Ben started at Windows Central as a freelance writer covering PC gaming and a wider range of Windows PC categories. After joining as Channel Editor for the same topics, he soon moved up to Senior Editor and now oversees content on Windows 11, PC gaming, and components. Before all this, he worked various technology-centric roles in the retail space, giving advice and support on Windows laptops and broader gaming hardware.
A firm Windows XP fan, he began his journey with an obsession with his family's Windows 3.1 PC and eventually convinced them to upgrade to Windows 95 with a stack of floppy disks and paper manuals. Ben is still committed to Windows but also ventures into the Linux-based Steam Deck handheld gaming PC to explore cross-platform opportunities and regularly keeps up with the latest graphics card news.
Latest articles by Ben Wilson

By Zac Bowden Last updated
Laptops Looking for a new Windows laptop with a number pad? You've come to the right place. Using our expert reviews, we've rounded up the best laptops with a number pad you can buy right now.

By Cale Hunt Last updated
PC Gaming The best pre-built gaming PCs for sim racing will offer a more personalized experience than a console. Grab a ready-made computer and hit the racetrack.

By Rebecca Spear Last updated
PCs If you're a creator relying on Adobe's suite of products, there are a lot of awesome PCs from which you can choose. These are some of our favorites.

By Rebecca Spear Last updated
Mini PC From cloud gaming to local AAA gaming, these are the best mini PCs to meet your video game needs.

By Ben Wilson Published
Review Valve takes another shot at a PC gaming controller that tempts players away from their consoles, and it convinced me to buy. So, was it worth the asking price?

By Ben Wilson Published
Handhelds MSI's Claw 8 EX AI+ handheld is listed at Australian retailers with a shockingly high price, sparking skepticism as better‑value options dominate the market.

By Ben Wilson Published
PC Gaming Game Pass titles from the Xbox PC app can't communicate properly with Valve's new controller via Steam Input, an issue that's currently only fixed with fan-made apps.

By Ben Wilson Published
Review "The lightest laptop I've ever used": Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition (Gen 11) offers huge battery life, but there's a downside in its pricing.

By Ben Wilson Published
Deals Pick up a ready-made desktop gaming PC from iBUYPOWER in the week leading up to Memorial Day with some time-limited discounts.

By Ben Wilson Published
PC Gaming Valve's new hardware survey shows that a quarter of Windows users are holding on to Windows 10, while the most popular PC components paint a broader picture.

By Ben Wilson Published
Review iBUYPOWER's RDY Trace X R01 is a great example of how great a pre-built PC can be, even with its flaws. There's no AAA game that it wouldn't be able to handle.

By Ben Wilson Published
Windows on ARM ASUS and Qualcomm created a stellar Windows laptop in the Zenbook A16, but can it handle any PC gaming? I tested a few favorites to find out.

By Ben Wilson Published
PC Gaming Kingdom Come: Deliverance II now has a native build for Windows on ARM devices with Snapdragon X chips, but the Xbox PC app has fallen behind.

By Ben Wilson Published
PC Gaming Is Marvel Rivals running natively on Snapdragon X laptops? Qualcomm's gradual gaming push continues with a collaboration with NetEase and 25 "adapted" games.

By Ben Wilson Published
Review A combination of Qualcomm's phenomenal generational performance gains and refinements to ASUS' already stellar Zenbook design has crafted a practically perfect Windows laptop.

By Ben Wilson Published
Storage I started my NAS setup as a home media server, but it's quickly evolved to a personal Windows backup drive. It's a fantastic option for mindful users.

By Ben Wilson Published
Deals iBUYPOWER's pre-built gaming PCs offer high-end CPUs like AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D, along with capable RAM, with hundreds of dollars in discounts.

By Ben Wilson Published
Intel Intel's latest vPro upgrades on Core Ultra mean enterprise‑ready laptops with the efficiency of Panther Lake, and a more secure PC for your job.

By Ben Wilson Published
Review Intel's Core Ultra 200S series CPUs come as a duo of Arrow Lake Refresh processors, and they're refreshingly cheap for creators, with gaming benefits to boot.

By Ben Wilson Published
CPUs Intel's new Core Ultra 200HX Plus Series mobile chips bring FPS gains to high-end gaming laptops with in-house performance-boosting "IBOT" tech.

By Ben Wilson Published
PC Gaming Faster processors at lower prices are part of Intel's Arrow Lake Refresh plan, and it might win back the PC gamers if Core Ultra 200S Plus can pull it off.

By Ben Wilson Published
Apple The more affordable MacBook Neo could have been my chance to go hands-on with macOS, but the specs turned me off and back towards Qualcomm.

By Ben Wilson Published
Deals Logitech's G305 Lightspeed wireless gaming mouse hasn't left my desk for over 5 years, and sometimes it feels like its single AA battery lasts forever, too.
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.

