M.2 Slot Under The GPU (Graphics Card): What To Be Aware Of

Installing an M.2 NVMe SSD in my Asus motherboard

Part of building a new PC is chasing the highest possible specs. However, with great performance comes great responsibility. The quest for high stats can cause serious heating issues inside your PC. Today’s high-end SSDs and GPUs get packed in tightly on a performance motherboard. This is a recipe for overheating and the risk of … Read more

GPU Active vs Fan vs Passive Cooling – What’s The Difference? (Is Liquid Best?)

Holding my Sapphire RX480 graphics card

Graphics cards have never been at a higher premium. We’re using them for everything from creative software to high on gaming. With all of this workload, how can you keep your graphics card cool? You have plenty of options when it comes to keeping your graphics card cool. Passive cooling is the quietest and most … Read more

Should I Use The M.2 Heatsink With My Mobo (Or A Separate One?)

A motherboard with bare M.2 slot and also a separate M.2 heatsink cover

M.2 storage drives offer you the best performance, but they also generate some of the highest temperatures on your motherboard. More motherboard manufacturers are shipping with M.2 heatsinks, but are they worth it? The M.2 heatsink that comes with your motherboard is a great option if you’re looking to save money and ensure that all of … Read more

Does The M.2 Brand Matter? (Should You Just Buy ANY SSD?!)

Someone holding an M.2 SSD Samsung 970 Pro drive

M.2 NVMe drives are getting more popular than ever and this means more brands are entering the market. We’ve got tried and true brands and budget newcomes all selling M.2 NVMe drives with equal stats, but is a name brand really better? The brand of your M.2 drives matters most when it comes to build … Read more

Why You Should NEVER (Usually) Use The Same Split (Pigtail) PCIe PSU Cable

Don't reuse the same pigtail PSU connector

A bit of a PSA (public service announcement): if you are installing a high end graphics card that has peak power usage of MORE THAN 250w (watts), you should run multiple, separate cables to it from your PSU. Otherwise you could be underpowering – and harming – your expensive graphics card. Video Transcript If you’ve … Read more