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Jacob Roach

Jacob Roach

Lead Reporter, PC Hardware

Jacob Roach is the lead reporter for PC hardware at Digital Trends. In addition to covering the latest PC components, from graphics cards to processors to PC cases, Jacob also writes the ReSpec column and newsletter that covers the intersection of PC hardware and gaming. If it's something you can plug into a gaming PC, there's a good chance Jacob has used it.

Although Jacob is interested in just about anything in or around a PC, he's currently reporting on graphics cards, PC game optimization, and gaming monitors. At Digital Trends, he's dug deep on the untold origins of the Steam Deck, uncovered the truth behind poor PC port optimization, and broke the story on Microsoft's Bing Chat going off the rails.

Before joining Digital Trends, Jacob contributed to Business Insider, Forbes, and PC Invasion, among various other outlets. Jacob has been a guest on TWiT and NBC, and his work has been cited in Fox News, Futurism, and Business Insider.

As if tinkering with the latest PC hardware wasn't enough, Jacob spends most of his free time living the PC gamer life he writes about so frequently. That includes playing the latest games, but also poking around on his PC to see what he can break, just to see how it works. When he gets a moment to step outside and "touch grass," Jacob enjoys tabletop games, wandering the shops of St. Louis, and forcing his lazy Corgi onto walks.

The Intel Arc B580 sitting among other graphics cards.

Intel Arc B580 review: a $249 Nvidia killer

Intel just kicked off the next generation of graphics cards with the Arc B580, and it's one heck of an introduction.
Computing Reviews
AMD RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT graphics cards.

Reviewers hated this AMD GPU. Here’s why I still recommend it

AMD's RX 7700 XT wasn't broadly loved when it released, but some key price drops have made it a fantastic option for 1440p gamers.
Computing Features
Indiana Jones standing in a forest with a whip.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a PC killer — in the best way

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a rare win for PC releases, despite how much it might tax your hardware.
Computing Features
8bitdo wireless usb adapter stocking stuffer adpater 1

This $20 accessory should be in the stocking of every PC gamer

PC gamers are always difficult to shop for, but any PC gamer will appreciate this simple $20 accessory as a gift.
Computing Features
Two intel Arc graphics cards on a pink background.

It’s finally time to stop ignoring Intel GPUs

Intel is releasing its second generation of discrete graphics cards next week. Here's why you should keep an eye on them.
Computing Features
Indiana jones buried in the sand.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle proves Nvidia wrong about 8GB GPUs

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looks great, but Nvidia's low VRAM capacity struggles in the game.
Computing News
The Ryzen 5 7600X sitting among thermal paste and RAM.

Black Friday’s best PC hardware deal is still live, and you’re sleeping on it

Even after two weeks, the best PC hardware deal I've seen during Black Friday and Cyber Monday is still live. Here's why you should buy it.
Computing Deals
The RTX 4080 in a running test bench.

A PC ‘recession’ could make hardware way more expensive, says researcher

Proposed tariffs on China and Mexico could lead to a PC market recession, according to a GPU market researcher.
Computing News
A hand grabbing a graphics card.

Don’t bother with GPU deals during Cyber Week. Do this instead

You might be holding out to score a deep GPU discount on Cyber Week, but I wouldn't suggest waiting for too long.
Computing Features
The Last of Us Part One running on the MSI MPG 321URX.

For $630, you may want to take the plunge on an OLED gaming monitor

Everyone wants an OLED gaming monitor, and now that you can buy one for $630, it's may be time to pull the trigger.
Computing Deals
Thermal shield for the Steam Deck SSD.

You need to buy this 2TB Steam Deck SSD, which is $84 off for Cyber Week

Now is the best time to upgrade your Steam Deck storage thanks to an SSD that's close to 50% off for Cyber Week.
Computing Deals
AMD logo on the RX 7800 XT graphics card.

AMD’s new GPU breaks cover in online calculator

A listing for AMD's unannounced RX 8800 XT has appeared online, and it includes some big hints about the GPU.
Computing News
An exploded view of Intel's Arc A580 GPU.

Intel’s new $249 GPU brings 1440p gaming to the masses

Intel has a new graphics card with the Arc B580, and it wants to bring 1440p gaming down to just $249.
Computing News
hp omen transcend 32 review 13

Intel just stole a page from Nvidia’s DLSS playbook

Intel's new XeSS 2 feature brings frame generation and latency reductions, much in the same way as Nvidia's wildly popular DLSS 3.
Computing News
AMD's RX 7700 XT in a test bench.

I found the one GPU deal worth buying on Cyber Monday

Most GPU deals are terrible on Cyber Monday, but this RX 7800 XT sale is one of the best I've seen all year.
Computing Deals
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger holding a chip.

Intel announces sudden departure of CEO amid financial turmoil

Intel has announced that its CEO Pat Gelsinger will retire after less than four years as the company's head executive.
Computing News
The Plex app running on a TV.

I spent just $90, and I’m never paying for streaming ever again

Now that I've scored a lifetime membership to Plex for $90, I'm officially done paying for streaming services.
Computing Deals
Several GPUs sitting next to each other.

The state of GPUs is about to drastically change

We're standing just weeks away from a complete overhaul of PC gaming with a trio of new generations from Nvidia, Intel, and AMD.
Computing Features
An HDR demo on the Omen Transcend 32.

HP Omen Transcend 32 review: almost a perfect 10

The HP Omen Transcend 32 does just about everything right. Minus a few quibbles, this is one of the most impressive monitors I've ever seen.
Computing Reviews
The Terra Master F8 SSD Plus sitting among SSDs.

The Terra Master F8 SSD Plus took my Plex server to the next level

I've been loving my Plex server for the past several months, but switching to a NAS took my streaming experience to the next level.
Computing Features
The Hyte Y40 PC case sitting on a table.

Brace yourself for PC hardware to get insanely expensive next year

PC hardware is already expensive, but proposed tariffs that could go into effect next year might cause prices to skyrocket.
Computing Features
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang at GTC

Nvidia CEO in 1997: ‘We need to kill Intel’

Nvidia may be the richest company in the world today, but things were a bit different in 1997, when its CEO declared, we need to kill Intel.
Computing News
The Ryzen 5 7600X sitting among thermal paste and RAM.

At basically $105, the Ryzen 5 7600X is the best gaming CPU to buy right now

Most processors deals this year are just OK, but the Ryzen 5 7600X has the most insane Black Friday sale I've seen so far.
Computing News
Alienware ultrawide OLED on a desk.

The 10 best gaming monitors of 2024: tested and reviewed

After thoroughly evaluating numerous gaming displays, here are the top gaming monitors worth investing in for 2024.
Computing Best Ofs
OLED demo on the Asus ROG PG27AQDM.

The 10 best monitors for 2024: tested and reviewed

Looking for the best monitors to buy in 2024? These are the ones that deserve your attention and investment.
Computing Best Ofs
Ghost of Tsushima running on the Steam Deck.

Valve adds DLSS 3 to SteamOS backend, but don’t expect an Nvidia Steam Deck

A new update for Valve's Proton compatibility layer for Linux adds DLSS 3 support, along with a long list of bug fixes.
Computing News
Key art for Stalker 2. A character in a lit-up gas mask and a gun on their back.

Understandably, Stalker 2 is a bit of a mess on PC

It never seemed like Stalker 2 would release, but it's finally here, and with some expected performance issues on PC in tow.
Computing Features
Google Chrome browser running on Android Automotive in a car.

U.S. government to Google: sell Chrome

U.S. officials are recommending that Google sell Chrome following a historic ruling that the company has maintained an illegal monopoly.
Computing News
corsair mp700 elite review 5

Corsair MP700 Elite 2TB review: PCIe 5.0 for the rest of us

Corsair's new MP700 Elite is a PCIe 5.0 SSD you might actually buy, assuming you don't need more than 1TB in your new NVMe.
Computing Reviews
LG's UltraGear GX7 OLED gaming monitor sitting on a stand.

LG just launched its fastest OLED monitor yet — and you can buy it for $800

LG's new 480Hz OLED is the fastest gaming monitor the company has ever released, and you can preorder it for just $800 right now.
Computing News
corsair apple gaming keyboard peripherals

Macs are getting their first official gaming keyboard

Apple is breaking out of its shell by teaming up with Corsair for its first gaming keyboard and mouse built for Macs.
Computing News
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D held between fingertips.

4 CPUs you should buy instead of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is an incredible gaming CPU, but these four alternatives give AMD's latest a run for its money.
Computing Features
Nvidia Blackwell chips.

Nvidia’s new GPUs are already running into problems

Nvidia's next-gen Blackwell architecture, after suffering a delay, is in more hot water as data centers deal with overheating problems.
Computing News
Various devices running Doom.

Can it run Doom? My journey through hell to discover why the answer is always ‘yes’

Under a blanket of memes and enthusiast hacking projects lies a decades-long story of how Doom became one of the most ported games ever.
Computing Features
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