What’s Hot at CCL? Our Staff’s Favourite Tech Right Now!

Why We Chose It: The DeepCool Matrexx 30 SI was selected for its combination of affordability, compact design, and reliable cooling performance. It provides essential features for budget-conscious builders while maintaining a sleek and minimalistic look. This case is ideal for those looking for a no-fuss, space-saving chassis that supports Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX builds.

Three Reasons to Choose It:

1. Compact and Space-Saving Design:

   • Its small footprint makes it an excellent choice for those with limited desk space or looking to build a compact PC without sacrificing essential features.

2. Budget-Friendly with Essential Features:

   • The Matrexx 30 SI offers a solid build at an affordable price, making it a great choice for entry-level or budget-conscious builders. It provides necessary cooling support, ample drive bays, and a straightforward assembly process.

3. Adequate Cooling and Expandability:

   • Equipped with a pre-installed 120mm rear fan and front ventilation design, this case ensures reliable airflow. It also supports additional cooling options, including front-mounted fans or a radiator, allowing users to enhance thermal performance as needed.

This case is a great choice for those who want a functional, minimalistic, and cost-effective PC case that supports essential components without unnecessary extras.

2. Intel Core i9 14900K CPU

Why We Chose It: The Intel Core i9-14900K stands out as one of the most powerful desktop processors in the market, delivering top-tier performance for gaming, content creation, and heavy workloads. With its 24-core hybrid architecture and impressive clock speeds, this processor is designed for enthusiasts and professionals who demand the best in performance and responsiveness. Its unlocked multiplier also makes it an excellent choice for those looking to push their system to its limits through overclocking.

Three Reasons to Choose It:

1. Extreme Performance for Gaming and Productivity:

   • With 24 cores (8 Performance-cores + 16 Efficient-cores) and 32 threads, the i9-14900K excels in both single-threaded and multi-threaded applications, making it a powerhouse for high-refresh-rate gaming, streaming, video editing, and 3D rendering.

2. Overclocking Capabilities with High Clock Speeds:

   • The processor features a max turbo frequency of 6.0 GHz, making it one of the fastest CPUs available. Its unlocked multiplier allows users to overclock and fine-tune performance to suit their needs.

3. Future-Proof Technology and Compatibility:

   • Built on Intel’s latest Raptor Lake Refresh architecture, the i9-14900K supports DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0, ensuring compatibility with the latest hardware and delivering high-speed data transfer for next-gen components.

This CPU is an excellent choice for power users who demand cutting-edge performance, whether for gaming, creative workloads, or professional applications. However, it requires efficient cooling solutions due to its high power draw, making liquid cooling a recommended pairing.

3. Cooler Master 24.5" Full HD Gaming Monitor

Why We Chose It: The Cooler Master GM25FP was selected for its balance of high refresh rate, fast response time, and vibrant colour accuracy. Designed for competitive and casual gamers alike, this monitor delivers smooth gameplay, reduced motion blur, and an immersive visual experience. Its combination of a 180Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and IPS panel makes it an excellent choice for those who want both speed and colour precision without breaking the bank.

Three Reasons to Choose It:

1. Ultra-Smooth Gameplay with 180Hz Refresh Rate & 1ms Response Time:

   • With a high refresh rate of 180Hz, this monitor provides fluid motion, reducing screen tearing and stuttering. The 1ms response time (GtG) ensures minimal motion blur, making it ideal for fast-paced games like FPS and racing titles.

2. IPS Panel with Vivid Colour Reproduction:

   • The 106% sRGB colour gamut and IPS technology deliver vibrant and accurate colours, ensuring sharp visuals and consistent colour quality from wide viewing angles—great for gaming and content creation alike.

3. Versatile Connectivity & Adaptive Sync Support:

   • Equipped with two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4, and a 3.5mm audio jack, the GM25FP offers multiple connectivity options. It also supports Adaptive Sync, reducing screen tearing and ensuring a smoother visual experience across different frame rates.

This monitor is an excellent choice for gamers who prioritise speed, responsiveness, and colour accuracy. Whether for competitive gaming or general use, it offers great value with high-end features at an affordable price.

4. Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 XT GAMING OC 16GB GDDR6 Graphics Card

Why We Chose It: The Gigabyte Radeon RX 7800 XT GAMING OC 16GB was chosen for its excellent balance of high-performance 1440p gaming, advanced cooling, and future-proof features. Built on AMD’s RDNA™ 3 architecture, this card offers superior efficiency, high VRAM capacity, and strong ray tracing performance, making it a great option for both high-refresh-rate gaming and demanding creative workloads.

Three Reasons to Choose It:

1. High-Performance 1440p & 4K Gaming:

   • With 3840 stream processors, a boost clock of up to 2565 MHz, and 16GB GDDR6 VRAM, this GPU delivers smooth performance at 1440p ultra settings and can handle 4K gaming in many titles with optimised settings.

2. Advanced WINDFORCE Cooling System:

   • Featuring a triple-fan WINDFORCE cooling solution with three 90mm fans, copper heat pipes, and a large heatsink, this GPU ensures efficient heat dissipation, keeping temperatures low and performance stable during intense gaming sessions.

3. Future-Proof Connectivity & Features:

   • Equipped with PCIe 4.0, DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI 2.1, and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) & Ray Tracing support, the RX 7800 XT is ready for next-gen gaming, high refresh rate monitors, and VR experiences.

This GPU is an excellent choice for gamers and content creators looking for powerful performance, great cooling, and long-term value without paying the premium of high-end flagship cards. It strikes an ideal balance for those seeking high FPS gaming at 1440p with future-ready features.

5. ASUS Prime X870-P WiFi ATX Motherboard for AMD AM5 CPUs

Why We Chose It: The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 was chosen for its exceptional cooling performance, quiet operation, and innovative design. With a thicker 38mm radiator, high-performance fans, and an integrated VRM cooling fan, this AIO cooler provides superior thermal efficiency, making it ideal for high-end CPUs and overclocking setups.

Three Reasons to Choose It:

1. Superior Cooling Performance with a Large Radiator:

   • The 38mm thick radiator offers 23% more surface area than standard AIO coolers, resulting in better heat dissipation and lower CPU temperatures, especially under heavy workloads or overclocking.

2. Quiet and Efficient Operation:

   • Equipped with high-static pressure P12 PWM fans and a low-noise pump, this cooler delivers excellent cooling while keeping noise levels minimal, making it a great choice for silent PC builds.

3. Integrated VRM Cooling for Enhanced Stability:

   • A 40mm VRM fan built into the pump helps cool the motherboard’s voltage regulation modules, which improves stability and extends component lifespan, especially in overclocked systems.

This high-performance AIO liquid cooler is a perfect choice for gamers, overclockers, and professionals who demand efficient, quiet, and reliable cooling for their powerful CPUs. Its innovative design and robust thermal performance make it a standout in the liquid cooling market.

Thanks for Reading!

Thanks for reading this week’s CCL Staff Picks! We hope you found our expert recommendations helpful in upgrading your setup. Don’t forget to subscribe for weekly updates, exclusive deals, and exciting giveaways, so you never miss out on the latest tech trends and must-have products.