Don't Replace an Old Computer, Put an SSD In It

September 28, 2022

Did You Know?

You can tell how writers worked together on a film by looking at the way the writing credits are stylized. An “&” symbol means the writers worked directly together as a writing team and the word “and” means they worked on the script, but not together. The credits for the film The Last Time I Saw Paris, for example, shows both methods and lists the writers as “Julius J. & Philip G. Epstein and Richard Brooks”, which is meant to be read as “Julius and Philip worked together, and then Brooks worked independently on later drafts”.

Happy Wednesday! Intel revealed its 13th-generation desktop Core processors yesterday, known as “Raptor Lake.” All the new chips exceed 5 GHz, and PC makers are already starting to update their computers with the new hardware, including Alienware (Dell), MSI, and Acer.

Meanwhile, System76 updated its high-end Linux laptop with a 4K OLED screen, and Google Fiber is testing home internet speeds faster than 2 Gbps.

– Corbin

If you have the itch to upgrade an older desktop computer or splash some cash to buy a brand new laptop to get better performance, you really should start with this cheap upgrade. Read More »

Like any other program, Microsoft Excel comes with some default settings that won’t work well for everyone. You can potentially save yourself time and energy by changing what happens every time you open and work in Excel. Read More »

Need a portable Bluetooth speaker while you enjoy the Autumn weather? We love the EarFun UBoom L. This water and dust-resistant speaker is from a top-tier company in terms of budget audio, and right now, this speaker is on sale for $68.

What do you get from the UBoom L? You can read our review to learn everything about this portable speaker, but you can expect great battery life, bass that fills a room, and the aforementioned IP67 weather resistance rating. Not bad at all!

It can be hard for runners, gym goers, and workout fanatics to find a good pair of earbuds that will both stay in while exercising and that can endure an endless barrage of sweat for years to come. The ideal solution, of course, is to pick up a set designed specifically for rigorous activities, like these Jabra Elite 4 Active wireless earbuds for $89.99 ($30 off). Read More »

Like grains of sand through the hourglass, so are the releases of Chrome. Google Chrome version 105 arrived on September 27, 2022 with a work-in-progress RSS reader, translation for highlighted text, and several other upcoming features are seeing progress. Read More »

Multi-gig is the future, and many internet providers are already moving in that direction. A lot of them, like Comcast Xfinity, already have multi-gig plans, or they’re working on rolling them out. Google Fiber also wants to join the fun, with its latest field test reaching mind-bending speeds. Read More »

You may be worried that, much like the battery in your smartphone or laptop, an electric vehicle (EV)’s battery will lose capacity after just a couple of years of use. The good news is that the vast majority of Tesla batteries last far longer than that, and we’ll explain why. Read More »

System76 has been selling laptops and desktop computers with Linux in mind for years. The Oryx Pro is the company’s most powerful laptop, and now it has been updated with even better hardware. Read More »

With Intel launching its 13th gen Core CPUs, it’s just a matter of time until everyone upgrades their PC lineups to use the new chips. And Acer did so promptly. The company has announced that its Predator Orion 7000 pre-built PC is getting Intel’s new 2022 silicon. Read More »

The beta for Fedora 37 is available now, and a full release is due on October 18, 2022 (with October 25 as a fallback date in case of late-surfacing bugs). Here’s a preview of what to expect from the latest release of this uber-stable Linux distribution. Read More »

Gaming microphones are useful not only for chatting with teammates, but also for producing crisp audio during livestreams. If you want to move on from the middling microphones built into gaming headsets, take a look at our favorite gaming microphones. Read More »

If you use Wi-Fi on your computer and the connection is less than satisfactory, we’ve got a simple and inexpensive way to boost your Wi-Fi reception. Read More »

Whether you’re hosting a one-time party for a special occasion or having a weekly game night with the family, it’s never a bad idea to have an awesome card game on hand. Card games, as opposed to board games, are easier to store, usually have simpler rules, and are fantastic icebreakers at a party. Read More »

There never seems to be enough room in a backpack, yet few of us would consider upgrading in size. The fear of looking like a pack mule has haunted us since we overstuffed our bags in middle school. Now, we worry no longer! The Harber London TotePack keeps a slim profile while carrying all you need. Read More »

HyperX is no stranger to the gaming industry, but its high-end peripheral lineup still has room for growth. The Armada 25 is the company’s first foray into gaming monitors, and the 25-inch full HD screen delivers top-quality visuals with a refreshing, feature-rich experience. Read More »

Taking notes has come a long way since the loose leaf in my school notebooks were covered with swirly doodles and repeated attempts at a cool signature. Today every thought can be quickly recorded and collated in elaborate color-coded databases, just like our brains could do if they weren’t occupied by trying to remember actors’ names. Read More »

If you receive a phone call notifying you that you’re eligible for a refund, it’s probably a scam. Understanding how these scams work can help you avoid them and warn others not to fall for them either. Read More »

Apple released the original AirPods Pro in 2019, and while they’ve stayed popular, we’ve spent the three years since imagining what the follow-up would look like. Now the new model is here, and while the second-generation Apple AirPods Pro may look the same, inside everything has changed. Read More »

The Apple Watch Ultra stole the show at Apple’s September 2022 iPhone event, introducing a new tier of wearable for adventurers, divers, and extreme sports fans. Even if you don’t need it, there are some compelling reasons you might still want an Apple Watch Ultra. Read More »

Intel unveiled its new range of 13th gen Core CPUs today. Combined with the announcement of NVIDIA’s RTX 4000 graphics cards and AMD’s Ryzen 7000 range of CPUs, we’re getting a lot of new parts to build PCs with. MSI has announced a lot of hardware, including both prebuilt PCs and individual parts. Read More »

Selecting text is a common thing to do on a computer. Just click and drag your mouse to highlight the desired text. Couldn’t be simpler, right? There’s actually a much better way of doing this, and you’ll never go back. Read More »

Stage Manager was announced earlier this year as a new iPad and Mac feature, but it’s a bigger deal for iPads. It will bring overlapping application windows to the iPad for the first time, but now Apple is rethinking the feature. Read More »

The standard method to mount video doorbells and other outdoor smart gear on your home is drilling and anchoring. If you don’t want to drill holes in your house, here’s how to avoid it. Read More »

Every generation, graphics card (GPU) prices seem to be going up. NVIDIA’s new RTX 4090, for one, is a whopping $1,600. Intel’s debut in the gaming GPU space is coming with a promise to turn that tide around, starting with the Arc A770, promising high-performance promises at a fraction of the cost. Read More »

Most computer mice look and work roughly the same, but there’s always room for something new and interesting. ASUS just revealed the SmartO Mouse MD200, which has the distinction of being able to hang off a bag or other hook. Read More »

The cost of a smart thermostat certainly weighs into the decision to get one. But in many areas, power companies will give you one for a steep discount or even for free. Here’s what you need to know. Read More »