Welcome to The Full Nerd publication—your weekly dose of hardcore {hardware} speak from the fans at PCWorld. In it, we dive into the most well liked matters from our YouTube show, plus attention-grabbing information from throughout the online.
This week, we’re nonetheless using excessive from visiting Micro Center on opening day, however not so excited that we will’t speak store (or complain) about SteamOS and USB-C complications.
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In this episode of The Full Nerd…
In this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Alaina Yee, and Will Smith recap our Micro Center tour, dig into GeForce Now on SteamDeck, lament about SteamOS testing, and kvetch about Windows’ proposed USB-C repair.
Alex Esteves / Foundry
- In the phrases of a TFN fan, Micro Center is superior. Adam, Will, and I went to search for ourselves throughout the grand opening final Friday, and never solely did we discover scores of elements, however we bumped into multiple viewer simply searching the aisles, too! (It’s fairly enjoyable standing subsequent to Will when somebody tells him they’ve adopted his work for greater than a decade—you’ll be able to concurrently see the delight on the introduction, and in addition the dismay on the oblique reminder of his age.) Keep a watch on the PCWorld YouTube channel, as we’ll be posting our interviews and retailer walkthrough there.
- Brad is off on trip this week, however each he and Adam had many good things to say about GeForce Now on the Steam Deck. For Brad, the proof within the pudding was Doom: The Dark Ages, which is atrocious on the Steam Deck. Think body charges within the low- to mid-20s in sparse tutorial areas. (Choice quote: “[It feels] like the Doom Slayer is a container ship you’re trying to steer while blackout drunk. Hard pass.”) But play it by means of GeForce Now, and the expertise flips 180 to stunning graphics and buttery clean gameplay.
For Adam, the principle sticking level is the sport help—and when requested, I admitted to reservations across the subscription format. But largely, this looks like a win for anybody who needs the portability (and cheaper price) of a Steam Deck, plus the power to dive into video games with robust efficiency necessities. (Also, a great web connection and positioning relative to the GFN servers helps, as Will notes.)
- Adam continues to be a bit grumpy about SteamOS’s wider launch, as the subject returns for a second week in a row. This time round we dive deeper into the historical past, with me explaining to Adam why I’ve a extra affected person outlook, a decade after the Steam Machine initiative. (Will shares my endurance, a doable indicator of our collective trauma.) The items on the board really feel like they’re in a greater place this time round—stronger consumer consciousness and curiosity, the fitting {hardware}, and extra polished software program. We additionally stray into dialogue about Linux (amongst different issues…), making this surprisingly the longest phase of this week’s episode.
- Despite our SteamOS chat dominating our dialog, most of our hearth and vitriol apparently was saved for our dialogue about Microsoft’s plan to convey some uniformity to USB-C ports on Windows 11 machines. A good suggestion, however what begins as a grudgingly optimistic outlook shortly turns right into a criticism session about USB-C cables and the way their specs aren’t clear. As Will says, we might purchase a cable tester (as Gordon did), however most individuals gained’t. Why can’t producers (or gadget makers) throw us a bone?
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This week’s wild nerd information
Hardware launches, rising costs, postage-sized classic {hardware} reproductions—I spent a variety of time studying in fascination. My favourite? An Ars Technica author’s touching tribute to a favourite native Radio Shack-esque retailer, at present going through financial troubles.
- AMD’s Radeon 9060 XT is generally a win: The mid-range has wanted a graphics card like this, particularly in counter to Nvidia’s RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti. But not all reviewers are proud of the pricing—the MSRP seems to be one other aspirational quantity for now.
- Will AM4’s stunning run come to an end because of DDR4 RAM prices? Between decreased manufacturing, commerce struggle fallout, and financial uncertainties, DDR4 reminiscence costs have shot up as a lot as 50 % not too long ago. That might have unhappy results on our good ol’ dependable choose for price range PC builds, which leaned on AM4 mobos. Some could have fun this variation, however I’m gonna be pouring one out.
- This CD ripping software makes me feel nostalgic: Also previous, as a result of in getting an replace after 16 years I needed to do uncomfortable arithmetic. If I’ve to undergo, I could as effectively do it with you all, whereas additionally giving a well-deserved shout out to a fellow author, who gave us this gem of a line: “Please excuse the remainder of the linked developer’s web page being largely about dolls.”
- I would not answer my door for a robot delivery person: Amazon is seemingly testing using “humanoid robots” for dropping off packages. You know if you’d conceal as somewhat child if you noticed one thing that didn’t look proper? That’d be me. Also, these robots will certainly get messed with by randos.
- Dozens of sealed Zotac RTX 5090s contained…backpacks: This nasty switcheroo dimmed the shine of Micro Center’s new retailer opening—consumers of the $3,000 Nvidia flagship GPU on the new Santa Clara, CA location opened their 5090 containers to find rolled up luggage as a substitute. The story’s nonetheless unfolding, with the final growth being that this seems to originate at Zotac’s manufacturing unit. (Buyers had been made entire, too.)
- Meta spied on Android users’ private browsing, even in incognito mode: I really feel each vindicated and irritated that I’m justified in my refusal to put in Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Google and Mozilla have pledged to disable this habits, however when you’re on Android, be cautious of Meta apps. (Maybe additionally contemplate Firefox with the uBlock Origin add-on put in, too. It’s a factor for Android.)
- This Radio Shack/science outlet/curio collection store is in trouble, and it’s sad to see: We nerds misplaced one thing particular when Radio Shack withered away after which lastly died. Hearing about how this small chain of shops that’s been preserving that spirit alive, with its personal quirky character, struggles to remain in existence harm. As do my reminiscences of strolling by means of aisles of wires and connectors, seeing the promise and potential for extra.
- Modder straps CPU cooler to Nvidia GTX 960 with a 3D-printed bracket, breaks 3DMark benchmark record: We debate loads on the present about specs and limitations, so this little bit of enjoyable information was the right anecdote to web cynicism. Sometimes the reply to “Why not…” is simply good.
- A Polish engineer created a postage-sized 1980s Atari computer: It’s not typically a mission instantly places a smile on my face, however seeing this itty-bitty reimagining of a basic PC managed to take action. Former PCWorld contributor Benj Edwards, who wrote about retro {hardware} for us, additionally dives into the fascinating historical past of the Atari within the Soviet period, too.
That’s all for this week—keep tuned for these Micro Center movies, which embrace interviews with Linux customers (yep!) and a showcase of a really particular keyboard we discovered within the retailer.
-Alaina
This publication is devoted to the reminiscence of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and government editor of {hardware} at PCWorld.