The annual Australian PC Awards give us an exquisite alternative to think about the yr previous, and highlight the issues that have been very a lot better than the others.
It’s all the time enjoyable for us to do that, and we hope you’re impressed to do an improve or two as we run by way of the finalists, the extremely counseled candidates, and the winners.
These awards cowl all of the merchandise launched in Australia by way of 2021, and have been judged by members of the Australian editorial crew right here at PC Gamer, together with our associates at sister Future publications APC, TechRadar, TechLife Australia and PC PowerPlay.
Narrowing down the finalists took a very long time, and the numerous execs and cons have been rigorously thought of. This yr specifically, worth for cash performed a larger-than-usual function in figuring out the winners. The place we really feel it was deserved, some almost-made-it merchandise and firms scored a extremely counseled place in the event that they didn’t win, although not all classes yielded standout gear to occupy the decrease steps on the rostrum.
We prolong an enormous congratulations to the groups behind the winners, all the time striving to make good gear, and that pleases us immensely to see and be capable to acknowledge.
Motherboards
2021 was a giant yr for motherboard releases, although totally on the Intel facet, with not one, however two main launches in the course of the yr. Issues have been quieter on the AMD facet, with the refreshed X570S chipset and some B550 latecomers.
Intel’s 500 collection motherboards might have been overshadowed by Z690 and Twelfth-gen CPUs late within the yr, however that doesn’t imply there weren’t some wonderful 500-series boards. Simply as noteworthy was the long-awaited inclusion of reminiscence overclocking on B560 boards, a lot of which shocked us with their step up in high quality.
However ultimately, Z690 was Intel’s hero. Z690 boards embrace extra storage and cutting-edge connectivity choices in comparison with Z590. Add DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 help, and Intel leads the best way. Z690 boards took a step up in value, however the prime quality Z690 boards blur the road between mainstream choices and the uncared for HEDT phase.
AMD X570S boards symbolize one of the best and final AM4 motherboards. For essentially the most half, they’re absolutely mature, with refined BIOS and up-to-date function units. They usually’re not performed but, as AMD’s V-cache CPUs are nonetheless to return in 2022.
Greatest Motherboard Maker
Different Finalists
Greatest Worth Motherboard
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Premium Motherboard
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Graphics Playing cards
2021 noticed the discharge of some unbelievable graphics playing cards. Really fascinating playing cards just like the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti met the wants of avid gamers with ultra-wide and 4K screens, whereas extra inexpensive playing cards just like the RTX 3060 and RX 6600 set a brand new 1080p 60fps baseline. As increasingly more avid gamers make use of excessive refresh charge screens, the necessity for quicker graphics playing cards was extra obvious than ever.
Picture scaling applied sciences similar to DLSS and FSR together with ray traced lighting results went mainstream however, sadly, any dialogue across the state of the GPU business can’t ignore the unprecedented challenges that proceed to blight the business.
The one-two punch of pandemic-related provide chain points together with surging mining demand meant that fewer playing cards made their approach into the fingers of avid gamers. It’s a tragic state of affairs when a supposed mid-range card just like the RTX 3060 bought for nicely over AU$1,000. Saying that 2021 was a misplaced yr for PC gaming isn’t an exaggeration.
2022 is already trying a lot better as we glance in the direction of the launch of next-generation GPUs, not simply from Nvidia and AMD, however relative newcomer Intel too.
Greatest Graphics Card Maker
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Worth Graphics Card
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Premium Graphics Card
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
CPU
Intel dominated the CPU market in 2021. The reception of high-end Eleventh Gen Rocket Lake CPUs was lukewarm, however Eleventh-generation mid and entry degree choices have been a few of our favorite CPUs. They dominated the decrease finish of the market within the absence of competing choices from AMD.
AMD was quiet, however what it did launch, notably the 5000G collection APUs, have been nicely acquired. The Zen 3 cores carried out nicely at their value factors, however their trump card was very sturdy built-in graphics efficiency. In a yr with no actually inexpensive GPU choices, the power to recreation with out dropping big cash on a discrete card was very welcome.
However one of the best CPUs of the yr got here late in 2021. A resurgent Intel fired its greatest photographs in years with its Twelfth Gen Alder Lake CPUs. Their hybrid structure and multi-threading prowess noticed them erase the lead AMD had constructed, whereas providing class main single threaded and wonderful gaming efficiency. The accompanying feature-rich Z690 platform with its DDR5 and PCI Specific 5.0 help leaves Intel nicely positioned for the battles forward.
Greatest Worth CPU
Different Finalists
Greatest Premium CPU
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Storage
2021 noticed PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs (with whopping 6,600 MB/s write speeds) correctly hit the market whereas PCIe 5.0 help began showing on motherboards. Nonetheless, it was regular to see mismatched PCIe model 3, 4 and 5 elements in lots of programs. In the meantime, the mechanical drive world continued to attend for next-gen, huge-capacity, heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) drives to seem.
The exterior storage market witnessed SanDisk and Samsung supply more and more speedy USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 drives with 1,000+ MB/s learn/write speeds. This opened the door to new functions, just like the fast switch of large recreation recordsdata on consoles and PCs along with boosting skilled media workflows.
Synology’s NAS featured closely in 2021 however not all the time for the proper causes. On the one hand its DSM 7 working system lastly left beta, bringing some welcome enhancements. Nevertheless, it didn’t launch any new SOHO NAS bins, which left the door open for QNAP to steer the {hardware} cost. In the meantime, new model Terramaster impressed us with a funds providing. Synology additionally went rogue and launched its personal (costly) laborious drives and mentioned that solely these and (a restricted variety of) licensed third-party drives would work of their future NAS bins.
Greatest Inside Storage Maker
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Exterior Storage Maker
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest SOHO or House NAS
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
System
2021 was one other nice yr for laptop computer innovation and prebuilt desktop programs. Along with Intel and AMD providing built-in GPUs that have been highly effective sufficient for mild gaming, Nvidia’s 30 collection GPUs considerably boosted laptop computer graphics capabilities and even allowed laptop computer makers to completely customise power-draw and total efficiency.
Apple wasn’t content material to relaxation on the success of its M1 processor launch, releasing the M1 Professional and M1 Max processors on an up to date MacBook Professional vary.
And, if that wasn’t sufficient, the value of high-end display applied sciences has come all the way down to the purpose the place you’ll recurrently see OLED, skilled degree HDR and quicker refresh charges on laptops that aren’t within the extremely premium value ranges.
Greatest Worth Laptop computer or 2-in-1
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Premium Laptop computer or 2-in-1
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Gaming Laptop computer
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Desktop PC Maker
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Peripherals & Parts
Greatest Reminiscence Maker
The tail finish of 2021 noticed DDR5 make its debut. Sadly, element shortages left DDR5 as little greater than a footnote out there for all however the ultra-enthusiasts. A minimum of you can purchase DDR4 supporting Z690 boards, which most likely saved Intel from a fairly embarrassing launch. DDR5 availability is enhancing, although it can stay low in quantity in comparison with DDR4 in 2022.
2021 noticed DDR4 reminiscence attain its last state of maturity. The pricing of 2x8GB DDR4-3200 reminiscence kits dropped to their lowest-ever ranges, and have been principally oblivious to semiconductor provide shortages. A lot in order that slower kits are hardly any cheaper. Even DDR4-3600 doesn’t carry a lot of a value premium and 3600MHz low latency reminiscence is considered a superb candy spot for all Intel and AMD DDR4 programs.
We additionally noticed the discharge of some very quick kits as much as and even over DDR4-5000. These kits are geared toward overclockers, and their big expense and tiny, if not non-existent efficiency positive aspects makes them irrelevant for many customers. However, such speeds are a powerful illustration of simply how far DDR4 progressed within the years since its launch in 2014.
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Cooling Product
Cooling is a type of issues that doesn’t have a tendency to vary a lot yr over yr. The identical elementary ideas apply. Relying on what your case will accommodate and the TDP of your CPU, it’s best to usually attempt to purchase one of the best cooling you possibly can, inside cause.
Some developments did emerge. All producers started to promote ultra-luxurious and really costly coolers, full with head-mounted customisable screens. They appear unbelievable, however they price so much and a few don’t cool any higher than models costing half the value.
Air cooling remained completely viable. A top quality air cooler will final you so long as it stays suitable and there’s no cause {that a} good 2021 air cooler received’t final you for a few years to return.
2021 did introduce the brand-new Intel LGA 1700 socket, which meant that customers with older coolers wanted to acquire an up to date mount. There have been additionally issues that the bottom plates of some coolers weren’t sufficient to cowl the bigger warmth spreader and elongated die of Twelfth-gen CPUs. Such issues are principally unfounded although.
Different Finalists
Greatest Monitor
For the highest echelons of gaming professionals, 2021 was the yr when 360Hz shows actually grew to become commonplace and upped the ante on these hair-trigger response charges.
For the remainder of us, although, 2021 was a yr the place you began to see WQHD and 4K screens providing HDR colors and 100+Hz refresh charges for costs that make it laborious to not need to improve.
We additionally had an uptick in TV-monitor hybrid shows because of the next-gen consoles and ongoing lockdowns. These spectacular large-format screens supplied HDR colors and quick refresh charges that basically pushed immersion in PC gaming.
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Keyboard
Keyboards proceed to be not solely a extremely aggressive area, but additionally one that’s constantly evolving. Mechanical switches are most positively right here to remain, however as fanatics get increasingly more educated about choosing the proper change, we’re seeing increasingly more keyboard firms come to the fray.
In 2021 many extra of the area of interest keyboard makers got here to our consideration, whereas many conventional leaders within the area have struggled to maintain their merchandise contemporary and related. There’s not rather more that may be added to a standard keyboard, so seeing how the likes of Logitech and Asus have made efforts to face aside has led to a re-evaluation of the market. Some producers, just like the once-dominant Corsair, now finds itself with some appreciable catching as much as do.
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Mouse
One other hotly contested space of {hardware}, and one the place the improvements can actually make or break a product, is the standard mouse. Mechanical switches and RGB lighting at the moment are firmly embedded within the area, so what does it take for a mouse maker to face out from the pack?
It’s a matter of levels with regards to mice, sophisticated by it being an intensely private selection – all the brand new bells and whistles merely don’t rely if a mouse feels unhealthy beneath your hand, or its ‘click on’ doesn’t really feel proper.
As all the time, it’s the gaming area that actually pushes mouse {hardware}, however gaming mouse is, nowadays, supremely versatile, in a position to match customers click on for click on, whether or not gaming or working, and, nowadays, typically each!
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Gaming Headset
How we take heed to video games and media on our PCs is one other extremely private area, and personalising how we pay attention has been a key theme of headphone growth over the previous few years. Positional audio might not matter a lot to non-gamers, nevertheless it turns into important if you wish to play competitively. Equally, whereas RGB lighting on a tool most of don’t even take a look at whereas we’re utilizing it might appear extreme, there’s no mistaking how placing lighting implementation can look.
However when it comes all the way down to it, audio high quality and luxury are the 2 most necessary features of any pair of cans, particularly in case you eat quite a lot of media in your PC – we definitely do nowadays. So, once more, producers are being pressured to repeatedly innovate headphone function units in a really aggressive market, which implies shoppers stay the winners.
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest PC Case
The development in the direction of high-airflow mesh designs intensified, with many of the attention-grabbing and top-selling instances now that includes a full-front mesh and normally three 120mm or 140mm followers. It additionally appeared that ATX case makers more and more recognised the necessity to accommodate 360mm radiator AIOs.
There was shrinkage too, with many smaller m-ATX and m-ITX instances showing. Furthermore, an obvious improve within the variety of suitable compact motherboards in the marketplace signifies small however nicely ventilated, but someway not cramped, is the holy grail – one which the Lian Li PC-O11 Air Mini managed with aplomb.
Some drama performed out by way of the opening months of 2021, with some house owners of Nzxt H1 instances reporting that they all of the sudden caught fireplace. It turned out that screw holes within the circuit board may permit direct contact between the metallic screw and the board’s traces, which led to instant shorting and combustion for some unlucky house owners. Folks’s champion Steve from Gamer’s Nexus took up the trigger and publicly shamed Nzxt into issuing a recall and correct repair.
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Greatest Router
2021 was yr for routers in that not solely did the expertise transfer incrementally ahead, however there was a Wi-Fi 6 choice to go well with everybody. On the very prime finish, Asus produced one other mega-mesh, two-node-with-backhaul-channel setup that outperformed the market, however what was maybe most notable about it was the dramatically cheaper launch value than its predecessors.
We have been additionally happy to see a return to over-the-top, spaceship-like flagships, with TP-Hyperlink’s GX90 gaming router main the cost – a refreshing sight after so many wallet-friendly, boring bins. Nevertheless, we nonetheless greeted new funds entries from Mercusys and Huawei which supplied some screaming efficiency at very low costs. The yr additionally welcomed D-Hyperlink again to the ‘good product maker’ fold with its crowd-pleasing EXO DIR-X3260 router that lastly supplied first rate options and efficiency at an honest value.
There have been many notable new takes on the expertise with probably helpful Wi-Fi 6 PCIe playing cards and USB sticks boosting the connectivity of older computer systems. Whereas most mesh programs have been meh, we fairly appreciated TP-Hyperlink’s Deco Voice, which included built-in Alexa microphone and audio system. It felt very very similar to a model 1.0 mannequin however the potential was there.
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Reseller
There are a lot of issues we search for once we select the place to spend some cash – and 2021 definitely proved to be a making an attempt time for the nation’s outlets. Inventory shortages and countless ready lists for a lot of gadgets, together with (and most notoriously) graphics playing cards, meant they wanted to do one thing particular. We in a short time noticed many resellers arrange wonderful and sometimes day by day updating of the inventory state of affairs, and by all accounts service remained pleasant and useful.
A lot remained past their management, together with the terrifyingly excessive costs of graphics playing cards, and we have been happy to see that almost all outlets have been in step with one another, indicating the margins have been slim for the entrance line of the provision chain.
Greatest Reseller
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Excellence
2021 was the yr that Fb had so many entrance web page scandals, it needed to change its title. It was additionally the yr many people needed to Google the phrase ‘fungible’ after which observe up with why on earth non-fungibility was so costly. It was the yr of the metaverse and it was the yr of sold-out tech tools because of an ongoing world chip scarcity. It was the yr Fb and Google threatened to drop the Australian market fairly than pay for native information content material and it was additionally the yr one in every of our personal publications, APC, had its second of excellence, releasing its five hundredth difficulty of the journal.
Regardless of all of the hurdles of a seemingly countless pandemic and the opposite problems thrown at it all year long, the PC area nonetheless managed to have a cracker of a yr. Apple designed a battery-powered laptop computer CPU that was extra highly effective than some other client laptop computer processor put out by Intel or AMD. Home windows soft-launched a brand new OS that wasn’t a whole flop and GPUs and screens actually began working collectively to ship HDR video games and media.
Excellence Award
For the individual, product or expertise that superior the PC greater than some other in 2021.
Extremely Counseled
Different Finalists
Gold Award
Once we visited MSI on the 2019 Computex present, our native rep informed us that the corporate was about to embark on a giant enlargement into many new areas, however do it nicely with solely high quality merchandise.
And 2021 was the yr that it bore fruit… in spectacular trend. MSI delivered on its promise and much exceeded our expectations, proving itself as a real large of the PC scene and a reputation to be trusted to provide nicely designed, engineered and priced merchandise throughout virtually each a part of the PC panorama.
Efficiently coming into extraordinarily aggressive areas like screens and SSDs isn’t any small feat. The R&D and engineering challenges imply these aren’t markets you possibly can half-heartedly throw gear into and see what sticks. MSI promised to purpose excessive, and it did. The instances are fantastically designed and impeccably engineered, its screens are with out exception progressive and constructed across the very newest applied sciences. MSI hit the SSD market laborious, with the Spatium vary spanning funds to premium and that includes 9 merchandise now. And MSI energy provides now make it potential to construct an virtually totally MSI-only PC.
In the meantime MSI stored kicking targets with its laptops, with the gaming fashions routinely delivering class-leading efficiency, whereas the peripherals and equipment vary grows and grows, and it’s all wonderful gear. MSI motherboards routinely rating on the prime of our testing, and are significantly spectacular within the funds class, providing boards that, by rights, needs to be priced as premium however are normally blessedly inexpensive.
It’s been a thrill to observe MSI increase its vary so dramatically in such a brief time period, tackling a number of the most difficult-to-get-right areas, and coming by way of with merchandise which can be an announcement of intent that excites us for the years forward.
Gold Award
The corporate that impressed us essentially the most, total, in 2021.
Different Finalists
