In 2010 we went through the single largest redesign in AnandTech history. We modernized the site, finally moved to a tag based architecture and made a number of other tweaks. The web moves a lot quicker than it did even just 3 years ago, so last year we started working on another significant redesign. Today marks the debut of that design.

Going into the redesign we wanted to accomplish three major goals. First, we wanted to have a design that put our smartphone and tablet coverage on equal footing with our traditional PC roots. The redesign consolidates our coverage areas into four major categories: PC Components, Smartphones & Tablets, Desktops & Notebooks and finally Enterprise. The super categories are largely self explanatory and you can drill down into each one of them for more specific navigation.

It's important that our site design reflects our internal focuses. We are as committed as ever to our PC component coverage, but we also devote an equal amount of time to what we're doing in the new mobile space. From my perspective, whether it's a smartphone or a server, we're still talking about some form of computer - just in a different case.

Our second major goal with the redesign was to more prominently feature Pipeline, our short form content section. We launched Pipeline in late 2011 as a way of dealing with content that either didn't demand our full review treatment or that we didn't have time to dedicate deep analysis to. Since then Pipeline has become a very important part of the site, and we wanted to elevate its position on the front page as a result. Pipeline stories on the right are ordered from newest to oldest, with even older pipeline stories appearing under the 2x2 grid of featured articles.

Finally, we wanted a design that would be more accessible and speak to the broader nature of our audience. While you all know why you come to AnandTech, it's very important to our continued success and ability to remain independent that the site accurately reflects the diverse audience. Whether you're coming to us for motherboard reviews, analysis of the latest microprocessor architectures or to figure out which smartphone or tablet to buy, you're likely a person relied on by dozens of others for recommendations.  We remain an independent website, which comes with its own challenges when it comes to proving our worth to the agencies and marketing organizations that help keep us operational. Looking the part is just as important as having the content to back it up.

We made sure not to take away any features with the redesign. We still include our well used Print View on all articles, but now allow you to use it both for single page reading as well as for actual printing. The previous Print View didn't have all of the styling of our article pages since it was purely optimized for printing, now we have both modes.

Other features have been enhanced as well. The View All Comments button now actually lets you view all comments on a single page, rather than just showing you 50 comments per page. You can also now permalink to individual comments. I'm always humbled by just how awesome your comments are, now we can finally link directly to individual ones. 

We now support larger images inline (we will be adding site-wide retina/hi-DPI support soon!) and our graph style has been updated as well, which you'll start seeing us take advantage of with all new content going forward. The review body text is also larger and hopefully easier to read, which should help when we post some of our ultra long form content. 

The Podcast now has a permanent link at the top of the page as well - thanks to all you who have been asking for that.

The Twitter feed on the front page now includes tweets from a number of staff members including Brian, Ganesh, Jarred and myself. We've also made it easier to follow us on Twitter and Facebook with direct links in our header (hint: it helps us tremendously if you do). Our most recommended content on Facebook is also nicely streamed in to the right of the site as well.

There are more functional changes that we'll be introducing throughout the new year. We just had to get the redesign out of the way first so we could start building on it.

I hope you all enjoy the site redesign. I know big changes aren't always easy to get used to, and as always you have my commitment to fix/improve anything that truly needs it. I'd love to hear your feedback on the design in the comments below.

I'd like to close with a thanks to all of you for continuing to read and support the site. I've always said that AnandTech is your site and I do firmly believe that. We are here to serve you and you are what make this site possible. Thank you for reading, and thanks for making the past 16 years possible. If you are a relative newcomer, please be sure to check out our About page that helps explain the philosophies that drive us.

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  • random2 - Wednesday, March 13, 2013 - link

    Congratulations Anand and staff. Site looks great. Big, bold and beautiful, kinda like my second girlfriend.
    Not a complaint, but even with a monitors brightness turned down the white space can be a little overwhelming at times. I know I could turn it down even further, but then I couldn't see the buggers in the bushes in BF 3. Just a little off the 96 brightness would be great!
    Thanks again for all the great things you have brought us and taught us over the years without resorting to pop-unders/ups and overs, and no auto sound or video files. It's been a great pleasure. :-)
  • Beenthere - Thursday, March 14, 2013 - link

    Your comment illustrates the differences viewers are actually seeing on screen and that we are not all seeing the same design.

    Most folks were happy with the previous site design because it appeared proper and reasonable to the majority whereas the new design does not format or flow properly for many if not most people. AnandTech needs to resolve whatever issues are causing the wide variations in screen display for so many people and address the need for constant scrolling, conflicting sidebars, gray on gray test/bars, missing text in click boxes, etc. if they ever hope to retain or grow their audience - which is the primary reason for the site redesign.
  • CeriseCogburn - Thursday, March 14, 2013 - link

    I think the primary reason is they fall into the retarded lemmings profile they so desperately need to.
    The web redesign hits at the same time every year, you can see the major sites all caving in to the go-arounds in a short time period. They're all retarded lemmings is the real answer. They spend the money to "feel good they are keeping up with the modern Jones".
    It's as dumb as it gets.
    If they wanted pure html 5 just recode for that - that's a simple answer, so that is NO EXCUSE.
  • NeBlackCat - Thursday, March 14, 2013 - link

    Dont like it - harder to read on my smartphone due to more columns and the massive "more pipeline stories"..and who cares what happens on facebook or twitter. Or did I miss how to invoke the mobile site?
  • CeriseCogburn - Thursday, March 14, 2013 - link

    So the verdict is it totally sucks, and yes it does.
  • svizec - Thursday, March 14, 2013 - link

    2003 called, they want their design back. Seriously, this new redesign is so ugly and dysfunctional, I first thought I had a cache problem. It was even worse when I realized that you intended to make it look like this. This design update is a big step back. There is no excuse for producing such a mess in 2013. I suggest you consider hiring some talented people who understand how to make a well laid-out, responsive page that delivers relevant content to the users without making them scroll all over the place while simultaneously presenting them with huge areas of whitness. I am disappointed. Badly.
  • kleinkinstein - Thursday, March 14, 2013 - link

    Web and data design is my business, and this is horrid! Look, feel, color, architecture, and flow is atrocious. Get your money back! For your sake I hope this "new look" isn't the byproduct of some "new strategy" and "new brand", because it typically always is. And speaking of...enough smartphone crap already! You're better than this...I think. If I hear Brian Klug on one more podcast I'll quit you as a follower.
  • Gigaplex - Thursday, March 14, 2013 - link

    The redesign doesn't work on my HTC Legend. The browser just completely locks up when trying to load it, and won't load any site thereafter until I task kill it. This happens with the stock browser from Cyanogenmod 7, Dolphin and Opera. What on earth is the new site doing?
  • jaquadro - Friday, March 15, 2013 - link

    After using this new design for a few days now, I still find it far more difficult to navigate than the old design. Does your pipeline move fast enough to warrant being split up into multiple places -- breaking the flow of your main article feed in the process? Only during a few key events throughout the year, from what I've seen.

    I'll keep visiting because of the quality of the content, but I will be doing so in spite of this new design, and with a new tinge of disgust.
  • Haydon987 - Friday, March 15, 2013 - link

    I have to mirror what a couple other people have already said. My HTC MyTouch 4G Slide (T-Mobile) cannot load this redesigned page. As with the other reports, my web browser locks up then shuts off.

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