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Want to save money on e-books? Check them out from your library for free

You might be paying too much for your e-books when you can get them for free from your local library and read them right on your Kindle, Kobo, or even your phone.

A lot of people don’t realize their local public library offers ebooks, which are often more convenient to check out than physical books (and get automatically returned on time so you don’t get late fees).

I’ve saved a ton of time and money by getting my e-books from the library, and it’s a lot easier than you might think, whether you’re on Kindle or Kobo.

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Getting started with a library card and Libby

Libby is the killer app for library e-books.(Image credit: OverDrive)

Regardless of what type of e-reader you’re using, you need to get set up with your local library first.

If you don’t already have a library card, stop byyour nearest public library, where you can usually get one for free in just a few minutes. While you’re there, it’s also a good idea to ask if your public library system offers e-books. Most public libraries do, but it’s not a guarantee.

Next, you’ll want to download the Libby app forAndroidoriOS. Most libraries in the U.S. that offer e-books go through Libby. You can search for, check out, renew and read e-books in the Libby app. If you’re using a Kobo e-reader, you don’t absolutely need it, but it’s a must-have for Kindle users.

After you download the Libby app, all you need to do is enter your library card info in the app to access your library’s e-books.

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How to read library books on your Kindle

Send your library e-books to your Kindle through the “Read With Kindle” option on Libby.

The easiest way to read library books on your Kindle is by going through the Libby app. Once you find the book you want, check it out and head over to the “Shelf” tab on Libby.

Select your book from the list and tap “Manage Loan.” Here you should see a “Read With…” option. Tap it and choose “Kindle” to connect to your Amazon account and send the library book to your Kindle.

The next time your Kindle syncs up, you should see the library book in your Kindle library. You can download, read, and annotate it like any other Kindle book but once your library loan expires, you won’t be able to open it anymore unless you renew the loan, which you can do through Libby.

You can return library books from your Kindle by tapping the three dots icon on the library e-book’s cover and selecting “return early.” Any other changes to your library loan have to be made through Libby, though.

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How to read library books on your Kobo

There are a couple of ways to check out library e-books on your Kobo e-reader. My preferred method is to do everything directly through my Kobo without going through the Libby app.

On the Home screen on your Kobo you should see an option for “OverDrive.” That’s the legacy system for circulating library e-books. Libby is a newer version of the same thing, but Kobo still uses OverDrive. It’s all the same books, though.

Tap the “OverDrive” tab on your Home screen and you should get a pop up screen where you can connect your library card to your Kobo to access all of your library’s e-books. If you don’t see that option on your Home screen, there’s also an OverDrive option in your Kobo settings under the “More” tab.

You can setup OverDrive on your Kobo in your e-reader’s Settings tab.

OverDrive load times can be a tad slow on Kobo, but it’s worth it. Once you have your card connected, you will see an option on all available books in the Kobo store to “Borrow with OverDrive” instead of buying the book.

That means you don’t need to go to a different app or device. You can simply search for whatever book you want on the “Discover” tab on your Kobo and see if it’s available at your library just by tapping the three dots icon next to the book’s “Buy” and “Wishlist” buttons.

Check for the “Borrow with OverDrive” option to find available library books in the Kobo store.

After you check out a book, it will appear in your “My Books” tab where it should show up as an “OverDrive” book with the days left in your loan displayed below your reading progress. Like on Kindle, once the loan expires the book will stay in your library but you’ll need to renew your loan to open it again.

You can also check out library e-books to read on your Kobo through the Libby app, but it’s not as straightforward.

Once you check out a book in the app, select it on your shelf and select “Manage Loan” then “Read With…” then “More Options” and choose “EPUB.” This will let you download a DRM-protected EPUB version of the ebook, which you canmanually send to your Kobousing the Adobe Digital Editions app.

Reading library books on your e-reader: FAQs

The steps above should be all you need to get started reading library books on your e-reader, but if you’re new to e-readers or using them to check out library books, you might still have a few questions.

• Q: How do you place a hold on library ebooks on Kindle and Kobo?
  A:Like physical books, libraries don’t have unlimited copies of ebooks they can lend out, so you might find that a book you want is currently unavailable, meaning you’ll need to place a hold to get on the waitlist for it.
  
  If you’re on Kindle, the easiest way to do this is through the Libby app. Simply search for the book you want and select the option to “place a hold.” When it’s your turn for the e-book, you’ll get a notification from the Libby app.
  
  If you’re on Kobo, when you search for the e-book you’re looking for, the option to “Borrow with OverDrive” will say “Place a hold with OverDrive” if the book is currently unavailable. Simply tap that to join the waitlist. Then you’ll get a notification on your Home screen (a badge on the bell icon at the top of the screen) when your turn for the ebook comes up.
• Q: Can you get library late fines for ebooks?
  A:No, which is one of the most convenient benefits of reading library books on your ereader. When the due date for your ebook arrives, it will be automatically returned, so you’ll never get late fees. This applies regardless of whether you’re reading on a Kindle, Kobo, or in an e-reader app like the Kindle or Libby apps.
• Q: Can you check out e-books from the library if you don’t have an e-reader?
  A:Yes! Some may be surprised to learn that you don’t need an e-reader to read e-books from your local library. As long as you have a library card and your library offers e-books, you can read them for free through the Kindle app, the Kobo app, or the Libby app.

If you’ve every asked ‘what is a graphics card?’, we’ve got you covered

If you’ve ever wondered, “what is a graphics card?”, you’re not alone. As a highly specialized computer component, it’s not something that most people need to think about. 

But, if you’re shopping for thebest gaming PC— or even just a decentbudget gaming PC— you are bound to come across it, since it is one of the most important components for gaming in your PC, more so than even your processor or storage drive.

You can think of the graphics card as an artist who brings your favorite movies, games, and even the visual elements of websites to life. It takes the digital information from the computer’s memory and transforms it into vibrant and realistic pictures that you see on your screen. 

Whether it’s the realistic explosions in a game, the breathtaking landscapes in a movie, or the smooth scrolling of a webpage, the graphics card is behind it all, and getting thebest graphics cardyou can afford will make all the difference in the quality of your games, movies, and more.

There are few components more important than the graphics card in the modern PC, and we’re here to break down the what, the how, and the why of this essential piece of computer hardware.  

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What is a graphics card: Your GPU explained

What is a graphics card?

Specifically, a graphics card is a collection of components that work together to render visuals on a display, such as agaming monitoror some of thebest VR headsetsaround.

As such, graphics cards are crucial for tasks that require a significant amount of graphical processing power, such as gaming, video editing, 3D modeling, and scientific simulations. They are designed to offload the graphical processing workload from the computer’s central processing unit (CPU) and perform calculations specifically tailored for graphics-related tasks.

They are composed primarily of two core parts: a GPU, and a VRAM pool. The GPU is the specialized processor whose only task is crunching the complex numbers involved in rendering realistic graphics in real-time; things like shadows on a wall, or the glow of a spaceship engine.

In order to do this, it stores the data it needs in a pool of Video random-access memory (VRAM), which is separate from your mainRAM memory, which is used by the computer as a whole.

Finally, the graphics card is slotted into the motherboard of your PC through a PCIe connector, which allows the CPU and graphics card to coordinate their respective activities to generate the image you see on a screen.

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What does a graphics card do?

What does a graphics card do?

The graphics card has one essential job in your computer: to provide a more efficient way to render complex visuals that would otherwise bog down a CPU.

In order to do this, it has its own dedicated memory to hold visual information like texture files, as well as specialized hardware like shader cores, that produce an image, pixel-by-pixel, dozens and possible hundreds of times a second.

It does this by producing a frame, based on information provided by the CPU, which tells the GPU inside the graphics card what to draw. The graphics card will then leverage its hardware to do so as quickly as possible to produce a visual frame that it will then send through its video output port to a display. The more frames a graphics card can produce a second, the more fluid the visuals will look on the display.

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How does a graphics card work?

(Image credit: Acer, Intel)

How does a graphics card work?

A graphics card works by carrying out the specialized workloads required for generating rendered images for display. This includes videos, 3D graphics, and even your operating system’s desktop, all of which gets processed inside the graphics card and then sent to your computer’s display.

The way it actually does this is it starts with data processing. Whenever you interact with your PC, software generates data that needs to be displayed visually, like a spreadsheet update or a character moving in a video game. This data can include instructions for drawing shapes, colors, textures, and other graphical elements, which the CPU collects and sends to the graphics card for processing.

After the graphics card receives this data, it begins processing it. The first major step is geometry processing, where the geometric shapes, their positions, and other attributes sent by the CPU are processed in a virtual 3D space. There, the GPU inside the graphics card crunches the data sent to it to determine positions, shapes, and orientations of these objects. The way artificial light sources interact with these objects is also processed here.

After geometry processing, the graphics card heads to its rendering phase. Using advanced rendering techniques like shading, texturing, and lighting, the GPU calculates how each pixel on the screen should look based on calculated geometry.

Then, the GPU moves on to texturing the objects in the scene, where it applies surface details like colors, patterns, and preproduced textures to them. Preproduced texture files are stored in the graphics card’s VRAM, and the GPU uses these files to quickly add the necessary detail to an object to add realism and depth.

Once rendering and texturing calculations are complete, the GPU moves on to a process known as rasterization. This process involves converting a 3D scene into a 2D image by determining which pixels should be displayed on the screen and their corresponding color value. It accounts for depth, perspective, and object positioning to ensure that foreground objects appear correctly and obscure background objects. The end result is a 2D frame that can be output to a display.

The final step sends the generated frame to the connected display. The graphics card produces a video signal with the color and intensity values for each pixel and sends it over a video cable to a connected display. The display then uses this information to illuminate its pixels accordingly, resulting in the final visual representation on the screen.

Do I really need a graphics card?

Do I really need a graphics card?

Depending on your what you plan to use your computer for, you may or may not need a dedicated graphics card.

If you primarily use your computer for everyday tasks like web browsing, email, word processing, and streaming videos, you probably don’t need a dedicated graphics card, since most processors now come with some integrated graphics capabilities. These are generally more than enough for handling basic graphical tasks like running a web page or even playing a movie.

If you’re a PC gamer or you ever plan on playing PC games at some point, a graphics card is highly recommended, if not outright required. Modern games require a lot of processing power to render realistic and immersive visuals in real-time, and relying on an integrated graphics solution is going to render a game at a frame rate (that is, the number of frames a graphics card sends to your display every second) that is too low to be playable.

If you’re into creative work like video editing, 3D modeling, animation, or any other form of visual content creation, a graphics card is an essential tool. These tasks involve manipulating and rendering complex visual elements, which can be extremely taxing on the CPU alone. A graphics card can accelerate these processes, resulting in faster rendering times and smoother workflow.

Finally, if you plan to use multiple monitors simultaneously, a graphics card with multiple video outputs is pretty much required. Few integrated graphics solutions support multiple displays, and might offer limited functionality if they do. A dedicated graphics card can handle multiple monitors efficiently, allowing you to expand your workspace and increase productivity. If this is all you need a graphics card for, you’re in luck, since even thebest cheap graphics cardis more than capable of handling this situation.

Which graphics card is right for my needs?

Which graphics card is right for my needs?

 The right graphics card for your needs depends on several factors, including your specific requirements, budget, and the intended use of your computer. Here are some guidelines to help you make an informed decision:

Assess any requirements:Consider the tasks you’ll be performing and the level of graphical performance you need. For gaming, research the recommended system requirements for the games you want to play. Content creators should check the recommended hardware for the software they use, specifically its GPU recommendations.

Determine your budget:Graphics cards vary widely in terms of price, so it’s important to establish a budget. Higher-end graphics cards tend to offer more power and advanced features but come with a higher price tag. Determine how much you’re willing to spend to find a balance between performance and affordability.

Research different models:Once you have an idea of your requirements and budget, research different graphics card models from reputable manufacturers. We review graphics cards regularly, and our best 1080p graphics card and best 1440p graphics card pages are a good place to start for more mainstream offerings.

Plan for the long term:If you’re worried that your graphics card might become obsolete too soon, consider shopping for a model that provides more performance and a larger pool of VRAM than your immediate needs.

Check system compatibility:Make sure that your computer system is able to support a specific graphics card, especially your power supply unit (PSU). All graphics cards have a power requirement, measured in watts, and manufacturers will tell you what the recommended PSU wattage is for a given card. You also need to make sure that there is space in both your motherboard’s expansion (PCIe) slots as well as inside the physical case itself.

Consider reputable brands:Pay attention to reputable brands known for producing reliable graphics cards, such as MSI, Asus, Gigabyte, and Zotac, among others. AMD, Nvidia, and Intel also make their own graphics cards, in addition to partnering with other manufacturers to produce branded graphics cards. 

If you’re still unsure or overwhelmed, consider seeking advice from knowledgeable individuals, such as computer enthusiasts, experts, or forums dedicated to hardware discussions. They can provide insights based on their experiences and help you make an informed decision.

Remember, the “right” graphics card for you ultimately depends on your specific needs and budget.

When building a PC, certain components like the CPU, GPU, and RAM have a greater impact on the overall performance. The CPU, for example, dictates how fast your computer can process tasks, run applications, and handle multitasking. Intel may have lost its crown to AMD in recent years, but it still enjoys a greater market share, seeing as how Intel processors accounted for 62 percent of CPU tests, according to Statista. 

Like most computer parts, processors often follow confusing naming schemes, something that can seem daunting to first-time PC builders. Following a quick search on Amazon or other retailers, you will notice several numbers and letters on Intel processors. This is what helps the company maintain different tiers of CPUs, which in turn makes it easier for the end consumer to pick the right one. Some of the best Intel CPUs for gaming include the high-octane Core i7-14700K and the budget-oriented Core i3-13100F. But what do the “K” and “F” letters denote? Intel even has a few processors in its lineup that use the combined “KF” suffix. 

In short, these letters indicate which features are included or excluded in a chip. The “K” and “KF” suffixes particularly talk about the overclocking capabilities and the availability of integrated graphics. Though a CPU without integrated graphics can be picked up for less money, you will need to account for the money spent on a dedicated GPU — not to mention the increased power draw of the system.

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Which Intel processor should you get?

An Intel processor with the “K” suffix in its name means that the chip is unlocked and can be overclocked by the end user. An “F” suffix simply means that the processor doesn’t have integrated graphics — in which case, you will require a dedicated GPU for displaying video output. The combination of these two kinds of chips gives us the “KF” suffix, which denotes that a processor is capable of overclocking but doesn’t come with integrated graphics.

To verify if you can overclock your Intel CPU, you will need to look not just for the “K” or “KF” branding on the chip, but also for a compatible motherboard. Even then, overclocking is only recommended for those who possess enough knowledge about how to correctly overclock a CPU and have the right kind of cooling to avoid overheating.

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An Intel CPU with the “F” or “KF” suffix may seem worse in comparison to chips that have on-board graphics, but can be ideal for users who know they will be using a discrete graphics card in their build anyway. This also helps with savings on the CPU front, allowing for a beefier Nvidia or AMD graphics card. The downside with a “KF” or “F” chip is that if your GPU fails or is temporarily removed, you will not be able to boot with video output. This makes for a bad troubleshooting experience.

If you’ve been debating buying an Xbox, you might want to think about upgrading your TV instead. Specific smart LG TVs justreceived the Xbox App, allowing gamers to stream games straight from the Internet without the need for a console. If you sign up forXbox Game Pass, you can access hundreds of games in itscloud gaming catalog— and if through theBuy and Stream service, you can purchase certain games and play them, even if they aren’t part of the Game Pass lineup.

There’s a catch, though: you need to have a compatible LG TV for this to work.Xbox writes, “Available on LG TVs with webOS 24 or newer versions. This includes select 2022 and 2023 models which have been updated to software version 23.20.01 or higher, including 2022 OLED TVs, and 2023 OLED, QNED, Nanocell, and UHD TVs.” The press release also states that LG smart monitors with webOS24 or later are also compatible.

Not only do you not need an Xbox console, but you don’t need an Xbox controller, either. As long as you have a compatible Bluetooth controller, you can game to your heart’s content — and yes, PlayStation Dualsense controllers work, too.

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Xbox Cloud Gaming has progressed forward in leaps and bounds from where it once was, and now you can play even fast-paced titles with minimal input lag. While it’s probably still not a great idea to try playing a competitive fighting game over a cloud network, racing games like Forza Horizon 5 both play and look great. You can also experience new titles like Avowed, Atomfall, and even Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

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All you have to do is go to the LG Gaming Portal and download the Xbox app. Once you’ve done that, create an account (or log in) and you’ll be ready to play. Fair warning: it can be addictive, so make sure you’ve got time set aside to dedicate to a gaming binge.

I’m here to show you how to reset a graphics driver on your PC

If you’re having persistent crashes, black screens, frame rate drops, or other issues, learning how to reset a graphics driver should be your first step. Even thebest graphics cardscan sometimes run into driver issues, and resetting a graphics driver can often do the trick with minimal effort or troubleshooting.

I’ve been building PCs for years, and I’ve reset my fair share of GPU drivers, so I’m here to help you out with a full step-by-step guide for the reset graphics driver process to help you get your PC back into tip-top shape, regardless of whether you’re resetting a laptop GPU driver, a desktop graphics card driver, or the driver for your integrated graphics.

TOOLS & REQUIREMENTS

• PC or laptop
• An internet connection

Quick steps for how to reset graphics driver

• If resetting a discrete graphics card driver,Download the latest driverfrom AMD, Nvidia, or Intel’s websites, depending on your graphics card, before doing anything else.
• Uninstallyour current driver
  • Open the Device Manager
  • Find yourgraphics driver under Display adapters.
  • Right-click the display adapter driver
  • ChooseUninstall Device
  • Restart your PC
• For integrated graphics
  • Windows willautomatically updateyour graphics driver when you start your PC.
• For discrete graphics
  • Once Windows loads,run the downloaded driver installerand follow the instructions provided.

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Step-by-step guide

1. Download driver installation files if resetting a discrete GPU driver

Whether you use a GPU from Nvidia, AMD, or Intel, each manufacturer has its own software.

Download the right package for your GPUto reinstall your driver:

●Nvidia Geforce driver support
●AMD Radeon driver support
●Intel DSA driver support

2. Open Windows Device Manager

You can find theDevice Managerin multiple ways:

InWindows Search,type inDevice Manager. Left-click to launch it.

Right-click theWindows iconon yourTaskbar. A menu will pop up. Click onDevice Managerto launch it.

Use a keyboard shortcut. PressWindows + Xsimultaneously, then let go and pressM.

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3. Find Display adapters

Once you’re in the Device Manager, scan the list of components until you findDisplay adapters. Click on the arrow next to it to reveal your graphics devices.

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4. Uninstall graphics driver

(Image: © Microsoft)

The first option will usually be eitherAMD Radeon GraphicsorIntel HD Graphics. If you’re resetting your intergrated graphics driver,right-click on this option.

If you have discrete graphics and you want to reset this driver, there should be a second driver underneath the first for your discrete graphics driver, and this is the oneyou shouldright-click.

Once the context menu opens up,select ‘Uninstall Device’and confirm the uninstall operation when necessary.

Your display may flicker during this process, but will eventually finish.

5. Restart your PC

Restart your computerfor the changes to take full effect.

6. Reinstall graphics driver

If resetting your integrated graphics driver, Windows willautomatically update the driveronce Windows restarts.

If resetting your discrete graphics driver,run the graphics driver installer package you downloaded, orrun the appropriate app from AMD, Intel, or Nvidia for your GPU.

Follow the promptsfrom your tool of choice andreinstall the driver. Your screen will flicker and go black at times.

Restart your PCto finish the process.

Final thoughts

Resetting your graphics driver is a common solution to a whole bunch of graphics card issues, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with this process.

Generally, you don’t need to reset your graphics driver if your system is running smoothly. But if you do ever run into issues, this is one of the first things you should do to resolve the problem, making knowing how to reset graphics drivers very useful knowledge for gamers and casual users alike.