Notes from the workshop

What we learn at the bench, written down.

Short notes on parts, builds and repairs, written by the person who does them. No news, no offers, nothing we wouldn't say to your face.

  1. Why the power supply is named on every specification

    The one part almost nobody asks about, and the one most likely to take the rest of the machine with it. What we write on the specification, and why.

  2. Why every build gets a matched memory kit, never mixed sticks

    The two facts a plain "32 GB" doesn't tell you: whether the sticks are a matched pair, and whether the timings are tuned to the platform. What we write instead, and why it matters on Ryzen specifically.

  3. Why storage is chosen by endurance, not capacity

    Capacity is the number that sells a drive. Endurance is the number that decides whether it's still healthy in year four. What TBW means, and why we check it before a drive goes in a build.