Nick Evanson
Nick, gaming, and computers all first met in 1981, with the love affair starting on a Sinclair ZX81 in kit form and a book on ZX Basic. He ended up becoming a physics and IT teacher, but by the late 1990s decided it was time to cut his teeth writing for a long defunct UK tech site. He went on to do the same at Madonion, helping to write the help files for 3DMark and PCMark. After a short stint working at Beyond3D.com, Nick joined Futuremark (MadOnion rebranded) full-time, as editor-in-chief for its gaming and hardware section, YouGamers. After the site shutdown, he became an engineering and computing lecturer for many years, but missed the writing bug. Cue four years at TechSpot.com and over 100 long articles on anything and everything. He freely admits to being far too obsessed with GPUs and open world grindy RPGs, but who isn't these days?
Latest articles by Nick Evanson
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RUWaKG3F9qRw7gFMgqDxoU-320-80.jpg)
Windows 11's new 'AI' Recall feature has been cracked to work without a fancy new NPU
By Nick Evanson published
news If seven TOPs of AI power are enough for Recall, what's the point of an NPU?
![A screenshot of Windows 95, with WordPad running on the desktop](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ekAKxszBeMtPgfyfSmMBoE-320-80.jpg)
This year's 24H2 Windows 11 update will wave goodbye to Cortana, WordPad, Steps Recorder, and more
By Nick Evanson published
news I'm off to write F in WordPad and save it in a rich text file for posterity
![Zotac RTX 4080 Super Amp Extreme Airo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nyfyTC7GG7X7ze756yEmYP-320-80.jpg)
Gaming PCs and components look set to jump in price in the US as import tariff exclusions come to an end
By Nick Evanson published
news Certain graphics cards, motherboards, and even PC cases could rise by as much as 25% in price.
![Images of the Warhammer 40k Titan Evo Ultramarine edition gaming chair, a collaboration between Games Workshop and Secretlab](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EHUMeVUdrBezT5uoJYQ4VN-320-80.jpg)
Secretlab is asking the question: Can you be a true Warhammer 40k fan if you don't have a purity seal on your gaming chair?
By Nick Evanson published
news Secretlab has just the thing to showcase your faith to the Emporer.
![A pair of Acer ultrawide gaming monitors against a teal background, with a white border](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mrx5NdioLP8ruT3BQQFm3B-320-80.jpg)
These ultrawide gaming monitors are both under $250, making the curved vs flat decision a tricky one
By Nick Evanson published
deal Still, it's good to have affordable choices, yes?
![Macro view of the group of computer PC DRAM memory modules circuit board PCB with selective focus effect](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5fqsVcETkLSUGyWAmSThCP-320-80.jpg)
DDR6 looks set to double data speeds over DDR5, with DDR6-21000 being the ultimate target
By Nick Evanson published
news Development is still ongoing so don't expect to see it any time soon, though.
![Machdyne Blaustahl USB 8kB FRAM storage device](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zfbQJperQywoikFBcQv4ya-320-80.jpg)
A USB stick that will hold your precious data for 200 years, what's the catch? Er... it only holds 8kB
By Nick Evanson published
news Your login details for Steam can now live longer than you. And probably longer than Valve.
![A promotional image showing several laptops resting on furniture, as part of Microsoft's Copilot+ AI PC ecosystem](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/stCTxhdVpJPB7dcKTSPk-320-80.jpg)
Microsoft's auto AI upscaler will only be available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ AI PCs to begin with
By Nick Evanson published
news And narrowing down its scope even further, it'll only work on a very small number of games.
![A screenshot from Ghost of Tsushima, showing a wide landscape, full of trees and hills, with the setting sun casting a red hue across the view](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DqaFtiMw7rLouRUCU4URTS-320-80.jpg)
Ghost of Tsushima PC performance analysis: Your CPU will be fine, your GPU will whine, but there are settings for every gamer out there
By Nick Evanson published
Ghosting Your GPU Unless you happen to own an Intel Arc graphics card. You're out of luck, I'm afraid.
![ABS Cyclone Ruby Gaming PC against a teal background, with a white border](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MeAW5w5kNqciPAhqSjWQjT-320-80.jpg)
Is this the perfect $1,500 gaming PC? Maybe not, but it's pretty darn close
By Nick Evanson published
deal ABS has got the hardware specs almost spot on in this gaming PC.
![HDMI and DisplayPort cables](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PqSg4zcvwgNsk9CEXULdbW-320-80.jpg)
The messy DisplayPort 2.1 specs mean you could be limited to a monitor cable too short to be of any use if you want to hit 4K at 240 Hz
By Nick Evanson published
news The devil is in the details, as the saying goes, but also in the wiring in this case.
![Zen 4c](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/igX3gahVQAKHPDCcQrMK9U-320-80.jpeg)
AMD Zen 6 could deliver a full 32-core chiplet, with Zen 5c reportedly set to offer its own 16-core CCX
By Nick Evanson published
news Server-market EPYC models will see the most cores, but desktop Ryzens could get a bump too.
![XDefiant promo art - three XDefiant soldiers and an XDefiant robot dog charging at an enemy](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/e4bN9fqgQQZcbrScDxEmLC-320-80.jpg)
Ubisoft's XDefiant system requirements are so low that even a manky old potato will run the game
By Nick Evanson published
news Po-tay-toes. Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a GPU.
![Screenshot of Ghost of Tsushima, using an Intel Arc graphics card](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fR2hjZRhcb55AE49ZzbZfg-320-80.jpg)
Sony's Ghost of Tsushima has actual g-g-g-ghosts when it comes to Intel's Arc GPUs
By Nick Evanson published
news Horror looks you right between the eyes, you're paralyzed because this is Alchemist.
![Razer Viper V3 Pro gaming mouse](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/V2u9BXiuBDTFEVy6hNZoRf-320-80.jpg)
Razer Viper V3 Pro gaming mouse review
By Nick Evanson published
Ultimate Lighter and faster than ever, the new Viper is the ultimate esports mouse.
![ASRock and Asus gaming monitors against a teal background, with a white border](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sWZ45mwTaymPpmRcJcVMZF-320-80.jpg)
Starting at just $120 these are the two best cheap gaming monitors I'd buy myself right now
By Nick Evanson published
deal 27-inch 1080p IPS for $120 or 27-inch 1440p VA for $60 more—it's great to have this kind of choice over gaming screens.
![Half of Artificial Intelligence robot face](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dGnQbHxaNLvp95FjVkrRKm-320-80.jpg)
63% of surveyed Americans want government legislation to prevent super intelligent AI from ever being achieved
By Nick Evanson published
news OpenAI and Google might love artificial general intelligence, but the average voter probably just thinks Skynet.
![Promotional logo for Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus series of processors](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dGf75YqRj6wHESKRkTSSJX-320-80.jpg)
Leaked Dell docs suggest Qualcomm's new laptop chips could deliver nearly twice the battery life of the latest Intel CPUs
By Nick Evanson published
news Less is more, as the saying goes, and it's especially true when it comes to power consumption.
![AMD Zen 4 AM5 socket photograph](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z4FcLUghB6rnmVvwFKmVBm-320-80.jpg)
AMD's launched a pair of new budget chips in its 8000-series, lopping the GPUs of its APUs
By Nick Evanson published
news One looks like it could be the bargain CPU of 2024. The other...err...sadly not.
![Dell XPS 14](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NzE5nZ5EyE3fLPBEhmgbvk-320-80.jpeg)
Leaked Dell roadmap introduces split Intel/Qualcomm lineup through to Nova Lake in 2027
By Nick Evanson published
news Four Lakes and a second-gen X Elite in just three years means it's all going to get very confusing, very quickly.
![A stylised image of AMD's RDNA 3 GPU design for its Radeon RX 7000-series graphics cards](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/b5hZ3jGxuxwssYSDEA4iLE-320-80.jpg)
AMD Linux devs jamming nearly 24,000 lines of RDNA 4 supporting code into its mainstream driver suggests next-gen launch may be close at hand
By Nick Evanson published
news Mesa mega merge means a magnificent moment may manifest…err…soon.
![Nvidia RTX 4090 Founders Edition](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uAvDHGUvLf9GJFfY7tbAuM-320-80.jpg)
Nvidia testing cooling solutions up to 600W for its Blackwell graphics cards suggests power levels in line with the previous GeForce generations
By Nick Evanson published
news Looks like RTX super-chonk coolers are chonk for life. Or one more generation, at least.
![A promotional image of a MediTek SoC model](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6txZA9aMNyPCkd8PpW4gGS-320-80.jpg)
MediaTek and Nvidia are gearing up to tackle the AI PC market hand-in-hand, with an all-new chip
By Nick Evanson published
news It's like the 1990s golden age all over again when you had more than two CPU vendors to choose from.