How to Check Your SSD's Health With S.M.A.R.T.

February 24, 2023

Did You Know?

Heterochromia iridum is a condition where the coloration of the eyes is different. The variation can be as subtle as one eye being light brown while the other one is dark brown, but is most noticeable when the contrast is significant such as with a blue eye and dark brown eye. In addition to humans, heterochromia iridum has also been observed in cats, dogs, horses, and cattle.

Happy Friday! There’s a new Razer Blade 15 laptop with upgraded hardware, functioning as a mix of a gaming laptop and MacBook Pro. In the software world, Google Docs is adding smarter suggestions, and Qualcomm showed off a demo of Stable Diffusion running on an Android phone.

– Corbin

The file system on Windows PCs and Macs is full of folders: Pictures, Documents, Music, and, of course, Downloads. Despite our best efforts, the Downloads folder is often the catch-all, and yours is probably overdue for a cleaning. Read More »

The last thing you need when streaming shows and music from your favorite apps–like Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify–is to have your VPN slow down or even stall your connection. With IPVanish, buffering is a thing of the past. IPVanish is ranked among the top five fastest VPNs on the market, especially when streaming content. Sign up for two years of IPVanish today at just $2.92 (75% off) per month and never worry about slowdowns again.

Most of us are carrying around more devices than ever before, which has led to the popularity of more powerful battery banks. Morphie has a few new batteries to keep all your devices juiced up all the time, even if you’re on the go. Read More »

Buy Microsoft’s latest 13-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 9 by February 26 and get everything you need to utilize every feature of the laptop/tablet combo device. The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 with Pro Signature Keyboard and Surface Slim Pen 2 bundle is on sale for $1,699.99 ($179.99 off), marking the first time we’ve seen the Surface Pro 9 featured in a well-discounted package. Read More »

A portable turntable might seem strange, but it’s more useful than you might think! You can easily take the Victrola Re-Spin anywhere and have a good turntable to play your (or someone else’s) vinyls. You won’t need to worry about any of the turntable’s more fragile parts being jostled out of place in transit, either!

Not quite sold? Our review of the Victrola Re-Spin might change your mind. The Re-Spin is also 20% off right now, bringing the price down to $80.

Much of the excitement around AI has transitioned to chatbots, but image generation with tools like Stable Diffusion remains popular. Stable Diffusion has now been demonstrated to run on an Android phone, without the need for external servers. Read More »

It’s the final week of February 2023 (already), and we’ve got the deals to end it right. Today, save up to hundreds of dollars on the latest 11-inch iPad Pro, an ultra-affordable SSD from Crucial, automated robot vacuum from Ecovacs, and plenty more. Read More »

Apple introduced MagSafe on the iPhone 12 series, and it has stuck around as a charging option on all subsequent models. Now you can pick up a MagSafe charger for just $32, a discount from the usual price of $34-40. Read More »

Encountering an error while trying to use ChatGPT? Unfortunately, when a service booms in popularity you’re more likely to see server errors, connection errors, and other problems. Here’s what you can do about it. Read More »

Anker makes some of the best chargers around, especially compact models. You can now get the company’s bite-sized 40W USB Type-C wall charger for just $28.79. Read More »

Whether you’re dealing with an unreliable power supply or want to make sure you can charge your essential gadgets when far away from the grid, a solar charger is an essential part of your hiking, travel, or emergency kit. Read More »

Windows 11 normally requires a Microsoft account when you set it up, but you can bypass Microsoft account creation and use a local account instead. Here’s how to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account or convert an existing Microsoft account to a local account. Read More »

PC enthusiasts love making things go faster than the product manufacturer says it should, and there are clear benefits to overclocking, say, a CPU. You can also overclock a monitor, but it might not be obvious why anyone would do that. Read More »

Hard drives and SSDs use S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) to gauge their own reliability and determine if they’re failing. You can view your hard drive’s S.M.A.R.T. data and see if it has started to develop problems. Read More »

If you’ve gotten the hang of smart chips and smart canvas features in Google Docs, they can truly be a gamechanger. They integrate your document with other Google services, let you pull data more easily, and make your document feel more alive. Now, we’re getting even more of them. Read More »

Whether you’ve been working on a project, cleaning the house, or running after kids all day, sometimes adults need naps, too. If you have the chance to schedule one into your day, is there a best time to nap? Read More »

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have raised the bar for wireless earbuds thanks to next-gen noise canceling, convenient features, and excellent audio performance. But which pair are the best earbuds for you? We’ll break it all down to help you find the perfect pair. Read More »

You’ve probably heard cold brew drinkers talk about just how strong of a kick they get in the mornings from the drink. But does cold brew have more caffeine? Potentially, but it depends on a few different factors. Read More »

When it comes to getting cozy, nothing does the trick quite like the perfect throw blanket. Unfortunately, these warm and fuzzy blankets are prone to getting dirty. After all, many of us cart them around our homes like emotional support items. Read More »

Computer keyboards are having a bit of a moment right now, and tenkeyless models are at the forefront. But the benefits of a tenkeyless or “TKL” layout aren’t always obvious, especially if you can’t tell the difference between a full-sized keyboard and a tenkeyless alternative. Read More »

The Meta Quest VR headsets are brilliant standalone VR systems packed with accessible games and experiences, but these affordable VR machines can do much more than you may realize. These are ten of the coolest features you should try today. Read More »

There are many excellent video editors for Windows, Mac, Linux, and even iPad, but the situation is bleaker on Chromebooks and Android devices. Thankfully, there’s some good news, as LumaFusion has arrived. Read More »