Editors’ Picks: Digital Discoveries

Zak Storey, Staff Writer, and Alan Dexter, Executive Editor, reveal their tech loves

99.9% PURE ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL

A day rarely goes by when we’re not swapping out a CPU or two from a rig or test bed. It’s almost continuous. Benchmark system A, take the cooler off, swap to system B, clean up, apply fresh thermal paste, lock the cooler down once more, benchmark, swap to system A again. Over and over. Sometimes it gets a little stressful, and you need a quick tipple to help you get through it. So, what better than 99.9% alcohol?

I joke, of course, but it is one of the most useful products we have in the office. In short, it’s a fantastic cleaning agent: spray it on a bit of cloth, then rub your processor and CPU block clean of any nasty gunk that’s left after swapping over a cooler or a heatsink. The alternative is some good old-fashioned elbow grease, but that takes a lot of effort, and has a nasty habit of leaving a residue on the processor, creating imperfections between the CPU lid and the heatsink. It’s also great for cleaning keyboards, mice, brushed aluminum, you name it.

Disclaimer: MaximumPC does not condone or encourage alcohol abuse with 99.9% isopropanol, to any degree. Please note, 99.9% alcohol is highly flammable, an irritant, and toxic to humans. $7, www.amazon.com

STEELSERIES FREE MOBILE WIRELESS CONTROLLER

When it comes to rest and relaxation, the PC is my platform of choice. But the problem with gaming on a desktop PC is that it isn’t that portable. Dragging my machine into the sitting room to have a game while the family watches TV isn’t practical. Which is why the other device I turn to is my slightly dated, but still impressive, Nexus 10.

Obviously, the games aren’t at the same level as on the PC, but a tablet can be far more convenient. There are plenty of games that run well on tablets, and while many make a virtue of the touch input, some struggle. One game that has been a constant since buying the Nexus 10 is EA’s Real Racing3. Unfortunately, controlling it isn’t always easy. That’s where the Steelseries controller comes in. This diminutive device fits nicely in the hand, and is precise where touch controls often aren’t. It’s Bluetooth, too, so it’ll work with your cell and laptop.

The model I’ve been using for the last few years has been replaced with more affordable offerings (at launch, it cost $115). The Stratus XL for Windows + Android is bigger, with more buttons, and costs almost half of what my original did, and is probably what I’ll be treating myself to next. $115, www.steelseries.com