Articles by Darren Allan

Happy couple sitting on sofa, looking at laptop

Windows 11's right-click menu gets a vital tune-up — it's now faster, and you can dump options you don't want

By Darren Allan Published 29 October 26

'Crazy it took them 5 years': Windows 11's right-click menu gets a vital tune-up to be faster and fully customizable — but why did it take Microsoft this long?

An angry PC Gamer sat at their desk looking unhappy

'Supply shortage to persist through 2030'. Memory crisis could last until 2030 warns SK Hynix — and it predicts robots are coming to eat your RAM after that

By Darren Allan Published 28 October 26

RAM crisis will last the rest of this decade according to SK Hynix, and then 'physical AI' will come into play.

Solar Panels mounted on roof with streaks of rain visible, on a cloudy day

Can't afford solar or a heat pump? New UK Government scheme offers interest-free or cheap loans of up to £20,000 to help upgrade your heating setup and cut your bills

By Darren Allan Published 28 October 26

'Warm Homes Loan Scheme' provides interest-free or low-interest loans with as long as 30 years to repay.

Apple reveals iMac M6 and MacBook Pro M6 — and the good news is there are no price hikes

By Mark Wilson last updated 27 October 26

Apple has revealed M6 refreshes for its iMac all-in-one desktop computer and base MacBook Pro — here's everything you need to know.

Nvidia's RTX 5090 stock is looking shakier by the day, as more rumors suggest this GPU is in vanishingly short supply — and it's set to become even pricier

By Darren Allan Published 27 October 26

XMG hikes prices of RTX 5090 laptops due to 'extremely limited supply' and 'massive price increases' for the GPU.

Windows 11's built-in internet speed test is getting a divorce from Bing — and it's about time

By Darren Allan Published 27 October 26

'This is the kind of stuff that pushed me to Linux': Microsoft has abandoned a trick to promote Bing that many Windows 11 users hated.

A young woman is working on a laptop in a relaxed office space.

Windows 11 feature spotted in testing promises another speed boost for the OS — but you'll need to buy a new laptop to get this one

By Darren Allan Published 26 October 26

Existing PCs will miss out on this incoming trick for Intel CPUs which will also apply to future AMD Ryzen chips.

An RTX 5080 sitting on its retail packaging

Is the GPU stock crisis down to real shortages, or has the market been manipulated? Gamers won't like the theory floated by one analyst

By Darren Allan Published 23 October 26

One thing is clear enough — high-end GeForce GPUs are suffering serious price hikes thanks to stock issues.

A frustrated looking girl playing a video game

'Vibe your way to $50K': Epic is challenging devs to build a game in 4 days with AI — and gamers are in full rebellion now

By Darren Allan Published 23 October 26

Could Tim Sweeney annoy gamers any more than he already has? Apparently the answer to that is yes — very much so.

A man sitting at a table and looking at a laptop with a puzzled expression, holding his head up with his hand

Windows 11 could get a very different take on Recall — but Context Vault feature doesn't seem likely to persuade AI skeptics

By Darren Allan Published 23 October 26

A classic case of 'solving a problem that doesn't exist': Windows 11 could get a reined-in alternative to Recall, but AI skeptics still aren't fans.

Gif collage representing internet security

No, the internet isn't dying due to 'one of the most significant vulnerabilities of 2026' - but this is what you need to know

By Darren Allan Published 22 October 26

Everything you need to know about PHP2Shell in terms of what it is, and what this security flaw means for the average person browsing the web.

Windows 11 cuts back some AI features — but that's overshadowed by a Microsoft exec admitting the design team is using... AI

By Darren Allan Published 21 October 26

An admission that 'AI has helped our design team' hasn't gone down well with some Windows 11 users.

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Nvidia's RTX 6060 GPU could disappoint for gaming performance compared to the PS6 — and it may not arrive until 2029

By Darren Allan Published 21 October 26

If you're waiting for Nvidia's next affordable GPU, you might have to be very patient indeed.

Is Valve now working on the Steam Deck 2? Rumors suggest leaked AMD chip could be the engine of the next-gen handheld

By Darren Allan Published 20 October 26

AMD chip in benchmark leak might just be the CPU for the Steam Deck 2.

Young woman using laptop, looking annoyed

Microsoft has gone too far promoting Bing search, as Windows 11 users are again having to suffer a confusing and weird 'feature' in the Bing Wallpaper app

By Darren Allan Published 20 October 26

2026 is the year of fixing Windows 11, but Microsoft also needs to fix its marketing department and the excessive promos therein.

Analysts forecast Chinese RAM surge through 2028 — but it's not likely to help the average consumer, as Dell CEO warns the memory crisis could last until 2030

By Darren Allan Published 19 October 26

As Dell's CEO joins the chorus of those warning the RAM crisis will last until 2030, don't expect a predicted memory rally from China to help.

A woman sitting in a chair looking at a Windows 11 laptop

Windows 11 is getting another free speed boost for apps — I just wonder why all this performance tuning didn't happen before now

By Darren Allan Published 19 October 26

Windows 11 is getting another speed boost for apps — it's for Edge first, but in the future Microsoft says any app can adopt it to speed up launches.

Upset young man plays computer games at home.

Are we seeing the first signs of Nvidia abandoning PC gamers? As the RTX 5090 seemingly disappears from shelves, I'm getting more worried about GeForce GPUs

By Darren Allan Published 17 October 26

Is the plug starting to be pulled on the GeForce GPU range? And is Nvidia turning to cloud gaming instead?

2 Comments

Razer Blade 16 with giant cooler attached, the cooler is made from a plastic storage crate

Razer Blade 16 gaming laptop is brought back to life with giant cooling solution made from a storage crate, avoiding a massive repair bill

By Darren Allan Published 16 October 26

This gaming laptop has a giant cooling add-on that has to be seen to be believed.

Openreach self-install FTTP modem trial is reportedly going ahead — it could mean cheaper fibre broadband upgrades, if some pitfalls can be avoided

By Darren Allan Published 16 October 26

This could save you money on your fibre broadband in the future, if the setup isn't too much of a headache.

Microsoft boasts that Windows 11 is now 'up to 20% more responsive', with the new Photos app also benefiting from a big speed boost

By Darren Allan Published 15 October 26

Microsoft appears to be taking considerable strides forward with Windows 11's performance.

Fed up of Windows 11 bloat? New Tiny11 Builder makes it easier than ever to declutter Microsoft's OS

By Darren Allan Published 15 October 26

Tiny11 can cut Windows 11 right back so it runs on older PCs, and a new redesigned version looks nifty.

Octopus launches Cosy cooler air con add-on for heat pumps — at £500, it's a fraction of the cost of a full air conditioning system

By Darren Allan last updated 15 October 26

Octopus has a kitchen-bin-sized add-on for heat pumps that brings air conditioning to your home — and you can sign up to try it now.

5 Comments

'Half the GPU overhead' with 'comparable visual fidelity': Nvidia dramatically improves DLSS 5, which is great — but gamers want it on more GPUs

By Darren Allan Published 14 October 26

Nvidia says 2026 is a 'year of relentless DLSS innovation' as it boosts DLSS 5 frame rates by up to 40%, and ramps up frame generation too.

Worried man using laptop and credit card in a modern kitchen, stressed about inflation and high prices.

RAM is getting pricier than ever, with DDR4 up 24% in the last quarter — and Intel's CEO has reportedly said we have another 2 to 3 years of this

By Darren Allan Published 13 October 26

Intel's CEO reckons the RAM shortage will last for pretty much the rest of the decade.

Darren Allan

Articles by: Darren Allan

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