:PC World

{{About|the electronics magazine|the former British retailer|PC World (retailer)|the defunct British magazine|Personal Computer World}}

{{Infobox Magazine

| title = PC World

| image_file = PCWorld logo red 2019.png

| image_size =

| image_caption =

| editorial director = Jon Phillips

| frequency = Monthly

|total_circulation= 355,117 (United States){{cite web |url= http://abcas3.auditedmedia.com/ecirc/magtitlesearch.asp |title= eCirc for Consumer Magazines |date= December 31, 2012 |publisher= Alliance for Audited Media |access-date= February 22, 2013 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20170123200306/http://abcas3.auditedmedia.com/ecirc/magtitlesearch.asp |archive-date= January 23, 2017 |url-status= dead }}

|circulation_year= December 2012

| category = Computer magazine

| company = IDG

| firstdate = {{start date and age|1983|3}}

| finaldate = {{end date|2013|8}} (print)

| based = San Francisco, California, US

| country = United States

| language = English

| website = {{URL|http://www.pcworld.com}}

| issn = 0737-8939

| oclc = 1117065657

}}

PC World (stylized as PCWorld) is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG.{{cite web |url=http://www.idg.com/www/IDGProducts.nsf/0/B43C91860903F620852578D80052B169 |title=IDG Print Publication: PCWorld |access-date=September 12, 2011 |archive-date=April 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401082653/http://www.idg.com/www/IDGProducts.nsf/0/B43C91860903F620852578D80052B169 |url-status=dead }} Since 2013, it has been an online-only publication.

It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal technology products and services. In each publication, PC World reviews and tests hardware and software products from a variety of manufacturers, as well as other technology related devices such as still and video cameras, audio devices and televisions.

The current editorial director of PC World is Jon Phillips, formerly of Wired. In August 2012, he replaced Steve Fox, who had been editorial director since the December 2008 issue of the magazine. Fox replaced the magazine's veteran editor Harry McCracken, who resigned that spring,{{cite web|url=http://blogs.pcworld.com/techlog/archives/007041.html|title=Goodbye, Kind PC World|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906124712/http://blogs.pcworld.com/techlog/archives/007041.html|archive-date=September 6, 2011}} after some rocky times, including quitting and being rehired over editorial control issues in 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/131702/editor_in_chief_harry_mccracken_returns_to_pcw.html |title=Editor in Chief Harry McCracken Returns to PCW |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004020655/http://www.pcworld.com/article/131702/editor_in_chief_harry_mccracken_returns_to_pcw.html |archive-date=October 4, 2011 }}

PC World is published under other names such as PC Advisor and PC Welt in some countries. PC World{{'}}s company name is IDG Consumer & SMB, and it is headquartered in San Francisco."[http://www.pcworld.com/resource/contactus.html contact Us] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102030755/http://www.pcworld.com/resource/contactus.html |date=2010-01-02 }}." PC World Communications. Retrieved December 29, 2009. Some of the non-English PC World websites now redirect to other IDG sites; for example, PCWorld.dk (Denmark) is now Computerworld.dk

History

The publication was announced at the COMDEX trade show in November 1982, and first appeared on newsstands in March 1983.

The magazine was founded by David Bunnell and Cheryl Woodard, and its first editor was Andrew Fluegelman. PC World{{'}}s magazine and web site have won a number of awards from Folio, the American Society of Business Publication Editors, MIN, the Western Publications Association, and other organizations; it is also one of the few technology magazines to have been a finalist for a National Magazine Award.

Many well known technology writers have contributed to PC World, including Steve Bass, Daniel Tynan, Christina Wood, John C. Dvorak, Stephen Manes, Lincoln Spector, Stewart Alsop, David Coursey, James A. Martin, and others. Editorial leadership has included Harry Miller, Richard Landry, Eric Knorr, Karl Koessel, Phil Lemmons, Cathryn Baskin, Kevin McKean, and Harry McCracken.

In February 1999, PC World{{'}}s number of paid subscriptions reached a record of 1,000,453. At the time, it was the first and only computing magazine with a monthly release schedule to hit that mark.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/news/february_99/2_24/index.shtml |title=Timely News from the Interactive Entertainment Industry - PC World Reaches One Million |access-date=May 20, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010520134922/http://www.gamedaily.com/news/february_99/2_24/index.shtml |archive-date=May 20, 2001 |url-status=live }} In April 2005, the show Digital Duo was slightly rebranded and relaunched as PC World's Digital Duo, and ran for an additional 26 episodes. As of 2006, PC World{{'}}s audited rate base of 750,000 made it the largest circulation computing magazine in the world.[https://www.jingleways.com/pc-case/best-smallest-atx-pc-cases/ Gaming Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615133625/http://www.marketing.pcworld.com/site/print_circulation.html |date=June 15, 2007 }}

On July 10, 2013, owner IDG announced that the magazine would cease its thirty-year print run.{{cite web|url=http://www.foliomag.com/2013/idgs-pcworld-going-digital-only#.Ud3IgT7wJpk|title=IDG's PCWorld Going Digital-Only|publisher=Access Intelligence |author=Bill Mickey|date=July 10, 2013|website=Folio|access-date=July 10, 2013}} The issue of August 2013 was the last printed of the magazine PC World, future issues would be digital only.{{cite news|author1=Harry McCracken|title=PCWorld Exits Print, and the Era of Computer Magazines Ends|url=https://techland.time.com/2013/07/11/pcworld-exits-print-and-the-era-of-computer-magazines-ends/|access-date=August 13, 2015|work=Time Magazine|date=July 11, 2013}}

In December 2024, PCWorld expanded its coverage of personal tech by forming a more formal bond between PCWorld and sister site TechHive, which had been covering smart home and video streaming tech since 2017.https://www.pcworld.com/article/2553881/meet-techhive-the-new-pcworld-home-for-smart-home-tech.html

In March 2025, PCWorld's parent company, Foundry, was acquired from IDG/Blackstone by Regent.https://www.regentlp.com/news/regent-lp-acquires-crossknowledge-from-wiley-4682y

Countries

Based in San Francisco, PC World{{'}}s original edition is published in the United States; however it is also available in other countries (51 in total), sometimes under a different name:

PC World in Albania, Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Brazil, Denmark, Greece, India (from July 2006), Kosovo, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Spain, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Vietnam, Ecuador.
PC Advisor in Ireland and the United Kingdom, which stopped publication in 2017 (Another now discontinued magazine called Personal Computer World and a PC World retailer — neither related to the PC World magazine — already exist or existed in those markets.)
PC Welt, is the German language edition.
PCW, is the Hungarian language edition.{{cite web | url=https://www.pcwplus.hu/pcwlite/nem-csak-neveben-ujul-meg-a-pc-world-mostantol-pcwkent-szeretnenk-meg-tobbet-adni-341518.html | title=Nem csak nevében újul meg a PC World: Mostantól PCW-ként szeretnénk még többet adni }}
Info Komputer, is the Indonesian language edition.
Kompiuterija, is the Lithuanian language edition.
Thế Giới Vi Tính, is the Vietnamese language edition (also called PC World Vietnam).

Controversy

In May 2007, McCracken resigned abruptly under controversial circumstances. According to sources quoted in Wired, McCracken quit abruptly because the new CEO of PC World, Colin Crawford, tried to kill an unfavorable story about Apple and Steve Jobs.{{Cite magazine |last=Zetter |first=Kim |date=2007-05-02 |title=PC World Editor Quits Over Apple Story |url=http://www.wired.com/2007/05/pc_world_editor/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140825144638/http://www.wired.com/2007/05/pc_world_editor/ |archive-date=2014-08-25 |magazine=WIRED}} Crawford responded, calling media reports of McCracken's resignation "inaccurate".{{Cite web |date=2007-05-04 |title=PC World editor quits during dispute over Apple story [updated] |url=https://appleinsider.com/articles/07/05/04/pc_world_editor_quits_during_dispute_over_apple_story |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=AppleInsider |language=en}} CNET later reported that McCracken had told colleagues that IDG "was pressuring him to avoid stories that were critical of major advertisers."{{Cite web |last=Krazit |first=Tom |date=2007-05-02 |title=PC World editor resigns over apparent ad pressure |url=http://news.cnet.com/PC-World-editor-resigns-over-apparent-ad-pressure/2100-1030_3-6181075.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704004642/http://news.cnet.com/PC-World-editor-resigns-over-apparent-ad-pressure/2100-1030_3-6181075.html |archive-date=2008-07-04 |website=CNET}}{{Cite web |date=2007-05-03 |title=Editor quits after PC Mag kills Apple story |url=http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/05/03/editor.quits.over.jobs.st/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906162718/http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/05/03/editor.quits.over.jobs.st/ |archive-date=2008-09-06 |website=MacNN}}

On May 9, Crawford was transferred to another department, and McCracken returned to PC World until his departure in 2008.{{Cite web |last=McLeod |first=Ramon G. |date=2007-05-09 |title=Editor in Chief Harry McCracken Returns to PCW |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/id%2C131702-page%2C1/article.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070510211115/http://www.pcworld.com/article/id%2C131702-page%2C1/article.html |archive-date=2007-05-10 |website=PC World}}