Custom PC UK

To provide the ultimate magazine for PC enthusiasts with a passion for performance hardware and customisation, delivered with wit, style and authority.

Ray tracing comes of age

Custom PC

AN ARM AND A LEG • Nvidia goes all-in on a huge gamble, buying Arm for $40 billion US. Richard Swinburne analyses the implications

CULTURE CLASH • Tracy King explores how different countries’ cultures have influenced each other in gaming, and looks to India for the next influence

Incoming

Letters • Please send us your feedback and correspondence to letters@custompcmag.org.uk

NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080 FOUNDERS EDITION / £649inc VAT • SUPPLIER nvidia.com

SPEC

GEFORCE RTX 3090

CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW / £80 inc VAT • SUPPLIER overclockers.co.uk

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EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 601 / £199inc VAT • SUPPLIER eposaudio.com

ALPHACOOL EISBAER LT92 / £68inc VAT • SUPPLIER aquatuning.co.uk

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MAD CATZ R.A.T. PRO X3 SUPREME/ £215inc VAT • SUPPLIER box.co.uk

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DELL G5 15 / £1,299 inc VAT • SUPPLIER dell.co.uk

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FIERCE PC LUMINA LAVA ULTIMATE / £ 1,700 inc VAT • SUPPLIER fiercepc.co.uk

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SCAN 3XS VENGEANCE XTi iCUE / £2,400 inc VAT • SUPPLIER scan.co.uk

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Custom kit • Phil Hartup checks out the latest gadgets, gizmos and geek toys

Heatrippers • Antony Leather pits eight TRX4 liquid coolers against AMD's 3rd-gen Threadripper

ALPHACOOL EISBAER EXTREME 280 / £197 inc VAT • SUPPLIER scan.co.uk

SPEC

ANTEC NEPTUNE 240 / £80 inc VAT • SUPPLIER cclonline.com

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COOLER MASTER MASTERLIQUID ML360 RGB TR4 / £130 inc VAT • SUPPLIER overclockers.co.uk

CORSAIR iCUE H100i RGB PRO XT / £115 inc VAT • SUPPLIER scan.co.uk

SPEC

CORSAIR H115I RGB PRO XT / £132 inc VAT • SUPPLIER scan.co.uk

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FRACTAL DESIGN CELSIUS+ S28 PRISMA / £150 inc VAT • SUPPLIER overclockers.co.uk

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NZXT KRAKEN X63 / £135 inc VAT • SUPPLIER overclockers.co.uk

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NZXT KRAKEN X73 / £160 inc VAT • SUPPLIER overclockers.co.uk

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Smooth landing • With Microsoft’s new Flight Sim impressing all who survey it, there’s never been a better time to buy a flight stick. Edward Chester tests the latest models

CH PRODUCTS FLIGHTSTICK PRO / £100 inc VAT • SUPPLIER scan.co.uk

LOGITECH EXTREME 3D PRO JOYSTICK / £35 inc VAT • SUPPLIER currys.co.uk

LOGITECH G X56 HOTAS / £220 inc VAT • SUPPLIER alza.co.uk

SPEEDLINK PHANTOM HAWK / £30 inc VAT • SUPPLIER overclockers.co.uk

THRUSTMASTER HOTAS WARTHOG / £400 inc VAT • SUPPLIER thrustmaster.com

THRUSTMASTER T.1600M FCS HOTAS / £140 inc VAT • SUPPLIER thrustmaster.com

How we test

Elite • Our choice of the best hardware available

A GOLDEN AGE • Now is the best time ever to be a PC gamer, argues Rick Lane

A Total War Saga: Troy / £29.99 inc VAT • DEVELOPER Creative Assembly Sofia / PUBLISHER Sega

Microsoft Flight Simulator / £59.99 inc VAT • DEVELOPER Asobo Studio / PUBLISHER Xbox Game Studios

FACTORIO / £21 inc VAT • DEVELOPER Wube Software/ PUBLISHER Wube Software

IRON HARVEST / £ 44.99 inc VAT • DEVELOPER King Art Games/ PUBLISHER Deep Silver

REALITY CHECK • Rick Lane readies his bow to shoot out the latest happenings in the VR world

INSIDE AMPERE • NVIDIA’S GEFORCE RTX 3080 HAS STOMPED ALL OVER ITS PREDECESSORS, BUT WHAT MAKES IT TICK? MARK SIMPSON TAKES A...