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

The power connector for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card

Nvidia has a surprise GPU launch today – but is the new RTX 4070 worth buying?

By Darren Allan published

Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card with GDDR6 video RAM is real, and official support comes in with the latest graphics driver.

The Google Gemini logo on a laptop screen that's on an orange background

What is Google Gemini? Everything you need to know about Google’s next-gen AI

By Alex Blake last updated

Updated Google Gemini is set to take on OpenAI's GPT-4 and ChatGPT for the AI crown. Here’s everything you need to know.

A Microsoft Surface Pro 11 on a desk

Microsoft Copilot+ PCs set to ‘cause a crisis in Apple’s MacBook Pro sales’ as AI laptops are predicted to fly off the shelves in 2025

By Darren Allan published

Copilot+ PCs could be shifting close to 50 million units annually by the time 2028 rolls around, an analyst firm reckons.

Woman using a laptop in a restaurant terrace with a suspicious look on her face and one eyebrows raised

Don’t like the ‘News and interests’ panel in Windows 10? You’ll hate Microsoft’s new supersized version even more – but luckily, it’s easy to turn off

By Darren Allan published

Windows 10’s News panel now gobbles up a vast amount of screen real-estate – but there’s no need to panic.

An AMD Ryzen 7 7700X in a hand seen at an angle

AMD’s Ryzen CPUs might be slower in PC games due to a weird Windows 11 bug – and while there’s a ‘fix’ you absolutely shouldn’t use it

By Darren Allan published

The apparent cure for the Ryzen gaming blues – a hidden admin account – shouldn’t be enabled in any circumstances.

14-inch MacBook Pro M3 on a desk

Desperate for a MacBook Pro M4? Here’s some good news – another rumor points firmly to a launch later in 2024

By Darren Allan published

A regular Apple leaker has another nugget underlining that the MacBook Pro M4 is ready to hit the shelves in Q4.

A PC gamer looking happy

Linux embarrasses Windows 11 when it comes to games performance with AMD Ryzen 9000 CPUs – but I won’t be switching operating systems just yet

By Darren Allan published

Windows 11 gamers, take note – new tests show AMD Ryzen 9700X running faster in Linux, but don’t get too upset yet.

AMD CPU with Ryzen 9000 Series label

Report suggests AMD’s new Ryzen 9000 CPUs aren’t selling well at all – but Intel shouldn’t get too excited yet

By Darren Allan published

Intel has its own major issues with 13th and 14th-gen CPUs, and definitely shouldn’t get too gleeful about these sales figures.

An Acer Swift Go 14 laptop keyboard showing the Copilot button

Acer is set to show off new Copilot+ PCs with Intel’s Lunar Lake CPUs on September 4, kicking off the AI laptop wars in earnest

By Darren Allan published

Keen to see Copilot+ PCs with Intel processors inside? You’ve not got long to wait now.

An AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D

Forget Ryzen 9000, AMD’s next chip might be a Ryzen 5500X3D – and it might just be perfect for a budget gaming PC

By Darren Allan published

Those on a budget will appreciate this rumored CPU – but if it exists, let’s hope the 5500X3D isn’t exclusive to a single retailer.

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card slotted into a motherboard

New version of Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card spotted with slower VRAM – here’s why that might just be a good thing

By Darren Allan published

Leak shows a tamer version of Nvidia’s RTX 4070 GPU could be on shelves soon – dare we hope that it’s cheaper?

An Intel Core i5-14600K against its promotional packaging

Intel’s fix for unstable CPUs is here, in beta, and if you're scared it might slow down your PC it seems that's not the case

By Darren Allan published

Intel’s own testing of 13th- and 14th-gen CPUs, and that of a third-party, demonstrate there’s little performance impact.

An AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT on a table

Hoping for some cheap new GPUs from AMD soon? Sadly, new rumor suggests RX 7400 and 7300 aren’t happening

By Darren Allan published

AMD doesn’t have imminent budget GPUs, seemingly – in fact, we won’t see any new graphics cards before RDNA 4.

AMD Ryzen 9000 series

AMD Ryzen 9000 CPUs get official pricing – and there’s good news and bad news

By Darren Allan published

Official MSRPs are all cheaper than their predecessors, even if top-end Ryzen CPUs aren’t quite as affordable as a leak suggested.

Samsung LPDDR5X DRAM

Super-thin AI laptops could be coming with the help of Samsung’s nifty new RAM sticks that are as thin as a fingernail

By Darren Allan published

Samsung’s cranking up production of notebook RAM which is truly wafer-thin (at 0.65mm to be precise).

Intel Core i9-13900K in hand

Intel calms fears over some 13th-gen or 14th-gen buyers missing out on extended warranty for instability issues – now all CPUs are covered, but worries remain

By Darren Allan published

Worried that your CPU in a prebuilt PC didn’t get Intel’s extra warranty to cover instability gremlins? It does now.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060

Nvidia is reportedly dropping the RTX 3060, even though it remains the most popular GPU by far on Steam

By Darren Allan published

Why is the RTX 3060 so popular – and why might Nvidia kill off this graphics card? There are good reasons on both counts.

A hand holding a phone showing the ChatGPT voice mode

ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode is scarily good at times – are we looking at the future of AI interactions?

By Darren Allan published

ChatGPT’s new voice mode is being shown off in various online clips by alpha testers, and it’s seriously impressive.

Person using a Windows 11 laptop

Windows 11 hits 30% adoption (and it’s about time) – so is Microsoft’s AI gamble finally starting to pay off?

By Darren Allan published

Windows 11 finally hits 30% adoption – but it’s scary how long this has taken, frankly.

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M3 REVIEW

How to check your MacBook's battery health

By Bryan M Wolfe last updated

Here's how to check your MacBook's battery health so that you can figure out if it's time for it to be replaced

Popcorn in bowl and MacBook on table

How to connect a MacBook to a TV

By Bryan M Wolfe last updated

Super-size your Mac experience by using a smart television as an external monitor.

Tiny toys team of engineers repairing circuit mother board computer

Intel extends warranty for its unstable CPUs – here’s what buyers of 13th-gen and 14th-gen chips need to know

By Darren Allan published

Still worrying about your Raptor Lake or Raptor Lake Refresh processor? You wouldn’t be alone…

Asus Adol Book 14

Ever wanted your laptop to smell of basil and mandarin? Your fragrant dreams can come true with the Asus Adol Book’s built-in scent dispenser

By Darren Allan published

Asus Adol Book 14 is a purple laptop aimed at the fashion-conscious with a novel twist – and a choice of fragrances.

A mockup of an AMD Ryzen 9000-series processor

Look out, Intel: AMD Ryzen 9000 leak suggests CPUs that’ll be a good deal cheaper than Ryzen 7000 prices at launch

By Darren Allan published

Leak suggests some tempting prices, and with Intel’s instability woes, there could be a big rush to buy these Ryzen chips.

An Nvidia RTX 4070 Super on a purple deskmat on a desk

Thinking of buying an Nvidia GPU? Rumored price hikes inbound for RTX 4070 and upwards mean you might want to act soon

By Darren Allan published

Nvidia may scale back production of RTX 4000 graphics cards, and stock levels could be affected in a big way.

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