Articles by 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

Upset PC gamer with head in hands by his PC

Nvidia RTX 5090 buyer is literally cleaned out as box contains no GPU, just laundry detergent — a reminder to be careful out there

By Darren Allan Published 24 March 26

GPU scams have involved replacing the graphics card with rocks or lumps of metal in the past, but this is a new one.

A person using a touchscreen Windows 11 laptop.

Microsoft exec promises big changes for Windows 11 will come 'this month and every month this year' — but don't get too excited

By Darren Allan Published 24 March 26

Microsoft seems to be serious about fixing Windows 11 quickly, as exec promises big changes will come 'this month and every month this year'.

MacBook Neo laptop on a desk with plant in background

Microsoft's eye-opening list of fixes for Windows 11 deals with most major pain points — and you can thank Apple

By Darren Allan Published 23 March 26

Is Microsoft now at panic stations with fixing all Windows 11's problems?

Back view of a man using a laptop with Windows 11's Microsoft Store app open

Microsoft fixes nasty Windows 11 bug that breaks Edge, OneDrive, and other apps, but you won't get it automatically — here's what you need to do

By Darren Allan Published 23 March 26

Frustrated by that bug that breaks Edge, OneDrive, and other apps in Windows 11? There's a fix — and this is how you get it.

Upset young man plays computer games at home.

Why do gamers already hate DLSS 5? Here are 3 key reasons — and why history suggests Nvidia will win them over eventually

By Darren Allan Published 21 March 26

Remember the launch of the very first take on DLSS? Remember when frame generation initially arrived? They weren't at all well-received, but Nvidia turned that around.

Windows 11 update breaks OneDrive, Edge and more — here's what to do if you've been hit by this confusing bug

By Darren Allan Published 20 March 26

Confusing Windows 11 bug creeps out of the woodwork to cause chaos with a bunch of apps that use a Microsoft account login.

Hate waiting for games to load? Intel's new trick for Arc GPUs will be music to your ears, especially if you have a handheld

By Darren Allan Published 20 March 26

Intel's Precompiled Shaders feature allows for up to 3x speedier loading with Arc Battlemage GPUs and integrated graphics for Panther and Lunar Lake.

A woman getting frustrated by her laptop

Microsoft hands Copilot haters and 'Microslop' pushers yet more ammunition with 'how to' videos that showcase an embarrassing use of AI

By Darren Allan Published 19 March 26

AI hallucinations can often be a problem, and they certainly are with the images Copilot has created on the Windows Learning Center.

Computer memory RAM on motherboard background

'The current shortage could continue until 2030, so we expect more than a 20% shortage of the wafers': SK Group chairman issues bleak warning on RAM crisis

By Darren Allan Published 18 March 26

We've had previous forecasts that the RAM crisis will continue through to 2028 — but 2030 is upping the ante worryingly here.

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Nvidia's CEO goes full Principal Skinner in response to DLSS 5 backlash — says it's the gamers who are 'completely wrong'

By Darren Allan Published 18 March 26

'This is very different than generative AI; it's content-control generative AI': Nvidia's CEO defends DLSS 5 in no uncertain terms.

54 Comments

'This year is the most challenging year since the company was founded': MSI exec makes it clear how bad the RAM crisis has got, despite some prices plateauing

By Darren Allan Published 18 March 26

RAM prices might be steadying, but the knock-on effects are still nasty as MSI reportedly cuts back on budget laptops.

'I thought this video was an April Fool's joke, but it's still March': Nvidia reveals DLSS 5 to supercharge graphics with AI — and the hate pours forth

By Darren Allan Published 17 March 26

Nvidia's reveal of DLSS 5 hasn't gone quite as planned, and that's putting it very mildly.

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A frustrated looking girl playing a video game

DDR5 RAM hits painful new high in pricing — and it looks like the relentless price-hike misery will continue

By Darren Allan Published 12 March 26

If you were hoping the RAM crisis was abating, sadly that isn't the case as DDR5 has never been more expensive.

PC gamer using Xbox mode on a Windows 11 PC looking happy

Xbox mode is rolling out to all Windows 11 PCs next month — and some gamers are excited, while others are worried

By Darren Allan Published 12 March 26

The rollout of Windows 11's new Xbox mode has been met with both excitement and skepticism.

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A PC Gamer looking happy sat in front of their desktop monitor

'The fastest desktop gaming processors Intel has ever built': new Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs are priced to sell, and AMD should be worried

By Darren Allan Published 11 March 26

Intel's new Core Ultra 200S Plus CPUs are already impressing PC gamers with some temptingly low MSRPs.

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

Microsoft's year of fixing Windows 11 is off to a promising start, as latest update improves stability — but it still has a lot more work to do

By Darren Allan Published 11 March 26

Microsoft continues to deliver its promised Windows 11 fixes in a new update that improves reliability in many ways.

Windows 11's new internet speed test is just a link to Bing.com in a move that smacks of laziness and overzealous promotion

By Darren Allan Published 10 March 26

Windows 11's new internet speed test has left people longing for Windows 8 — that's how badly Microsoft has dropped the ball here.

Can it play Doom? This biocomputer built on human brain cells just learned to shoot demons, but not everyone's convinced

By Darren Allan Published 9 March 26

Human-brain-cell-soup-on-a-chip can play Doom — but questions remain about what 'playing' the game is exactly.

A Razer Blade 14 (2025) on a desk showing the Windows 11 desktop

Windows 11 is finally getting an easy way to access dark mode — and a fix for those 'flashbangs' that still plague File Explorer

By Darren Allan Published 9 March 26

Annoying white flashes are still hanging around in Windows 11 for some users, but hopefully not for much longer.

MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M5 — how do they compare and which should you buy?

By Darren Allan Published 8 March 26

Wondering how the new MacBook Air and MacBook Neo stack up? We've got the full lowdown for you.

Young woman sitting on the floor with a laptop biting nails, nervous and very anxious

Windows 12 could arrive this year with rumored heavy AI focus — and the hate is strong already

By Darren Allan Last updated 5 March 26

Is Microsoft planning Windows 12 for this year? I doubt that, but the pre-emptive backlash against its AI features has already started.

7 features the MacBook Neo is missing — from display downgrades to connectivity caveats

By Darren Allan Published 4 March 26

We've got a good look at what the new budget MacBook is packing — but what about the stuff that's missing?

'The sub-$500 entry-level PC segment will disappear by 2028': Gartner predicts that budget computers are on borrowed time

By Darren Allan Published 3 March 26

Severity of RAM crisis could mean the sub-$500 PC market will 'disappear by 2028' according to one analyst firm.

AMD's new Ryzen desktop CPUs are all about AI with a powerful NPU for exclusive Copilot+ features — but will anyone care?

By Darren Allan Published 3 March 26

Want a Copilot+ desktop PC? What do you mean, no? AMD just revealed Ryzen AI 400 CPUs over at MWC 2026.

Man having Windows 11 problems with his laptop

California's age verification law is proving controversial — here's what you need to know, and why some Linux distros are in the firing line

By Darren Allan Published 2 March 26

The legislation might prove to be a real headache for some Linux distros.

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