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Hardware and Sound

Hardware reviews, gadgets, gaming accessories, sound equipment, and more. How to work with hardware, update drivers, firmware, and so on.

Microsoft ships the new Surface Pro. 11 things you need to know!

Microsoft ships the new Surface Pro. 11 things you need to know!

  • misc
  • Ciprian Adrian Rusen
  • 15.06.2017
As of June 15th, 2017, Microsoft ships the new Surface Pro, which everyone thought would be named Surface Pro 5. Microsoft has decided to quit numbering this device, and it offers a new version, without any number attached to its name, but with many improvements....
Simple questions: What is a SoC (System on a Chip)?

Simple questions: What is a SoC (System on a Chip)?

  • tutorial
  • Codrut Neagu
  • 29.05.2017
We bet that most people who have a good knowledge of technology have heard the term SoC or System on a Chip. It wasn't much of a thing 20 years ago, or at least it was not something as widely used as it is today,...
Simple questions: What is PPI and does it matter?

Simple questions: What is PPI and does it matter?

  • tutorial
  • Codrut Neagu
  • 22.05.2017
Have you ever wondered what PPI is? Maybe you've heard companies talking about high DPI screens and wanted to know what that is? Why are some manufacturers bragging about their high-end devices with huge pixel density screens? Why does PPI matter so much, especially when...
Game Mode in Windows 10: Testing real-life performance in modern games

Game Mode in Windows 10: Testing real-life performance in modern games

  • misc
  • Codrut Neagu
  • 03.05.2017
One of the most marketed features of Windows 10 Creators Update is the new Game Mode. This feature promises to improve the gaming experience for all the Windows 10 users, regardless of whether they have a new high-end computer or an older, slower device. What's...
Reviewing the Samsung 750 EVO - high-performance for moderate pricing

Reviewing the Samsung 750 EVO - high-performance for moderate pricing

  • review
  • Codrut Neagu
  • 17.04.2017
Solid state drives (SSD) are one of the best solutions for improving the performance and the speed of our computers. That's because they are always faster than traditional hard drives with spinning discs. One of the major SSD manufacturers today is Samsung, a company which...
11 things you can do to fix webcam issues on Skype

11 things you can do to fix webcam issues on Skype

  • tutorial
  • Codrut Neagu
  • 25.03.2017
Are you having problems with your webcam while using Skype? You can hear the people to whom you speak, but they can't see you? Or maybe the only thing they can see are blurred lines or gray images? Whether you use an external webcam that's...
What are the F1, F2, F3 to F12 keyboard keys used for?

What are the F1, F2, F3 to F12 keyboard keys used for?

  • misc
  • Codrut Neagu
  • 13.02.2017
If you have used a computer, then you have also used a computer keyboard. And if that's true, you surely saw and probably also used its function keys. They are the F1, F2 to F12 keys that are found on the top row of most...
How many key presses and mouse clicks do you perform in a day?

How many key presses and mouse clicks do you perform in a day?

  • tutorial
  • Ciprian Adrian Rusen
  • 26.11.2016
Do you need to know how many keys you press in a day? What about how many clicks you make with your mouse? Do you want to get stats about how you use your computer? Luckily, there is an app called WhatPulse which works on...
Reviewing the IronKey D300 - Durability meets hardware encryption!

Reviewing the IronKey D300 - Durability meets hardware encryption!

  • review
  • Ciprian Adrian Rusen
  • 23.11.2016
IronKey is a solid brand in the world of data privacy and security. The company develops mostly encrypted storage solutions like USB memory sticks. Since February 2016, they have been acquired by Kingston and now they have also entered the retail space. One of the...
How to disable or enable the startup sound in Windows

How to disable or enable the startup sound in Windows

  • tutorial
  • Ciprian Adrian Rusen
  • 08.11.2016
Does your Windows computer play a sound each time you start it, just before showing the sign in screen? At first, you might like this sound but after so many years of using Windows computers and devices, you may find it annoying. Here's how to...
How to troubleshoot problems with the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

How to troubleshoot problems with the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

  • tutorial
  • Ciprian Adrian Rusen
  • 17.10.2016
Not many people know about the DirectX Diagnostic Tool ( dxdiag.exe ) that is included in every modern version of Windows. With it, you can identify the source of the problems you may have with the hardware used by multimedia applications, such as video games...