SSDs and HDDs may be equally reliable, all of Apple's new products, GPU prices are falling, and more

March 9, 2022

Despite a general lack of research or data, we often assume that SSDs are more reliable than old-fashioned hard drives. But a new Backblaze report reveals some interesting results—SSDs and HDDs may be equally reliable.

Backblaze ran thousands of HDDs and SSDs through real-world tests to find their average failure rate. And while the company’s data on SSDs is quite valuable, we’re not sure that it proves anything conclusive. Check our top story to see why we’re questioning the results of Backblaze’s latest report.

• Apple announced several new products during its “Peek Performance” event, including a cheap iPhone and the next-gen M1 processor.
• A new program could turn GM EVs into emergency generators for the electric grid. But will it work?
• Graphics cards are cheaper than they’ve been in over a year. But is a new GPU worth your money?

-Andrew

We often assume that SSDs are more reliable and long-lasting than HDDs, which makes sense, given that SSDs don’t contain any moving parts. But a new Backblaze report calls that assumption into question. According to the cloud storage company’s real-world tests, SSDs and HDDs are equally reliable. Read More »

If you live in a city, or at least spend lots of time working and navigating around in one, a quality e-bike can be an invaluable asset in helping you get around. Urban mobility specialist Tern just unveiled its latest e-bike, the Quick Haul, optimized to ease your city commutes. Read More »

Today is Apple day! The company took to the virtual stage and unveiled a slew of new products, including a powerful iPad Air, a revised iPhone SE with 5G, and more. Read More »

And just like that, Apple set the benchmark even higher. The company debuted its outrageous new M1 Ultra chipset alongside the Mac Studio, a new product that will eventually serve as the middle ground between Mac Mini and Mac Pro—though, for the time being, it’s technically a Mac Pro replacement. Read More »

Apple just held its first event of 2022, dubbed “Peek Performance” and announced the new and improved third-generation iPhone SE 5G. With some much-needed updates, this version is now one of the best budget-friendly smartphones on the market. Read More »

Puzzles are a fun and low-key way to pass time and engage your brain. They’re extra fun when they contain a famous image, like this one does of Van Gogh’s beautiful “Starry Night” painting. This puzzle contains 1000 pieces and measures 26.75 x 19.25 inches. The border of the puzzle looks like a fancy gilt frame, which adds an additional challenge. The puzzle is made from high-quality recycled cardboard and has a special surface film treatment that keeps the colors bold and each piece resistant to bends and wear over time.

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It’s a new year, and that means new Apple products. Announced during its Peek Performance event livestream, the latest 2022 iPad Air 5th generation made its debut. The slim tablet follows the same path as the iPad Pro from last year, getting a powerful new Apple M1 chipset, optional 5G connectivity, and an improved front camera with Center Stage support. Read More »

You spent good money on a nice pair of headphones, so stop tossing them on your desk or leaving them dangling precariously off a drawer knob. Rest your favorite headphones on one of these great made-for-the-task stands instead. Read More »

General Motors on Tuesday announced a new partnership and pilot program with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. that aims to use electric vehicles to power homes or even the electrical grid. GM’s new EVs support bi-directional charging and can send power back to homes instead of only receiving electricity. Read More »

As reported by 3DCenter, graphics card pricing is on a significant downward trend. Both NVIDIA and AMD GPUs are at their lowest price in over a year, and graphics cards could sell at MSRP within three months. So, is now the time to buy that RTX 3080 you’ve been drooling over? Read More »

You can’t just buy a Steam Deck at Amazon or Walmart. Much like an electric car, the Steam Deck is only available with a reservation, which will take several months to fulfill. So, if you’re even slightly interested in Valve’s portable console, you should make a reservation today—you can always cancel it if you change your mind. Read More »

If you’re planning on doing intensive gaming, GPU computing, graphics rendering, Folding@home, or crypto mining on your graphics card, you might be worried that your GPU will wear out from heavy use. But will it? We’ll investigate. Read More »

On March 8, 2022, Apple unveiled the M1 Ultra, its latest and most powerful Apple Silicon SoC that will take Apple’s Macs to a whole new level of performance. Here’s a look at what makes it notable. Read More »

Passenger drones promise to give us personal air transport without the need for a pilot. It almost feels like the flying cars we’ve all wished for at one time or another—especially when stuck in bumper-to-bumper morning traffic! Read More »