I spent the last three months streaming, podcasting, and recording with eight different USB microphones to find out which ones actually live up to the hype. Audio quality matters more than almost any other piece of your setup. Viewers will forgive a 720p webcam, but bad audio drives them away in seconds. The best USB … Read more
If you have ever tried recording a drum kit with a single microphone, you already know why drum microphone kits exist. Drums hit hard, hit loud, and hit from every direction at once. A purpose-built kit gives you dedicated mics for kick, snare, toms, and overheads so every shell and every cymbal comes through clearly … Read more
When I first upgraded from my beginner drum kit, the cymbals that came with it sounded like trash can lids. That’s the moment most drummers start hunting for the best cymbal packs. I’ve been playing for 18 years and have gone through more cymbal setups than I can count, so when our team set out … Read more
After spending three months plugging eight different amps into the same Strat and Les Paul, I can tell you that the difference between a great tone and a forgettable one almost always comes down to the amp. Solid-state modeling has come a long way, but nothing I tested moved air and responded to my pick … Read more
Last winter, I tried cranking a 50-watt tube amp in my apartment at 11 PM. My downstairs neighbor knocked within four minutes. That was the night I started hunting for the best guitar combo amps for practice instead of just using whatever was lying around the studio. Two months and ten amps later, I finally … Read more
I spent 45 days testing ring lights for streamers across my Twitch and YouTube setup, and the difference between cheap lighting and the right lighting is brutal. My webcam footage went from “blurry shadow blob” to “actually watchable” within the first week of using the right ring light. Ring lights for streamers matter more than … Read more
I still remember firing up Super Mario World on my first handheld and thinking nothing could beat it. Decades later, the best retro gaming handhelds deliver that same magic with sharper screens, longer battery life, and access to thousands of classic games in a single device. Our team spent the last 60 days testing twelve … Read more
A handheld gaming PC is a console-sized computer with built-in controls, a high-refresh display, and enough graphics power to run Windows or SteamOS games away from a desk. The best handheld gaming PCs for AAA games in can handle demanding releases such as Cyberpunk 2077, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Red Dead Redemption 2, although you … Read more
I remember the first time I picked up a Steam Deck on a flight from Chicago to San Francisco. Three hours into the flight I was deep into Baldur’s Gate 3, headphones in, the world outside my window completely gone. That moment sold me on gaming handhelds for adults — they fit into the cracks … Read more
I burned 423 calories in a 45-minute Beat Saber session last month, and my legs were sore for two days. That is when I knew VR fitness was not just a gimmick. After spending the last 90 days rotating through 12 different headsets, comparing strap comfort during high-intensity boxing workouts, tracking battery drain through Supernatural … Read more