Matthew Connatser-PC Hardware Writer

Matthew Connatser

PC Hardware Writer

November, 2020
AMD, CPU, intel
  • 227
    articles
  • 39
    News
  • 50
    Features
  • 109
    Guides
  • 19
    Reviews
  • 10
    Deals

About Matthew Connatser

Matthew is a PC Hardware Writer at XDA, having previously written for Digital Trends, Tom's Hardware, and other publications since 2018. He's mainly interested in the three way fight between AMD, Intel, and Nvidia in PCs and servers. He also has a degree in history and linguistics.

How long have you been interested in technology?

Probably for as long as I've been alive thanks to my dad, who was a PC enthusiast himself, but I got into computers specifically around the time Intel's 4th-generation CPUs were making the rounds. However, what really pushed me into becoming an enthusiast was all the news about AMD's Zen architecture and its upcoming Vega GPUs. 

What was your first computer?

As a kid I owned various laptops, but when I was 15 my dad and I put together my very first desktop for gaming. It used the A8-7650K, 8GB of DDR3-2133 RAM, a 1TB Toshiba HDD, and an MSI A78M-E35 motherboard, all installed inside a Rosewill FBM-01. Yes, I did game on the intergrated graphics, and it ran Skyrim at a smooth 60 FPS at 1080p... if I used minimum quality settings.

What tech products or categories are you most passionate about?

CPUs, GPUs, and SSDs are what mostly interest me, whether it's for consumer or datacenter stuff. These days the consumer stuff is unfortunately getting the short end of the stick, but things are very exciting in the datacenter. Since I've been a semiconductor enthusiast, I've watched AMD and Nvidia become datacenter companies, which has been a very interesting transformation.

Latest

The 990 Pro in the hand of a fairly average 23 year old.
Samsung 990 Pro vs. 980 Pro: Which SSD should you buy?

The Samsung 990 Pro and 980 Pro are some of the best you can buy, but is the newer model worth the extra cost?

screenshot of windows 11 desktop with nvidia control panel and nvidia app open
Complete guide to Nvidia Control Panel and the Nvidia app

Nvidia Control Panel and the Nvidia app are full of settings, which can look intimidating. Here's how to navigate these apps.

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The best gaming monitors you can buy in 2022
Best gaming monitors in 2025

From high refresh rate panels to 4K displays, these are the best gaming monitors you can buy

An image showing a render of the Nvidia Titan Z GPU.
8 worst GPUs of all time
GPU

There are bad GPUs, and then there are GPUs that we'll never forget because of how disastrous they were.

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Best DDR4 RAM
Best DDR4 RAM in 2025
RAM

These are some of the best DDR4 RAM kits, with some of the best memory modules you can buy on the market right now.

A render of a Ryzen 7000 CPU in an AM5 motherboard.
Best AM5 motherboards in 2025
AMD

With cutting-edge PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support, AM5 motherboards can power high-performance PCs. But with so many choices, which should you get?

An illustration image to highlight the best CPUs for gaming on the market right now
Best CPUs for gaming in 2025
CPU

Buying the best CPUs is crucial for the overall gaming performance of the PC. Here's our list of the best CPUs for gaming you can buy right now.

Best M.2 SSDs
Best M.2 SSDs in 2025
SSD

Need a storage upgrade? You probably want an M.2 SSD, and these are the best options you can find right now.

Best budget GPUs in 2023
Best budget GPUs in 2025

It's tough to find a graphics card on a budget these days, but there are still some good options available

An image showing a PCIe slot on a motherboard.
PCI Express 5 (PCIe 5.0): Here's everything you need to know about the current-gen standard

PCIe 5.0 is the next big thing in the computing space.

Half Life 2 on the Steam Deck
How to use your Steam Deck as a PC controller

The Steam Deck can be an excellent controller alongside your PC - here's how to set it up

Corsair iCUE H150i Elite LCD XT Liquid CPU Cooler in a PC glowing with RGB lighting
How to lower your CPU's temperature
CPU

With the latest CPUs using up so much power and getting so hot, it's important to keep them cool. Here's how.

A screenshot of the Epic Games Launcher on the Steam Deck showing Faefarm as a promoted pick
How to install and play games from the Epic Games Store on Steam Deck

In addition to Steam, you can also install the Epic Games Store and play games from there on the Valve Steam Deck. Here's how to do it.

Angled view of AMD Ryzen 7950X installed on a motherboard
Best coolers for AMD AM5 PCs in 2024

Building a new PC on AMD's AM5 platform? You'll need to get yourself a good CPU cooler.

Half Life 2 on the Steam Deck
Steam Deck starter guide: Everything you need to know to start gaming

Just purchased a new Steam Deck? There's a wonderful world of gaming awaiting you, and here are some first steps to take.

A render of a Ryzen 7000 CPU.
Why we don't have 128-bit CPUs
CPU

We went from 8-bit, to 16-bit, to 32-bit, and ended things at 64-bit. Here's why 128-bit CPUs don't exist.

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Razer BlackShark V2 gaming headset kept on a table next to other gaming peripherals
Best gaming headsets in 2025

Buying a great headset is crucial for an immersive video game experience, but there are a ton of options to choose from

Asus ROG Ally playing Hades.
Best screen protectors for Asus ROG Ally in 2023

With a starting price of $700, it's best to make sure your ROG Ally is as protected as can be. Here's the best screen protectors for the Ally.

NVIDIA RTX 4090 graphics card
How to install a graphics card in your PC: A beginner's guide
GPU

There's never a bad time to upgrade and install a new GPU. In this guide, we'll teach you how to install a new graphics card.

Intel Core i9 14900K in a CPU socket in a motherboard
6 worst Intel CPUs of all time

If you look throughout Intel's history, you'll find tons of awful CPUs, many of which would have caused financial ruin for any other company.

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