From Our Desks to Your Setup – CCL’s Weekly Tech Picks

As a CCL staffer, I’ve seen my share of gaming rigs, and this Horizon Core i5 RTX 4060 Pre-built PC immediately caught my eye. Housed in a sleek tower with a captivating mesh front panel and vibrant ARGB lighting, it’s a build that literally shines on your desk. The case isn’t just for looks either – with four high-performance fans and a ventilated design, this PC stays cool even in intense gaming sessions. A tempered glass side panel shows off the tidy interior, so you can admire the neatly installed components and cable management. It’s clear our builders put love into this system’s construction, and the solid build quality gives me confidence in its reliability during long gaming marathons.

Under the hood, this Horizon gaming PC packs an Intel Core i5-12400F processor teamed up with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card – a fantastic mid-range combo for modern gaming. Don’t let “mid-range” fool you; the 6-core/12-thread Core i5 has all the cores you need for high frame rates in 1080p gaming and beyond. In real-world use, that means smooth performance in eSports titles (easily pushing well over 100 FPS) and enough CPU muscle to handle streaming or multitasking while gaming. The RTX 4060 GPU brings Ada Lovelace architecture perks like ray tracing and DLSS 4, so you can enjoy cinematic lighting and reflections in supported games without turning your frame rates into a slideshow. I fired up a ray-traced scene in Cyberpunk 2077 on this machine and was thrilled to see it maintain high FPS with DLSS – the neon-soaked Night City looked amazing and played silky smooth.

Of course, a great CPU/GPU pairing needs the rest of the system to keep up, and this staff pick delivers. It comes with 16GB of fast DDR4 memory, which is plenty for any current game – no worrying about stutters due to low RAM, even if you have a browser and Discord open on the side. The 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSD means you’ll experience superfast load times: not only do you get loads of space for a big game library, but the high-speed NVMe storage practically eliminates long loading screens. In testing, levels in Elden Ring and Forza Horizon loaded in mere seconds. I also appreciate that it includes built-in Wi-Fi (867Mbps) for convenience, though I always recommend plugging into ethernet for the lowest latency in online games. Another cool bonus is that CCL currently bundles a free MSI gaming keyboard with this PC, which adds even more value. As for any downsides, there really aren’t many at this price – the Core i5 isn’t overclockable (the included H610 motherboard is more about stability than tweaking), but the system is so well-balanced you won’t feel the need to tinker. Overall, this Horizon pre-built is perfect for gamers who want a hassle-free, high-performance gaming PC right out of the box. It’s one of our favorites this week for its blend of performance, style, and value.

2. 1TB Kingston NV3 M.2 2280 PCI Express 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD

Every PC gamer knows the pain of long game load times or a nearly full drive. That’s why Kingston’s 1TB NV3 M.2 NVMe SSD is a staff pick this week – it’s an easy upgrade that offers a massive speed boost and plenty of space for your games. This NV3 is a PCI Express 4.0 x4 drive, which means it can hit some seriously fast read/write speeds. In fact, Kingston rates it at up to 6,000 MB/s reads and 5,000 MB/s writes – that’s Gen4 performance levels, rivaling some more expensive drives out there. In real-world terms, installing this SSD in your rig could cut Windows boot times to just seconds and make game loading screens practically blink-and-you-miss-them. I moved a few large game folders onto the NV3 during testing and was impressed by how quickly files transferred. Launching Call of Duty: Warzone from this drive was noticeably snappier than from my older SATA SSD.

Beyond raw speed, another reason we love the NV3 is its high-capacity and efficient design. You get 1TB of space, which is a sweet spot – enough for dozens of games, plenty of 4K videos, or all your creative projects, with room to spare. (Kingston actually makes NV3 drives up to 4TB for those who need even more storage.) Despite being so fast, the NV3 is a single-sided M.2 2280 drive that runs cool and sips power, thanks to a next-gen controller that optimizes for low heat output. That means even in a laptop or small form factor PC, this drive won’t turn into a tiny space heater or throttle under load. We’ve found it maintains solid performance even during prolonged use – a testament to Kingston’s focus on efficiency and stability.

From a gamer’s perspective, the biggest benefit you’ll feel is in game performance and responsiveness. If you play open-world titles or simulators that stream lots of data, a fast NVMe like the NV3 can reduce stuttering and texture pop-in, giving you a smoother experience. And if you’re upgrading from an older hard drive or SATA SSD, the difference will be night and day – software installs faster, level transitions are quicker, and even Windows feels more responsive. Kingston is a brand we trust (they’ve been making reliable memory and storage for decades), so I feel confident recommending this to anyone. It’s not the absolute fastest NVMe on the market (some pricier drives boast 7GB/s+ speeds), but for the price-to-performance ratio, the NV3 hits a sweet spot that makes it a top value pick. Whether you’re a gamer needing more space for the latest titles or a creator working with large media files, the Kingston NV3 1TB is more than up to the task – and it’s available now at CCL, ready to give your PC a nice little speed injection.

3. Intel Core i7-12700KF 12 Core/20 Thread LGA1700 CPU

I’ll admit it: I have a soft spot for powerful CPUs, and the Intel Core i7-12700KF is a beast that deserves a spot on our staff picks. This 12th Gen Intel chip sports 12 cores and 20 threads, which still sounds crazy to say – not long ago that kind of multi-core muscle was strictly HEDT (high-end desktop) territory. Intel achieved this with its new hybrid architecture, combining 8 Performance cores and 4 Efficient cores, allowing the i7-12700KF to multitask like a champ. From a gamer’s viewpoint, this means you can run a demanding game, stream or record gameplay, and chat on Discord all at once without the CPU breaking a sweat. The P-cores turbo up to 5.0 GHz when needed, delivering awesome single-thread performance for high FPS in games, while the E-cores handle background tasks. In my testing, the i7-12700KF breezed through everything I threw at it – Microsoft Flight Simulator (which loves CPU cores) ran smoother than I’ve ever seen, and Adobe Premiere exports were noticeably quicker compared to my older 8-core chip.

Since this is the “KF” model, a couple things to note: it requires a discrete graphics card (which any gamer using this will have, so that’s fine) and it comes unlocked for overclocking. There’s no stock cooler in the box, so you’ll want a good aftermarket cooler to tame its 125W (base) TDP, especially if you plan to OC. In our build, we paired it with a 240mm AIO liquid cooler, and the i7 stayed nice and cool even under full load. What I love about the 12700KF is that it brings many of the enthusiast features of Intel’s flagship i9, but at a more approachable price. You still get the latest platform tech – support for PCIe 5.0 and 4.0, meaning next-gen graphics and SSDs are supported, and compatibility with both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. That flexibility is great; you can drop this CPU into an existing DDR4 LGA1700 motherboard (for example, many Z690 or B660 boards support it), or go for a new DDR5 board to future-proof. Either way, it’s optimized for enthusiast gamers and even serious creators, with high performance tuning potential if you’re into overclocking. 

In terms of gaming performance, the Core i7-12700KF is an absolute monster. Paired with a capable GPU, it will push very high frame rates in competitive titles (think hundreds of FPS in CS:GO or Valorant at low settings) and eliminate CPU bottlenecks in GPU-heavy games at 1440p or 4K. Compared to the popular Core i5-12600K, the i7’s extra cores help in open-world or simulation games and in multitasking scenarios – if you stream or do video editing, you’ll appreciate the difference. Versus AMD, this chip trades blows with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D in gaming, but outshines it in productivity tasks thanks to those extra threads. Honestly, unless you absolutely need an i9 or Ryzen 9 for extreme workloads, the i7-12700KF hits a sweet spot for high-end gaming rigs. Minor cons? Just power usage (it can draw a lot under full tilt) and the missing cooler, but those are expected for an unlocked i7. For the performance you get, I’d say it’s totally worth it. If you’re building or upgrading a powerhouse PC, this CPU is available at CCL and ready to drive your games and applications with ease – no wonder it’s one of our top picks this week.

4. ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi ITX Motherboard for AMD AM5 CPUs

When building a new PC, the motherboard is literally and figuratively the backbone of your system. Our pick in that department is the ASRock B650 Steel Legend WiFi, an ATX board for AMD’s AM5 socket that perfectly balances durability, features, and style. The first thing you’ll notice is the Steel Legend’s unique aesthetic – a silver, digital-camo PCB design with chunky heatsinks and subtle RGB accents. It’s a board that looks as tough as its name implies. And that’s not just marketing fluff: the Steel Legend series stands for rock-solid durability and reliable performance, built with high-quality components to ensure stability under demanding conditions. As a staff member who has handled this board, I can vouch that it feels robust in hand, with reinforced PCIe slots and a decent weight from the heatsinks – a sign of good power delivery hardware underneath.

Speaking of hardware, this board uses the AMD B650 chipset, meaning it’s ready for the latest Ryzen 7000 series processors (as well as future Zen 5 CPUs down the line) while being a bit more budget-friendly than X670E flagship boards. You still get DDR5 memory support (up to 4 sticks, 128GB), so you can take advantage of faster RAM speeds, and there are 3 M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs, which I love – plenty of room for fast storage expansion. One of those M.2 slots is wired to the CPU for full PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds, ensuring your primary drive runs at blistering speed, while the others go through the chipset (ideal for a game drive or scratch disk). There’s also a good selection of USB ports (including USB Type-C) – in total 10 USB ports on the rear I/O – so connecting peripherals or external drives is no issue. For display outputs, you have both HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort if you want to use the Ryzen’s integrated graphics for troubleshooting or a quick build test. And crucially for a modern board, the Steel Legend includes Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 built-in! This means out-of-the-box high-speed wireless networking, which is super convenient if your PC is not right next to your router. In my testing, the Wi-Fi performed well, hitting high throughput on my Wi-Fi 6 router – great for downloading big games from Steam without waiting an eternity.

Performance-wise, the B650 Steel Legend has impressively strong VRMs (voltage regulators) for its class – it handled a Ryzen 9 7900X in our test build without throttling, which speaks to its capability for high-core-count CPUs. Overclockers might miss the top-end tweakability of an X670E board, but you can still engage PBO (Precision Boost Overdrive) to let your Ryzen boost aggressively, and this board’s cooling and power delivery can support it. For most “mainstream enthusiasts” (as ASRock calls it), this board offers more than enough: solid audio, 2.5Gb Ethernet, plenty of fan headers, ARGB headers for lighting, and a clear CMOS and BIOS flashback for easy recovery – all the essentials are there. I also appreciate the Steel Legend’s value – you’re getting a durable, feature-rich board for a price that leaves room in your budget for a better GPU or CPU, which is likely why it’s a staff favorite. The minor cons are typical of B650: you don’t get PCIe 5.0 slots here (the x16 for your GPU is PCIe 4.0, which currently doesn’t affect gaming performance at all) and slightly fewer USB or SATA ports than ultra-high-end boards. But honestly, nothing is missing that the average gamer or builder would care about. In summary, the ASRock B650 Steel Legend WiFi is perfect for Ryzen builders who want a dependable motherboard with a dash of style. It’s ready for all the latest tech (AM5, DDR5, WiFi 6E) and built to last – a board that gives you confidence as the foundation of your new gaming PC. Available now at CCL, this board is an easy recommendation and definitely earns its “Legend” status in our picks!

5. ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG 27″ QHD 240Hz Gaming Monitor – WOLED, 240Hz, DP

Few things in gaming are as jaw-dropping as playing on an OLED screen, and the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG might be the ultimate monitor in that regard. This 27-inch display features a QHD (2560×1440) glossy WOLED panel with a blistering 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms grey-to-grey response time. Translation: you get the gorgeous, inky blacks and vibrant colors that OLED is known for plus the ultra-smooth motion that competitive gamers crave. When I first sat down with this monitor, it genuinely blew me away – imagine the rich visuals of a high-end TV combined with the high refresh fluidity of an eSports monitor. Fast-paced games like Overwatch and Valorant felt incredibly responsive (no smearing or ghosting at all, thanks to essentially instant pixel transitions), and open-world games like Red Dead Redemption 2 looked outright cinematic with HDR enabled, showcasing brilliant highlights and infinite contrast in night scenes.

ASUS packed this ROG Strix monitor with features to keep that OLED panel in top shape. It has a custom heatsink for cooling and an array of OLED care functions to reduce any risk of burn-in. In practice, the monitor will periodically do pixel refresh maintenance and you can enable features like a screensaver or pixel shift – during my use, I didn’t encounter any image retention issues, and the panel stayed relatively cool and consistent. Another unique aspect is the glossy finish on the panel, which really makes the colors “pop” and look extra sharp (glossy OLED can have reflections, but ASUS seems to have applied some coating to mitigate glare while keeping clarity). The result is text that’s crisp and a picture that’s almost window-like in how clear it is. With FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility, you also get tear-free gaming – I tested variable refresh in a fluctuating FPS scenario and did not notice the kind of flicker that some OLEDs can show, likely thanks to ASUS’s OLED Anti-flicker technology working behind the scenes.

Design-wise, this monitor is every bit ROG – a sturdy, ergonomic stand (with height, tilt, swivel adjustments) and that signature cyberpunk aesthetic. It even has a little OLED status display on the base (and of course RGB lighting on the back) to complete the gaming vibe. One standout perk for CCL customers: if you order this monitor from us, you can claim a free copy of “Doom: The Dark Ages” from ASUS as part of a limited-time promotion. That’s a sweet bonus – basically getting a new game to truly test the monitor’s capabilities (fast-paced demon slaying in OLED glory, anyone?). Connectivity on the XG27AQDMG includes DisplayPort 1.4 (which you’ll need to hit 240Hz at 1440p) and HDMI (limited to 144Hz at QHD since it’s HDMI 2.0 on this model). It also has USB ports for convenience. If I’m nitpicking minor cons: the OLED panel isn’t as bright as some LCDs in full-screen white scenes (it’s rated 275 cd/m² typical brightness, though peaks much higher for HDR highlights), so in a sunlit room it won’t cut through glare like a mini-LED monitor might. But in normal and dim lighting, it’s plenty bright, and personally I’ll take OLED contrast over sheer brightness any day. There’s also no built-in speaker – but most gamers use headsets or speakers anyway. All told, the ROG Strix XG27AQDMG delivers an unparalleled gaming experience: rich visuals, top-tier motion performance, and cutting-edge tech to keep it running smoothly. It’s for the gamer who wants the best and isn’t afraid to invest in a premium display. Using this monitor has absolutely spoiled me – going back to a regular screen is tough after witnessing OLED magic at 240Hz. If you’re in the market for the ultimate gaming monitor, this is available at CCL right now (with that free game offer to boot). Trust me, your eyes will thank you for this upgrade!

6. ASUS TUF Gaming M3 Gen II Ultralight Gaming Mouse

Last but not least on our staff picks list: a little mouse that’s making a big impression. The ASUS TUF Gaming M3 Gen II is an ultra-lightweight wired gaming mouse that has become an everyday favorite for us at CCL, especially among staff who game on their lunch breaks (guilty as charged!). Weighing in at just 59 grams, this mouse is featherlight – once you start flicking it around in an FPS, you’ll wonder how you ever managed with a heavier mouse. The beauty is that ASUS achieved this weight without resorting to those open honeycomb shells; the M3 Gen II retains a solid body with an ergonomic shape crafted for right-handed gamers, so it feels substantial and comfortable in the hand. I found that its low weight and smooth PTFE feet make for effortless glides – my aim in Fortnite felt more precise simply because I could move quicker and stop on a dime with less inertia.

Despite the lightweight design, this mouse carries the TUF name for a reason: it’s built to be durable and fortified against the elements. It sports an IP56 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it can shrug off splashes or dirt – great news for longevity if you’re prone to the occasional spill or if, like me, you have pets that love to shed everywhere. ASUS even coated the M3 Gen II with their Antibacterial Guard treatment to inhibit bacterial growth on the surfaces. While I can’t easily measure germs, it’s a nice feature for peace of mind, keeping the mouse a bit more sanitary over time (especially useful in a shared environment or LAN parties). The click switches are rated for 60 million clicks, so you know it’s ready to endure years of intensive clicking – they feel crisp and responsive, by the way, with a satisfying but not overly loud click. Technically, the sensor is an 8000 DPI optical sensor, which might not sound as high as some competitors touting 16K or 20K DPI, but in practice 8000 DPI is more than enough for anyone not doing extreme multi-monitor 4K flick shots. It tracks flawlessly in my experience, and there’s a handy DPI button on top to cycle through four preset sensitivity levels on-the-fly (I love this for quickly toggling to a lower DPI when I hop into a sniper rifle in-game).

The TUF M3 Gen II also has the expected modern features: six programmable buttons (two side buttons, the usual clicks, wheel, and DPI button – all can be remapped in ASUS’s Armoury Crate software), and it has three onboard profiles so you can save settings or macros to the mouse memory. RGB lighting is present but tasteful – just a logo and trim that can sync via ASUS Aura Sync if you have other ASUS gear. One of my favorite things is actually the cable – it’s a lightweight paracord-like cable that doesn’t snag or create drag as you move the mouse, almost feeling wireless. In use, the M3 Gen II feels like a much more expensive mouse: it’s ultra-light, comfortable for long sessions, and very responsive. It may not have every bell and whistle (no adjustable weights – but who needs those on a 59g mouse? – and it’s not wireless), but for a straightforward gaming mouse it nails all the fundamentals. The value factor is huge here too: as a budget-friendly option, it’s accessible to gamers who want performance on a budget. Honestly, this little guy has converted some of our die-hard Logitech and Razer users on the team – it’s that good. If you’re in the market for a new mouse and want something lightweight yet durable, the TUF Gaming M3 Gen II gets our hearty recommendation. It’s available now at CCL, ready to level up your aiming game without breaking the bank, and it rounds out our top picks with a nice practical peripheral that anyone can appreciate.

Conclusion

Thanks for checking out this week’s CCL Staff Picks! We had a blast rounding up these products – they truly represent some of the best and most exciting tech you can get your hands on right now, whether you’re a hardcore gamer, a PC builder, or just tech-curious. Remember, we update our staff picks weekly to keep things fresh and highlight new popular items and team favorites in our store. If you enjoyed this roundup (or if it sparked your interest in an upgrade!), be sure to subscribe to our emails below so you never miss out on future staff picks, hot deals, and fun competitions. Until next time, happy gaming and happy building from all of us at CCL!