Gordon Mah Ung, PCWorld editor and renowned hardware journalist, dies at 58

PCWorld executive editor Gordon Mah Ung, a tireless journalist we once described as a founding father of hardcore tech journalism, passed away over the weekend after a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Gordon was 58, and leaves behind a loving wife, two children, older sister, and mother.

With more than 25 years’ experience covering computer tech broadly and computer chips specifically, Gordon’s dogged reporting, one-of-a-kind personality, and commitment to journalistic standards touched many, many lives. He will be profoundly missed by co-workers, industry sources, and the PC enthusiasts who read his words and followed him as a video creator.

Gordon studied journalism at San Francisco State University and then worked as a police reporter for the Contra Costa Times in the late 1990s. In 1997, he joined Computerworld (a PCWorld sister publication) before I recruited him to join boot magazine (later re-launched as Maximum PC), where he would ultimately lead hardware coverage for 16 years.

At Maximum PC, Gordon developed his trademark voice that blended a hardcore passion for PC tech with non-sequiturs, deadpan humor, and occasional bursts of outrage. As a very early podcaster in the tech space, Gordon’s “Rant of the Week” segment on the Maximum PC pod became so legendary, someone made a soundboard of his best sound bytes. (Caution: It can get a bit NSFW in the finest Gordon tradition.) As I listened to his rants from my office, he always had me guessing, “Is he really that angry, or is he playing us?”

And that was part of Gordon’s genius. His number one commitment was to investigating the story, informing the public, and helping people make the best technology decisions. But layered on top of all of this was a master showman who effortlessly connected with like-minded enthusiasts.

During much of his time at Maximum PC, Gordon was the lead designer, builder and dreamer behind the magazine’s annual Dream Machine project, which entailed creating the most outrageous, high-performing PC possible. Throughout these building endeavors, he cemented his relationships with Intel, AMD, Nvidia, and other hardware manufacturers too numerous to mention.

Gordon’s goal was to get the newest, best, most high-performing parts before anyone else. And it didn’t end with CPUs and GPUs. If a piece of technology went into a PC build, Gordon had an encyclopedic knowledge about all of it—memory, storage, PSUs, cases, cooling, and beyond.

Gordon was also the unnamed author of Maximum PC’s consumer-advocate “Watchdog” column. As the mysterious Watchdog, Gordon responded to reader complaints about fly-by-night companies and failing products, and applied all his investigative skills to help readers reach a resolution. It was a perfect merger of consumer service, deep reporting and tech smarts that only Gordon could own.

Sort of like Star Trek’s Scotty who preferred sticking to his technical manuals, Gordon resisted taking the helm of Maximum PC, but eventually agreed to become Editor-in-Chief in 2014. Flash forward to later that year, when I once again asked for his help—this time to join PCWorld as executive editor in charge of hardware.

At PCWorld, Gordon immediately began imprinting his knowledge and personality on our articles and video. His deep-dive CPU reviews were epic, and continued a legacy of no-BS chip coverage that nonetheless earned the trust and respect of the companies he covered. Some of his first segues into video took the form of our Hardcore Hardware series where he married his deep wealth of knowledge with trademark Gordon theatrics.

But it wasn’t until we launched The Full Nerd video podcast in 2016, and set Gordon loose on many more video formats, did he come full circle as a creator. As the host of The Full Nerd, Gordon was able to deliver all his knowledge and analysis at a much faster pace—and if you’ve seen The Full Nerd, you know just how much he loved everything the PC scene has to offer.

Through his expanded presence on The Full Nerd, Gordon developed deep relationships with not only other YouTube creators, but also with dedicated followers. You could almost hear his fan base cheering him on via the comments feed during live shows. I have often thought that the way Gordon shared his reporting in print and on podcasts served as model for what PC hardware YouTube would become—unapologetically nerdy, opinionated, and full of attitude. But Gordon always delivered a crucial additional element: a legit journalism background and all the rigor it entails.

Gordon continued to shoot video and appear on The Full Nerd until weeks before his death. Talk about a commitment to beat coverage. He was following the story to the very end.

I met Gordon in journalism school and spent a lot of time with him in the trenches—sharing cubicle spaces, and hearing him riff. I’ll remember his endless debates with co-workers (his bob-and-weave rhetorical style was as maddening as it was entertaining). I’ll remember his two-hour long phone interviews with sources (he interrogated them like a pro, but played the long game in cultivating trust). I’ll remember his reliability in always asking about the TPS reports when some bureaucratic email landed in our inboxes. I’ll remember him slyly trolling me by calling the series “Star Track” even though I’m 99 percent sure he knew that’s not how it’s pronounced.

He might have been the staff curmudgeon, but he was also our most fun co-worker, bar none.

I’ve long held this romantic notion, maybe foolishly, that journalists are immortalized by their canon. And of all the tech journalists I’ve personally known, no one has a deeper canon, and has touched more followers, and has earned more respect from industry heavyweights than Gordon. From his earliest days on Maximum PC to his last days on PCWorld and the Full Nerd, Gordon touched people in a way I just haven’t seen anywhere else. He’s leaving a gaping hole in the hearts of those who loved him, but what he’s given us lives forever. – Jon Phillips, editorial director, PCWorld

Gordon’s family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses. Please donate to them if you can.

Gordon Mah Ung, remembered

Here are more reflections from those who knew Gordon well. If you’d like to share some thoughts on what Gordon meant to you, please email Brad Chacos, PCWorld executive editor, at bchacos@pcworld.com. Unfortunately, we will not be able to add all submissions to this article.

‘The journalist and person I wanted to be when I grow up.’

Here’s something Gordon never knew. He was the beacon for my career before I even had my career. I was born in the early 80s. I was a wide-eyed teen when Gordon was blazing trails in boot and Maximum PC in the late 90s. This was my introduction to enthusiast PC culture, long before the Internet exploded.

After spending years unloading trucks and working in factories, I eventually took the plunge into tech journalism. I had $2,000 in the bank and a 6-month-old daughter, but I wanted to do what Gordon did. I ground out endless $15 articles on a content farm called Demand Media. I was eventually added to the tech vertical, which Salon syndicated. And those Salon clips got me a freelance gig with Maximum PC’s nascent Web Blog. YES!

The first time I got an email from Gordon with insights on something I was working on, I swooned—and listened, and hustled. Eventually I was fortunate enough to work alongside Gordon at PCWorld, then become his co-host on The Full Nerd, and loooong after that, his boss. (WUT!) I learned so much from him. Gordon always remained my inspiration; the journalist and person I wanted to be when I grow up. He still is.

He never knew that. I wish he did, because Gordon literally changed my life. Follow in the footsteps of greatness, kids. And Gordon was the GOAT. — Brad Chacos, PCWorld executive editor and Gordon Mah Ung stan

Brad was Gordon’s co-host on The Full Nerd podcast and wrote a separate article remembering his favorite episode — a masterclass in what made Gordon Gordon.

‘He remembered who came before him, and created space for those who would follow’

I may write for a living, but I can’t do justice to Gordon in words. But I know he would nudge me, as he always has, to go for it. See where it takes me.

PC building is what led me to cross paths with Gordon—I first met him while sneaking peeks at the wild and wonderful PC builds on the other side of my cubical wall. At the time, I was a video games journalist, covering a platform I’d later get mercilessly razzed about on The Full Nerd.

But I liked tech, and I liked learning about PC hardware. It was a trait that Gordon encouraged, nurtured, and transformed into an entire new branch of my career. Gordon was the kind of guy who did that casually, too. His profound love for PC hardware made him open and generous, always actively keeping seats open at the table for others. He remembered who came before him, and created space for those who would follow him.

In every capacity I’ve known him—boss, mentor, colleague—he taught me to stay humble, lead with curiosity, and remain fair in coverage. Combined with his laser-sharp precision and analysis, his example forever motivates me to think deeply and thoughtfully. The industry will not be the same without him. —Alaina Yee, PCWorld senior editor and Maximum PC alumni

‘He welcomed me in and let me know I belonged’

Newsrooms attract characters. Misfits, hopeless optimists, unrepentent goofballs, anti-establishment types, lovable weirdos, and willful contrarians. Gordon was all of those things, but most of all, he was kind.

He was always first in line to help a friend in need. When there was an emergency, he ran toward it. I don’t think he was a Boy Scout, but he was always prepared.

When I was the new guy at Maximum PC, I knew all about computers and nothing about magazines. Gordon didn’t care. He welcomed me in and let me know I belonged there. He answered all of my stupidest questions, helped me when I needed help, and let me make mistakes when I needed to mess up. And he made sure that we all got into good trouble on the reg.

He taught me that our job, as editors, is always to serve the reader. It didn’t matter that advertisers paid the bills; the people who trusted us to give them advice and guidance were always our number one priority. It was his guiding principle and he lived it every day. He was never afraid of speaking truth to power in service of the reader. And he taught so many young journalists to do the same.

I already miss my friend terribly, but I’m profoundly grateful that I got to share a small part of his journey with him. The world is a worse place without him. —Will Smith, Full Nerd regular and former Maximum PC editor-in-chief

‘Gordon was always at the center of it’

I hardly need to list Gordon’s many great attributes—he was a beloved legend in the PC community for a reason. But I’m among a smaller number of people who had the privilege of working with him day to day on a team, first at Maximum PC and then PCWorld. Despite being a larger-than-life figure for both of those brands, Gordon was the consummate team member—always willing to patiently explain something, always down to riff and collaborate, always kind and respectful of others. He seemed to genuinely thrive on the group effort.

My favorite work memories are of the Maximum PC bullpen where the staff would banter and laugh seemingly all day—it’s amazing we ever got anything done. Gordon was always at the center of it. He was a truly outstanding individual who I’m proud to have worked with and know as a friend. —Katherine Stevenson, PCWorld managing editor and Maximum PC alumni

‘Gordon was the newsiest nerd I’ve ever known’

It’s fair to say Gordon helped define what PCWorld is today, from our mission to especially our voice. I grew up in a newsroom, and Gordon was the newsiest nerd I’ve ever known: utterly dedicated to depth, accuracy, and context, but with a cynical, collegial sense of humor. He also cared deeply about understanding how tech worked and unearthing its deep, dark secrets that manufacturers glossed over. The man simply loved his job. We all loved him. – Mark Hachman, senior editor, PCWorld

‘We are fortunate to have had someone so genuine fighting for us’

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Gordon Mah Ung is an irreplaceable force of good for this industry and for consumers. His background in police reporting and journalism afforded a strong foundation to his work and a unique perspective not found anywhere else in the computer reporting business. Like many others, Gordon’s work in Maximum PC inspired me long before I was ever in the industry.

Gordon and I got along from day one, and I will forever keep his perspective in mind. His presence at events will be greatly missed. Gordon Mah Ung has long been my favorite co-host in videos for his “real” demeanor and his candor; he is exactly who he presents himself as on camera, and we are fortunate to have had someone so genuine fighting for us in this industry. Gordon, thank you for everything you have taught me, and thank you for unwaveringly looking out for consumers. —Steve Burke, editor-in-chief, GamersNexus

‘If Gordon praised my system, it felt like I’d won an Oscar’

Gordon reviewed our PCs for 25 years, and he has written more kind words about my company than anyone. It’s a bittersweet honor to offer a few words about Gordon in return.

For the first decade I knew Gordon, I learned little about him personally. He was like a test we had to pass. At Maximum PC, he was the ultimate authority on whether the systems we were building were worth anyone buying. If Gordon praised my system, it felt like I’d won an Oscar. But he never let a missed detail get by him, and trying to impress Gordon has become a constant of my career. I would not be where I am today without Gordon’s approval.

But over the years I was fortunate enough to get to know Gordon a bit personally. I always felt privileged when he’d call me for long off-the-record talks about the latest PC industry intrigue, and we’d inevitably tangent off to talking about Aliens or Star Trek, or “the kids building PCs these days who don’t know how easy they have it.” Gordon was a kindred spirit: an O.G. sci-fi and computer nerd who loved tech, and always remembered the point of the hobby was having fun with cool toys.

But the biggest impression he made on me was when he and his family stopped by my shop a few years ago. Such wonderful people, and I was so impressed by his children: kind, smart and funny—exactly whom you’d expect Gordon to have made the world better with. Meeting them, I learned his legacy was not just in what he wrote, but in who he taught, and who he loved. Thank you, Gordon.—Kelt Reeves, Falcon Northwest

‘A truly inquisitive journalist, he sought the stories behind the stories’

Most of us know Gordon as a long-time tech journalist, as one of the best and the most passionate in the industry. Gordon was a truly inquisitive journalist, he sought the stories behind the stories by taking a real interest in the products, companies, and the people behind them. 

I was lucky enough to know Gordon as a friend. We checked-in often with one another. I would ask about his health, and he would ask about my flying. Occasionally, we’d talk industry updates but most of our conversations were about family, friends, life, and the things that matter most. He was so proud of his family, not too long ago sending me Halloween Ghostbusters pics and the amazing photos his son took at an air show last year. I will miss our conversations and my friend. He was one of the best and forever will be. —Frank Azor, Chief Architect of Gaming Solutions, AMD, and Alienware co-founder

‘Any good work I do reflects at least in part on Gordon’

If you’ve ever done research on anything technical, chances are you’ve read something Gordon wrote. His keen intellect and razor-sharp wit helped him connect the dots on both the technology and the people that make up our modern world. His talent for investigation was honed over a long and storied career; he was a force in our industry. I will miss his advice and insight, as I am sure will many others.

Often one can infer a lot about a person from their writing, and while I’m sure a kind reasonableness comes through clearly in Gordon’s writing, his was a type of kindness and patience that is exceedingly rare. Gordon always loved to chat, find out what you were up to, and was always kind and thoughtful. While his writing and insights have become a part of computing history, any good work I do reflects at least in part on Gordon because of his positive influences. So, in that way, he will live on in the work of others.

I will forever have fond memories of our many chats, and while I’d love to have just one more chat, I am thankful that he is able to rest for a while. —Wendell Wilson, Level1Techs

‘Gordon was uncannily skilled at demystifying complex technology’

Gordon Mah Ung wasn’t just the most talented tech journalist of his generation; he was one of the best tech journalists of all time. Brutally honest, yet eminently humble, Gordon was uncannily skilled at demystifying complex technology for readers of every stripe. Both in writing and during live podcasts, Gordon schooled and entertained us with his wicked sense of humor. – Michael Brown, executive editor, TechHive and boot magazine alumni

Author: Jon Phillips, Editorial Director, North America