While the gaming landscape seems to have shifted toward consoles in recent years, many feel PCs are still where the action is. Naturally those looking to experience the hottest video games in all their glory will need the appropriate hardware powering their rigs. Besides adopting newer platforms, at some point, every gamer or hardware enthusiast worth their salt will upgrade or at least consider upgrading their graphics card.

To thoroughly evaluate BioShock 2 we took 25 popular ATI and Nvidia videocards and tested them using medium and high quality settings at three resolutions generally supported by 22”, 24” and 30” LCD monitors.

There's a wealth of information to be had about SSD tweaking and with a bit of research you'll find various adjustments for Windows that can help you make the most of your drive. The thing is, to fine tune Windows, you'll waste a lot of time navigating menus and that's where SSD Tweak Utility steps in.

We bet at least once you've wondered about downloading a clip and although there are many tips and services around to help you accomplish such a feat, here's a few we consider to be the best.

Testing browser compatibility can drive any Web developer postal, especially when it comes to Internet Explorer. While there are multiple ways to install different versions of a browser on one computer, it's a headache waiting to happen. Thankfully, there are several solutions to this problem today, and a service from Code Systems is one of the most seamless ones we've come across so far.

We are going to take a look at some of the most anticipated PC games of 2010, from top to bottom in alphabetical order we have a total of 31 games spanning nearly every genre. Naturally, this list is subjective, but we hope it will allow you to keep tabs on what will likely be some of the best games this year. Sneak peak inside: Aliens vs. Predator, BioShock 2, Deux Ex 3, Just Cause 2, Mass Effect 2, Max Payne 3, Stalker: CoP, StarCraft II, WoW: Cataclysm, and plenty more!

With the New Year came CES, the largest consumer electronics expo in North America. We traveled to Las Vegas to attend the event and bring you the scoop on some of the latest products from the main players in the computing world.

USB 3.0 is the next major revision of the ubiquitous interface. Dubbed SuperSpeed USB, this new version promises a tenfold leap forward in transfer speeds as well as improved capabilities, all while maintaining compatibility with USB 2.0 devices. In the following few paragraphs we've rounded out all the relevant information that you as a consumer should know about the next-generation USB standard.

In the age of inexpensive 2 terabyte hard drives, a few gigs might not matter, but there are situations where you might need that extra space. For instance, if you purchase a solid-state drive to contain your operating system, applications and games, you'll grow to cherish every salvageable gigabyte. There a few simple adjustments you can make within Windows to regain some drive space.

Windows Update's automatic reboot can be one of the most annoying "features" in Microsoft operating systems. While it's a bit less pushy with Windows Vista and 7, allowing users to postpone the restart for up to four hours, you may not be at the computer to intercept the first or subsequent notifications.

This time around, we are going to show you how to customize the Windows 7 login screen. There are various methods to accomplish this, with and without third-party software. I understand many people might not want to rely on a third-party application, while others would appreciate a quicker, safer route. First up is the more hands-on approach, and then the utility.

Windows 7 ships with several unique themes and desktop backgrounds, ranging from the traditional scenic landscapes to creepy character art. In all, though, there are only about 13 accessible themes, which can't really cover the broad spectrum of individual taste. While it's a breeze to tweak themes to something you like, having more stock configurations to choose from certainly wouldn't hurt, right?

Not everyone has a speedy broadband Internet connection or a well-equipped PC, and tracking down a dozen or more pieces of software along with manually installing each one could easily burn an entire afternoon -- not counting the time it takes to get your new operating system up and running. To further compound that situation, what if you are doing it on more than one computer?

In our Modern Warfare 2 performance evaluation we test 19 different GPU configurations to give you a perfect picture of how your current or prospective system will perform with this title.

Although it may seem unnecessary at first thought, there is some practicality in having a software shortcut to instantly turn off your monitor. It could prove very useful with notebook computers, if yours doesn't have a keyboard shortcut for shutting down the screen. It could also be convenient in the presence of multiple monitors, your power button might be broken, or you may indeed just be that lazy.

If you have a free antivirus installed on your PC, there's a pretty good chance that it's either AVG or Avira -- both great options for the average person who needs a little protection. The inherent pitfall of many free applications is that they're packaged with nagware.

With Windows 7 pushed out to the masses, it's only a matter of time before the Web is flooded with all sorts of nifty tips and tricks as the inquisitive and tech savvy have their way with Microsoft's latest operating system. To get the ball rolling, we're going to show you how to access Windows 7's extended context menu, as well as how to edit, add, and remove items from it.

The much anticipated release of Windows 7 is finally upon us. This Thursday, October 22, Microsoft's latest operating system arrives on the scene looking to win over skeptics disappointed with the much-hyped but often criticized Windows Vista. Whereas its predecessor got off to a rough start with plentiful compatibility issues and incessant

Even if you have pre-ordered Microsoft's latest OS, installing it on top of your existing copy of Windows may feel a bit premature if you haven't been running the beta or RC as your main installation. Thankfully, setting up a dual boot configuration is both easy and practical. If you're looking for a quick and dirty, yet thorough how-to on getting Windows 7 to run alongside your installation of XP or Vista, read on.

Now that Windows 7 is creeping up on general availability, you’ll probably want to remove your RC installation. I assume most of you interested are running these pre-release versions in a dual boot configuration, and so this directly corresponds to our dual boot guide.

I guarantee that at least once in your life you've had to manually type the text of a printed paper into a digital document, and I'm sure halfway through you cursed at your keyboard and wished you could just scan the page into an editable text document. Sure, that can be easily taken care of with a scanner and OCR application at your disposal. But for those times when you are caught unprepared or on the go, a new Google Docs feature can help.

With the holiday rush approaching, it can be difficult to keep track of all the popular video games launching each week -- much less those on the horizon. Whether you're a casual gamer or just doing a little early Christmas shopping, we've collected a list of games we're most interested in this holiday season and the first quarter of next year.

Good Old Games is just about that, reviving PC gaming classics. GoG.com offers such classics like the original Fallout, MDK, Duke Nukem 3D and many more.

Most people sleep better at night knowing their PC is well equipped to thwart oncoming malware attacks. Out of paranoia some actually install multiple antivirus programs -- even though that's overly counterproductive. Indeed, with everything that you do on your computer and the information that resides on it, the safety of your sensitive data should be top priority. That said, with a little experience you can traverse the Web in peace with minimal security in place.

With Bing slowly but steadily rising in popularity Google is facing more pressure than ever to rejuvenate the search experience it has to offer. Sure, they still hold a clearly dominant share of the market at about 64.6% (versus 19.3% for its closest rival, Yahoo), but then again Google has proven to know better than to just rest on its laurels.

Today we will show you one method of bringing a fully functional Recycle Bin to your Windows 7 Taskbar, so you can clear off your desktop once and for all with little to no compromise.

If you're one of the 36-plus million Gmail users, you know how awesome Google's approach to email and web-based instant messaging can be. What you may not be aware of however, is that tucked away in the settings are over 50 features that you can toggle on to enhance your experience, ranging from minor tweaks to entirely new functions.

Microsoft has released a chart to help users figure out what upgrade paths are open to them. Unfortunately, the chart is so cluttered and dysfunctional that it makes the whole process seem much more complicated than it really is. In an attempt to smooth things out for our readers, we've created a condensed, easy-to-digest reference with all of the potential upgrade paths.

Whether you are a first time builder seeking guidance or a seasoned enthusiast lacking the time it takes to compare the seemingly endless pit of hardware available, we've got you covered.

Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 7, brings a slew of tweaks and improvements. While most adjustments are under the hood, the graphical user interface has received a facelift as well. One of the first changes you will notice is the revamped taskbar. Unofficially dubbed the "Superbar," this new feature is essentially a mash-up of the traditional Windows Quick Launch/taskbar and the Mac OS X dock.