Expert Reviews

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Darien Graham-Smith

A lifelong technology enthusiast, Darien is a regular contributor to both Expert Reviews and PC Pro magazine, specialising in wireless networking, internet security and other technical topics. He also contributes to and produces the weekly PC Pro podcast, and has made occasional appearances on BBC News and Open University programming. In his spare time he dabbles in audio production, and plays guitar, bass and drums with the enthusiasm of a committed amateur.

Recent articles by Darien Graham-Smith

Netgear Orbi 970 - front teaser on a colourful carpet
Netgear Orbi 970 mesh router review: Groundmaking mesh
Wireless routers

The Orbie 970 is a very fast, very expensive mesh – but it’s still too early to invest in the new wireless standard

Published :
£1500 inc VAT (two units); £2200 inc VAT (three units)
what is open vpn teaser mobile phone on a red background with earbuds to one side
What is OpenVPN: Everything you need to know
VPNs

OpenVPN is one of the world’s most popular VPN standards. Here’s what it can do for you – and what it can’t

Published :
PrivadoVPN review: Fast and great for torrenting
VPNs

It didn’t unblock all the streaming services we tried, but PrivadoVPN is easy to use and generally performs well

Published :
£1.99 /mth, 27-month subscription
StrongVPN review: A simple but effective VPN
VPNs

StrongVPN does the job, and it’s great for streaming – but it's not our first choice for performance or price

Published :
£3.13 /mth, inc VAT (1st annual subscription, then £5.91/mth)
PureVPN review: A decent VPN that’s great value long-term
VPNs

There are faster and more user-friendly VPNs out there, but PureVPN has a good set of features for an excellent price

Published :
£1.54 /mth (28-month contract), (inc VAT)
mozilla vpn review windows main
Mozilla VPN review: Lags behind rivals
VPNs

Mozilla’s VPN does the job, but it can’t match the market leaders for speed, features or price

Published :
£3.96 /mth (1yr sub), inc VAT
Linksys Atlas Pro 6: Fast Wi-Fi 6 that can cover your home
Wireless routers

This simple mesh delivers great performance and coverage, while dual-band technology keeps the price fairly reasonable

Published :
£423 inc VAT
Synology WRX560 Wi-Fi 6 mesh router review: Smart yet so-so
Wireless routers

Synology’s impressive SRM software and strong connectivity features go some way to justify the high price

Published :
£240 inc VAT
Eero Max 7 front
Amazon Eero Max 7: Wi-Fi 7 is here but don't buy this yet
Wireless routers

Amazon’s new mesh has some attractive features, but we don't advise anyone to invest in Wi-Fi 7 right now

Published :
£1150 (two units)
The Asus RT-AXE7800 pictured on a grey, blue and yellow rug
Asus RT-AXE7800 Wi-Fi 6E router review: Fast and flexible
Wireless routers

Strong performance and plenty of powerful features make the RT-AXE7800 an excellent choice for anyone who doesn’t want to wait for Wi-Fi 7

Published :
£250 inc. VAT