Welcome to The Drive, a weekly column looking at some wacky, interesting, cool, and pivotal things within the tech space!

The Thermalright Contact Frame is an accessory that helps Intel processors sit more evenly on the motherboard, reducing bending and improving cooling.

I've been writing on CPU technology here at Ars for almost five years now, and during that time I've done my best to communicate computing concepts in as plain and accessible a manner as possible ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Building your first computer is a memory worth cherishing for years, and the amount of research that goes into picking the right parts is what ...

The brains of the PC is a central processing unit (CPU) made by Intel or AMD (Advanced Micro Devices). It stems from the Intel 8086 (x86) architecture in the IBM PC in 1981. Following is a brief ...

The CPU (Central Processing Unit, or simply “processor”) is arguably the most important component in a computer, perhaps only second to the GPU if you’re a gamer. However, upgrading to the best ...