Introduction

As we get ready to bid farewell to 2017, it felt appropriate to dwell on the past year. Indeed, as history has taught us multiple times, there are lessons to be learned and fond memories to be had. Here on TechPowerUp, we have reviewed more than 250 different hardware products this calendar year, and our editors wanted to get together and reflect on the products that left a lasting impression on them. With the holidays being as good a time as any to begin a new PC build, the goal of our "Best of 2017" article is to also help provide some key components worthy of consideration.



Every single review editor contributed to this article, and the categories, separated as subsequent pages, were accordingly handled by those responsible for them:

• W1zzard: Processors, GPUs, SSDs
• cadaveca: Motherboards, Memory
• Darksaber: Cases
• crmaris: PSUs, NAS, Gaming Chairs (the latter also thanks to erasmia394)
• crazyeyesreaper: CPU Coolers
• Inle: Monitors, Gaming Headsets
• VSG: DIY Watercooling, Keyboards
• Ino: Mice
• Frederik: Headphones

I asked everyone to bring up an overall winner and a runner-up, and left each editor to decide the basis of their choosing with justifications following separately. In fact, in one particular case, the product chosen was one we did not cover specifically ourselves either, but the editor in question felt it merited the mention on account of how good it was. In addition, with 2018 right around the corner, it felt appropriate to ask them what they were looking forward to in their respective categories - be it addressing complaints, wanting to see changes made, or simply having expectations based on current industry trends. So join us today on a ride that began nearly 365 days ago, and feel free to share your own thoughts about the hardware (or software) you associate with this year and plan to continue using in 2018.

Best Processor 2017

2017 has been the most exciting year for client-segment processors in over a decade, with AMD finally finding its bearings. The "Zen" CPU micro-architecture may not be an Intel Core "killer," but is certainly competitive, enabling AMD to come up with the Ryzen family of multi-core processors that offer great performance and value relative to the Intel's lineup. AMD was able to quickly deploy "Zen" across every price-point from $119 to $999, even if none of these newer chips feature integrated graphics. Intel wasn't dormant, either, launching its largest-ever high-end desktop (HEDT) processor lineup under the Core X "Skylake-X" family, which had Intel close the year by restoring its performance leadership in the mainstream desktop segment with the 8th generation Core "Coffee Lake" family. Given heavy discounts from AMD towards the end of the year, it was extremely difficult to pick the best chips of 2017, however.

Winner: Intel Core i7-8700K

Had Intel not launched its 8th generation Core "Coffee Lake" family in time, a Ryzen 7-series part would have been our clear winner. The Core i7-8700K not only outperforms AMD's higher-end Ryzen 7 series, but goes on to cannibalize the lower-end of Intel's own Core X family. This six-core processor that isn't shy when it comes to overclocking has HyperThreading for a total of 12 logical CPUs, a healthy 12 MB of L3 cache, and better power-draw than competing AMD parts. Its stronger single-core performance means games and less-parallized tasks run faster, while 12 threads make for plenty of muscle for multi-threaded tasks.

Read our review

Runner-up: AMD Ryzen 5 1600

With Intel facing glaring supply issues for its Core i5 "Coffee Lake" processors, we're picking the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 as our runner-up. There's no overstating the popularity of this chip in the DIY retail markets. For $200-ish, you get 6 cores, 12 threads, 16 MB of L3 cache, and an unlocked multiplier. The processor offers sufficient performance for gaming and multi-threaded tasks and comes with a reasonably quiet stock cooling solution, the AMD Wraith Spire. The chip is ideal for builders who want to focus their investment on a faster graphics card or a bigger SSD with the money saved on the processor and CPU cooler.

Read our review

Honorable Mentions

2017 has just been such an exciting year, so where do we even begin? The Core i3-8100 transforms entry-level gaming builds. You now spend just $120 on a processor that rivals $200 parts from Intel's previous generation, with four physical cores, 6 MB of L3 cache, and reasonably high clocks. The Ryzen 7 1700 is another major player at its sub-$300 price point. This 8-core/16-thread chip may not be faster than Intel chips at less-parallized tasks, but its multi-threaded performance rivals HEDT processors. The Core i5-8400 is another chip we expect to sell exceptionally well once Intel irons out its supply issues. You can have six Intel cores for $190, with 9 MB of L3 cache thrown in; that is, if you can overlook its lack of an unlocked multiplier. Lastly, there's the Ryzen Threadripper 1920X. If you're purely concerned with multi-threaded performance, there's the 12-core/24-thread 1920X at $799 for performance rivaling Intel Core X processors $200 pricier. There's also plenty of platform connectivity, and it includes the PCIe lanes the sub-$1000 Core X processors lack.

Looking forward to 2018

2018 may not have the kind of fireworks we've seen for the client-CPU market this year, but there is certainly quite a bit to look out for. Intel is expected to expand its 8th generation Core "Coffee Lake" family with more parts, possibly 8-core, and more affordable motherboard chipsets. AMD will try and restore competitiveness of its Ryzen processor family with its second-generation "Pinnacle Ridge" to which Intel will respond with faster SKUs across the board. One should consider the possible Q1 launch of the Core i7-8720K before committing to the i7-8700K at its current higher-than-MSRP price. The HEDT segment is expected to be rather flat. For the value-orientated CPU buyer, AMD could stir the pot with its "Raven Ridge" desktop APUs that combine "Zen" CPU cores with "Vega" integrated graphics fast enough for eSports gaming at 1080p. We hope Intel tames prices and supply of its 8th generation Core processors as buyers are already stressed out by how pricey DDR4 memory has become, and AMD 2nd generation Ryzen chips will hopefully live up to expectations as well.

Best Motherboard 2017

With the entire industry launching new products to support both mainstream and HEDT platforms from both Intel and AMD this year, we've been flooded with products of all types in all segments, but perhaps the most important part of any PC and what dictates how your build goes can be none other than the motherboard. It's this bit of PCB that ties everything together and brings in things like I/O connectivity and CPU and memory support. With so many platforms launched this year, there are a huge number of highly capable products on store shelves waiting to be bought by you. Some of these motherboards have stood out from the crowd even though all motherboards basically offer the exact same things with maybe a different color. We've got the Z370, X299, X370 and X399 chipsets out there now, and every brand has boards for each of these. BIOS designs have been crucial throughout this year, with AMD's memory problems waiting for AGESA updates at the beginning, although those have long since been released; they helped with compatibility, but did not increase AMD's memory overclocking that much. Intel has gone and updated HEDT desktops with CPUs that feature no less than 38 threads of processing power, while also launching 12-thread CPUs for the mainstream Z370 platform. Once you have chosen your platform, choosing the right board isn't easy, and it almost seems to make sense to choose a board for each platform, yet there are a couple of board products we've played with that really stood out from all the others.