Guides and how-tos
Practical hardware advice: what to buy, how to install it and what the specs actually mean.
September 21, 2026
How Much Should You Spend on a Laptop in 2026?
What each price band actually buys you in 2026, which upgrades are worth paying for, and the three configurations we would not buy at any price.
September 19, 2026
Best Thermal Paste for the RTX 50 Series (2026)
The best thermal paste and pads for repasting an RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti or 5070, including the liquid metal warning every GPU repaste needs.
September 19, 2026
Best KVM Switch for a Two-PC Battlestation (2026)
The best KVM switches for running two PCs off one monitor, keyboard and mouse in 2026, from budget HDMI switches to 4K120 and USB-C docking options.
September 19, 2026
Laptop CPU Tier List (2026): U, H and HX Ranked by Segment
Our 2026 laptop CPU tier list ranks every current Intel, AMD, Apple and Qualcomm chip by segment, from flagship HX gaming chips down to budget U-series.
September 19, 2026
What Does the Core Ultra 'X' Mean? Panther Lake Explained
The X in Intel Core Ultra X9, X7 and X5 marks the fully enabled Xe3 integrated GPU, not a faster CPU. Here is what changes and what does not.
September 19, 2026
Do KVM Switches Support 144Hz? What to Check Before You Buy
Most KVM switches that claim 4K do not carry 1440p at 144Hz. Here is the bandwidth maths, which HDMI and DisplayPort versions work, and what to look for.
September 19, 2026
How Often to Replace Thermal Paste (It Depends on What You Used)
Standard paste lasts two to five years, phase change pads last far longer, and graphite pads effectively never dry out. How to tell when yours is done.
September 19, 2026
Does a KVM Switch Work With Two Different Monitors?
Yes, but the thing that decides whether it works cleanly is EDID emulation, not whether the switch supports both resolutions. Here is what to check.
September 19, 2026
EDID Emulation Explained: Why Your Monitor Resets When You Switch
The windows rearranging every time you flip your KVM switch is an EDID problem. What EDID is, why emulation fixes it, and how to tell if a switch has it.
September 19, 2026
Can You Upgrade the RAM and Storage in Your Laptop? How to Tell Before You Buy
Two laptops with the same model name can have opposite answers. How to find out whether yours has a free memory slot or a free M.2 bay, and why the retailer listing will not tell you.