Speed Up Your PC For Free

Get out of the PC slow lane, with some of our handy speed tips

When a PC starts to get a bit old, you might start wondering whether it’s time to spend money on an upgrade. But before you do that, it’s worth having a look at what you can do to speed up a system without spending any money!

Most of the time, people don’t upgrade their PC because their current one isn’t capable of doing what they want; they upgrade because it’s become bad at doing what they want. But inside the slow, chugging system you own is the lightning-fast system you bought. You just need to know how to draw it back out.

That’s why we’ve come up with a few ways you can ‘upgrade’ your system for free. Take the advice in this article and we can guarantee your system will run better without you having to spend a single penny on it.

Dealing With Viruses

Aaron looks as the options available if your PC is infected with a virus

Fixing a PC when something goes wrong is sometimes easy, but often it can be a troublesome task, stressing users to the breaking point when they find themselves stuck and with no idea where to turn – other than paying someone else to fix it. However, error messages and hardware problems are often far easier to fix than one of the most difficult problems a PC user can face: a virus.

SUPERAntiSpyware 6

Boost your security with a tool to provide a second line of defence

Malware like spyware, viruses, Trojans and other threats is showing no signs of diminishing, so security software is still essential on Windows PCs, despite attempts by Microsoft to make the operating system more secure. SUPERAntiSpyware has just been updated to version 6, and it aims to protect your PC from spyware.

Subnautica

Dive many leagues into an alien world and try to survive as long as possible

Open world survival games have fast become the norm on the PC. We’ve been tasked with trying to outlast a zombie apocalypse, survive being stranded on a deserted island and found ourselves washed ashore on some unknown land. Either way, the basic mechanics of the games are very much the same: eat, drink, heal, craft and survive.

Western Digital My Passport Ultra 1TB

WD revamps a classic with some innovative new features

Opening this package from Western Digital, I was wearing my typically weary face of cyclic experience. Surely I’ve seen enough external drives to last a Time Lord's lifetime? But – and a rare occurrence this is – the changes Western Digital has to this product are more than cosmetic and, in the end, rather compelling.

Evolve Audio SB-2501

Michael checks out a soundbar that comes with its own headphones

The Evolve SB-2501 is a soundbar with a wireless subwoofer and comes with bonus wireless headphones for private listening sessions. Included in the package with these elements are leads for mains power, USB charging facilities and the link connectivity between the soundbar and a television. You also get a remote control unit with a button battery.

Acer Extensa EX2508-C3QZ Notebook

Sometimes inexpensive hardware comes with excessive drawbacks

Buying a notebook for a person who isn’t good at looking after their hardware is problematic, and as a father I’ve made those choices. You can either spend an outrageous amount on something designed to withstand cluster-bomb attack or go with something cheap, cheerful and ultimately disposable.

Kobo Glo HD

Michael Fereday has been checking out a new Kobo ereader

Ebook readers have been with us for many years, but it wasn't until the Kindle came along that E-Ink products really took off. To this day, Amazon's device has a huge share of the ereader market in the UK, but in recent years, Canadian company Kobo has managed to find itself a decent foothold, by offering high-quality alternatives at a reasonable price.

Get your PC ready for Windows 10. Part 1

In the first part of a new series preparing you for the launch of Windows 10, Jonathan Parkyn reveals how to find out if your PC is ready for the big upgrade

Will you qualify to get Windows 10 for free?

Microsoft has stated that it will offer a free upgrade to Windows 10 for “qualified” new or existing Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 PCs that upgrade during the first year after the 29 July launch. Moreover, the upgrade will remain free for those who carry it out, meaning there won’t be any hidden costs down the line.