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CONTRIBUTORS
PC pro • January 2023 Issue 339
Google’s chopping block • Does Google deserve its reputation for killing products at will? Stadia joins the list of victims
Crypto’s climate change • Ethereum’s switch to “proof of stake” boosts crypto’s eco credentials
Win for the virtual networks
Apple hangs up on SIM cards • Apple wants rid of SIM cards. Are the mobile networks ready for eSIMs? James O’Malley investigates
The A-List • The best products on the market, as picked by our editors
Meme culture is not only alive and well, it’s funny • While he’s now a firmer believer in Dawkins’ theory of memes, Dick leans towards dark humour rather than the cute worlds of lolcats and Doges
Demos shouldn’t just be an artist’s impression • Vapourware dates back to the birth of personal computers, and it remains just as frustrating a way to glimpse the future as ever
ISPs must deliver, deliver, deliver • The argument for ISPs to charge content owners such as Netflix an extra fee to traffic their data remains as flawed as it has always been
Star letter
Readers’ comments • Your views and feedback from email and the web
Readers’ poll • How long do you expect a new PC or laptop to last?
PC PRO Christmas Gift Guide • WHETHER YOU’RE BUYING FOR SOMEONE ELSE OR JUST NEED TO LEAVE A SUBTLE HINT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, HERE’S OUR GUIDE TO DOZENS OF GREAT TECH GIFTS FOR THIS CHRISTMAS
PC GAMES FOR THE Christmas WISHLIST • CHRISTMAS IS, OF COURSE, A TIME FOR GAMES – ALTHOUGH THERE’S NOT MUCH FESTIVE CHEER ABOUT SOME OF THE GAMES ON OUR LIST…
PC PRO GIFT SUBSCRIPTION
The homework hacker’s happy ending • Then 15-year-old Alistair Smith used his coding skills to hack his maths homework. It led to a showdown with the owner of the homework site. Here Alistair tells his extraordinary tale of what happened…
Switch to ABILITY OFFICE 11 FOR FREE • We give away a full version of Ability Office 11 this month (see p66). Here, Nik Rawlinson explains why you might want to switch
Why Ethernet just won’t die • If you’re looking for a fast, reliable network, there’s still nothing better than good old-fashioned cables. Darien Graham-Smith uncrosses the wires
Switching routes
PoE: I got the power
AMD Ryzen 7000 series • A brilliant set of technological advances add to these chips’ appeal, but they require a big up-front investment
The motherboard difference
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X • A fast gaming chip for the price, even it faces tough competition from the i5-13600K
AMD Ryzen 9 7900X • An impressive gaming chip, but other options from both AMD and Intel are better value
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X • The best choice for most AMD fans due to its supreme performance coupled with a great price
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X • A stunning opening salvo for the next generation of AMD processors, but boy it’s expensive
Bag a software bargain • Don’t pay full price for software when we can offer you huge reductions on everything from security software to Windows 11 Pro
Intel 13th gen Core desktop processors • A lukewarm upgrade on paper, but in practice this is a stunning performance leap for a single generation
Intel Core i5-13600K • Nudging into i7 territory for performance, this is a brilliant all-rounder for a great price
Intel Core i9-13900K • Intel’s top-end and highly overclockable chip comes at a heavy premium, but it’s worth it
Intel Core i7-13700K...