PUBG Mobile PC Game installation

For last few years it is seen that there are too many viral games comes in the picture like hey-day, clash of clans etc. But in these days PUBG game is going so much viral that there is almost everyone know about this game.

Everyone knows about PUBG game and how interesting this thriller game. PUBG Mobile PC game is most popular in market. Best thing is that there is no age limit for playing and enjoying this game because almost from 18-35 years old people likes to play PUBG.

Blue hole company has made this game. They have design this game so precisely so almost everyone who get the taste of this game then they used to play this game and get addicted.

Here I am going to share how to download PUBG game for mobile and how you can play in your PC or laptop. It is heard that PUBG has good effect then playing on mobile is so worthy.  So you Easly play PUBG Mobile PC Game.

How to download PUBG on Mobile: –

Step 1: – First of all you have visit play store if you are using android device or app store if you are using IOs.

Step2: – Then click on search icon and type PUBG, here you will see PUBG apk file.

Step 3: – After clicking on the icon downloading will be start, after downloading click on install and install this game on your device. Make sure you have connection to Wi-Fi or you have large data pack because it will consume your almost 1.5gb data.

Step 4: – As installing finished, you can directly enter into game. First page you will see that it is player's unknown battle ground.

It indicates that you can play this game in a team by inviting your known friends or also you can play by selecting alternating team given by PUBG corporation.

As we know there are too many reviews coming that PUBG game has best experience while playing in PC or Laptop. It used your graphic card capacity to give you best graphics as well as sound effect for getting the real effect of battle ground effect. So let's go for Step by step Installation guide of PUBG mobile PC.

How to Install PUBG mobile PC: –

First of all, before proceeding for downloading PUBG for PC you have to download software on your laptop or PC called as Bluestack. Bluestack is a software that gives you permission for running the apk file of android on your PC or Laptop.

Step 1: –Steps for download Bluestack: –

Step 1: – You have visit its official website of Bluestack by the help of google search engine.

Step 2: – Here you will find the direct free downloading link for Bluestack.

Once you have complete downloading blue stack software you can go for further process.

Step 2: –After opening Bluestack software, you have to download PUBG game in the software. Here you have entered Gmail and mobile number. Make sure that you have enter correct mobile number because it will be used for verification.

Step 3: –After downloading PUBG mobile PC in Bluestack, you can run this app and enjoy game in your PC.

You can also run other application using Bluestack.

This is a basic trick that will allows you to play PUBG on you PC or Laptop. If you don't waste your time and lengthy process, then there is another process that also used for downloading PUBG mobile PC.

You can get More exciting games like PUBG By click on Techpepe.

How to download PUBG mobile PC without Bluestack: –

For this easy trick you have to download PUBG installer on your computer.

After downloading PUBG installer You have to install exe file of PUBG from your device or directly downloading from website.

For proper downloading, you have to follow full procedure and fill all information which required on the screen.

As you completed the downloading, the PUBG game will automatically open on your PC screen.

It is the best way to download PUBG on your PC or laptop without wasting your money.

Some tips to keep in your mind before downloading on your PC: –

While using PC or laptop for playing PUBG you have to keep one thing in your mind that there will be two choices that you have play by paying or you want play PUBG for free. You have aware about such frauds. Because there are too many rooms created for playing PUBG tournament for paid. It will give you reward after winning.

While playing PUBG on your PC you have to use the mouse and Keyboard of you PC or Laptop. And also you can purchase joy stick for playing PUBG for getting best feeling while playing.

If you are habituated with mobile playing then there is much more difference while playing on PC, because there are all your control keys are different and you have play PUBG by using mouse and Keys of your PC. It makes more difference. But it is obvious thing that Big screen of your PC will gives best experience rather than your small tiny mobile device.

If you are playing PUBG on PC, then you should know about some sort-cut keys: –

If you want to dive into water the press "C" and hold and for rising from water hold "Spacebar"

If you want to change seats while driving vehicle you have to press "ctrl+ 1/2/3/4"

If you want to spring in auto mode, then click "=" key

If you want to control your bike in the air, then hold space-bar and left ctrl key

Conclusion: –

PUBG is the best gaming stage for all gaming lovers. It is widely famous in the all around the world. PUBG corporation have made a best platform for all game adductor to play the game in the group, in dual mode or in solo mode. It allows you to make team with unknown people and battle with unknown people that's why they have headline like Player unknowns battle ground.

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10 best free Racing Games for PC from the Microsoft Store

[unable to retrieve full-text content]... not consider this game unless your PC is powerful enough to support the game. The 21.8GB monster has excellent graphics and I am surprised that it's available for free. It uses the most advanced o...

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Best PC power supply 2019: top PSUs for your PC

If you're getting ready to build the best PC you can muster, picking up one of the best power supplies is critically important. We know it doesn't have the luster of one of the best graphics cards, but every PC component in your PC will rely on your power supply. Even if it means you have less cash to splurge on one of the best processors, this is one compromise you won't want to make. 

Not that picking up one of the best power supplies has to be expensive. Even if you're on a budget, you can find good deals on many of the best PSUs. Don't worry, there are still bougie  power supplies out there, bedecked in RGB lighting and enough wattage capacity to power a small village – or one of the best gaming PCs with two RTX 2080 Tis in SLI. No matter what you need, though, we'll help you find the best PC power supplies for your build.

And, you're going to want to find the best one. Having a PC power supply die on you is a terrible experience, and many of the symptoms of a dying power supply can slip by unnoticed. The worst silent killer could be as subtle as some lost power efficiency, leading to your PC to outright refuse to turn on one day. By the time you notice your PSU is starting to die, it may be too late. So, don't wait until you have a power crisis, pick up one of the best PC power supplies today, so it doesn't fail tomorrow. 

© Provided by Future Publishing Ltd.

The Corsair RM750x scores the top spot on this list for one simple reason: it's the most well-rounded power supply you can buy today. On top of a 10 year warranty and an 80 Gold Plus efficiency rating, the Corsair has a fully modular cable system. This means you only need to install the cables you need – you can say goodbye to the mess of cables and shoddy airflow that non-modular PSUs endure. 

© Provided by Future Publishing Ltd.

If you're looking to save some cash on your PC build, you don't have a ton of options for cheap power supplies that aren't terrible. In situations like this, an economical option like the EVGA 500 B1 might be the best PC power supply for you. For less than the cost of a AAA game, you can expect 500 watts of power transmitted through several SATA cables and two PCIe cables – it covers the bare essentials, which is exactly what a budget power supply should do. The three-year warranty is just the cherry on top.

This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair RM750x 

© Provided by Future Publishing Ltd.

Even the best PSUs seem to have extremely loud fans, and unlike case fans, it's not exactly easy to replace them. Luckily, the Straight Power 10 line-up runs nice and quiet. Options range from 400w to 700w, and they're SLI and Crossfire certified. They're also modular, meaning you only need to use the cables that are necessary for your build.  

© Provided by Future Publishing Ltd.

The best PC power supplies unfortunately tend to be giant hunks of metal that don't fit into smaller PC cases. However, the Silverstone SFX SST SX550 is a compact power supply that fits in plenty of cases. It's half the size of most of the other PSUs on this list, allowing for more room for better airflow. This makes it an easy pick for anyone building a mini ITX or micro ATX build, and you can even slide it into a mid- or full-tower, if you feel like it. And, with small form-factor PCs being all the rage in 2018 – it's easy to see why the Silverstone SFX is one of the best PC power supplies.

© Provided by Future Publishing Ltd.

If you're a serious builder that plans on building an absolute behemoth of a rig, with multiple graphics cards, cooling systems on top of some healthy overclocking, the Corsair AX1500i is the best PC power supply for you. It has the highest possible 80 Plus Titanium efficiency rating, and is fully modular, so you only need to add the cables your build actually requires. 

© Provided by Future Publishing Ltd.

If you're really trying to maximise the visual appeal of your build, a modular power supply is almost essential – you can avoid all of those messy looking wires cluttering up your case. The NZXT E650 takes things a step further. Not only is it a fully modular power supply, meaning you only need to connect the wires you actually need, but it's also extremely attractive itself, begging to be shown off in your case. This is all topped off with an 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating and a 10-year warranty – not only will it look good, but it'll deliver power efficiently and last forever while it does it. 

© Provided by Future Publishing Ltd.

In 2018, if your PC isn't strapped to the nines with RGB lighting, you're not trying hard enough. Enter the Thermaltake Smart RGB 700W – not only does it have beautiful, addressable RGB lighting, but it also features a reliable 80 Plus efficiency rating and enough power to support even the best gaming PCs. Yeah, it's not modular, but at less than a hundred bucks, we're willing to look the other way – especially with that sick lighting. 

Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article

© Courtesy of techradar.com techradar.com image

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Resident Evil 2 Tech Analysis: PS4 Pro vs Xbox One X vs PC Graphics Comparison

Resident Evil 2 is a technical marvel and it offers a peek at what next-gen visuals might look like.

We recently got our hands on with the much-anticipated Resident Evil 2 for current generation of consoles and modern gaming PCs. Announced way back in 2015 and only revealed last year, Resident Evil 2 is more than a remake of the 1998 title. Continuing the same claustrophobic feel that the original game was known for, Resident Evil 2 not only manages to push visual barriers on consoles and gaming PCs, but also manages to deliver a phenomenal gameplay experience that will please action and horror enthusiasts in a number of different ways. Resident Evil 2 successfully translates a 20-year-old game for the modern era and then manages to present intriguing gameplay mechanics in front of an audience who may not have even heard or played the original. It's shocking and gratifying to see a game reimagined for the current era, whilst respecting its source mat erial.

The original Resident Evil 2 is largely considered to be of the best survival horror games of all time. And one of the reasons behind that was its dark and eerie music that inserted suspense into the players' mind at every step of the way. But with this new title, the developers have upped the ante as far as audio design is concerned. The game uses dynamic mixing stage along with binaural technology which accordingly tweaks the hearing frequency of outgoing sounds from your TV set. In simpler terms, if a door behind the character is shut, you will hear the sound from back of your ears. Even simple audibles like zombies roaring or the dynamic background music which changes accordingly to the situation does a great job of relaying the atmosphere to the player.

Talking about the atmosphere, Resident Evil 2 features drastic differences in terms of tone and art style compared to the original. In 1998, the game featured mostly well-lit areas but the 2019 version is much darker and tense and the developers have utilized some excellent lighting techniques to achieve the desired results. Resident Evil 2 is perhaps one of the finest examples of lighting technology by using a completely physical based rendering solution that helps in adding a sense of suspension and disbelief in player's heart at times.

Resident Evil 2 also manages to deliver some excellent looking cutscenes and dare I say, it also renders one of the best if not the best looking cutscenes in a video game. Backed up by some exceptional motion capture and animation work, and once again, a complete adherence to physical based lighting results into realistic looking characters. At times, the cutscenes and certain gameplay sections look eerily close to real life, whose impact is further enhanced by the awesome weather and post processing effects. Although the game doesn't use a dynamic weather system (it doesn't need one due to the focus on interiors), seeing the rain effect in action along with your character's hair and clothes getting wet is pretty gratifying.

Furthermore, Resident Evil 2 also delivers the most detailed looking zombies of all time in a video game. Some of them look outright scary and some are detestable. Regardless of your feelings towards them, the developers have nailed their design with most zombies looking unique and different, not to mention disgusting.  Overall, Resident Evil 2, marks a drastic shift in the technical capabilities of the RE Engine, specially in its lighting, audio design and cutscene rendering.

Now, let's talk about how the game performs on the PC, Xbox One X and PS4 Pro. As usual, let's begin with the PC version. The game's recommended hardware requirements suggest an Intel Core i7-3770 or AMD FX-9590 or better, 8GB of memory and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 480 with 3GB VRAM. We tested this game on our test PC which includes a GTX 1080Ti, 16GB of GDDR4 memory and Ryzen 1700 CPU. The game features a wide range of graphical settings and it seems that it will likely be scalable across a wide range of hardware. RE Engine on PC allows gamers to select between DX 11 and DX 12 APIs and we decided to run with the latter. Other settings include rendering mode which allows players to render the game in Normal or Interlaced mode. The latter reduces the image quality by outputting a composite image with lines. This is likely an artistic option since it has next to no impact on performance at all. Next up are anti-aliasing which features the likes of FXAA + TAA an d SMAA, Image quality up to 200%, frame rate, V-sync, shadow quality, shadow cache, screen space reflections, subsurface Scattering, motion blur, lens flare, film noise and more. There is also an option to adjust texture quality which allocates up to 8GB of your hardware's VRAM. This is one of the most intensive options in the game which can drag down the game's performance. The graphical settings also came packed with a visual indicator of what the settings really do and what kind of impact it has on performance and the amount of VRAM each setting consumes. Such a presentation is appreciated although it does seem to be a bit buggy. Running the game at max settings required more than 12GB of memory but we were able to run everything maxed out on our GTX 1080 Ti card (which by the way has 11GB of memory). There were next to no performance hits in our playthrough, so, yes, the visual indicator may not always be correct, at least in our case.

Running the game at maxed settings on the PC is the way to play this game. The visuals look stunning, the already fantastic looking cutscenes manage to look even better and the lighting effects are through the roof. From a pure technical perspective, this title on the PC (along with last year's Red Dead Redemption 2) is most likely our early look at next-gen capabilities, although, I must add that hair rendering still needs work.

So, how do the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X versions stack up against the PC build and most importantly what are the core differences between themselves? To begin with, both Xbox One X and PS4 Pro versions render at 2880×1620 resolution with both platforms targeting 60 frames per second. Performance is more or less locked in the sections we played, so, overall, this is a pretty tight effort by the developers. Both platforms utilize temporal anti-aliasing along with 1:1 core asset package, shadow quality and lighting effects. However, the PS4 Pro version showcases a bit of aliasing effect at times resulting into jaggies on distant objects. This happened very rarely but it's something we observed a couple of times. This inconsistency, however, was absent on the Xbox One X build.

Compared to the PC build, both PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, for some odd reason, feature a darker look and feel. Now, we know this may be down to the in-game brightness settings but we don't usually change that setting and always run at default parameter. The PC version is easily head and shoulders above the console versions and it leads in several parameters like superior texture quality, shadow cache, screen space reflections and more. The PC version at maxed setting is an absolute stunner and even a powerful home console like Xbox One X is no where close to it. Resident Evil 2 is one of those rare cases where the PC version is way ahead of its console counterparts and it really makes us excited about the future of next-gen visuals.

In the end, Resident Evil 2 is a treat on whichever platform you play the game on. Advance visual effects along with the best in class lighting effects and cutscenes elevate Resident Evil 2 to an all together different graphical territory. Resident Evil 2 makes a serious statement for the RE Engine. The engine and its framework are  ready and scalable for the inevitable Resident Evil 8 and we can't wait to see where the developers take it next.

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26 Best Modern PC Games You Can Play On Your Potato

It's hard to always stay up to date with the latest graphic cards and processors. A lot of the time, you just want to stick with what you have, even if that means you can't play the newest games. Still, you have to have some some modern PC games play on that potato computer you've had for the last decade or so.

Playing games on a semi-outdated computer doesn't mean you have to stick to playing Solitaire and Minesweeper. In fact, there's a lot of fairly recent games that you'll be able to play even if your computer looks like it runs on coal instead of electricity.

The games here should mostly be from the last decade, but the list itself has no particular order as for quality or required power. Games on this list of the best modern PC games should definitely be runnable on most PCs and laptops you can find nowadays, and also still support a computer from ten years ago.

1. Thomas was Alone

Specs: Intel Pentium 4 1.8 GHz, AMD Radeon X600 Series, 1 GB RAM Developer:  Mike BithellPublisher: Mike Bithell

Thomas was Alone is a classic when it comes to low-spec PC games. It was originally released as a Flash-based browser game, so it's no wonder that it runs on virtually anything. The story of a group of self-aware AI represented in a 2D world as simple rectangles narrated by Danny Wallace (whose performance won him a BAFTA) is incredibly charming. The gameplay is simple, too, with the possibilities of jumping, moving left and right, and switching characters — each coming with their own unique ability to help you traverse the world.

2. Cuphead

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz, GeForce 9600 GT, 2GB RAM Developer: Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.Publisher: Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc./Microsoft

A run and gun indie game with the style of 1930s cartoons (think early Disney or Max Fleischer), Cuphead was an instant classic when it came out. Two brothers, Cuphead and Mugman, try to find and destroy their deal with the devil after they lose a bet to him. The punishingly difficult gameplay takes you through the overworld of the Inkwell Isles as you shoot and parry everything that stands in your way.  If you want, you can even play the game as a friend with local co-op; it might not be the best idea on a really slow computer, though.

3. Undertale

Specs: 128 MB graphics card, 2 GB RAMDeveloper: tobyfoxPublisher: tobyfox

Toby Fox's indie game Undertale made waves when it came out for many reasons. The biggest factor (besides its instant meme-ability) was the fact that its combat system let you spare monsters instead of killing them, making a difference on the story of the game. Although the combat is reminiscent of the Mother franchise at first, you're then faced with mini bullet hell scenarios where you avoid attacks with your cursor. To top it all off, when you play through the game a second or third time, the dialogue changes based on your actions in previous runthroughs.

4. The Black Watchmen

Specs: 2GB RAMDeveloper: Alice & SmithPublisher: Alice & Smith

If you want to play a game that gives you the answers to questions you never knew you wanted to ask (and also will almost definitely put you on several government watchlists), The Black Watchmen is perfect. As an agent of the secret organization called The Black Watchmen, you're tasked with cracking codes, researching fake companies (with real websites), and finding occult beings. Although the game has a somewhat easy start, the difficulty really ramps up towards the end. This game asks almost nothing of your computer; most of the action takes place in your internet browser. Not to mention, this game's fandom is probably the most accepting community I've ever had the joy of meeting.

5. Night in the Woods

Specs: Intel i5 Quad-Core, Intel HD 4000, 4 GB RAMDeveloper: Infinite FallPublisher: Finji

Night in the Woods is about a college dropout called Mae Borowski who returns to her home of Possum Springs. As you run and jump around the city of animal-like humans, you'll find that not everything is as it seems. The dialogue switches from superficial to poignant all the time, giving the game a sense of depth often only achieved by being high at 2AM in field of sunflowers. Although the game boasts a bright colour palette, it uses this for darker scenarios, too, as the small-town charm of a former mining town washes away to reveal darker workings.

6. Hearthstone

Specs: Intel Pentium D, NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT, 3GB RAM Developer: BlizzardPublisher: Blizzard

This is one of the more addictive entries on the list. It's also the one that — despite being a free game — will probably cost you the most. For those of you who don't know it yet, Hearthstone is Blizzard's TCG, with characters from World of Warcraft. The game's mana system doesn't require you to play cards to build up mana, and you can't play spells in the other player's turn (although secrets can be triggered by your opponent's actions in their turn).

READ NEXT: The Best Free PC Games

7. Civilization V

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz, 256 MB NVidia 7900 GS, 2GB RAMDeveloper:Publisher:

Famous for the phrase "One More Turn", Civilization V is another highly addictive entry. This real-time strategy game has you building up a civilization from the start, choosing one of countless infamous historical leaders as you go through several eras. Will you be the first to make meaningful technological discoveries, or will you be the first one to invade and take over the rest of the world?

8. Minecraft Source: VentureBeat

Specs: Intel Core i3-3210 3.2GHz, NVidia GeForce 400 Series, 4 GB RAMDeveloper: MojangPublisher: Microsoft

Although it's often seen as a game for kids, there's no harm in letting your creativity flow. With the game still being regularly updated, you're bound to find something for yourself to do in Minecraft. You can really let your creativity flow, or you can see how long you can survive. Try to make it to The End, have some fun with mods, or check out the multiplayer servers with so many special game modes they'd make a gameshow host drool. The world's your block-shaped oyster.

9. Danganronpa 1-2 Reload

Specs: 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 3 GB RAM Developer: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.Publisher: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.

If you're up for some anime whodunnit action, the Danganronpa games are just the thing for you. The Danganronpa 1-2 Reload collection has both of the first two games, but you can buy them separately, too. The games are part 2.5-D point and click mystery game, and part visual novel as you shoot through lies and contradictions to find out who murdered one of your fellow schoolmates. Only one of the students at Hope's Peak Academy can survive, unless you can solve the mysteries surrounding this killing game beforehand.

10. Grim Fandango Remastered

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz, ATI Radeon HD 4650, 4 GB RAM Developer: Double Fine ProductionsPublisher: Double Fine Productions

This one's technically cheating, but I'll let it pass since it's a must-play; this remaster released in 2015, anyway. Grim Fandango is an absolute classic and it's available on Steam now, too. Follow the point-and-click adventures of Manny Calavera in the Land of the Dead as he finds himself in all manner of situations looking for his love. With designs based on Dia De Los Muertos and one-liners that'll leave you in stitches, the game is gorgeous and not enough people have played it. Please play it.

11. Papers, Please

Specs: 1.5 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAMDeveloper: Lucas PopePublisher: 3909

Glory to Arstotzka! Like everyone, you've probably always dreamed of playing a game where you work at border control for a fictional communist country, managing rent as you try to not let any unauthorized people into the country. Papers, Please takes exactly that premise and turns it into one of the most intriguing games — and it's all with low-resolution 2D graphics to boot.

12. Stardew Valley

Specs: 2 GHz, 2 GB RAMDeveloper: ConcernedApePublisher: ConcernedApe

Stardew Valley is a farming simulator that charmed the hearts of so many people when it released in 2016. From caves and mysterious forests to Pelican Town with its befriendable (and some even dateable) residents, this game has everything you need. Manage the farm you inherited from your grandfather as you take care of the crops and animals, or even go on quests and fight dangerous monsters.

13. Prison Architect

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5GHz, NVidia 8600, 4 GB RAMDeveloper: Introversion SoftwarePublisher: Introversion Software

If managing a farm isn't quite your style, maybe you'll want to try designing a prison instead. Watch over hundreds of prisoners as you set everything up, from sleeping quarters to official offices, making sure nothing goes wrong, and everyone is safe. Of course, if a touch of Schadenfreude tickles your fancy, you can make sure everything goes wrong and nothing is safe. Up to you, really.

14. This War of Mine Source: wallpaperscraft.com

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4, Geforce 9600 GS, 2GB RAM Developer: 11 bit studiosPublisher: 11 bit studios

This War of Mine is one of the most devastating war games you'll be able to find. Instead of controlling soldiers who trudge from frontier to frontier, you control the civilians struggling in the midst of it all, searching for food, medicine, and safety. You control these survivors and manage the shelter they live in, making decisions that can utterly destroy you, hoping that you won't lose anyone. From the design to the story, this whole game is designed to tear your heart to shreds.

15. Bastion

Specs: 1.7 GHz Dual Core, 2GB RAM Developer: Supergiant GamesPublisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

An utterly beautiful isometric action-RPG, Bastion has you discover a destroyed world after the Calamity. You tread through hand-painted setpieces with a narrator that reacts to how you play the game, fighting every monster that dares to get in your way. There are several unique upgradeable weapons, too; you can choose what you want to use as you discover 6 powerful Bastion structures.

16. Evoland

Specs: 1.7 GHz single-core, 1 GB RAMDeveloper: Shiro GamesPublisher: Shiro Games

Evoland takes you through the history of gaming by changing the game as you play. Not only do you have upgrades for your character, but the whole world itself changes when you find upgrades that revamp the game's visuals. As you start in a colourless, 2D world, you find yourself with more and more vibrant colours, with more texture, and suddenly, more dimensions. Any fans of action-adventure classics will instantly fall in love with this one.

17. Salt and Sanctuary

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8 GHz, 1 GB RAMDeveloper: Ska StudiosPublisher: Ska Studios

In a land where the very wind spins tales of mystery, Salt and Sanctuary has you fend off the beings that stalk its darkest depths. Face brutal traps and monstrous creatures while you try to survive a mysterious island where is all is not where it seems. There are more than 20 bosses to face and a system that lets you equip your character for your prefered playstyle. If you like a challenge, this is your game.

18. Kentucky Route Zero

Specs: 1 GHz, 523 MB RAM Developer: Cardboard ComputerPublisher: Cardboard Computer

The first act of Kentucky Route Zero released in 2013 and the game has been in constant development since then, releasing a new act after a certain period of time. The final act will be releasing sometime this year, and the poignant story will finally come to a close. The point and click game is much more of a sombre experience based on dialogue and other interactions with characters than traditional puzzles or action. Still, its mysteries and oddities will delight you as much as they make you think.

19. Owlboy

Specs: Dual Core, 1 GB RAMDeveloper: D-Pad StudioPublisher: D-Pad Studio

If you're looking for a platforming adventure game that is serious while still having a fairly constant "aww" factor, look no further. You play the mute owl Otus as he faces all sorts of monsters with his friends. Watch the story unfold as you travel through dungeons, fight nasty sky pirates, and roam the skies. Owlboy is a beautiful experience from start to finish.

20. Celeste

Specs: Intel Core i3 M380, Intel HD 4000, 2 GB RAMDeveloper: Matt Makes Games Inc.Publisher: Matt Makes Games Inc.

In Celeste, you play as Madeline who is climbing up Celeste Mountain. Although the gameplay is a simply designed yet difficult 2D platformer, the game isn't made to make you want to give up like in other difficult games — it's meant to do the opposite. As you climb up Celeste Mountain, the villain you face is a dark reflection of your character, called "Part of Madeline", and Madeline faces her own anxiety and depression as obstacles. Celeste wants you to keep going. You can do this.

READ NEXT: The Best Indie Games of 2018

21. SUPERHOT

Specs: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.40GHz, GeForce GTX 650, 4GB RAM Developer: SUPERHOT TeamPublisher: SUPERHOT Team

SUPER. HOT. SUPER. HOT. What more is there to say about SUPERHOT except that time moves only when you do? As you play the fictional game SUPERHOT.exe inside the real game SUPERHOT, you soon find that not everything is as it seems. You follow every order the the booming voice gives you, and you kill the bright red low-poly people in a world where everything is colourless except the weapons and the enemies. How much of it is really just a game?

22. Pillars of Eternity

Specs: Intel Core i3-2100T 2.50GHz, ATI Radeon HD 4850, 4 GB RAMDeveloper: Obsidian EntertainmentPublisher: Paradox Interactive

Fans of classic RPGs will love Pillars of Eternity, the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. Choose one of six playable races and one of eleven unique classes as you travel through the world Eora, where souls are measurable, and the basis for magic. You are a Watcher, an individual who can read people's souls, and have been Awakened, giving you memories from your past lives. As this slowly begins to drive you insane, will you track down the cultists that cursed you in this way? Who will you meet along the way?

23. Batman: Arkham Asylum

Specs: 3GHz Dual Core, PCI Express SM3 NVidia 6600, 2GB RAM (1GB on XP) Developer: Rocksteady StudiosPublisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Batman: Arkham Asylum was probably the first great DC video game. Before this, Marvel had largely dominated with Spider-Man and Ultimate Alliance, but when the Arkham series released, the tables turned. Batman: Arkham Asylum is where it all started, and taking place mostly inside the asylum with a largely linear story, it doesn't require too much of your computer. This third person action-adventure game has you stalking the villains who have taken control of Arkham Asylum, attempting to trap you inside. Although some situations will have you fighting groups of villains others will require you to be stealthy. Make it out alive or Gotham will pay the price.

24. The Binding of Isaac

Specs: 2.5 GHz, 1GB RAM Developer: Edmund McMillen and Florian HimslPublisher: Edmund McMillen

The Binding of Isaac is very loosely based on the biblical story, if you know it. In the game, you control Isaac; his mother has just been commanded by God to sacrifice her son. As you flee to the basement that is crawling with monsters, the roguelike adventure begins. The game is built up similarly to The Legend of Zelda, except that the levels are procedurally generated. Shoot the enemies with your tears while occasionally lobbing bombs or picking up power-ups, and make your way through all 13 bosses in the basement.

25. Left 4 Dead 2

Specs: Pentium 4 3.0GHz, 2GB RAM Developer: ValvePublisher: Valve

Fans of zombie games and co-op shooters rejoice! Left 4 Dead 2 came out back when Valve still made games, and focuses on four survivors facing hordes of zombies. The game even has an artificial intelligence often called the Director that makes the game more dynamic; based on the situation each player is in and where they are, different things will appear, be it to help you or to hurt you. You can even play the game with up to three other people and slay zombies as a team.

26. Portal 2

Specs: 3.0 GHz P4, ATI Radeon X800, 2 GB RAMDeveloper: ValvePublisher: Valve

Portal 2 is an essential puzzle game for anyone who loves the genre. As you control Chell travelling through Aperture Science (following GLaDOS's orders once again), you meet Wheatley, the AI, and hope that maybe this time you can escape. As usual, everything goes wrong, and you're flung into the pits of the laboratories, where the ramblings of Cave Johnson — the deceased owner of Aperture — accompany you from experiment to experiment. For science.

Enjoyed our list of the best modern PC games you don't need NASA equipment for? Be sure to check out or thoughts on the PC's crazy amount of launchers or how to snag yourself some cheap consoles games on PS4 or Xbox One.

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The 25 best PC games to play right now

The best PC games represent the pinnacle of what it means to be a PC gamer. Sure, consoles are great and all - but the sometimes you just need to see what the graphics settings look like cranked all the way up, or you yearn for the precision control that only a mouse and keyboard setup can offer. Another perk of gaming on PC is that you can choose from hundreds of thousands of available games, be they big or small, indie or AAA, full-price or free-to-play. But with so many options, it can be tough to figure out what you should play next. That's where our list of the best PC games comes in, giving you a great place to chart your next gaming journey in front of the monitor.

A few quick ground rules: first, this ranking is based on what it's like to play these games today, so while you'll see games that are a few years old at this point, we think they're worth enjoying even in 2019. Second, while we won't be rating mods themselves (a feature largely unique to the PC scene), there's no denying the ability to mod some games makes them exponentially more enjoyable. Along those same lines, we're also giving consideration to games that work better on PC than other platforms. So while you might be able to play Diablo 3 on a number of systems, the mouse-and-keyboard controls on PC earn it a bit more praise.

So, without further ado, here are the 25 best PC games to play right now. And if you need to upgrade your PC to run some of them, check out our high end gaming PC build guide! Alternatively, if you need a pre-built, here are the best gaming PCs of 2019, and the best gaming laptops.

25. The Sims 4

True, The Sims 4 hasn't been as beloved by players as much as The Sims 3 or even The Sims 2, but there's still nothing quite like this home / personal life simulator series. The Sims 4 nails that sense of voyeuristic fun that comes from making cartoon versions of your friends and watching as they burn their house down trying to cook mac-n-cheese, or the stress of watching a party go off the rails because your neighbor (who is a vampire) just kissed an alien (who is your husband). The Sims 4 launched in a sorry, stripped-down state, but recent expansions and patches have brought it back to the point it's worth your time.

2012's XCOM: Enemy Unknown delivered thrilling tension in a candy-sweet shell, complete with upgrade mechanics, an expandable base, and that walking-the-razor's-edge sensation of balancing several complicated systems at once all while trying to save the world. The follow-up builds on the success of the first game and preserves all of its best bits, from characters you get attached to as they succeed and grow, to the teeth-gritting way time passes, knowing the next game-shattering event may be only seconds away. But it also adds more of what we loved about the original: more devious foes to combat, more incredible gear to research and manufacture, and a storyline that puts the alien invaders in the driver's seat of a planet spiraling towards hopelessness. Perfectly timed to release just when appetites for more turn-based action were reaching another high, XCOM 2 delivered another dose of some of the best turn-based strategy around just when gamers craved it most.

23. Dishonored 2

Dishonored 2 takes the first game's play-how-you-want design philosophy and runs wild, giving you the option to once again go behind the mask as Corvo or try out a new suite of supernatural powers as Emily Kaldwin. The storyline is sprawling and engaging to the very end, with each level functioning as a bloody puzzle for you to solve, either by stealthy assassin skills or powerful brute force. Loads of games claim to let you play your own way - Dishonored 2 truly delivers that through the strength of its gameplay and the smart design of its worlds.

22. Total War: Warhammer 2

The Total War games have long been some of the best strategy games on the market, each iteration introducing new ingredients and refinements to a recipe that manages to satisfy hardcore grognards without alienating budding strategists. But they've also always been mired in historical accuracy, deep simulations of real world kingdoms and empires.

Total War: Warhammer shattered those real world shackles and unleashed dragons and demons on the huge, seething battlefields of Total War, and the sequel shows how much the team at Creative Assembly learned making the first game. It brings the tabletop game to glorious, spectacular life, complete with explosive fireballs, fantastical creatures, and the hideous armies of blackest Chaos, and with the Mortal Empires expansion allows players to conquer the entire, sprawling Warhammer world.

21. League of Legends

There are few games as emblematic of the PC gaming scene as League of Legends. Spawned from a mod for Warcraft 3, League features more than 100 champions for players to choose from as they coordinate with up to four teammates to destroy the enemy base. It's not so simple as all that though, as there are minions to farm for gold, items to buy and boost your power, areas hidden by fog of war, powerful turret defenses, and of course, the enemy team to contend with. Few games can teach you the importance of teamwork, situational awareness, and hotkey dexterity like League, where every gank becomes an invaluable learning experience. But hey, if you're feeling the pressure in League's standard 5v5 mode, try a 3v3 match or All-Random, All-Mid (ARAM) match for some more casual fun.

20. Dark Souls 3

The Dark Souls franchise is one of the best recent examples of a game series that spawned an entire genre. It's the sort of concept that's increasingly rare in a time when it feels like so many ideas have been so thoroughly mined, but Dark Souls proves that there are still new experiences to be had, and the third game represents the most polished take on the Souls formula yet. With its massive world, full of diverse, gorgeous, and deadly environments, and its black fantasy atmosphere and hideous creatures, Dark Souls 3 gives us the most engaging setting in the series' history. And while it doesn't stray too wildly from the established Souls formula, it does add just enough tweaks and improvements to please even jaded veterans like myself, things like weapon arts and improved bow mechanics, or multi-stage bosses. Dark Souls 3 is unquestionably the best starting point for newcomers to the series, but also, incredibly, manages to offer enough fresh angles to seduce even playe rs who have exhausted all three (including Demon Souls) of the previous games into committing another 70 or so hours of their time.

19. Stardew Valley

A satisfying Harvest Moon experience on PC has long been a fantasy of many, but until recently every attempt at replicating the cartoony farming simulator has fallen well short of the mark. But Stardew Valley not only delivers a comparable sim, it actually leverages a number of new systems that expand on the core Harvest Moon formula in some refreshing ways. While the heart of Stardew Valley remains the management and expansion of your farmstead, the game adds a huge number of other elements to juggle, from battling your way through the dangerous, monster-ridden depths of the local mine to romancing various members of the local citizenry. Stardew Valley ensures that you're never short of people to meet and things to do, and practically every system is enriched with interesting rewards or standout mechanics.

18. Sid Meier's Civilization 6

The age of Earth-bound discover may well and truly be behind us - you're not going to take a wrong turn and find a new continent, or trip over a rock and unearth a forgotten society - but when you're playing Sid Meier's Civilization 6, you get to experience those feelings over and over again. Finding ancient ruins and learning a new technology is remarkable, and building advanced boats and sailing into the deep ocean only to find that there's a new world out there is nothing short of exhilarating. 

And then you get to take that new world over, which is pretty cool, too. Civ 6 doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does allow you to, and it takes the best parts of the old games and tweaks them in interesting new ways, like it's novel districts system and new spin on cross-civilization diplomacy. The game contains hundreds of hours of gameplay, with over 20 unique leaders to control, all of which fundamentally change the way you play. With the Rise and Fall expansion, which makes empires more dynamic and changeable than ever before in the series, there's never been a better time to sink into one of the most venerable strategy franchises of all time.

17. Fallout 4

If there's one thing Bethesda has proven it can do exceptionally well, it's build a huge world and then fill it with compelling characters, interesting side quests, and enough detritus to keep the most obsessive of us busy (and deeply uncomfortable) for decades. Fallout 4 is Bethesda at the height of its powers. Yes, it's a glitchy, deeply flawed game in a number of ways, but that makes how wonderful it is to play and explore even more impressive. It's the most beautiful world Bethesda has ever created, even despite it's decaying, ruined aesthetic, and in the tradition of Fallout 3 its robust DLC offerings give us brand new and varied dimensions of the shattered Commonwealth to unearth and comb for rusted treasures and fresh stories. And as for the settlement building in Fallout 4? Magic.

16. Grand Theft Auto 5

For a series that's so well established, GTA 5 brings a surprising number of innovations and risks to the open world genre it defined. From its diverse cast (three playable characters who are, in large part, unlikeable and unsympathetic, at least on the surface) to its extremely ambitious and seemingly endless multiplayer online component, GTA 5 brought so many fresh elements to a series that could have ruled the world by changing very little. The PC version arrived much later than the initial console releases, bringing with it significantly upgraded visuals and a first-person mode, for anyone who wants to see Los Santos from a different perspective. Often imitated, never bettered, GTA 5 remains a colorful, satirical slice of open world madness, and one of the best games you can buy for your PC.

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20 Best Games for Laptops and Low-End PCs in 2019

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As fun as gaming is, it's not always possible to sit at the high-end of the market and play the latest titles. Whether you're traveling with a lightweight system, using a secondary rig, or simply working from an old PC because you can't afford an upgrade, we've put together a list of titles you can still enjoy, even from an older system.

One of the greatest strengths of PC gaming is its backward compatibility. Thanks to the steady advance of system performance, even at the integrated graphics level, even modest machines from several years ago can enjoy a huge range of games today. The titles on our list below range from relatively recent games that run well on even modest systems to old titles that still hold up today.

Keep in mind, however, that after decades of publishing, there aren't just "20 great games you can play on laptops and low-end PCs." There are hundreds, possibly thousands of titles that still run well on even low-end hardware. Travel back to the early days of the 3D era, and even Intel integrated GPUs have far more horsepower than the GPUs that powered games like Quake II or The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind. GoG has a huge list of games released from 2004 or earlier that would run well on even an aging Atom netbook today, and Steam has many of these as well. We've tried to cover a range of franchises and titles, from indie games to AAA releases, and with multiple genres represented.

Without further ado, here's the first part of our list:

 

When it comes to Valve titles, we've decided to break things out into a separate list. Once upon a time (the late 1990s to mid-2000s) Valve was famous as a game developer as opposed to for running a massive PC game distribution service. In most of the cases below we've chosen to focus on sequels because oftentimes, they represent the pinnacle of Valve's game design for a given franchise. Still, in all the cases we highlight, there were previous titles — a Half-Life to Half-Life 2, a Team Fortress to TF2, etc. If you're looking for an even gentler title (a cubicle wall could run HL2 these days), these could well suit:

 

So that's our list. Feel free to chime in with your own. What older games or titles still have a cherished spot on your hard drive, and what games do you find yourself returning to, long after they've supposedly been surpassed by more recent releases?

Now read: The 20 Best Free PC Games of 2018

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Best real life simulation games available for Windows 10 PC

Simulation games are games which mimic real-life scenarios and bring them forward as games. These games do not necessarily need to be high-end with realistic graphics. The concept is that they should be based on real-life situations.

As much as Xbox is famous for its simulation games collection, most of us neither own the console nor are much into high-end gaming. Thus, we have compiled a list of games which could be downloaded and played on any PC with a decent configuration.

1] Township

Perfect for kids, Township involves building farms and cities. The game involves harvesting crops, selling them, making a profit, and using the same to build your town. You would have to construct civil amenities like cinemas, restaurants, and other building which would be needed by the community. You could also build your own zoo and collect animals for the same. This game is available on the Microsoft Store here.

2] Town City – Village Building Sim Paradise

The Town City game has a concept to Township – building towns and cities. However, the difference is that it needs somewhat more mature players. The game has levels, rewards, a leadership board, etc. The game is less about designing and constructing your own buildings (unlike Township) and more about unlocking pre-build constructions. The best part is you do not need an internet collection to play this game, unlike most other games in this list. If you like it, check it on the Microsoft Store.

3] Counter Critical Strike

This replica of Counter-Strike has nothing to do with the original game, except that the developers have copied the same concept. Counter Critical Strike is a single-player, first-person shooter game. The maps are different from that of the original game, however, based on a similar concept. You could choose to be either a terrorist or a counter-terrorist. The game could be downloaded from here.

4] Redboy and Bluegirl: Temple Maze

This game has a little bit of fun and a little bit of romance in it. The two characters in the game are Fire Boy and Water Girl. They team up to conquer the Ice Temple. Both of them have different abilities; for example, the fire boy can slide through surfaces, but can't climb — Vice-Versa for water girl. This game is perfect for couples who wish to learn to work as a team. The game is available on Microsoft Store here.

5] Disney Magic Kingdoms

Build Your Own Magical Park: If you like Disney characters, this would be the game of your life. The game allows you to create your own Disney kingdom and play around with Disney characters. You can assign your characters whatever role you prefer. Disney Magic Kingdoms: Build Your Own Magical Park has almost every Disney character you could think of. The game is available on Microsoft Store for free. However, disabling ads might cost something.

6] Tank Force: 3D Tank Games

Perhaps my favorite free game, Tank Force is a pretty satisfying game where you would have to target and shoot tanks. The graphics are realistic, and you can play it with other players online. The target is to annihilate all your enemies and capture the base. You can take several tanks and battle through the levels to achieve what you want. The environments are destruction friendly and impressively designed. You can download the game from the Microsoft Store here.

7] Surgery Master: Operate Now

If you ever fantasized being a doctor but dropped the idea for whatever reason, this game is all you need to experience your forgotten dream. The game involves bringing celebrity patients to a hospital in an ambulance and performing surgeries on them. The missions are endless, though it has levels which make the game enjoyable. Bring out the surgeon in you with this game which is available on the Microsoft Store.

8] Magic Hair Salon

One of those typical Hair Salon games, Magic Hair Salon, involves selecting your model, cutting and coloring her hair. You can use color dyes and scissors, cut, curl, or straighten the hair. As you progress through the levels, the game allows you to unpack new tools. The game uses a pseudo-currency called mini-coins. They are earned as you win across the levels. The game could be downloaded from the Microsoft Store here.

9] World of Tennis: Roaring '20s

While Tennis still has its fan base, it was a different story in the 1920s which they call the golden era of tennis. Download the game to transport yourself to the era of ladies and gentlemen. The game is a little different. Thus the game starts at zero levels and it keeps getting tougher as you progress through the game. It has seven characters to be used as players.

10] City Island 4 – Sim Town Tycoon

Expand the Skyline: While another of those town and city building games, City Island 4 – Sim Town Tycoon involves bettering the skyline instead of mere community buildings. You could use the day and night mode to change the feel of the game. It is available on the Microsoft Store.

I love some of these games. Let me know your favorite in the comments.

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5 Best PC Gaming Monitors Of 2019

Best PC Gaming Monitors - RTINGS.COMRTINGS.COM

We buy our own products and put them under the same testing methodology so that you can easily compare them. Unlike most websites, we do not get our products directly from the manufacturers, which means our units aren't handpicked and actually represent what you would buy yourself. We spend a lot of time comparing the products side-by-side to validate our results and we keep them until they are discontinued so we can continually go back and make sure our reviews are always accurate.

Not all PC gamers are made alike, and neither are PC gaming monitors. From 1080p monitors with ultrafast refresh rates to standard 60 Hz monitors with impressive 4k screens, there is something for everyone. While any monitor can be used for PC gaming, the best monitors give you an extra edge in competitive gaming, and many of them have impressive designs that stand out in a room.

We've reviewed 55 monitors, and below are our top 5 picks for the best PC gaming monitors available for purchase in 2019.

ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q: The best G-SYNC PC gaming monitor

ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q - RTINGS.COMRTINGS.COM

Type: IPS

Refresh Rate: 144 Hz

Variable Refresh Rate: G-Sync

Size: 27"

If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q is the best G-SYNC PC gaming monitor that we've tested so far. It delivers decent overall picture quality, with great wide viewing angles, perfect for coop gaming.

It delivers crystal clear motion thanks to the outstanding response time and flicker-free backlight. It has an outstanding response time and excellent low input lag as well, and with NVIDIA G-SYNC, you get a consistently tear-free gaming experience.

Unfortunately, the PG279Q doesn't look as great in a dark room, it doesn't support HDR, and the G-SYNC variable refresh rate isn't compatible with the Xbox One. Overall though, it is an outstanding PC gaming monitor that should please most people.

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Samsung CHG70: The best FreeSync PC gaming monitor

Samsung CHG70 - RTINGS.COMRTINGS.COM

Type: VA

Refresh Rate: 144 Hz

Variable Refresh Rate: FreeSync

Size: 27", 32"

If you have an AMD graphics card, the Samsung CHG70 is the best FreeSync PC gaming monitor that we've tested so far. It has a high contrast ratio and delivers good overall picture quality, and it has a high refresh rate that is great for gaming, as well as extremely low input lag.

The CHG70 is also great if you like to mix things up a bit with the occasional Xbox One S/X game, as the Xbox now supports a 1440p mode and has FreeSync VRR support. It has a pair of HDMI ports and one DisplayPort, so you can easily hook up your PC and a console or two, making it a versatile monitor great for gaming, regardless of what you game on.

Unfortunately, the Samsung CHG70 has narrow viewing angles, so it isn't as great for coop gaming, where one or more people may be sitting at an angle to the monitor. Overall though, the CHG70 is an excellent gaming monitor that should please most people.

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LG 27UK650-W: The best 4k PC gaming monitor

LG 27UK650 - RTINGS.COMRTINGS.COM

Type: IPS

Refresh Rate: 60 Hz

Variable Refresh Rate: FreeSync

Size: 27"

If a high definition image is more important to you than smooth motion, the LG 27UK650-W is the best 4k PC gaming monitor that we've tested so far. The 27", 4k screen delivers a more immersive gaming experience, bringing out the smallest details in your favorite games.

It has excellent low input lag, even if you decide to dial down the resolution for smoother gameplay. Fast moving objects look great thanks to the fast response time, and it supports FreeSync, great for PC or console gaming, and you can easily switch between them thanks to the dual HDMI 2.0 ports and DisplayPort connection.

Unfortunately, due to bandwidth limitations, the 27UK650 is limited to a 60 Hz refresh rate, which may disappoint some gamers. Overall though, it is a well rounded 4k monitor that should please most people, regardless of usage.

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BenQ Zowie XL2540: An outstanding 1080p PC gaming monitor

BenQ Zowie XL2540 - RTINGS.COMRTINGS.COM

Type: TN

Refresh Rate: 240 Hz

Variable Refresh Rate: FreeSync

Size: 25"

If you prefer smoother motion over a higher resolution display, the BenQ Zowie XL2540 is the best 1080p PC gaming monitor that we've tested so far. It is an excellent 1080p gaming monitor with an impressive 240 Hz refresh rate.

This lightning fast refresh rate delivers outstanding clear motion, thanks to the fast response time and flicker-free backlight. Combined with FreeSync support and an incredibly wide VRR range, the Zowie delivers motion performance that should please even the most demanding gamers.

Unfortunately, the Zowie has a TN panel, which results in narrow viewing angles and poor dark room performance, making it a somewhat less versatile choice than our other top picks.

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ViewSonic XG2402: The best budget PC gaming monitor

ViewSonic XG2402 - RTINGS.COMRTINGS.COM

Type: TN

Refresh Rate: 144 Hz

Variable Refresh Rate: FreeSync

Size: 24"

If you're looking for a good PC gaming monitor on a budget, check out the ViewSonic XG2402. For a budget monitor, it delivers surprisingly good gaming performance thanks to the decent picture quality and outstanding motion handling, as well as outstanding low input lag.

It has a fast 144 Hz refresh rate, and it delivers clear motion thanks to the extremely fast response time, one of the best we've tested. The XG2402 also supports FreeSync, great for PC or Xbox One gaming.

The 1080p resolution doesn't deliver the most immersive gaming experience, and unfortunately, like the Zowie XL2540, the XG2402 has narrow viewing angles and doesn't look as good in a dark room. Overall though, it is an impressive budget gaming monitor that should please even more demanding PC gamers.

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This guide may have been updated. To see all measurements and the current recommendations for PC Gaming monitors, please go here.

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Samsung's massive 49-inch super-wide monitor got an upgrade that will make video games look incredible — if your PC can handle it

Samsung announced a new member to the "super" ultra-wide gaming monitor family with a higher resolution quad-HD model that's sharper than the regular full-HD model that the company originally released back in 2017.

Super ultra-wide monitors have an aspect ratio of 32:9. Put into plain English, that's exactly two normal monitors put together. Measuring 49 inches diagonally, the CRG9 is the equivalent of two 27-inch monitors side-by-side.

The CRG9 has a resolution of 5120 x 1440. It's a welcome upgrade for those who thought the original 2017 model's 3840 x 1080 — two FHD monitors — wasn't sharp enough for their video games, and anything else for that matter.

Samsung Indeed, the CRG9 monitor is designed with PC gamers in mind with its smooth 120Hz refresh rate that allows up to 120 frames-per-second on games. Typical non-gaming monitors have a 60Hz refresh rate, which is also smooth, but PC gamers like to go beyond the standard specs. The CRG9 also comes with AMD's Freesync 2 technology that helps with smoother and more stable gameplay when used with AMD's graphics cards.

HDR10 is also supported on the CRG9 monitor, which makes for better colors, better detail in dark shaded scenes, and better contrast overall between light and dark areas of a scene.

Samsung

There's no pricing or release date to speak of yet. If the original CHG90 monitor from 2017 is anything to go by, the new CRG9 could cost north of $1,000.

Anyone interested in a gaming super ultra-wide monitor now that it's available in QHD resolution should note that they'll need a pretty beefy PC to play games smoothly, especially if they want to set their games' graphics options to higher settings. The CRG9's 5120 x 1440 resolution isn't too far off a 4K monitor's 3840 x 2160 resolution, and you need pretty serious high-end and expensive hardware to play games smoothly at 4K. To make the most of this monitor, your PC will need brawny hardware like Intel's Core i7 range of processors and Nvidia's GTX 1080Ti or RTX 2080 or higher.

Despite support for AMD's game-smoothing Freesync 2 technology, very few — if any — of AMD's graphics cards would be able to make the most of the CRG9 monitor. The only AMD card that could have a chance is the Vega 64, which is best suited for a single QHD monitor. But whether it can handle the equivalent of two QHD monitors at 120 frames-per-second at higher graphics settings is perhaps questionable.

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Best of CES: The coolest PCs, PC components, and PC spectacles we saw

Put aside all misconceptions that CES is a smart home show, a home entertainment show, or even a car stereo show. CES is a computer show, and we've got the battle scars to prove it. For the last four days, the PCWorld staff has immersed itself in all the laptops, chips, components, accessories and outright PC monstrosities it could find, and now we're read to name the Best of CES 2019.

IDG

To win a Best of CES award, a product has to show unique promise and technical innovation—but do keep in mind these aren't final reviews. Check back throughout the year as we test this gear, and issue our final review verdicts. For now, just bask in the spectacle...

Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060

Nvidia groin-kicked cost-conscious gamers when it introduced its GeForce RTX 2070, RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti at far higher prices than their older counterparts. Even worse, there was no ray-trace-ready option for mid-range gamers. Well, it appears Nvidia heard the howls of anger and decided to introduce the RTX 2060, the first card capable of hybrid ray tracing at an almost reasonable $350. We were actually able to review the RTX 2060 before its grand CES unveiling, and gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Then, bam, the card was just about everywhere at CES seemingly moments after Nvidia announced it.

Brad Chacos/IDG

Thanks to driver and game improvements since the original RTX Turing launch, the $350 card can run hybrid ray-traced games at decent frame rates. Of course, this doesn't allay fears of a dearth of ray tracing-enabled games, but the good news is the RTX 2060 is about as fast as a GeForce GTX 1070 Ti, which still fetches $500.

Nvidia GeForce RTX for laptops

GeForce RTX is too hot, and too power-hungry for laptops, they said. Well "they" were wrong. Nvidia proved all the naysayers to be, well, nay, by not just introducing GeForce RTX GPUs in laptops, but by introducing 40 different designs that have its newest mobile GPU. While there are still questions about how well mobile RTX performs, you can't dispute that 40 wins is quite an accomplishment. We literally saw dozens of laptops running the new GPU, and running hybrid ray tracing at that.

Nvidia

The last hurdle, of course, will be pricing. But in talks with multiple hardware partners, we learned that the price increase tied to the GPU alone is fairly small (though, obviously, other components drive up laptop costs, and those could make RTX laptops quite expensive). Even if you're a hater, you have to respect that Nvidia pulled off a hell of a feat, and as much as some folks would want to dismiss it, hybrid ray tracing isn't going away.

Acer Swift 7 (2019)

Acer's Swift 7 already held the crown for the thinnest, lightest mainstream laptop around, but the Acer Swift 7 (2019) lightens it almost a third of a pound more, to just 2.2 pounds. That's simply insane.

Mark Hachman / IDG

If that's all that Acer accomplished with the latest Swift 7, that would probably be enough to win a Best of CES award. But Acer didn't stop there. No, it also sliced the display bezels down to just 2.57mm, enough so that the screen almost appears to cover the entire display.

There's more. Acer's Swift 7 (2018) lacked a clickable touchpad, a serious deficiency that the Swift 7 has rectified in the 2019 version (also known as model SF714-52T). Add to that a new Intel "Whiskey Lake" processor and Thunderbolt 3 ports. We're incredibly eager to get our hands on a new Swift 7 for final testing. It looks like it will be as fun to use as it is to look at.

Acer Predator Triton 900

When Acer first revealed the Predator Triton 900 concept in 2018, the crazy, swivel-display gaming laptop was hidden under glass—because that's how you show off hardware that's so audacious, it may never reach the production line. But at CES 2019, the Predator Triton 900 suddenly became very, very real with a projected release date of March this year. Sure, it'll cost you $3,999, but that's the buy-in if you want to play in laptop crazytown.

Mark Hachman / IDG

8th-gen Intel Core i7? Check. Mobile RTX 2080? Yes, it includes Nvidia's just-announced GPU. Props to Acer for including top-shelf, ray-trace-ready silicon. But what really earns this Predator one of our Best of CES awards is the 17-inch 4K G-Sync display—it swivels on what Acer calls an "Ezel Aero Hinge," affording incredible positioning flexibility, from laptop mode to tablet mode to impress-your-most-jaded-friends mode. Sure, the Triton 900 is something of a parlor trick, and we still need to test the machine, but this one scores off the charts for CES wow factor.

AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen

The rumbling you hear? That's AMD's 3rd gen Ryzen freight train coming down the CPU tracks, straight at Intel. Don't believe us? At CES 2019, the company showed off an 8-core Ryzen standing toe-to-toe with Intel's "best gaming CPU," the Core i9-9900K. Even more impressive: AMD leapfrogged Intel straight to a 7nm process.

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

While most take that to mean a 3rd gen Ryzen will equal a Core i9-9900K, it should really be seen as an indication of the minimum performance that might come from the chip. But that's what happens when a company releases the first 7nm x86 consumer CPU, and the competition is on its third retread of a 14nm process. While no one yet knows all the details, it's entirely possible the demo chip could materialize as a 3rd gen Ryzen 5. So buckle up, nerds, and prepare for months of speculation as the hype train roars down the tracks.

MSI GS75 Stealth

We've come a long way, baby. Just two years ago, a 17-inch gaming laptop almost needed a wheelbarrow to move around. But MSI's GS75 Stealth will shock you at just how little it weighs: 5 lbs. That's basically not much heavier than most 15-inch laptops.

MSI

Thanks to narrow bezels, the GS75 Stealth has a footprint not much bigger than most 15-inch gaming laptops, too. And the GS75 Stealth doesn't compromise on the specs either. With its 17.3-inch, 144Hz FHD screen, 8th gen Core i7, and GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q GPU, you can have your gaming and take it with you, too. Eight hours of battery life likely won't set any records, but for a gaming laptop it's pretty good.

Alienware Area-51m

Not everyone is comfortable taking a small, dainty gaming laptop to the café—even if your plan is to sip a chai latte while reading French poetry. Sometimes you gotta go big, and nothing says big like Alienware's new Area-51m, a truly in-your-face gaming laptop if there ever was one.

Daniel Masaoka/IDG

It's got a newly revealed Alienware design language, but you might be more impressed by the parts inside it: A socketed and upgradeable desktop Core i9-9900K and a GeForce RTX 2080. But the real reason we're so jazzed by the Area-51m is what Alienware is prepping to deliver to enthusiasts: upgradeable graphics.

The problem with gaming laptops is that once their graphics cards get stale, there's really nothing you can do except buy a new laptop. But Alienware says it designed a proprietary graphics module for the Area-51m, and it fully expects that when a new graphics chip comes out, you can either swap it out yourself or have a service rep visit and do it for you. This is basically the Holy Grail of laptop features.

Corsair Capellix LED technology

The horse probably didn't think of much of the first Model T that passed it on the road, but Corsair's new Capellix tech has that same game-changing potential—for RGB LEDs. You may scoff, sure. You may think new LED tech isn't as significant as a new CPU, GPU or SSD. But we'd bet that RGB LEDs can help sell a gaming computer more than a new graphics card, at least to the average person.

Gordon Mah Ung

Capellix shrinks the size of LEDs by 90 percent while also increasing efficiency by 60 percent and upping brightness by 40 percent. You can basically fit 132 Capellix LEDs on a postage stamp, while a normal SMD LED used in today's PCs would maybe fit 10.The upshot? Capellix could deliver incredibly bright and power-efficient LEDs in places never before seen in a gaming PC. And, yup, it's the razzle-dazzle that's wins most of the time.

Creative Super X-Fi Theater and Air

Just as we were coming down from the high of using Creative Lab's impressive Super X-Fi dongle, the company dropped two more Super X-fi products at CES 2019, and they're just as impressive. Please meet the Super X-Fi Theater and the Super X-Fi Air.

Creative

The Air is a Bluetooth headset that features Super X-Fi built directly inside. Creative calls Super X-Fi "headphone holography," and it's probably not the wrong phrase to use. It works by mapping out the shape of your head with a phone camera, and then with the aid of special-sauce algorithms, it creates a virtual surround-sound system using just normal headphones. In our testing of the Super X-Fi USB dongle, we can tell you it works. And it works damned well.

Even cooler: Super X-Fi Theater takes it to the next level by letting you hook up anywhere from one to eight low-latency headphones for communal movie watching. Each, of course, features that same Super X-Fi audio magic.

Royole FlexPai

OK, it's a phone, not a PC, but it's cool. And we simply refuse to listen to arguments that the first folding Android phone, the Royole FlexPai, may never ship into the United States. Is the $1,300 price tag too high? Almost certainly. But in our time playing with the FlexPai, we honestly didn't see too many turnoffs. We kept doubting it would work... but it did!

Mark Hachman / IDG

The FlexPai makes a very compelling argument for folding phablets—in a vivid, tangible, "it's working right now" kind of way. The phone folds over itself into a chunky slab that's far thicker than the spec sheet's claim of 7.6mm, but unfolds into a full 7.8-inch screen running a custom version of Android 9. Even better, you can run Android apps in multi-window in both its folded phone configuration or in the unfolded tablet.

A phone when you need it, a tablet when you want. If nothing else, the FlexPai is a fantastic concept that we'll use as a comparison point if and when Samsung rolls out its own folding phone.

iBuypower Snowblind X4

CES isn't just a trade show for new products. It's also the show where PC vendors dig deep to create crazy, over-the-top project PCs to catch the attention of the press and net one of those snazzy "best of" buttons. Well, after seeing dozens of crazy computers—including one with a Nintendo Switch built inside—the winner of "America's Got Crazy PC" contest is easily iBuypower's Snowblind X4.

IDG

Not only does it feature four crazy Snowblind doors with motion color graphics, the entire PC rotates like one of those rotating restaurants at the top of a hotel. What's really impressive, though, is that iBuypower has come up with a way to pass not just power from the base, but also data and video too. The company tells us it used a hub similar to those used in windmills. Honestly, we don't care. We just know that when we want to see the right side of our liquid-cooled graphics card, we don't want to get up move—we want the PC to move for us.

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