Hardware

Hardware topics

Everything you can touch, from memory to power supply — what each part does, how it fails, and what to check. Every topic below is planned for the launch library.

14 topics planned

RAM & memory

Not-enough-RAM symptoms, bad sticks and dual-channel basics — a practical memory guide.

available

Hard drives & SSDs

Disks that won't show, slow drives and early signs of failure — a 72-topic guide.

available

GPU & graphics cards

Artifacts, no signal and driver resets — separate the card from the cable, monitor, driver and power.

available

CPU problems

Throttling, heat and instability, and the tests that matter — a 32-topic guide.

available

Fans & cooling

Fan noise, airflow, thermal paste and when to clean or replace.

planned

Power supply (PSU)

No power, random shutdowns and the failure signs of a dying supply — the full diagnostic guide.

available

Motherboard & BIOS/UEFI

POST codes, settings, updates and when the board is the culprit — 35 topics, from the firmware pipeline to minimum-hardware isolation.

available

USB & ports

Devices not recognised, dead ports and front-panel quirks.

planned

Keyboards & mice

Wired, wireless and Bluetooth input, plus driver and battery checks.

planned

Monitors & displays

Cables, settings, external monitors and second-display setups.

planned

Printers & scanners

Drivers, queues, network printers and the fixes that actually work.

planned

Audio & microphones

No sound, wrong output device and mic problems, end to end.

planned

Wi-Fi & network cards

Internal and external adapters, signal issues and driver resets.

planned

Laptop hardware

Battery, hinges, keyboards and the repair-versus-replace call.

planned

Storage interfaces: SATA vs M.2 NVMe

Connectors, speeds and choosing the right one for the job.

planned

GPU upgrades & compatibility

Power, size and the checks before you buy a new card.

planned

CPU socket, pins & coolers

Socket types, mounting and cooler compatibility.

planned

Thermal paste & application

Amount, technique and when replacing it actually matters.

planned

Case airflow & cable management

Intake and exhaust balance, and keeping heat moving.

planned

RAM compatibility & XMP/EXPO

Timings, profiles and why your 3200 sticks run at 2133.

planned

PSU sizing & connectors

Reading a wattage label and matching the right plugs.

planned

Cables & adapters

HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C and what each is actually good for.

planned

UPS & surge protection

Keeping a machine alive when the power does something odd.

planned

SSD health: TRIM, wear & encryption

How solid-state drives age and how to check on them.

planned

External drives, enclosures & hubs

When USB storage fails, and why it happens.

planned

Docking stations & Thunderbolt

What docks do well, where they fail and which standard to buy.

planned

Wireless dongles & interference

2.4GHz chaos: USB3, Wi-Fi and the fixes that work.

planned

Repair vs replace

When it's worth fixing — and when it isn't.

planned

Can't see your problem? Tell us about it — the most common requests get written first.