PC Optimization

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An 8TB HGST hard drive with a 2TB WD_BLACK NVMe SSD sitting on top of it.
Stop storing everything on your main SSD: A guide to Hot vs. Cold data

Your messy file storage habits are actually putting your PC at risk

Some screens with Linux and the Linux mascot waving.
My kid's first PC won't run Windows—it'll use one of these 5 Linux distros instead

How I'm using Linux to help develop my kids' technical aptitude.

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An image of a Windows 11 Dell laptop sitting on a desk. Task Manager is open to the Startup apps tab.
I cut my Windows boot time in half without buying a faster SSD

Windows boots slower than it needs to, but not because of your drive.

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A laptop on a wooden table with the BSD logo on the screen and a blurred devil in the foreground looking to the laptop.
6 BSDs worth trying instead of Linux

There's more to open-source OSes than Linux distros.

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Person holding a thumb drive
Stop buying USB sticks: An M.2 SSD in a $15 case is infinitely better
SSD

It's time to let them rest.

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A computer monitor showing several Linux terminal TUIs.
Why do Linux fans like the terminal so much?

It's not required, but it's still a great tool.

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A Western Digital hard drive in a drive bay.
The weird story behind why hard drives spin at such oddly specific speeds

A complicated blend of physics and economics steered drives toward a few RPMs as air turbulence and heat rose.

The Windows Update screen warning you that your PC is not up to date.
Forced Windows updates used to annoy me—now I'm disappointed that they're going away

I stopped fighting Windows updates, and now I'm worried we made a mistake.

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A WD Blue and HGST hard drive sitting in an old tech drawer.
Please stop partitioning your SSDs (unless you plan to dual-boot)

Drive partitioning is not the hot thing that it once was.

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Benchmarking the Spotify launch time.
Linux loads my apps faster than Windows, so I calculated just how much time it saves me every year

I could get a very long nap back if I only use Linux.

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CyberPowerPC Phanteks CPU cooler inside a gaming pc.
It's time to throw away your PC's small AIO liquid cooler

Small radiators choke under long loads as modern heatpipe air coolers close the gap with quieter reliability.

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A person holding a Western Digital WD Red Plus 4TB NAS HDD.
If your external drive is always plugged in, it isn't a backup

Why your 'backup' drive is corrupting files: The danger of USB hubs and micro-disconnects

A USB NVMe SSD in front of a gaming laptop
5 ways to add storage to a laptop without upgrading its SSD

Your laptop needs more room in more ways than one, but we have five.

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A USB bus plugged into a PC with all the ports on
Your PC has a hidden USB limit

I pushed my USB ports to the limit just to see how many devices my PC could handle.

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A laptop with Linux, the Windows logo next to it, a swap icon in the center, and a warning sign.
7 things nobody tells you about dual booting Linux and Windows

Truths about dual booting I learned the hard way.

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A desktop gaming PC desk with a monitor light, mechanical keyboard, wireless mouse, and numerous other gadgets.
6 ways I've upgraded my desktop PC without buying new hardware

In this economy, we are choosing free upgrades

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A laptop on a desk with a monitor behind it and a logitech mouse to the side and a hand on the trackpad.
The only 5 Linux distros I recommend for laptops—after 10 years of using Linux

Some distros can be better—or worse—depending on the hardware you run them on. These five offer an excellent experience on laptops.

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The back of the Crucial T710 NVMe SSD sitting on a walnut shelf.
Your unpowered SSD is a ticking time bomb
SSD

Long-term cold storage on an SSD could be a risky business. There are better options.

PCIe lanes on a motherboard.
These 5 cheap PCIe cards turn any PC into a Plex powerhouse

Unleash your Plex server's true potential with these unexpected PCIe expansion cards.

Noctua NF-S12A ULN 120 mm fans with foreground fan in focus.
Noctua's brown fans became the status symbol of PC building—here's why it actually worked

The ugly color became the brand's biggest marketing advantage.

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