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Jacob Roach

Jacob Roach

Senior Staff Writer, Computing

Jacob Roach is a writer covering computing and gaming at Digital Trends. After realizing Crysis wouldn't run on a laptop, he started building his own gaming PCs and hasn't looked back since. Before Digital Trends, he contributed content to Forbes Advisor, Business Insider, and PC Invasion, covering PC components, monitors, and peripherals.

Outside of tinkering with his PC and tracking down every achievement in the latest games, Jacob spends his time playing and recording music. Before switching to writing full time, he worked as a recording engineer in St. Louis, Missouri.

Graphics card in the CLX Hathor PC.

These are the 10 best gaming PCs I’d recommend to anyone

We've reviewed dozens of gaming desktops, but only a select few are worthy of making it among the best gaming PCs in 2024.
Computing Products
A PC built with the Hyte Nexus Link ecosystem.

Hyte made me fall in love with my gaming PC all over again

Hyte's impressive Nexus Link ecosystem will force you to think differently about how you plan and build your gaming PC.
Computing Features
Asus ROG Ally handhelds side by side.

The Asus ROG Ally just got a game-changing update

The most recent update for the Asus ROG Ally adds frame generation to the handheld, which promises vastly improved performance.
Computing News
A laptop running Windows 11.

You’re going to hate the latest change to Windows 11

Microsoft just rolled out an update for Windows 11 shockingly fast, and it includes a change most users won't be happy about.
Computing News
Pads on the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Gigabyte just confirmed AMD’s Ryzen 9000 CPUs

Gigabyte just confirmed that AMD's next-gen CPUs are coming soon, and that they'll be called Ryzen 9000 series processors.
Computing News
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D sitting on a motherboard.

4 CPUs you should buy instead of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D

AMD's Ryzen 7 7800X3D is often hailed at the best gaming CPU you can buy, but there are plenty of alternatives to keep in mind before picking up the chip.
Computing Features
A person using the Dell UltraSharp 40 U4025QW 40-inch curved Thunderbolt hub monitor with a Dell laptop on a desk.

The 10 best monitors for 2024: tested and reviewed

There are only a select few displays worthy of being deemed the best monitors. Here are the screens worth your time and money.
Computing Products
The Razer Viper V3 Pro sitting among its accessories.

Razer made the best gaming mouse even better

The Razer Viper V3 was a smash success when it released late last year, but now Razer is improving the design with the Viper V3 Pro.
Computing Features
The homemade Ryzen Deck sitting on a desk.

A Redditor ‘didn’t know’ about the Steam Deck, so they built their own

Despite not knowing that the Steam Deck existed, one Redditor decided to build their own handheld gaming PC, dubbing it the Ryzen Deck.
Computing News
A person using a Linux laptop.

How to dual boot Linux and Windows

Dual booting Linux and Windows is simple, and in this guide, we'll walk you through how to do it on your PC step-by-step.
Computing Guides
Someone holding the Core i9-12900KS processor.

Some Intel CPUs lost 9% of their performance almost overnight

A new Asus motherboard update aimed at addressing stability issues on Intel CPUs could shave upwards of 9% of your performance.
Computing News
Xbox Series S placed on a white table with the controller just in front of it

The most common Xbox Series S problems and how to fix them

The most common Xbox Series S problems include low storage space and constant crashing, and in this guide, we're going to show you how to solve them.
Gaming Guides
dlss hidden modes dt respec

How I unlocked the hidden modes of DLSS

A range of presets behind the scenes make DLSS work properly, and a clever mod allows you to tweak how they work.
Computing Features
Graphics card in the Alienware Aurora R16.

How to increase fps and smooth gameplay on your PC

Optimizing your gameplay settings could make all the difference for your next online match. Here’s all the most important adjustments you should make.
Computing Guides
Intel Arc A770 GPU installed in a test bench.

All of the exciting new GPUs still coming in 2024

We've already seen new GPUs this year, but rumor has it that Nvidia, AMD, and Intel still have graphics cards set to launch in 2024.
Computing Features
Melinoe being shot at by a witch.

I spent 100+ hours in Hades. Here are my impressions of Hades 2

After spending well over 100 hours in the original Hades, I'm loving what Hades 2 has to offer to players already.
Gaming Features
AMD CEO Lisa Su holding an APU chip.

How a rumored CPU might embarrass the PS5

Rumors about AMD's upcoming integrated graphics are starting to take shape, and they could be mighty impressive.
Computing News
Intel's 14900K CPU socketed in a motherboard.

We might have an answer to Intel’s crashing crisis

High-end Intel CPUs have seen issues with crashing over the past several months, but there might be some settings that can mitigate the problem.
Computing News
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 playing an OLED demo.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 review: challenging my expectations

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is lighter than a MacBook Pro, and it can pack up to an RTX 4090, but it will challenge your expectations about gaming laptops.
Computing Reviews
The Razer Kishi Ultra sitting on a table.

Is this Razer’s Steam Deck killer?

Razer has a new solution for handheld gaming, and it's excellent. But it might not stand up to the growing market of handheld gaming PCs.
Computing Features
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D held between fingertips.

AMD’s next-gen CPUs are much closer than we thought

A series of motherboard updates have laid the foundation for AMD's Zen 5 CPUs, suggesting a launch is right around the corner.
Computing News
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D installed in a motherboard.

9 best processors for PC gaming: tested and reviewed

Your graphics card is important, but don't discount the best processors for gaming when building your next PC. Here are the top options from Intel and AMD.
Computing Products
Jin wearing the Sarugami armor with Iki island in the background.

Ghost of Tsushima is already shaping up to be a monster PC port

Sony and Nixxes shared PC system requirements and details about Ghost of Tsushima, and the game already looks impressive on PC.
Computing News
The Razer Firefly V2 Pro mouse pad sitting on a desk.

Razer, somehow, made a mouse pad exciting

A mouse pad has to be the most boring peripheral in any PC setup, but Razer somehow managed to make the Firefly V2 Pro exciting.
Computing News
Various apps on a PC monitor.

These are the PC apps you’re still using — but probably shouldn’t be

These apps are installed on millions, and sometimes even billions, of PCs, even if they shouldn't be.
Computing Features
An OLED demo running on the MSI MPG321URX.

10 best gaming monitors of 2024: tested and reviewed

Having thoroughly assessed numerous gaming displays, here are the top gaming monitors that are worth an investment in 2024.
Computing Products
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart on the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8.

In 2024, there’s no contest between DLSS and FSR

Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR are the two most prominent upscaling tools you'll find in games, but which is better? We put them head-to-head.
Computing Guides
The RTX 3060 installed in a gaming PC.

Don’t buy the RTX 3060 in 2024

The RTX 3060 is the most popular GPU on Steam, but given the demands of games in 2024, it probably shouldn't be.
Computing Features
Intel Arc demo: Ryan Shrout plays Shadow of the Tomb Raider on a gaming PC.

I tested Intel’s XeSS against AMD FSR — and the results speak for themselves

In a lot of modern games, you'll have the choice between AMD FSR and Intel XeSS, and there are some significant differences between them.
Computing Guides
Intel Arc A770 GPU installed in a test bench.

Intel Battlemage graphics cards: release date speculation, price, specs, and more

We've known about Intel's Battlemage graphics cards for a few years, but in 2024, details are starting to emerge about the release date, specs, and performance.
Computing Guides
Steam Deck held between two hands.

Steam Deck 2: release date speculation, specs, pricing

Valve has already said that it will be a few years before we see the Steam Deck 2, but we're already speculating on a possible release date, specs, and more.
Computing Guides
An Intel executive presenting at Intel Vision.

Intel is oddly enthusiastic about AI replacing everyone’s jobs

Intel launched the new Gaudi 3 AI chip at Vision 2024, and it's oddly enthusiastic about the AI agents it will power and that will take over people's jobs.
Computing News
Hollow Knight running on a KTC monitor.

As a lifelong PC gamer, these are the apps I couldn’t live without

As a PC gamer, there are a few critical applications I need to install on every new PC. Here's what you should download first.
Computing Features
Intel Core i9-13900K held between fingertips.

Gamers are reportedly returning Intel Core i9 CPUs in droves

An increasing number of customers are reporting issues with Intel's latest Core i9 CPUs, and the company is finally looking into the problem.
Computing News
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