Tom's Hardware Guide (Toms Hardware Guide)

Pabst tackles one hardware subsystem at a time, detailing the state of the art in hard drives, processors, video cards (2-D and 3-D), memory, modems, and more. His explanations are up-to-date and lucid, and are among the best for those who want only to know how to make their systems as fast as possible. His discussion of overclocking is among the best anywhere--it's something you'll want to read if you're serious about getting the most from your machine.

It's refreshing to see a hardware book actually take sides on important hardware issues. Where it's appropriate, Pabst describes his specific personal preferences for products, naming manufacturers and models. Though "Tom's Picks" are sure to become less cutting-edge as this book ages, they're likely to remain solid choices for some time--and Pabst surely will do frequent revisions anyway.

As is often the case with hardware books, the photographs in Tom's Hardware Guide aren't very good. Some of them are grainy, most are too dark, and very few of them add anything to the reader's understanding of the topic. Diagrams, however, are good, and Pabst's excellent, highly informed text overshadows all shortcomings. --David Wall

Product Description

Tom's Hardware Guide was created to provide you with the inside scoop on attaining the ultimate in PC performance. Written by the originators of tomshardware.com, the Interenet's #1 source of new technology information and performance reviews. Millions of people rely on Tom's reviews and advice. Tom's no-holds-barred approach to the PC industry has made him into the premier technology industry guru. From Intel's boardroom to the individual at the corner computer store--they all look to Tom for information on the latest technology products.

Tom's Hardware Guide falls between those offensively named "Dummy" books and the multi hundred page manuals that only someone with a computer science degree can understand.

The narrative is readable and fairly easy to understand and in those cases where the information gets somewhat technical every effort is made by the author to break it down into simpler concepts and explanations. It is written and organized is such a way that one is left with a thorough understanding of how each piece of hardware used in today's PC works and how they integrate to form the whole.

I think it would be a mistake for the person who wants to have a better understanding of a computer to ignore this book simply because technology books by their nature are obsolete even as they are being written. With the widespread availability of information on the Internet it is a fairly simple task to keep oneself informed as changes take place. Whether your want to do some serious upgrading, tweak your computer for better performance or simply educate yourself about the "how and why" of a computer, Tom's Hardware Guide will not disappoint you.

As one who uses my computer a great deal I found this book to be just the answer to the question....what makes it all work? Each hardware component (and 1 piece of software, the OS) is meticulously described, examined, shown how it works and then explained how it fits into the overall system. The pros and cons of the various technologies available are discussed and refreshingly one is left with the impression that Tom has neither an axe to grind nor a favor to repay.

By far my biggest gain after reading this book is coming away with the knowledge that I am no longer at the mercy of the "hype" so prevalent in most of the computer hardware sold today.

Kudos Tom!


Bridges the gap between those too technical and too simple   January 10, 1999
mpace1@tampabay.rr.com (Valrico, Florida)
I found this book was able to bridge the gap between those books that I found too difficult and "techy" to read and those that were just too simple. I am a Ph.D. student in Instructional Technology and my hardware systems professor had not been able to find just the right book to use as a text for his class. After I showed him my copy of this book, he ordered it for the next semester's text for that class.


Very informative - precise and up to date in all areas   August 27, 1998
A timely and needed book that covers all subject matter in great detail. Well priced and should be a great help to the industry.


For Computer Fanatics that care about EVERY COMPONENT.   October 7, 1998
Tom does a great job getting into the nitty gritty of every part of the computer. This book helped me make all the right choices in selecting components for my new computer. In the end, the book more than paid for itself. I saved hundreds of dollars purchasing a custom system (as opposed to an expensive OEM system from Compaq/Dell/etc) which was superior in every way.


It's a book that everyone can understand.   January 23, 1999
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Not only does this book serve as a decent reference/guide to "tech junkies", but to the average person, it is also completely understandable. In my opinion, "Tom's Hardware Guide" is not only a superbly accurate advisory for the computer expert, but is also serves as an informant to those who are still naive to the technical world.