In this issue

MONEY SAVER OF THE MONTH
You don’t need to invest thousands of pounds in solar panels to beat the energy system. Some clever software, and batteries in their various forms, could do the trick.

Affinity takeover leaves customers wary
Canva moves in for British company that took on Adobe with subscription-free software.

7 habits of effective IT pros
The PC Pro team combine their collective wisdom to create seven tips for keeping on top of your IT game..

How to earn Cyber Essentials certification

The UK's government-backed security standard provides reassurance for you and your customers. Nik Rawlinson explores what's involved - and how to get it

7 mins

HP Omen Transcend 14

If you're sticking with Asus or Razer gaming laptops out of habit, the HP Omen Transcend 14 may just change your mind

6 mins

AI TRİSM

New computing paradigms come with new challenges. Steve Cassidy explores how to use AI safely and securely

2 mins

13 warnings about using AI at work

AI experts from industry and academia were gathered by the Turing Institute to consider the future of the technology. Nicole Kobie reveals the lessons they offered

9 mins

Brilliant business comms at zero cost

Whether you choose 3CX Free or 3CX SMB V20, it's time to say goodbye to per-user pricing and bundle rip-offs

3 mins

TURN YOUR DUMB TV INTO A SMART ONE WITH A RASPBERRY PI

Enjoy video on demand and more Nik Rawlinson finds out how the humble Pi can transform your TV

9 mins

GIGABIT INTERNET Get the speeds you're paying for

Is your premium internet service not racing along like it should? Darien Graham-Smith goes in search of faster downloads on every device

7 mins

7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IT PROS

The PC Pro team combine their collective wisdom to create seven tips for keeping on top of your IT game

10 mins

BRILLIANT MONITORS from £149

Whether you’re looking for screens to roll out ina business, an entertainment centrepiece ora pro-quality monitor, one of our 15 displays holds the answer

1 min

PORTABLESSDs FROM £69

We review 12 portable SSDs that cover a wide range of standards, form factors and target users

3 mins

Netgear Orbi 970

This ultra-premium mesh is loaded with potential, but Wi-Fi 7 isn't mature enough to justify the huge price

6 mins

SLASH YOUR BILLS BUILD YOUR OWN SMART HOME GRID

There are huge savings to be made on energy bills if you can take control of your home grid. Barry Collins reveals how it's done

10+ mins

Robobutlers may never happen, but robot care workers are on their way

Do you hate loading the dishwasher enough to pay someone to do it remotely? Nicole Kobie wonders about the weird future of home robots

9 mins

Technical debt

Cutting corners now means more work down the road - but Steve Cassidy asks whether that's always a bad thing

3 mins

Zyxel ZyWALL ATP500

Zyxel delivers tough gateway security and advanced threat protection at a very appealing price

3 mins

CREATIVE WORKSTATIONS

Intel and AMD both offer compelling CPU choices for workstations, giving us ten machines with the widest variety of specifications we've seen for years

3 mins

ANDROID PHONES FROM £219

As this roundup of four affordable contenders shows, there's no need to spend a fortune on a phone

4 mins

Amazon Echo Pop

If you want a compact Alexa smart speaker, the Pop is now the cheapest choice - but what does it really add?

2 mins

Getac X600

A powerful alternative to the Panasonic Toughbook 40, with the bonus of optional Nvidia graphics

3 mins

Amazon Fire Max 11

With its 2K screen and sleek design, this is Amazon's best tablet yet-but FireOS remains a hindrance

3 mins

Google Pixel Fold

The Pixel Fold delivers with a thin and durable design, a wide front display, smart software and great cameras

7 mins

Welcome to the Fediverse

Have commercial social networks had their day? Darien Graham-Smith looks at the free, community-run apps that could usurp Twitter, Reddit and the Meta empire

9 mins

Ditch the filing cabinet

It’s not just big businesses that have to manage paperwork – Nik Rawlinson finds it’s easy to digitise and manage documents in all sizes of company (and households)

8 mins

GREEN PCS MISSION IMPOSSIBLE?

The world's biggest PC maker says it can achieve net-zero by 2050. Barry Collins visits Lenovo's US headquarters to get his hands on plant-based PCs, bamboo packaging and vegan leather covers

10+ mins

DocuSign

Makes signing and managing documents simple, but best suited to business users who have to regularly sign docs

3 mins

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5

A watch with hidden depths and strong battery life, but you'll need to use Mobvoi's apps to fully exploit it

3 mins

Tackling the skills shortfall

Companies aiming for growth need the right IT talent: Nik Rawlinson talks to industry experts about how to attract and keep the best applicants

8 mins

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

A triple-camera drone targeted at the serious user, reflected in its restricted C2 category rating

3 mins

Original Prusa MK4

An excellent 3D printer that produces top-quality prints and sets a benchmark for all other 3D printers to follow

3 mins

Apple MacBook Air 15in

Apple does it again, with superb battery life and performance squeezed into a thin, stylish chassis

5 mins

Read all stories from PC Pro

PC Pro Magazine Description:

The UK's biggest selling PC monthly magazine, and your source of professional IT news, reviews and tests. Combining in–depth industry comment and analysis with rigorous product testing.