Computer hardware review sites?

June 9, 2008 6:25 PM

Is there a website that tests computer hardware like Tom's Hardware does, but publishes comprehensive comparison artilces more regularly?

I'm looking to do some serious upgrades to my system, but I've been out of the loop for awhile, so I need good information that compares the latest CPUs, video cards, etc. Tom's Hardware does excellent tests, but it's pretty rare (maybe once a year, at the most) that they'll do a comprehensive comparison of the various options that are available, taking into account performance, cost, etc. That makes it hard for me to use the site without reading through tons of articles. I'm looking for a site that publishes comparison articles for computer components regularly (maybe four times a year?). CNET's not terrible for full systems, laptops, PDAs, etc., but there's not much info on individual components.

posted by ErWenn to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

Best answer: I like Anandtech for general hardware reviews, news, and such--though it might be more industry-oriented than you need. I also like using Ars Technica's System Guides (the link goes to the most recent one, from this May). They're published once a month and give a pretty good summary of what's available at different budget levels. Hope these help!
posted by thack3r at 7:16 PM on June 9, 2008

thack3r's nailed it, on both counts.
posted by intermod at 7:32 PM on June 9, 2008

And, Tom's Hardware sucks, has for a long time now.
posted by intermod at 7:33 PM on June 9, 2008

If you're upgrading, you may like Ars Technica's Buyer's Guide.
posted by PueExMachina at 8:05 PM on June 9, 2008

The Tech Report is good, too.
posted by Class Goat at 9:07 PM on June 9, 2008

(metafilter's own) Dan's Data is nowhere near as comprehensive as the sites recommended above but makes up for it in editorial license.
posted by mendel at 9:13 PM on June 9, 2008

Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. Anandtech has good in-depth coverage, but it's got the same problem as Tom's, where you have to read the last 6 months worth of articles to get a good overview. The Ars Technica guides have been very useful. Not terribly in-depth, but they gave me a good starting point. I'll check out The Tech Report and Dan's Data when I have a little more time.
posted by ErWenn at 1:30 PM on June 10, 2008