Heads up: This guide was written in 2023. Drive models and pricing have changed — we recommend checking current prices before purchasing. We'll be updating this post soon.
You've come to the right place if you're in the market for a new SSD. In this article, we will look at some of the best SSDs on the market and advise you on which is right for your budget. Whether you're looking for a high-performance drive or something more affordable, we have you covered.
SSDs Will Tremendously Upgrade Your PC
SSDs are an excellent way to upgrade your computer's performance. You can expect faster read and write speeds, improved boot times, and general system responsiveness by replacing a traditional hard disk drive with a solid-state drive. But not every solid-state drive is created equal— some are beasts, standing above others in the market with their incredible speed and space, while others offer a more affordable option without comprising quality. An SSD usually comes in a 2.5-inch form, which fits into the SATA port of your PC that a regular hard drive would use. You're also now seeing more and more people using NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) drives, which are tiny gumstick-shaped SSDs that fit into an M.2 connection found on newer motherboards. They’re insanely fast, or you could get an even faster PCIe 4.0 solid-state drive for compatible PCs. Some SSDs sit on a PCI adapter card and plug right into your motherboard—kinda like how you’d install a graphics card or sound card. With so many options on the market, it's hard to know which SSD is right for you. That's why we've compiled this guide to help you pick the best SSD for your needs. Keep in mind that everything on this list includes internal solid-state drives, not external or portable solutions. So without further ado, let's get started!Table of Contents:
Samsung 870 EVO – Best SATA SSD Crucial BX500 – Best budget SATA SSD Crucial P3 – Best PCIe 3.0 SSD WD Black SN850X – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD Crucial P3 Plus – Best budget PCIe 4.0 SSD Adata Elite SE880 SSD – Best portable SSD Kingston XS200 USB SSD – Best high-storage portable SSD Corsair MP600 Pro XT – Best PCIe 4.0 with water-cooling SSD Seagate Beskar Ingot NVMe SSD (FireCuda 530) – Best-Themed SSDSamsung 870 EVO – Best SATA SSD
Out of all the 2.5-inch SATA drives on the market, Samsung's 870 EVO is superior and will give you the storage space you need. The EVO series is one of the most affordable SSDs able to boast a hefty 4TB maximum capacity. But that's not all, this SSD also has blistering speeds. On top of that, it comes with Samsung's excellent Magician SSD management software and lengthy warranty coverage. Simply put, the EVO series is legendary for a reason among SSDs. Pros Outstanding performance Small file operations Longer writes won't slow down Cons Slightly expensive if you're on a budget MSRP: $169.99Crucial BX500 – Best budget SATA SSD
The Samsung 870 EVO provides an excellent mix of speed and affordability, but if you're looking to spend as little money as possible for the most storage space possible, go with the Crucial BX500. You can purchase its 1TB model for $80, which is $30 cheaper than the comparable EVO model, while a 480GB version costs only $45. Crucial also offers 240GB and 2TB versions, all of which feature decent performance. Pros Very affordable per gigabyte Great performance for everyday usage Cons Will slow down to a snail's pace when the secondary cache runs out MSRP: From $45Crucial P3 – Best PCIe 3.0 SSD
Although new PCIe 4.0 SSDs boast impressive file-transfer speeds, even upgrading to an NVMe SSD from an older PCIe 3.0 system can make your computer noticeably faster and more responsive. Not only is the Crucial P3 a great daily performer, but it's also available at an affordable price. The 500GB model is available for just $44 and the 1TB model is available for $84. Although the P3 doesn't have the best PCIe 4 performance and its TBW rating is pretty low, it does have great real-world write times. Unless you put a lot of stress on the drive, you likely won't notice much of a difference anyway. This is an excellent choice for anyone who wants a reliable SSD at a great price. Pros Decent read/write times Fantastic PCIe3 performance for everyday usage Affordable price per gigabyte Cons Non-cached QLC writes are very slow. Low TBW rating MSRP: From $44WD Black SN850X – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD
The WD Black SN850X is one of the quickest drives and almost ranks at the top next to the FireCuda 530 as far as speed. The rationale that the WD Black SN850X obtains our number one spot for PCIe 4.0 is due to offering superb speeds like its competition but for a more reasonable price— meaning you get more for your dollar. Not only is the SN850X fast, but it also provides excellent transfer rates and fantastic random write performance in real-world scenarios. This SSD truly is one of the best on the market and can compete with any other model available. If you're a data transferring fiend, the WD Black SN850X is the one for you. Pros Amazing performance for everyday use and extreme use Fantastic price for the speed it offers Large-capacity drives are available (up to 4TB) Heatsink for 1TB or 2TB models is available Cons Expensive per gigabyte Okay TBW ratings MSRP: From $159Crucial P3 Plus – Best budget PCIe 4.0 SSD
Although a bit more expensive than SATA or PCIe 3.0 NVMe drives, cutting-edge PCIe 4.0 SSDs are becoming increasingly affordable as the technology becomes more popular. The Crucial P3 Plus is one of the best affordable options, with a price tag of only $100 for 1TB. Not to mention, it has great overall performance. Although the P3 Plus might not be the quickest PCIe 4.0 out there, it has reasonable real-world speeds. As for PCIe 3.0, you're looking at beyond-excellent performance. Overall, the Crucial P3 Plus is an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade to PCIe 4.0 with a ton of storage space without breaking the bank. Pros Extremely affordable Great PCIe 4 performances Phenomenal PCIe 3 performances Cons Overall, the performance isn't the best you can find on the market Low TBW ratings MSRP: From $60Adata Elite SE880 SSD – Best portable SSD
We know we said we wouldn't cover portable solutions, but this SSD is just too good to leave out. Adata's Elite SE880 is unrivaled in portability among SSDs. To give some perspective, it measures 2.55 inches long, 1.38 inches wide, and 0.48 inches thick - making it a similar size to a USB thumb drive! And weighing only 1.1 ounces, you can carry it around in your pocket without noticing its presence. But the Elite SE880 isn't only remarkable in terms of portability, it also has some noteworthy performance. The Elite SE880 is not only quick at everyday tasks, but it also shone in its 48GB transfer tests. Although it was not the best in terms of speed for large file tests, the Elite SE880 is still a great choice for people who travel frequently with their SSD. It has respectable transfer rates and is small enough to fit in your pocket. Pros Incredibly fast over USB Compact and portable Cons During long contiguous writes, this device slows down considerably Low TBW rating MSRP: From $80Kingston XS200 USB SSD – Best high-storage portable SSD
The Kingston XS2000 is the perfect SSD for anyone looking for a well-rounded drive— it's not the smallest, fastest, or largest storage device on the market, but it excels in all these categories. With a 4TB capacity, this ultra-portable drive can still hold more than most of its competitors, especially its portable drive competitors. And both its read and write performance is excellent for the price. In comprehensive speed tests, the XS2000 displayed transfer speeds of 20 gigabytes per second. While this isn't a groundbreaking speed, it's far superior to other competitors whose portable drives rarely exceeded 10 gigabytes per second. To sum it up, this product is small, cheap, and speedy enough to be a great choice - especially if you often need to travel with a lot of data. Pros Its small and compact size makes it easy to take with you on the go Great 20Gbps performance for the money Capacity up to 4TB available Fast for its compact nature Cons Slower than most other SSDs MSRP: From $75Corsair MP600 Pro XT – Best PCIe 4.0 with water-cooling SSD
If you're looking for an SSD that can rival or even outperform the fastest drives out there but at a fraction of the price, look no further than this one. It comes with a comprehensive five-year warranty and is guaranteed to last hundreds of terabytes before failure. Plus, if you want to get really fancy, there's even a version designed for liquid-cooled PCs for only a little more money. You'll need a PC from the last two to three years that are equipped with PCIe 4.0 support in order to experience those unbelievable speeds. Corsair's MP600 Pro XT offers high-end performance, but it comes at a price. The 1TB version costs $200, while 2TB is $300 and 4TB is $800. Not the most budget-friendly option, but it's worth the money if you want the best of the best. Pros Excellent performance Optimized for PCIe 4 Liquid-cooling option Removable heat sink 5-year warranty Cons Extremely expensive compared to other PCIe 3 drives MSRP: From $200Seagate Beskar Ingot NVMe SSD (FireCuda 530) – Best-Themed SSD
If you're one of those rare people who haven't seen The Mandalorian yet, then where have you been? In all seriousness though, Seagate has recently released a series of two Star Wars-themed SSDs for the fans out there—the Beskar Ingot SATA SSD and the Beskar Ingot NVMe SSD. If you're looking for the best possible option, look no further than the Beskar Ingot NVMe SSD. It's guaranteed to meet your expectations with its outstanding performance and ludicrously fast speeds. At first glance, the Seagate Beskar Ingot NVMe SSD looks like a design-centric drive. But when you look at its performance numbers, you'll be astonished at how fast it is. The FireCuda 530 is a top contender for the title of fastest NVMe drive. If you're a diehard Star Wars fan with a windowed case, this is the ideal drive for showing off your newest Beskar bounty. Pros Incredible performance Long warranty High TBW rating Star Wars-themed heatsink Cons More expensive for a themed SSD than the regular FireCuda 530 MSRP: From $168Setting Up an NVMe SSD
An NVMe (nonvolatile memory express) is a type of Solid-State Drive (SSD) that is faster than the traditional SATA SSD. To use an NVMe drive, you need to have the correct components to set it up. Make sure to consider what NVMe drives offer before making a purchase. Standard SATA SSDs improve boot times and loading speeds for PCs at a fraction of the cost. You will get the best use out of NVMe drives if you often transfer data, especially large files. If not, then an NVMe drive is likely not worth the extra expense. If you're interested in purchasing an NVMe SSD, ensure that your PC is compatible with it first. M.2-connection motherboards are still relatively new on the market, so unless your computer is from the past few years, it likely won't be equipped to handle this technology. Before M.2 drives became popular, NVMe SSDs that used PCIe adapters were all the rage. Nowadays, they're not as common, so make sure you can actually use an NVMe SSD before buying one. Keep in mind that you'll need four available PCIe lanes to get the most out of it. In order to use a PCIe 4.0 SSD at full potential, you will need one of the newer Ryzen 3000- or 5000-series CPUs, or an Intel 11th- or 12th-gen CPU. Although PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs are compatible with PCIe 3.0 computers, they will run more slowly due to the lower speed limits of PCIe 3.0. For optimal use of an NVMe drive, your operating system should be running on the drive. This requires a system that recognizes and can boot from the NVMe drive. Most PCs purchased within the past few years shouldn't have any trouble doing this, but support for older motherboards may be more limited. To check whether your motherboard supports booting from an NVMe SSD, do a Google search for your motherboard. It's possible you may need to install a BIOS update for your board first. If it turns out that your hardware can't boot from the NVMe SSD, don't worry! Your machine will still be able to use it as a secondary drive.How to Pick the Right SSD
And although capacity, price, and a lengthy warranty are important considerations, don't think that you need to baby your SSD. Unlike older models which would wear out with regular consumer usage, modern drives can take a beating. For the most part, your SSD will last for far longer than you need it to but having those three to five-year warranties is nice. So when picking out the best SSD for your needs, here are the main things you should consider: 1. Capacity: Depending on how much data you need to store, select a drive with the capacity that meets your needs. 2. Price: Keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Paying more upfront may save you from having to buy a new drive sooner than expected. 3. Warranty: Look for a drive with at least a three to five-year warranty, so you can be sure that your drive will last a while. 4. Speed: Be sure to select an SSD that best meets your needs, depending on what you'll be using it for. 5. Reliability: Opt for a drive that has a high TBW (terabytes written) rating, so you can be sure that your drive won't wear out quickly. 6. Heatsink: Some NVMe drives come with heatsinks for better cooling, which can help extend their lifespan. Choosing the best SSD for you requires careful consideration, but with these tips in mind, you should be able to find one that meets your needs. Whether you're looking for a budget-friendly SATA SSD or a lightning-fast NVMe drive, there's an option to fit everyone's needs and budget. So take your time and find the right drive for you!Types of SSDs You Can Buy
When it comes to selecting the best SSD for you, there are a few key types to choose from. SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) SSDs are the most common type of drives and are great for everyday use. They offer a good balance between performance and affordability, plus they are easy to install, making them a good choice for most users. SATA refers to both the connection type and transfer protocol used to connect most 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch hard drives and SSDs to your PC. SATA III speeds can reach up to 600MBps, but not all modern drives are able to utilize their full potential. PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) SSDs are the fastest type of drives and use four PCIe lanes for data transmission. They are usually found in desktop computers and server systems but can also be used in laptops if they have a compatible PCIe slot. They offer incredible data transfer speeds, making them ideal for applications that require lots of bandwidth, like video editing or gaming. You'll need an AMD Ryzen 3000-series or Intel Core 11th-gen (or newer) processor, as well as a compatible PCIe 4.0 motherboard to use the new and improved PCIe 4.0 drives. NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) drives are similar to PCIe drives, except that they use the NVMe protocol for data transfer. NVMe drives are usually more expensive than SATA SSDs, but they offer faster speeds and better performance. The blistering speed of Non-Volatile Memory Express technology SSDs is miles ahead of their SATA-based drives, making them great for storage-intensive tasks like gaming, video editing, and file transfers. M.2 SSDs are similar to SATA SSDs, but they use a different connection type. M.2 drives use the PCIe interface for faster speeds than SATA III and are great for high-performance applications. Some M.2 drives are designed to be installed directly onto the motherboard, while others require a special adapter card. No matter what type of SSD you choose, make sure to look for one with good reviews and a solid warranty. That way, you can be sure that your drive will last and perform as expected.Choosing Between an SSD and Hard Drive
When it comes to storage, there are two main types of drives: hard drives and SSDs. Hard drives are traditionally larger, slower, and less expensive than their solid-state drive counterparts. However, they can still be a good option for those on a budget especially how cheap they are per gigabyte. SSDs offer superior performance over hard drives in almost every way. They are smaller, faster, quieter, and more reliable. SSDs also use less power than hard drives, which can be beneficial for laptop users who want to maximize battery life. In addition to the performance benefits of an SSD over a hard drive, they are also much more durable. SSDs have no moving parts, so they are not susceptible to damage from shocks or vibrations, making them ideal for use in rugged environments. They also generate less heat than hard drives, which can help extend their lifespan. Ultimately, choosing between an SSD and a hard drive is a personal decision that should be based on your needs and budget. If you're looking for the best performance and reliability, then an SSD is the way to go. But if you need more storage space and are on a tight budget, then a hard drive may be the better option. If you want the benefits of both an SSD and a hard drive, you can buy a small SSD to use as your boot drive. Then set up a traditional hard drive with more storage space as secondary storage in your PC. This way, you get the speed of an SSD for programs that require quick access times, plus the extra storage capacity of a hard drive.Need Help Choosing or Installing an SSD?
Not sure which drive is right for your machine? Dave's Computers in Somerville, NJ can help you pick the right SSD and handle the installation — including cloning your existing data so nothing gets lost in the process. Stop in anytime, no appointment needed.
Related Posts
When your computer crashes, there is a real fear of losing important files and documents. However, it is possible to recover lost files regardless of whether the computer hardware is broken or there is the presence of malware. There are several different types of data recovery software in addition to steps you can take to attempt to recover any lost data from your computer or laptop. It is important to note that if you are unable to get your files back, you can bring your computer problems to Dave’s Computers. Our data recovery services are available seven days a week, and we know these items are confidential, which is why we take privacy seriously..
How to Tell if a Hard Drive is Dead
The best way to avoid any disastrous data loss is to catch any issues as quickly as possible. If you experience any of the following items, your computer’s hard drive could be close to failure.
- Disk Errors
- Computer constantly turns off
- Whining, clicking, buzzing, or other loud noises
- Problems saving or opening files
- Missing folders
In this situation, the best option is to bring your computer to a repair specialist. Not only can a professional fix the problems quickly and avoid more serious damage, they can also provide methods to prevent issues from happening in the future. If you are unsure about any computer issues, Dave’s Computers of Hillsborough New Jersey provides free estimates! Simply give us a call or stop by our shop to get more information.
Steps to Recover Data from a Hard Drive
Follow these steps at home to recover data from your dead hard drive. And, if you have any hesitation or confusion along the way, Dave’s Computers is here to help.
- Install a trusted data recovery tool. We recommend some of the top data recovery software tools below.
- If the hard drive is external, plug it into your computer.
- If the hard drive is internal, you can remove it from its current machine and utilize a USB cord to plug into a working computer.
- Scan the damaged hard drive.
- Once the scan is complete, you should be able to see files that you can recover and save elsewhere.
- After data recovery is successful, it is important to regularly backup files to avoid any permanent loss.
What are the Best Data Recovery Software?
Whether you have a PC or Mac, it is important that you use a high-quality, effective data recovery tool. Here are some of the best file recovery tools.
- Disk Drill
- EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
- Wondershare Recoverit
- Stellar Data Recovery
- Advanced Disk Recovery
- Recuva
- MiniTool Power Data Recovery
- AnyRecover
Many of these tools have a very simple interface with straightforward instructions that make it easy for you to get your files back. As mentioned, if you have trouble using these tools, or if you are unable to get your files back, the computer repair technicians of Dave’s Computers are highly experienced when it comes to data recovery. Bring us your hard drives today!
Choose Dave’s Computers Instead of Data Recovery Software
Although there are numerous methods and tools to recover files at home, the quickest way to get your data back is to hire a professional. Our technicians can solve most problems within an hour or less, and we can implement processes to prevent future computer problems. We can recover data from
- Crashed Hard Disks
- Crashed Internal Hard Disks
- External Hard Disks
- Non Detecting Hard Disks
- Corrupted External Hard Disks
- Flash Drives
- Thumb Drives
- Raid Systems
- Apple Products & Mac Computers
- Windows Computers & PCs
When it comes to retrieving your deleted files, family photos, business documents, financial records, and any other important information, Dave’s has you covered. Our experienced technicians can retrieve your files from virtually any kind of computer data storage device. Once your files are retrieved, we can also transfer it to any new storage devices that we install on your computer. When disaster strikes, Dave’s Computers of New Jersey is here to help home and business users alike. Get your free estimate today to get your files back!
Related Posts
If you saw or heard Google’s presentation last week and the announcement of Google Stadia, you’re likely to be as excited as I am. But what about Microsoft and Sony? With the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Two on the way, should they be worried?
In a word, yes.
Google Stadia in theory at least, could make gaming accessible to everyone. It won’t matter if you don’t have the latest gaming PC, newest Xbox or PlayStation. As long as you have a decent internet connection, some kind of basic PC and controller and the cash to buy the subscription, the entire world of gaming opens up.
Most people of a certain age with have a PS4 and/or an Xbox. PC fans will also have gaming computers. Those people will know that hardware doesn’t come cheap. A good graphics card for a PC could run you $500-800 without the rest of the hardware. A PS4 or Xbox is almost as expensive.
Google Stadia
According to the announcement, Google Stadia will require just a 15Mb internet connection to deliver low latency (<40ms) and low loss (less than 5% packet loss) gaming. The demonstration played Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and if you have played it, you will know how demanding that game is!
As the Stadia server does all the heavy lifting so you can play it on almost any device with a decent screen and controller connector. As long as the device can run Google Chrome, it should be able to play any game on the platform.
If you have an older PC in the house and was wondering whether to upgrade it to play the latest games, you might want to check out Google Stadia. It might not be for you and won’t be here for a while, but it is coming and it will be good. Google are betting the bank on it!
To make it all work, they and AMD have designed special processors capable of 10.7 teraflops of graphics processing. That makes each one almost three times as powerful as a PS4 and almost twice as powerful as the Xbox One X. It will be able to deliver 4K resolution at 60fps with 8K coming later. The Xbox One X is capable of 6 teraflops while the PS4 is capable of 4.2. The graphics engine is paired with a 2.7 GHz processor and 16GB of RAM.
Google didn’t mention pricing for Google Stadia. As the next best offering is PlayStation Now at $19.99 a month, it is realistic to expect the cost to be competitive with that. Then all you will need is a Google Stadia Controller and you’re good to go.
The launch of Google Stadia will be ‘sometime in 2019’. That is before the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Two and soon enough to begin feeling excited right away.
It also gives you time to prepare. If you want a custom PC built for Google Stadia or want us to refurbish and older computer, bring it to Dave’s Computers in New Jersey and we’ll make sure you’re ready for launch day!
Related Posts
Do you know how to use dating apps without giving too much away? Know how to put yourself out there while maintaining a semblance of privacy? Not many people do which is why I put this guide together. Dave’s Computers in New Jersey are fierce supporters of online privacy and firmly believe we should be able to go about our online business without being tracked, followed or worse.
Dating apps have changed the world as we know it. Every single person I know of uses, or has used a dating app. It’s now regarded as the default way to meet someone new. Love dating apps or loathe them, it is how relationships are begun now.
To use a dating app, you need to provide enough information about yourself to attract someone but not enough to expose your identity online. It’s a fine line to tread but I have some quick tips for maintaining that balance.
Separate your dating app and social media
Most dating apps encourage you to link it to Facebook, Twitter or whatever and some will take data from there and use it on the app. If the app has the option to keep your dating profile and social media separate, use it.
We all share too much on social media and it is the work of minutes to find your name, school, place of work, friends and even your address from social media. If you link a dating app profile to that, it could lead to all sorts of trouble. The same for images, a quick reverse image lookup on your dating profile image could turn up all sorts of things if you use it for Facebook too.
Use a burner phone
Having a dating app on your phone can be a license to track you. It can also expose your phone number or you may end up giving your number to someone who turns out not to be who you thought they were. If this is your main phone and you’re partway through a contract, you have work to do to change your number.
By using a burner, you provide the app no data to use. You can turn off GPS, location and any tracking feature within any social network and the number you give out to potential dates is sanitized. In other words, the number has no links to your real life.
Monitor location tracking
Most dating apps use location as a criteria for showing you potential dates. This is a very useful system but make sure the area it shows you as being in isn’t too small. If you’re in New Jersey like us, showing a square mile will include anything up to 150,000 different people. If you live in rural Iowa or somewhere, that mile could include six people.
Use a setting that doesn’t give too much away wherever possible.
Know that you don’t know who you’re talking to
We can be anyone we like online. You have probably come across those profiles already. Those who say they are in their thirties when they are coming up to retirement or those who say they play sports when they really mean they played sports while in college. While those untruths are mostly harmless, there are those out there who prey on people looking for love.
Always have in the back of your mind that the person you’re talking to could literally be anyone. Don’t give away too much too soon. Dating is supposed to be an evolutionary process that unfolds over time. Take that time and use it to gain trust before exposing your soul.
Dating apps are useful and can be a gateway to love. As long as you can manage your privacy and remain safe, dating apps could be a power for good.
Related Posts
There’s a new email phishing scam making the rounds and it’s not a nice one. Based on blackmail and reading quite sinisterly, this recent email is scaring some users. We have seen a few examples of this email here at Dave’s Computers in New Jersey and we don’t like it. The email is scaring those that see it which is never a good thing.
The email has your own account address as the sender and reads something like:
‘I placed malware on the porn website you visited the other day. While you were watching the video and having fun (if you know what I mean), your web browser acted as a RDP (Remote Desktop) and a keylogger which provided me access to your display screen and webcam. Right after that, my software gathered all your contacts from your Messenger, Facebook account, and email account.
I now have video of what you were doing and what you were watching (nasty!). What should you do now?
I think $1000 is a fair price to keep your secret. You’ll make the payment via Bitcoin to the below address (if you don’t know this, search “how to buy bitcoin” in Google).
You have 24 hours in order to make the payment. (I have an unique pixel within this email message, and right now I know that you have read this email). If I don’t get the payment, I will send your video to all of your contacts including relatives, coworkers, and everyone you know.
If I get paid, I will erase the video immediately. If you want evidence, reply with “Yes!” and I will send your video recording to your 5 friends. This is a non-negotiable offer, so don’t waste my time and yours by replying to this email.’
As you can see this is quite sinister. I have heard from a couple of customers who have received this email and want to know what to do.
What to do when you receive phishing or scam emails
The short answer to that is do nothing. Delete the email and think no more of it. Even though it looks like the email has been sent from your own account, it hasn’t. It just uses an old vulnerability in email to make it look that way. It is called spoofing and tells the email to display your address in the From field instead of the real one.
Even though it offers the opportunity to verify, don’t. This is a ‘live email’ check and will verify that your email address is a real one and will encourage more of this kind of spam.
If you’re concerned, add your email address into Have I Been Pwned. This website looks at databases from all the breaches recently to see if your email address was on one of the lists. And the list is long!
Yahoo suffered a data breach in 2017 that compromised 3 billion accounts. Other companies have also lost your data including Marriott International (500 million customers), LinkedIn (164 million), Adobe (153 million), eBay (145 million), Sony’s PlayStation Network (77 million), Uber (57 million) and Ashley Madison (31 million).
Have I Been Pwned can give you a good idea of your email address is one of them.
It is important to never reply or perform any action other than hitting delete when you receive spam or phishing emails. This particular email is insidious in how it tries to strike fear and then make you act on that fear. Don’t fall for it and delete it right away!
If you want more help handling security, hacking or email, visit Dave’s Computers in New Jersey. We would be happy to help!
Related Posts
If you purposely use a PIN or password to unlock your phone or computer because law enforcement could compel you to unlock biometric locks, now is a good time to rejoice. A judge ruled last week that biometric security is protected under the Fifth Amendment just like passwords.
The original provision forced both Apple and Google to add password or PIN unlocks to Android MacOS and iOS. Android introduced a controversial random PIN login reminder as part of Oreo to make sure ‘you are you’ and work around this ability for law enforcement to compel you to unlock biometric security.
That is now a thing of the past.
The ruling
The ruling was handed down by a judge from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California during a warrant request. The request, filed in Oakland wanted to seize mobile devices as part of a larger operation and access using biometrics. Judge Westmore ruled the request was too broad and that it was nowhere near specific enough.
The warrant was to enable raids on persons of interest in a Facebook extortion case. The police had a good idea of who was behind the crimes and wanted to open up any devices the suspects owned, including any that were locked with biometrics.
Previously, warrants had enabled this type of unlocking without any further questions. A suspect giving a password is regarded as doing so willingly, which is offering testimony. Biometrics were not regarded as testimony so were previously not included under Fifth Amendment protections so were regarded as fair game. That changes now.
This time, the judge said enough was enough. His ruling says that the government does not have the right to force a suspect to incriminate themselves, including compelling them to unlock devices using fingerprint, iris or face.
The judge wrote that fingerprints and face scans were not the same as “physical evidence” when considered in a context where those body features would be used to unlock a phone.
A quote:
“If a person cannot be compelled to provide a passcode because it is a testimonial communication, a person cannot be compelled to provide one’s finger, thumb, iris, face, or other biometric feature to unlock that same device.”
“The undersigned finds that a biometric feature is analogous to the 20 nonverbal, physiological responses elicited during a polygraph test, which are used to determine guilt or innocence and are considered testimonial.” (Source)
Dave’s Computers has nothing against law enforcement or their need to access devices and the data stored on them to help investigations. However, we have always wondered why one version of security mean more than another. It confused people and was not an ideal situation. Now the playing field has been equalized and we all know where we stand.
Related Posts
I love the internet. I live on it, research on it, buy stuff on it, talk to the world on it and run a business through it. I also hate certain aspects of it. I hate how ads are managed and I hate it when web administrators force a video to play on the page even when you ask it not to. Today I’m going to show you how to stop those annoying autoplay videos.
Autoplay videos have to be one of the most annoying things on the internet. I have no idea when website owners think you want to see or hear a video without even choosing to do so. It’s bad manners and not recommended by any usability expert that I have ever heard of. It uses mobile data without your permission, slows down page loading and annoys me no end. Fortunately, there are ways to stop it from happening.
Stop videos playing automatically on a web page
I use Firefox as a browser but I know a lot of you use Chrome. I’ll show you how to disable autoplay videos on both. I will also introduce you to a neat browser plugin that catches all those videos the default browser setting does not.
Disable autoplay videos in Firefox
I think Firefox is the best but the setting to disable autoplay videos doesn’t often work. I use this setting along with a browser extension to get what I want. Here’s how to disable videos from within Firefox.
- Type ‘about:config’ into a new Firefox tab.
- Type ‘media.autoplay’ into the search box.
- Change ‘media.autoplay.default’ from 0 to 1.
This will disable some autoplay videos from working. You will find it doesn’t work on all of them though. You can change the setting to ‘2’ if you want to be prompted to play the video rather than block them.
Disable autoplay videos in Chrome
Chrome also offers a setting to disable autoplay videos.
- Type ‘chrome://flags/autoplay-policy’ into a new tab.
- Type ‘autoplay’ into the search box.
- Select ‘Document user activation is required’ in the dropdown box next to Autoplay Policy.
This tells Chrome to not play the video unless you click play.
Disable HTML5 Autoplay
Even if you change the default setting on your browser, some videos will still get through. That’s especially true for some websites and social networks. So I also use a neat browser extension called Disable HTML5 Autoplay. The extension is unmaintained on Chrome right now but still works.
It’s available for both Firefox and for Chrome and is well worth using. It blocks all videos that I have come across and doesn’t get in the way at all.
Do you know of any other reliable ways to disable videos from autoplaying when you land on a web page?
Related Posts
If you have been keeping up with developments, you will likely know that Nvidia has released some new graphics cards in the RTX20X series that feature real time ray tracing. This feature is making huge waves in gaming right now but comes at a cost. So is it worth jumping on the bandwagon right away or better to wait for a while before you splash the cash?
Aside from running Dave’s Computers in New Jersey, I’m a gamer and I spend a lot of my free time playing all kinds of PC games. Any hardware, software game or peripheral that comes out, I want to know about it. Ray tracing is exciting but it also comes at a premium. Is that premium worth paying right away or is it safer to wait until the technology has proven itself and is lower in cost?
What is real time ray tracing?
Real time ray tracing is a way to render lighting in computer graphics. Once the preserve of supercomputers for movie studios with CGI, it is now being brought into the home with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2070 and 2080 graphics cards. You once needed a $20,000 computer to perform real time ray tracing. Now you can do it for $500.
The engine behind ray tracing calculates how every ray of light would react, reflect or rebound off any surface it might hit in real time to produce some amazing lighting effects. Even reading that statement, you begin to understand the computational power required to render every single ray of light in its journey while also rendering everything else the game needs to look amazing.
Here’s an in-depth look at how ray tracing works if you want to take a read.
Is it worth the money?
Being an early adopter in anything is an expensive and sometimes, risky business. In computers, it’s more expense than risk. At the time of writing, Nvidia have also released a cheaper RTX2060 card with ray tracing capabilities that will run you $350, which is pretty good for a new generation card. However, its ability to run 1920x1080 at 60fps with ray tracing has yet to be reliably established.
Currently, the only game that utilizes ray tracing is Battlefield 5. Other games will surely follow but for now, BF5 with ray tracing runs at around 30-40fps in high action scenes. That will improve with optimization and new drivers and Dice has already done a huge amount of work to optimize the game.
If you’re in the market for a new graphics card, the Nvidia RTX series makes for a good purchase. If you’re looking specifically for ray tracing, the 2060 has yet to prove itself but the 2070 and 2080 seem competent enough.
Whether it’s worth the money or not is up to you. So far, Nvidia have priced the RTX series competitively and offer all the features of a premium graphics card. The ray tracing feature comes as well as graphics performance, not instead of it. There are not yet enough games out to justify spending $500 on a graphics card purely for ray tracing but as you’re getting a good card and ray tracing, they do make sense.
If you have any issues with graphics or getting your new graphics card to work, visit Dave’s Computers in New Jersey. We are always happy to help!
Related Posts
Check your sources
Nobody should get their news from Facebook. The social network is for keeping in touch with friends and posting stuff about your life. It is not a reliable news source. If you spot something interesting online, look elsewhere to see if the story is repeated on a credible news website before accepting it as truth. If one or more reliable news websites are also carrying the story, it may be true. Don’t just take their word for it though. Check the domain name and actual source of the news. If the domain name is not a top level domain, e.g. a .com address, be suspicious. If the author is someone you have never heard of before, check them out. If they have never written anything in their name but suddenly release multiple news stories, be very suspicious.Check the facts
With the prevalence of fake news, some organizations have taken it upon themselves to check facts. Three useful sites are:- org - monitors the accuracy of U.S. political stories.
- PolitiFact – also verifies political news stories.
- Snopes – Checks broader news and rumors.