Components · Buying Guide
The Best PWM Fan Hubs
A fan hub lets one motherboard header run several fans, which matters when a case has more fans than headers.
12 min read
Components
Expansion Cards and PC Accessories
Add-on cards and controllers depend on free PCIe slots, motherboard headers and lane sharing. These guides cover Wi-Fi and USB cards, risers, UPS units and lighting or fan controllers.
7 buying guides and 2 explainers.
What to check first
- 01
A free PCIe slot of the right size, and whether it shares lanes
- 02
Motherboard headers (ARGB 5V, PWM fan, USB) the add-on needs
- 03
Clearance next to the GPU
Start here
- UPS vs Surge Protector for a PC
A surge protector handles voltage spikes; a UPS also provides temporary battery power and may regulate voltage, so choose by outage risk and PC load.
- PCIe Slots Explained: x1, x4, x8 and x16, and What Fits Where
Check each slot's physical size and electrical width in the manual so an add-in card gets the lanes it needs.
Popular expansion cards and pc accessories guides
Components · Buying Guide
The Best PCIe Wi-Fi Cards
A PCIe Wi-Fi card swaps a desktop's missing or weak wireless for a card with external antennas, and the Wi-Fi standard has to match your router to matter.
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Components · Buying Guide
The Best ARGB Controllers
An ARGB controller adds lighting ports or lighting control beyond what the motherboard offers.
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Components · Buying Guide
The Best PCIe Riser Cables
A riser cable moves the graphics card to a vertical mount, and the PCIe generation it supports decides whether a new card runs at full speed.
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Components · Buying Guide
The Best UPS for a Gaming PC
A gaming PC needs a UPS rated in watts well above its load, with sine wave output that suits active PFC power supplies.
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Components · Buying Guide
The Best PCIe USB Expansion Cards
A PCIe USB card adds ports to a desktop that has run out, with stronger power delivery than a hub.
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