How to check your PC's CPU temperature

<article> <section class="page"> <p>Is your computer’s CPU too hot? If your PC starts spontaneously shutting down, locking up, or acting sluggish during intense tasks, overheating could be the issue. Keeping tabs on your CPU temperatures is crucial when you’re <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3186812/computers/how-to-overclock-your-pcs-cpu.html">overclocking your PC’s processor</a>, too—you don’t want to accidentally push the performance pedal <em>too far</em> to the metal when you’re supercharging your <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3612190/core-i9-11900k-review.html">pricey Core i9-11900K</a> or <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3587109/ryzen-5000-review.html">AMD Ryzen 5900X</a>, especially given how hard it is to acquire PC parts in general these days.</p> <p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/3253340/how-to-check-your-cpu-temperature.html#jump">To read this article in full, please click here</a></p> </section> </article> <br /> <br /> from PCWorld https://ift.tt/2pAmA9t<br />

How to check your PC's CPU temperature

Is your computer’s CPU too hot? If your PC starts spontaneously shutting down, locking up, or acting sluggish during intense tasks, overhe...

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PNY LX3030 SSD review: Incredible durability for twice the price

<article> <section class="page"> <p>PNY’s new LX3030 NVMe SSD isn’t for everyone. It’s marketed directly at Chia cryptocurrency plotting, a very high-bandwidth sustained write task. If you want some info on how much data Chia requires, you can find it <a href="https://www.chia.net/2021/02/22/plotting-basics.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. But if your workload involves something similar, such as continuous large-scale backup, video encoding, or anything else that involves writing lots and lots of data, it might also be of interest.</p> <p>Why? The LX3030 is the fastest PCIe 3.0-based sustained writer we’ve tested and its TBW (TeraBytes that can be Written) ratings are astounding: 27,000TBW per 1TB of NAND. Seagate’s scorching fast <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3627495/seagate-firecuda-530-review.html">FireCuda 530</a> is rated for 1,250TBW per terabyte—a lot of data by normal standards, but shy one zero compared to the PNY's rated durability.</p> <p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/3632879/pny-lx3030-ssd-review-incredible-durability-for-twice-the-price.html#jump">To read this article in full, please click here</a></p> </section> </article> <br /> <br /> from PCWorld https://ift.tt/3AQcosz<br />

PNY LX3030 SSD review: Incredible durability for twice the price

PNY’s new LX3030 NVMe SSD isn’t for everyone. It’s marketed directly at Chia cryptocurrency plotting, a very high-bandwidth sustained writ...

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Aukey PowerTitan 300 review: A well-designed, affordable power station worth every penny

<article> <section class="page"> <p>I’ve reviewed a lot of Aukey products, but never had the chance to test out one of the company’s power stations. So a few months ago, I reached out to the Aukey team and asked to check out the $250 PowerTitan 300.</p> <p>This power station offers enough ports to connect and power almost anything you can think of, and it’s not terribly expensive. Additionally, Aukey sells a 100W solar panel kit that you can use to charge the PowerTitan or small devices, like your phone or tablet, when you have a clear sky.</p> <blockquote><em>Note: This review is part of our </em><a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3236420/mobile/best-power-banks-of-2017-the-top-usb-portable-chargers-for-your-phone.html"><em>roundup of portable power banks</em></a><em>. Go there for details on competing products and our testing methods.</em></blockquote> <p>There were two aspects about the design of the PowerTitan 300 that I noticed right away. First was the 4-inch display that shows the current wattage going in and out of the station, the charge level, and which of the various ports are currently powered on. The second thing I noticed was the number of ports. </p> <p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/3633870/aukey-powertitan-300-power-station-review.html#jump">To read this article in full, please click here</a></p> </section> </article> <br /> <br /> from PCWorld https://ift.tt/2XRpGGI<br />

Aukey PowerTitan 300 review: A well-designed, affordable power station worth every penny

I’ve reviewed a lot of Aukey products, but never had the chance to test out one of the company’s power stations. So a few months ago, I re...

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Use your TV as a computer monitor: Everything you need to know

<article> <section class="page"> <p>You’re not the first person who’s wondered what it would be like to have a giant desktop monitor. Think of all the multi-tasking and immersive gaming you could manage if you had a 50- or 60-inch monitor instead of a standard 24-inch monitor! But you’ve probably noticed that as monitors get bigger, they also tend to get prohibitively expensive.</p> <p>You’ve probably already got a big screen in your house, though—<a href="https://www.techhive.com/article/3316544/best-tvs.html">a high-definition television</a>. At the end of the day, isn’t an HDTV just a giant, living-room-oriented computer monitor?</p> <p>Not exactly. While you can use a TV as a computer monitor in most cases, that doesn’t mean it’s the best option. In fact, it’s likely less attractive, convenient, and usable than you think (not to mention, probably not <em>that</em> cheap). There’s a reason dirt-cheap 32-inch HDTVs aren’t flying off the shelves to be used as budget-friendly jumbo screens.</p> <p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/2924203/use-your-tv-as-a-computer-monitor-everything-you-need-to-know.html#jump">To read this article in full, please click here</a></p> </section> </article> <br /> <br /> from PCWorld https://ift.tt/2SxgWAv<br />

Use your TV as a computer monitor: Everything you need to know

You’re not the first person who’s wondered what it would be like to have a giant desktop monitor. Think of all the multi-tasking and immer...

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Pick the perfect motherboard with these 5 tips

<article> <section class="page"> <p>What should you look for when choosing a motherboard? The best CPUs might get all the attention, but motherboard choice can be just as crucial. We’ll show you how to buy based on the features that you need—without breaking the bank.</p> <h2>Choose your CPU and chipset</h2> <p>Your first decision also involves the CPU. Your choice here is either AMD or Intel. Motherboards only work with the specific families of processors they're designed for. Our guide to <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3273404/best-cpus-for-gaming.html">the best CPUs</a> can help you pick the ideal processor for any budget; your needs there should drive most of your decision making.</p> <p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/3628472/pick-the-perfect-motherboard-with-these-5-tips.html#jump">To read this article in full, please click here</a></p> </section> </article> <br /> <br /> from PCWorld https://ift.tt/3idmNHI<br />

Pick the perfect motherboard with these 5 tips

What should you look for when choosing a motherboard? The best CPUs might get all the attention, but motherboard choice can be just as cru...

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Sony WF-1000XM4 review: These noise-canceling earbuds have all-around appeal

<article> <section class="page"> <p>Pre-pandemic, the number of true wireless earbuds with noise canceling was just a trickle. Now they are entering the market in a steady stream, and just in time. Even with reduced travel demand, in-ear headphones with active noise-canceling (ANC) still have their uses—blocking out background conversations in busy households, muffling the cacophony of loud streets, and the like.</p> <p>With the predecessor WF-1000XM3, Sony pit a strong contender against Bose’s well-regarded noise-canceling competition. Now Sony’s successor ANC buds have improved across the board, making the WF-1000XM4 one of the top contenders in this space. That said, if you care deeply about sound profiles and noise-canceling strength, you should first make sure these buds have what you’re after.</p> <p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/3633625/sony-wf-1000xm4-noise-canceling-earbuds-review.html#jump">To read this article in full, please click here</a></p> </section> </article> <br /> <br /> from PCWorld https://ift.tt/3AKGAFH<br />

Sony WF-1000XM4 review: These noise-canceling earbuds have all-around appeal

Pre-pandemic, the number of true wireless earbuds with noise canceling was just a trickle. Now they are entering the market in a steady st...

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How to update your PC's BIOS

<article> <section class="page"> <p>A tiny BIOS chip lurks inside every computer, sitting on your motherboard to breathe life into your system when you press the power button. It not only powers your PC, but helps protect it, too.</p> <p>BIOS stands for <em>basic input and output system</em>, and the BIOS chip initializes all the other devices in your PC, like the CPU, GPU, and motherboard chipset. But a few years ago, motherboard manufacturers—in partnership with Microsoft and Intel—introduced a replacement for traditional BIOS chips dubbed UEFI (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface" rel="nofollow">Unified Extensible Firmware Interface</a>).</p> <p>Almost every motherboard shipping today has a UEFI chip rather than a BIOS chip (UEFI is <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3622940/windows-11-system-hardware-requirements.html">a Windows 11 system requirement</a>, in fact), but they both share the same core purpose: preparing the system to boot into the operating system. That said, most people still call the UEFI the “BIOS” because of the familiarity of the term.</p> <p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/187437/how-to-update-your-bios.html#jump">To read this article in full, please click here</a></p> </section> </article> <br /> <br /> from PCWorld https://ift.tt/39xShTV<br />

How to update your PC's BIOS

A tiny BIOS chip lurks inside every computer, sitting on your motherboard to breathe life into your system when you press the power button...

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