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

Photo of RTX Spark chip
Dell's new Nvidia RTX Spark mini PC has distinct Mac Studio vibes — and I think it could tempt buyers away from Apple given its current stock woes

By Darren Allan Published

Is the Dell XPS RTX Spark Desktop a genuine alternative to Apple's powerhouse? It might well be, alongside other mini PCs with Nvidia's N1X chip.

Female couple sitting on sofa with Microsoft Surface tablet, both laughing
Is Microsoft finally going to de-spam Windows 11 search? It looks that way — and I'm shocked that my most-wanted change could be incoming

By Darren Allan Published

Windows 11 search could soon get a vital change to make it more usable.

Cristiano Amon, Jensen Huang and Rafael Sotomayor on stage at Computex 2026
'Resistance is futile': the 5 most revealing quotes from Computex 2026 — and what they tell us about the future of computing

By Darren Allan Published

Weighty quotes from the likes of Microsoft's Satya Nadella and Nvidia's Jensen Huang, with a Borg-like prediction from Qualcomm's Cristiano Amon.

A masculine hand holding up an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 against a green background
Nvidia RTX 5000 Super GPU refreshes could arrive in 2026 after all — with a surprise addition that won't destroy your wallet like the others

By Darren Allan Published

Has Nvidia changed its mind about RTX Super GPU refreshes for Blackwell? Apparently, although I remain skeptical...

A man typing on a Windows 11 laptop
The MacBook Neo kickstarted an 8GB RAM trend — and seeing new Windows 11 laptops from Dell, Acer, and Microsoft following its lead has me worried

By Darren Allan Published

What's good for the Neo is also good for the XPS and Surface? Price-wise, that may be true — but what about future-proofing?

A robot standing thoughtfully in front of a giant digital display with code on it
AIs like ChatGPT fall apart in classic 'Stroop' psychological test — and that could stand in the way of achieving artificial general intelligence

By Darren Allan Published

New research is causing quite some controversy on Reddit — but it makes some very interesting points.

Woman using mouse
In a shock move from nowhere, it seems Microsoft is finally giving Windows 11 users the ability to configure the right-click menu

By Darren Allan Published

This could be a key change for the context-sensitive menu in Windows 11.

Garmin Forerunner 970
Garmin says older runners are surprisingly doing the longest runs — see how you compare in the latest fascinating Connect data

By Darren Allan Published

Those in their fifties ran the furthest distance on average, and the VO2 max of Garmin runners is impressive.

Garmin Venu 4 palm gesture
Garmin's big software update is inbound, but these older watches will miss out — see if your Forerunner, Fenix, or Vivoactive is on the list

By Darren Allan Published

Owners of relatively recent Garmin watches may be disappointed to learn that they don't get the new features in the Q2 update.

An AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D in a masculine hand
Price pressures in building PCs 'aren't going away anytime soon' warns AMD exec — but new budget CPU could be in the works

By Darren Allan Published

'We know the pressures that are there in building systems aren't going away anytime soon': AMD exec hints at possible relief with new budget Ryzen CPU.

The Intel logo next to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang holding a laptop on stage at Computex 2026
'I think it's a good thing': Intel seemingly 'welcomes the competition' from Nvidia RTX Spark CPU — but I doubt that's the case behind closed doors

By Darren Allan Published

Intel is playing it cool about Nvidia's new CPU, but I suspect that in reality it's worried that this could be bad news for its laptop dominance.

Happy man with laptop on his lap
Windows 11 search is getting a fix for a glaring issue that really bugs me — and it's about time

By Darren Allan Published

Microsoft is improving Windows search in a number of ways, and this is an important tweak.

Header image depicting the best android antivirus providers
Best Android Antivirus apps for 2026: Secure Your Data with Expert Recommendations

By Benedict Collins last updated

Updated Android malware and scams aren't going anywhere - make sure your devices are safe with these great antivirus apps.

Asus ROG Strix OLED XG259QWPG Ace monitor shown on a desk next to keyboard and headset
Asus used 'feedback from esports pros' to make new 24-inch OLED — and it looks like the perfect monitor for competitive gamers

By Darren Allan Published

Computex 2026 'We can't wait to get this absolute weapon into the hands of gamers everywhere': Asus unveils 24-inch OLED monitor with 540Hz refresh rate.

Happy woman sitting on a bed with a coffee and a laptop
Windows 11 is finally getting the Start menu changes we all wanted — and a surprise bonus

By Darren Allan Published

Microsoft's new Windows 11 Start menu is better than I expected, stoking more hope that the campaign to fix the OS is headed in the right direction.

girl using laptop hoping for good luck with her fingers crossed
5 things Microsoft isn't fixing with Windows 11 that I'd love to see happen

By Darren Allan Published

If Microsoft is serious about crowd-pleasing changes — and that appears to be the case — here's how it could score some huge wins with everyday users.

Corsair Vengeance DDR5
Corsair DDR5 stick spotted using Chinese memory chips — here's why that could mean the RAM crisis ends sooner than expected

By Darren Allan Published

Is this a sign that the predicted memory cavalry is rushing to the rescue?

Windows 11 on a laptop
Microsoft solves case of vanishing Windows 11 desktop — fix is rolling out for blank desktop, taskbar freezes and other flakiness

By Darren Allan Published

Fed up with bits of Windows 11 being flaky of late? Microsoft has fixed bugs that cause a blank desktop, taskbar freezes and more.

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070
Nvidia really doesn't seem to care about gaming GPUs any more — the company won't even bother to break down graphics sales in its big investor reports

By Darren Allan Published

There have been a few signs that Nvidia feels that gaming GPUs are less of a priority, and here's one more.

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Steam controller.
Redditor warns they 'almost started a fire' when metallic watch strap made contact with Steam Controller's charging puck

By Darren Allan Published

Valve does warn about this in the Steam Controller's manual — but how many people actually read documentation?

RAM
RAM crisis could soon get worse as disruption in Strait of Hormuz shipping hits supply chain hard

By Darren Allan Published

Fresh RAM price hikes could be imminent as the memory chip supply chain comes under more pressure.

Computer memory RAM on motherboard background
We may only have a year of the RAM crisis left if this ex-Samsung boss is right

By Darren Allan Published

Ex-Samsung exec says it's possible the RAM crisis 'will change starting from the second half of next year' as supply and demand begin to correct.

Woman disgusted by her laptop
Microsoft is fixing one of the most baffling things about Windows 11 — 'spam' in search results

By Darren Allan Published

In an important – if long overdue – move, Windows 11 search is finally giving up spamming you with web results.

LG UltraGear 25G590B monitor shown in a press shot highlighting that it offers a 1,000Hz refresh rate
LG reveals 'world's first native 1,000Hz' gaming monitor — but good luck trying to find a GPU to drive it without breaking the bank

By Darren Allan Published

LG's 1,000Hz gaming monitor is designed for shooters with tech that 'makes fast-moving objects sharper and easier to track'.

The Windows 11 battery life indicator on a Dell 16 Plus
Microsoft's plan to fix Windows 11 drivers is falling into place — and that includes some great news for your laptop's battery life

By Darren Allan Published

New 'Driver Quality Initiative' aims to shore up quality and prevent bad drivers from proving to be an unnecessary battery drain.

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