TAIPEI -- The CPUs in most computers are usually cooled using a combination of fans and heatsinks. PC enthusiasts have gone one step further by using liquid cooling as shown in the rig above. This allows them to push the processor to run beyond its normal operating speeds so as to achieve better performance without overheating the chip.

Professional overclockers, however, use subzero cooling to achieve extreme processing speeds. In most setups, liquid nitrogen is used to chill the processor and has to be topped up regularly, while Vaseline is applied to the surrounding microchips. This prevents them from short-circuiting … Read more

TAIPEI -- Size matters for a display, and this Asus monitor caught our attention with its huge 39-inch screen size. Spotted at the company's Computex booth, this panel also features an ultra high-definition (UHD) resolution packing 3,840x2,160 pixels. However, it's still in prototype stage and will not be ready until early next year.

There are limited details about this 39-incher, except that it is based on a VA-type LCD panel … Read more

This new category of PC can be hard to pin down. To some, these are all-in-one desktops, similar to the Apple iMac, but with the added ability to either fold down flat or detach their screens. To others, these are battery-powered megatablets, with screens measuring between 18 and 27 inches, but are otherwise similar to Windows 8 slates such as Microsoft's Surface Pro. But, I think they're an entirely different animal, with features of a personal computer, a piece of consumer electronics equipment, and even living-room furniture.

That's why I call them tabletop PCs, and since late … Read more

When shopping for a new monitor, degrees of swivel, tilt, and pivot aren't usually at the top of the wish list. But ergonomic options are important for the comfort and placement of your work space. Some monitors are designed with no options for adjusting your physical viewing experience, and an inefficient monitor setup can result in bad posture, eye strain, and other physical discomfort.

Whether you use your monitor for work or play, these models are chock-full of ergonomic features to maximize productivity by reducing fatigue and discomfort. Make sure to click on the photos of each monitor to see a demonstration of how they work. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Despite our early concerns that CES 2013 would be very light on laptops and other mobile computers, the show actually had plenty of new hardware to cover. That said, this year has been nowhere near last year's ultrabook-heavy lineup, which was a high point for laptops at CES.

While there have been a few standout laptops here at the show, almost more notable has been what's not here, from major announcements by some big brands to missing features on new products from others.

Here are some of the things that could have made CES 2013 an even … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Intel's CES 2013 press conference lacked the hard sell of last year's version, which was almost entirely devoted to all things ultrabook. But even as the grand ultrabook experiment -- a massive branding campaign to create a new laptop category from thin air -- shared the stage with smartphones, Atom chips, and tablets, the ultrabook idea continues to be one of the most influential ones I've seen in many years of laptop-watching.

The catch is, it's the ultrabook's ideas that have spread to nearly every corner of the laptop ecosystem, not the name itself. … Read more

Like many PC companies, Acer released a wide range of new laptops and hybrids alongside Windows 8 at the tail end of 2012. With fresh systems just hitting shelves, the company is highlighting those products at CES 2013, rather than announcing new additions.

We've gotten a few chances to check out Acer's Windows 8 launch lineup over the past two months, and have come away with a generally favorable impression. They run the gamut from traditional clamshell laptops with added touch screens to hybrids that straddle the line between PC and tablet. Highlights include:

If you've drooled over food photography with shallow depth of field or portraits where the subject is in sharp focus but the background is blurred, you probably think they were shot with a digital SLR and an expensive lens and aren't possible with your point-and-shoot. And, for the most part, you would be correct.

Without getting into the technical details (you can go here for that), cameras with large sensors, such as digital SLRs, are able to create more background blur than the much smaller sensors in an average point-and-shoot. Along with that, you can get lenses that … Read more

There are plenty of services that can turn your photos -- whether taken with a phone or camera or downloaded from Facebook or Instagram -- into canvas prints. One of those services, SnapBox, is worth highlighting not just for the quality of the product, but for its affordable pricing and ease of use.

Ordering a print just requires you to e-mail a photo, which is quickly replied to with a proof of what it will look like. A 5x5 or 5x7 print is currently less than $10 and shipping is free if you're willing to pick the print up … Read more