Tom's Hardware

U.S. tech-specialist, no political orientation

Background

Tom's Hardware was founded in 1996 by Dr. Thomas Pabst, a German physician who began reviewing PC components as a hobbyist; the site operated briefly at sysdoc.pair.com before moving to tomshardware.com in September 1997. It quickly built a reputation for independent benchmark testing and adversarial hardware coverage, most notably when its review of Intel's Pentium III 1.13 GHz processor exposed stability problems and forced Intel to withdraw the chip from sale. Pabst sold the site in 2007 to the French company Bestofmedia Group; TechMediaNetwork—later renamed Purch—acquired those assets in 2013. Future plc, a British media conglomerate, purchased Purch's consumer brands including Tom's Hardware in 2018 and now also owns Tom's Guide and Laptop Mag. Under Future plc, the site has drawn criticism from former editors and readers who argue that heavy reliance on affiliate-marketing commissions has softened critical coverage and reduced editorial resources. Paul Alcorn became editor-in-chief in June 2025, succeeding Avram Piltch who had held the role since 2018. Tom's Hardware is a member of IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation) and states it follows that body's Editors' Code of Practice, though its primary audience and commercial focus are squarely in the U.S. consumer-tech market.

Sources

1. Tom's Hardware - Wikipedia
2. About Tom's Hardware - Our Editorial Staff, Ratings and History
3. Thomas Pabst, Founder (1996–2001) – Tom's Hardware 20th Anniversary
4. From 'Just buy it!' to the Paywall – How Purch and Future PLC Optimized Tom's Hardware to Death
5. Future plc: history, ownership, mission, how it works & makes money
6. Trump introduces 25% tariff on export of chips – Tom's Hardware
7. Trump tariff turbulence risks handing TSMC a win – Tom's Hardware

Profile compiled 2026-06-26; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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