Jacob Ridley
Jacob earned his first byline writing for his own tech blog. From there, he graduated to professionally breaking things as hardware writer at PCGamesN, where he was one half of a popular weekly YouTube show. He would go on to run the team as hardware editor before joining PC Gamer's world-class staff as senior hardware editor. Today, he's managing editor of the hardware team, and you'll find him spending his days reporting on the latest developments in the technology and gaming industries. He's found reporting from floors, benches, and, if he's lucky, plush press rooms at the biggest tech shows, such as Computex and CES. But more often than not he's hunched over the office test bench evaluating the newest PC components.
When he's not writing about GPUs and CPUs, you'll find Jacob trying to get as far away from the modern world as possible by wild camping.
Latest articles by Jacob Ridley
Best CPU for gaming: these are the chips I recommend for gaming, productivity and peace of mind
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Happy Cores Fire up your rig with the best CPU for gaming. More cores, more clocks, more of everything that matters.
Best wireless gaming mouse: These are the rodents I love getting my mitts on
By Dave James last updated
Unbound Let go of the tethers and embrace the freedom of living life cable-free.
Best high refresh rate gaming monitor in 2025: 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.
I finally built the mini PC I've been dreaming of and it made me realise we've come a long way from cramped cases and fiddly connectors
By Jacob Ridley published
EZ Since when was building a compact PC so simple?
Best wireless gaming keyboard: my top picks for cable-free typing delights
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Freedom Cut the cord with the best wireless gaming keyboards.
Best office chairs for gaming: 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 graphics cards: the GPUs I recommend for every budget
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Pixel Pushers Our picks of the most powerful gaming GPUs and the ones that provide the best bang for your buck.
Best VR headset: 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.
Best handheld gaming PC: my recommendations for the best portable powerhouses
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Portable PC PC gaming has officially gone portable, and these handheld gaming PCs are mighty quick.
Man who lost £500 million bitcoin fortune to bin day is fighting for a chance to find it in court, after more than 10 years in a landfill
By Jacob Ridley published
News If I lost a hard drive worth £500 million, you can be sure I'd never, ever stop talking about it.
Cyber Monday gaming chair deals 2024
By Jacob Ridley, Shaun Prescott last updated
Cyber Monday has been and gone but deals are still lurking.
Best gaming PCs: these are the rigs and brands I recommend
By Dave James last updated
Perfect PC Everything you need to know about buying the best gaming PC today.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger retires: 'Leading Intel has been the honor of my lifetime'
By Jacob Ridley published
News Co-CEOs to take over for the interim as a successor is found.
Don't try and squeeze too many ideas inside one PC build: For this white gaming PC with an RTX 4080 Super, I very nearly did
By Jacob Ridley published
The Build Follow along as I build a white gaming PC.
The best desk lighting: 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.
The best audiophile headphones for gaming: my top recommendations for the best cans money can buy
By Dave James last updated
Audiophile Immerse yourself in your games with the best audiophile headphones for gaming.
Best PC fans: I've put these case fans through their paces to find the coolest and quietest
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Hot Tip The best PC fans will keep your gaming PC cool and quiet.
Best 4K gaming monitors: 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 ultrawide monitor for gaming: the immersive panels I recommend for PC gamers
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Expansive It's time to go wide... ultrawide: these gaming monitors are wider, brighter, and faster than ever.
Best webcams: 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 gaming mouse: I've tested the very best mice and these are my top picks
By Dave James last updated
Pinpoint The best gaming mouse for every game, budget, grip, and size.
Best PC racing wheels: my favorite direct drive and budget steering wheels for sim racing
By Jacob Ridley last updated
Driven Speed away with the best PC racing wheel for gaming.
Five things I want you to think about before you buy your first gaming laptop
By Jacob Ridley published
Laptop livin' Gaming laptops can be excellent, but you need to shop wisely to avoid making a mistake. Here's my advice.
The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.