
Darien Graham-Smith
Darien began his IT career in the 1990s as a systems engineer, later becoming an IT project manager. His formative experiences included upgrading a major multinational from token-ring networking to Ethernet, and migrating a travelling sales force from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95.
He subsequently spent some years acting as a one-man IT department for a small publishing company, before moving into journalism himself. He is now a regular contributor to IT Pro, specialising in networking and security, and serves as associate editor of PC Pro magazine with particular responsibility for business reviews and features.
You can email Darien at darien@pcpro.co.uk, or follow him on Twitter at @dariengs.
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Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 review: Outstanding, but possibly overkill
Reviews The first 802.11ax mesh system leaves its rivals in the dust – but does anyone actually need it?
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Keep yourself protected with our list of the best security suites
Reviews With more malware lurking in the shadows than ever before, it’s critical that you keep yourself safe
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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LG Gram 17 (2020) review: Do it for the Gram
Reviews Not the fastest performer, but this plus-sized laptop has a fantastic screen and is astonishingly light
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Google Nest Wifi review: A solid improvement, but not for long
Reviews Seamlessly combines mesh Wi-Fi and smart speaker functions, but other solutions are faster and more versatile
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019) review: Flipping brilliant
Reviews A superb laptop by any measure – its convertible design is simply the icing on the case
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Asus RT-AX88U review: The next step in Wi-Fi technology
Reviews Wi-Fi 6 finally hits the mainstream, and it’s as fantastic as it is expensive
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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8 killer new Windows 10 features for 2019
In-depth Android phone mirroring, smoother updates and a sandbox to test suspicious files all come part of the latest Windows 10 refresh
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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The cable-free household is already here... if we want it
Opinion WiGig is a technology that missed the boat, but with a little push it could yet be transformative
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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AmpliFi Instant Home Mesh Wi-Fi review
Reviews Don't let the name fool you - this simple mesh system is ideal for small businesses
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Linksys EA9500 Max-Stream review: A meaty slab of a router
Reviews This mammoth piece of hardware delivers the good when it comes to performance
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Avast Free Antivirus review: Capable but annoying
Reviews A feature-packed offering, but prepare to be peppered with prompts to upgrade
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Synology RT2600ac review
Reviews This router has one of the nicest web consoles around, with tons of nifty features to boot
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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It's time for Microsoft to deactivate its kill switch
Opinion Free software advocates warned us about the dangers of product activation - and they were right
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Is Google the best way to shop online? I’m not buying it
Opinion Google’s sponsored Shopping service lets users down – we should demand better
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Sooner or later, new tech turns us all into old fogeys
Opinion Computer systems are constantly evolving and changing; our brains, and our expectations, not so much
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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The best Registry hacks for fixing annoying Windows features
Tutorials Some of the best tweaks you can safely make to the Registry to enhance your OS experience
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Looking back, my 3D-printing dream was never a goer
Opinion In this increasingly cynical age, it's getting harder to buy into seductive visions of the future
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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A hacker's guide to the Windows Registry
In-depth Demystifying the Registry so that you can take full control of Microsoft's OS
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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We needn't reinvent books – but they can be smarter
Opinion Calls to jazz up the humble book may sound naive, but we can create a better reader experience
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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IPVanish review: A very versatile and vibrant VPN
Reviews Slick and speedy, with in-depth options that techies will love, but note the lack of support for US Netflix
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Tenda Nova MW3 review: Cheap but very cheerful mesh Wi-Fi
Reviews The cheapest mesh wireless kit we’ve come across: what it loses in speed, it makes up for in convenience
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Zyxel Multy X review: Screamingly fast mesh Wi-Fi
Reviews Wide coverage and great speeds for an attractive price
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Email isn't dying - it's about to show its true value
Opinion Instant messaging may be all the rage, but the advent of GDPR highlights the strengths of email
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
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Apple might achieve what Windows 10 never could
Opinion Putting the same chips into MacBooks and iPhones opens up exciting possibilities
By Darien Graham-Smith Published
Opinion