Custom PC/PC Format - which is technically best?

MooSey-UK

MooSey-UK

MooSey-UK

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Read PC format for the first time last week and it had enough content to keep me amused for 20 min on the dunny :D
however, normally im an avid CPC fan and could'nt help but compare reviews.
it seems both mags are at odds with technical reviews of kit such as monitors etc.
which mag tends to be more correct and up to date?
I don't want to buy both but feel CPC has lost some zest and 'Format has more games reviews but seems technically lacking content.
(not that i'd buy anything without coming here first of course!)
 
I susbscribe to both.

I think Custom PC has it's favourite suppliers and as a result gives them better scores in the system builds etc. I question as well how long Custom PC can be sustained as a lot of the Breaking News is usually found on the net a good 6 weeks before publication

I prefer Custom PC especially it's new look but i'm more of a gamer than an overclocker
 
The quality of PC Format's writing has gone down hill big time in recent years in my opinion. All of their reviews are riddled with undue cyncism unless the reviewed article is a mass-crowd pleaser, in which they review it as if it's a gift from the Gods.

It seems that their journo's are chosen not by their writing ability, but their ability to write long, drawn-out analogies that don't apply to the product - just for the sake of looking witty.

-RaZ
 
I stopped reading PCF a year ago too, it was just going down and down. I finally stopped when they did a review of power tools (on the basis that you need tools to mod your PC).
 
I subscribe to Custom PC and really enjoy it, does make me laugh the favoured suppliers thing I love the way the company that has the back page add for every edition always wins supplier of the year in the awards!
 
Completely above board I'm sure! ;) I have been subscribing to CPC for a while and just started to subscribe to PC Format at 40% discount. CPC is deffo better for reviews but still enjoy Format as it has more games stuff without all labs guff of most of the P.C mags. Used to get P.C Zone but found it a bit steep at £5.99 for a load of demos I didn't play and not much mag and hardware section a bit behind times.
 
I subcribe to PCF. I do buy CPC from time to time though if there is an interesting article or two that month. But to be honest I find CPC a bit too geeky for reading on the lav :D .
 
Subscribe to CPC, sometimes they get things wrong but it is good to have that type of mag on the shelves, raises the profile of PC building generally.

Isn't PC Format still £6.99? That is way too expensive IMHO.
 
MooSey-UK said:
Read PC format for the first time last week and it had enough content to keep me amused for 20 min on the dunny :D
however, normally im an avid CPC fan and could'nt help but compare reviews.
it seems both mags are at odds with technical reviews of kit such as monitors etc.
which mag tends to be more correct and up to date?
I don't want to buy both but feel CPC has lost some zest and 'Format has more games reviews but seems technically lacking content.
(not that i'd buy anything without coming here first of course!)
Click to expand...

Rookie :D
 
technically whichever one is less money is better as you're wasting less. though if you're into making papier mache stuff then possibly its down to a price/page ratio for which is best.

if you meant which is the better magazine, maybe which one is the least behind the times, has reviews less than 3 months after something is out. i think my point might be, if you're worked out how to use a web browser, pc magazines are truly obsolete.
 
I'm subscribed to CPC and it's a joy to read. If I finish reading it before the next issue I'll go out and get PCFormat... sometimes.

CPC - good for hardware reviews and lab tests, I especially enjoy reading the technical section at the back explaining how things work i.e. DX10, Vista, Physics engines...etc. The first thing I read though is always the caption competition bit, makes me :D everytime.

PCFormat - Good for games reviews but the formatting is awfull and hard to follow. £4.99 is a lot more expensive and the DVD it comes with usually goes straight in the bin. Lab test is ok but not so comprehensive.

CPC F.T.W.
 
yeah i tend not to read any mags these days, except those ones that give away cd's or dvd's stuff full of freeware and things, you always find something interested that you wouldnt otherwise find on the net. pcf and cpc and worthless. publications are just too far behind the times these days.
 
I used to read PC Format a few years ago but it got stale then i started reading CPC and have done ever since, its a great mag and > PCF imo :p
 
Slightly OT - I read PC Gamer occasionally (which is from the same publisher as PCF) but TBH the editorial quality is not what it was. Often reads more like a "lad's" magazine these days than authoratative insight into the latest PC Gaming releases. Many of the reviews do make you wonder whether they even loaded up the game let alone played it to find any bugs or the merits of extended gameplay.

Another issue is that with so much information available online these days, magazines with a proof reading date 3 weeks or so before publication are out of date before they appear in the shops.

The only other PC mag I buy occasionally, as a flight simmer, is PC Pilot but otherwise I just Google for reviews or information.
 
drunkenmaster said:
technically whichever one is less money is better as you're wasting less. though if you're into making papier mache stuff then possibly its down to a price/page ratio for which is best.

if you meant which is the better magazine, maybe which one is the least behind the times, has reviews less than 3 months after something is out. i think my point might be, if you're worked out how to use a web browser, pc magazines are truly obsolete.
Click to expand...


i find laptops too hot and heavy for use in the dunny.
my point being magazines will never be obsolete!
 
I bought a CPC and a PCFormat this time last year, and to be honest I felt that both publications were very poor indeed. It just seemed like a lot of people willy waving about things and it made me want to never read another one of either magazine again.
 
james.miller said:
yeah i tend not to read any mags these days, except those ones that give away cd's or dvd's stuff full of freeware and things, you always find something interested that you wouldnt otherwise find on the net. pcf and cpc and worthless. publications are just too far behind the times these days.
Click to expand...
I wouldnt go so far as to totally agree james, but i do think that CPC is trying too hard to apeal to younger readers when i would have thought the bulk of their readers are middle aged. The imature writing that prevails in some games mags and over simplified reviews and features.
An example being the review of the Asus P5 E sli, this mobo got a slating with the CPC teams only being able to OC the C2D (6400 i think) to 3 ghzish.
They failed to mention that with a little extra cooling and a simple pencil mod you can get a 4300/6300 running at 3.4ghz.
Thats just one example but there are many others.
 
well after extensive toilet testing (hours and hours :D )
i have to state that i won't be buying pc format again. whilst it's mildly amusing it appears to be further out of date than CPC and the journo's swear in their articles.
maybe im a grumpy old git but swearing in a magazine for swearing and "cool" sake is just immature and childish.
I'll stick with CPC and keep up to date here.

*leaves keyboard heading for the piles cream* ;)
 
I prefer PCF as I think CP are inclined to talk cobblers once in while + they don't believe in using 3D mark which I find strange!
 
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