As another year comes to a close, it's time to remind ourselves that not every tried-and-tested PC hardware tip remains that way forever. Times change, components evolve, and some older rules no longer apply. PC building involves mastering multiple aspects of PC components. From performance scaling and stability trade-offs to value for money and the role of non-core components, it can be a lot to take in. If you're building a PC for the first time or re-entering the market after a hiatus, knowing and ignoring these outdated PC hardware rules will probably help you build a better system.

Growing up with games meant growing up with some incredible rituals. Things I waited for. Things I shared. Things that felt communal, physical, and fleeting in the best possible way. The industry and this medium we all love have changed significantly over the years, but somewhere between faster internet and infinite content, plenty of traditions have quietly gone off into the sunset.

Some think that a mini PC can't become a true desktop replacement. Now, this is really going to depend on how you use your PC, but for most basic tasks, I think a mini PC is more than enough. Of course, if you're able to get one that can expand, then you're going to be in an even better position.

Everyone wants the best SDD for their gaming rig, and Samsung's Pro line (like the 990 Pro) or WD's Black series are often the default recommendations when it comes to NVMe options. In reality, for 95% of gamers, these drives provide little noticeable benefit over mid-range options.

Most of us learn to treat the browser as the place where everything happens, from email and social networks to code reviews and server dashboards. At some point, though, all those tabs start to feel like quicksand instead of a shortcut. I gradually pushed a few everyday tasks into my terminal, mainly as an experiment.

I've been on the fence about 3D printing for years. Not because I thought it was useless, but because I wasn't convinced I'd get enough repeat value out of it to justify the space, the cost, and the learning curve. That changed the moment I bought a Bambu Lab P2S, and it changed again once I discovered the self-hosted Manyfold application.

Every year, there's a quiet lie I tell myself about some games: "I'll come back to it. I'll finish it later. I'll get that 100% completion trophy. I'll watch the credits roll." And every year, reality sets in. Some games just don't manage to earn that return trip. Not because they're broken, but just because they fail to linger.

If you're not a huge fan of the stock Windows File Explorer, you can always replace it with a third-party app. Sure, it's not an officially-supported solution, but it can make the difference between enjoying your OS and finding it annoying to use. And one of the best ways you can tweak your File Explorer is to grab Files.

Package management is one of Linux's greatest strengths. A robust, reliable way to update your PC's software and core libraries that doesn't come with a lengthy terms and conditions statement. On the surface, comparing Linux's package managers to the Microsoft Store on Windows feels pretty unfair, and that's because it is. One is a decades-old system for managing all software on your system, and the other is an app store. Windows treats its apps like a storefront, which speaks to the philosophical gap that continues to widen between the two operating systems, but even when it comes to real-world use, package managers on Linux beat the brakes off of the Microsoft Store, and it's not even close.

New Year’s Eve often turns even the most hands-on tinkerers into passive spectators. We gather around a TV, watch the same generic countdown graphics, and hope the broadcast delay does not throw off the only moment that really matters. For people who spend all year building things, that feels like a wasted opportunity. A Raspberry Pi lets you reclaim that countdown and make it feel like something you designed rather than something you simply watched.

If you've been looking for a mechanical keyboard that's a bit more unique, then this one from 8BitDo is going to be the one. Not only does it come in a relatively compact size, but the color selection is also quite good with its purple illumination.

The primary goal of a smart home is to make your life easier, and while many devices succeed in reducing friction and improving convenience, they can also unfortunately become a security risk. They often run outdated software, receive infrequent updates, and are often granted far more network access than they actually need. If you run a home lab, store sensitive data locally, or even just care about basic privacy, isolating these 5 smart home devices from your primary network is one of the smartest things you can do.