components | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 04 Jan 2024 16:27:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png components | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 KitGuru is hiring – Tech Reviewer applications open! https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/matthew-wilson/kitguru-is-hiring-tech-reviewer-applications-open/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/matthew-wilson/kitguru-is-hiring-tech-reviewer-applications-open/#respond Thu, 04 Jan 2024 13:30:21 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=642357 We reviewed a lot of products through 2023 and we're looking to do even more in 2024. If you've ever wanted to review PC gear, then this is a perfect opportunity as we are now hiring for a new reviewer to join our team. Prior experience is not strictly necessary, but we would like to see some example works from applicants. 

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We reviewed a lot of products through 2023 and we're looking to do even more in 2024. If you've ever wanted to review PC gear, then this is a perfect opportunity as we are now hiring for a new reviewer to join our team. Prior experience is not strictly necessary, but we would like to see some example works from applicants. 

We are looking for someone who will be able to produce reviews of a range of tech gear in video format and in the KitGuru style. Any experience in this sector is beneficial, however we are open to all applicants provided you can give us a sample of your written and video work so we can assess your abilities.

KitGuru is a great company to work with, we are all tech enthusiasts who enjoy gaming, so we all have very similar interests. Behind the scenes it is very close knit environment and many of our team have been with us for several years.

To be considered for this position you need:

  • Skillset to present well on camera – and in English.
  • The ability to meet tight deadlines.
  • Strong communication skills.
  • Some knowledge of video editing would be useful, but we have that capability in-house if we find the right candidate.
  • Strong writing ability.
  • This is a freelance position.

The successful applicant must be based in the United Kingdom, and we pay very well for this kind of work. If you are interested and feel you can meet the criteria above and want to work in this fast moving, extremely demanding sector then please send your CV along with any samples of your work to our Deputy Editor in Chief, Dominic Moass – dominic(at)kitguru.net. We would like to see samples of your work, but please note we are looking for applicants who can produce high quality videos and written articles in the in-depth KitGuru style, so your submissions should reflect that.

KitGuru says: We look forward to receiving your application. 

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Black Friday 2023: Best PC component deals https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/black-friday-2023-best-pc-component-deals/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/black-friday-2023-best-pc-component-deals/#respond Fri, 24 Nov 2023 10:30:19 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=638012 Black Friday has arrived - if you are looking around for some new PC upgrades, we've rounded up some of the best deals we've found for CPUs, GPUs, motherboards, RAM, AIO liquid coolers and M.2 SSDs.

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Black Friday sales have arrived in force, with most major stores now offering big discounts on all things tech. Here, we break down some of the best PC component deals we've spotted so far, including graphics cards, processors, motherboards, AIO liquid coolers, RAM and more. If you are looking for a fresh upgrade, or to just pick up some new parts for a future build while they are cheap – we have you covered. 

Starting off with graphics cards, there are some very good deals to be found on current-gen AMD GPUs right now. For instance, the Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XT Nitro+ is currently £100 off and comes with a free copy of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Typically, this graphics card costs £899.99 but it is now down to £799.99. One rung down the ladder we find the Sapphire RX 7800 XT Nitro+, down from its usual price of £599.99 to £518.99.

The MSI Radeon RX 7900 XTX Gaming Trio Classic with 24GB of VRAM is currently £200 off, bringing the price down to £899. If you would like to save some money by going with an RX 6000 series GPU, then the MSI RX 6750 XT is now down to £329.99 at Ebuyer and Scan,

On the Nvidia side, the MSI RTX 4060 Ti Ventus 3X graphics card has dropped from £419 to £375.87 on Amazon. The Gigabyte RTX 4060 EAGLE OC graphics card has dropped to under £300, bringing the price down to £280.99.

On the processor front, you can find some good deals. If you don't mind going with a previous-gen CPU, then the Intel Core i9-13900K can now be found for £459, down from £540. If only the very best of the current generation will do, then the Core i9-14900K can also be found with a discount, bringing the price down from £578.99 to £559.99.

The Intel Core i7-14700K is down from £419.99 to £399.95 and the Core i5-14600K is down from £319.99 to £299.99.

On the AMD side, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is hailed as the current best gaming CPU by many and it is now 10% off, bringing the price down from £419.99 to £379.99. If you want something a bit more powerful for editing and creator tools, then the Ryzen 9 7950X3D can now be found for £589.99.

For a cheaper upgrade to AMD's current generation of processors, the Ryzen 5 7600X is now down to £219.98 as well.

While the Ryzen 7000 series is excellent, the Ryzen 5000 series processors still hold up well and present an opportunity to save some cash. The Ryzen 7 5800X can now be found for £175, and the Ryzen 5 5600X can be found for under £150.

For motherboards, you can save on a good number of Socket AM4 and AM5 motherboards at the moment. The Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX has fallen under the £200 mark, as has the MSI MAG B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI motherboard. If you are looking for something a bit more high-end, then the MSI MAG X670E TOMAHAWK WIFI motherboard is down from £329.99 to £265.97. On the Socket AM4 front, the MPG X570S CARBON MAX is a good choice at £209.

For Intel processors, socket LGA1700 boards like the MEG Z690 UNIFY and B760 GAMING PLUS motherboards are down to £249.99 and £139.99 respectively. The MSI Z790 Gaming PRO WiFi motherboard has dropped to £189.99 too. Elsewhere, the Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX can be found for £236.99. A budget-conscious Mini-ITX option can be found with the Gigabyte H610I DDR4, which is currently down to £87.99.

On the cooling front, there is also a lot to choose from. The Corsair Hydro X XH305i custom liquid cooling kit offers everything you need to set up your own custom loop, now down from £559.99 to £469.99 in both black and white colour options.

If you would prefer a simpler all-in-one liquid cooler, then the Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE LCD XT can be found at nearly £100 off, bringing the price down to £224.99 with a 360mm radiator. At the £150 mark, you can find the EKWB EK-Nucleus CR360, also including a 360mm radiator and ARGB fans. The Corsair H150i RGB Elite Performance comes in cheaper still, priced at £139.99. If you prefer a smaller 240mm cooler, then the H100i RGB ELITE can be found for £109.99.

Heading down to the sub-£100 bracket, the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360mm is a solid option at £99.95. The Aerocool Mirage L360 offers a 360mm radiator and ARGB fans for £69.95, and its 240mm sibling, the Mirage L240, is on sale for £59.99.

If you are in need of a memory boost for your system, then there are both DDR4 and DDR5 memory kits on sale this month. The Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB 32GB 3600MHz DDR4 kit is down to £74.99. If you don't need flashy LEDs or stylised heatsinks, then the Crucial Pro 32GB 3200MHz DDR4 kit can be found for £47.99, or you could opt for the 64GB kit at £88.99.

DDR5 is your best option if you are building a fresh PC or making a modern platform upgrade. The Corsair Vengeance RGB 32GB 6000MHz kit can be found for £120.99, or you could opt for the similarly spec'd Kingston Fury Beast 32GB kit at £120.05. If you have little desire for RGB, then the standard Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6000 kit can be found for £95.99. The Crucial Pro 32GB 5600MHz DDR5 kit with a simple, slim black heatsink can be found for £69.99.

For a speedy storage boost, there are many PCIe 4.0 SSDs to be found on sale too. The Corsair MP600 CORE XT offers 4TB of storage at just £167.99. The speedier Corsair MP600 PRO 2TB, which is also compatible with PS5 consoles, can be found for £125.99. Similarly, Western Digital's WD_Black SN850X 2TB SSD is down from £145.99 to £109.99.

The Crucial P5 Plus is another cost-effective option, offering 2TB of PCIe 4.0 storage for £90.99, or you could opt for the WD_Black SN770 2TB, which is down to £84.90. Finally, we have the Samsung 990 PRO 1TB model at £83.99.

KitGuru Says: That wraps up our list of some of the best Black Friday deals we've found so far for PC components. As always, be sure to shop around as there are plenty of other deals that we couldn't cover here. If you see something particularly good, feel free to let us know in the comments! 

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EK warns that prices of a selection of products will increase by 8% https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/joao-silva/ek-warns-that-prices-of-a-selection-of-products-will-increase-by-8/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/joao-silva/ek-warns-that-prices-of-a-selection-of-products-will-increase-by-8/#respond Mon, 20 Mar 2023 17:19:38 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=597205 EK has issued a statement to its customer base regarding upcoming changes to the pricing of some products. In the announcement, it is revealed that a selection of EK products will soon become more expensive, with an average price increase of eight percent starting on the 31st of March.  In the interest of being completely …

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EK has issued a statement to its customer base regarding upcoming changes to the pricing of some products. In the announcement, it is revealed that a selection of EK products will soon become more expensive, with an average price increase of eight percent starting on the 31st of March. 

In the interest of being completely open, EK wanted to warn customers in advance that certain changes will be implemented in the coming weeks. Due to variables such as raw material sourcing challenges, material prices, and labour expenses, EK will increase the pricing of a selected range of its products.

These adjustments will take effect on March 31st, 2023, and the price hike will only apply to specific goods. On average, prices will rise by 8%. Moreover, these price alterations won't affect any order placed before March 31st.

With the price increase on EK water cooling components, customers will probably be inclined to check its competitors, including brands such as Corsair, Thermaltake, Bykski and Alphacool. For graphics cards in particular, customers can also get one with a pre-installed water block instead of using one from EK, but if these are made by EK (a reasonable number of WB GPUs already are), then the price of these particular models may also increase.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: With prices set to rise at the end of the month, will you be sneaking in an order before the change comes into effect? 

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Valve details Steam Deck’s AMD “Aerith” SoC https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/joao-silva/valve-details-steam-decks-amd-aerith-soc/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/joao-silva/valve-details-steam-decks-amd-aerith-soc/#respond Sat, 13 Nov 2021 11:00:20 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=539556 Since the announcement of the Steam Deck, we've known that the handheld gaming PC is powered by a custom AMD processor, combining Zen 2 CPU cores with RDNA 2 graphics. During a series of development streams this week, Valve unveiled more about the Steam Deck's custom chip, which is codenamed “Aerith”.  AMD designed this chip …

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Since the announcement of the Steam Deck, we've known that the handheld gaming PC is powered by a custom AMD processor, combining Zen 2 CPU cores with RDNA 2 graphics. During a series of development streams this week, Valve unveiled more about the Steam Deck's custom chip, which is codenamed “Aerith”. 

AMD designed this chip focusing on stable clock speeds instead of going for high peak frequencies, as we see in most low-TDP SKUs. Named AMD Aerith, the SoC inside the Steam Deck features 4x Zen 2 CPU cores with 8x threads and a base clock speed of 2.4GHz, boosting up to 3.5GHz. As for the GPU, it's RDNA 2-based, offering 8CUs with clock speeds varying between 1.0GHz and 1.6GHz, capable of 1.6TFLOPS of graphics performance.

For storage, as we've already learned, there's a 64GB model using eMMC memory and 256GB and 512GB models using NVMe drives. Based on Valve's benchmarks, compared to the NVMe drive on the 512GB model, the eMMC solution takes 12.5% longer to load games and 25% longer to boot the system, while an SD card is 18% slower at loading games. Moving on to the memory, Valve stated it would be using 16GB of unified LPDDR5 memory with a total bandwidth of 88GB/s. Out of the 16GB of LPDDR5 memory, 1GB is dedicated to the GPU.

The TDP varies between 4W and 15W, depending on the components load, but Valve admits it didn't set a power limit for how much power the SoC can consume. To solve this, Valve is recommending developers limit frame rates. Moreover, the console will feature a global frame limiter if developers don't implement one in their games.

During the live stream, Valve employees also mentioned the console will support up to two 4K displays at 60Hz via the USB 3 Gen2/DisplayPort 1.4 connector. The included cable charges the console with 45W of power, allowing the user to play games while the battery is recharging., and even attach some peripherals without issues.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Considering the Steam Deck will use an RDNA 2-based AMD GPU, fidelityFX features like FSR should be supported at some point. Such a feature would be a welcome addition to the console, helping it to handle some of the more demanding titles available on Steam.

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Intel Core i9-12900K Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/intel-core-i9-12900k-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/intel-core-i9-12900k-review/#respond Thu, 04 Nov 2021 13:00:23 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=538523 Intel 12th Gen is here and Leo is checking out the big boy - the i9-12900K

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Today is a busy day for the industry, with Intel's 12th Gen processors now officially available, alongside new DDR5 memory kits and a whole raft of Z690 motherboards. Here we're focusing on the CPUs though, and specifically Intel's new consumer flagship part, the Core i9-12900K. With eight Performance cores and eight Efficiency cores, and a total of 24 threads, has Intel done enough to reclaim the desktop performance crown?

Timestamps:

00:00 Start
00:15 Introduction
01:09 Intel 12th Gen technical details
04:22 Test Setup for Core i9 12900k Review
05:50 DDR4 v DDR5 article
06:33 Windows 11 findings, so far
08:36 System build – finishing up
09:15 MSI Z690 Unify 1.0F BIOS
10:57 In Blender, what does the processor look like?
11:50 Intel Extreme Tuning Utility 7.5.3.3. overclock
12:19 Automatic overclock set – hitting 100c+
13:05 Leo’s extensive test results
19:05 Gaming test results – is it King? (as Intel claim)
20:52 Performance per £
21:17 Performance per watt of power
21:38 CPU temperature comparisons
22:00 Power Consumption
22:25 Leo’s Closing Thoughts

Be sure to check out our sponsors store EKWB here

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Razer launches first wave of DIY PC components https://www.kitguru.net/components/matthew-wilson/razer-launches-first-wave-of-diy-pc-components/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/matthew-wilson/razer-launches-first-wave-of-diy-pc-components/#respond Thu, 21 Oct 2021 18:00:06 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=536678 At long last, Razer is officially getting into the PC components business. Soon, you'll be able to kit your gaming PC out with Razer hardware, building off the success of the Razer Tomahawk case. Today at RazerCon, the company is announcing its first wave of components, including new case fans and a fan controller, an AIO liquid cooler and a Platinum-rated power supply. 

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At long last, Razer is officially getting into the PC components business. Soon, you'll be able to kit your gaming PC out with Razer hardware, building off the success of the Razer Tomahawk case. Today at RazerCon, the company is announcing its first wave of components, including new case fans and a fan controller, an AIO liquid cooler and a Platinum-rated power supply. 

Razer already has a strong foothold in the PC gaming market thanks to its range of peripherals and laptops. Razer began testing the waters in the DIY PC market with its very own Tomahawk case. Now, Razer is expanding its component range to cover several key areas, each certified and tested for extended reliability and to ensure components meet enthusiast level quality standards.

The Razer Hanbo Chroma is an all-in-one liquid cooler available with an addressable RGB pump cap and 240mm or 360mm radiator sizes. Razer teamed up with the experts at Asetek to produce this cooler, which uses an optimised pump intake design for silent operation and improved reliability.

Joining the Hanbo is the Razer Kunai, a new set of Chroma RGB case fans featuring the industry's latest hydraulic bearing technology. These fans are designed with a thin profile, while the blades are shaped to deliver maximum airflow while maintaining low noise levels. According to Razer, the Kunai fans are capable of producing 70 percent more static pressure compared to competing case fans, while also providing a 26 percent CFM improvement.

The Razer Kunai will be available in 120mm and 140mm sizes and also work with Razer's new PWM fan controller, which can support up to eight Kunai fans and integrates with Razer Synapse, so you can customise the fan curve to best suit your needs.

The final piece to the puzzle here is the Razer Katana, a new range of 80Plus Platinum rated ATX power supplies with modular cables, premium electrical components and of course, Chroma RGB. These power supplies will be available with wattages between 750W and 1200W, more than enough to power a cutting edge gaming rig. If you need a bit more juice though, then there is also an 80Plus Titanium 1600W model that will also be available.

Speaking on this new expansion into components, Razer CEO, Min-Liang Tan said: “The products we launched today are just the beginning of the many top-of-the-line PC components that we will be bringing to market in the near future. ‘For Gamers. By Gamers' is at the core of everything we do, and these new components deliver upon that promise with impeccable build quality for top notch desktop gaming performance”.

Razer's foray into the component market kicks off today with the Razer Kunai fans and fan controller, which are both available for £44.99. In November, the Razer Hanbo AIO liquid coolers will be available for an unspecified price, and the Razer Katana power supplies will be available in early 2022.

KitGuru Says: RazerCon kicked off with some pretty huge announcements. Will any of you be looking to kit out your gaming PC with Razer's new components? 

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MSI offering up to £120 cashback on PC hardware https://www.kitguru.net/components/joao-silva/msi-offering-up-to-120-cashback-on-pc-hardware/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/joao-silva/msi-offering-up-to-120-cashback-on-pc-hardware/#respond Fri, 02 Jul 2021 09:36:04 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=522133 Summer has come, and with it, MSI's ‘Beat the Heat with Cool Treats' promotion, allowing you to get up to a £120 cashback when buying components for a system. The promotion will run from July 1st to September 5th or while stocks last. MSI's new promotion is only available for selected products. To know in …

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Summer has come, and with it, MSI's ‘Beat the Heat with Cool Treats' promotion, allowing you to get up to a £120 cashback when buying components for a system. The promotion will run from July 1st to September 5th or while stocks last.

MSI's new promotion is only available for selected products. To know in detail which ones are included, visit the promotion's page, and select the product you want to buy to know how much you can get in cashback. The maximum amount of cashback that can be claimed is £120.

Generally speaking, the products included in this promotion are mostly PC components, including B560 and Z590 series motherboards, PSUs, PC cases, and AIO CPU coolers. The MAG series gaming chairs are also included. To get the most of the promotion, you can buy one of the selected combos, such as B560/Z590 motherboard + AIO, B560/Z590 motherboard + PC case, B560/Z590 motherboard + CPU, B560/Z590 motherboard + PSU, or PSU + PC case.

Once you make a qualifying purchase, go to the promotion website and follow the steps in the ‘How To Redeem' section. Besides this promotion, you can benefit from the ‘Shout Out for MSI' promotion, where you can write a review to receive a Steam voucher code, and MSI Reward Program, which allows you to earn points by writing reviews, referring friends, and more, which can then be redeemed to get MSI merchandise.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you planning to build a new PC soon? Will you take advantage of MSI's promotions?

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Nintendo Switch costs $257 to make, won’t line Nintendo’s pockets suggests report https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/paul-taylor/nintendo-switch-costs-257-to-make-wont-line-nintendos-pockets-suggests-report/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/paul-taylor/nintendo-switch-costs-257-to-make-wont-line-nintendos-pockets-suggests-report/#comments Thu, 06 Apr 2017 20:11:12 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=329165 Despite a number of teardown sites already having published complete guides on the Nintendo Switch, we now get a better idea of the BoM involved in the manufacture of the device through a report from Fomalhaut Techno Solutions in Japan. This lab has gutted the gaming device in order to create a bill of materials. …

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Despite a number of teardown sites already having published complete guides on the Nintendo Switch, we now get a better idea of the BoM involved in the manufacture of the device through a report from Fomalhaut Techno Solutions in Japan.

This lab has gutted the gaming device in order to create a bill of materials. According to Polygon who had access to the report, the touchscreen, Nvidia Tegra SoC and dock cost around $167 to manufacture, with the Joy-Cons adding an extra $45 to the bill. The remainder of the device (including a pricey USB-C power supply) and technology licensing pour on another $45 which, reported Fomalhaut, gives you a grand total of $257.

Considering the Switch was launched at $300 in the United States (£280 in the UK), one cannot really say that leaves behind much fat to trim, especially considering a retailer has to take his cut out of the price. But for a bit of perspective bear in mind that, at launch, the PS4 had an estimated BoM of $381 and retailed for $399, while the Xbox One (with Kinect) had a BoM of $471 and a retail price of $347, said Polygon.

This business model almost sounds risqué, always reminding us of the razor and blades business model, with almost no money being made on the device itself and relying entirely on the sales success of the complementary product, in this case games and gaming accessories. However, it is par to the course, if not better than average, in the land of gaming consoles. Some of the console’s AAA titles have seen remarkable sales (despite The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild not even ranking in the eShop Top 5 ) and as gaming accessories are launched, console makers tend to make a killing.

KitGuru Says: $257 for the Nintendo Switch’s BoM might sound steep, yet it is in line with other console launches and relies on a business model focused on the software and gaming accessories, which are never cheap.

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Xbox One manufacture more expensive than PS4 https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/console-desktop-pc/jon-martindale/xbox-one-manufacture-more-expensive-than-ps4/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/console-desktop-pc/jon-martindale/xbox-one-manufacture-more-expensive-than-ps4/#comments Wed, 27 Nov 2013 09:37:19 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=164562 If you wondered why Microsoft's Xbox One has a higher price tag than Sony's PS4, it's not just because the Xbox comes with a Kinect camera, it's also because the Xbox One costs quite a lot more to manufacture in the first place. At least that's what the report from AllthingsD is claiming. After a …

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If you wondered why Microsoft's Xbox One has a higher price tag than Sony's PS4, it's not just because the Xbox comes with a Kinect camera, it's also because the Xbox One costs quite a lot more to manufacture in the first place.

At least that's what the report from AllthingsD is claiming. After a breakdown by research firm IHS and an analysis of the internal hardware, the manufacturing process and the materials used throughout its construction, it believes the Xbox One costs as much as $471 to produce, which means with Microsoft's $499 US price tag, it's taking in only a few bucks per console sold. Sony's Ps4 is comparaatively cheap, costing just $381 to produce. With a $399 price tag in the US, that's a minor loss for each console sold (and potentially a bit more if you factor in retail chain profits), though this is a tactic Sony has used before, hoping to cash in on cheaper hardware by making money back on the game sales.

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What does “expensive” mean?

In the Xbox One's case, that extra $90 mostly goes on the Kinect, which is worth about $75. There's another $10 extra that went on the AMD APU in the Xbox One (over the PS4) despite the fact that its performance has been shown to be quite significantly less powerful than that of Sony's system.

That last $5 difference is a little harder to make up, especially when the PS4's GDDR5 ram is faster and more expensive than what you find in the Xbox One, which uses DDR3.

It's expected that over time, both companies will fine tune the hardware to be more cost effective, making it so that they can at least break even. 

KitGuru Says: I know both companies need to be competitive, but it seems crazy how much money they put into developing these machines and yet they make little to no money on them. 

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Asus ends 2012 on top of UK component market https://www.kitguru.net/components/harrison/asus-ends-2012-on-top-of-uk-component-market/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/harrison/asus-ends-2012-on-top-of-uk-component-market/#respond Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:13:39 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=120402 At KitGuru, we're always playing the ‘old geezer' card, using our grey hair and pot-bellies to bring back factoids from yesteryear. That means we can remember a time when current Asus board-level executives were driving up and down the UK countryside – working hard to generate any mainboard orders they could find. At the end …

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At KitGuru, we're always playing the ‘old geezer' card, using our grey hair and pot-bellies to bring back factoids from yesteryear. That means we can remember a time when current Asus board-level executives were driving up and down the UK countryside – working hard to generate any mainboard orders they could find. At the end of 2012, the situation is remarkably different. KitGuru gets the inside track on Asus' current standing.

In any organisation, losing key personnel can have an impact on your ability to compete. However, despite losing people in 2012, Asus seems to have managed ‘top spot' – in terms of market share – in many different sectors.

While waiting for the official figures to filter their way through, KitGuru has done some investigating and it seems that Asus is now number one, overall, for both graphic card shipments and mainboard sales into the UK. We are still waiting to hear if that means ‘Number one for nVidia and AMD on graphics – as well as number one for Intel and AMD on mainboards', but that is the kind of level where Asus is batting these days.

At the start of the year, we knew that there had been a lot of personnel changes – especially around sales. That kind of thing can have quite a serious impact on a company's ability to deliver. It says something about Asus as a company that they could lose UK Sales Manager Michael Buchanan, one of the best sales people in the industry (who went to Corsair), and yet still power forward and nail top spot.

But what about the other companies in this market?

The challenge for Asus' competitors is two-fold.

First, the more product you sell for a manufacturer (like nVidia, AMD or Intel), the more marketing funds they will make available – so success can create a ‘self fulfilling prophesy'. In other words, by achieving number on spot, Asus will be in position to increase its brand awareness further.

Second, Asus has long been tagged as ‘a company that wants its brand to be more like Sony'. In order words, to have mainstream appeal into a much wider audience. The launch of the EeePC/netbook launched Asus into the wider consciousness – and this year we saw a lot of mainstream technology/gadget awards going Asus' way – for example the T3 Gadget Awards Design win for the Transformer. Mainstream means greater brand recognition in the high street and should, long term, increase sales even more in the overall electronics marketplace.

The re-invention of Asus as a consumer brand, means that it can put a distance between itself and, say, Intel – where so much of the annual figure relies on traditional/shrinking markets. Asus is looking to position itself as a ‘technology company' and carry on growing.

Will Asus manage to post more then $15 billion in revenue for 2012?  We're still waiting on final numbers, but anything over $15 billion must be seen as a huge success for a company that does not really sell on price – competing in a price-driven market.

In most markets, you have 3 strategies available - get big, get specialist or get out. Which one is Asus following?

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KitGuru Says: Difficult choices ahead for companies competing against Asus. Should they look to reduce their cost base in order to make products that are more competitive – albeit with lower profits – or stand toe to toe with the Taiwanese giant and win on a combination of engineering and marketing?  Tough call.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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Foxconn confirms bribery investigation https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/foxconn-confirms-bribery-investigation/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/foxconn-confirms-bribery-investigation/#respond Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:11:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=121609 Foxconn has confirmed that it is currently undergoing an internal investigation, as well as one from the Chinese police forces, into whether staff at the company took bribes from suppliers. So far one man has been detained, with the Taiwanese manufacturer apparently investigating a further 10 individuals. According to Next Magazine, the investigation involves the …

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Foxconn has confirmed that it is currently undergoing an internal investigation, as well as one from the Chinese police forces, into whether staff at the company took bribes from suppliers. So far one man has been detained, with the Taiwanese manufacturer apparently investigating a further 10 individuals.

According to Next Magazine, the investigation involves the buying of surface-mount components. This led to the detention of one employee back in September, but many more are now under investigation. Foxconn has also shut down its involvement with suppliers it believes could have been had something to do with the bribery.

Foxconn
Foxconn has been targeted by protesters in the past for the way it treats its workforce

Foxconn released a statement, saying that the integrity of its employees was a serious matter and that it planned to prosecute any of them that were found to have taken part in any sorts of illegal activity. It also promised to carry out a full review of its policies, in order to “strengthen such measures to further mitigate against such actions.”

Of course this isn't the first time Foxconn has been embroiled in scandal, though it usually involves the higher ups instead of ground floor employees. Back in October last year, we heard how Foxconn had employed 14 year old children to manufacture its products and that it was pushing to have one of its brain damaged employees moved to a different medical facility where he would receive less than stellar care.

KitGuru Says: This one doesn't look as bad for Foxconn as all the other stories we've covered, but it's hardly good news. Who's betting that the bribery extends far higher up the food chain than it's being made out?

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Aria cuts prices to tempt even more spending https://www.kitguru.net/channel/harrison/aria-cuts-prices-to-tempt-even-more-spending/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/harrison/aria-cuts-prices-to-tempt-even-more-spending/#respond Fri, 28 Dec 2012 06:00:27 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=120340 While the UK is still looking forward to the credit card bills that will accompany a record breaking Boxing Day push of £2.6 billion, online retailers are not giving up hope that us consumers will consider one last wafer-thin-mint. KitGuru says ‘Better. Better get a bucket'. Shakespeare wrote of Cleopatra, Other women cloy the appetites …

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While the UK is still looking forward to the credit card bills that will accompany a record breaking Boxing Day push of £2.6 billion, online retailers are not giving up hope that us consumers will consider one last wafer-thin-mint. KitGuru says ‘Better. Better get a bucket'.

Shakespeare wrote of Cleopatra, Other women cloy the appetites they feed, but she makes hungry where most she satisfies”. Essentially, there are a lot of things in the world that will make you feel phat/stuffed/totally uninterested in more – but there is also a rare subset of products/people where the more you get, the more you want.

Welcome to technology.

While we may well have spent ourselves silly before, during and after Xmas – that doesn't mean that we won't stop looking.

To help feed the addiction, British reseller Aria has engaged in some cut-price temptation therapy and – among the scrolling screen of offers – there are some that really do grab your eye. See if your opinion matches ours for these four:-

24″ Dell Professional Panel down from £191 to £167 – but it's actually listed at £238 on Dell's own site. Apparently it's also arsenic free, which is good to know

Cooler Master Elite 343 Micro-ATX chassis down to £25 – while even the wily coyotes at Amazon are asking for more than £36. We're not going to ask about arsenic this time – we're just going to assume that it's not present

When KitGuru first considered reviewing the latest A10 APU from AMD, the mainboard supplied cost around £110. You can now get a high-quality alternative from Gigabyte for less than half that price, at just £49.

Not to be left out, if you wanted to hit the high end with an Asus P8Z77-V LE board, then Aria has cancelled the old £125 price point and gone with a much more palatable £109. Which was nice.

Naturally, you don't need to hit Aria for all your kit – most of the UK's online retail champions will be running deals through to January and – from what we can tell – there may never have been a better time for you to build/upgrade/augment.

The actual price cuts run across Aria's full range – and even include overclocked MSI GTX660 Ti cards.

Dell has a reputation for high quality TFTs and low pricing. When you see just how much cheaper Aria is than Dell, we think you'll be (pleasantly) surprised. The other prices are nice too, so 'Why spend more?'

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KitGuru says: Right now, hardcore KitGuru readers will be looking around their box and thinking, “OK, so I have 2x spare sticks of memory, an old 120GB SSD, a 500w PSU and a spare CPU. Do I really feel like making ANOTHER system?”   To which we already know the answer. It's an addiction and it demands to be fed.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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Target Components announces record revenues https://www.kitguru.net/channel/harrison/target-components-annouces-record-revenues/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/harrison/target-components-annouces-record-revenues/#respond Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:36:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=100448 In a world full of doom and gloom, it's nice to see a little rainbow glow coming from Castleford. With today's announcement, Target Components can draw a positive line under its efforts in recent years, to combat the nation's negativity and offer something a little more chirpy. KitGuru peers through the rain to check the …

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In a world full of doom and gloom, it's nice to see a little rainbow glow coming from Castleford. With today's announcement, Target Components can draw a positive line under its efforts in recent years, to combat the nation's negativity and offer something a little more chirpy. KitGuru peers through the rain to check the numbers.

Distributors come in all shapes and sizes, from the monolithic Avnet and Ingram to smaller and more specialised operations. For the technology markets they, essentially, provide a buffer between local stores and the manufacturers out in South East Asia.

Manufacturers want to ship products in huge containers, which travel the oceans for weeks before arriving on our shores. Your local PC store wants to buy a handful of products and put them on the shelf for sale. Companies like Target provide that buffer – holding stock and offering credit, to make sure the market runs smoothly.

So what kind of product might you buy in a shop, which has been supplied by Target?   Well, they carry a broad range – including Biostar mainboards, AFox and Sparkle cards from nVidia, alongside some VTX3D graphic cards from AMD. Target also does Samsung external drives and Hitachi internals.

Target also manufacture what the industry calls ‘White Box' solutions. These are PCs that are pre-built to a professional standard, then sold to stores who want to ‘add the final touches' themselves before offering them to the public. This has the advantage of allowing smaller computer stores to carry a wide range of specifications – without needing to hold all of the stock required to build them. Think of it like ‘Dell on a very small scale'.

Having posted £20 million in revenue, Target is officially 4.4% up on last year and it also managed to create over £706,000 in profit.

Nice.

This is now the sixth consecutive year of profit growth for the distributor, and the fifth record profit performance in a row, but represents a slowdown following five successive years of at least 40% bottom line growth.

Speaking about Managing director Paul Cubbage commented “We’re delighted to announce another record year in the current climate. We’ve invested heavily this year to increase the level of help and support that we provide our customers, particularly free business advice via Target Business Advisory Services and Shoptalk. We’ve also invested significantly in increasing our headcount, so to see profit increase is particularly pleasing, and is once again a testament to the resilience and loyalty of our customers”.

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KitGuru says: Overall, this is great news for the channel, because it shows that there IS life in the technology market.

Comments below or in the KitGuru forums.

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