How-To Geek

I use local LLMs on a daily basis, but in my personal setup, they're only really useful for a limited selection of tasks. I wanted to see how a local LLM could handle everyday tasks. My most powerful device for running LLMs is my M2 MacBook Air with only 8GB of RAM, so while more powerful hardware could do much more, these results should broadly match what you can do on similar hardware.

The motherboard is the most important component in your PC. It's the massive PCB (Printed Circuit Board) that literally brings all of your components together. It allows your components to communicate with one another, and it contains the firmware that your computer needs to start up before the operating system takes over.

You may be in a rush to replace or get new power tools, but you really shouldn't try to buy everything you can. Manufacturers tend to add in things that help you pick their kits. It's better to just grab all the tools you need as extra additions. It's like buying your loyalty to a battery platform because you should never buy off brand, and everything else follows from that one decision.

The Recycle Bin was introduced in Windows 95 to replace clunky file-recovery methods and provide a safety net in case you delete something by mistake.

Most people assume Python in Excel is something you use for complex data analysis. I found it useful for a much simpler reason: it helped me deal with the spreadsheet jobs I normally leave until later. Splitting messy names, comparing lists, and turning numbers into written insights became much easier without relying on complicated formulas or Power Query.

It's a classic question in the world of electronic devices: can it run Doom? For a Raspberry Pi 3B+, the answer is a resounding yes. Doom is now more than 30 years old, so a more pertinent question is: can it run a local LLM? I took an LLM for a spin on a Raspberry Pi to see what was possible.

Most people who step outside of Windows and macOS assume Linux is the only alternative worth taking seriously. That's understandable, since Linux has a loyal community and many different distros. The operating systems covered here each exist because they solve something Linux can't. They also do it on hardware you already own without handing data to Microsoft or Apple.

Flashforge has been a stalwart in the 3D printer industry for many years now, but the Creator 5 Pro is the 3D printer to put them back on the map. With a heated (and HEPA13 filtered) chamber and four independent direct-drive print heads, the Flashforge Creator 5 Pro will be what ushers in a new era of 3D printing, and I'm here for it.

Luxury SUVs have never been more impressive, but they've also never been more expensive. Premium brands continue to command hefty price tags, even as many of the features that once defined the segment have become increasingly common elsewhere.

Most people have played around with the smart automation features on our phones. Between Samsung's routines, Google Assistant, and Gemini, it feels like there are plenty of ways to automate a job. However, I've always found that they're disappointingly surface-level, especially when you compare them to the Shortcuts app for iPhones, which is stellar.

Since jailbreaking my Kindle, I’ve had a lot of fun exploring what I can do with it. At the heart of everything is KOReader, the document viewer app that you can use instead of the stock Kindle reading software. There's a lot to discover in KOReader, including some very useful plugins.

As new car prices continue to climb, buyers are increasingly finding that stepping into the used luxury market can offer far more value than buying a brand-new mainstream model. While the Toyota Camry remains one of the safest choices for comfort, efficiency, and reliability, there are alternatives that deliver the same low-stress ownership experience with a much more premium feel.

Most people who care about email privacy end up thinking about how to hide themselves. There are plenty of ways to do it with Gmail, but none are actually as safe as you think. Gmail doesn't give you a good way to keep your identity private, even if you try using multiple emails. The best way is just to move on and use the services built for privacy and aliases.

A close friend recently remarked that nobody wants a Raspberry Pi anymore. This is someone who has built up an extensive homelab setup and who frequently takes on projects powered by single-board computers.

Netflix has produced hundreds of original movies over the years, but only a handful have pushed filmmaking and storytelling in a new direction. Whether through animation techniques or unconventional storytelling, these movies stand out for their unique ambitions.

Self-hosting has become easier than ever. Docker Compose, one-click installers, and container-focused operating systems make it possible to deploy dozens of applications in minutes. For many people, that is enough. However, some self-hosted applications benefit from capabilities that containers cannot provide on their own. Features such as snapshots, GPU passthrough, advanced networking, PCI device assignment, kernel customization, and filesystem flexibility often make a virtual machine the better choice. This is where Proxmox stands out.

When you buy a used vehicle, you inherit the maintenance history, the previous owner's infotainment settings and radio presets, and maybe a coffee stain on the seat. Not counting aftermarket accessories, when we buy a pre-owned vehicle, we get the features that were originally equipped on that vehicle from the factory. Nothing significant about the feature set of that pre-owned vehicle is different, for better or worse.

There have been many, many CPUs released over the decades, but if we were to make a list of the best-performing CPUs of all time, it would consist of little more than a handful of the latest models from AMD and Intel.

I recently built my first desktop PC, but after using it for a few months, that type of computer just isn't for me. There was nothing wrong with it—I just prefer to work from my phone instead.

NISMO has spent four decades building faster versions of Nissan sports cars. The badge first appeared on a road-going Skyline GT-R in 1987, then later found its way onto the 370Z, the Frontier, and today's Z.