Every episode this year just keeps getting better, try it, you'll see. This food podcast brought to by the tech news! Also, 9850X3D this month, welcome back 8GB GPUs, and 2026 will be tough for PC hardware enthusiats. Oh, that Micron shut down is really a good thing, trust them. Enjoy Linux malware, CoPilot exploits, and even a StarCraft based shooter on the way plus so much more! Seriously, look at the timestamps below.

We thank our two sponsors this week:
Notion Agent - Bringing all your notes, docs, and projects into one connected space that just works!
Zapier - Where tech innovators break the hype cycle and put AI into their workflows - orchestrate it with Zapier!

Timestamps

0:00 Intro
01:54 Patreon
03:20 Food with Josh
05:17 AMD reportedly launching the 9850X3D this month
06:07 NVIDIA to increase 8GB GPU production?
08:05 NVIDIA SUPER refresh delay
09:32 Micron defends shutting down Crucial
12:51 Zoicware is the one true way
16:32 SK hynix to build new memory plant
17:50 2026 is not going to be a great year for PC builders
20:29 Podcast sponsor - Notion
21:54 PSUs and CPU coolers are the next to go up in price
28:29 Apple's Google Gemini deal
31:02 Intel Nova Lake graphics
33:06 (In)Security Corner
38:37 Podcast sponsor - Zapier
40:06 (In)Security Corner, continued
46:46 We are not normal
57:33 Gaming Quick Hits
1:07:38 Picks of the Week
1:17:52 Outro

What if we told you that CES did not feature any new GPUs? But it did feature more frames! MSI with LIGHTNING and GPU safeguard, Phison's new controller, and that wily AMD with new Ryzen 7 9850X3D (and confirmed Ryzen 9 9950X3D2) - whee! Remember the Reboot computer generated cartoon? Remember D-Link Routers and Zero Days? Remember Intel? It's all here!

That and everything old is new again with Old GPUs and CPUs coming back .. because RAM.

Thanks again to our sponsor with CopilotMoney! Get on your single pane of financial glass and bring order to your money and spending - it's even actually fun to save again. Get the web version and use our code for 26% off at http://try.copilot.money/pcper

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
00:56 Patreon
01:37 Food with Josh
04:10 AMD announces Ryzen 7 9850X3D
05:41 AMD sort of confirmed the 9950X3D2
07:00 NVIDIA DLSS 4.5
09:34 Intel was at CES
12:50 MSI LIGHTNING returns
14:54 MSI also launching GPU Safeguard Plus PSUs
19:44 WD_Black is now Sandisk Optimus GX Pro
21:54 Phison has the most efficient SSD controller
26:11 ASUS ROG RGB Stripe OLED
28:44 First computer-animated TV show restored
33:29 Podcast sponsor - Copilot Money
34:57 (In)Security Corner
44:32 Gaming Quick Hits
1:06:31 Picks of the Week
1:24:08 Outro

Recorded January 1, 2026 - but only due to popular demand. We cover the GOG purchase, the ever rising price of DDR and the fallout from all that, and talk about getting a Dumb TV again.

Thanks to Copilot Money for the sponsorship again! Get all your financials on a single piece of glass and bring order to your spending with smart analysis. Support our show and check them out https://try.copilot.money/pcper

0:00 Intro
01:21 Patreon
02:24 No food segment this week
02:57 The rising cost of RTX 5090 and what this means for GPUs in 2026
04:50 SSD prices rising
05:43 DDR5 continues to rise
08:51 ASUS reportedly increasing DDR4 motherboard production in 2026
13:28 GOG acquired by co-founder
18:37 Cinebench 2026 arrives
22:47 Direct3D 6 support comes to D7VK as retro gaming on Linux evolves
26:56 When you don't want a "smart" TV
30:17 Podcast sponsor - Copilot Money
31:47 (In)Security Corner
37:16 Gaming Quick Hits
42:39 Picks of the Week
53:18 Outro

No Josh this week, and it hurt. It certainly hurt the running time, at least. Enjoy this brief (and probably highly unsatisfying) year-end podcast! The perfect way to end a disappointing year! Read as: pricing on our PC hobby is increasing on everything thanks to AI datacenters so prepare to downsize or "last-gen" your latest build perhaps!

Enjoy our attempt at a 2025 round-up as well, probably buy that Win10 ESU, and the Xbox is probably sinking...stories below!

Thanks again to our sponsor this week: Copilot Money! Fantastic "single pane of glass" for all your finances and transactions that's actually enjoyable to use. Get 26% off the web version for new customers!

Recorded December 17, 2025.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro
01:27 Patreon
02:16 No food segment?!
03:16 AM4 CPU prices spike
08:37 Storage is poised to become more expensive soon
09:35 Get ready for the return of laptops with only 8GB of RAM
12:49 The last month for a new RTX 3060, and RTX 50 series production cuts
15:17 A brief look back at 2025
26:30 Podcast sponsor - Copilot Money
28:02 (In)Security Corner
33:42 Gaming Quick Hits
42:58 Picks of the Week
55:19 Outro

There are FOUR lights!
But besides that, we have AMD news on Redstone, their B650 chipset and so much DDR pricing and related news that you'll platz. Oh, Kohler has got a toilet cam security issue (seriously) and your One Time Password use is so very passé. Microsoft also plans to finally make Windows 11 better for gaming in 2026 - Steam and Bazzite reportedly not worried.

Thanks to Notion and their AI enfused Notion Agent for the sponsorship this week, help us out and check out their very cool offer at:
notion.com/pcper

Timestamps:

00:00 Preroll
00:04 Intro
00:25 Patreon
01:34 Food with Josh
03:15 Weekly DDR5 price check
04:44 Micron is making more than ever before on DRAM
06:51 A DDR4 / DDR5 combo board!
08:57 The DRAM problem - now vs. 2017
12:11 AMD Redstone is out
16:45 AMD extending life of B650
20:05 Heavy SSD writes due to AMD chipset driver?
22:55 Steam client back-ported to Windows 7, 8
24:50 NVIDIA allowed to export H200 to China now
26:25 Noctua beige and brown 3D printer filament
28:24 Windows update removes Start Menu and Explorer
31:36 Podcast sponsor - Notion
32:50 (In)Security Corner
45:18 Gaming Quick Hits
52:37 Picks of the Week
1:03:47 Outro

Yes, we talked about DDR5 pricing a lot, again. But we also talked about a very special Intel 18A customer, one billion PCs screaming out in pain (it's a metaphor!), AMD CPU / GPU pricing trends, ASUS router vulnerabilities (again), alternatives to Windows for playing games which includes playing web based old console games. It's a thing. Also, we virtually pour one out for Crucial (Micron).

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
00:33 Patreon
01:03 Food with Josh
02:35 Micron shutting Crucial down
07:54 Pricing a budget AM5 build on PCPartPicker
11:47 Reports of Ryzen price increases (and then more DDR5 price talk)
16:10 A new, faster Ryzen X3D is coming
19:11 Intel to fab Apple silicon?
21:48 NVIDIA reportedly stops bundling RAM with GPUs
27:50 1 billion PCs still on Windows 10
33:57 Plex starts their free remote streaming crackdown
40:01 (In)Security Corner
48:35 Gaming Quick Hits
59:32 Check out our short video on the HyperX SoloCast 2
1:00:31 Picks of the Week
1:11:17 Outro

Cloudlflare asks Amazon to hold it's virtual "beer", HEVC and H.265 support being removed from CPUs ... sorta, Steam Machine priced like lobster and will Intel bLLC compete with AMD 3D-vCache? But we mostly complain about DDR5 in this exciting episode!

00:00 Intro
00:30 Patreon
01:44 Food with Josh
04:10 We talk about the DDR5 problem for the third week in a row
18:44 TSMC confirmed September power outage at Arizona fab
23:01 Dell and HP removing HEVC from some laptops
26:33 Unpowered SSDs slowly lose data
32:32 Is Intel bLLC really an X3D competitor?
34:13 (in)Security Corner
42:01 Gaming Quick Hits
46:18 Picks of the Week
1:06:12 Outro

What do you get after 844 episodes? This one. We've got hacked Android photoframes, DDR5 driving up prices on everything, Nvidia financials for the win, and even some Fallout mods. Join in the fun!

Oh, do check out our sponsor this week, it definitely helps the show! Notion AI!
Don't just start your projects, bring it all together and get it *done*. See what Notion Agent can do for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
00:59 Programming update (livestream next week but no pod)
02:27 Patreon
04:40 Food with Josh
06:44 NVIDIA financials
20:18 DDR5 prices are skyrocketing
25:00 Intel "ai" chief joins OpenAI
29:37 AMD to release the latest FSR on December 10
33:06 Microsoft makes Sysmon native to Windows
36:05 SilverStone's retro case family grows
37:48 The accessory market for Steam Machine has begun
38:13 Podcast sponsor Notion
39:30 (In)Security Corner
53:32 Gaming Quick Hits
1:02:48 Crucial Pro DDR5-6400 CL32 review
1:11:23 Picks of the Week
1:20:13 Outro