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f13.net General Forums => Gaming => Topic started by: Jeff Kelly on August 05, 2011, 03:31:05 AM



Title: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Jeff Kelly on August 05, 2011, 03:31:05 AM
Google results are now so chock-full with link-traps, price-comparison sites, SEO optimized shit and paid-ranking links that it get's harder and harder to actually find good hardware reviews (or anything, really) online nowadays.

A few of my old favorites also show their age and either do the umpteenth SSD review but seldom anything else (Anandtech for example) or update rarely.

So does anybody have suggestions for one or several good resources for hardware reviews. Not just graphics cards and mainboards but somewhat comprehensive?


Title: Re: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Numtini on August 05, 2011, 04:07:51 AM
Yeah Anandtech used to be good, not so much. I use Tom's primarily or google "itemname review" and usually find things that are worthwhile amidst the horrors.


Title: Re: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Murgos on August 05, 2011, 06:16:48 AM
I let other forums full of gaming nerds keep track of all that stuff:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=432590

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3371605


Title: Re: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Engels on August 05, 2011, 09:13:21 AM
HardOCP (http://www.hardocp.com/) has good reviews. I tend to prefer them to Anand, in large part because they seem a bit more geared towards the gamer. Take this Sandybridge review:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/01/03/intel_sandy_bridge_2600k_2500k_processors_review/

It has a few less benchmarks than Anand, depending on the product, but a lot more comprehensive 'hands on' type of information.


Title: Re: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Morfiend on August 05, 2011, 11:18:55 AM
HardOCP (http://www.hardocp.com/) has good reviews. I tend to prefer them to Anand, in large part because they seem a bit more geared towards the gamer. Take this Sandybridge review:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/01/03/intel_sandy_bridge_2600k_2500k_processors_review/

It has a few less benchmarks than Anand, depending on the product, but a lot more comprehensive 'hands on' type of information.

Hardocp also has a fantastic forum with very helpful users. hardforum.com. Other than that, the stuff everyone else mentioned.


Title: Re: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Shrike on August 06, 2011, 09:52:51 AM
HardOCP. Good info there, but the forums do tend to raging fanboi a bit, but hell, that's everywhere.

Ananad is good for more lifestyle oriented tech. Not terribly hard on the gamer/sparky-bits side these days.

I mostly avoid Tom's, but it has occasionally useful stuff.

For more specific needs HWcompare.com can help with upgrade info, particular the vid card side of things if you skip generations a lot (like me).


Title: Re: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Raging Turtle on August 06, 2011, 03:53:28 PM
Interesting thread, as I'm in the market for a new general-purpose laptop that will be lugged to and from campus (woo starting grad school).

I'm going to browse the sites listed in this thread, but if anyone knows of a good forum for laptop reviews or has general advice, it would be greatly appreciated.


Title: Re: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Raging Turtle on August 06, 2011, 04:03:23 PM
Ooook HardOCP is a little more hardcore than I was expecting.


Title: Re: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Shrike on August 06, 2011, 05:06:05 PM
Anand seems pretty good on laptops.

HardOCP is heavily oriented on the sparky-bits, with a particular emphasis on overclocking, so, yeah, it's certainly ][ard.


Title: Re: Good hardware review sites?
Post by: Raging Turtle on August 06, 2011, 09:07:19 PM
Hmm, looks like Lenovo is having a massive sale on a good number of their laptops right now.  That X220 looks pretty damn nice... must resist urge to rush into purchase!

And yes, I am taking over this thread!  :awesome_for_real: