offering better panel quality and thus gets our recommendation as the best 4K 165Hz IPS monitor for the RTX 2080.

We recommend the PG278QR over the PG279QZ for gaming with the RTX 2080 Ti since it is a TN panel (lower response times) and many ASUS IPS panels have been reported to have BLB, so unless you’re happy to play the monitor lottery and return the monitor until you find one that is perfect, then we recommend going for the PG278QR. The PG278QR TN panel offers better motion clarity too, which is better for gaming as well as simply just being cheaper. This is the top 1440p 165Hz TN monitor for the RTX 2080 Ti, hands down.

With the RTX 2080 Ti it will be able to push the 1440p past 144hz to 165hz, and this really is noticeable to the human eye, and paired with G-SYNC makes for quite the gaming experience.

Best 1440p 120hz G-SYNC ultrawide monitor – Alienware AW3418DW

One of the hottest monitors on the market right now, and possibly the absolute best monitor pairing for your RTX 2080 Ti build is the Alienware AW3418DW. This 34″ ultrawide monitor ticks all the boxes, with a 1440p IPS panel with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz – you will be able to get the most out of the RTX 2080 / 2080 Ti and display it on this sleek and gaming-focused display. With the added benefit of G-SYNC, this will enhance viewing pleasure and create super-smooth gameplay with the RTX 2080.

Looking at countless reviews on reddit’s /r/monitors, we have struggled to find a bad review about the AW3418DW, its hard to fault with its premium build quality, the immersive FoV with the 21:9 aspect ratio, as well as beautiful picture quality. Not to mention the benefits ultrawides offer for productivity and getting work done – you can fit so many windows on a ultrawide monitor, it’s just like having a dual screen setup without the bezels in the middle.

With many IPS panels it is possible to get bad backlight bleed, and rightly so it should be a concern if you’re spending north of $1000 on a gaming monitor. With the AW3418DW, we have seen little instances of PC builders reporting any noticeable BLB, vignetting or inconsistency between panels.

If you want to run the monitor at 120Hz to get the full potential out of the RTX 2080 Ti, you will want to use the DisplayPort input as that supports this framerate as well as G-SYMC – the HDMI input only supports up to 50hz.

This is possibly the best reviewed monitor on the market in 2020, and thus gets our recommendation for pairing with the RTX 2080 / 2080 Ti.

Best 4k 60hz G-SYNC monitor – ASUS PG27AQ

Although we prefer gaming at 1440p @ 144/165hz, we still have to admit it’s quite the delight gaming on 4K resolution as long as it’s smooth – and this is possible with the RTX 2080 Ti. If you’re looking at a 4K 60Hz monitor for your build, we would recommend the 27″ size and with that, there are only a few options to pick from. The 27″ 4k 60Hz G-SYNC monitor we prefer over the rest is the ASUS PG27AQ, a sleek IPS panel with very impressive picture quality and doesn’t feature a gaming-gimmicky design that some G-SYNC monitors have (looking at you, Acer Predator series).

With the Asus PG27AQ being a few years old, this can be found for a decent discount off the retail price, and thus makes a suitable budget 4K monitor for the RTX 2080 we recommend (but not over 1440p 144Hz).

Summary

Award	Design	Monitor	Retailer
Best 1080p 240Hz monitor for RTX 2080 Ti		ASUS ROG Strix XG258Q
Best 1440p 165hz G-SYNC monitor for RTX 2080 Ti		ASUS PG289QR
Best 1440p 120hz G-SYNC ultrawide monitor for RTX 2080 Ti		Alienware AW3418DW
Best 4k 60hz G-SYNC monitor for RTX 2080 Ti		ASUS PG27AQ

The post Best monitors to pair with the RTX 2080 & RTX 2080 Ti appeared first on PremiumBuilds.