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Dinosaurs go digital

This is my first time reaching out, although

I've wanted to write in on numerous occasions with questions or feedback. I've been in the semiconductor manufacturing industry since 1987, and have to admit, I'm a workaholic. I have also been subscribing to MaximumPC since the days that Alan Dexter was editing, but I've been reading it on and off since the 2000s.

Your deep dives into the history behind the hardware and software are really amazing.

Your coverage of the manufacturing side of the industry is great, too, and I can relate to it, since that’s been my career for many years. I think it’s important for readers to understand how much goes into creating not just computer components, but all of the devices that make the world run.

I started out in 1987, learning to build ion beam etching and deposition equipment. I’ve assembled and repaired many systems, visited numerous places, and spent more time than I’d like in cleanrooms. 37 years later, I'm still in it and servicing the equipment. It’s a great field to be in, and I really appreciate your coverage of the industry!

The motivation for this long- overdue email was the letter from B. Frost titled ' No love for digital' in the Letters section of your December 2023 issue. I could relate to some of what he was upset about in that I went through a similar phase when you guys switched over to a digital format.

Like them, I call myself a dinosaur, maybe even a 'Neanderthal'. At the time, I was going to write in to say that I was disappointed, but your magazine was so great that I would 'adapt to change'— I think we all resist change at times.

Maybe all B. Frost needs is a good portable platform to read on. When it comes to portables, I’ve been an Apple guy for over 20 years—iPods, iPhones, and iPads. I’ve been using iPads for over ten years, and for the last three have been using a 4th gen iPad Pro 12.9” for work and play.

This is a great device to read magazines on, especially yours, where the layouts are done well and images are of high quality. Having the iPad is what made my transition so easy. Maybe your reader would be willing to invest in a large tablet, since he can afford to build a PC every year! He would also need to invest in a good case and/ or stand combo, since the larger tablets can be heavy.

Finally, I want to say thank you to everyone at Future/ MaximumPC for such a great publication. The writing, research, variety, photos are all top- notch— it’s obvious to me how dedicated you all are and how much you enjoy technology.

Please pass this on to everyone there how much I/ we appreciate what you all do for us.

– J. Karl McHenry

EDITOR- IN- CHIEF,

GUY COCKER, RESPONDS: Thanks for this letter, we're very glad to have you as a long-term reader. And thank you for your kind words regarding the magazine, although it helps that we certainly enjoy putting it together for you.

On the subject of digital reading, we suspect that one of the reasons you enjoy using Apple products for digitally leafing through MaximumPC comes down to pixel density. Apple has made a point of targeting a minimum apparent pixel density for the screens on pretty much all its devices for some years now.

Apple calls these screens ' Retina' displays, the idea being that the pixels are small enough to be essentially undetectable by the human eye's retina. That's possibly hyperbole in many cases. However, Apple does ensure enough pixel density for a decent high- DPI experience across its devices. The result is super- sharp images and lovely, crisp fonts, and that makes a well- produced digital publication like Maximum PC look great.

Granted, Apple devices also tend to carry a premium next to those manufactured by Google, Amazon, or Samsung, and you don't need to buy Apple to get a high- DPI

experience. Many laptops and tablets offer just that. Our advice would be to aim for something with at least 200 pixels per inch. If in doubt, you can use an online DPI calculator to work out whether a device can deliver on that remit.

Thanks again for your letter—we hope you continue to enjoy the magazine for many years to come.

Blast from the past

In the March 2024 issue of MaximumPC, there seems to be a phantom from the past. When I first saw it, I had to look twice, and sure enough, it was her. Like a girlfriend from the past you never forget, nor get over, her beautiful curves sang to my eyes and made my heart begin to race all over again. I thought, is that really her? I hadn't seen a photo of her in ten years.

I have her sister in a box in the attic, and I get her out and play with her from time to time, but to see her grace the pages of MaximumPC again took me right back to that torrid love affair.

In the March 2024 issue, on page 65 in the top- right corner of the page, you'll see her under the title, ' Turn Your Green PC'. It's a side shot of the best PC case I've ever owned. A fabulous feat of engineering from Antec, the ' P182', sitting there in all her majesty, opened to reveal her inner beauty.

My first thought was, "Yes, they're bringing it back!" But after a moment, I realized it was probably just a stock photograph, and wondered how your layout people managed to get a photo from the mid 2000s, and how it ended up in the March 2024 issue in an article that discusses making your PC green? There was nothing green about her; she was a demon of the evening, and looked as if she could destroy you with just a glance.

The enormous black monolith is something I've tried to find an equal to ever since they went out of production. I just can't find anything close. I’ve searched for any leftover P182s, and found one in Dallas, but it was the silver edition— not nearly as menacing as her midnight twin. They're quite rare, but they were solid as a rock. It's a beautiful PC case that had everything, built like a Spitfire.

I'll wait to hear the story of how an Antec P182 made the pages of the March

2024 MaximumPC issue. One of these days, with luck, I will find her equal, but until then...

Other than that, thank you for your hard work on the best PC magazine ever!

EDITOR- IN- CHIEF,

GUY COCKER, RESPONDS: Thank you for this letter, it certainly tickled me, hearing your response to seeing an image of your favorite classic chassis! There are just certain computer cases that will always be memorable to PC builders—my equivalent is the BitFenix Prodigy Arctic White that housed my first ever mini- ITX build. But I digress…

The story behind the Antec image is that it was provided by the writer,

Nate Drake, as it’s a nice side shot to highlight the key components that use energy, and therefore contribute to the carbon footprint of running your PC. However, I must admit that I didn’t spot just how old the system was in this image when I edited it— that entire front section to house mechanical and SATA drives is pretty much redundant on any modern PC these days.

You make an interesting point on how case design has changed over the last 10-20 years, though— you liken the Antec to a Spitfire, and I presume you mean in terms of the fact that it was tough and would go for years. Today’s cases are much more focused on delicate materials like glass, especially the newest fishbowl designs, which we’ve been using

My memorable case: the Bitfenix Prodigy Arctic White from 2012. in builds and reviewing recently. Yes, they look great, and show off what’s inside, but we have to treat them very delicately when transporting them home after a build to do the testing and benchmarking. I imagine that there’s a market for people who still want rugged cases, especially those who maybe travel around for LAN party and eSports events.

GPU showdown

Now that you’ve put all the RTX Super cards through their paces, which (if any) is the one to go for? Or should I be looking at AMD/ Intel as well? I should mention that I game at 1440p and like to play story- driven games like Cyberpunk2077 and HorizonForbiddenWest.

EDITOR- IN- CHIEF,

GUY COCKER, RESPONDS:

I put this question to our builder, Zak Storey, in our ' Story of the Build' video this issue (embedded on page 16), and he said the RTX 4070 Super, hands down. It offers good value, with 20 percent more power for the same $ 599 price. It will allow you to game at your 1440p resolution at high or max settings, and it comes with all of the DLSS 3 goodness that will make your story- driven games look great and play at smooth frame rates. This month, I personally tried Horizon on a HP Omen Transcend 14 running an RTX 4060 (and a lowly 65W one, at that), and was impressed with how smoothly it ran with DLSS and frame generation turned on.

The AMD Radeon RX

7800 XT is worth a look at around $ 530 for its performance, but its AI and ray tracing features lag behind Nvidia’s. Hope this helps!