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Darien Graham-Smith

A lifelong technology enthusiast, Darien is a regular contributor to both Expert Reviews and PC Pro magazine, specialising in wireless networking, internet security and other technical topics. He also contributes to and produces the weekly PC Pro podcast, and has made occasional appearances on BBC News and Open University programming. In his spare time he dabbles in audio production, and plays guitar, bass and drums with the enthusiasm of a committed amateur.

Recent articles by Darien Graham-Smith

Asus ZenWiFi AX: Appearances can be deceiving

400
Inc VAT
Wireless routers
Perplexing interface and boxy design aside, this is an appealing mesh option
30 Mar 2023
Asus RT-AX82U: Next-gen Wi-Fi performance for less

185
Inc VAT
Wireless routers
The RT-AX82U steps out of its sibling’s shadow to offer superb performance levels for the price
30 Mar 2023
The best mesh Wi-Fi routers to buy right now

Wireless routers
Boost your home Wi-Fi speeds and kill dead spots with our pick of the best mesh Wi-Fi routers
Published
30 Mar 2023
ExpressVPN: A great, user-friendly VPN

4.94
per month
VPNs
ExpressVPN isn’t the cheapest VPN in town, nor the fastest – but it’s secure, easy to use and excellent for video streaming
20 Mar 2023
The best VPNs you can buy in the UK

VPNs
Our pick of the best VPNs to protect your online privacy, stream content and browse the web anonymously from anywhere
Published
17 Mar 2023
The best antivirus programs to protect your PC

Internet security
Protect your PC and other devices with our updated picks of the best antivirus programs this year
Published
2 Mar 2023
Logitech Blue Sona: An excellent studio mic for podcasters

299
(Inc VAT)
Technology
A great choice for streaming and podcasting, producing excellent audio with no noise and no fuss
22 Feb 2023
HMA VPN: Fast and friendly but not ideal for streaming

3.29
per month
VPNs
Whatever you want from a VPN, you’re likely to do better elsewhere
20 Feb 2023
StrongVPN: Easy to use but limited

2.78
per month (first annual subscription, then £5.17/month)
VPNs
StrongVPN does the job, but it's not our first choice for security, speed or streaming
20 Feb 2023
Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN: Speedy and fuss-free

2.79
per month
VPNs
It won’t be right for everyone, but PIA is a speedy, fuss-free solution for location spoofing and streaming
20 Feb 2023
ProtonVPN: An impressive privacy-focused VPN

8.53
per month
VPNs
Not quite as fast or cheap as some other VPNs, but Proton VPN is one of the best privacy-focused options
20 Feb 2023
Atlas VPN: Strong on privacy and performance

1.39
per month, 39-month subscription
VPNs
It has a few rough edges and missing features, but this deliciously affordable VPN ticks the important boxes
17 Feb 2023
SanDisk Extreme Pro: A hefty price tag, but it's worth it

180
inc VAT
SSDs
The SanDisk Extreme Pro’s bold design certainly won’t be to everyone’s taste, but who cares when the performance is this good?
17 Feb 2023
Tenda Nova MW3 review: Cheap and cheerful mesh Wi-Fi

80
inc VAT
Wireless routers
The Tenda Nova MW3 is the cheapest mesh wireless kit we've come across, and it isn't half bad, either
15 Feb 2023
TP-Link Deco P9: Powerline and mesh Wi-Fi in one

170
inc VAT
Wireless routers
A potentially promising idea but the P9 is held back by mediocre performance
15 Feb 2023
Netgear Nighthawk AX12 review: A high-end 802.11ax router

360
Wireless routers
The Nighthawk AX12 is an exceptional router but at a significant cost
15 Feb 2023
Make yours a smart home the easy way with smart plugs

Home & garden
Technology
Turn on your lights, switch on a fan or set your coffee machine brewing – top smart plugs upgrade your home appliances quickly and easily
Published
31 Jan 2023
Netgear Nighthawk XR1000 review: An excellent gaming router

244
inc VAT
Wireless routers
It isn’t the fastest router around but for optimising and managing gaming performance the Nighthawk XR1000 is in a class of its own
30 Jan 2023
TP-Link Deco X68: Strong Wi-Fi 6 performance but no Wi-Fi 6E

321
inc VAT
Wireless routers
While this dual-station mesh works well, it’s expensive and lacks support for the up-and-coming 6GHz standard
16 Jan 2023
Mercusys Halo H80X: A great value Wi-Fi mesh system

162
inc VAT
Wireless routers
Compact, unassuming and remarkably speedy for the price, the Halo H80X is a terrific mainstream mesh Wi-Fi system
3 Jan 2023

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