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
I'm old enough to remember to when PC monitors weren't exactly known for innovating. These days, however, it's a challenge keeping up with all of the fancy new display technologies and their various tricks. One of the latest innovations gaining traction is the advent of dual-mode displays, and ViewSonic has officially...
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Look, we're all familiar with the sorry state of current-generation GPUs, in terms of availability and partner pricing. We'll try our best to refrain from beating that dead horse. Instead, let's discuss the inevitable launch of more mainstream SKUs that are in the pipeline, which in theory, should offer gamers a more...
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We made the trek out to HP Amplify this week (as well as NVIDIA's GTC conference), and while there, we got to to go hands-on with a beastly laptop configuration that is available to preorder. It's the HP Omen Max 16, and as configured it pairs an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor based on Arrow Lake-HX with a mobile...
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If you're building a new, no-compromise (or low-compromise) gaming PC, a great place to start for primary storage is Crucial's T705. When we reviewed it last month, we called it the "fastest SSD for gamers and creators" thanks to its combination of ultra-high sequential transfers, low latency, and top performance in...
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After what felt like an near-endless barrage of leaks and rumors, Google finally lifted the curtain on its Pixel 9a, a midrange Android handset that is poised to battle Apple's recently launched iPhone 16e. Both are priced similarly, though the Pixel 9a has a $100 price advantage—it starts at $499, versus $599 for...
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It won't be long before you'll be able to purchase a gaming laptop with a newfangled mobile GeForce RTX 50 series GPU inside. Heck, there are already a bunch of listings on Best Buy, though none that are in stock and only one that is up for preorder (HP Omen priced at $2,899.99). If you want to stretch your dollar...
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Towards the latter part of last month, Samsung reinserted itself into the flagship solid state drive (SSD) space with the introduction of its 9100 Pro series to supplant its still-awesome 990 Pro as its fastest consumer drive line. Now several weeks later, you can actually purchase the 9100 Pro in various capacities...
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Update 3/19/25, 8:44PM ET - AMD representatives have reached out to us here at HotHardware to note that nothing in the previously reported Benchlife article was factual with respect to quantities shipped, and at no time did AMD claim specific quantities shipped in its AI PC Innovation Summit presentation. Further...
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Following the launch of Blackwell-based GPUs in the consumer space for gaming, NVIDIA today expanded the reach of its latest-generation GPU architecture into various professional solutions for workstations, servers, and laptops, all of which fall under the RTX Pro Blackwell umbrella. In total, we’re looking at a dozen...
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It took several days, but it looks like Google has figured out how to resolve a recent issue that borked older Chromecast (version 2) and Chromecast Audio streaming dongles, which was preventing them from functioning. An initial fix actually arrived late last week, save for users who had performed a factory reset...
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LG is accepting preorders in the US for its UltraGear GX9 (model 45GX950A-B), a curved (800R) gaming monitor built around a bodacious 45-inch OLED panel with a 5120x2160 resolution and various bells and whistles. According to LG, the GX9 is the world's first 5K2K OLED monitor, and we haven't found any proof to suggest...
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If you've been itching to build a new gaming PC (or upgrade an existing one) around AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D, we have good news—it's finally back in stock at multiple retailers, and priced at MSRP. Yes, availability and MSRP pricing are things we celebrate these days, as stock shortages, price hikes (whether due to...
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It's been a month since we highlighted a bunch of deals on Google's Pixel 9 family, including what qualified (at the time) as the lowest price ever for the Pixel 9 Pro. Well, it's even cheaper now with a fresh batch of discounts, but that's not the only Pixel 9 model to hit a new low. Same goes for the Pixel 9 Pro XL...
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Are you having trouble installing Microsoft's Patch Tuesday update for March? You're not alone. The newest update is reportedly brimming with issues running the gamut from minor annoyances, like running into installation errors, to show-stopping blue screen of death (BSOD) crashes that will make you want to yank your...
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AMD released its Radeon RX 9070 XT and Radeon RX 9070 graphics cards to retail about a week and a half ago (on March 6), both of which are exclusive to its add-in board partners, meaning no reference 'Made by AMD' variants. Even so, we have yet to see any custom models by MSI. As it turns out, MSI is not only skipping...
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A leaker on X (formerly Twitter) claims Valve is getting release a version of SteamOS for desktop systems, which if true would effectively extend the Linux-based platform's reach beyond the realm of gaming handhelds. The rumor surfaced just before Valve released its SteamOS 3.7.0 Preview build with some key tweaks to the operating system's
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It's fair to say that Apple's products are not known for being super-friendly to DIY (do-it-yourself) repairs, though not without the occasional surprise, such as the iPhone 16 that scored 7/10 by the folks at iFixIt. What about Apple's newly minted M4 MacBook Air? A fresh teardown reveals it's largely more of the...
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When it comes to the mini PC form factor, these convenient little boxes typically pack some impressive hardware (these days), with the only requirement that you need to add your own external peripherals (unless it's a barebones, which means you may need to add RAM and storage too), including a mouse, keyboard, and...
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The influx of gaming monitors sporting quantum dot organic light emitting-diode (QD-OLED) panels continues with the launch of Gigabyte's Aorus MO27U2, a 27-inch display with a respectable specs sheet. It may not necessarily rise to the "groundbreaking" status that Gigabyte pitches in its press release (more on that in...
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Google is making good on its promise to fix a recent issue with older Chromecast dongles that, for a period of time, made them appear either deprecated or otherwise bricked. At the time, we reported on a handful of workarounds that some users said restored their device, but if you own an affected model, you'll want to...
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New information has emerged about Microsoft's plans to partner with an OEM on an official Xbox handheld. Originally reported as being called Project Keenan, Tom Warren at The Verge says it's actually called Project Kennan, and that ASUS is the one Microsoft has partnered up with to build the device, which is part of a...
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Your neighbor might be all smug after bringing home a 98-inch TV to host last season's Super Bowl party, but if you want to one-up him, Samsung is offering a totally bonkers bundle just in time for March Madness, the annual NCAA college basketball single-elimination tournament. Called the Buzzer Beater Bundle, Samsung...
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