Computer Music
Recording Masterclass
Recording external instruments or an entire band into your computer can seem a daunting prospect if you’ve never done it before, but with today’s tools – and advice from the following pages – it’s surprisingly easy to get great results. Welcome to the Recording Masterclass!
10+ min |
March 2021
Linux Format
RetroPie 4.7.1
Les Pounder loves retrogaming and Raspberry Pi, so with RetroPie and the new Raspberry Pi 400 the question is: will he find his Nirvana?
3 min |
February 2021
Linux Format
Emulate classic Apple computers
Les Pounder goes back to his distant college days and reveals how to emulate the Apple desktop machines that he used for work and play.
10+ min |
February 2021
Linux Format
Get coding on the Raspberry Pi 64-bit
John Schwartzman demos using assembly language code for the 64-bit Raspberry Pi to call Linux kernel services and the C run-time library.
10+ min |
February 2021
Linux Format
MANJARO Quickly install Manjaro on the Pi 4
Les Pounder reveals how to get Manjaro Arm up and running on the Raspberry Pi 4 / 400, and start using the GPIO with Python.
6 min |
February 2021
Linux Format
RISE OF THE ROBOTS
Mats Tage Axelsson presents the basics of a robotics operating system and reveals what components can be used…
10+ min |
February 2021
Linux Format
Next-gen terminals
Discover the next-gen terminal tools with David Rutland that will transform your command-line life.
10+ min |
February 2021
Linux Format
Enhance your photos by stacking them
Combining multiple photos of the same scene using a stacking technique can result in some spectacular results, reveals Mike Bedford.
10+ min |
February 2021
Linux Format
Elementary OS lands on the Raspberry Pi
The world is getting armed and dangerous, as another distro joins the Raspberry Pi army.
3 min |
February 2021
Digital Camera World
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
It’s the best iPhone yet – but does that extend to its camera?
5 min |
February 2021
MacFormat UK
Urbanears Luma
Low-price AirPods alternative
1 min |
February 2021
MacFormat UK
Papalook PA452 webcam
A good upgrade for most Mac cameras
1 min |
February 2021
MacFormat UK
Twelve South TimePorter
A home from home for Apple Watch
1 min |
February 2021
MacFormat UK
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron portable SSD
Rugged, fast data storage on the go
1 min |
February 2021
MacFormat UK
Synology DiskStation DS1520+
A DIY high-end NAS drive
2 min |
February 2021
MacFormat UK
Marshall Monitor II ANC
Marshall’s traditional headphones gain up-to-date noise cancellation features
2 min |
February 2021
MacFormat UK
Crave
THE GEAR WE’RE LUSTING AFTER
2 min |
February 2021
T3 Magazine
None Too Appy Huawei Mate 40 Pro
One of the best-built smartphones around, but software inconveniences lose it points
2 min |
February 2021
T3 Magazine
The Complete Guide To… Ultra-Portable Laptops
The unveiling of Apple’s groundbreaking M1 chip is resculpting the laptop landscape. We’re on the verge of another revolution in the world of portables. Let us bear witness
10+ min |
February 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
The Right RAM
A fast and easy way to add a performance boost to your PC is to install high quality, fast RAM (Random Access Memory). DDR4 is the latest variation of PC memory and is the fastest and most efficient yet but just like many other components in your build, RAM isn’t quite as simple as it might at first seem. Different motherboards support different maximum amounts, as do different operating systems and it is available in many different speeds and configurations.
5 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Expansion Cards and Extras
Expansion cards are technically any printed circuit board that can be added to the system to add functionality or features. This means that a graphics card is an expansion card, albeit a fairly fancy one, and you can run a PC without including one, assuming the motherboard has on-board graphics. Here we will look at some of the other expansion card options you may want or need in your build.
2 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Do You Need An Optical Drive?
Building a PC a few years ago without an optical drive would have seemed like madness. It would have made using the PC fairly difficult as most software was supplied on discs and Internet speeds were not really up to the task of downloading large files such as games. Nowadays, almost everything you might want to install on your PC can be bought electronically and discs are becoming somewhat obsolete. So do you actually need to install a CD/DVD drive?
2 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Troubleshooting Your Build
Hopefully, if you have followed all of our instructions carefully, you won’t have any problems during the first boot of your new PC. However, problems can and do occur, even for experienced builders. The difference between a beginner and an experienced builder is the ability to solve problems and troubleshoot the PC build. If you have a problem with your computer, it will likely be one of these.
5 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Preparing the Case
Choosing a case used to be almost an afterthought when building a custom PC. One grey box was much the same as another grey box. Thankfully the days of grey boxes are well and truly over and our choice of PC case ranges from tiny media boxes designed to go next to a TV, to bespoke glass towers aimed at those who want to show off their perfectly co-ordinated components. However, whichever case you choose, some preparation is needed before beginning your build.
2 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Upgrading to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or 8.1
If you have an existing copy of Windows 7 or 8.1 on disc, not being used on another active PC, you can use this for the initial install of Windows and then upgrade to Windows 10 afterwards or at a later date. You have missed the deadline for the free upgrade to 10 but it is quite likely that Microsoft will reopen that offer, or run similar discounted offers, for their new OS in the near future. This guide assumes you are taking this route to Windows 10, rather than a fresh install.
6 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Need More Power?
The role of a PC power supply unit is to convert the AC electric power that comes from the mains to the DC power that the computer requires. However, it can do much more than that. A good quality power supply can make your system more efficient, stable and reliable. The power supply is often the first component to fail in an older system, so making sure you understand the full role of the PSU in your build is very important.
5 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Navigating Your Motherboard
We will be referring to specific parts of the motherboard in detail as we work our way through the build but for now it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with how a standard motherboard is laid out, where the sockets and ports will be, and what they look like. There will be some slight variations in location of sockets and features between different motherboards but most will follow this general layout pattern.
6 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Final Checks and First Boot
If you have followed all of the build steps thus far, you should now be at the point where the first boot up is looming. Before you do, it is worth going back and checking that everything is ready, all cables are connected and everything is looking good. First boot doesn’t mean that you can’t go back and change things later but you can avoid problems by doing a few simple checks.
5 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Fitting the Memory Modules
The DIMM’s, or Dual In-line Memory Modules, are modules that contain several RAM or SDRAM chips on a small circuit board. Most motherboards will have multiple memory module sockets, usually arranged in pairs. When you buy memory modules, they are usually sold as a matched pair; this ensures that they have the same latency, or in other words the same memory reaction time.
2 min |
January 2021
The Complete Build Your Own PC Manual
Choosing a Processor
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) of your computer is likely to be the most expensive single component, especially if you are trying to future-proof your build as much as possible. When it comes to choosing a processor, faster and newer is almost always better. However, does the average PC builder really need a 4GHz Core i7? Does having a faster CPU always mean having a faster computer overall? What is hyper-threading? Read on to find the answers to these questions and many more.
6 min |