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Close to the Metal
Close to the Metal is a podcast from Digital Trends that focuses on the geekier side of life. It tackles the topics PC enthusiasts argue over in language everyone can understand. Please subscribe, share, and send your questions to podcast@digitaltrends.com. We broadcast the show live on YouTube every Tuesday at 1pm EST/10am PST.
Close to the Metal Episode 54: ‘Destiny 2’ on PC, VR headsets, and IFA news
On this week's Close to the Metal we discuss Destiny 2's release, and the latest laptop designs from IFA 2017.
Original Series
Close to the Metal Ep. 42: Batten the hatches, your system is under siege
This week, we're talking recent turbulence in the cyber security landscape, and what you can do to protect yourself from bad actors.
Close to the Metal Ep. 41: Everything Microsoft, and our first reader poll
Microsoft continues to swell into new areas, with Windows 10 for Students and a new mid-range Surface Laptop. Is it a bold new direction?
Close to the Metal Ep. 40: The Optane Difference
Intel's Optane Memory will start arriving in systems this week, so on Close to the Metal, we'll let you know who it's a good fit for.
Close to the Metal Ep. 39: The RX 570 Live Review
Join us on this week's Close to the Metal as we breakdown performance and price on the new AMD Radeon RX 570.
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Close to the Metal Ep. 38: The Ryzen Roundup
The Ryzen 5 chips offer an interesting performance proposition that’s impossible to ignore. We’ll talk over the whole series thus far and let you know where the best chips lie.
Close to the Metal Ep. 37: Does the Windows 10 Creators Update live up to its name?
Ready or not, the Windows 10 Creators Update is rolling out to systems. On this week's Close to the Metal, we'll dig in and assess the damage.
Close to the Metal Ep. 36: Optane Memory has arrived, but who is it really for?
Intel Optane Memory is right around the corner, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions surrounding its release.
Close to the Metal Ep 35: We’re not over the moon about Mass Effect: Andromeda
EA's new Mass Effect title should be a visual showpiece, but as you'll hear on this week's Close to the Metal, not all that glitters is gold.
Close to the Metal Ep. 34: Quantum Computers are finally landing, but it’s still early
Quantum computing is finally here. Still in its infancy, we'll discuss the implications of the most headache-inducing topic in computing.
Close to the Metal ep. 33: Ryzen is here, but is AMD really back?
AMD is hoping its new Ryzen chips are its chance at a big comeback -- just like every other chip release from the red team.
Close to the Metal ep 32: Tonight’s the Night for New GPUs
On this week's Close to the Metla, we wait not-so-patiently for tonight's possible announcement of new GPUs from both Nvidia and AMD
Close to the Metal ep 31: Steam is changing the game for indie developers
Steam is ditching Greenlight in favor of a more direct-to-consumer approach. How will that change affect developers?
Close to the Metal Ep. 30: For Honor will kick your gaming PC's butt
This week on Close to the Metal, we'll ask why PC games are so much harder to run, and see if Microsoft has a potential solution.
Close to the Metal Ep. 29: Windows puts its head in the cloud
Windows 10 Cloud has leaked, and we've tried it. Can it establish dominance over Google's Chrome OS even in budget laptops? And does the inclusion of 'Cloud' in the name really mean anything?
Close to the Metal Ep 28: The tricky art of building a gaming laptop
Even the most appealing gaming laptops aren't immune to challenges, and one slip-up could mean the difference between gaming heaven and hell.
Farewell to Microsoft’s Fedora Guy, Hello to Android apps for Chromebooks
In this week's Close To The Metal we discuss Microsoft's layoffs, Android apps coming to all Chromebooks, and an intriguing product patent from Razer.
Close to the Metal Ep. 26: Nintendo Switch fills a gap in PC gaming
Nintendo's upcoming Switch console is already making waves, particularly among the PC gaming community. On this episode of Close to the Metal, we'll discuss why that might be the case.
Close to the Metal Ep. 25: The best and worst of computing in 2016
2016 was one heck of year. Thankfully, for PC enthusiasts, the good largely outweighed the bad. We discuss what impressed us, and what disappointed us.
Close to the Metal Ep. 24: What can you do about a bad console-to-PC port?
The PC is by far the most powerful platform for modern gaming, but its technical greatness is often held back by poor console-to-PC ports.
Close to the Metal Ep. 23: You should buy a monitor this holiday season
The holiday shopping season means hot sales, and this year there's a particular category of hardware the stands out. Monitors.
Close to the Metal Ep. 22: Apple MacBook Pro live review
Apple's MacBook Pro has finally received an update, but it's expensive. Is it worth the upgrade? We go in-depth on this week's Close to the Metal podcast.
Close to the Metal Ep. 21: Whoa, 2-in-1s are suddenly good
The 2-in-1 PC is a category that's received a lot of attention from manufacturers, but consumers seem wary. These devices tend to be expensive, and the benefits aren't obvious - but a new wave of excellent 2-in-1s may win you over.