ATX is the cockroach of PC {hardware} requirements

Welcome to The Full Nerd e-newsletter—your weekly dose of hardcore {hardware} discuss from the fanatics at PCWorld. Missed the new subjects on our YouTube present or newest buzz from throughout the net? I’ve obtained you coated.

Need this article to come back on to your inbox? Enroll on our web site!

This previous week, Adam printed a glance again on the previous few many years of PC part historical past, by the lens of my colleague Gordon Mah Ung’s profession. The reminiscences stretch from the mid-Nineties (together with Gordon in a full go well with and tie) to the current day of contests for the slowest benchmark outcomes. And by the top, I might see different individuals latching on to “change” as the largest theme all through.

The visible proof is there: the transfer from beige containers to vibrant, even obnoxiously coloured chassis; shifting case configurations and attitudes towards cable administration (oh, for the times once we might shove every thing inside and simply slap the aspect panel again on); even the leap to ferocious excessive core-count processors and screaming-fast graphics playing cards.

However whereas others might argue that change has been the fixed in pc {hardware}, I’d as an alternative champion ATX as one of many truest mainstays—and all of the proof of its regular, dependable presence over the previous 30 years is true within the video.

In construct after construct, ATX is there. An over-the-top, ludicrously decked out Dream Machine constructed by the crew at Most PC? ATX. The machine that received the continued competitors between Gordon and others (together with our pal Dr. Ian Cuttress) for the slowest benchmark ends in Cinebench R15? Additionally ATX. And even Gordon’s signature troll construct, the “reverse sleeper construct” that sported a shiny new case on the surface, and old-as-heck elements on the within? Yeah, ATX.

Gordon had his bones to choose with ATX—he complained typically that ATX was holding again the PC business. (And I imply typically, not simply on The Full Nerd when the cameras have been rolling.) However within the very subsequent breath, he would then rail towards corporations like Apple, which has zero challenge with (in Gordon’s phrases) throwing older tech overboard.

Willis Lai / Foundry

I’ve at all times had a special outlook, largely alongside the traces of Gordon’s follow-up rant. I’m open to a more recent customary that evolves the format of motherboards, certain. However I view the leap from the AT type issue to ATX extra as a sensible response, versus simply the insatiable starvation for innovation. ATX adopted AT after a decade, bringing additional enhancements to standardization and swappability of elements. However when BTX launched 9 years later, arguably “on schedule,” it did not take.

Not sufficient innovation, you can argue. However I view it as an indication of what really motivates leaps in expertise, whether or not the arrival of the printing press or desktop-sized private computer systems. I additionally suppose ATX’s ongoing relevance tells us quite a bit about the way forward for the PC. Innovation is a response to a necessity. Because the PC business has turn into more and more extra private, with a far wider spectrum of choices to handle particular wants, what innovation seems like might proceed to turn into smaller and extra delicate. And probably, it could even turn into much less fixed.

On this episode of The Full Nerd…

Willis Lai / Foundry

On this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Brad Chacos, Alaina Yee, and Will Smith discuss Intel being on the ropes, Zen 6’s emergence within the wild, and AI in Home windows. To me, I discovered a variety of commonalities between these subjects—they made me extraordinarily contemplative about what innovation within the PC house will appear to be, as a result of issues really feel a bit…confused.

Additionally, we obtained a glimpse into the outstanding particulars of the decor in Will’s residence workplace. All I can say is: That potato has a butt.

Missed our dwell present? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We additionally reply viewer questions in actual time! 

And for those who want extra {hardware} discuss throughout the remainder of the week, come be part of our Discord group—it’s filled with cool, laid-back nerds.

This week’s intriguing nerd information

I’m dealing with a second week in latest months the place I’m questioning my deal-hunting abilities, however a number of expertise wins are preserving my spirits up. What presently has me a bit starry-eyed: insanely quick web. So quick that I’m a bit giddy on the thought, although I’ll by no means see it in my neck of the woods.

• I can’t prime this knowledge hoarder’s deal-hunting abilities: Property gross sales could be a good technique to choose up helpful, attention-grabbing, or downright quirky stuff for fairly low cost. However to this point, I haven’t encountered any finds on the extent of 11 Western Digital 8TB exterior laborious drives for simply $360. Man. What a rating.

• Seems you possibly can put a value on nostalgia: $349 bucks is the price of reliving your greatest childhood reminiscences—aka getting your fingers on a remade Commodore 64, suitable with over 10,000 C64 video games and modernized to assist HDMI, USB, and Wi-Fi. I hope this works out higher than the Analogue 3D. (Not gonna lie, I’m a bit nervous Analogue received’t survive the tariffs, as they’re absorbing the upper prices.)

• Self-destructing SSDs? Cross. Don’t get me mistaken—TeamGroup’s reveal of an SSD that destroys itself with the push of a button obtained my consideration. However look, I’m low cost. Taking a hammer to my drives appears method less complicated and prices quite a bit much less. (As does taking them over to an organization that has a correct shredder.) Additionally, if I’m dealing with knowledge delicate sufficient to require prompt obliteration…why is it in my residence?

• The web is constructed on duct tape and string: For programs engineers, DNS most likely provides y’all a variety of complications. I actually would have one, figuring out simply how fragile the system is. Or when seeing proof that malware could be casually slipped into DNS data. Enjoyable.

• Linux is successful: Simply kidding, it’s nonetheless barely a fraction of customers on desktop PCs. However it’s gaining a bit little bit of headway within the U.S.—we’ve now reached a milestone of over 5 p.c market share.

Gigabyte

• When will 6-cores turn into default? Effectively, not simply but: Brad floated the concept throughout this week’s episode that Zen 6 might shift to six-core CPUs because the baseline. However we’ve additionally commented a number of occasions on the present that the price range finish isn’t getting a lot consideration. I suppose these laments received out, as the most popular chip information this week is AMD’s Ryzen AI 5 330, a four-core, eight-threaded Copilot+ laptop computer chip.

• Replace your Gigabyte motherboard ASAP…for those who can: Operating an Intel processor? Maybe one throughout the vary of eighth gen to eleventh gen? Is it sitting in a Gigabyte motherboard? Higher test pronto if an replace is accessible for it, as a result of a vulnerability that lets attackers bypass Safe Boot was simply disclosed. But when yours is simply too previous, you may very well need to improve your {hardware} all collectively to keep away from this safety gap. 🙁

• Why not simply purchase precise gold as an alternative? Look, I do know the RTX 4090 has largely held its worth. And perhaps that’ll prolong to the RTX 5090, too. However once I first noticed Asus’s RTX 5090 ROG Astral Actual Gold Version (aka the RTX 5090 made with 11 kilos of 24-carat gold), I assumed, “Absolutely investing in precise 24-carat gold bars could be the higher name.” I’m a product of my upbringing, which incorporates very immigrant grandparents.

• I need Japan’s fiber optic web tech: The land of the fax machine is claiming a record-breaking transmission fee of 127,500GB/s (sure, the large B, so actually quick) over a distance of roughly 1,100 miles. Positive, I’d solely use such velocity to load cat movies instantaneously, however I nonetheless need it.

Catch you all subsequent week, when hopefully the new elements of the world are cooler, and the chilly elements are hotter. It’s 62 levels proper now in San Francisco. Additionally alleged to rain subsequent week. Yup.

Alaina

This text is devoted to the reminiscence of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and government editor of {hardware} at PCWorld.