Customer Reviews

Maximum PC (2-year)

5 star:		(112)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

This is without a doubt my favorite computer-related magazine. While many of the well-known players in this field (especially the ones with "PC" in their name) have dedicated increasing portions of their magazines to business-related topics, Maximum PC has stayed true to the cause of helping the individual home enthusiast or expert get the most from his machine. If you want to read about B2B apps, corporate firewalls, or XML, look elsewhere, but if you want comprehensive reviews of the latest hardware and software written for people who don't need a tutorial to rename a file on their PC or insert a chart into an Excel file, look no further.

If you're the sort of person who builds his own machine or is thinking of doing so, Maximum PC will likely prove itself useful to you. Likewise for those planning to do their own hardware upgrades. And if you're like me and just like to stay aware of and knowledgeable about current products and technologies then this is still an excellent and informative read.

To be fair, there are a few features that may be displeasing to some readers. The writing is occasionally glib with a tendency towards sophomoric humor. There's also a fair amount of focus on gaming, particularly 3D gaming technology. And the overriding theme of much of the magazine is maximizing the speed, power, and coolness of your machine. To me these aren't negative qualities, but this may not be of interest to some users.

All in all this is still my favorite magazine and the one I most look forward to receiving each month. I have no plans to end my subscription.

Okay, if you're a hardware power-junkie, this is your mag. Max PC rips on those who disappoint (should have seen the slamming report on K-mart's "Blue-light special" PC awhile back) and give out the coveted Kick-a** award to only those deserving few. It covers specialized PC modifications (Specialty paint jobs, lights, windows, panels, conversions, etc), hardware issues, love/hate issues with new PCs and products on the market and so much more!

This magazine is also a lot more easy-going on a language level than a lot of other PC magazines. They don't say things "We believe this to be an inferior product". They say "This thing sucks!". It makes it a little easier to read than the standard, overly serious PC-mag.

Also, once a year, the folks at Max PC put together the ultimate PC of the year. This is a PC builder's midnight fantasy full of the latest (most expensive) hardware. Then they give you a run-down on it's scores.

I've recommended this mag to everyone I know who is even slightly interested in computers.

They've also saved me much headaches (and a lot of cash) from their "Watchdog" column, which monitors a vendor's customer service, and/or financial problems with refunds/ returns or patches.

I'd say get signed up, this mag is worth the cash!

MaximumPC wasn't my choice. It was sent to me uninvited to complete a subscription I had for a magazine that went defunct. On top of that, I have only a passing interest in PC's; I am certainly not a technician, nor am I an avid gamer. To complete the disconnect, I am 59 years old. With that background, you might be surprised to learn that I look forward to receiving each issue. So was I.
It's hard to put a finger on what makes this magazine so appealing to someone like me. First I like the style. Other reviewrs have described it as edgy, but I think of it as fun and accessible. I have ever read any other PC book or magazine that I would describe as anything even close to fun, but this one definately is. Secondly, it has fascinating hardware articles that are incredibly clear and understandable. I have learned more about video cards, memory types, and processors than I ever thought I would want to learn, all while being entertained. I have to admit that the article on building your own super PC made me want to do just that, although I would opt for the budget version, which they also included in the article. Finally, the software reviews are first class, honest, and hardhitting. They are written by avid, unabashed gamers, and they are not shy about calling a toad a toad. I have used their reviews to buy christmas and birthday gifts and have never been disappointed.
This magazine is one of those rare combinations of information and entertainment. I read it cover to cover each month, usually smiling most of the way. Needless to say, I renewed my subscription.

Its good to learn hadware installation and how to intall peripheral devices.

It comes with a CD with every issue with usefull utilities, applications, and game demos.

However, it claims to be 'unbiased' in its reviewing like it claims the other PC magazines are, but using some of its reviewed products, I find this hard to beleive, especially when it has as much advrtising as the other PC Magazines.

Its a good magazine for the intermediade/advanced PC user, and it is good when used in conjunction with the other PC magazines as well.

I don't find quite all the software tech stuff I'd want to, but I find quite a bit on the hardware side. Worth having, but not worth being your only PC resourse... consider the other pc mags as well.

Please understand that I have been a subscriber to Maximum PC Magazine for YEARS. I think it is probably one of the most entertaining Tech Magazines available, and the Disks that come with this little gem are absolutely packed full of the best freeware/shareware available anywhere! So imagine my excitement when I saw this offer. 12 issues of Maximum PC with what I assumed had to be the CDs because of the cover price listed and the savings. That was incredible. NO it wasn't. I ordered this and found out that this is the PRINT ONLY edition. NO CD's. Upon calling Maximum PC they said it would be another [...] per month for the CDs but the biggest kick in the rear end, is that I could only get 10 of the CDs now, because I had the first issue and the second issue was too close to shipping. IF I JUST WANTED THE MAGAZINE I COULD HAVE JUST DOWNLOADED THE FREE PDF'S THAT MAXIMUM PC MAKES AVAILABLE ON THERE WEBSITE. I WANTED BOTH. BTW AMAZON CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS OTHER THAN CANCEL THE SUBSCRIPTION OUTRIGHT. DO NOT DO IT. YOU ARE BETTER OFF JUST ORDERING IT DIRECT FROM MAXIMUM PC.

You'll receive a notice an auto-renew notice 9-months in advance of your subscription expiration, advising of credit card debit. Of course the auto-renew $$$ is 50% greater than your current subscription, and what you can get elsewhere.

Specifically: "To change your address or credit card for this auto-renewal order, or to cancel your subscription, please update your preferences for this order in your Subscription Manager."....now I know the only option for cancel is SUBSCRIPTION, not AUTO-RENEWAL. Read the quoted statement carefully.

So naturally you proceed to cancel the auto-renew through Amazon's subscription manager. Surprise.....they (Amazon/Future) also cancel the remainder of the current subscription...9-months worth.

You now have to coordinate the expiration of the Amazon subscription, with the startup of your new subscription provider, if you don't want to overlap issues.

I think this magazine is the best computer magazine around. However, this magazine is more towards the gamers and the extreme PC enthusiasts (like me). I don't know why anybody would want the disk version because it just costs more and there's nothing really good on the disk. As for the magazine it reviews pretty much everything that you would want to know about, even a few things you don't really want to know about. A lot of people get mad at Maximum PC because of the way they put there reviews and everything. Some months it'll be focused on MP3 Players and other months Motherboards or CPU's or something like that. I don't know how many people like this type of magazine, but I sure do. If you have come from PC World or PC Magazine and are looking for a more entertaining magazine this is for you. If you like PC World and PC Magazine and are looking for an addition to these, do not get this magazine unless you are very sure that you are going to like reading about graphics cards and cpus. So all those people that don't like computers, don't like computer gaming upgrade advise, and don't like entertaining magazines stay away from this one and stop spamming amazon with reviews of the magazine that are bias.

Very dissapointed. I love this magazine and was very dissapointed to find out the cd's were not included with the subscription.

Thank god this is not a Ziff Davis publication. MaxPC will actually tell you if a product is bad. They will print just what they think about something; no sugar coating. I would compare their style to Car and Driver. Technical, but they know how to have a good time.

This is the best computer magazine out there, bar none, and I say this for many reasons, most of have already been stated. Most PC magazines cover what the masses are buying, but its largely useless information on stuff no one wants to read about over and over again. Buy one at the news stand if you're in the market for a normal pre-built and sign up for the PC World news letter. That way you can learn about all the new advances for a lot less money (free.)

Max PC doesn't talk about run-of-the-mill stuff, it talks about the cutting edge of what is available NOW. Not what is being developed, not what has been out long enough to be affordable to everyone, but what is brand-spanking new. This is what the people that subscribe to computer magizines are looking for.

They also have the most useful, complete, to the point reviews I have ever seen. And most importantly, they have lots of information about what any true computer enthusiest either does, or wants to do: build your own machine. This is agumented by a very good segment called "Ask the Doctor" that answers questions about computers, much like most good car mags.

In short, they have about everything the non-business computer fiend would want, and almost nothing they wouldn't.