Stories by David Murphy

Download and install Windows 8 into a virtual machine

We've shown you how to go about installing the new Windows 8 developer preview on a brand-new hard drive or a partition of your existing hard drive--that's easy.

Download and install Windows 8 on a new partition

So you want to try out Windows 8. Excellent! But you're not foolhardy enough to try using a developer preview build as your main work/play operating system -- you just want to dabble. We'll show you how to download and install the Windows 8 developer's preview on to a separate partition (or separate hard drive, if you have a spare). If you don't feel like mucking your hard drive with another partition, read How To Download and Install Windows 8 to a Virtual Machine for a less intrusive way to get Windows 8 up and running on your PC.

Intel's Sandy Bridge CPUs: What to Expect

Intel's second-generation Core processors are almost here, delivering a new socket, new chipsets, and new technologies.

Lenovo IdeaCentre C315

Looking at the Lenovo IdeaCentre C315 is "a bit like staring into the sun"--that's a direct quote from our notes in reference to the bright, vibrant display on this 20-inch all-in-one desktop.

15 crazy PC case mods

Case mods: Few may do them, but many gawk at the crazy creations coming out of enthusiasts' basements, garages, factories, and laboratories. These mad scientists of the PC world strive to find new ways to present a common computer in a unique--and often awesome--light.

Chip Showdown: A guide to the best CPUs on the market

When you're shopping for a new PC, don't meekly settle for the default processor recommended by the configurator. Picking the right CPU is a personal decision that you shouldn't enter into lightly. And with so many options to choose from, you need to know what you're getting into when you settle on a chip for your system. We've rounded up eight of the leading processors on the market and put them through a battery of rigorous tests to help you shop with confidence.

How to mod your laptop

How do you change the look of a laptop? I mean really change its look--just shifting around the wallpaper, screensaver, or Windows color theme doesn't count.

Seagate readies its first 2TB enterprise hard drive

Less than a week after Western Digital's 2TB Caviar Green WD20EASD hard drive hit stores in the US, Seagate launched its own rival hard drive family featuring a 2TB storage titan. The company's new Constellation series of enterprise drives will arrive in 2.5- and 3.5-inch varieties.

Intel: 27 new CPUs arrive in January for notebooks & desktops

It's official. Intel CEO Paul Otellini launched a volley of 32-nanometer cannonballs at rival AMD with the official release of the company's latest dual- and quad-core Clarkdale and dual-core Arrandale processors. The launch -- spanning 27 different chips and seven individual chipsets -- marks the first time Intel has opted to stash a graphics processing unit alongside the CPU on consumer platforms. What does that mean? Smaller motherboard form factors, lower power consumption, and better cooling for the integrated chips. Expect to be able to get your hands these new CPUs as early as late January.

Intel's 2010 Clarkdale desktop CPUs: what to expect

Clarkdale to Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad (and the North Bridge): Hasta la Vista, baby.

How to optimize your Windows 7 PC

Windows 7 comes as a significant performance improvement over its predecessor, Windows Vista.

How to: Upgrade to Gigabit Networking for Better Speed

The speed of your network affects nearly every device on your home network, whether it be a home-theater PC, an external storage device, or a gaming console. For most networks, the transfer rate of a faster ethernet connection (roughly 12.5 megabits per second) is the typical speed limit. That may be okay for transferring ordinary files, but it's painfully slow if you're trying to back up a PC to a network device, for example, or to stream a high-definition movie to your living room.

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Intel's new Core i7 and Core i5 processors explained

Intel's two new Core i7 CPUs (860 and 870) are mid-range counterparts to its top-of-the-line Core i7 900-series chips, and initial tests (using Intel's new DP55KG motherboard) indicate their performance follows suit. Our early tests also show the new entry-level Core i5 750 is the one to watch when it comes to best bang for your buck.

Ten ways to upgrade your netbook

Netbooks are universally regarded for their portability, but no two netbook models are exactly alike, and each seems to come with different trade-offs.

AMD launches 3.4-GHz Phenom II X4 965 CPU, fastest yet (again)

Here we go again.