Hardware Tips

latest

old ddr3 ram memory sticks with latency timings.
The RAM spec everyone obsesses over matters less than this one most people ignore

Frequency is good, but have you heard about its friend, latency?

msi z890 gaming plus wifi bios
The only 4 BIOS settings that actually matter for everyday performance (and how to find them)

You can find performance boosts on your existing hardware without buying anything new.

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crystaldisk info with nvme drive data.
This free tool shows if your SSD is quietly failing before it takes your files with it

Give your SSD a health check before it writes its own obituary.

5
Old but well optimized PC
Your PC draws power even when turned off — here's the one-minute fix

Your PC still consumes power when it's supposed to be off, but fixing the unnecessary power draw is simple.

4
asus zenbook a16 usbc ports.
Your USB-C port might be running at USB 2.0 speeds — here's how to check
USB

It's frustrating, but there are numerous ways to actually use a slower port once you know where it is.

Wallpaper Engine running on a PC case's touchscreen
My favorite PC upgrade improved everything, and it wasn’t the GPU

Pairing your rig with the right case can really elevate any custom-built desktop.

1
RX580 GPU on top of a box
5 reasons you should think twice before upgrading your GPU right now

This is a really bad time to be thinking about a new graphics card. Here’s why.

AMD Ryzen CPU on a motherboard
Your next CPU doesn’t need to be new — these older chips are a smarter buy
CPU

You don't need to drain your bank account to grab a quality chip.

Photo of a Windows laptop with the speed test results of an SSD
Your blazing fast SSD means nothing if you plug it into this port

You may be unknowingly throttling your SSD's speed.

Nvidia Multi Frame Generation in Marvel's Spider-Man 2
I was using V-Sync wrong for too long — then I made this one game-changing switch

Why does V-Sync have to be so confusing?

1
crystaldiskmark total host writes ssd.
Stop panicking about your drive health percentage — here's what it actually means

Drive health percentages aren't as accurate as they seem.

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Winsat command running in Windows Terminal on a HP laptop
Windows has a benchmark tool so good it makes you wonder why Microsoft never mentioned it

Windows has a secret benchmarking tool built-in

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Nvidia RTX GPU
Before you buy a used GPU, make sure to run these tests first

In the face of skyrocketing PC hardware prices, buying a used GPU can be a good choice, but make sure it passes these crucial tests first.

2
Hard Disk Sentinel Overview tab with a Samsung SSD.
I ran a health check on my SSD and found out it had more than 3 years left

I ran the test out of curiosity and ended up learning how close my storage was to wearing out.

Baseus Metal Gleam Series II 6-in-1 USB Hub plugged with all devices
Your USB hub is probably lying to you about its speed — here's how to catch it
USB

The numbers printed on the box don’t always match real-world performance.

Windows Storage settings page showing the usage breakdown for a 931 GB Local Disk (D).
Why your 1TB hard drive shows up as 931GB — and where the other 69GB went

That “lost” chunk was never really available the way you thought it was.

6
HP laptop wth K-Slot
That hole on your laptop is actually a Kensington lock

Most laptops hide a security slot you probably never noticed.

CAMM2 memory module not inserted
The RAM sticks inside your laptop may not survive what comes next

CAMM2 could change how laptop memory works forever.

5
Close up of a housed AMD Ryzen 7800X3D
This is what makes AMD’s X3D processors so good
CPU

Nearly always the top CPU on any list you'll see.

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Logitech G502X Plus mouse with box.
We all use this essential computer accessory daily, but you'd get more done without it

You use a mouse daily, but it may be slowing you down.

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