PCMag Turns 40!
The first issue of PC Magazine was printed in 1982 and we've been here to document the amazing story of technology ever since. Come get nostalgic with us.
Celebrating 40 Years of Technology
PCMag is 40 years old. We've been around for four full decades.
A brand built around a print magazine, which started out with the fairly narrow mission of serving IBM personal computer enthusiasts, has managed to not only survive and transform into a successful website but grow and thrive, just like technology itself.
The longevity of our brand is sort of mind-blowing, especially in the modern media world where the bottom line is the top priority, the competition is fierce, and websites come and go at the speed of light. But I think you can pin our multi-decade success on one simple concept: passion...Read More
View Any of the 550+ Issues of PC Magazine
Click on any issue in the catalog, which spans from 1982 to 2022, to see an enlarged cover image.
The 20 Most Influential PCs of the Past 40 Years
As PCMag celebrates its 40th anniversary, we take a look back at the computers that had the greatest impact on us and the industry, from a 16K beige box to a cutting-edge convertible that redefined mobile computing.
Three Cheers for the Humble Transistor
Three-quarters of a century ago, a Bell Labs team created the most important technological innovation of the last 100 years.
25 of the Weirdest Things We've Reviewed
In 40 years, thousands of products have passed through our lab for testing: Many good, some not so great, and a few downright bizarre.
40 Years of PCMag: Archive Tour
Come with us as we tour our extensive archive of print PC Magazine issues, safely ensconced in a storage facility in New Jersey.
The Original IBM PC: Lessons Learned
What could have happened had the IBM PC not taken the paths it did to become the prototype stepping stone to modern computing?
In 2001, Were We Right About the Future of Technology?
21 years ago, we made some educated guesses about how technology would unfold. We're living in that future now: How did our predictions hold up?
Spec Showdown: The Original IBM 5150 vs. Today's PCs
Just for kicks, let's compare the specs of the 1981-vintage computer that inspired the birth of PC Magazine to some modern-day desktops.
40 Years of PCMag: My First Cover Story
PCMag lead mobile analyst Sascha Segan revisits his first big story from 2004, and how compelling and different early smartphones were back then.
5 Times We Were Very, Very Wrong
Over 40 years, we've usually been right about spotting trends and picking winners and losers. But not always.
A Visual History of Windows
Over its 40 years, PCMag has covered every version of Microsoft's operating system. Like you, sometimes we loved it, and sometimes we didn't. Let's take it back to MS-DOS to see how Windows has evolved.
The 20 Biggest Software Flops of All Time
It weighs nothing and often requires dozens or even hundreds of people to make. And sometimes software fails spectacularly.
40 Years of PCMag: Most Influential PCs
We look back at the computers that had the greatest impact on us and on the direction of the industry.
We Found the OG Tech Influencer
Back in 1987, Brian Dewey used PC Magazine as an invaluable resource for his job as “PC Brand Specifier.”
An Ode to PCMag: A Personal Computing Legacy
I was PC Magazine's editor-in-chief for 14 years, leading the publication through its heyday as the most influential computer magazine in print. And boy, was it a blast.
40 Years of PCMag: An Illustrated Guide
What a long, strange...yeah, let's just get to reliving four decades of ups and downs punctuated by milestones in the personal computer industry and our coverage of them.
The Biggest Hardware Flops of All Time
For 40 years, we've reviewed thousands of outstanding technology products. These are not among them.
Bill Gates on the Next 40 Years in Technology
In our first issue, PC Magazine interviewed the 26-year-old founder of Microsoft about building the original IBM PC. Four packed decades later and we still have questions.
Read the Charter Issue of PC Magazine From 1982
Four decades ago, no one knew exactly where technology would take us. We just knew the IBM PC was here to change everything.
From Floppies to Solid State: The Evolution of PC Storage Media
Remember Jaz and Zip discs? Since the debut of the IBM PC, there have been many ways to store your data, and if you're geeks like us, you care about this sort of thing.
A History of PCMag, and the Tech Industry, in 6 Objects
We take a look back at some of the seminal tech products and inventions that grew up alongside PC Magazine.
Inside Computer Stores of the 1970s and 1980s
As part of PCMag's 40th-anniversary celebration, here are some rare scenes from the early days of personal computer shopping.
1982 vs. 2022: Has Technology Really Become More Affordable?
Hard drive prices are down by a factor of 400,000 (!) from PC Magazine's first year, but one critical tech category continually creeps up in price .
Happy 40th to Us!
As PCMag celebrates four decades of industry-leading technology journalism, our top editor reflects on what drives us.