Since the arrival of the Raspberry Pi 3, more impressive apps have been added, corresponding with the device's improved spec. Beyond the every day office tasks and obligatory programming tools, you'll also f

While upgrading a mechanical hard disk drive (HDDs) to a faster model (say 5400rpm to 7200rpm) might help, switching to an SSD is a better option. Solid-state drives are based on the same technology as USB thumb drives; as such they're far fas

Before screwing in the PSU, verify everything is working. Connect the power suppy and try to power it on. Without a video card installed yet, there's an initial error beep - but this is fine, it’s just to check the switch wiring, and the motherboard fan is spinn

Now that you’ve cloned data to the SSD, or decided to do a fresh install, you need to make the SSD your boot drive. This can be done only by entering your computer’s BIOS. Reboot the computer and then press the BIOS hotkey at the first boot screen (this is usually Delete or F12). Your operating system will not boot and BIOS will appear inst

I was asked recently why I find the Raspberry Pi so fascinating. After all, it doesn’t run popular MMORPGs, it can’t easily be used as a portable computer and it’s not ideal RAM for gaming|https://pcbuildinsight.com/ things like multimedia production. When I pointed out the possibilities such as retro gaming and building a compact media centre, my friend confidently reminded me that standard desktops and laptops and even phones can do the same thi

Once you have a fan of the correct size you need to open your case and line up the fan with the mounting area. It will have four screw holes, as will the fan, so you just need to line up the screw holes on e

Once you’ve boot into your operating system from the solid state drive it’s time to install drivers. Most SSDs will come with drivers, and I do recommend installing them. They usually include drive management utilities that maximize the performance and reliability of the dr

Most DVD drives need to be installed from the front, so that means taking the front panel off carefully and avoid pulling the wires for the power switch. It's also better to connect any cables now before it's slotted in, as things can get quite tight back th

Before we dive in, let me remind you that this is a guide about installing computer hardware. That means opening your PC, connecting new cords and potentially disconnecting others. Problems are rare, but there’s obviously more risk to your computer than there would be if you did nothing at

Although ostensibly intended as a compact computer that can be produced cheaply in order for students to learn programming basics, the Raspberry Pi has developed into something of a phenomenon. But rather than build a retro gaming centre or NAS box , how does it measure up performing basic desktop ta

If the fan is installed and has power it should start to spin as soon as the system begins to boot – if it does not, check the power connection again. Something may have come loose or the fan may be fau

This is probably the hardest step of all. Before securing the motherboard to the case, I made sure to write down a quick diagram of the jumper pins for the case switches and LEDs as they're difficult to see once the motherboard is in place. These can be found on the bottom left, if you were looking down into the machine, and they look like t

Keeping the fan in place is before the screws are installed is a common difficulty. Expensive cases usually have brackets that can hold a fan even without screws, but budget cases do not, making installation a chore. My recommendation is to use a few pieces of masking tape or duct tape to temporarily hold the fan is pl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) also throttle traffic from Steam and other providers. They do this to prioritize specific data types, such as online shopping and social networking over high bandwidth activities such as online gaming, downloading, and video stream

You may find your power supply doesn’t match up if your case is particularly old and you’re trying to use it with a newish motherboard. Older PSUs have only 20 pins, while newer ones have 24. You can see the difference in this ph

I hope that you enjoy your new solid state drive. You’ll no doubt notice that programs load much more quickly than before. Boot times will also be quicker. Because SSDs tend to have small storage capacities it’s a good idea to manage data so that only important files and programs are on new drive. See our SSD management guide for m

Cybernetics – the embedding of digital and mechanical components into naturally-growing objects – has been a sci-fi dream (or nightmare to some) for many years. While you can’t yet install a Blu-ray drive in your lower torso, however, you can use nature’s own construction material, w

Note that the server list is updated automatically as new servers are brought online and old units are retired. As such you should check every few months that your connection has not been updated to a slower ser