Jump to the work
PETME
Index

By part

16 guides in six drawers. Point at a part on the board, or open a drawer below. Every guide shows when we last checked it.

Motherboard diagram – pick a part to open its guide
Motherboard from above, not to scale. Point at a part with the mouse, a finger or the Tab key. A click opens its guide.

PC components

GuideCheckedNotes
CPU and motherboard – sockets, chipsets and what fits together7
RAM – DDR4 vs DDR5, capacity, channels and speed5
SSDs and HDDs – NVMe vs SATA, M.2 and PCIe generations4
PC power supply – wattage, headroom and connectors6
Graphics cards – size, slots, power and outputs5

Laptops

GuideCheckedNotes
How to choose a laptop – the specifications that really matter4
Charging a laptop over USB-C – the EU rules and choosing a charger2
Laptop ergonomics – stands, screen height and an external keyboard1

Peripherals and connectors

GuideCheckedNotes
Monitors – resolution, refresh rate and the right interface6
USB without the confusion – versions, speeds, connectors and Thunderbolt7

Storage and backup

GuideCheckedNotes
External drives and drive enclosures – 3.5″, 2.5″, M.2 and how they connect4
Backing up with the 3-2-1 rule1

Networking

GuideCheckedNotes
Wi-Fi 6, 6E and 7 – what has changed and when you will notice2

Maintenance and repair

GuideCheckedNotes
Cleaning, cooling and thermal paste – looking after your computer3
Right to repair, chargers and e-waste – the rules in the EU and Slovakia8
Upgrade or replace? Deciding what to do with an ageing computer5