The 2022/2023 best PC hardware and software

After years of product delays, shortages, and product delays, 2022 saw the PC industry unleash cutting-edge hardware at a frenetic pace.

The year began with a bang, thanks to a wave of powerful laptops that are durable and long-lasting. The battle for desktops turned when Intel, Nvidia, AMD and AMD launched new generations of processors. These are just a few of the many innovations that have occurred.

We tested some truly impressive hardware this year—but you’ll only find the absolute greatest on this list. And that’s not all: Our top picks include the best software available, because what you use all that computing power For Just as important is it.

For this list, we asked PCWorld’s tech experts to share their favorite picks in their areas of expertise. This is the list of best PC hardware and software for 2022 and 2023. Yes, we’re looking forward to next year, because until even Newer Many of the names on this list will still be relevant months later when products start to launch in 2023. We’ve also rounded up our favorite work-from-home tech of 2022 if you’re interested in a more productivity-focused look at the year’s best options.

Dell XPS13 Plus: The thinnest and lightest laptop

If you’re on the hunt for a truly spectacular ultraportable, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is the laptop to target. It’s featherlight at under three pounds, the 13.4-inch 3456×2160 OLED display is a real sight to behold, and the Intel Core i7-1280P CPU delivers leading-edge performance. That’s the full package right there. It’s powerful enough to do photo editing and other daily tasks such as browsing the internet and checking e mail. And the hidden haptic trackpad—a unique design choice that’s different from previous iterations—helps the Dell XPS 13 Plus look truly sophisticated. You really can’t go wrong here. —Ashley Biancuzzo

Nvidia GeForce GTX 4090 is the best graphics card

It’ll cost you a small fortune to get your hands on one, but the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090This deserves the highest praises. Nvidia’s 40-series flagship is blow-your-hair-back-and-melt-your-face Fast—so fast, it unlocks experiences never before possible.

With the RTX 4090—and Only the RTX 4090—you can max out a 4K, 144Hz monitor with all the eye candy turned on in your games. You can play the most strenuous ray traced games without even bothering to flip DLSS on—but you should, because DLSS delivers a massive speed boost with few visual compromises. DLSS 3’s new Frame Generation feature taps into AI to double frame rates in compatible games for unparalleled visual smoothness. This feature will be a delight for content creators. RTX 4090’s 24GB of mega-fast VRAM and juggernaut productivity chops.

Yes, the GeForce GTX 4090 is expensive at $1,600. This GPU is worth every penny. It’s so fast that AMD’s flagship Radeon RX 7900 XTX isn’t even trying to compete at its level. This may be my favorite graphics card I’ve ever tested in all my years at PCWorld.

Intel Core i9-13900K: The best high-end CPU 

AMD’s 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X may have landed the first blow in this new CPU generation, and it’s a mighty foe indeed—but Intel’s 24-core Core i9-13900KBetter is better. The last-gen Core i9-12900K already impressed, but Intel managed to cram twice as many efficiency-focused “E” cores into the new chip, while simultaneously cranking clock speeds to blistering new 5.8GHz levels. The Core i9-13900K is now the fastest processor in single-threaded gaming and multi-core tasks, while running at 40 percent faster speeds than the previous generation. Hot damn.

Tipping the scales even further in Intel’s favor, the Core i9-13900K also enjoys robust software support for its onboard media engine (helpful for content creators!) It is also less expensive than its Ryzen competitor. Adding insult to injury, Intel’s 13th-gen Core CPUs also support cheaper DDR4 memory when using select motherboards, unlike AMD, which mAndates DDR5 with Ryzen 7000. Faster, cheaper, andSoftware support: The Intel Core i9-13900K CPU is the absolute best of this new generation. —Brad Chacos

Best SSD: Adata Legend 960

Yes, there are some rival PCIe 4.0 SSDsEdge out the Adata Legend 960 in raw benchmark performance—but only by the slimmest of margins. Adata managed to price Legend960 at a significantly lower price than the bleeding-edge competition at $120 per 1TB and $220 per 2TB capacities. Adata also offered a surprising warranty and TBW rating. Our reviewer summed it up perfectly: “The Adata Legend 960 is a top-performing NVMe SSD at a mid- to lower-tier price. What’s not to like about that?” —Brad Chacos

Norton 360 Deluxe is the best antivirus

Norton 360 DeluxeWhile it might not be the most innovative or exciting, the most popular security software is still at the top. best antivirus for Windows. It is the best security suite, thanks to recent updates like Dark Web Monitoring and VPN Access. The price of $105 for a year subscription, while not insignificant, isn’t likely to break the bank either.

Norton’s antivirus suite also includes tons of extras, including file cleanup, startup management, and options to customize features for gamers. Last but not least, Norton 360 Deluxe is one of the least obtrusive or annoying antivirus programs we’ve tested—no unnecessary pop-ups or notifications in sight. Norton 360 Deluxe offers top-of-the-line protection and peace of mind. —Sam Singleton

Best gaming laptop: Razer Blade 17

The Razer Blade 17 (2022) delivers serious gaming power. This laptop can handle most games on ultra settings with no effort thanks to the Intel Core i7-12800H and Nvidia GeForce RTX3080T GPUs. It also features a drop dead gorgeous 240Hz panel, which deserves its own call-out, complete with Nvidia G-Sync support to eliminate any screen tearing by matching the display’s frame rate to the GPU’s. The gorgeous aesthetic design is also worth mentioning. This laptop will provide the ultimate gaming experience. —Ashley Biancuzzo

Best monitor: Asus ProArt PA348CGV

When it comes to all-around monitor greatness, it’s hard to beat the Asus ProArt PA348CGV. The ultrawide 34-inch, 3440×1440 IPS panel is targeted at professionals, and as such it offers incredible color accuracy and a wide color gamut, as well as extensive customization options.  

The monitor stand is simple but sturdy. It has good connectivity options including four video inputs, a USB hub, full ergonomic adjustments, and built in speakers. This alone would be worth the $729 price.  

But what makes this monitor particularly outstanding, is that it matches its pro-graphics chops with gaming capabilities in the form of a 2mm response time, 120Hz refresh rate, and official support for AMD’s FreeSync. We can’t think of another monitor this satisfyingly versatile. —Katherine Stevenson 

Best gaming headset: SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless

“Make me a gaming headset that does everything” must have been the design brief behind the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. This top-notch gaming headset offers the most compelling blend of comfort, style, and functionality I’ve experienced in 2022. The headset’s snugness comes courtesy of a multipronged ComfortMAX system consisting of height adjustable sides, a central flexible tension band, and rotating earcups that provide your head with ample room to move. These features are complemented by luxurious leatherette ear covers and stylish gun metal earcup cover covers that exude high-end style.

The Nova Pro Wireless also goes the extra mile with connectivity, sporting dual wireless (2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) functionality, as well as wired connectivity— the latter for Hi-Res 96KHz/24-Bit audio. The dual wireless capability not only allows you to access your audio untethered but also lets you simultaneously take calls, listen to music or chat whilst gaming – a real treat for multitaskers. The headset also includes a base controller that allows you to switch between your Xbox One and Xbox X/S at a touch of a button.

The Nova Pro Wireless is a great headset for audio performance. The headset is always great, thanks to Active Noise Cancellation and a rich and warm sound profile. It also has a huge bass presence that never disappoints. On top of all that, the headset benefits from SteelSeries’ excellent GG software app, which you can use to personalize your gaming audio exactly how you like it. – Dominic Bayley

Best VPN for ExpressVPN

It isn’t easy to select the best overall VPN. There are many factors that can affect privacy, user interfaces, server spread, speed, and other factors. It used to be common to sacrifice certain features in order to gain others. 

ExpressVPNIt has everything, making it our top choice as the best VPN. Not only is it one of the fastest VPNs we have ever tested, but it has plenty of country locations to choose from, it’s very easy to use, and it offers wide device support. ExpressVPN regularly has third-party auditors evaluate their services to strengthen their privacy credentials. Currently there aren’t any other VPNs out there offering the same level of features and value as ExpressVPN. —Sam Singleton

Best Chromebook: Acer Chromebook spin 713

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a fantastic convertible laptop for work or play. It can be used as a tent or as a tablet. The laptop weighs in at just over three pounds. This makes it a very capable travel companion. It also has a colorful 2256×1504 touch-enabled display, all-day battery life, and a wide array of ports. The build quality is impressive. If you don’t need Windows, the Spin 713 is a great everyday laptop. —Ashley Biancuzzo

Best keyboard: Keychron Q5

One keyboard stood out this year for its quality and value. the Keychron Q5. That isn’t to say that it’s cheap — it starts at $175, and it’s a little over $200 fully loaded. (Which is still cheaper than many “gaming” designs!) But that gets you an incredible amount of features and so much quality you’ll find it hard to go back to a “normal” board.

The keyboard feels amazing right out of the box with its full aluminum construction, high quality switches, keycaps and a foam gasket mounting. Hot-swap switches make customization simple and easy. VIA programming is also available. And the thing’s so solid you could use it as an anchor.

You can extend this recommendation to Keychron’s entire Q series, which all use the same design for a variety of layouts. The Keychron Q8 is available. Q10If you want to combine these features and some subtle ergonomics, —Michael Crider

Nvidia GeForce Now is the best game streaming service

No graphics card? No problem. People who have access to the internet are blessed with a wealth of information. game streaming servicesThere are many options available these days, but this is for PC gamers only. Nvidia’s GeForce NowThe best of the bunch.

While you do have to purchase many of the games that you can play on this service—GFN hooks into your existing PC stOre accounts, like Steam, instead of providing a library of “free” games like Xbox Cloud Gaming (or Netflix)—GeForce Now brings some of the best visual quality, a massive game compatibility list, and a free membership plan option. With that in mind, there’s literally no reason not to jump in and at least try out some free games like Fortnite or League of Legends to see if it works for you. And if you do dig it (or can’t find an affordable GPU), the top-tier RTX 3080 offering brings the might of that kick-ass graphics card to bear, complete with ray traced visuals, support for higher resolutions at faster speeds, and priority server access. —Brad Chacos

Best budget SSD: Crucial P3

If you don’t move massive amounts of ultra-large files, you probably don’t need to splurge on a pricey cutting-edge PCIe 4.0 SSD—a standard PCIe 3.0 drive will do you just fine. The best bargain we’ve reviewed this year? The Crucial P3. It offers excellent everyday storage performance for gaming, content creation, and more, and better yet, it’s one of the first fast NVMe drives to drop under 10 cents per gig—you can pick up a 500GB model for $43, while a 1TB version costs a paltry $74 at press time. The Crucial P3 provides a lot of storage capacity for a very affordable price. Very compelling price. —Brad Chacos

Intel Core i5-13600K: The best mainstream CPU

There were two amazing mainstream processors released this year: the Intel Core i5-13600K, and the Intel Core i5-13600K. AMD Ryzen 5 7600X posting ridiculous numbers. But as impressive as AMD’s latest is, Intel edges it out with faster gaming performance and cheaper compatible hardware. For PC builders on a budget, it’s hard to beat Intel’s wider selection of affordable motherboards, especially when they support inexpensive DDR4 memory. Intel’s Core i5-13600K earns our easily recommendation for PC gamers who don’t have an infinite budget. —Alaina Yee

Best password manager: Lastpass

If you’re not already using a password manager, you should be. The service makes it easy to create long, random passwords, and the hard work of remembering them is left to the service. You could use your phone or browser’s built-in manager, but upgrading to LastPassIt increases the number and quality of the features you receive. Its $36-per-year paid plan is worth the cost—and among the most affordable options out there.

For a combination password maker, password vault, or form filler, you can simply install the browser plugin or mobile app. It works across all devices so you can move between your phone, tablet, and PC with ease. Other information can be stored, such as credit card details or general notes. LastPass’s premium features also include file uploads up to 1GB, secure password sharing, emergency access for trusted contacts, and more. Its user-friendly interface makes managing your digital life so much easier and safer. —Alaina Yee

Best gaming monitor: Alienware AW3423DW

If you are serious about PC gaming, you will want a display that enhances the experience with exceptional color and contrast, superior motion performance, an ultrawide screen expanse, and a wide screen that completely immerses you in the action. Alienware’s AW3423DW checks all those boxes, and then some.  

It all starts with the cutting-edge OLED panel using Quantum Dot technology (a first of its kind), which gives the 34-inch, 3440×1440 display some key advantages over its IPS counterparts: backlight-free deep, inky blanks alongside the panel’s rich color reproduction, and near-instant pixel response times (aided by a refresh rate up to 175Hz). 

While the curved monitor is superior in gaming, the 1800R radius can still be used for non-gaming purposes. Combine that with a stand that offers height, tilt, and swivel adjustments, an attractive and sturdy design, and a fair price for its premium feature set, and you can see why our reviewer proclaimed: “The Alienware AW3423DW makes every other 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor obsolete.” —Katherine Stevenson 

Best PDF editor: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Who else can it be but the OGPDF editor? Adobe Acrobat Pro DCThe undisputed king of the internet has been and continues to be. PDF Editors. Its combination features for editing, creating and reviewing as well as security are industry standards and what most competitors can only try to copy.

They have redesigned the interface to make the toolset more accessible. Additionally they added a cloud subscription option and a mobile app for both iOS and Android—both great services for individuals and small businesses. Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is a subscription-based service, meaning that you will always have access to the latest version and don’t have to buy new software every year. —Sam Singleton

Best Thunderbolt docks: Kensington SD5500T thunderbolt 3 & USB-C Docking station

The following is our pick for the best Thunderbolt Dock of 2022: Kensington SD5500T Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C Docking Station, and here’s why: smart compromises. One of the complaints readers have is that Thunderbolt docks are useful, but they’re so damn expensive, pushing north of $300. Kensington’s SD5000T (a slightly cheaper clone of the IOGear Thunderbolt 3 Dock ProAt press time, ) is approximately $215 Price matters.

Thunderbolts that are newer and more expensive have the advantage 4 dock isn’t bandwidth, but stricter compatibility restrictions. In this case, we haven’t had any issues with this Thunderbolt 3Dock at all. You might notice that our pick only includes a pair of DisplayPort options for external monitor connectivity — while we appreciate more flexibility, all but bargain-basement monitors now include DisplayPort ports. We think this Thunderbolt dock has the best combination of ports and 60W of power for laptop charging. —Mark Hachman

Best budget monitor: NZXT Canvas 27Q

A decent monitor can be had for as low as NZXT Canvas 27QThe display’s impressive debut display now offers even more value with a recent $70 price reduction. Like our other monitor picks the 27Q is able to meet both work and leisure needs.  

The 27-inch, 2560×1440 IPS panel has a 165Hz refresh rate and support for adaptive sync with both AMD and Nvidia graphics cards. Motion clarity in games is good at default settings, and can be further enhanced with an “MPRT” backlight-strobing mode. 

For content creation tasks, you’ll find that the 27Q delivers great image quality and a wide color gamut that’s impressive for the price. It’s also unique in offering black or white color options, which can be mixed and matched between the panel itself and the stand (sold separately for $40). —Katherine Stevenson

Best gaming mouse: HyperX Pulsefire Haste Wireless

This wireless mouse is an excellent choice for esports. It’s lightweight handling, precision, predictability, and predictability make it my favorite wireless mouse. Under the hood, it’s powered by a 16,000 DPI Pixart PAW3335 sensor. You’d be forgiven for thinking is a little underpowered compared to some 20,000 to 30,000 DPI sensors on the market, but it’s not, providing an extremely fast 1000Hz (1ms) polling rate,And proving quick and responsive in fps games like Overwatch and Global Offensive – Counter-Strike.

The mouse’s switches are clicky and responsive, the battery lasts for 100 hours, and the unique honeycomb design feels light and responsive in the hand. It’s a great gaming mouse, full stop, but the price makes it even better: The HyperX Pulsefire Haste Wireless costs just $60 in an era where top-notch gaming mice go for $100 or more. You can’t go wrong. —Dominic Bayley

R-Drive Image 7 is the best Windows backup software

PCWorld has always loved this product. R-Drive ImageIs a solid and consistent Windows backup software. But it wasn’t until the latest version 7 was released that it jumped ahead to take our top spot. 

It not only consumes pleasantly few system resources, but it’s ultra-reliable when creating backup images of partitions and disks. The latest version offers a user-friendly interface, improved partition management, and new file and folder back up systems. It is a one-stop shop for backing up Windows. At less than $50 for a license, it’s quite affordable as well and is a no-brainer for people looking for reliable backup software. —Sam Singleton

Best online backup service: iDrive Online Cloud Backup

You want an online backup service that is comprehensive and flexible when you pay for it. You can choose from the following: best online backup servicesWe have found none more complete or feature-rich than the ones we have tested. iDrive Online Cloud Backup. It provides online, local and sync backups as well as snapshots. You can even get backup drives to protect your data in case of an emergency.

iDrive’s interface is simple and intuitive, making it easy to backup your data quickly and easily. All of their advanced features are included in the basic service level, making it a more affordable option than it seems. It is a one stop shop and likely to be your only online backup service. —Sam Singleton

Best dash cam: Cobra SC 400D 

The Cobra SC 400D is a superb product. Day or night, front or back views, it’s got you covered with best-in-class video captures. 

The device is of excellent quality. The main unit has a sturdy build and a semi-permanent bracket with a built-in GPS. On the back is a 3-inch color touchscreen that’s easy to use; voice control is also an option.  

Premium products have all the bells, including Wi-Fi connectivity and Bluetooth connectivity, mapping, and a 3.5mm Jack for an optional $80 1080p 120-degree FOV interior cam. The real stars of this show are the 4K, 140-degree FOV front captures, and 1080p 120-degree FOV back captures. As our reviewer described it: “The Cobra SC 400D is experientially one of the nicest dash cams I’ve ever tested.” —Katherine Stevenson

Remote desktop software best for you: RemotePC by iDrive or TeamViewer

This year’s best remote desktop softwareThere is a toss-up among the free to use and the paid to use TeamViewerThe premium RemotePC by iDrive. TeamViewer is the best choice for individuals. It is easy to use, comes equipped with almost every remote-desktop software you could ever need, and it is free to use for personal/occasional purposes. It also doesn’t require installation making it perfect for the casual user.

RemotePC by iDrive on the other hand is a premium service that is a great choice for businesses—especially those with mixed operating systems. RemotePC is a superior service that offers all the features of a premium service, including multi-monitor support and drag-and-drop file transfer, screen recording, whiteboard, remote audio and printing. RemotePC offers all this at a lower price than other services. —Sam Singleton

Best USB-C hub: Yeolibo 9-in-1 USB-C Hub (RU9A)

USB-C hubs need to be affordable and flexible. this dongle has both in spades. Just a hair over $20This hub has a variety USB Type A and USB C ports. It also features a microSD slot and an SD slot for photo transfers. It’s also rated for up to 100W of input power, so you can connect your USB-C laptop charger to this hub, and from there to your PC.

Let’s face it: buying technology can be Expensive. However, a USB-C hub such as this is a necessity and not an afterthought. This is why we endorse it. —Mark Hachman

Editor’s note: This article originally published on November 4, but was updated December 13 to include the RTX 4090 as the best GPU and link to our other year-end awards.