The Hardware Asylum Podcast
This podcast is for computer hardware enthusiasts, covering all aspects of the industry from building your own machine to gaming and overclocking. It presents technical information in a way that is understandable for everyone, from professional overclockers to weekend gamers. The show includes show notes and more technology-related antics on its website.
Episodes
The Economy of Giveaway Hardware - Does Signing Matter
There was an article posted recently about how a 3D artist bought some RTX 5090 cards from the second hand market only to discover that one was an ultra-rare 30th anniversary ROG card signed by Jensen from Nvidia. Makes you wonder how it got there, if its real and if it is really worth the asking price.
Gaming is More Than the PC and it is Time to Upgrade
We often talk about building the ultimate gaming PC and the importance of the right video card selection or picking the best motherboard but, none of that matters if your physical gaming environment cannot make you comfortable enough to enjoy your games.
Is AGI Here or is it Really Just OpenClaw
In this episode Dennis dives into his usage and research of OpenClaw the locally run personal AI agent that is really only as powerful as the LLM you have running it and even that is questionable.
Death of Physical Media and 8K Gaming - Part 2
In this continued Podcast extra the duo continues to discuss the death of physical media and provide some opinions as to why the market has shifted from physical to digital. Most will be quick to mention costs but, there is more to it.
Death of Physical Media and 8K Gaming - Part 1
There has been a major change in the world of media with companies and consumers actually preferring to have everything cloud ready. For companies it gives them an additional revenue stream and more control while consumers find it more convenient. What isn’t being talked about is the complete loss of ownership and silent guidance to obsolete certain new technologies.
Hardware Asylum at Computex 2026
When it comes to trade shows for the computer hardware enthusiast there are two major ones. First is the Consumer Electronics Show followed by Computex in Taiwan. While CES is not a showcase for computer hardware the Computex show puts computer hardware front and center, so much that now it has started to become a spectacle.
Wearable AI for the Early Adopter with Looki L1
For the past few weeks Dennis has been testing the Looki L1 wearable AI device. This proactive wearable AI was making headlines during CES and has quickly become a talking point in AI circles. The real question isn’t what it can do now but rather what it could do with good software and a strong agent behind the glass.
Streaming Retro Games with Real Retro Hardware
Streaming games on Twitch has become really simple with the variety of tools available, capture cards and streaming software. In this episode the duo talk about the involved process of streaming retro games using period correct retro hardware
Building a Budget Gaming PC in 2026
We get gaming PC questions quite often and decided to revisit the process of building a budget gaming pc for the most popular games of 2025. As of this Podcast we are still in the middle of a memory shortage which can alter prices considerably.
PC Board Game Crossovers that are Actually Good
It is not uncommon for board games to become a video game, one famous example is Dungeons and Dragons where the tabletop experience and adventure were ported to the PC to extend the universe. As it would turn out, quite a few games have been ported to the Board Game genre including titles such as Doom, Pac Man and Slay the Spire.
Protecting Yourself from Router Attacks
Recently there have been changes to the import rules for routers due to prolific security issues that shouldn’t have been there to begin with. Of course, this issue is not new but there is finally a governmental regulation in place to minimize the risk.
Latest Audio Trends and A Sound Solution Looking for A Problem
Over the past several years we have watched as the motherboard audio solution slowly started to become less advanced in favor of a two-port analog USB solution that nobody uses. Creative stepped up with the Audigy Fx Pro sound card as a solution but, does anyone want it?
Podcast Machine Cooling Upgrades and One Strange Custom Keyboard
One of the constants in the enthusiast PC world is that builds change and in this episode the duo discuss the recent cooling upgrades made to the Podcast and Stream Machine used in the Hardware Asylum Labs followed by an introduction to a new keyboard project for the cyberdeck build.
Extreme Reader Mail Part 2 - Mystery Box
While the Retro PC projects have slowed, we still get excited for when old hardware happens to show up. In this episode we do another blind unboxing of a Retro PC care package with some interesting hardware from motherboards to coolers.
Building an AI Voice Assistant with a Raspberry Pi
One of the biggest challenges related to AI is finding something to use it for. The most popular option are chatbots but many find success with machine learning or system automation. In this episode the duo talk about building a local LLM voice assistant with a Raspberry Pi Zero and some open source software.
Cases Casemodding and QuakeCon – A Modders Tale
The enthusiast PC world is full of early innovation that shaped later products and even trends in the industry. In this episode we talk with Dewayne from Modders-Inc about computer cases along with the impact casemodding had on the pc industry and how those roads lead to QuakeCon.
Memory Shortage Impact on the Desktop PC
In this episode the we talk about a very interesting question that was sent in related to the current PC component prices and if it makes sense to sell unused build parts for a profit or keep them and actually finish a new build.
AAA Hall of Shame – Biggest Game Disasters in History
As gaming enthusiasts, we have all bought games that never lived up to the hype. Sure, the reviews were good but once it was installed it turned out to be a huge dud. In this episode the duo explores the top 10 biggest disasters in gaming history and number one will surprise you.
Consumer Electronics Show 2026 Highlights
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the largest tech focused trade show in the US and happens right after New Years. While PC hardware is rather scarce at recent events there is still plenty of cutting-edge tech to see from autos to AI and robots.
Best Holiday Games to Play for 2025
In this episode we get and overview of some of the latest games that Darren has been playing, the challenges associated with them and how best to play them this holiday season. Titles include Battlefield 6 and Borderlands 4 either on the PC or Console.
Hardware Asylum Podcast Upgrades
It has been fifteen years since the first Ninjalane Podcast went live and while we have grown as content creators so has our equipment choices. In this episode we talk about recent upgrades while reflecting on how things have changed over the years.
Creative Sound Blaster Re:Imagine Modular Audio Hub with AI
Kickstarter is an interesting platform that allows designers and developers to obtain the funding they need to build the things they find of value. Some of them are total scams while others can give us amazing things like Zombie Survival games, 3d printed products and how high-quality modular audio hubs
The State of Tech Events and the Challenges of Building PCs
In this Podcast Extra we bring on a special guest and former Hackfort director and local event organizer, Mike Taylor. Mike has been a friend of the website for many years and helped Hardware Asylum get featured during several Boise Hackfort events due in part to the passion that Dennis has for overclocking. Sit back as the two discuss tech events and then take a deep dive into the challenges of
Exploring the New YTX Motherboard Form Factor and why ATX is King
Motherboard form factors have been driving the PC market since the beginning with the IBM PC and everything after that has been based on this original design. So, what happens when a new form factor is released? Does everything reset or are there some standards that everyone still follows.
Shopping for New Gaming Headphones Looking at the Oldest and Newest Keyboards
As gamers and hardware enthusiasts we often create attachments to certain gear in our arsenal. In this episode the duo discusses the pain and problems associated with replacing beloved gaming components when they are no longer available.
Overclocking your Vegetable Garden with Hydroponics
Hydroponic gardening has been around for quite some time and is really effective when done correctly. You can speed up the growing cycle and supercharge your plants to produce more when compared to traditional methods. As with overclocking a computer it just takes a little more effort to get the best results.
Virtual Unboxing of a Vintage Tandy 1000 TX
There is a trend in the retro pc community to highlight popular platforms and technologies. For instance things like DOScember would celebrate all things DOS while SEPTandy would focus on Tandy computers. These trends typically start as a marketing campaign to promote content and videos, the good ones stick around while others may get lost to time. Dennis is looking to take advantage starting w
Checking out the Latest Battlefield 6 Multiplayer and Amazon Affiliate Shopping
In addition to computer hardware the hosts of the Hardware Asylum Podcast are also rather passionate gamers and with the exciting launch of Battlefield 6 the duo couldn’t help but talk about some of the new features and graphical updates. Later in the show Dennis dives into a new feature on the website targeted at giving something back to our loyal readers and
Three PC Parts You Should Always Buy Used and Some You Should Not
People are always looking for ways to save money and while the practice of buying used computer parts to save money has largely fallen out of favor it can sometimes be the deciding factor between building mid-range system over a high-end one. In this episode the duo discuss the option of buying used computer parts and what to consider before spending a single cent.
Troubleshooting a Non-Functional Computer
There is nothing worse than sitting down at your desk only to find that your PC has stopped working. What you do next will not only define you as a true computer hardware enthusiast but can help get you answers quickly if you have to “phone a friend”. In this episode Dennis talks about the troubleshooting process he went through to figure out what went wrong with his latest PC build.
MSI Godlike the Trendsetting Motherboard Series
There are few motherboards that hold the mantle of trendsetter as most simply improve on what was done before or what could be easily copied from competitors or stolen though industrial espionage. However, there is one motherboard to rise above them all, the MSI X99 Godlike. This board set the trend for onboard RGB lights and yet the series lives on with the latest Z890 Godlike
Computex 2025 Coverage Part 2: The Modern Retro is Real
In this episode we continue our coverage of Computex 2025 and discuss more vendors and their contributions to AI and furthering the modern PC usage and development. There were a few vendors experimenting with bringing back some nostalgia by reviving old product lines or creating something truly retro.
Computex 2025 Coverage Part 1: Kavalan Fueled Revisit to Computex 2010
In this episode the duo takes a whiskey fueled look back to Computex 2010 which was the same year Kavalan distilled the spirit consumed during this recording. There is also some talk about current computer hardware but, who wants to listen to that?
Using Private Open Source AI Models on Hardware Asylum
In this episode the duo talks about using open-source AI models on the new Ninjalane server and discuss some of the ways you can easily customize them for different uses from building out tailored documents to planning your D&D campaign. While hosting your own private AI sounds complicated the overall process is actually rather straightforward, provided you have the correct hardware to run them.
Amazing Video Cards Being Bought of the Back of Trucks
For media people attending tradeshows is often a necessary part of the business. It not only allows you to see some of the latest tech but also talk with industry professionals about new things due to be released. It also has a side benefit that, sometimes, you can buy expensive hardware at bargain prices if, you are comfortable with a little cloak and dagger.
Explosive Growth of Game Content Might be too much for Modern Gamers
It is no surprise to know that games have gotten bigger over the years. What might have fit on a single disk now can take days to download and will likely get updated in less than a week. Technology has paved the way to do more with our digital entertainment and some experts are saying that we have already gone past the tipping point between what gamers what and gamers get.
More Hardware Asylum Upgrades – Enterprise Servers
It would seem that 2025 is the year of the upgrade, first new Podcast machine for recording the show and other lab related activities. Some personal builds and now a replacement server to host Hardwareasylum.com and Ninjalane.com. The question is, how is a datacenter hosted server different from a desktop PC?
Endorfy Product Unboxing and Corne V3 Low Profile Keyboard Project
During CES 2025 we were introduced to the Endorfy line of products and two of them have made it into the Hardware Asylum Labs. These products are now being sold through ModMyMods and are looking to having exceptional value for the money. This virtual unboxing is then followed up with the Corne V3 GLP mechanical keyboard project and quick discussion on what it takes to build your own keyboard.
Personal ASUS ROG Build Process – Gaming hardware is not just for gamers
One of the challenges of being a hardware reviewer and overclocker is having a stable system that you can use on a daily basis. Some enthusiasts take the budget route with a nice laptop while others pour the same passion and dedication into their personal builds that they do on the bench. The same holds true in the Hardware Asylum Labs but, there are times when more important things force person
Hardware Asylum Podcast Upgrades Powered by SilverStone
In this episode the duo discusses some of the new builds that will be taking place over the next couple months including a major upgrade to the computer that records the Hardware Asylum Podcast and handles all of the Twitch and YouTube live streams.
The Consumer Electronics Show 2025 - It was more than AI
CES 2025 is one of the most popular tradeshows for tech enthusiasts and does a great job at setting the stage for future technology and many of the things we will see in the immediate future. The highlight of CES 2025 was the launch of the RTX 50 Series Blackwell GPUs along with some major shifts in the hardware world.
A Look Back on 2024 Hardware Highlights and Bonus System Build
With 2024 quickly coming to an end we decided to reflect on some of the hardware highlights of 2024 to recall some of our favorite products and projects from fancy motherboards to the popular dual subwoofer build. We also end the year with one last system build that may not completely break the bank.
Extreme Reader Mail – Mystery Retro Hardware Unboxing
Dennis has this an unhealthy obsession with retro pc hardware from repairing old motherboards to assembling unicorn builds that max out the platform in ways that could not have been imagined when they were relevant. Well, it would seem that others have noticed and started sending in some mysteries of their own.
An in-depth look at the ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero Motherboard
It has been a while since we featured an AMD motherboard on Hardware Asylum or the Podcast and in celebration of this achievement the duo offer an in-depth look at the new flagship motherboard from ASUS including Nitropath and how a SS Phase doesn’t faze the Ryzen 9 9950x.
Impressions of the Questionable Borderlands Movie
For this Podcast Extra, the duo will be diving into what might have been one of the most anticipated movies of 2015 that was quickly rushed out in 2024 to become one of the many box office flops of the season. From a poor script to completely irrelevant casting choices it makes you wonder if anyone will ever make a good movie based on a video game.
More RTX 4070 Crazyness and some RTX 50 Series Leaks and Rumors
We talked quite a bit about how messed up the RTX 4070 launch was from the initial release to a highly public recall to the final version, which was pretty good. Well, seems NVIDIA is at it again with a silent nerf of memory performance. However, all is not lost given the current RTX 50 Series rumors proving that the Blackwell generation could be really good.
Install and Use Your Own Private AI
By now most of you have heard of ChatGPT and its significance in bringing AI principles into the mainstream. There are quite a few different types of AI from generative ai to create assets and language models which can create chatbots and digital assistants. Most of these systems will run in the cloud as a service but, you could run your own AI with some rather simple tools.
Are Sound Bars Good Enough for your Home Theater
In this episode the duo dive back into the topic of sound quality and if sound bars are really all that good or just cleaver marking combined with the placebo effect. There is some truth to each side and after some in-depth real-world testing they are here with a verdict.
A Major Shift in the Desktop Personal Computer is Coming
Based on what Dennis saw during Computex 2024 there is a very good chance that the era of the DIY personal computer is finally coming to an end. Of course, there will always be ways to build a computer however, we noticed that then hardware makers gave up on competitive overclocking it killed an entire niche from the enthusiast PC sector and now it is happing on the gaming side. In this episode
Computex 2024 Coverage Part 3: Wonderful Overkill AI Motherboards and Retro Displays
This is part 3 of our Computex 2024 coverage. A common theme for Computex 2024 was AI and sadly the absence of Gaming and/or Overclocking hardware. Despite this there were a few interesting and overkill motherboards followed by purely custom power supplies and retro matrix displays on coolers.
Computex 2024 Coverage Part 2: Massive Racks and Small Memory
This is part 2 of our Computex 2024 coverage. As mentioned in the previous episode, there wasn’t much in the way of gaming hardware on the show floor but there was plenty of AI accessories and hardware available along with example of the new CAMM2 memory modules designed for ultra-portable computers.
Computex 2024 Coverage Part 1: the Calm Before the Storm plus Nvidia
It has been a while since Hardware Asylum was at Computex and the 2024 edition of this global technology show did not disappoint. NVIDIA had their keynote the day before Computex opened followed by an AMD keynote to kick the show off. After that Dennis visited with Gigabyte, Corsair, beQuiet during the first hours of the event.
Building a Budget Gaming PC Using Steam Survey Stats
Have you ever wondered how your build stacks up against EVERYONE else playing Steam games? Well, the Steam Hardware Survey can give you that data and the results are shocking, to say the least. In this episode we use the April 2024 Steam Hardware Survey to build the ultimate gaming PC according to gamers from around the world.
What Makes NVIDIA Such an Interesting Company
In this episode we explore some of the things that makes NVIDIA a company to watch from their dedication to gaming using NVIDIA GTX and RTX graphics cards to game related technologies such as Ray Tracing and DLSS. Their GPUs are fueling the AI revolution with datacenter construction and hardware designed specifically for AI processing. All of this collectively impacts their publicly traded stock
Yeyian Gaming Streaming FlexCam and Essential Home Office Gear
It is not uncommon for people to establish a home office either for their day job, their night job or even a side hustle. While you only need a computer there are certain accessories that make the entire process more enjoyable and vastly more productive. In this episode we explore a number of essential components including the Yeyian Gaming Flexcam.
The Capacitor Plague and the Risk of Lost Memories
Dennis recently had an old review motherboard come back to the Hardware Asylum Labs and was a completely unexpected sight. The board in question is the Soltek SL-75DRV4 and was a board he first reviewed back in 2001 on Ninjalane (the Parent site). The board had leaking capacitors and was a common failure that claimed the lives of so many motherboards before their time. Later in the show the duo
Revisiting Video Game Movies Including Fallout and Borderlands
With the pending launch of Fallout on Amazon and Borderlands in the theater we decided to revisit some great video game movies including a dream casting discussion we had over 10 years ago centered on the Borderlands movie and how badly a movie could be perceived when it starts to stray to far from the source material. However, the new Fallout series on Amazon might just be the crown jewel to sav
The Evolution of AI: From Humble Beginnings to the Modern Influence
Recently Jensen Huang the CEO of NVIDIA attended the World Governments Summit and talked about the current state of AI and made some amazing claims from Sovern AI to regulations to howe everyone in a company could be a coder. This raised some eyebrows, including those belonging to John Carmack who mentioned that learning how to code is not about programs but the process of learning how to solve p
SilverStone CS382 NAS Chassis and the Game Modes of Fortnite
We have mentioned that one of quickest and most secure ways to back up your personal data is using a NAS device. Many commercial NAS systems are self-contained and have limited power. The CS382 is a dedicated NAS chassis allowing you to build the server you need without the common limitations. Later in this episode we talk about the new game modes in Fortnite and how to get rich quick using in
Gigabyte RTX 4070 Super and the Sorted History of the RTX 40 Series
The RTX 40 Series Super video cards launched in January and encompass some of the final versions of the NVIDIA RTX 40 Series and Ada Lovelace architecture. We have the Gigabyte RTX 4070 Super in the lab and discuss some of the features and the take a deep dive into the interesting and completely messed up launch history of the 40 Series.
Supersized CES 2024 From Augmented Reality Sunglasses to AWD Robot Mowers
In this episode we do a debrief of the popular Consumer Electronics Show talking about each vendor we visited. While we focus on the computer hardware aspects of CES and checking out the latest motherboards, and related computer accessories there are some other amazing things to see including some AR Sunglasses, Mega Servers and an awesome all wheel drive robot lawn mower.
Hot Tech Items and Trends that Have Come and Gone over the Past 30 Years
They say the only constant is change and that if things are not changing then you are not growing as a person or society. This has a direct impact on the technology that we use on a regular basis and while some trends may have never been welcome to begin with, there are some that may have left before their time. In this Podcast Extra the duo discusses an article on PC Gamer “30 things PC Gamer h
Challenges when Streaming Retro PCs and the Ease of Building a Modern One
Streaming on Twitch or YouTube is extremely easy on modern computers but can be quite a challenge when the technology is a little older. In this episode we talk about the steps needed to stream games from a Retro PC and how easy it has become to build a modern gaming build complete with EK watercooling gear.
Build Review of the 50k Oppenheimer Creator PC
We have all built computers before but, there are some people out there looking to take things to the next level and blur the lines between what makes sense and what will get views. This is very much a social medial world and it extends well beyond reasonable PC building. But, is there a limit?
Stop the Madness - You are building your PC Wrong
There have been some major changes in the PC hardware world and the makers of those components have been slow to adapt. However, the fault is not with the maker of the hardware but rather the consumers, the hardware enthusiasts, the once vocal minority has been enabling the hardware maker with their silence. It might be time to put a stop to it.
A Player Review of No Mans Sky and the Different Ways to Play
No Man’s Sky was released in in the middle part of 2016 to largely negative reviews due to the game being overhyped and rushed to release. That is a typical issue with Kickstarter and other crowdfunded projects. However, since the release the developers have been consistently releasing new content while offering new and different ways to play. In this Podcast Extra Darren gives us his review in
Unboxing Aorus Z790 Elite X 7 WiFi and Predator Hermes DDR5 RGB Memory
Last month we talk about the Z790 refresh from Gigabyte Aorus called the Fast Track to Gen X. In this episode we are doing a virtual unboxing of the new Elite 7 X to check out the new features and check out new DDR5 memory from BIWIN called the Predator Hermes with speeds available up to 8000Mhz.
Attending Seafair in Seattle for Fast Boats Faster Planes and Classic Sound Cards
In this episode Dennis talks about his recent trip to Seattle to attend Seafair 2023. The trip was to experience live hydroplane racing and catch an exciting airshow featuring planes manufactured by Boeing and the Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team. Of course, before heading back he made a quick stop at RE-PC for some retro pc part hunting.
Aorus Z790 X Motherboard Refresh - Fast Track to Gen X
Hardware Asylum as invited to attend a special media event hosted by Gigabyte / Aorus to showcase their Z790 X Motherboard refresh. They called this event “Fast Track to Gen X – Speed Simplified” and marked a series of major technology enhancements they were implementing to not only make their motherboards faster but also unique in the enthusiast motherboard space. In this episode the duo discus
Dipping into the Hardware Asylum Mailbag for Obscure PC Hardware Questions
We get a good number of questions related to PC building and computer hardware and, in this episode, we dig through the mailbag to find some of your most obscure computer questions and have a great time answering them.
Asking ChatGPT to Build us a Gaming PC
In this episode the duo discusses a recent article about the Newegg Shopping App built using the ChatGPT IV API interface. This allows users to ask the bot questions about computer hardware, components and even how to install everything. However, the responses are limited begging the question, can, or should, we trust the results
Diablo IV DLSS Performance and Gamplay
Diablo is a pretty amazing game and the developers did an excellent job at optimizing it to run on a wide variety of platforms and PC Hardware configurations. They also built in ways to run it with NVIDIA DLSS which can not only increase performance by 25% but also while running at the highest image quality settings.
Check in on Three of our Current Projects
In this episode we revisit three of our currently in progress projects including the Dual Subwoofer project, the Supra PiModem and some new Retro PC gaming builds.
21 Years of the Battlefield Franchise, Pour Them Another
The Battlefield games are a common topic on the Podcast and while Season 5: New Dawn of Battlefield 2042 is reported to fix everything wrong with the current game we thought it might be interesting to dive into how things got so bad to begin with starting 21 years ago.
The Current State of Cloud Gaming and Should you Take it Serious
In this episode the duo revisits a CES topic focused on some upgrades to the NVIDIA GeForce Now Cloud Gaming service and the option to play gaming titles on RTX 4090 class hardware. The service has been around for years and is currently the only cloud gaming service that allows you to play games enhanced by the NVIDIA GeForce gaming technologies without needing to own a single NVIDIA product.
NVIDIA RTX 4070 Performance and DLSS 3 Games
In this episode the duo talk about the new RTX 4070 that has been tested in the Hardware Asylum Labs and analyze the performance against some of the popular cards of the previous generation to determine if it might be a good buy for your next upgrade or, if there might be something better for you to spend a fist full of dollars on.
What Advice Would We Give to a First Time PC Builder and How to Build a PC
In this episode the duo discusses a bequiet Social Media post asking fans to post their advice for someone building their first PC. Given this is social media the post was littered with cheeky responses and a few valid comments. A few were captured for discussion followed by a step by step on how easy it is to assemble a modern personal computer.
Using 3D Printing for Retro PC Projects
When you are doing any sort of modding project it is important to have the right tools for the job. Skipping this step is not only dangerous but, can also lead to lackluster results and often take longer than it would otherwise. When Dennis started his Retro PC (re)Adventure he discovered how versatile 3D Printing can be when it came to rebuilding old machines and upcycling old hardware. In thi
What is the deal with Desktop DDR5 Memory
With the recent launch of the new AMD Ryzen 7950X3D processor there was a new round of DDR5 memory released to support the new platform. The duo explore why you need DDR5 and what aspects of the memory are important to pick for your next build.
Thermaltake P3 TG Pro and Modern Dial Up Modem
in this episode the duo are looking at the Thermaltake P3 TG Pro chassis and talking about some of the challenges associated with high-end computer cases and this new trend where they are being shipped unassembled. Ideally this is to help reduce overall costs while putting more responsibility on the consumer to build things right. Later, Dennis introduces a new Retro PC Project where he is upcyc
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