Darien Graham-Smith
Darien began his IT career in the 1990s as a systems engineer, later becoming an IT project manager. His formative experiences included upgrading a major multinational from token-ring networking to Ethernet, and migrating a travelling sales force from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95.
He subsequently spent some years acting as a one-man IT department for a small publishing company, before moving into journalism himself. He is now a regular contributor to IT Pro, specialising in networking and security, and serves as associate editor of PC Pro magazine with particular responsibility for business reviews and features.
You can email Darien at darien@pcpro.co.uk, or follow him on Twitter at @dariengs.
Latest articles by Darien Graham-Smith

Can you use an SSD in a NAS?
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
In-depth A quick guide to using an SSD in a NAS drive, and whether it's a good idea

Chrome vs Firefox vs Microsoft Edge
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Vs Firefox vs Edge vs Chrome - discover which comes out on top in the ultimate battle to crown the very best browser

Best rackmount NAS 2023: Find the rack storage solution that’s right for you
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Best Seeking out the best rackmount NAS for your business can unlock a range of long-term benefits - here are six of the best options available

Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 review
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews The Nighthawk RAXE300 is not quite as powerful as its top-of-the-range sibling, but still a hugely fast and versatile Wi-Fi 6E router

Netgear Orbi RBK863S review: A fine mesh three years ago
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews A decent Wi-Fi 6 mesh, but the only thing that's exceptional about this Orbi system is the price

Linksys Hydra Pro 6E review: An overpriced and middling router
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews Strong hardware specs sadly don't translate to real-world performance, on either Wi-Fi 6 or 6E

Why Ethernet will always beat Wi-Fi
By Darien Graham-Smith published
In-depth Although Wi-Fi has some advantages, if you’re looking for a fast, reliable network, there’s still nothing better than good old-fashioned cables

Mercusys Halo H80X review: Without question the best-value mesh around
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews This unfancy Wi-Fi 6 mesh provides all the performance and coverage you're likely to need at an excellent price

DDR4 vs DDR5 RAM: Is it worth upgrading?
By Darien Graham-Smith published
In-depth The latest generation of memory has hit the mainstream, but how much more can DDR5 RAM boost performance versus DDR4 RAM units?

What is secure deletion?
By Darien Graham-Smith published
In-depth Want to ensure your deleted data can’t be recovered and abused? We explore how secure deletion works, and how you can best protect your information

Huawei Wi-Fi Mesh 7: A likeable mesh with decent performance
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews It's not particularly glitzy or ridiculously fast, but this mesh is a simple, solid performer

Linksys Atlas Pro 6 review: True wireless freedom
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews This neat mesh provides faster, wider coverage than we’d expect from a dual-band system, at a decent price

TP-Link Deco X90 review: A winning sweet spot
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews You can pay less for a Wi-Fi 6 mesh, but the X90’s superb coverage and astonishing speeds justify the price

Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 review: The next generation of Wi-Fi
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews An incredible Wi-Fi 6E router, but this new technology is still too expensive for most roles

Avira Free Security review: An effective antimalware suite, but heavy on the marketing
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews It’s hard to fully appreciate Avira’s malware protection when the packaging feels so manipulative

Kaspersky Free review: Effective and lightweight – everything you want from a free antivirus solution
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews It’ll be a real shame if politics means people missing out on this top-class security tool

Microsoft Windows Defender review: An ideal (if unfriendly) business security solution
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Reviews Central management puts Defender head and shoulders above other free options; the fact that it's already deployed doesn't hurt either

AVG AntiVirus Free review: Great malware protection, though the upsell is a turn-off
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Reviews AVG serves up the same powerful antivirus engine as Avast, but the trimmings aren’t as generous

What is Trusted Platform Module (TPM)?
By Darien Graham-Smith published
In-depth We investigate that mysterious little component that’s seemingly so crucial to Microsoft’s Windows 11

Avast One Essential review: A great free antivirus solution with some tempting extra features
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews If Microsoft Defender isn’t doing it for you, Avast has you covered with strong protection in a user-friendly package

Panda Free Antivirus review: A free security tool with a personality all of its own
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews There's plenty to like here, including excellent malware protection, but this security package has some notable shortcomings

What to look for in a cheap printer
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
In-depth How to check you’re getting the right printer for your needs without paying over the odds

How to pick the perfect tablet
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Tutorials We explain the key features to look for, and the decisions you’ll need to consider when choosing your next tablet
A daily dose of IT news, reviews, features and insights, straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to ITPro. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.