
Jacob Ridley
Jacob earned his first byline writing for his own tech blog, before graduating to breaking things professionally at PCGamesN, where he was one half of a popular weekly YouTube show. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, Jacob is now managing editor of the hardware team, and you'll usually find him testing the latest components or building a gaming PC. He says he's determined to build a fort as big as a house out of case boxes. Jacob enjoys heading out of the office to report from floors, benches, and, if he's lucky, plush press rooms at the biggest tech shows, such as Computex and CES.
When he's not writing about components, you'll find Jacob trying to get away from the modern world as fast as possible by bike and pitching up camp in murky woods.
Latest articles by Jacob Ridley

Intel Nova Lake CPUs on track for late 2026 as exec downplays shuffling capacity to meet datacenter demand: 'We have important customers in both datacenter and client and that needs to be our priority'
By Jacob Ridley published
News Would you consider Nova Lake?

Jensen Huang talks AI's insatiable appetite for GPUs at the World Economic Forum: 'spot price of GPU rentals is going up, not just the latest generation, but two generation old GPUs'
By Jacob Ridley published
News AI is all-consuming.

Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock review
By Jacob Ridley published
Score: 70% Fast and furious… at a cost

Sennheiser HD 550 review
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Audiophile A great reason to start taking your gaming audio seriously.

There are a surprising number of programs designed to randomly kill processes on your computer until it crashes—or you wimp out
By Jacob Ridley published
News Process roulette is the name of the game.

The best fish tank PC case in 2026: I've tested heaps of stylish chassis but only a few have earned my recommendation
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Fish sold separately Want to show off your PC components? These fish tank cases are the best way to do it.

Best office chairs for gaming in 2026: The top seats for work and gaming that I've tried and tested
By Dave James last updated
Take a seat Take care of your spine with the best office chairs for gaming.

Best mechanical keyboards in 2026: The clacky boards I'd buy in a heartbeat
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Click Clack Make the switch with our guide to the best mechanical gaming keyboards.

Best high refresh rate gaming monitor in 2026: These are the speedy panels I'd snap up
By Jacob Ridley last updated
How Refreshing Don't dawdle with one of the best high refresh rate gaming monitors around.

The best Mini-ITX PC case in 2026: the top tiny cases I've tested so far
By Dave James last updated
Mini but Mighty Go compact and cute with the best Mini-ITX PC cases.

Best Steam Deck accessories in 2026: These are the add-ons that I'd let keep my handheld company on its travels
By Katie Wickens last updated
Decked out These are the best Steam Deck accessories to pair with your handheld gaming PC—peripherals, power, and protection.

Best mouse pads for gaming in 2026: the fabric and hard-top mats I prefer to game on
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Slick The best mouse pads offer slick mouse movement and awesome aesthetics, no matter what surface you prefer.

The best desk lighting in 2026: my recommendations for key lights and lightstrips to illuminate your gaming set-up
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Light it up! Whether making your Twitch stream more professional or aiming for an ambient office environment, I've got the best lighting kits for your PC covered.

Best 4K gaming monitors in 2026: the ultra hi-res panels I highly recommend
By Dave James last updated
4K Vision The best 4K gaming monitor has all the bells and whistles an enthusiast could ever want or need.

Best wireless gaming keyboard in 2026: my top picks for cable-free typing delights
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Freedom Cut the cord with the best wireless gaming keyboards.

Best webcams in 2026: the 1080p and 4K webcams I recommend for gamers and streamers
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Look Your Best These are the best webcams for streaming and video calls.

Best Hall effect keyboards in 2026: the fastest, most customizable keyboards for competitive gaming
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Quick digits The best Hall effect, optical or induction gaming keyboards are built for competitive gameplay, but they offer something for everybody.

Best CPU coolers in 2026: I've tested the latest liquid coolers and air coolers to find the very best for your CPU
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Cool Breeze Our picks for the best CPU coolers will have your processor running cool with air or liquid during the hottest gaming sessions.

Best air cooler for CPUs in 2026: Keep your processor chilled with one of these budget-friendly and capable coolers
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Air dried Quiet, reliable and affordable—why not consider a CPU air cooler this year?

Best M.2 SSDs for gaming in 2026: my top picks for blazing fast storage
By Jeremy Laird last updated
High speed Our choices for the best NVMe M.2 SSDs give you blisteringly fast load times.

Best gaming monitors in 2026: the pixel-perfect panels I'd buy myself
By Dave James last updated
Eye candy The best gaming monitors balance price with panel quality, resolution and refresh rate.

Best gaming keyboards in 2026: the fastest, smoothest and loveliest boards I've tested
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Keyed in The best gaming keyboards have it all: style, ergonomics, and of course, the most satisfying clickity clacks.

Best VR headset in 2026: my top picks for stunning virtual reality experiences
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Jack In Immerse yourself in stunning game worlds with the best VR headset.
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