Darren Allan

Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).

Articles by: Darren Allan

Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF monitor on a desk in a home office
I'm impressed that Microsoft keeps on improving PowerToys with smart additions — but I wonder why the newest monitor trick isn't in Windows 11 by default

By Darren Allan

Power Display is a smart add-on that's arrived in the PowerToys suite of utilities, accompanied by another equally useful tool.

Web
The Wayback Machine faces another threat from AI — ridiculously expensive hard drive prices

By Darren Allan

This is yet another example of the far-reaching nature of the AI-driven component crisis.

Windows 11 on a laptop
Microsoft is fixing one of the worst problems with Windows 11 updates — those dreaded installation failures

By Darren Allan

Some Windows 11 updates might be slower in the future — but it's for a good reason.

A woman sitting in a chair looking at a Windows 11 laptop
Microsoft's rumored 'Low Latency Profile' CPU trick could make Windows 11's menus and apps load up to 70% faster

By Darren Allan

Want Windows 11's menus and apps to just work faster? Microsoft could be moving a key piece of the puzzle into place.

MacBook Neo laptop on a desk with plant in background
Budget Windows 11 laptops vs MacBook Neo — Microsoft-commissioned report points out Neo weaknesses, as Apple's rumored to double production to 10 million

By Darren Allan

Are budget Windows 11 laptops a better bet than the MacBook Neo? A new report suggests that, but skeptics aren't happy with it at all.

The radeon logo on the AMD Radeon RX 9070
AMD's CEO predicts 'higher memory and component costs' later this year — so brace yourself for Radeon GPU price hikes

By Darren Allan

Following Lisa Su's revelation, a disgruntled Redditor predicted: 'The RAM economy will permanently change and data centers will be a nuisance for the rest of recorded time'.

Using Zipped files and folders in Windows 11
Microsoft vows to make Windows 11's File Explorer much faster — and it's about time

By Darren Allan

Fed up with File Explorer running sluggishly in Windows 11? Microsoft's doing 'foundational' work to fully fix it.

girl using laptop hoping for good luck with her fingers crossed
Microsoft confirms why Windows 11 updates might be weird right now, and look like they're failing — but it's nothing to worry about

By Darren Allan

Microsoft warns that some consumers 'might experience one additional restart during installation' of Windows 11 updates.

Computer memory RAM on motherboard background
Micron CEO warns 'AI is in very early innings' and it will 'need more memory' — another ominous sign the RAM crisis isn't going anywhere

By Darren Allan

Micron has warned on the gravity of the RAM crisis, meaning that every major memory chip maker has now done so.

A young woman is working on a laptop in a relaxed office space.
Microsoft continues the good work on Windows 11, with tweaks to 'quiet' ads — and that big taskbar change is 'coming soon'

By Darren Allan

I've had my doubts about Microsoft's campaign to fix Windows 11 this year, but they're slowly melting away.

Microsoft's CEO promised the world to consumers in a speech about fixing Windows 11 — but one thing Satya Nadella said worries me

By Darren Allan

Satya Nadella talking about consumers in relation to Windows 11 is mostly reassuring, with a notable exception.

PC build in an old CRT monitor, front view showing screen and Windows XP-like desktop
Redditor builds a PC inside an old CRT monitor — it looks like an ancient iMac, but runs Cyberpunk 2077 at 100fps in 1440p

By Darren Allan

This retro PC build that uses a burnt-out old monitor as a case is like an iMac on steroids.

MacBook Neo laptop on a desk with plant in background
Tim Cook warns about 'significantly higher memory costs' from June — and not surprisingly, Mac fans think price hikes are coming down the line

By Darren Allan

Apple has weathered the RAM storm pretty well so far, but that could change before long.

Someone holding a PS5 DualSense Controller
Clever Raspberry Pi hack gets Sony's PS5 controller working properly on a gaming PC over Bluetooth

By Darren Allan

This Raspberry Pi mod is a cheap and effective way to get Sony's DualSense controller working properly on a PC with a wireless connection.

A person using the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro or M5 Max chip.
Thought the MacBook Pro was expensive? Apple's rumored MacBook Ultra could 'cost significantly more'

By Darren Allan

MacBook Ultra is again rumored — just cover your wallet's ears, as it sounds frighteningly pricey.

A woman getting frustrated by her laptop
'Is this becoming a new trend?': hardware seller's RAM tax 'feels like a sneaky way to hike prices right at checkout' — although not everyone agrees

By Darren Allan

Some buyers are predictably unhappy about the 'memory surcharge', while others welcome the transparency.

5 Comments
A fake RTX 4090 made by a scammer, showing the PCB, graphics chip and memory
Fake GPUs have gotten so good, even a repair expert was initially fooled by this scam Nvidia RTX 4090 — so be careful out there

By Darren Allan

'This is the best scam I've ever seen': repair expert can't believe how good this fake Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU is.

Woman looking tired at work
New screen tint feature discovered in Windows 11 is designed to help with eye strain and even combating migraines

By Darren Allan

Windows 11 is getting a screen tint feature to help guard against eye strain, and migraines, and it could even help with photophobia.

Intel Core Ultra processor
Intel reportedly selling 'scrap or low-expectation' chips is an ominous sign that CPU price hikes might get worse

By Darren Allan

'Turning what may have been scrap or low-expectation output into revenue': Intel's seemingly found a new way to turn a profit on CPUs, and it's an ominous sign for pricing.

A woman looking relieved at her laptop in a modern office environment
Microsoft is finally giving us full control over Windows 11 updates, including delaying them indefinitely, and I couldn't be happier

By Darren Allan

'Shutdown, Restart on your terms' with 'fewer disruptions', Microsoft says — these are overdue, but nevertheless impressive changes.

2 Comments
An image of a man in a lab coat holding a piece of RAM, next to two RAM sticks leaning against each other on a beige background
The RAM crisis just got so bad that YouTubers are making it in their sheds — and our only hope now is a consumer rebellion

By Darren Allan

Over the past week, we've suffered a whole lot more pain with RAM pricing, one way or another — and it's unlikely to get any better.

Intel Wildcat Lake laptop showing lid in green color
New Windows 11 laptop looks like a true MacBook Neo rival that should worry Apple

By Darren Allan

An Intel laptop with a new Wildcat Lake CPU is turning heads – is it more Neo than the MacBook Neo?

5 Comments
A data center with racks of servers and lots of lights glowing
SpaceX is reportedly set to make its own GPUs — but don't think it'll be competing with Nvidia's GeForce cards

By Darren Allan

Don't think you'll be putting a SpaceX Falcon GPU in your gaming PC rather than an Nvidia, AMD or Intel graphics card.

Samsung 990 Pro SSD
'Price increase of at least 10%' rumored for SSDs — but fresh CPU price hikes could be much worse

By Darren Allan

Think SSDs are way too pricey? Rumor suggests storage will soon be more expensive, sadly.

A masculing hand holding the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch at an angle
'Prices are probably going to be so bad, no one will be able to afford the things anyway': worrying rumor aired on the cost of Microsoft's next-gen Surface devices

By Darren Allan

New rumor about Microsoft's next Surface devices suggests they'll be expensive and delayed.

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