connect lcd panel to pc psu site www.tomshardware.com brands
As shared by @momomo_us on Twitter,(opens in new tab) ASRock has built a new accessory for PC builders that allows you to turn your PC chassis" side panel into an LCD monitor. The gadget is a 13.3" side panel kit designed to be tapped to the inside of your see-through side panel, giving users an additional display for monitoring system resources and temperatures or being used as a secondary monitor altogether.
The screen is a 16:9 aspect ratio 1080P IPS 60Hz display, measuring 13.3 inches diagonally. This screen is the equivalent of a laptop display. It uses the same connection method as laptops, featuring an embedded DisplayPort (eDP) connector.
Unfortunately, this represents a problem for most PC users. The connector was originally designed specifically for mobile, and embedded PC solutions, meaning the connector is not available on standard desktop motherboards or graphics cards.
As a result, only ASRock motherboards support the side panel, and only a few models at best, with less than ten motherboards featuring the eDP connector. The list includes the following motherboards: Z790 LiveMixer, Z790 Pro RS/D4, Z790M-ITX WiFi, Z790 Steel Legend WiFi, Z790 PG Lightning, Z790 Pro RS, Z790 PG Lightning/D4. H610M-ITX/eDP, and B650E PG-ITX WiFi.
Sadly adapters aren"t a solution either since eDP to DP (or any other display output) adapters don"t exist today. Furthermore, creating an adapter is problematic because eDP runs both power and video signals through a single cable.
It"s a shame this accessory won"t get mainstream popularity due to these compatibility issues. But for the few users with the correct motherboard, this side panel kit can provide a full secondary monitor that takes up no additional space on your desk. The only sacrifice you"ll make is blocking all the shiny RGB lighting inside your chassis.
I think now you"re trying to get video thropugh the video card, when actually the mobo"s BIOS has been reset to use the onboard video (happened when replaced the PSU). you need to make sure you get the video out through the output that is actually enabled in BIOS. For that you need do the following:
Plug the monitor in the mobo"s VGA output (as opposed to the card"s output)? After you do that, reset the BIOS to factory defaults (remove the CMOS battery for a little while and reinsert it, make sure the mobo is unplugged during all that) and then plug back in the PC and power it on. It should let you go into BIOS by default (again, using the mobo"s onboard video, not the card"s video output). Once in BIOS, select the video discrete card output for video, save and power off. Plug the monitor in the card"s output and reboot. This time the video output should come through the discrete card.
You can never have have enough screens, even if some of them are inside of your case. Gigabyte"s new Aorus P1200W power supply features a full-color LCD screen, which can display custom text, pictures, GIFs, and even videos on its LCD screen. Yes, just imagine watching your favorite movies on the side of your PSU!
This isn"t the first time we"ve seen a power supply with a screen slapped on it. The ASUS ROG Thor has one, but it only displays power draw, not your favorite films. Of course, the more practical use case for a screen on a PSU is showing stats such as your fan speed or temperature.
Unfortunately, Gigabyte hasn"t listed the exact size or resolution of the screen nor do we know what its refresh rate will be. Could one even play games on it? I guess we"ll have to find out.
Designed to compete with the best power supplies, the P1200W features all of the bells and whistles most high-end power supplies come with: an 80-Plus Platinum rating, fully modular cables, 140mm fan, an input current of 15-7.5A, full-range input voltage, >16ms hold up time, active PFC, and Japanese capacitors.
The P1200W brings a lot in a small package, with one 24-pin and 10-pin connector, two CPU EPS-12v power connectors, six peripheral connectors, and six PCIe connectors, and of course, the LCD screen.
I have tried many ways to turn the monitor on but it does not work. Is it because of the motherboard or is it because of something else because everything that I brought are brand new. When plugging in the HDMI or a VGA to DVI port to the graphic card, the monitor doesn"t turn on and it said "no signal". Also, everything boost up and light comes up. I have tried many ways and read many threads that are related to this problem, but it seems that it does not help me in solving this issue. I m so desperate for this new computer, Please help me, PLEASEEE!!!!!
Intel"s upcoming Raptor Lake non-K CPUs are reportedly up to 64 percent faster than their Alder Lake counterparts, according to a hardware leaker who shared some performance numbers.
The best gaming laptops come in various sizes and shapes, for different needs and budgets. So while a tricked out $5,000-plus model with the highest-end graphics and best display might give you the best gaming laptop experience, most of us can"t afford a rig like that. Our picks here are often high-end models (we"re an enthusiast site, after all), but most come in various configurations at various price points. For those on a tight gaming budget, we"ve have dedicated pages for the best gaming laptops under $1,500 and the best gaming laptops under $1,000.
Thankfully, there are more gaming laptop options now than ever, from budget-friendly to desktop replacements. Some come with full-size Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards, while others go for the more efficient Max-Q designs that enable thinner chassis and (sometimes) quieter fans.
Why you can trust Tom"s HardwareOur expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
While many of the best gaming laptops come with a 1080p display and high refresh rates, some include 4K screens, so you can pick between fidelity and resolution. Several gaming laptop go as fast as 360 Hz. There are also an increasing number of 2560 x 1440 display options, giving you an option other than 1080p or 4K. Additionally, some more expensive, premium options include OLED for deeper blacks and more vivid colors.
There is more choice than ever in components, too. While Intel is still a popular option, AMD"s Ryzen processors are becoming more common. On the GPU side, Nvidia"s RTX GPUs are in most laptops, though AMD is slowly starting to pair its own graphics cards with hits CPUs for what it calls an "AMD Advantage." (We"re not seeing AMD GPUs with Intel CPUs).
The latest technologies in processors include Intel"s 12th Gen "Alder Lake" processors, which use a hybrid design with Performance and Efficient cores, and AMD"s Ryzen 6000 CPUs, though we haven"t seen as many of those comes through as our lab. With Intel and AMD both having moved to their next generations on the desktop, we"re expecting to see updates to laptops in the next few months.
Nvidia"s RTX 40-series has started to hit desktops, but they"re not on laptops quite yet. We"re expecting to see that in the next few months, so stay tuned.
To help you find the best gaming laptop, we"ve compiled a list of the best models we"ve tested and reviewed recently. For much more on how to narrow down your list of best gaming laptop considerations, check out our best gaming laptop buyer’s guide. But here are a few quick tips to get you started down the road to the right portable gaming rig for you.
While many gamers may go to desktops to get the most performance for their money, try lugging a tower, monitor and keyboard around in your backpack. When you need a powerful rig you can take with you, there"s no substitute for a gaming laptop.
Quick Gaming Laptop Shopping TipsFocus on the GPU: Most games are dependent on the GPU, and those aren’t upgradeable. If you splurge on a powerful GPU now, you’ll be gaming comfortably for a few years.
You can upgrade some parts later: While the best CPUs for gaming and GPUs are almost always soldered down, most gaming laptops let you replace the RAM and storage, so you can buy cheaper now and add more memory and a bigger hard drive or SSD down the road. Thicker, more powerful laptops are often easier to upgrade than thinner ones, so be sure to do some research before buying. (We include this information in our reviews).
Battery life will probably be bad: Very few gaming notebooks get 8 hours or more on a charge, and you need the power supply to get the best gaming performance anyway. However, we"ve seen some strong times from AMD"s Ryzen processors, and Nvidia suggests its improved Optimus technology may help turn the tide. For peak gaming performance, however, you"ll want to be sure to be plugged in while playing.
If you"re looking for a laptop with desktop-level power, the MSI GE76 Raider is about as close as you"ll get, though you may also have to spend a ton of money to get there. Still, with its high-end components like the Intel Core i9-12900HK and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti.
We"d be remiss to point out that the Raider has a large RGB light bar on the front, which, when combined with per-key lighting, makes for quite an effect in the dark (or you can turn it all of if you prefer something a bit less showy).
The 17.3-inch, 1080p display goes up to 360 Hz, which is great for esports players, but everyone else might want to consider a 1440p or 4K display, depending on available configurations.
We tested this laptop at $3,999, which is enough to make you tear up when you check your bank account. That"s an awful lot to spend on a laptop (we imagine DDR5 memory partially brings that price up), but it"s also the best performer we"ve seen recently.
You still get a variety of ports, like Thunderbolt 4, both USB Type-C and Type-A as well as an SD card reader, so there"s plenty of expansion for peripherals and extra storage for games. It would even work great for productivity, though we did find some competing gaming laptops were better in non-gaming benchmarks.
To get Razer"s premium look and feel, you do have to pay a premium. This notebook starts at $2,499 and we reviewed it at $2,999. It"s pricey, but it"s also maintained a spot among our favorite gaming notebooks for years for a reason.
The Alienware x17 R2 goes up to an Intel Core i9-12900HK and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, some of the most powerful parts on the market. In our review, the laptop showed strong performance in both gaming and productivity.
Alienware"s design, which debuted last year, is lovely. It"s still clearly a gaming notebook, but it"s futuristic and minimal. That being said, it"s a bit larger than some competitors, and at 6.82 pounds, you probably won"t want to carry this around too often.
The Acer Nitro 5 has long been our favorite gaming laptop for those on a tight budget. The latest model we"ve tested, with an Intel Core i5-12500H and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti offers decent performance for the price, as long as you"re willing to turn down the settings on some games.
Acer has given the Nitro 5 a new, more adult design. It"s less angular, and with fewer red accents, doesn"t scream as much that it"s a gaming notebook. We"ve seen that aesthetic become popular on expensive notebooks, it"s nice to see a toned-down design on a gaming laptop that"s $899.99. (Don"t worry, there"s still an RGB backlit keyboard for those that are into that sort of thing.
There"s a bit of room to upgrade inside, too. Acer includes a SATA cable in the box for people who want to open the laptop and add a 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD. The RAM, NVMe SSD, and Wi-Fi card are all easily accessible, too.
HP"s Victus 15 secures a slot on this list by deftly balancing what you can get at the extreme low-end of gaming laptops. We tested this laptop near its entry-level configuration, at $799.99 with an Intel Core i5-12450H and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650.
For $800, you can"t expect greatness. Most games will play at at least medium settings, though you"ll have to turn some to low from the day you buy it. But for the games that can push high frame rates with the GTX 1650, you get a 1080p, 144 Hz display. That 12th Gen H-series Intel processor is no slouch when you want to use the Victus for productivity work, perhaps at work or school.
If you"re looking to spend as little as possible, you can squeeze value out of the Victus. You won"t get the best display or webcam around, but you"ll spend well under $1,000. One tip, if you can, is to make sure your purchase includes dual-channel RAM. Some stores, like HP"s, let you configure this, and it should improve performance somewhat. Ours didn"t have this, and we wish it did.
If you"re a PC gamer on the go, a thin PC like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 may be up your alley. The Zephyrus uses an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS and an AMD Radeon RX 6800S, as well as the company"s proprietary features like SmartShift (to move power between the CPU and GPU) and SmartAccess Memory.
For the latest update, Asus added a webcam, which was a glaring omission on previous models. The all-AMD model has also moved to a taller, 16:10 aspect ratio.
If you want top-tier esports performance, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 SE is the way to go. Yes, it"s expensive, but with an Intel Core i9-12950HX and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, this laptop can handle intense graphics from high-budget games, but can also push esports to the limit.
The design is functional, albeit with lots of gamer-focused elements, like lots of RGB, some see-through plastic and some designs that light up under UV light. The one issue it the lack of a webcam; You"ll have to bring your own.
The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro offers strong performance with a screen that lets you switch between high refresh rate gaming meant for esports or high resolution for more cinematic games. It"s a 16-inch, 2560 x 1600 panel that goes up to 165 Hz. That"s not the fastest we"ve seen on a gaming notebook, but it"s a nice balance.
We were pleasantly surprised by the Legion"s battery life. The laptop ran for seven and a half hours on our battery test, which is longer than most gaming PCs. That suggests that you could use it for quite a bit as a productivity machine (especially in conjunction with the tall 16:10 screen to see your work).
Asus" latest ROG Zephyrus Duo uses AMD"s top-end RYzen 9 5900HX paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 for powerful results, while using a second screen that lifts up to provide more ventilation to improve cooling.
The keyboard and mouse are in an awkward position, like most dual-screen notebooks on the market (most people will likely use an external mouse for gaming). So you"ll have to decide if that second screen — which is great for chat programs, gaming guides or music apps — is worth a more difficult typing experience.
Whether you"re shopping for one of the best gaming laptops or another model that didn"t quite make our list, you may find some savings by checking out our lists of Dell coupon codes, HP coupon codes, Lenovo coupon codes, Razer promo codes or Newegg promo codes.
Gaming monitor options keep growing with new brands, features, and ever-growing capabilities. It"s an exciting time to be a PC gamer, but that also means that selecting the best gaming monitor for your rig is growing more complicated every day. The selection can be overwhelming, from screen-smoothing technologies (Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync) to ultra-fast refresh rates that can reach a mind-blowing 360 Hz.
For pixel addicts, there are dense 4K screens that are just as hard on your wallet as they are on the latest graphics cards. Thankfully, we have plenty of excellent picks for you to upgrade your tired old monitor.
Why you can trust Tom"s HardwareOur expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
When seeking the best gaming monitor for your rig, there are different panel types vying for your eyeballs — IPS(opens in new tab), TN(opens in new tab), VA(opens in new tab) and even OLED(opens in new tab)— each with its own pros and cons. You can"t forget about screen size and aspect ratio, which affect your views, desk space and, again, bank account. And we haven"t even discussed bonuses, like speakers, RGB or port selection. How"s a gamer to choose with all of these options?
For a deep dive into how to pick the best monitor--gaming or otherwise--check out our PC Monitor Buying Guide(opens in new tab). Below is a list of the best gaming monitors out there right now, based on our own tests.
G-Sync or FreeSync? G-Sync only works with PCs with Nvidia graphics cards, while FreeSync only works with systems using AMD ones. You can technicallyrun G-Sync on a FreeSync-only monitor, but performance isn"t guaranteed. FreeSync monitors tend to be cheaper, but performance is comparable. For a detailed comparison of the two technologies’ performance, see our Nvidia G-Sync vs. AMD FreeSync comparison(opens in new tab) article.
For image quality, TN < IPS < VA. Generally speaking. Typically, TN monitors are the fastest but cheapest, due to weaker viewing angles. IPS displays have slightly slower response times but better color than VA monitors. The best gaming monitors for contrast are VA, but VA also has slower response times.
Refresh rates: bigger is better. This number explains the number of times your monitor updates with new information per second — stated in hertz (Hz) — and, therefore, how many frames per second (fps) the monitor can display. Bigger numbers mean smoother images. Refresh rate is especially important for gamers, so you’ll want to shoot for a monitor with at least 75 Hz (most gaming monitors offer at least 144 Hz), combined with the lowest response time you can find.
Resolution: Full HD, QHD, 4K. The most popular screen resolutions for gaming monitors are Full HD (1920 x 1080), QHD (2560 x 1440) and 4K (3840 x 2160). The more pixels a screen has, the sharper its image should look. So a 4K monitor will be able to show a more crisp image and more detail than a lower resolution Full HD monitor. Generally speaking, the lowest resolution monitors push the fastest refresh rates, reaching upwards of 360Hz. Because they have to push many more pixels, 4K monitors usually top out at a 144Hz refresh rate.
The Dell S3222DGM is just a great, all-around pick as the top gaming monitor thanks to its excellent image quality, plentiful features and typical solid build quality. At the heart of this display is a 2560 x 1440, curved VA panel that supports both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync at up to 165 Hz.
The S3222DGM"s delivers an enviable contrast ratio thanks to its 1800R curved VA panel. While the IPS competition often struggles to break much past 1,000:1, the S3222DGM"s VA panels shot to 4209:1 in our tests. The display also reproduced 122 percent of the sRGB color gamut and 85 percent of the DCI-P3 gamut on our tests along with an incredibly accurate gamut error rate of 2.07dE.
Desktop-class OLEDs used to be a rarity in the gaming monitor segment, but over the years, prices have come down, and more entries have entered the fray. The latest comes to us from Alienware, and it’s the jaw-dropping AW3423DFW.
This is a 34-inch ultra-wide monitor with a 1800R curve and a resolution of 3440 x 1440. However, the most important spec is its use of a Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) panel, which offers an extremely wide color gamut and the blackest blacks you’ll find in a gaming monitor.
The QD-OLED “heart” of the AW3423DFW gives it unmatched contrast and excellent color saturation and we felt no need to calibrate the panel further out of the box. Throw in premium build quality – as we expect from Alienware – and top-notch video processing and the AW3423DFW hit all the high notes without any demerits worth mentioning for enthusiast gamers.
With a price tag of around $250, the Monoprice Dark Matter 42770 is an easy to recommend 1080p gaming monitor with a wide color gamut, excellent contrast ratio for an IPS display and solid build quality. At this price, you"re getting a relatively barebones monitor, but Monoprice spent its time throwing in the features that matter most to gamers on a budget.
The Dark Matter 42770 offers a 1ms GTG response time and tops out with a 144 Hz refresh rate. Another feather in its cap is that the monitor supports both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync Adaptive-Sync technologies.
Although the monitor doesn"t support HDR, its native dynamic range is excellent, and it features a wide color gamut and excellent gamma tracking. Its deep blacks are welcome here given that this is an IPS panel, with its color and contrast on part with monitors that costs hundreds of dollars more.
The Gigabyte G27F2 represents a revamp of theG27F we first reviewed in late 2020. While the original monitor was highlighted by a 144Hz panel, the new G27F2 revision ups that figure to 170Hz. While that might not be as fast as more high-end Full HD gaming monitors, we have to remember that the G27F2 has a bargain basement price of just over $200.
However, that low price doesn"t mean that Gigabyte skimped on quality. You"ll still find low response times and input lag compared to others in this segment. In addition, the build quality throughout is excellent, as is color accuracy and contrast (which is somewhat of a revelation given that the G27F2 uses an IPS panel instead of VA).
The Dell G3223Q is a stellar entry in the 4K gaming monitor segment, offering a 32-inch panel size, low total input lag (measured at just 30ms) and an excellent balance between response and motion resolution. As you might expect for a 4K gaming monitor, we have a 144Hz refresh rate with support for both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync Adaptive Sync technologies.
Not only does the Dell G3223Q nail the basics, but it also offers a bright and colorful picture. And color accuracy straight out of the box is top notch in both DCI-P3 and sRGB color gamuts. With DisplayHDR 600 support, accuracy and color reproduction were also well represented in HDR mode.
The HyperX Armada 27 is one of those standout monitors that offers the whole package. This is a 27-inch QHD display with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, 165Hz refresh rate HDR and premium built quality that we expect from HyperX.
One thing that makes the Armada 27 stand out (along with its smaller Armada 25 sibling) is the inclusion of a gaming mount for attaching the monitor to your desk instead of a traditional stand. This gives customers greater flexibility in positioning the Armada 27 for height, swivel and tilt.
If you like your games to look extra colorful, the MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD is the best gaming monitor for your rig. This monitor posted the widest color gamut we’ve ever recorded: 112.19% of DCI-P3 after our recommended calibration. 90% of DCI-P3 would be impressive, so this is one color-saturated screen.
Contrast is also strong for an IPS panel, hitting 1,129.1:1 after our calibration. And for those concerned about speed, this 165 Hz screen kept up with the 170 Hz Gigabyte M27Q in our testing
Color purists, however, will lament the lack of an sRGB mode, considering the MAG274QRF-QD’s sRGB coverage is at 166.33%. Its backlight strobe for fighting motion blur is also a disappointment. You can’t use Adaptive-Sync with it, the brightness goes down by about 50% and it created ghosting that resulted in a parallax effect with fast motion. In addition, this is yet another gaming monitor to offer HDR but without any noticeable image boost over SDR.
The Viotek GNV34DBE is a well-performing and affordable curved gaming monitor. Its 1500R curve proved to add an immersive touch while gaming, helping to fill our peripheral vision. Despite its tight curve, we still found the GNV34DBE fit for working. There was no distortion, and we enjoyed having multiple windows open for boosted productivity.
But it’s not just about the GNV34DBE’s curve. You also get a 144 Hz refresh rate and response times and input lag that kept up with 144 Hz rivals during our testing. On the battlefield, we realized the high pixel density of a 1440p screen and smooth gaming without any screen tearing, thanks to FreeSync. Color and contrast were competitive with pricier gaming displays too.
Gigabyte’s Aorus CV27Q is the best 1440p gaming monitor when it comes to high-speed gaming performance. With its impressive specs, it shined in our input lag and response time tests when pitted against 144 Hz rivals. Sure, you could get slightly better performance from the 1080p version, the Aorus CV27F, but then you wouldn’t be getting that sharper QHD resolution or higher pixel density (109ppi).
With a VA panel offering 3,000:1 contrast, image quality is no joke either. The CV27Q has a low black level that made image depth look great, particularly with HDR titles. But as far as HDR goes, this monitor only goes up to 400 nits brightness; we prefer HDR displays that hit at least 600 nits.
If you have extra room in your budget and want to squeeze out that additional drop of performance from your 1440p screen, the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQ may be the best gaming monitor for you. This screen is ready to compete with the speediest of screens, competing well against other 165-170 Hz screens in our response time test and falling just 1-3ms behind in our input lag test.
Out of the box, we recorded solid IPS contrast (1,158.4:1). Of course, you’ll want to calibrate to get rid of some visible grayscale tracking errors, but our recommended settings can help you there. This is also an excellent HDR monitor, thanks to a dynamic contrast feature that bumps contrast up to a whopping 22,506.9:1.
Not only does it have the sharper resolution of your dreams, but it’s one of the rare monitors to allow you to run blur reduction alongside side screen tear-fighting Adaptive-Sync.
The Razer Raptor 27 is the best gaming monitor for 144 Hz refresh rates. It"ll make any gamer you know jealous with premium touches, like an RGB stand, flat green cables for cable management and drool-worthy build quality. Plus, HDR delivery is some of the best we’ve seen in an edge-lit panel yet.
Despite its 144Hz refresh rate, the Raptor 27 was able to stay competitive with 165Hz monitors in our benchmarking. There wasn"t significant motion blur, but finicky, pro-level players will have to choose between dealing with it or activating the backlight strobe, which limits you to 120Hz, reduces brightness by 40% and grays out FreeSync and G-Sync Compatibility.
For speed demons, a 240 Hz monitor hits the spot. Up until recently, that level of speed required two things: settling for 1080p resolution and a TN panel. But the Asus" 27-inch ROG Swift PG279QM is the best gaming monitor in this class. It manages that speed with a color-accurate IPS panel. Not only does it deliver a huge color gamut, but it also has excellent video processing and premium build quality.
The 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G7 is in a class all its own. It’s one of Samsung’s 1000R screens, meaning it’s one of the curviest gaming monitors you can find on the market. If you’re a fan of the immersive feel of a curved monitor, the 32” Odyssey G7 will elevate this experience even higher.
At 32 inches, the Odyssey G7’s amazing 1000R curve drew us in, whether we were playing games or doing work. With this curvature, we could view productivity apps without any image distortion, and when gaming our vision was filled with action. The 32-inch, 16:9 build offers ample height for productivity and, coupled with 1440p resolution, hits a sweet spot for gaming.
In terms of image quality, the 32-inch Odyssey G7 proved accurate before we even calibrated it while boasting a 2,121:1 contrast ratio, according to our testing.
The 27-inch gaming monitor competition is crowded, but the Viotek GFI27DBXA stands out with an incredibly colorful image that’s also bright and sharp. The 1440p panel covers 101% of the DCI-P3 color space, according to our testing. Contrast, meanwhile, proved comparable to your typical IPS panel, but the dynamic contrast feature helped when gaming. Combined with the wide color coverage, the image impressed during gaming.
Speed-wise, the GFI27DBXA is ready to play. In our benchmarks, it showed a competitive 6ms response time. With a 180 Hz refresh rate, it fell behind 165 and 170 Hz screens from more premium brands but only by 2-6ms. Plus, its overdrive is one of the best we’ve seen, ensuring zero perceivable delays for mainstream players. Plus, the monitor feels strong and reliable, despite its lower price.
The Dell S2422HG might be small in stature at just 23.6 inches across, but it packs quite a punch at a very attractive price point. Not everyone has the cash to drop $400 or $500 on a gaming monitor, so it"s nice to see Dell providing a value-conscious entry here.
The S2422HG has a 1920 x 1080 resolution and a relatively fast refresh rate at 165 MHz. Dell uses a VA panel here, so you get excellent contrast at 3,000:1 (we measured better at 3,261.8:1) and a factory-rated brightness of 350 nits (although we only measured 324 nits). We also commend Dell for including both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility in this budget-oriented monitor.
Video processing for the S2422HG was good in our testing, and the low input lag was appreciated. However, we did have to knock the motor for its lack of sRGB mode, no integrated speakers, and a lack of USB hub functionality.
The Samsung 49-Inch Odyssey G9 is one of the most extreme monitors on this page. Not only is it a massive 49 inches diagonally, but it also carries a 1000R curve, the most dramatic curve offered on a gaming monitor today. From a 2-3-feet distance, this panel will fill your view. It’s like having two 27-inch, 1440p monitors in one. You"ll need nearly 4 feet of desk width and 17 inches of depth to accommodate it, but if you do, you’ll enjoy a wraparound gaming environment without image distortion. Are you looking for a smaller ultrawide? The Acer Predator X38is also excellent.
Testing of the 49-Inch Odyssey G9 revealed excellent contrast (2,152.9:1 after calibration), which climbed to 58,881.7:1 when it came to HDR testing. This is a bright monitor with a sharp picture and accurate DCI-P3 and sRGB color.
Currently going for $660(opens in new tab), the ViewSonic Elite XG350R-C is cheaper than many other 35-inch ultrawides and ultrawides with fewer features (there’s even RGB lighting on the back of the XG350R-C). But what you’ll really love about the XG350R-C is its vivid and accurate color that makes textures pop, skin tones look natural, and everything looks more realistic.
If you’ve wanted to try out an HDR monitor but can’t afford the best HDR monitors with FALD backlights, the ViewSonic Elite XG270QC (available here(opens in new tab)) is worth a look. Admittedly, it’s not quite FALD-quality, but with edge-lit backlighting, the runner-up, and a VA panel, this monitor’s HDR performance will give you a noticeable upgrade over SDR.
This monitor kept up with other 165 Hz screens in our benchmarks, such as the Dell S3220DGF above. ViewSonic"s XG270QC also delivers 1440p resolution with on-point gamma. Even without HDR, contrast hit 2,897:1 with our calibration settings. Plus, you get a surprisingly loud pair of 3W speakers.
The Asus TUF Gaming VG259QM isn’t the only 240 Hz monitor here, but it’s the only one that overclocks to an impressive 280 Hz so impressively. It’s not only about the high refresh rate, though. It’s also the ability to incorporate FreeSync (despite lacking certification) or G-Sync Compatibility alongside Asus’ Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) feature that bests any monitor’s overdrive. With those features and 280 Hz, our inputs almost felt predicted. This is the kind of monitor that could help your game. Asus’ VG259QM topped our response time test and did admirably in terms of absolute input lag.
One of the downsides of this monitor is its HDR capability. Using an IPS panel with 1,000:1 contrast and only DisplayHDR 400 certification, HDR won’t look much better than SDR content. And, of course, you’ll need a decent graphics card to make the most out of this high-refresh screen.
If you"re the kind of gamer who can take advantage of things like 8,000 Hz mice, the most advanced GPU, and play at a competitive level, the MSI Oculux NXG253R is as good as it gets. We’ve tested a few 360 Hz monitors, namely the Asus ROG Swift PG259QN, Alienware AW2521H, and Acer Predator X25, and they’re all amazingly fast and impressive. However, MSI’s 360 Hz monitor stands above them all as the fastest screen we’ve ever tested.
Our benchmarking recorded the NXG253R’s absolute input lag at 17ms, 1ms faster than the next fastest 360 Hz monitor (Asus’ PG259QN). The NXG253R matched the other 360 Hz screens with a 3ms result when it came to response time. You also get Nvidia’s Reflexlatency analyzer, plus G-Sync all the way down to 1 Hz. Nothing is missing for gaming performance here.
There are some things missing, though. Despite the high price (especially for a 1080p monitor), the NXG253R doesn’t have speakers. And its color gamut is sRGB, rather than the more colorful DCI-P3 that’s increasingly popular among gaming monitors. But this is still a bright screen with decent contrast (1,190.6:1) for an IPS panel. HDR is aided by a variable backlight, which brings contrast to a high 7,972.5:1 with HDR content.
The Samsung 27-inch CRG5 provides incredible speed at 1080p resolution, and the Porsche Design AOC Agon PD27 takes things to the next level, including a higher resolution, shorter response time, and a price tag that’s more than twice the size.
For most, the CRG5 is in the sweet spot for a 240Hz monitor. Its 1080p resolution will require less graphics power than the 1440p PD27. When it came to our speed benchmarks, the PD27 was 1ms faster than the CRG5 in the response time test and 2ms slower in the absolute input lag test. So performance there is comparable, but the PD27 is also in a different style class.
With a unique metallic stand reminiscent of a racecar’s roll cage, LED lighting, including a projector that casts a customizable Porsche Design logo, and even its own remote, this monitor is as much about premium looks as it is about premium performance. If you want a little bit of it everything, it’s tough to beat this stylish monitor.
When shopping for any gaming monitor, including those above, you may save some money by checking out our lists of best computer monitor deals, Dell Coupon Codes, Lenovo coupon codes, LG coupon codes or Newegg coupon codes.
Getting the best graphics card is key if you"re looking to buy the best gaming PC or looking to build a PC on your own. The graphics card is even more important than the CPU. Unfortunately, the process of figuring out how to buy a GPU can be intimidating. There"s so much to consider, from the type of monitor you"re using (for recommendations, see our Best Gaming Monitors(opens in new tab) page) to the size of your PC case to the game settings you plan to play at.
Below are the things you need to keep in mind when shopping for your next GPU. For specific recommendations, see our best graphics cards list of the current options, as well as the GPU Benchmarks Hierarchy to see how today"s cards compare to older cards that you might be looking to upgrade and replace.
Thankfully, the supply and GPU prices on Nvidia"s RTX 30-series cards as well as AMD"s RX 6000 cards continues to improve. After 18 months of extreme prices, most cards can now be found online for only 20–30% over MSRP, sometimes less. However, note that next-generation GPUs are around the corner, like the Nvidia "Ada" RTX 40-series and AMD"s RDNA3, so keep that in mind.
Why you can trust Tom"s HardwareOur expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.Save some money for the CPU. If you spend all your money on graphics and don"t opt for one of the best CPUs, your system might score well on synthetic benchmarks but won"t do as well in real game play (due to lower minimum frame rates).Match your monitor resolution. Many mainstream cards are sufficient for gaming at 1080p resolutions at between 30-60 fps, but you"ll need a high-end card for resolutions at or near 4K resolution with high in-game settings on the most demanding titles. So be sure to pair your GPU with the best gaming monitor for your needs.Consider your refresh rate. If your monitor has triple-digit refresh rates, you"ll need a powerful card and processor to reach its full potential. Alternatively, if your monitor tops out at 60Hz and 1080p, there"s no point in paying extra for a powerful card that pushes pixels faster than your display can keep up with.Do you have enough power and space? Make sure your PC case has enough room for the card you"re considering, and that your power supply has enough watts to spare, along with the correct type of power connectors (up to three 8-pin PCIe, depending on the card).Check the MSRP before buying. A good way to tell if you"re getting a deal is to check the launch price or MSRP of the card you"re considering before buying. Tools like CamelCamelCamel(opens in new tab) can help separate the real deals from the fake mark-up-then-discount offerings.Don"t get dual cards—they"re not worth it. Game support for Multi-card SLI or CrossFire setups has basically died. Get the best single card you can afford. Adding a second card is usually more trouble than it"s worth.Don"t count on overclocking for serious performance boosts. If you need better performance, buy a more-powerful card. Graphics cards don"t typically have large amounts of overclocking headroom, usually only 5-10%.
There are hundreds of graphics cards from dozens of manufacturers, but only two companies actually make the GPUs that power these components: Nvidia and AMD — though Intel"s Xe Graphics has started to ship for laptops and should also come to desktops in the next few months. With its RX 6000 cards, AMD is more competitive than it has been in years with Nvidia and its current-gen Ampere cards, like the GeForce RTX 3080, in general performance.
That said, the realistically lit elephant in the room that we"ve been ignoring thus-far is real-time ray tracing. Introduced as a major new feature with Nvidia"s now previous-generation RTX 20-series cards, "Team Green" is now on its second generation RTX with 30-series GPUs. AMD ("Team Red") stepped into this game in a big way in 2020 with its RX 6000 cards, but it"s still on its first go-round with real-time ray tracing, and so lags behind Nvidia on this front.
Our Ray Tracing GPU Benchmarks Hierarchy breaks things down using six demanding RT games. Games that only use a single RT effect, like reflections, tend to be less demanding and less impressive overall. So weigh the importance of ray tracing performance with how interested you are in these games, how important the best possible visuals are to your enjoyment, and how much future-proofing you want baked into your GPU.
Also, don"t forget DLSS, Nvidia"s AI-assisted resolution upscaling. It can deliver improved performance with less of a hit on frame rates than is typical from maxing out your monitor"s resolution the traditional way. Support for this feature is limited to a subset of games, admittedly a growing one — many of the complete ray tracing games support DLSS. AMD has its own open source alternative to DLSS, called Fidelity FX Super Resolution (AMD FSR), and FSR 2.0 should further improve things, but DLSS is more widely supported in games that really need upscaling.
For more on these subjects as well as screen-smoothing variable refresh technologies, see our AMD vs Nvidia: Who Makes the Best GPUs? and FreeSync vs. G-Sync: Which Variable Refresh Tech Is Best Today? features.
The price of video cards varies greatly, with super low-end cards starting under $100 and high-end models going for $2,000 or more in the case of the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti. As is often the case, top-end cards aren"t worth the money unless for some reason you absolutely have to have the best performance possible, or if you do professional work where 10% more performance will pay for itself over time.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super, Nvidia GTX 1650; AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT, RX 6400, RX 5500 XT 4GB/8GB. Older: Nvidia GTX 1060, GTX 1050 Ti and GTX 1050; AMD RX 590, RX 580, RX 570, RX 560Budget cardsDecent for playing games at 1080p or lower res at medium-to-low settings
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, RTX 3070, RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 3060, RTX 2080 Ti, RTX 2080 Super, RTX 2070 Super, RTX 2070, RTX 2060 Super; AMD Radeon RX 6800, RX 5700 XT. Older: Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti, GTX 1080; AMD Radeon VII, RX Vega 64High-endGood for VR headsets and gaming at resolutions at 1440p or high-refresh 1080p monitors.
If you want to use your GPU with a PC VR HMD, you need at least a mid-range card, with optimal performance coming from a card like the Nvidia RTX 2060 Super/AMD RX 5700 or higher. The lowest-end cards you can use with these headsets are the AMD Radeon RX 570and Nvidia GTX 1060. And the card requirements of course increase with newer, higher-resolution headsets. Obviously, this isn"t a critical factory if you have no interest in VR.
We discussed this above, but to briefly recap, Nvidia"s latest RTX 30-series GPUs are the best solution for ray tracing and DLSS. AMD"s RX 6000-series GPUs have similar ray tracing performance to Nvidia"s RTX 20-series, but they lack support for DLSS and AMD"s FidelityFX Super Resolution isn"t quite the same thing. Intel for its part will support RT in hardware and has a competing XeSS upscaling solution that uses Xe Matrix cores, basically the same idea as Nvidia"s Tensor cores. From what we know, Intel"s RT performance will be very low, given even the fastest Arc A770 only has 32 ray tracing units — though we don"t yet know how fast the RTUs are in comparison to Nvidia"s RT cores.
Game support for DXR (DirectX Raytracing) and DLSS/FSR continues to improve, but there are tons of games where it"s simply not an important consideration. If you like to turn on all the bells and whistles, placebo effect increases in image quality be damned, that"s fine. We expect RT performance to become increasingly important in the coming years, but it could be two or three more GPU architectures before it"s a make or break deal.
Even after you decide what GPU you"re after (say, for example, an RTX 3060 Ti), you"ll usually be faced with plenty of options in terms of cooler design and brand or manufacturer. Nvidia makes and sells its own cards under the Founders Edition moniker for higher-end models, while AMD licenses its reference design to other manufacturers. Both companies" GPUs appear in third-party cards from several different vendors.
More expensive third-party cards will have elaborate coolers, extra fans, lots of RGB lighting, and often higher clock speeds, but they can also be more expensive than the reference card. Overclocking gains are often minimal, with gains of just a few FPS, so don"t feel bad if you"re not running a blinged-out card. That said, beefier cooling can often translate to cooler, quieter operation, which can be important given that high-end graphics cards are usually the noisiest, most heat-generating parts in a PC build.
We"ve also noticed that Nvidia"s RTX 3080 and 3090 Founders Edition cards (along with several custom models) can get particularly hot on their GDDR6X, so it pays to do some research. For much more on this discussion, see our Graphics Card Face-Off: Founders Edition or Reference GPUs vs 3rd-Party Design feature.
Once you"ve considered all the above and are ready to narrow down your choices, you can head to our GPU Benchmarks and our Best Graphics Cards to help finalize your buying decision. Here we include a condensed version of our current favorite cards for common resolutions and gaming scenarios below. Keep in mind that there are third-party options for all of these cards, so you may want to use these picks as a jumping-off point to finding, say, the best AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT model for your particular gaming build.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050(opens in new tab) almost looked too good to be true, promising full RT and DLSS support with a starting price of $250. At launch, it immediately sold out and we saw prices of over $400. Three months later, you can actually find the cards in stock for just $250. Some might argue that"s not really a "budget" price, but dropping down $50 to the RX 6500 XT results in 35% less performance and effectively useless DXR support. If you want to go lower than $250, we suggest looking at previous generation cards and perhaps even a used graphics card. That"s a big can of worms to open, but when the cheapest GTX 1650 Super cards(opens in new tab) cost well over $300, there"s no point in even considering them.
AMD Radeon RX 6600The AMD Radeon RX 6600(opens in new tab) nominally costs the same $329 as the RTX 3060 below, and performance outside of DXR/DLSS games is basically tied. However, AMD"s GPU can actually be found for close to MSRP, while Nvidia"s card costs nearly 50% more. Winner: AMD
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060(opens in new tab) upgrades the memory and GPU quite a bit compared to the budget 3050, delivering 35% more performance on average. 12GB of VRAM also means you won"t need to worry about running out of memory any time soon. Nominally priced at $329, the RTX 3060 still tends to cost more than we"d like, but keep an eye out for future price drops.
Just a bit more money than the RTX 3060 will get you an AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT(opens in new tab), and a honking 37% boost to performance in most games. It"s about a tie in DXR performance, making AMD"s card the easy pick this time. You"ll also get great 1440p gaming performance, with over 60 fps in most games even at ultra settings, and 12GB of VRAM should be plenty for the next several years at least.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080If you"re looking for the champion of graphics cards, right now it"s the GeForce RTX 3080(opens in new tab). Technically there are slightly faster cards, but they all cost more (i.e. RTX 3090 Ti, RTX 3090, RTX 3080 Ti) or have very lackluster ray tracing performance (RX 6900 XT, RX 6800 XT). The RTX 3080 can max out all the graphics settings at 4K in most games, and DLSS can do wonders for ray tracing performance. Just beware that Nvidia"s next-generation Ada GPUs are slated to arrive around the September timeframe.
We first got a look at the Thermaltake Divider 550 TG Ultra at the company"s Expo event, coinciding with CES 2022 in January. Now the firm has released a full set of product pages for this showy mid-tower case with triple tempered glass sides and a 3.9 inch LCD screen atop of the front panel.
The Divider 550 TG Ultra"s USP is clearly its front embedded display panel. If not for this add-in, it would be a pretty standard hefty ATX case with a lot of tempered glass and room for a full sized (5.25 inch) optical drive to slot into the top.
From the images it looks like Thermaltake has decided to craft an LCD screen to fit into such a gap, but sadly the display area doesn"t fill the space, as it has quite significant bezels. Thermaltake quite breathlessly describes this 3.9 inch LCD screen as "a new way to monitor your PC’s performance and at the same time to show your own personality." In 2022 it might be more useful than an optical drive bay, but it isn"t revolutionary.
The display can be used for various monitoring and personal styling purposes. You customize what is on the display using the TT RGB Plus 2.0 software. This allows you to display any still images or animated GIFs. More practical uses of the display are for processor and RAM monitoring. For processors you can monitor temperature, frequency, load, and other real-time stats of your CPU and GPU. For memory you can use the display for checking capacity, frequency, temperature and load. Moreover, the display can sync with other Thermaltake components like the AiO cooler range.
From the front you will also see Thermaltake has boldly fitted a trio of RGB fans. These are also configured using TT RGB Plus 2.0 software. Users can make the fan lighting work in harmony with the LCD display. Alternatively, it is possible to control and sync the fan LEDs with RGB motherboard software from Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock. Anti software bloat purists can decide to control the fan lighting using the dedicated RGB button on the I/O panel. This button turns the RGB LEDs on and off and cycles through 27 color schemes and modes.
That more or less covers the Thermaltake Divider 550 TG Ultra"s "special sauce" that center around its triple RGB fan and LCD display fronted appearance. If you have got this far you might be interested in the essential tech specs such as case size, capacity, and maximum compatibility stats. We have tabulated this data below for your convenience.
Some niceties that are worth highlighting are the rotational PCIe slots, to make the case vertical or horizontally orientated GPU friendly. A rizer cable bracket and GPU support is included with the case too. Lastly, we are thankful Thermaltake has both USB Type-A and Type–C ports in the easy access I/O section atop of the case.
At the time of writing we don"t have any release date or pricing specifics to share. As Thermaltake has moved from the announcement stage to the product page population phase, an actual hard launch shouldn"t be far away.
If readers are interested in acquiring a new PC case in the meantime, you would be advised to check out our recently updated guide to the Best PC Cases of 2022.
We"ve expanded this how to and it now includes sections on drawing shapes and objects to the display, how to convert bitmap images for OLED displays and how to animate images.
The Raspberry Pi Pico has no shortage of options when it comes to digital displays. We can use LCD screens, output to VGA / DVI or use bespoke screens such as the Pico Display or Pico Explorer Base’s IPS display. But sometimes we need a small, cheap option to get the job done. OLEDscreens such as the 0.96 inch model used in this tutorial, are trivial to use with MicroPython and they cost only a few bucks (or pounds) making them ideal for projects.
In this tutorial, we will learn how to connect an OLED screen to a Raspberry Pi Pico via the I2C interface, then we will install a MicroPython library via the Thonny editor and learn how to use it to write text to the display.
The OLED screen uses the I2C protocol to interface with the Raspberry Pi Pico. Which means that we only require.A Raspberry Pi Pico running MicroPython
1. From the machine library,import the Pin and I2C classes. These are used to communicate with the OLED screen, attached to the GPIO of the Pico.from machine import Pin, I2C
3. Create an object, i2c, which stores the I2C channel in use, in this case zero, the SDA and SCL pins that we are connected to, and finally the frequency at which we connect to the OLED screen.i2c=I2C(0,sda=Pin(0), scl=Pin(1), freq=400000)
4. Create an object, oled, which will be used to communicate with the OLED screen. It has three arguments, the width and height of the screen (128 x 64 pixels) and the I2C connection details.oled = SSD1306_I2C(128, 64, i2c)
7. Save and run your code. As with any Python script in Thonny, Click on File >> Save and save the file to your Raspberry Pi Pico as oled-test.py. When ready click on the Green play button to start the code and your text will appear on the OLED screen.
Simple shapes and lines can be drawn to the display with just a single command. Each of these commands will need oled.show() in order to be seen. Note that most of these methods have a color parameter but, with a monochrome screen, you’ll always put a color of “1” (0 means pixel off).oled.pixel(x,y,c): Draw a pixel at position x,y and uses c to set the color of the pixel, with 1 being lit, 0 being off. Example:oled.pixel(10,10,1)oled.hline(x,y,w,c):Draw a horizontal line from point x,y that has a set width (w) in pixels, and color ( c ). Example:oled.hline(2,3,4,1)oled.vline(x,y,h,c):Draw a vertical line from point x,y that has a set height (h) in pixels, and color ( c ). Example:oled.vline(0, 0, 64, 1)oled.line(x1,y1,x2,y2,1):Draw a diagonal line from points x1, y1 to x2, y2 with the color ( c ). Example:oled.line(0, 0, 128, 64, 1)oled.rect(x,y,w,h,c):Draw a rectangle starting at point x.y and for a set width (w) and height(h). Use ( c ) to set the color of the pixels. For example:oled.rect(0, 0, 64, 32, 1)oled.fill_rect(x,y,w,h,c): Draw a filled rectangle starting at point x.y and for a set width (w) and height(h) use ( c ) to set the color of the pixels. For example:oled.fill_rect(0, 0, 64, 32, 1)
2. Create a new object, TH which will store an array of bytes that make up our image. For now leave the contents of the array blank, we will fill in the blank later.i2c=I2C(0,sda=Pin(0), scl=Pin(1), freq=400000)
3. Create an object, FB, which will load the image into the framebuffer. We pass the name of the bytearray object, the dimensions of the image (64 x 64 pixels) and then configure the image to be a 1-bit monochrome image.fb = framebuf.FrameBuffer(TH,64,64, framebuf.MONO_HLSB)
4. Clear the screen, and then blit the image onto the screen. Then use show to update the screen. Blitting draws the image to the screen, in this case it places the 64 x 64 image dead center of the screen. Where 32 is the horizontal (x) position and 0 is the vertical (y) position.oled.fill(0)
Our object, TH, currently has no image to display. To create a bytearray of an image we first need a suitable image. The screen is 128 x 64 pixels in size, but an image 64 x 64 pixels will fit nicely into the center of the screen. The image must be in a JPEG format.
6. Save and run your code. As with any Python script in Thonny, Click on File >> Save and save the file to your Raspberry Pi Pico as oled-test.py. When ready click on the Green play button to start the code and your image will appear on the OLED screen.
Creating an animation with the OLED display is a matter of moving or changing objects to give the illusion of movement. In the above GIF you can see the Tom’s Hardware hammer, and logo scrolling across the screen. To achieve this we used two byte arrays, for the hammer (TH) and the logo (LOGO).
4. Create the TH bytearray. In there we store the bytes that make up the Tom’s Hardware hammer.TH = bytearray(b"\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00[P\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x03\xad\xec\x0f\x00\x00\x00\x00\rv\xb6\x1a\x80\x00\x00\x00\x16\xdb[m\x80\x00\x00\x00um\xb5\xb6\x80\x00\x00\x00[\xb5n\xdb\x00\x00\x00\x01\xadW\xb5m\x80\x00\x00\x01w\xed[\xb6\x80\x00\x00\x03\xa8\x1a\xec+\x00\x00\x00\x05@\x17P\x1d\x00\x00\x00\x0e\x00\r\xb0\x06\x80\x00\x00\x08\x00\n\xd0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x08\x00\x17`\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1f\xa0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\n\xd0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\r`\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x17\xb0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\n\xd0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1b`\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\r\xb0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x16\xa0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x0bp\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1d\xa0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\n\xd0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x17p\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1a\xa0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\r\xd0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x16\xb0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1b`\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\r\xb0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x16\xd0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1bp\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\r\xa8\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x16\xb0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1b`\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x15\xb0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1e\xd0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x13p\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1d\xa8\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x16\xb0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x15\xd0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1a\xb8\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x17`\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1a\xd8\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x17h\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1a\xb0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1d\xd8\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00+h\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x16\xb0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1b\xd8\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x16`\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x0b\xa0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00")
5. Create an object, FB, which will load the image into the framebuffer, then clear the screen. We pass the name of the bytearray object, the dimensions of the image (64 x 64 pixels) and then configure the image to be a 1-bit monochrome image.fb = framebuf.FrameBuffer(TH,64,64, framebuf.MONO_HLSB)
6. Use a for loop with a range from -64 to 128, to create a basic sliding animation for the hammer. The negative value hides the hammer to the left of the screen, slowly scrolling the hammer from left to right until it goes out of visible range. By changing the value of “i” inside oled.blit() we create the illusion of movement.for i in range(-64,128):
7. Create a new bytearray for the Tom’s Hardware logo.LOGO = bytearray(b"\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x01\x800\xc0\xc7\xf8~0\xc3\x0c\x1f\x87\xf8\x0c\x00\x00\x01\x800\xc1\xcf\xec\x7f0\xc7\x1c\x1f\xc7\xf8\x0c\x00\x00\x01\x800\xc1\xc1\x8ec\x99\xc6\x1c\x18\xe6\x00\x0c\x0c&`\x180\xc3\xe0\x06a\x99\xe6\x1e\x18f\x00\x1f>\x7f\xf8~0\xc3a\x8ea\x99\xe66\x18f\x00\x0cws\x98d?\xc3a\xbca\x99\xee6\x1f\xc7\xf0\x0ccs\x98`?\xc61\xb8a\x8f
8. Create an object, FB, which will load the image into the framebuffer, then clear the screen. We pass the name of the bytearray object, the dimensions of the image (128 x 64 pixels) and then configure the image to be a 1-bit monochrome image.fb = framebuf.FrameBuffer(LOGO,128,64, framebuf.MONO_HLSB)
9. The remaining code is largely the same as before, the only difference being the for loop range changes to -128 to 128 to accommodate the larger Tom’s Hardware logo scrolling across the screen.oled.fill(0)
Save and run your code. As with any Python script in Thonny, Click on File >> Save and save the file to your Raspberry Pi Pico as oled-test.py. When ready click on the Green play button to start the code and your animation will scroll across the OLED screen.
Performance-to-price ratio is something we talk about often. While there are many seeking the lowest priced components and some for whom price is no object, most want the highest possible performance for the money.
Every computer component has a market sweet spot where you get most of the speed and power of top-level components for a lot less than the premium price, and it is no different for PC gaming monitors. We’re talking about the elements that gamers shop for: speed, reso
Ms.Josey 
Ms.Josey