http://www.computerbuyer.co.uk/labs/ Computer Buyer labs en-gb Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:11:38 +0100 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:11:38 +0100 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 site.editor@computerbuyer.co.uk webmaster@computerbuyer.co.uk http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/207/budget-laptops/products.html With blue skies outside and Britain's annual glimpse of sun in the offing, who wants a computer that keeps you stuck indoors? Laptops are already outstripping desktops as the most commonly purchased kind of PC, and over the summer they'll be an even more attractive prospect. Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/207/digital-photo-frames/products.html Digital photo frames have become one of the biggest selling electrical products of our time. An increase in quality and a drop in prices combined to produce a rise in sales of 900% last Christmas from the equivalent period in 2006. Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/207/photo-printers/products.html Digital cameras make it easy and cheap to take as many photos as you want. To get the most from them, you also need an easy and affordable way to print them out. Photo printing is a standard capability of today's inkjets, but some are better at it than others. Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/206/500gb-hard-disks/products.html When you bought your PC, its hard disk probably seemed so huge it would be impossible ever to fill it. Yet, within a few years, you've somehow achieved it. The hard disk's stuffed. You need more storage. Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/206/do-it-all-laptops/products.html Everyone likes a bargain, but when you're shopping for a computer that'll be your constant companion for the next few years, it's worth spending a little more. In fact, if you need a solid, dependable laptop with enough performance to keep you racing through Windows tasks and maybe even run the latest 3D games, it could be more cost-effective in the end to stretch your budget than to compromise on an underpowered system. Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/205/do-it-all-desktops/products.html You can worry about inflation and interest rates, but one bit of good financial news is that decent computers are getting cheaper and cheaper. Just look at the components that you can find in this month's tested systems, all available for less than £1000 - and we don't mean a penny less or a pound less, but up to £250 less. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/205/wireless-routers/products.html If you don't already have a wireless network, it's about time you did. And if you've had one for years, you should seriously consider upgrading it with a new 802.11n router. This latest WiFi standard offers higher speeds and better range than ever before. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/204/mid-range-laptops/products.html Pop out for a coffee on the way to work, and you can't help noticing we Brits have become addicted - not just to caffeine, but to choice. Tall, grande or bucket? Skinny, semi or fully loaded? Cappuccino, frappuccino, mocha choca ya-ya-ya? Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/204/mono-laser-printers/products.html Let's admit it: it's hard to get excited about laser printers. Inkjets, sure - with their glossy, colourful, photo-quality prints, they can't help turning heads. But think about lasers and you probably picture a grey box that sits in a corner churning out boring business documents all day long. Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/204/system-utilities/products.html PCs are a bit like people. In their early years they're quick and sharp, and all the equipment works as it should. They can go fast and cope with several jobs at the same time. But as they get older, problems arise. Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/203/inkjet-all-in-ones/products.html Today's properly equipped home or office needs a printer and a copier. All-in-one devices (sometimes called multi-function printers, or MFPs) combine both in one unit, and the scanner that allows you to copy documents can also be used to store and edit them on your PC. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/203/top-pcs-from-519/products.html Buying an exciting PC used to mean paying through the nose. Models ready for high-resolution gaming used to be prohibitively expensive, and pro-quality photo and video editing was restricted to the latest top-of-the-range processors. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/203/webcams/products.html It almost goes without saying that technology gets better all the time. If there's one common peripheral, though, that doesn't seem to have progressed all that much over the years, it's the humble webcam. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/202/accounts-software/products.html Spending money has never been so easy. You can swipe, chip'n'pin, or even pay using your mobile phone. And thanks to Internet shopping, there's nothing to stop you shelling out a fortune without ever having to leave your chair. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/202/graphics-cards/products.html Your PC wouldn't be much use without a display, and to generate the image on it the computer needs a graphics chipset. This can be supplied built into the motherboard that carries the PC's processor and other core electronics, but while these integrated chipsets are fine for basic tasks, a dedicated graphics card is essential for playing 3D games or watching high definition (HD) video. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/202/mid-range-laptops/products.html Laptops are everywhere these days. Pop into any electrical store, or flick through the magazine ads, and the sheer amount of choice is enough to turn even the canniest consumer into a dithering mess incapable of answering the simple question: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/201/backup-software/products.html Hard disks can go wrong; files can be accidentally deleted or saved over; and let's not even start on what can happen to your PC when a small child, work colleague or spouse gets hold of it. In short, you really need to know that, whatever may be on your system at any given time, there's a copy of it safe and sound somewhere else, waiting to be restored if the worst happens. Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/201/photo-inkjet-printers/products.html Inkjets are the standard choice for printing at home. Today's models combine high-quality document output with the ability to print images that rival commercial photo prints, all at a reasonable price - at least until you start buying ink. Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/201/power-pcs-under-749/products.html How much do you have to pay to get a decent PC? This month we challenged some of the biggest names in the business to show us what they could do for under £750, and we were amazed at the results. Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/labs/200/budget-compact-cameras/products.html It could be the perfect gift, but a digital camera isn't just for Christmas. Whether you're seriously into photography or just want to point and shoot, you need to find the right model to suit your needs and fit your budget. Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000