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

The best CPU cooler for AMD Ryzen 7 5800X desktop processors
By Ben Wilson last updated
Components Pairing AMD's Ryzen 7 5800X 8-core desktop processor with the right CPU cooler will keep your temperatures under control and save you from excessive fan noise.

Goodbye, Windows 10: I watched the dream die, from Xbox One to Lumia
By Ben Wilson published
Windows 10 Windows 10 celebrates its 10-year anniversary and simultaneously prepares for its death, but Microsoft's ambitions of a unified platform still echo across my office.

Best motherboard for AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
By Ben Wilson last updated
Components Find the best AM4 motherboard to match the Ryzen 5 5600X, AMD's perfect mid-range CPU pick.

MSI's Claw 8 AI+ could beat Steam Deck's rivals — but not in this state
By Ben Wilson published
Handhelds MSI could dominate the gaming handheld scene with its Claw 8 AI+ and Intel's Core Ultra chips if it weren't so expensive, and it might be too late to backtrack.

ASUS ROG Ally drops to under $500, and it's still a fantastic handheld
By Ben Wilson published
Deal Play games from the PC Game Pass app, Steam, or any of its competing digital platforms on this discounted ASUS ROG Ally, now available for $499.99 at Best Buy.

AMD's Ryzen AI 5 330 processor is for affordable Copilot+ PCs
By Ben Wilson published
AMD AMD's Ryzen AI 5 330 mobile processor could see x86-64 Copilot+ PCs challenging Qualcomm's ultra-affordable ARM64 Snapdragon X equivalents for the budget crown.

The wireless gaming mouse I've used for 5 years is down to $30
By Ben Wilson published
Deal The Logitech G305 Lightspeed doesn't support removable USB cables, but rather runs on a single AA battery. Not that I can remember the last time it died.

Intel says it's "too late" to catch up and will lay off thousands of US workers
By Ben Wilson published
Intel Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan says it's "too late" to catch up with its rivals in the AI sector, laying off thousands of US workers to reduce its expenses.

Windows 7 running natively on a Steam Deck is unnatural, but here it is
By Ben Wilson published
Handhelds It boots, but there's something wrong with it. Then again, if "Bob Pony" devotes any more time to this unusual project, that could all change.

Today's your last chance to get Geekom's A8 Max AI mini PC for less on Prime Day
By Ben Wilson published
Deal In the final hours of Amazon Prime Day, Geekom's excellent mini Windows PC is available at a reasonable price for a limited time.

This 2TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD is finally on sale for Prime Day
By Ben Wilson published
Deal The WD_BLACK SN8100 PCIe Gen 5 NVMe solid-state drive offers 2TB of storage with read speeds up to 14,200MB/s, and it's a beast. Now it's a reasonable price, too.

I’ve used this Alienware monitor for 2 years — now it's a bargain before Prime Day
By Ben Wilson published
Deal Alienware's 27-inch AW2723DF gaming monitor strikes a balance with a 1440p resolution and a refresh rate of up to 240Hz. I've never needed anything more.

The best Ryzen 9 7950X cooler only costs about $35
By Ben Wilson, Cale Hunt last updated
Hardware The Ryzen 9 7950X offers incredible gaming performance offset by high power draw causing raised temperatures, so I've found the best CPU cooler to match.

Microsoft's "2.3x faster than Windows 10" claim is a stretch
By Ben Wilson published
Windows 11 Microsoft markets performance boosts on Windows 11 PCs over counterparts from several previous generations running Windows 10, but some comparisons aren't fair.

Deus Ex director celebrates 25 years of the iconic game, and so should you
By Ben Wilson published
PC Gaming Ex-Ion Storm game Director Warren Spector has celebrated the 25th anniversary of Deus Ex with a touching video message, and I can't help but play it again.

Xbox Adaptive Joystick review: Microsoft's affordable accessibility
By Ben Wilson published
Review The Xbox Adaptive Joystick is a $30 game-changer, with only minor downsides that I can happily forgive, considering the significant difference it makes.

Microsoft's AI agent in Settings makes adjusting your PC easier than ever
By Ben Wilson last updated
Windows 11 Microsoft continually updates Windows 11 through a series of beta channels before a general release. Here's everything announced from Monday, June 16, 2025.

REMATCH is Rocket League without cars, and plagued with launch bugs
By Ben Wilson published
Gaming Microtransaction prices, game crashes, and server lag are hot issues plaguing players during the first of a three-day advanced access period.

Everything I know about Intel Nova Lake, Core Ultra Series 4
By Ben Wilson published
Components Intel Core Ultra 400 desktop and mobile processors are rumored to arrive with their Nova Lake codename, and here's what I know.

Windows 11 news and updates for June 2025
By Ben Wilson last updated
LIVE Windows 11 is constantly updating as Microsoft tweaks its operating system and the first-party apps installed by default, so I'm tracking the latest news happening in June 2025.

MSI Claw audio bugs are now fixed, thanks to Intel's Arc GPU driver
By Ben Wilson published
PC Gaming Intel's latest Arc graphics driver, version 32.0.101.6877, fixes "audio glitches" on compatible Core Ultra Series 2 gaming handhelds.

Lenovo's Yoga 7i 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop drops the ball on its headline feature
By Ben Wilson published
Review The 16-inch Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (16ILL10) falls short on its most attractive feature, but there are redeeming qualities hidden within this laptop.

Intel Arc is ready for Elden Ring Nightreign with this GPU driver
By Ben Wilson published
PC Gaming Intel's latest Arc "Game On" graphics driver, version 32.0.101.6795, supports Elden Ring Nightreign, Dune: Awakening, and F1 25 ahead of their launches on PC.
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