Maximum PC - UK (2020-03)

maximumpc.com MAR 2020 MAXIMUMPC 53

R&D

examining technology and putting it to use

TIP OF THE MONTH

MAKE – USE – CREATE

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDES TO IMPROVING YOUR PC

CHRISTIAN GUYTON

STAFF WRITER

REARM AND

RELOAD

Tensions were high in the office

this month, as we attempted to

upgrade our esteemed editor’s

PC, while also building the high-

end gaming system featured on

the magazine cover. Ultimately, we

were successful, but upgrading an

entire system is never as simple

as you’d think; it’s often easier to

make those upgrades piece by

piece, over a longer period.

Compatibility between CPU and

motherboard is a frequent sticking

point—just because a mobo can

be compatible with a certain

processor, it doesn’t guarantee

that it will be. The board may

require a BIOS update (or a reset)

first, but a different, actually

compatible CPU is needed to do

so. This can trip up inexperienced

builders as it’s rarely highlighted

by manufacturers.

Another issue is CPU cooler

clearance. Always check that your

new cooler or GPU has space to

fit inside your case. That said, the

listed height of the Cooler Master

heatsink I slapped inside our

featured build is 166.5mm, while

the case lists its CPU clearance

as 160mm. Surprisingly, though,

it fitted. That reminded me of the

more enjoyable aspects of PC

building, where experimentation

and exploration rule. Sometimes,

the only way to find out if

something will work is to try it.

KNOW YOUR TEMPERATURES

Any seasoned system-builder should know that keeping an

eye on your hardware’s temperatures using HWMonitor or

Real Temp is a must. But it’s important to take things one

step beyond: Do your research, and find out the actual ideal

operating temperature ranges for your CPU, GPU, memory,

and storage. Make sure your components are running within

those ranges, and they’ll last longer and prevent throttling.

↘ submit your How To project idea to: [email protected]

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