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 PS5 Pro console on a wooden desk in front of a white brick background and next to a potted plant

I defected to the PS5 after 30 years of PC gaming — here's why I have no regrets about swapping the RAM crisis for the disc crisis

By Darren Allan Published

Disc-less Elysium: I'm a veteran PC gamer who vowed not to buy a PS5 — but I changed my mind, and I don't regret switching to Sony's console for a second.

3 Comments
TV watching

I'm sick of smart TV privacy worries, so I'm taking my TV off the internet for good — here's why you should too

By Darren Allan Published

Do I need my TV online? No, I don't — here's how I'm finally pulling the plug on any spying or snooping fears, while still keeping my smart TV updated.

2 Comments
An Asus laptop screen showing a 'subscription required' message on Windows 11

I'm worried that Windows 11 will slowly turn into a subscription-based OS, and AI agents will be to blame — here's why

By Darren Allan Published

My biggest Windows 11 fear is AI agents — and that they could be a Trojan Horse for subscription fees in Microsoft's OS.

Microsoft Copilot key on a HP Envy x360 14-fc009na laptop

Hate the Copilot key in Windows 11? It looks like Microsoft's bringing in the option to remap it to do nothing — if you feel that's more useful

By Darren Allan Published

Think nothing is better than Copilot? Microsoft is going to let you prefer the former over the latter in a very literal sense, with the ability to remap the Copilot key to do nothing.

Businessman staring at laptop with frightened face in the dark

'Science fiction that happened': experts explain why OpenAI's 'mind-blowing' cyberattack should worry us all

By Darren Allan Published

This might be our first true glimpse of how dangerous AI could be in the future in terms of making hacks much more commonplace.

An LG Ultragear GX9 on a desk

Own an LG monitor and tired of seeing that McAfee pop-up? Microsoft has banished it from Windows 11 — but wider issues need to be addressed here

By Darren Allan Published

Microsoft kills McAfee ad served via LG monitor app in Windows 11 — but there are wider problems to deal with in Windows Update.

MacBook Pro M5 Pro hands on

The RAM crisis just forced Framework into a nasty price hike — and Apple's rumored solution to the memory crunch is renting Macs to cash-strapped consumers

By Darren Allan Published

Apple's plan to sidestep the RAM crisis could be renting Macs, iPhones and iPads to consumers.

2 Comments
MacBook Pro M5 Pro hands on

'Apple is entering 'the touchbar phase' again': MacBook OLED could be on track to launch in a few months, but skeptics still hate that rumored touchscreen

By Darren Allan Published

New report details Apple's Mac plans, including that a MacBook OLED remains on track for a possible release later in 2026.

Sad looking person holding head in hands sat at a gaming PC

Nvidia tries again to get gamers to accept DLSS 5 — and doesn't entirely succeed

By Darren Allan Published

Nvidia shows how DLSS 5 gives developers control — but many gamers remain skeptical and accusations of 'Slopvidia' abound.

Hand holding two DDR5 RAM memory modules in front of gaming computer with RGB lighting

Brace yourself for more RAM misery: DDR5 is now getting pricier — and there's a rumor that CPUs will be more expensive next year

By Darren Allan Published

It looks like the memory crisis isn't going anywhere, between DDR5 RAM price hikes and a new rumor about more expensive CPUs.

DIY 3D-printed Companion Cube style case for Steam Machine

Ill-fated Companion Cube case for Steam Machine returns as a 3D-printed effort — and it's not the only striking DIY project around Valve's gaming PC

By Darren Allan Published

Got a 3D printer? You can make your own alternative Companion Cube case for the Steam Machine.

Dell XPS 17 laptop in use on a wooden desk

Microsoft fixes Windows 11's nasty bugs with Dell laptops — and shows there's a catch to jumping the update queue

By Darren Allan Published

Want all Windows 11 features as soon as they're available? Be aware that there's a side effect to an option that some people like to exercise in Microsoft's OS.

The MacBook Air M5 sky blue showing the lockscreen featuring rice fields from above.

I'm worried about the future of MacBooks — and these M7 chip rumors are to blame

By Darren Allan Published

Is Apple wise to be doubling-down on AI with its M7 and M8 chips? This rumored new strategy is worrying if you ask me.

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

Nvidia RTX 5000 Super GPUs rumored to be ready — but they're on hold, and the reason why makes me nervous about pricing

By Darren Allan Published

These Super refreshes are still coming, by all accounts, but they could make quite the dent in your bank balance.

Kimi K3 logo showing a number '3' in iron filings

Moonshot reveals new AI model, and it's a big surprise — here's why Kimi K3 is a threat to the likes of OpenAI

By Darren Allan Published

Kimi K3 model is a threat to the likes of OpenAI for two key reasons: its open nature, and apparently sterling coding skills.

Codex Micro keypad in front of a laptop

What is the Codex Micro? OpenAI's first hardware gadget explained

By Darren Allan Published

Confused about what the point of the Codex Micro is? Here's everything you need to know, including how it's been received by the target audience of coders.

Young woman using laptop, looking annoyed

Firefox vs Edge: fresh shots fired in browser wars as Mozilla report accuses Microsoft of using 'harmful design' to undermine choice in Windows 11

By Darren Allan Published

'Microsoft continues to deploy harmful design to undermine people's browser choice': Mozilla report concludes that Windows still isn't a level playing field.

Palit GeForce RTX 3060 Infinity 2 OC graphics card shown standing upright next to the retail box

RAM crisis prompts further RTX 3060 GPU resurrections as Palit launches new 12GB model — I just hope pricing makes more sense than it has done so far

By Darren Allan Published

The RAM crisis is forcing graphics card-makers to turn back the clock.

TCL CSOT inkjet-printed display

Inkjet-printed OLED screens are reportedly in mass production at long last — here's why that's great news for monitor, laptop and even TV pricing

By Darren Allan Published

TCL's Gen 5.5 inkjet production line is now manufacturing the first consumer OLEDs, we're told.

A person using a touchscreen Windows 11 laptop.

New Windows 11 update is a big one — these are my top 4 features, including the ability to pause updates indefinitely

By Darren Allan Published

Pausing updates for longer is a vital ability in certain situations, and I'm glad to see Microsoft finally acknowledging this.

Computer memory RAM on motherboard background

CEO of big memory chip maker says 2027 could be the 'worst year in the industry's history' — and other RAM crisis rumblings back up that dire prediction

By Darren Allan Published

Fresh RAM misery, including a seriously gloomy forecast from the boss of a big chip maker, intensifies fears that this crisis is here to stay.

A young woman is working on a laptop in a relaxed office space.

'We love this... except gradual rollouts': Windows 11 search is being improved in a big way, with users impatient to get these changes — and I don't blame them

By Darren Allan Published

The search box is being improved across the board, and Microsoft is pleasing the computing crowd once again.

Power button of Steam Machine

New Steam Machine red light warning isn't anything to worry about — an overzealous overheating warning is reportedly due to a BIOS bug

By Darren Allan Published

Seeing a red light on your Steam Machine? Don't panic — it's most likely due to a bug that triggers a temperature warning to come on 'much earlier' than it should.

Mature man using laptop in a cafe, looking annoyed

Confused about your PC specs or hardware? Windows 11's Copilot app is getting new powers to help you 'understand your device'

By Darren Allan Published

Copilot app's new 'PC insights' feature has been greeted with some skepticism.

Female couple sitting on sofa with Microsoft Surface tablet, both laughing

How I think Microsoft's campaign to fix Windows 11 is going so far — the verdict now we're 3 months in

By Darren Allan Published

What Microsoft has done in its first quarter of curing the ills of Windows 11 — and what other medicine should be administered.

2 Comments

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