In order for the video card and central processor of the computer to work properly, it is necessary to prevent them from overheating. Thermal paste or thermal pad can help with this. What is the difference between them and which is better to use depending on the situation?

Many users, when cleaning and updating thermal paste on their own, mostly for laptops, are faced with this issue. We disassembled the laptop, thermal paste was applied to one chip, and a thermal pad was applied to the other. Yes, it seems like it makes no difference if I apply thermal paste everywhere. But that would be a mistake.

Thermal pastes and thermal pads. Photo by the author of the channel Thermal pastes and thermal pads. Photo by the channel author

Pros and features of thermal paste

Thermal paste is a thick mixture of a whole complex of substances that can improve the thermal exchange between the surface of the radiator and the chip body. The paste has a viscous constitution, which is ensured by components of various natures. The standard set of components are elements made of synthetics, minerals and metal.

Using thermal paste solves problems such as:

— elimination of microcavities in the gap between the cooling system element and the chip, where air can subsequently accumulate;

— improved heat transfer and cooling system efficiency.

One of the disadvantages of thermal paste is that it contains liquids that evaporate after a while. The paste becomes a powder, its properties are lost and air gaps appear. All this leads to high performance of components and inefficient operation of the cooling system. The timing of such evaporation varies and depends on the operating mode of the computer and the quality of the thermal paste. Because of this, it is necessary to change the thermal paste from time to time. You need to look at programs that show the operating temperatures of your computer. It happens that after a year it is necessary to change, and sometimes nothing can be changed for 10 years.

Thermal paste GD900, photo by the author of the channel Thermal paste GD900, photo by the author of the channel

Pros and features of thermal pads

You can also use thermal pads for the same purposes. A thermal pad is a sheet (or several separate plates) containing a large proportion of graphite and ceramic filler that improves thermal conductivity.

Different models of thermal pads differ in thickness, layers and their number, adhesive surface, filler, etc. They are more convenient to use, but they also have expiration dates and require replacement.

What and where is better to use

In fact, the decisive selection parameter is the thickness of the gap. If the gap thickness is a maximum of 0.3 millimeters, the use of a thermal pad may damage the parts due to physical pressure. And then it’s worth using thermal paste. Thermal paste is almost always used on central processors.

If the thickness of the gap is 0.5 millimeters or more, the thermal paste, being a liquid, will not be able to fill the entire gap, which will also cause overheating. In this case, thermal pads will be much more effective, but they also need to be selected according to thickness.

Thermal pad, convenient to cut to required size. Photo by the author of the channel Thermal pad, convenient to cut to the required size. Photo by the channel author

The easiest way for an ordinary user who decides to mechanically clean the cooling system, update thermal paste and thermal pads in his computer is to leave everything as is. I mean, we disassembled the laptop, where there was thermal paste, there should be thermal paste, where there was a thermal pad — the same. The same goes for video cards and other components.

There is also no need to apply thermal paste to the thermal pad. This will not give any effect; on the contrary, it may worsen the expected result. But such cases do happen, I bought laptops secondhand, and thermal paste was applied to the gasket, and it somehow worked properly. In the video, I analyzed just such an example, if you are interested, you can watch it.

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Advice. If you bought a used laptop, it gets very hot and some “master” has already worked there before you, mixing everything up. If you smeared paste or stuck thermal pads everywhere, then open your browser and find a video with an analysis of your laptop model. Watch a few videos to understand what to apply and where. Why several? Since there are no guarantees that the master in the video is doing everything correctly, and if two people do this, then most likely this is the right option.

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Users have different approaches to protecting their computer. Some people install a bunch of antivirus programs and applications, some don’t install anything, but use the Internet wisely, while others don’t care about any protection.

Many people know about the benefits of antiviruses, but there is another side to the coin. Antiviruses have their vulnerabilities; lately, interest in such software has also increased among attackers.

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• Various antivirus programs are constantly being attacked by hackers, user data is stolen, malicious codes are reproduced, and the like. The targets of the attacks vary, as does the damage caused.

Just read the news in the field of cybersecurity and see that hacker attacks on antivirus software are commonplace. To the delight of many ordinary users, these attacks rarely affect their computers. But this is not always the case; the threat always remains. There is no guarantee that your data will not be obtained by cybercriminals.

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• Antivirus programs unnecessarily load the operating system, as they are demanding on computer resources. This has a particularly strong effect on weak (including those with outdated computer hardware) personal computers and laptops. Antiviruses are enabled from the moment the operating system boots, as they are a startup element. The constant additional load of antivirus slows down the computer, loads the system with unnecessary operations and wastes storage resources.
• Antivirus programs leave a lot of “garbage” in the system, thereby slowing down work and wasting computer resources.
• Antiviruses collect data about you, in other words, they engage in “espionage.” When installing such software, the user grants a large number of rights. Your data, history of correspondence and browsing in the browser, and the like may reach third parties. Okay, free ones, but paid versions also suffer from this.
• When installing antivirus software, other programs and games that you do not need may be installed on your computer. It’s enough to quickly click “next” during installation and forget to uncheck the box. Plus, various extensions and changes may be installed in your browser that you also do not need. It’s probably unnecessary to talk about annoying advertising and offers to buy a paid or improved Pro version of the antivirus and additional utilities.
• Many antivirus developers can create “fake” or “test” viruses, which supposedly will be detected on your computer after installing the software. Thus, proving the “effectiveness” of your product.
• Due to antivirus software, you may not be able to install this or that program, application or game. They find some vulnerabilities that actually don’t exist. Of course, for the most part this applies to installing pirated software and games downloaded from a torrent, but there are other “legal” options when you need to install something. It is enough to disable the antivirus, and everything will install perfectly and you will not find any malware. To be sure, you can check with portable antiviruses that do not require installation (for example, Dr.Web CureIt or visit the VirusTotal website to check).
• Antivirus programs will not protect your computer from all threats. You need to take into account that technology is developing and new malware that is relevant in our time appears. The antivirus simply “will not see” some threat and will allow it to leak into your computer.

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It is worth noting that in most cases, computer infections are caused by the user himself. They follow some links, register on unverified resources, try to download unknown files, installers, cracks, and the like. Using a computer and surfing the Internet must be done deliberately and you do not necessarily need an antivirus for this.

These days, operating systems and browsers have their own built-in protection against malware. It is enough to maintain current versions and install updates. Do not visit suspicious sites, do not follow unclear links, create backup copies, do not store very important personal information on your computer (the consequences of theft of which will cause you some damage). Now hacking profiles on social networks is very popular; an antivirus is unlikely to save you from such an attack.

If the user has little experience with computers and the Internet, perhaps an antivirus will be useful and useful. The benefits of antivirus programs cannot be denied; each user will have to choose to use it or not. And there is no right or wrong decision; both options have both positive and negative sides.

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Xiaomi continues to delight its fans with high-quality smartphone products, releasing more and more new models every year. Thus, one of the new products was Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S, which has already managed to become popular among many buyers.

Next, I’ll give a brief review of the smartphone and talk about its pros and cons. Let’s talk about the cost and who this gadget is suitable for.

Review of Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S

The equipment is standard, like other Xiaomi models. Box, instructions, charger, Sim needle, silicone cover and factory screen film. Type-C charging connector, it is possible to connect wired headphones.

Equipment for Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S, screenshot from the DNS online store website: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi-note-10s-128-gb-cernyj/ Equipment for Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S, screenshot from the DNS online store website: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi-note-10s-128-gb-cernyj/

The smartphone is equipped with a MediaTek Helio G95 processor, 2x Cortex A76 2.05 GHz, 6x Cortex A55 2.0 GHz, one of the latest processors in the Xiaomi line. It is suitable for watching movies, TV series, games, programs and more. There will be no difficulties or restrictions for this processor, since it only needs to run the latest gaming titles without problems.

The smartphone itself has a diagonal of 6.43 inches, which makes its screen one of the largest in the line. RAM is available from 6 to 8 GB, depending on the purchase of the smartphone. Internal memory minimum 64, maximum 128 GB.

The 64 megapixel camera will allow you to take high-quality pictures at a decent level, and the 5000 milliamp battery is ideal for work, study and simply spending time.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S, screenshot from the DNS online store website: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi-note-10s-128-gb-cernyj/ Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S , screenshot from the DNS online store website: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi-note-10s-128-gb-cernyj/ Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S, screenshot from the website DNS online store: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi-note-10s-128-gb-cernyj/ Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S, screenshot from the DNS online store website: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi-note-10s-128-gb-cernyj/

Advantages and disadvantages

Now it’s worth talking about the pros and cons of a smartphone. First, let’s talk about the advantages.

• The main advantage is the price. Adequate price for such a “stuffing” of a smartphone.
• The current version of Android 11, there will definitely be updates.
• The degree of protection is IP53, which means there is protection from moisture and dust. Type of protective coating: Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
• Large and bright AMOLED screen (6.43 inches) with a resolution of 2400×1080, pixel density 409 ppi. Convenient for gaming, watching movies and surfing the Internet.
• The S version has a chip that allows you to make payments without contact. In addition, if the regular version of the tenth smartphone has only 4 gigabytes of RAM in the standard version, then the S version of this memory has at least 6 GB.
• It is also worth noting that the processor of this smartphone is better than that of the regular tenth version, as it copes with many tasks without the slightest problem. And the graphics look much more impressive than the version from Snapdragon.
• Smartphone with a capacitive battery. Fast charging technology is supported, which saves a lot of time.

Tray for SIM cards and memory cards on Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S, screenshot from the DNS online store website: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi-note-10s-128 -gb-cernyj/ Tray for SIM cards and memory cards on Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S, screenshot from the DNS online store website: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi- note-10s-128-gb-cernyj/

A smartphone has many advantages; it would be quite difficult to list them all. Buyers are often also interested in the cons. And they exist too. Plus, it’s worth considering that you can’t please all users; everyone has a different attitude towards gadgets. For some, some small thing is a significant drawback, while others won’t even pay attention to it. A smartphone cannot be perfect.

• To begin with, it is worth noting that the smartphone does not have a normal Always-On-Display function, problems arise with it. No less important is the matrix, which does not have an increased Hertzian frequency, which is also considered a problem.
• The case is easily scratched. It is especially noticeable near the charging socket connector.
• There are inconveniences when talking, sometimes the sensor does not work clearly. It turns out that during a conversation you can turn off the microphone and the interlocutor will not hear you. In fact, not everyone encounters this problem; perhaps there is some dependence on how the user holds the gadget during a conversation.
• There are no problems with the cameras, they work perfectly, but you won’t be able to record videos in 1080P@60FPS quality, since stabilization disappears during recording. You will have to shoot only at 30 FPS, or choose another smartphone model. The cameras in the smartphone are good, but you shouldn’t expect anything amazing from them; they are completely suitable for the average user.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S and case from the box, screenshot from the DNS online store website: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi-note-10s-128-gb-cernyj/ Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S and case from the box, screenshot from the DNS online store website: https://www.dns-shop.ru/product/ac11257495e22ff0/643-smartfon-xiaomi-redmi-note-10s-128-gb-cernyj/

Otherwise, the smartphone is a very worthy device for its price.

Who is a smartphone suitable for?

If you are thinking about buying Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S, then you should note that it is suitable for everyone. A current gadget for a period of time from 3 to 5 years, it depends more on the user himself, his accuracy and wishes. Agree, an excellent gadget with most modern functions and technologies for 20,000 rubles (or you can buy it cheaper) for three years or more of use, a very good option.

Need to take a high-quality photo? Perfect solution. Do you want to buy a smartphone for your child so that he can play and not complain about the performance? Also a great option. Do you need to complete a number of business tasks in a day? For a large display and a high-quality processor, this is not a problem.

The smartphone will look great compared to other models from Xiaomi due to its performance and many features. Therefore, anyone can purchase it without any problems.

I observed a lot of reviews from other #Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S buyers and noticed that many people recommend this gadget as an option for switching from Samsung smartphones. The main criterion was a lower price for identical functionality. Write in the comments who switched from Samsung to Xiaomi, what were your impressions?

By the way, I always recommend purchasing a very functional case, which can be ordered on AliExpress. Already appeared on Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S. Among the features of the case: it looks stylish, has high sides at the edges, does not slip in your hands, is strong, the magnet and the ring are already installed. You can order here (verified store on AliExpress).

Photo of the case, using the example of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Photo of the case, using the example of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Photo of the case, using the example of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Photo of the case, using the example of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro

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I love cars. I like fast, powerful and sports cars. If previously there were several cars parked in our yards, and the road could be crossed anywhere, now all approaches to playgrounds, courtyards, sidewalks and walkways are blocked.

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Hello, you are on the “My Old Computer” channel and today we will move away from the main topic, let’s talk not about computers, but about cars and their owners. The audience of the channel is wide; many people want to read and chat in the comments not only on the topic of computers, gadgets and technology. The article is informative in nature and does not contain any appeals or intent to hurt anyone’s feelings, just the author’s thoughts.

At every intersection, pedestrians have to look both ways and wait for the green light. This takes an incredibly long time if you walk. You can spend 30 minutes at 10 traffic lights.

If previously only a highly qualified worker with experience could purchase a car, today cars are issued on credit to students. If previously girls driving were only a joke, today almost every girl drives a car. Yes, and we must admit that among the girls there are also skilled drivers, despite all the prevailing stereotypes.

I don’t understand why people need cars in cities? Are our cities really so huge that it is necessary to travel? In the USA there are no supermarkets, no schools, no gyms near your home. There people live in quiet areas that consist only of private houses. Children travel to school on a special bus for an hour, and the nearest store is at least 10 kilometers away. But we have stores in every home! Schools, kindergartens and other buildings are located in each district.

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In big cities it is much more convenient to travel by metro, trams and other public transport, or by walking. The cities are very densely built up, there are a lot of cars, there are not enough roads, there are daily traffic jams. To go somewhere, you have to spend half a day.

If you constantly need to move from one end of the city to the other, then buying a car is quite possible. Especially if you live in a small town. Although it becomes more difficult to move around in such cities every year, the number of car owners is growing rapidly. We will not take villages and towns into account; there is a need for a car there.

But in most cases, a car in the city is simply not needed. I live close to the city center. In 10-30 minutes I can walk to almost any place. I don’t need a car, although I have one, it’s just there. Sometimes you have to start it and drive somewhere, since a simple one is not the best choice for a car.

But in our city, almost every family has several cars.
The fact is that people do not use cars for transportation. Most people try to assert themselves through a car, thereby raising their self-esteem. Such people position themselves with a car. They think they are posh because they have a car. And this could be a mental disorder.

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A year ago I bought a property for cash 10 minutes from the center. I’m not bragging about it at all and I’m not positioning myself with her. But motorists “merge” with their car and judge themselves by the car, and not by their personal qualities.

If a guy has a car, then many girls are attracted to him. This is true. But they are “led” not by the guy in the car, but by the car itself! But these guys have such low self-esteem that they agree to this. They believe that without a car they will have no chance at all.

Men not only drive in cars, but also live in them. They build in an audio system that simply physically cannot sound “correctly” in such a small space. It’s much better to build an audio system at home. And in the car there are only standing waves, distortions and vibrations.

Motorists “walk” in their cars, eat, and also take a break from their parents and wives. Sitting in a warm car is much more comfortable than walking. There is no wind in the car, it is warm and the city noise is not felt so much. But any psychologist knows that the comfort zone makes a person weak. Over time, these people become so accustomed to traveling only by car that walking 3 kilometers is a real torture for them.

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And for those who walk, a distance of 3 kilometers can only cause laughter. I don’t understand people who eat in cars. Don’t they have a kitchen at home? Or are they not allowed to eat at home in front of the TV?
For many people, a car is a place where they can hide from their relatives. When a person does not have his own home, he hides in a car from his wife, children and parents.

I can understand people who buy expensive and reliable cars for their family, for certain tasks. They can afford it. I can understand people living in villages and towns. But what’s the point of buying a “half-dead” car in the city that has traveled hundreds of kilometers and changed a bunch of owners, and even on credit. Driving such a car to the sea is a big risk. Since there is no guarantee that it will not break halfway. My first car was just like this, even though it was a foreign car, I drove it for a week, sat in a car service center for repairs for two weeks, and so on in a circle. Something was constantly breaking until I decided to get rid of it by making a sale.

Servicing such a car will be much more expensive than traveling by taxi. It’s impossible to “not look under the hood” on such a car. Nowadays they don’t teach you how to get your license for free, new cars are expensive, and they also need to be refueled, their oil changed, and undergo a technical inspection. The car needs to have its tires changed, and it also needs to be parked somewhere. The car needs constant repairs, it must be insured and washed. A taxi will be much cheaper!

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Cars harm the atmosphere, destroy the ozone layer and pollute the air. With the increase in the number of cars, it has become difficult to breathe in our city. And what noise do they make? No one is safe from drivers who drive past your windows at night with loud music. Or those who like to rev their car while standing in the yard at night.

Without a car, they would be afraid to attract the attention of others in this way. But in the car they feel protected. They can do anything in the car! But who are they when they get out of their car and go home? Ordinary people and where has the music gone?

Cars are incredibly dangerous, as accidents happen somewhere every day. Driving a car is constant stress. Drivers are very aggressive on the roads because they need to watch out for pedestrians, signs, traffic lights and those who constantly cut them off. And how many conflicts on the roads occur between car owners every day. This stress is reflected in your personal life.

I am very upset that cars have so much space in modern cities. Kilometer-long parking lots at hypermarkets, various parking lots, car washes and tire shops at every turn. And what wide and smooth roads they have! What are ordinary pedestrians content with? Crooked paths for one person? The car can be parked anywhere, but people have nowhere to “land”!

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Yes, I have a car, perhaps the time will come and I will sell it, but I will not buy a new one. I just don’t want to bother people. I would never be able to park a car at the entrance of a residential building so that all the residents would walk around it every day. I don’t want to poison my beloved planet and destroy the ozone layer. I don’t want to wake people up at night with the roar of the engine or loud music. If people didn’t refuel their cars, then all the wars on Earth would have ended long ago. Today all wars are fought just for the sake of oil.

If a person has everything in order with self-esteem, girls, family and housing, then he simply does not need a car in the city. Try to evaluate your motorist friends from a psychological point of view. What is their self-esteem? Do you have problems with girls? Is everything going smoothly in the family? The results will surprise you.

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Smartphones today have become an integral part for many users who want to have constant benefits and advantages when using a particular model. But some smartphones do not support Google services, which causes many problems for users. The sanctions against #Huawei are a clear example of this.

The company had no choice but to come up with an alternative. But this alternative may scare away new users. In general, this has already happened; not so long ago, Huawei/Honor smartphones were in the top sales, but now the positions have been lost.

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Let’s talk about whether the lack of Google services in smartphones of this brand is critical.

A smartphone without Google services is not a problem

Yes, some smartphones cannot use Google’s service. But this is not a problem, since it can be replaced by many applications. Nevertheless, it is the search engine or mail from Google that is the most popular around the world. But there are other search engines, for example Yandex or Mail.

In fact, there is nothing wrong with the lack of Google services, it’s just that the average user will have to slightly expand their skills in using applications. In other words, after purchasing such a smartphone, you will have to find alternatives to some applications or methods of installing them. Yes, there will not be the usual “Play Market” for everyone, but there is an “App Gallery”.

My Honor 9A, photo by the channel author My Honor 9A, photo by the channel author

What can I use if my smartphone does not support the service?

Now let’s look in more detail at what you can use if your smartphone doesn’t have the #Google service. This includes:

• Search. It can be executed through various browsers. And don’t forget that browser search engines give you less advertising than advertising in Google itself. It’s surprising, but that’s how politics works;
• Mail. You will have to use mail from other companies. But still this is not a problem, because there are a lot of such companies. By installing the Gmail or Yandex application, you can solve this issue;
• Chrome. A well-known browser that you can easily download and work through. Although it is part of the Google service, it is still easily suitable for use even on those smartphones that do not have a standard service;
• Google Drive. Unfortunately, it won’t work at all. Don’t even try to replace it, as you may run into scammers. There are alternative analogues;
• Contacts. Any smartphone has its own service that helps save certain contacts, so for Honor, the lack of such a service will not be a problem;
• Mobile applications of many banks are available for download and installation;
• Google Pay will not be available for contactless payment. In other cases, you need to use the reliable HUAWEI Wallet application, where you can store all your banking information. For holders of Mir cards there is an available application “Mir Pay”;
• Google Play. Perhaps the most important question. Huawei also has its own catalog called “App Gallery”. So it’s also not a problem to find this or that application. Almost all popular applications and games are there. Whatever applications are missing, there are alternative installation options, for example, the Aurora store, or searching and installing applications directly from sites, only in this option, be careful not to download some kind of malicious program.
• Some applications will install, but will not work correctly. This problem is being solved very quickly and there are fewer and fewer such applications. There are applications that open without installation, for example YouTube or Instagram.
• There are various emulators of Goggle services and firmware, but I do not advise the average user to go here.

Screen from the App Gallery Screen from the App Gallery Screen from the App Gallery Screen from the App Gallery

What can we say as a result?

Ultimately, we can say that Huawei and Honor deserve attention from buyers. And the main thing here is that you can use these smartphones without problems, even if they do not support Google services. You can almost always find a replacement, so buy without any problems. The lack of services is just an inconvenience.

My parents are already old, but easily use Huawei and Honor smartphones. Previously, they bought these same brands only when Google services were still available. Now there are no services, but parents purchased new models without these services, were able to figure it out and be satisfied with the gadgets.

I have two smartphones, one Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro, the second Honor 9A. Don’t ask, I need exactly two to work. So, one of them is Honor 9A without Google services. I didn’t find any problems, I installed all the applications I needed.

My Honor 9A, photo by the channel author My Honor 9A, photo by the channel author

But, if you open the DNS online store page and read the reviews of users who purchased Honor and Huawei smartphones, then opinions are divided. Even the majority respond negatively due to the lack of Google services. Only for a small number of people, if we take negative reviews, is this absence really critical. It’s simply unusual for them to see the absence of a shortcut on the Play Store smartphone screen.

For those for whom the use of Google services is critical, do not look towards Honor and Huawei, buy smartphones from other brands, so as not to suffer later and write negative reviews. And for those who don’t particularly need services, which are the majority, feel free to purchase them if you like the quality and functionality of these gadgets. In general, the lack of services does not greatly affect the operation of these smartphones.

Write in the comments what difficulties you encountered, taking into account if you bought such gadgets without Google services.

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Nostalgia in some of its manifestations is a mental illness, but this is not the case when you hear the name of your first favorite RTS game — Dune ll: The Battle for Arrakis.

Author: Westwood Studios — Gamefaqs.com, Fair Use, https://ru.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=137285 Author: Westwood Studios — Gamefaqs.com, Fair Use, https://ru.wikipedia .org/w/index.php?curid=137285

I came across this game by accident, as a child. I didn’t have a computer then, but I had a 16-bit Sega Mega Drive 2 game console. I tried to remember how I got a cartridge with this game, but I couldn’t. I remember exactly that it was mine, and not taken “to play” from friends from the yard.

I remember spending a lot of time playing this game. The toy was perfect, I wanted to play it all the time. But time has passed and everything is slowly forgotten. For today’s youth, this game will most likely only cause laughter and bewilderment. It will be enough for them to see squares, instead of modern computer graphics. How could you play this? — they will say.

But those who have spent more than one week behind a game console and TV playing Dune ll: The Battle for Arrakis will find a lot of arguments. And what’s the point of proving something to someone? These people still play this game, but in most cases everyone has switched to emulators for PC.

Posted by Virgin Interactive — Dune II Gameplay, Fair Use, https://ru.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7253516 Posted by Virgin Interactive — Dune II Gameplay, Fair Use, https:/ /ru.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7253516

Many people do not have game consoles from those times, although they are still actively selling. Consoles now come in a variety of designs, with built-in games and HDMI cables for connection and improved resolution. But don’t hope that the graphics have gotten better. All this was done for modern and large TV screens, so that the picture is at least somehow adequately displayed.

It’s funny to watch when adults in a store buy such game consoles, supposedly for their little child. “Well, X-Box and PlayStation are expensive, and it’s too early for a child to break such a console,” they will say. In fact, under this pretext they buy themselves such a console. A child may play for an hour or two, but he will not be “drawn in” and will turn on the game on his smartphone and be completely carried away.

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It’s even funnier to see these same adults in the store choosing cartridges for the console, under the pretext that “the child asked for such a game, but I can’t find it anywhere.” But in fact, they are in search of their favorite games from their childhood, including Dune ll: The Battle for Arrakis.

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The popularity of optical drives (disc drives, CDs and DVD-ROMs) from personal computers is steadily approaching zero. Of course, there are still users who actively use them, but you need to face the truth. Perhaps popularity will return, as with vinyl records, but this is not certain.

Optical drives from a desktop PC, photo by the channel author Optical drives from a desktop PC, photo by the channel author

What about optical drives?

1) The easiest way is to throw them in the trash, since they will simply take up space at home. But I think this is the worst option. If you have a place to store it, you can leave it in case it comes in handy, or put it in the system unit, if possible.

Optical drives from a desktop PC, photo by the channel author Optical drives from a desktop PC, photo by the channel author

2) You can go to a computer scrap collection site if you have one in your locality. But I’ll say right away that there’s no point in driving with one drive, you’ll spend more on the road. It is better to hand over several pieces, adding other components to your bag. If you simply hand over the assembled system unit, this is the most unprofitable solution. It is better to disassemble and return the components separately. They will accept the assembled system unit from you, at best, for the price of scrap ferrous metal.

The cost of accepting boards from drives, I won’t indicate the name of acceptance so as not to advertise to anyone, just an example. The cost of accepting boards from drives, I won’t indicate the name of acceptance so as not to advertise to anyone, just an example.

Again, it all comes down to quantity; you won’t get much benefit if you disassemble one system unit. When you have several of these systems systems that you definitely won’t need anywhere, then you can get some material benefits. If there is no acceptance of scrap electronics in the locality, then there are advertisements on Avito, where there are people who buy computer scrap. Their prices will be lower than at the reception, but you don’t need to travel anywhere, save up components, and the like. Instead of throwing the old system unit in the trash, you can get some money, albeit small.

The cost of accepting boards from drives, I won’t indicate the name of acceptance so as not to advertise to anyone, just an example. The cost of accepting boards from drives, I won’t indicate the name of acceptance so as not to advertise to anyone, just an example.

It is also worth noting that in optical drives the most valuable for acceptance are the boards that need to be pulled out. In general, like disassembling the entire system unit into components.

3) There is another option — to disassemble the optical drive into components. But this option is for lovers of experiments, craftsmen and “Kulibins”. In fact, the optical drive contains a lot of interesting and useful things.

Optical drive after removing the top cover, see how much is there Optical drive after removing the top cover, see how much is there Optical drive after removing the top cover, see how much is there

• body and screws;
• electronic boards;
• DC electric motor;
• LEDs;
• buttons;
• gears;
• brushless motor;
• stepper motor;
• lasers;
• lenses.
• small neodymium magnets;
• Maybe I forgot to indicate something.

Many craftsmen will definitely find a use for this “stuffing” of the optical drive.

Write in the comments, do you have experience in disassembling optical drives and what application have you found?

There is a video on the channel where I sold empty cases from system units for scrap, anyone interested can watch how much I earned.

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Computer processors require different cooling systems. If previously ordinary boxed coolers with an aluminum or copper base were sufficient, now towers are popular.

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Of course, boxed coolers cannot be written off, but sooner or later users are faced with the issue of replacing the cooling system. What to do with old box coolers. Despite the long period of use, they still work great. Just clean it from dust and add a couple of drops of oil or lubricant. Moreover, motherboards are released with new sockets, where old cooling systems are simply not suitable, although they can provide sufficient cooling. This especially applies to coolers for processors from Intel.

As always, there are options, but they are few. The easiest way is to throw it in the trash. The second one available, put an ad on Avito and sell it, for 150-250 rubles. There is a demand for them, this has been verified.

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I somehow accumulated a little more than 30 pieces of various boxed coolers, I posted an ad on Avito about selling them all at once and in an assortment for 150 rubles per piece. I was lucky, a couple of days later the buyer called and said that he would buy everything. Most likely it was some kind of store, since I don’t know who would need such a quantity at once. The most interesting thing is that the buyer even refused to come to me and asked to send me by taxi. He transferred the money to my card, called a taxi and asked me to transfer it. In such a situation, insidious thoughts may arise about whether to “cheat” the buyer, since the money has already been transferred. But no, I don’t work like that and never will, I despise scammers who use such schemes, taking advantage of people’s gullibility. I sent everything and “reported” to the buyer that the parcel had been handed over to the taxi driver for delivery, I even attached a photo.

I sold this quantity as a common lot, photo by the channel author I sold this quantity as a common lot, photo by the channel author I sold this quantity as a common lot, photo by the channel author

What else can you do with them? Collect a certain amount and sell it for scrap. Prices for aluminum scrap acceptance, as I know, are a little over 100 rubles per kilogram (correct in the comments if I’m wrong). This is an option, you need a quantity to earn at least something. If you still have scrap aluminum, then feel free to throw it into the general pile for change.

An aluminum radiator without a fan can be sold as a product. The price will not be high, at best you can get 50 rubles. Everything is the same, through advertisements on Avito.

The fans must be disconnected. They are also valuable, but not as scrap plastic, but as a part. Put the fans on Avito, the average price is 100-150 rubles. Such fans are used not only in computer cooling systems; there are also other uses. You will be surprised how many places they are used. Or maybe you yourself will need fans; you need everything in everyday life.

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To summarize, you won’t be able to get a lot of money; 200-250 rubles would be a good result for 1 boxed computer cooling cooler. There are options for using it in everyday life, in other words, keeping it for yourself. It is not profitable to sell non-ferrous metals for scrap.

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Bitcoin fell in price, users began to hope that video cards would fall in price. China began to confront the “miners” in the country, and people began to have even greater hope. But all expectations were not met — Bitcoin rose in price again, plus there was an energy crisis in China, and prices for video cards rose again.

Not everyone can afford to buy a modern gaming video card. And even if there is money, there are not always cards available. Prices are only rising, there are no hints of the situation improving. Users began to look for a way out in the secondary market. And what’s in there? The same inadequate rise in used prices. video cards, plus the number of offers is decreasing.

Now users are “waiting out” these difficult times, using their video cards fully. They cross their fingers that the “old lady” will still work, no artifacts will appear, or the image will disappear altogether. Now a broken video card means problems.

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Previously, it was possible to change the video card. You have a video card, but you want to play modern games. There was no problem, I went to the store and bought it. There was no colossal blow to the budget. I put my old video card on Avito and sold it. Thus, all users had a choice, there were available offers. The store is full of options for purchase, as well as on the secondary market.

Now the situation is changing, not for the better. On the secondary market, prices have risen, even for the “oldest” ones. The number of offers is decreasing. Scammers have appeared who will allegedly sell you a video card at a price “below the market”, you just need to give them an advance payment, otherwise there are many people willing. There are scammers who sell cards with defects and overheated chips. There have been offers to sell non-working video cards at some astronomical prices with the general slogan “for restoration.” Offers have appeared for the sale of video card boxes. And all this is happening now.

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The shortage of video cards is now visible to the naked eye. In small towns, it’s worth opening a bulletin board on Avito and making sure that there are practically no normal options. There are offers of outright “junk” products that will simply display an image on the monitor, or offers from online stores of some gaming video cards at the same “astronomical prices”. In big cities the picture is approximately the same, only there are more offers and scammers. If sane offers appear, such an advertisement exists for 1-2 days.

Do you think the situation will change or nothing should be expected, but should be taken for granted. He simply treats buying a video card like buying a large-screen TV or some old foreign car. Of course, you can say — earn more and there will be no problems. But not everything is so simple; the majority of the Russian population is simply not able to afford such purchases.

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Besides buying an expensive video card, there are a lot of expenses where you need to spend your money. For example, buy food at Magnit or Pyaterochka, where the daily average bill for a family of three now starts from 1,000 rubles. For example, to pay utility bills, which in most cases exceeded 5,000 rubles per month. For example, buy clothes for a child, yourself and your wife, and prices there have also risen; for 5,000 rubles you can buy a couple of sweaters and T-shirts. This list can be continued for a long time, and what’s the point, everyone understands everything perfectly.

You can take out a loan, but everyone already has plenty of them. Starting from goods for household appliances, ending with loans for cars and mortgages for housing. Life becomes difficult, you have to adapt to this rhythm. I think that, as always, we will cope, these are just the times.

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There is an opinion that #Hi-Fi acoustics are very expensive. Marketers are trying to sell us Sonus Faber, Focal and other acoustics at exorbitant prices. But I was able to find excellent acoustics for 14,000 rubles. It’s called DALI Spektor 1.

Bookshelf speakers DALI Spector 1, screen from the online store website: https://www.audiomania.ru Bookshelf speakers DALI Spector 1, screenshot from the online store website: https://www.audiomania.ru

This acoustics has tiny dimensions and fits anywhere without any problems. Speakers of this size simply cannot produce good sound, but not in the case of the Dali. These “babies” have a deep-throw speaker, flexible suspension and produce 40 watts. You can’t expect full-fledged bass from them, and they won’t give vibrations up to the 3rd floor, as will happen with expensive floor-standing speakers. But they produce 59 Hz, and 70-80 Hz sound no worse than from serious floor-standing speakers.

In terms of detail, this acoustics outperforms even those speakers that cost more than 100 thousand rubles. There may not be a wide stage and powerful bass, but you will hear so many details that you will be a little surprised. The speakers of this acoustics are made of paper with wood fibers, which gives the sound a pleasant velvety and warmth.

Bookshelf acoustics DALI Spector 1, screen from the online store website: https://www.audiomania.ru Bookshelf acoustics DALI Spector 1, screen from the online store website: https://www.audiomania.ru Bookshelf acoustics DALI Spector 1, screenshot from the online store website: https://www.audiomania.ru

For such speakers you need a good amplifier, because driving them is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. But the Dali acoustics are different in that they play with any amplifier. Even if you plug it into a stereo system from the 90s, the sound will be musical and bright. But to fill a room with powerful sound, you need a powerful amplifier. It is recommended to connect to them an amplifier from 40 to 100 watts per channel.

For example, if you connect this acoustics to a Denon amplifier, which produces 75 watts per channel. Putting on your favorite record and turning the volume knob halfway, a room of 15 square meters will be filled with sound, and it will be unpleasant for your ears. There won’t be enough bass, but otherwise the sound will be just perfect. Then turn the volume knob almost all the way — there will be no distortion, but no one will listen at such a volume in the apartment.

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The volume will be only 87 decibels, but the power will be such that there is unpleasant pressure on the ears. For an apartment, such acoustics are simply ideal. The speakers do not take up much space, but provide sound in a room of up to 16 square meters.

If you like club music, then this acoustics is not for you, but they play classical music, jazz and rock incredibly accurately and brightly. Such acoustics are ideal for a vinyl player, because “paper” speakers produce the warmest sound.

This acoustics is ideal for those who want to get good sound for a small amount of money. If you listen to light music and have a small room, then feel free to buy the Dali Spektor 1.

The lack of full bass also has a positive side. If you listen to floor-standing acoustics that play at 40 Hz, then your ears get tired after 30 minutes of listening. And the sound of these small bookshelf speakers can be enjoyed for several hours.

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