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AI Choice Engine

Tech library

Choose the system, not just the product

Hardware buying guides for GPUs, CPUs, Macs, laptops, consoles, monitors, and PC builds. Each hub states what the category is for, what it gives up, and links to guided finders when a short question flow beats another spec table.

How to use this library

Start with the constraint you cannot compromise on.

Memory, portability, game library, screen behaviour, storage resilience and network layout are different decisions. A higher specification is not automatically a better fit, and a retailer price is not a complete ownership cost.

Find

Start with a guided finder

Answer a few questions and get a shortlist matched to your workload — the fast path when the constraint is clear.

  1. Laptop finderGuided shortlists for work, creative, and gaming laptops.
  2. GPU finderShortlists by workload, budget, and platform.
  3. CPU finderCores, cache, and upgrade path against your games and software.
  4. Model fit calculatorWhich local models fit a given VRAM, at which quantisation.

Compare

Deep hardware hubs

Spec tables, compatibility rules and parts lists — for when you want the full research surface.

GPUs

Gaming, creative, and workstation cards — with VRAM planning when needed.

CPUs

Gaming, streaming, development and upgrade-path trade-offs.

Macs

Chip, memory, and form-factor trade-offs across Air, Pro, mini, and Studio.

Monitors

Panel types, refresh pairing, and GPU-aligned display targets.

Consoles

PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 decisions based on how you play.

PC builds

Compatibility-checked parts lists from 1080p to 4K.

Prebuilt PCs

What to verify on OEM gaming towers before checkout.

AI PCs

Optional path when Copilot+/NPU vs discrete GPU is the actual question.

Guides

The rest of the setup

Short catalogs for the devices that round out a setup. They are not ranked guides — each one lists what to check and links to a live price.

  1. Monitors for gaming, creation and focused workDisplaysResolution, refresh rate, panel behaviour, ports and desk geometry matter more than a single size or brand recommendation. Start with the workload — competitive gaming, colour-critical creation, or all-day text — then match the panel technology and connectivity to the computer driving it.
  2. Laptops for work, study, code and playPortable computersStart with the day-to-day workload, portability and software constraints before comparing badges or benchmark headlines.
  3. Handhelds for the games you actually playPortable gamingThe right handheld is a trade between library access, screen, battery, ergonomics and how much Windows friction you will tolerate.
  4. SSDs, external drives and NAS without the marketing fogStorage and backupCapacity, sustained writes, thermals, redundancy and recovery are separate decisions. A fast SSD is not a backup strategy.
  5. Wi-Fi, mesh and wired networking for real homesHome networkingCoverage, backhaul, wired ports, congestion and support matter more than the biggest theoretical Wi-Fi number.
  6. Keyboards, mice, cameras, audio and the desk around themDesk and creator gearPeripherals are daily-contact purchases. Fit, reliability, switch feel, sensor shape and microphone behaviour beat a specification checklist.
  7. Phones and tablets by the job they need to doMobile devicesCamera priorities, software support, battery, accessory ecosystem and screen size are better filters than a generic phone-versus-phone ranking.
  8. Mini PCs and home servers with fewer hidden assumptionsSmall computersA small box can be a brilliant quiet workstation or an awkward underpowered server. Decide expandability, noise, storage and operating system first.

Also buying software?

Decisions beyond the hardware

Hardware is only half the setup. These hubs shortlist business software and services with the same trade-off-first approach.

All buying categories

CRM, email, payroll, HR and operations hubs — each with a live finder and guides.

All decision tools

Every guided finder on the site, from laptops to password managers.

Buying guides

Written paths through each decision, mapped back to the live tools.

Common questions

Questions about tech buying guides

Answered from the verified figures on this page rather than general guidance.

Which hardware guide should I open first?
Match the bottleneck: GPU for graphics or local models, CPU for compile and simulation, Mac for unified memory workflows, monitors for panel and refresh pairing.
Do these pages show live street prices?
Where a price is shown it is labelled with a verifiedAt or street-search CTA. MSRP and spec tables are checked on a schedule; confirm before you buy.
Is there a guided path instead of reading every hub?
Yes — the laptop finder, GPU finder, and CPU finder on /tools answer a few questions and return a shortlist with trade-offs.