GEAR OF THE YEAR

2017 has been an incredible year for hardware. Here are our picks of the best hardware from the previous 12 months

THE PC INDUSTRY rarely sits twiddling its thumbs, but 2017 was an incredible period by any standard. We’ve seen impressive new processor releases that we may not feel the full effect of for some years (competition is great for pushing things forward), cryptocurrencies reinventing graphics card pricing, more RGB LEDs than you could shake a cracked kyber crystal at, and a general focus on the whole PC ecosystem to make it more powerful and more customizable.

The timing of these advances is no accident, with the way we’re using PCs continuing to develop in new directions, while reinvigorating older ones. The consoles that have diverted resources away from PCs for so long have had a faltering start with their nextgeneration platforms, so the PC has returned to the fore as the number one gaming platform. But PCs are far more than just gaming systems, and even gamers are doing a lot more with their systems—streaming while gaming is commonplace, and that takes a lot of power. Throw in image and video editing, programing, website building, office work, rendering, and all manner of other pastimes, and all the power that the latest releases is unleashing is eagerly snapped up.

Over the next few pages, we highlight the gear that impressed us most over the last year. The hardware that stood above the crowd and not only showed what was possible now, but where the PC could go next. 2018 already looks like it’s going to keep pushing things forward, though we doubt it will reach the heights of the last 12 months—but, hey, we can hope.