Christmas is over, and it's time to start buying for yourself again. Consider treating yourself with a gift that will keep giving for years to come: upgraded computer components. These are minor upgrades you can install yourself (no repair shop required) and will save you so much time over when writing, shopping, or just waiting for your ageing PC to boot up, you'll wonder why you spent so long with a spinning disk in your computer.

I wish I left my computer on when I was on holiday. But when I came back from a week-long, cross-country trip to Lifehacker HQ late on a Saturday night, I made a fatal error. When I got home, I unpacked my bags, brushed my teeth, and fed my cat. I didn't think to flip on my desktop PC and let it chug through a sea of updates overnight, which would have saved me a ton of time.

PCs are great, but often they feel like they're made for another species besides humanity. Each additional cord you plug in adds a new cord for you to manage and untangle. They're customisable, but it's intimidating to open one up and start pulling out its guts. That big ol' display on your desk takes up a lot of counter space. Luckily, you can reclaim the real estate on your desk, replace your mess of cables with a one-stop connection shop, and put everything in its place to improve your quality of life (and that crick in your neck) with these must-have accessories to your workspace.

Mac: Anyone that has spent any time on Slack or any other messaging client with me knows that I love using the shrug emoji. Not the regular emoji. This one: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

HP Inc has announced new HP Spectre 13 and HP Spectre x360 13 laptops. The new products feature updated processors, up to 16.5 hours of battery life and new displays capable of 4K in some models.

The dual-monitor setup is an enticing way to make it look like you're extra-productive. Multiple monitors just scream power user. Practically, however, the set-up can be more of a hindrance than a help. What if using a single display allowed you to improve your focus and get even more work accomplished?

Are you a coder or white-hat hacker looking to make some money on the side? Bug bounty hunting might be the perfect gig for you.

The Mac mini's latest release was over 1000 days ago. That's over two years since the incredibly small and lovable machine got some love, and aeons in the PC industry when it comes to updates. If you have your own Mac mini you adore and want to keep alive, a little know-how, some extra components and a few dongles are all you need to keep it up and running until the next Mac mini debuts... whenever it damn well pleases, really.

Dear Lifehacker, My laptop is hotter than the surface of the sun. No, seriously. It's a tad old, but I'm not ready to get rid of it yet. Unfortunately I can't use it without feeling like it's going solar on my thighs. Is this something I should be worried about, and how can I fix it?

Dear Lifehacker, I'm in the market for a new computer. My friend says it's cheaper to build one myself, but it looks like I can get a cheaper computer from Dell or Asus. I'm not afraid of building, but I'd rather not spend extra if I don't have to. Which will actually save me money?

A couple of weeks ago, I had to lay my eight-year-old iMac to rest. After years of faithful service, it had finally died beyond repair. I do not like shopping for new computers, nor do I like spending money on them. To me, buying a new computer is as exciting as buying a new dryer.

Using a computer means occasionally dealing with annoying, possibly disastrous problems like losing all your data if your hard drive crashes. Here are ten of the most common computer problems and how to deal with them.

When looking for a new laptop, one of the first things that people look at is power and battery life -- and it pays to know how the processor comes into play. And that USB Type-C is beginning to revolutionise charging options. Here's what you need to know.

If you've ever gotten the impression that most people aren't as skilled with computers as you are, you finally have some data to back it up. The above chart shows the distribution of tech skills, and there's a pretty narrow pool at the top almost everywhere.

DIY isn't always the easiest way to do something, but it's usually the most informative and educational one. This week, let's check out some great DIY tech projects that will teach you a ton about the tools you probably use every day -- and protect your privacy and give you control over your own data in the process.

Gunnar Optiks and Uvex computer glasses both promise to reduce eye strain, prevent computer-related headaches, and be comfortable to wear for long periods of time. But Uvex's basic frames, while not even remotely as visually appealing as the Gunnar line, are a fraction of the cost. Let's see who is victorious in this battle between beauty and the beast.

Assuming you don't work in a datacenter, it's not as common as it once was to have multiple computers at one desk -- and even if you do, many displays support multiple inputs, and apps like Synergy control several computers with one keyboard and mouse. So: Do you use a KVM anymore, or is it outdated tech?

The variety of ways people have found to cram the palm-sized Raspberry Pi computer inside a handheld device are some of my favourite Pi projects. But those projects are usually expensive, and some even require a 3D printer. The PocketC.H.I.P. isn't nearly as powerful as a Pi, but it's still the handheld machine I've wanted for a long time. Plus, it's just $US50 ($67).

Looking to upgrade your computer with a graphics card that can handle VR, or you're looking to build a PC on the cheap for gaming at 1080p with a bit of dabbling at 1440p resolutions? That's the crowd AMD is trying to hit with their new Radeon RX 480, and it manages to do so admirably.

But just like games, you'll want to make sure you get the best possible deal. So to help you out, here's a list of some of the cheapest RX 480s in the country.