Paul Lilly
Paul is a seasoned geek who was first seduced into the world of computers and technology by the Commodore 64, and through the years he’s courted a number of OSes and platforms from DOS on up to the latest version of Windows. Having joined the HotHardware team in 2011, Paul is now a mainstay of the site covering the news beat and reviews, and resident wiseguy who keeps the mood light. He’s also an experienced freelance technology writer whose work has appeared in a number of online and print publications.
Opinions and content posted by HotHardware contributors are their own.
Recent posts
In a move that Meta is pitching as a way to "make VR more affordable and bring even more people into the community," the Facebook firm is permanently slashing the price of its previous generation Quest 2 VR headset. Same goes for several of Meta's Quest 2 accessories, including the Elite Strap (with our without a...
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It was right around this time last year when Intel trotted out its 13th Gen Core i9-13900KS at the Consumer Electronics Show, which it called a "milestone moment for the PC industry." That's because it was the first CPU to ship with a 6GHz clock speed out of the box (via Thermal Velocity Boost). Will we see a 14th Gen...
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Several Android users who installed the latest Spotify beta (version 8.9.2.169) report that the app keeps crashing on their devices. One only need look on X (formerly Twitter) to see a rash of complaints related to the issue, the timing of which coincides with the calendar flipping over to 2024. Hopefully the crashes...
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It's a brand new year and, if you're a gamer, chances are high that your PC games library swelled in the waning moments of 2023. That's because Steam, Epic, and other digital distribution platforms closed out the year with tantalizing sales, which are still ongoing by the way. So, you might find yourself suddenly in...
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It doesn't matter how good your TV's built-in speakers sound or how high you crank up the volume, none of them compare to the audio fidelity and, in some cases, bone-crunching bass that you can get from a proper surround sound setup. The problem is, surround sound setups can be expensive and messy to set up. That's...
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LG is showing off its new CineBeam Qube projector (model HU710PB) and it's a safe bet that you've never seen anything like it before. That's by intentional design—LG considers its latest projector to be capable of pulling double duty as a "stylish art object" and to some extent, we agree. It's also super-compact and...
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After a fair amount of hoopla and plenty of speculation, NVIDIA has formerly introduced its GeForce RTX 4090D (Dragon) for the Chinese market. In doing so, we now have clarity on the actual specifications. Contrary to a late-breaking rumor that appeared shortly before NVIDIA launched its newest GeForce RTX 40 series...
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Another year is in the books and to celebrate an "unforgettable 2023," Microsoft is sharing some interesting stats related to its Edge browser. There are several that stand out, including Microsoft's claim that Edge users in the United States saved an average of $400 on online shopping, while worldwide savings added...
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For those of us who predate the big screen TV movement into the mainstream market, it's absolutely mind-blowing just how big and cost-friendly today's giant-sized televisions have become. Remember when a 65-inch TV was considered massive? That's still a sizable display, but it's also dwarfed by LG's upcoming 98-inch...
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The day has supposedly come when NVIDIA is set to launch a modified version of its flagship consumer graphics card, the GeForce RTX 4090, in China. It's modified so as not to run afoul of the US government's export restrictions on AI hardware. However, if the reported specifications turn out to be accurate, the...
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By now it feels fairly certain that NVIDIA is planning to refresh its GeForce RTX 40 series lineup with a handful of Super models. There are just too many leaks to ignore what is in all likelihood an inevitable launch at or around the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month. If you're still not convinced, however...
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In case anyone forgot that Amazon is planning to inject ads into its Prime Video service, the online retail juggernaut has started sending out email notices to subscribers letting them know when the day is coming, and how they can sidestep interruptions while watching movies and TV shows. Unfortunately, the only way...
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Global PC shipments are in the midst of an "unprecedented slump" after what's to become a second consecutive year of big declines, once the final numbers are tallied. The historic slide sets the stage for what analyst firm International Data Corporation (IDC) says will be a "pivotal year for the PC market" when the...
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One of the trends shaping up for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month is the introduction of dual-mode gaming monitors that let you choose between a higher resolution at a lower refresh rate, or a lower resolution at a faster refresh rate. LG already tipped its hand by teasing its upcoming UltraGear...
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One of our favorite Android phones is Google's flagship model, the Pixel 8 Pro. You can check out our Pixel 8 Pro review for in-depth coverage of why we consider this a top-notch Android handset, and it's an even more impressive device now that Google has rolled out its promised Video Boost feature. The cherry on top?...
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Meteor Lake is the newest chip architecture off the ol' Intel block and in the coming weeks, we anticipate a barrage of laptop reviews. A few have already found their way to the web, including our own Core Ultra review from a pre-production MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo machine. We were generally pleased with the overall...
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MSI is preparing a big treat for fans of large and beastly gaming laptops. In the lead up to next month's Consumer Electronics Show, MSI is offering some preliminary info on its upcoming Titan 18 HX, which as the model name suggests is an 18-inch gaming laptop. What the model designation doesn't overtly reveal...
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Google is adding some new bells and whistles to Chrome on the desktop that could potentially make the world's most popular browser a bit faster and more secure. While these are not necessarily game-changing alterations, they're significant enough that you may want to initiate a manual update rather than waiting for...
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G.Skill is arguably best known for its ever-evolving lineup of enthusiast memory products, such as its Trident and Ripjaws RAM, but it actually has an expansive lineup that extends into CPU coolers, power supplies, PC cases, and of course peripherals like keyboards and mice, to name a few. Adding to that latter...
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LG is teasing a handful of OLED gaming monitors that it plans to show off at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month. The one that stands out from the bunch is the UltraGear 32GS95UE, a 32-inch 4K resolution OLED display with a potentially game-changing "Dual-Hz" feature. With just a single click, players can...
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Could you use a new gaming laptop? Well, you can sit back and hope the big guy in the red suit brings you what you want for Christmas, but that's a tall ask. The other option is to take matters into your own hands and score a sweet deal on one of several marked-down systems at Best Buy. Some of the discounts are...
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BenQ is joining an exclusive club with the release of its Zowie XL2586X gaming monitor. Built around a 'Fast-TN' panel with DyAc 2 technology, it's one of only two displays (that we're aware of) to jump over the 500Hz refresh rate mark and land at a blistering 540Hz. The only other one is the ASUS ROG Swift Pro...
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