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{{Short description|Computer magazine}}
{{For|the unrelated German computer magazine|de:PC Magazin}}<!-- This is an iwl for as long as we don't have a local article, but as this gets mixed up often enough, it is important to mention it here -->{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020|cs1-dates=y}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title      = PC Magazine
| logo       = PCMag logo.svg
| logo_size  = 150px
| image_file = Pc mag digital.png
| image_caption = The digital edition of ''PC Magazine'', as of September 2011
| editor     = Wendy Sheehan Donnell
| previous_editor = [[Dan Costa (journalist)|Dan Costa]], Lance Ulanoff, [[Jim Louderback]], Michael J. Miller, Bill Machrone, [[David Bunnell]]  
| category   = [[Computer magazine]]
| firstdate  = February/{{start date and age|1982|03|df=yes}} (as ''PC'')
| finaldate  = January 2009 (print)
| company    = PCMag Digital Group
| country    = [[United States]]
| based      = [[New York City|New York]]
| language   = [[English language|English]]
| website    = {{Official URL}}
| issn       = 2373-2830 
| eissn      = 0888-8507
| oclc       = 960872918
}}
'''''PC Magazine''''' (shortened as '''''PCMag''''') is an American [[computer magazine]] published by [[Ziff Davis]]. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of [[online and offline|online]] editions started in late 1994 and continues {{As of|2025|lc=y}}.

== Overview ==
''PC Magazine'' provides [[review]]s and previews of the latest [[Computer hardware|hardware]] and [[software]] for the [[information technology]] professional. Other regular departments include columns by long-time editor-in-chief Michael J. Miller ("Forward Thinking"), Bill Machrone, and [[Jim Louderback]], as well as:
* "First Looks" (a collection of reviews of newly released products)
* "Pipeline" (a collection of short articles and snippets on computer-industry developments)
* "Solutions" (which includes various how-to articles)
* "User-to-User" (a section in which the magazine's experts answer user-submitted questions)
* "After Hours" (a section about various computer entertainment products; the designation "After Hours" is a legacy of the magazine's traditional orientation towards business computing.)
* "[[Abort, Retry, Fail?]]" (a beginning-of-the-magazine humor page which for a few years was known as "Backspace"—and was subsequently the last page).

For several years in the 1980s, ''PC Magazine'' gave significant coverage to programming for the [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]] and compatibles in languages such as [[Turbo Pascal]], [[BASIC]], [[Assembly language|Assembly]] and [[C (programming language)|C]]. [[Charles Petzold]] was one of the notable writers on programming topics.

Editor Bill Machrone wrote in 1985, that If an article doesn't evaluate products or enhance productivity, "chances are it doesn't belong in ''PC Magazine''".<ref name="machrone19851126">{{Cite magazine |last=Machrone, Bill |date=1985-11-26 |title=Compatibility Wars—Here and Abroad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VUKL2rKYb8UC&pg=PA59 |magazine=PC Magazine |page=59}}</ref>{{r|griffith20220927}}

== History ==
In an early review of the new IBM PC, ''[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]]'' reported that ''PC: The Independent Guide to the IBM Personal Computer'' "should be of great interest to owners".<ref name="williams198201">{{Cite news |last=Williams, Gregg |date=January 1982 |title=A Closer Look at the IBM Personal Computer |page=36 |work=BYTE |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1982-01/1982_01_BYTE_07-01_The_IBM_Personal_Computer#page/n37/mode/2up}}</ref> The first issue of '''''PC''''', dated February–March 1982,<ref name="pcmag1982febmar">{{Cite news |date=Feb–Mar 1982 |title=Front cover |page=1 |work=PC Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_OhaFDePS4C&pg=PP1}}</ref> appeared early that year.{{r|sandler198411}} (The magazine was at first advertised as ''PC Guide''.<ref name="iw19820412">{{Cite magazine |date=1982-04-12 |title=IBM Personal Computer? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YjAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA29 |access-date=2025-03-16 |magazine=InfoWorld |page=29}}</ref> The word ''Magazine'' was added to the name with the third issue in June 1982,<ref name="bunnell19820607" /> but not added to the [[logo]] until January 1986.){{r|griffith20220927}} 

''PC Magazine'' was created by [[David Bunnell]], Jim Edlin, and Cheryl Woodard<ref>{{Cite web |title=Publishing Business Group: How We Started PC Magazine |url=http://www.publishingbiz.com/html/articlepcmag.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730072755/http://www.publishingbiz.com/html/articlepcmag.html |archive-date=2016-07-30 |website=www.publishingbiz.com}}</ref> (who also helped Bunnell found the subsequent ''[[PC World]]'' and ''[[Macworld]]'' magazines).  David Bunnell, Edward Currie and Tony Gold were the magazines co-founders. Bunnell and Currie created the magazine's business plan at [[Lifeboat Associates]] in New York which included, in addition to PC Magazine, explicit plans for publication of PC Tech, [[PC Week]] and PC Expositions (PC Expo) all of which were subsequently realized. Tony Gold, a co-founder of Lifeboat Associates financed the magazine in the early stages. The magazine grew beyond the capital required to publish it; to solve this problem, Gold sold the magazine to [[Ziff Davis|Ziff-Davis]], moving from California to [[New York City]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=40 Years of PCMag: An Illustrated Guide |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/40-years-of-pcmag-an-illustrated-guide |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129161810/https://www.pcmag.com/news/40-years-of-pcmag-an-illustrated-guide |archive-date=2023-01-29 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref> By February<!-- possibly January issue already? --> 1983<!-- February 1983 vol 1, no 10 --> it was published by PC Communications Corp., a subsidiary of Ziff-Davis Publishing Co.<!-- still without ISSN -->, Bunnell and his staff left to form ''[[PC World (magazine)|PC World]]'' magazine.<ref name="InfoWorld Dec 1982">{{Cite journal |last=Wise |first=Deborah |date=December 20, 1982 |title=Staff Walks Out on ''PC Magazine'', Starts New Journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FTAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 |journal=InfoWorld |publisher=Popular Computing, Inc. |volume=4 |issue=50 |pages=1–8 |issn=0199-6649 |access-date=2015-12-22  |archive-date=2024-07-14  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714134530/https://books.google.com/books?id=FTAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The first issue of ''PC'' carried an interview with [[Bill Gates]],<ref name="bunnell1982febmar">{{Cite news |last=Bunnell |first=David |date=Feb–Mar 1982 |title=The Man Behind The Machine? |page=16 |work=PC Magazine |type=interview |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_OhaFDePS4C&pg=PA16 |access-date=2020-11-18  |archive-date=2024-02-07  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207115455/https://books.google.com/books?id=w_OhaFDePS4C&pg=PA16#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> made possible by his friendship with David Bunnell, who was among the first journalists and writers to take an interest in personal computing.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lohr |first=Steve |date=1995-06-19 |title=Adapting 60's Sensibilities to the Internet |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/19/business/adapting-60-s-sensibilities-to-the-internet.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130133846/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/19/business/adapting-60-s-sensibilities-to-the-internet.html |archive-date=2018-11-30 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

===Early transition to square binding=== 
By its third issue ''PC'' was [[square binding|square-bound]], because it was too thick for [[saddle-stitch]]. At first the magazine published new issues every two months, but became monthly as of the August 1982 issue, its fourth.<ref name="bunnell19820607">{{Cite news |last=Bunnell |first=David |date=June–July 1982 |title=For Ten Minutes PC Was Free |volume=1 |page=19 |work=PC Magazine |issue=3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_OhaFDePS4C&pg=RA2-PA19 |access-date=2020-11-18  |archive-date=2023-12-19  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219105223/https://books.google.com/books?id=w_OhaFDePS4C&pg=RA2-PA19#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 1983 a reader urged the magazine to consider switching to a biweekly schedule because of its thickness.<ref name="siebert198303">{{Cite news |last=Siebert, Bill |date=March 1983 |title=Double Time |page=31 |work=PC Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7wCiNAUEuAMC&pg=RA1-PA31 |access-date=2020-11-18  |archive-date=2023-12-19  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219105224/https://books.google.com/books?id=7wCiNAUEuAMC&pg=RA1-PA31#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> Although the magazine replied to the reader's proposal with "Please say you're kidding about the bi-weekly schedule. Please?",{{r|siebert198303}} after the December 1983 issue reached 800 pages in size,<ref name="pcmag198312">{{Cite news |date=December 1983 |title=Front cover |work=PC |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=05wAGZQlo9QC&pg=PP1 |access-date=2020-11-18  |archive-date=2023-12-19  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219105226/https://books.google.com/books?id=05wAGZQlo9QC&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> as of the 17 January 1984 issue ''PC'' began publishing new issues every two weeks,<ref name="sandler198311">{{Cite magazine |last=Sandler |first=Corey |date=November 1983 |title=Another PC Success Story |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q8fwTt09_MEC&pg=PA39 |access-date=September 25, 2025 |department=From the Editor's Screen |magazine=PC |pages=39-44 |volume=2 |issue=6}}</ref> each about 400 pages in size.<ref name="sandler198411">{{Cite news |last=Sandler |first=Corey |date=November 1984 |title=IBM: Colossus of Armonk |page=298 |work=Creative Computing |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n11/298_IBM_colossus_of_Armonk.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928013638/http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n11/298_IBM_colossus_of_Armonk.php |archive-date=2013-09-28}}</ref> In January 2008 the magazine dropped back to monthly issues.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=PC Magazine issues list |url=https://www.pcmag.com/previous_issues/0,1881,p=4,00.asp |url-status=dead |magazine=PC Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328224315/http://www.pcmag.com/previous_issues/0,1881,p=4,00.asp |archive-date=28 March 2012}}</ref> Print circulation peaked at 1.2 million in the late 1990s. In November 2008 it was announced that the print edition would be discontinued as of the January 2009 issue, but the online version at pcmag.com would continue. By this time print circulation had declined to about 600,000.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lance Ulanoff |date=November 19, 2008 |title=PC Magazine Goes 100% Digital |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2335009,00.asp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108074718/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2335009,00.asp |archive-date=2011-01-08 |website=PC Magazine}}</ref><ref name="NY Times Nov 19 2008">{{Cite news |last=Clifford |first=Stephanie |date=November 19, 2008 |title=PC Magazine, a Flagship for Ziff Davis, Will Cease Printing a Paper Version |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/business/media/20mag.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713175007/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/business/media/20mag.html |archive-date=2017-07-13}}</ref> In the December 2022 issue, it was announced that the issue was the last one following the magazine format, and focus was shifted to the pcmag.com website.

The magazine had no [[ISSN]] until 1983, when<!-- when exactly? Feb 1983 issue still had no ISSB, Dec 1983 issue had ISSN --> it was assigned {{ISSN|0745-2500}}, which was later<!-- when exactly? 1991-02 issue already was 0888-8507, but probably much earlier --> changed to {{ISSN|0888-8507}}.

PC Magazine uses [[Google Books]] as the official archive of its 27 years as a print publication.<ref name="griffith20220927">{{Cite magazine |last=griffith |first=eric |date=2022-09-27 |title=40 Years of PCMag: An Illustrated Guide |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/40-years-of-pcmag-an-illustrated-guide |url-status=live |magazine=PC Magazine |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129161810/https://www.pcmag.com/news/40-years-of-pcmag-an-illustrated-guide |archive-date=2023-01-29}}</ref>

== Editorial leadership ==
Wendy Sheehan Donnell was appointed [[editor-in-chief]] of PCMag.com in January 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Silber |first=Tony |date=January 25, 2022 |title=Ziff Media Group Appoints New PCMag and Mashable Editors-in-chief |url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/370588/ziff-media-group-appoints-editors-in-chief-at-pcm.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127021721/https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/370588/ziff-media-group-appoints-editors-in-chief-at-pcm.html |archive-date=2022-01-27 |website=MediaPost.com}}</ref> Donnell had been deputy editor <ref>{{Cite web |date=July 12, 2011 |title=New editor at PCMag.com |url=https://talkingbiznews.com/they-talk-biz-news/new-editor-at-pcmag-com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127021716/https://talkingbiznews.com/they-talk-biz-news/new-editor-at-pcmag-com/ |archive-date=2022-01-27 |website=talkingbiznews.com}}</ref> and joined PCMag.com as a senior editor covering consumer electronics in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 January 2022 |title=Ziff Media Group Appoints New PCMag and Mashable Editors-in-chief |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220124005063/en/Ziff-Media-Group-Appoints-New-PCMag-and-Mashable-Editors-in-chief |access-date=11 February 2025 |website=Businesswire}}</ref>

As of January 2025, Donnell remained as editor-in-chief and John Burek was PC Labs Director and executive editor. Alex Colon was executive editor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=<!-- not stated --> |first=<!-- not stated --> |date=11 February 2025 |title=PCMag Editorial Team |url=https://www.pcmag.com/about/pcmag-staff |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129120907/https://www.pcmag.com/about/pcmag-staff |archive-date=29 January 2025 |access-date=11 February 2025 |website=PCMag |language=English}}</ref>

=== Editorial leadership history ===
Prior to Donnell's appointment, [[Dan Costa (journalist)|Dan Costa]] was editor-in-chief from August 2011 to December 2021. [[Lance Ulanoff]] held the position of editor-in-chief from July 2007 to July 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 11, 2008 |title=Ulanoff Named Editor in Chief of PC Magazine Network |url=https://adage.com/article/btob/ulanoff-named-editor-chief-pc-magazine-network/271063 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127023216/https://adage.com/article/btob/ulanoff-named-editor-chief-pc-magazine-network/271063 |archive-date=2022-01-27 |website=adage.com}}</ref> [[Jim Louderback]] was editor-in-chief before Ulanoff, from 2005, and left to become [[chief executive officer]] of online media company [[Revision3]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Editor-in-chief
!Start
!End
|-
|Wendy Sheehan Donnell
|January 2022
|
|-
|[[Dan Costa (journalist)|Dan Costa]]
|August 2011
|December 2021
|-
|[[Lance Ulanoff]]
|July 2007
|July 2011
|-
|[[Jim Louderback]]
|2005
|2007
|}

== Development and evolution ==
The magazine evolved significantly over the years. The most drastic change was the shrinkage of the publication due to contractions in the computer-industry's ad market and the easy availability of the [[Internet]], which made computer magazines seem less necessary. This is also the primary reason for the November 2008 decision to discontinue the print version.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PC Magazine Goes 100% Digital |url=https://www.pcmag.com/archive/pc-magazine-goes-100-digital-234168 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314043628/https://www.pcmag.com/archive/pc-magazine-goes-100-digital-234168 |archive-date=2023-03-14 |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=PCMAG}}</ref> 

It has adapted to the new realities of the 21st century by reducing its once-standard emphasis on massive comparative reviews of computer systems, hardware peripherals, and software packages to focus more on the broader consumer-electronics market. From the late 1990s, the magazine more frequently reviewed [[Macintosh]] software and hardware.

As of February 2025, PCMag.com has multiple categories of coverage, including reviews, how-to articles, news, opinion, deals, PCs & hardware, mobile, electronics, smart home, health & fitness, gaming, software & services, and security. The magazine also produces product comparisons. It also releases special issues like [https://www.pcmag.com/series/get-organized Get Organized]<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 February 2025 |title=PCMag's Get Organized series |url=https://www.pcmag.com/series/get-organized |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207101718/https://www.pcmag.com/series/get-organized |archive-date=7 February 2025 |access-date=7 February 2025 |website=PCMag.com}}</ref> and an annual [https://www.pcmag.com/articles/best-tech-brands-2025 Best Tech Brands] ranking.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 February 2025 |title=The Best Tech Brands for 2025 |url=https://www.pcmag.com/articles/best-tech-brands-2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207130508/https://www.pcmag.com/articles/best-tech-brands-2025 |archive-date=7 February 2025 |access-date=7 February 2025 |website=PCMag}}</ref>

=== The creation of a hardware test facility ===
''PC Magazine'' was one of the first publications to have a formal test facility, which they called PC Labs. The name was used early in the magazine, and a physical PC Labs was built at the magazine's 1 Park Avenue, New York facility in 1986. William Wong was the first PC Labs Director.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=William |date=2018 |title=Remembering PC Mag Editors |url=https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/embedded-revolution/article/21806625/remembering-pc-mag-editors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805212504/https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/embedded-revolution/article/21806625/remembering-pc-mag-editors |archive-date=2021-08-05 |access-date=2021-03-26 |website=electronicdesign.com}}</ref> PC Labs created a series of benchmarks, of which older versions can be found on the internet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PC Magazine Labs Performance Tests 1.x |url=https://winworldpc.com/product/pc-magazine-labs-per/1x |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728112536/https://winworldpc.com/product/pc-magazine-labs-per/1x |archive-date=2021-07-28 |access-date=March 26, 2021 |website=winworldpc.com}}</ref> PC Labs was designed to help writers and editors evaluate PC hardware and software, especially for large projects like the annual printer edition where almost a hundred printers were compared using PC Labs printer benchmarks.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1986 |title=PC Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VomWiyJuttsC |journal=PCMag |volume=5 |issue=19 |access-date=2021-03-26  |archive-date=2023-12-19  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219105224/https://books.google.com/books?id=VomWiyJuttsC |url-status=live }}</ref>

== See also ==
* ''[[DOS Power Tools]]'', sponsored by PC Magazine

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website}}
* [https://archive.org/details/pc_magazine?tab=collection Archived PC magazines] on the [[Internet Archive]]
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=w_OhaFDePS4C Digitized PC magazines] on [[Google Books]]
*
{{Ziff Davis}}
{{authority control}}
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