Kate Irwin

I’m a reporter for PCMag covering tech news early in the morning. Prior to joining PCMag, I was a producer and reporter at Decrypt and launched its gaming vertical, GG. I have previously written for Input, Game Rant, Dot Esports, and other places, covering a range of gaming, tech, crypto, and entertainment news.

I’ve been a PC gamer since The Sims (yes, the original) in the CD-ROM days. I still think about my first-gen pink iPod mini, which, looking back, was not so mini. In 2020, I finally built my own custom Windows PC for gaming with a 3090 graphics card, but I also regularly use Mac and iOS devices. As a reporter, I’m passionate about documenting the wide world of tech and how it affects our daily lives.

My Areas of Expertise

• Microsoft

• Google

• Artificial intelligence 

• Cybersecurity

• Video games are a big one. I specialize in shooters (Apex Legends, Fortnite, Overwatch) but I occasionally test out other genres as well, especially indie games or cozy games (The Sims series, Animal Crossing). 

• The business and tech that powers video games

• Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology

• Social media platforms, including Meta’s apps, X/Twitter, Telegram, TikTok, etc.

• Tech regulation

The Technology I Use

• MSI gaming laptops

• Nvidia graphics cards

• AMD CPUs

• MacBook Pro and Air laptops

• An iPhone from 2019 (though I’m thinking about getting a “dumb phone” like the Light Phone)

• Nintendo Switch

• PlayStation 5

• Freewrite Traveler 

• At home: Sonos speakers (we have them all over the house), Philips Hue + Ring security products