- Maximum PC
-
Maximum PC 
September 2010 coverEditor in Chief George Jones Categories Computing Frequency Monthly Total circulation
(2011[1])192,611 First issue August 1996 (as boot)
September 1998 (as Maximum PC)Company Future US Country 
United StatesLanguage English Website http://www.maximumpc.com ISSN 1522-4279 Maximum PC, formerly known as boot, is an American magazine and web site published by Future US. It focuses on cutting-edge PC hardware, with an emphasis on product reviews, step-by-step tutorials, and in-depth technical briefs. Component coverage areas include CPUs, motherboards, core-logic chipsets, memory, videocards, mechanical hard drives, solid-state drives, optical drives, cases, component cooling, and other hardware intrinsic to PC building projects. Additional hardware coverage is directed at smartphones, tablet computers, cameras and other consumer electronic devices that interface with consumer PCs. Software coverage focuses on games, anti-virus suites, content-editing programs, and other consumer-level applications.
Maximum PC's tone is oftentimes brash and irreverent, giving the editorial content a distinctly populist feel. In September 1999, Editorial Director Jon Phillips authored a product parody of an imaginary videocard called the Bitchin'fast3D2000, an absurdly long graphics card running five competing 3D chipsets. In February 2002, the magazine's cover image of a nurse administering aid to an ailing PC generated controversy among readers.[2]
Prior to September 1998, the magazine was called boot. boot and sister magazine MacAddict (now Mac|Life) launched in September 1996 when Future US shut down CD-ROM Today.
Contents
Product reviews
The Kick Ass Award
Product ratings are rendered by editors on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best. The only product to receive an "11" rating was Half-Life 2 in January 2005, raising some objections from readers.
Outstanding products are also given a "Kick Ass" award. Exceptional products with a "9" rating and all products with a "10" rating receive this award.
Each review also includes a "Pros and Cons" section, providing a quick summary of the product. Shortly after the Pros and Cons first appeared, the editors began attaching humorous notation to their entries, many being puns or word play on the product itself or its function. For example, in a review of two monitors, one section is captioned LCD (pros) vs. LSD (cons). In another it is liquid crystal (pros) vs. crystal meth (cons). Other comparisons have used B-58 vs XB-70, Miley Cyrus vs Billy Ray Cyrus, and Delicious vs Malicious.
Notable features
- How To - short, technical instructions on modifying computer components.
- Ask the Doctor - advice for fixing computer-related problems.
- R&D - a look into the inner workings of commonly used hardware today.
- In the Lab - a behind-the-scenes look at Maximum PC testing. This section often includes humorous features sometimes involving "torturing" interns.
- Softy Awards - a yearly roundup of the staff's favorite new software (mostly utilities)
- Autopsy - a diagram of the innards of various devices, such as a printer, a camera, etc.
- Comments - reader mail and questions
- Dream Machine - an annual attempt to build the best-performing PC on the market, using the best components and techniques available.
- Lean Machine - a feature showcasing the best computer possible for that year with a price tag of about $1,500.
- Geek Quiz - an annual computer/technology quiz that claims it will have even the most hardcore geeks grinding their teeth.
- Gear of the Year - a review of the best PC parts for the current year.
- The List - a list listing and describing top items in a given subject.
Differences from boot
When boot was published, it was criticized for being elitist in its approach to product reviews, and for the "price is no object" philosophy of its editors. boot was aimed at a hardcore PC enthusiast audience that was highly advanced in its technical understanding, and prepared to pay top dollar for the best PC hardware. When boot relaunched as Maximum PC, it dropped much of the elitist attitude and focused on being accessible to a wider array of PC users and gamers. boot also featured a monthly column by Alex St. John, nicknamed "The Saint", regarding the emerging DirectX standard, which he was instrumental in developing at Microsoft, often leading to some controversy in the gaming community on the merits of DirectX vs. OpenGL. His arguments with id Software's John Carmack became famous during this time in the gaming community.
Circulation
The magazine claims a 2010 circulation rate-base of 250,000.[3]
Maximum PC also provides an archive of back-issues in PDF format free of charge on their website. This archive currently reaches back to the December, 2003 issue.[4]
All but a few of the Maximum PC issues published from October 1998 to December 2008 are available to view on Google Book Search.[5]
Staff
- Editor-in-chief: George Jones
- Deputy Editor: Katherine Stevenson
- Senior Editor: Gordon Mah Ung
- Reviews Editor: Michael Brown
- Senior Associate Editor: Nathan Edwards
- Art Director: Natalie Jeday
- Online Managing Editor: Alex Castle
- Online Assistant Editor: Alan Fackler
- Podcast Producer: Andy Bauman
- Editorial Director: Jon Phillips
- Editor Emeritus: Andrew Sanchez
Maximum PC also has many freelance contributors, including Chris Comiskey, Gord Goble, Andy Salisbury, Mark Edward Soper, Justin Kerr, Brad Chacos, and Paul Lilly. Moreover, columnists Tom Halfhill and Thomas McDonald write editorials on a monthly basis under the names Fast Forward and Game Theory, respectively.[6]
Maximum Tech
Starting in September 2010, the Maximum PC editors will produce a quarterly magazine focusing on consumer tech. The basic idea of Maximum PC "Minimum BS" will be present in the magazine. Currently, the magazine is newsstand only.[7]
Italian edition
An Italian edition of Maximum PC was launched in December 2004 by Future Media Italy, the Italian division of Future Publishing, and ceased publishing after only six issues.
References
- ^ ABC
- ^ . http://books.google.com/books?id=7gEAAAAAMBAJ&cad=1.
- ^ http://dl.futureus.com/assets/maxiumum_pc_media_kit.pdf
- ^ http://www.maximumpc.com/articles/pdf_archives?page=8
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=7wEAAAAAMBAJ
- ^ MaximumPC: Contact Us. http://www.maximumpc.com/help/contact
- ^ http://www.maximumpc.com/article/[primary-term]/announcing_maximum_tech_our_latest_mad_creation
External links
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- Downloadable magazines
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