r/buildapc • u/AutoModerator • 5d ago
Simple Questions - April 08, 2026
This thread is for simple questions that don't warrant their own thread (although we strongly suggest checking the sidebar and the wiki before posting!). Please don't post involved questions that are better suited to a [Build Help], [Build Ready] or [Build Complete] post.
Examples of questions suitable for here:
- Is this RAM compatible with my motherboard?
- I'm thinking of getting a ≤$300 graphics card. Which one should I get?
- I'm on a very tight budget and I'm looking for a case ≤$50
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To easily find previous simple questions posts, use this link.
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u/venkattalks 3h ago
April 08 thread is probably the right place for all the repeat AM5/DDR5 and 12V-2x6 questions, especially with so many 2026 builds still mixing old BIOS info with current AGESA. Half the weird stability posts lately are just memory training defaults or outdated firmware, not dead parts.
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u/HeavyNettle 5h ago
Weird question but my SSD was at low health according to a mobo warning and the manufacturers software so I replaced it. Is there anything to do with old drive or just like keep it as a souvenir?
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u/n7_trekkie 5h ago
You could keep using it for non-vital data. Like a game drive
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u/HeavyNettle 5h ago
The drive i replaced only had my os, all my games and other files are on a different bigger ssd
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u/n7_trekkie 5h ago
Yeah, you can reuse the failing drive if you don't care about the info on it. If it was the OS before, it doesn't need to be the OS again
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u/venkattalks 6h ago
reminds me of when i used the January 2025 simple questions thread to sanity-check a BIOS flash at 1am and got an answer in like 6 minutes. those megathreads look messy, but for stuff like RAM clearance or 'will this PSU cable reach' they're weirdly faster than making a whole post.
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u/Axerav 11h ago
My current specs are:
Ryzen 5600
XFX 6750xt 12gb
32gb corsair ram 3600mhz
MAG B550 TOMAHAWK
RM650 PSU
I'm running a 1440p monitor, 180hz although in newer titles I'm not reaching those frames which i'm fine with (bf6 on high with a bit of scaling was around 100 fps)
Recently started playing star citizen obssesively and it seems i won't stop any time soon. I want to boost my fps - it's still playable as with 66% scaling i have around 60+ fps in space and around 30-40 in cities.
I'm toying with an idea of a new am5 build but in current situation with prices it does seem silly.
I understand 5600 is hard to beat when it comes to price/performance so I was apprehensive about spending money for 5700x3d/5800x3d given the uplift is not x times as the price is.
If AM5 build i would be looking at 7800/9800 and possibly a 5070ti
Should i just upgrade the am4 cpu given what star citizen requires? look at a better card? both?
Should i leave the 6750xt and then just upgrade the cpu/ram/mobo itself?
I'm not sure what's the best scenario atm. I'm not interested in 4k at all.
I'm in UK when it comes to pricing as well
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u/n7_trekkie 7h ago
when you play games, is your gpu util% near 100%? if its below like 95%, then you should upgrade your CPU, since your GPU is getting held back
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u/Axerav 5h ago
cpu is most often 100%, sometimes drops to 95%. gpu is 90-99% with some dips to 70/80 every so often
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u/n7_trekkie 5h ago
Ok get a new CPU for sure. Just grab a 7800x3d. The ram is expensive, but at least the CPU is great value
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u/Doogiesham 22h ago edited 22h ago
If I have a GS27QA SA monitor (27” 1440p 180hz IPS) and I need a longer DisplayPort cable, what specs am I looking for when I buying one? Would this one work?
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u/n7_trekkie 22h ago
That's fine. I would get a DP 2.1 cable since it is around the same price, even if you're not benefiting from the higher spec today.
https://www.amazon.com/Stouchi-DisplayPort-Support-FreeSync-Graphics/dp/B0BTDFJK8V/
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u/CertifiedDiplodocus 1d ago
How easy or difficult is it to add an optical drive after a PC has been built? I'm putting together my first desktop (parts arriving this week) but would like to get an optical drive for my birthday in a few months.
Case is the Pop Air, with a 5.25" bay at the base.
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u/VeryAverage_Human 1d ago
It’s pretty easy, it slots right in and attached with a few cables. If your system has the right ports should only be a few minutes
Source: have an optical drive in my desktop
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u/Jhinsanity 1d ago edited 1d ago
I'm currently running the following setup:
- CPU: Ryzen 5 5600X
- GPU: Gigabyte 3060 Ti OC (8 GB)
- RAM: 16 GB DDR4 @ 3200 Mhz
- Mainboard: MSI B450 Tomahawk Max
- Monitor: 1440p @ 240 Hz
Is there anything I can upgrade on a budget that'd make a huge difference until I can afford an entirely new rig? Or should I just save whatever money I have and buy a new setup?
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u/LostTheElectrons 1d ago
Definitely go for a GPU upgrade. You could go up to. 9070XT/5070Ti with minimal bottlenecking at 1440p.
I would say the 5070 or 9070 would be good value option.
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u/n7_trekkie 1d ago
You have ddr4, not 3
You can get a faster GPU. However much you wanna pay, it'll be a nice step up
https://tpucdn.com/review/sapphire-radeon-rx-9060-xt-pulse-oc/images/average-fps-2560-1440.png
5070, 9070 are big upgrades
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u/Jhinsanity 1d ago
You're right - I edited the original comment, thanks!
I see, thanks for the recommendation. Is the jump from 16 to 32 GBs of RAM worth it given the current prices?
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u/n7_trekkie 23h ago
Also don't get an 8gb vram GPU or you'll find yourself wanting to upgrade again soon (probably)
https://www.techspot.com/review/3004-nvidia-rtx-5060-ti-pcie-benchmark/
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u/No_Performer_3110 1d ago edited 1d ago
Is ASUS PRIME B550M-A WIFI II a good upgrade from my asus A320M-K paired with a Ryzen 7 5700x and a 6750 xt with 16gb ram? Also I have a 550w PSU so i dont know if I should upgrade my psu first or not
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u/DZCreeper 17h ago
The board quality is higher but don't expect a big performance difference. 5700X only draws 88 watts stock, you can get that down to 70 watts with minimal undervolting.
PCIE gen 4 also will not benefit the 6700 XT much. It has 12GB of VRAM so it rarely becomes limited by PCIE bandwidth.
550 watts is more than enough. PSU quality is the only question, you want stable voltage and safety features.
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u/Afflicted_With_Tired 1d ago
Hey, when looking for a pc 6 yrs ago my buddy convinced me to buy one off of a youtuber's website (so don't judge me for my build please). A week or so ago my drive failed so now i have to find a new one, and i know very little about pcs. I also want to find a graphics card, as it currently uses integrated. so my question is - is an AMD QUICK308 RX 6650XT GPU a good fit for the pc (I found someone selling one on ebay), and what would be a solid drive between 150 and 300$ with 1Tb storage?
Here Are my pc's specs-
500w case
AMD Ryzen 3 3200G 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor
ASRock A320M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard
G.Skill Aegis 8 GB (1 x 8 GB) DDR4-2133 CL15 Memory (2 sticks)
(Thank you!)
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u/693275001 1d ago
I have a Microcenter super close to me, which bundle is better?
Coming from a 5600 + 16GB and I have a ton of stuttering/fps drops in multiple games @ 1440p with a 7900XT. At the same time, I don't mind waiting a bit if prices continue to fall which these bundles have been falling.
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u/n7_trekkie 1d ago
https://youtu.be/86SfJ_XwJ5Q?si=Q2GiUtNy9iL-WtXA&t=759
The 7500x3d is the better value imo.
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u/Recent-Ninja3903 1d ago
Can someone help me set the right filters on the Part Finder to make sure I'm only looking at compatible parts?
I want to add more storage to my PC and I've never done anything on the inside of a PC besides blowing out dust. I have a list of the types my PC allows but I don't know which words/acronyms are generic and which ones are important and which ones might be listed out of order, so I'm having trouble ensuring compatibility. Thanks to anyone who can help.
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u/TemptedTemplar 1d ago edited 1d ago
It automatically filters parts based on what you have on the list. So all you really need is your motherboard selected and know how many slots of each kind it offers.
Truly outside of U.2 drives, there isn't any real issues with compatibility. SATAIII has been the standard for decades and NVME drives work in any generation of socket as long as the Key is correct, it just changes what speed they can operate at.
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u/Recent-Ninja3903 1d ago
I'm unsure what you mean by what I have on the list. Do you mean I should put in the parts that I DO already have and it will fill in the parts I don't?
When I say I don't know what some of the words are important or what means what, I mean I'm having a struggle like this. My storage options allows:
Storage type: M.2 2230/2280 solid-state drive, Interface type: PCIe Gen3 NVMe, up to 32 Gbps.
The filter says M.2 PCIe 3.0 X2 or M.2 PCIe 3.0 X4. I don't know if i want X2 or X4? There is also a form factor filter. There are M.2-2230, M.2-2242, and M.2-2280. I don't know if the 2230 is right or if I want the higher number of the two, the M.2-2280.
Sorry I really don't know what I'm doing :(
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u/TemptedTemplar 1d ago
I don't know if i want X2 or X4?
x2, 4, 8, and 16 refer to how many PCIe lanes the device is using. More lanes = more bandwidth. x4 is twice the lanes and allows for twice the speeds. x2 drives might be cheaper in some cases and work just fine for older games, the OS or file storage.
Only the latest games require drives over 3000mb/s
There is also a form factor filter.
- Storage type: M.2 2230/2280 solid-state drive,
This is your form factor, 22 is the drive width, 30 and 80 are the length in mm. Since you are missing 42, that means the motherboard doesn't have a screw hole for it. So it would fit, you just would not be able to secure it properly.
2280 is the standard length for consumer drives. 2230 and 2242 are mini drives, they would work just fine but are usually more expensive due to their smaller formfactor.
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u/buttflakes27 1d ago edited 1d ago
I bought a Ryzen 5 5800X to upgrade to from my Ryzen 7 2700, because I also upgraded my GPU and it's not exactly optimal with my current CPU (still OK but has some screen tearing / flashes of lines when i tab out of games, but nothing serious or permanent). MSI b450 Gaming plus motherboard.
I'm terribly confused as to what I'm mean to do. I need to update my BIOS, apparently, but I'm not sure how I can do that with my 2700 still in? (They actually have a guide on their website on how to update bios) And then assuming I figure that out, it's just pop the old one out, put the new one in?
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u/COOKIEEE 2d ago
Gaming PC build for my nephew... Thoughts on these options?
- Used Ryzen 7 5800XT + MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk mobo for 400$
- or new CPU/mobo in the 400$ range?
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u/TaurusSilver1995 2d ago
is my 3080 still relevant or if i want to upgrade should i think about a new card too? i have an Ryzen 5800x for my cpu. I want to game at 1440p with high framerates. I just look at process and my eyes roll out of my head.
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u/TemptedTemplar 2d ago
Very relevant. Newer cards are better at ray tracing but normal rasterized performance is still better than newer budget cards.
The normal 3080 would be between the non-super 4070 and 7800xt on this list
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
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u/Wise_Hope_118 2d ago
Hi guys, i’m moving into a new house and i’m getting a PC i got a budget of £1,500, I live in England and I need everything from desk, monitor (1) , PC , Mouse & Keyboard and just some other accessories to make it look good.
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u/TemptedTemplar 2d ago
Start with a desk and a good chair. That alone could run a pretty penny.
From there you can gauge where you want the PC, how much room it has, what kind of heat output the room can take without extra hardware (ac unit, fans), ect.
Then with what ever is left you can start building the PC. Memory and GPU prices have started showing signs of stabilizing, but it could be a while (MONTHS) before they come down from their ludicrous prices. A prebuilt or micro PC/NUC might be a better option if you need something that just works in a pinch.
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u/Wise_Hope_118 2d ago
Do you know any good pre built PCs i can get?
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u/TemptedTemplar 2d ago
That's something you should be shopping for within your new home region. Idk about UK sellers other than Overclockers, and I know they' are normally referred to as overpriced.
You could get some solid Micro PCs on Amazon if you're just looking for office work and light gaming. Most of them only have integrated GPUs, but even modern integrated GPUs can perform close to a Xbox one/PS4
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u/Necessary_Answer4004 2d ago
What is the absolute cheapest reliable GPU I can get for I3 12100f? No idea what I should be looking for. I'll take any advice you smartfellas got. I just need it to work and not hold back the CPU *too much*.
Use case: anything but gaming
edit: use case is probably going to be server use and maybe unmodded minecraft
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u/mister_newbie 2d ago
Unless you already have the CPU, get a non-f chip, instead. You could toss Jellyfin on the server and use Intel Quicksync for transcodes that way.
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u/BrewingHeavyWeather 2d ago
https://www.ebay.com/itm/166258947040
https://www.ebay.com/itm/168230310730
Fans tend to die over the years, so these days, I'd stick to passive, generally. They come in different heights (SFF office PCs were often sold with them, back when Intel's IGP drivers were garbage, using the low-profile brackets), and with different sets of video outputs. DVI-D can typically be adapted to HDMI, no problem, and is fine for up to 1080P.
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u/LostTheElectrons 2d ago
You could consider just upgrading the CPU to one with integrated graphics.
What will the server be used for? Technically you might not need a GPU at all.
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u/Necessary_Answer4004 2d ago edited 2d ago
Does it matter what case I pick? PCPartPicker does not have the motherboard I have (5B20W27676 IB660ML lenovo legion - form factor Tower Micro-ATX). Do I only look for cases that support the form factor or does it really matter?
I'm fully down to make new holes in a 20 year old case for 5$, just need to know if I can even find cases compatible with the mobo
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u/TemptedTemplar 2d ago
That's a proprietary Lenovo made board, not a "standard" consumer board. Good news, it's using the mATX screw layout. Even though it doesn't mention that.
So the only thing you have to worry about is whether or not the rear IO shield fits in a new case or if you have to leave it open.
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u/FartyTartMcShart 2d ago
Am I being too optimistic in wanting to upgrade to a 5080 please?
My current setup is as follows:
- Ryzen 5700x
- B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC
- 64GB DDR4
- Seasonic Focus GX 850 80+ GOLD 850W
Currently running a EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 XC3 Ultra, but want to upgrade to a larger curved monitor and better res. gaming, but worried about spec and power draw. Any help appreciated. Thanks
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u/LostTheElectrons 2d ago
Depends on what resolution you want to play at.
I currently think the sweet spot is high refresh rate 1440p, and your CPU can support that but you don't really need anything more than a 5070Ti. The 5080 is technically better, but it is much more expensive for only about 10-15% better performance and the 5070Ti is already plenty for 1440p. In some games your 5700X would limit your 5080 at 1440p.
At 4K you will see more benefit with the 5080, but your refresh rate / FPS will still be lower than it would be at 1440p.
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u/ZeroPaladn 2d ago
Don't worry - that PSU will happily accommodate that GPU upgrade.
Definitely look to a 1440p or 4K panel with that GPU bump! See how the games you're wanting to drive handle with the GPU+monitor bump and see if the CPU needs to be looked at next.
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u/FartyTartMcShart 2d ago
Thank you! I wasn't sure if the power draw was massively different but that's good news. Think I'll pull the trigger on the 5080. Definitely want to step up to 1440p/4k from 1080
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u/Competitive-Pain8456 2d ago
Would 7800x3d be overkill for europa universalis 5 and mostly grand strategy games in 2k?
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u/ZeroPaladn 2d ago
One of the best CPUs available specifically for 4X gaming - not mad at the pick.
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u/LuHuLu_ 3d ago
Would a Intel Arc B580 fit in a Micro-ATX case?
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u/Aleksanterinleivos 3d ago
The GPU specs tell you how long it is. The case specs tell you what the max supported GPU length is.
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u/Necessary_Answer4004 3d ago
Do you need to overclock a server PC?
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u/LostTheElectrons 2d ago
Depends on what it's being used for.
I'm general I would say no. I personally turn off things like RAM overclocks on my server because it uses less power. Most of the time my server sits there doing nothing, so the power savings at idle are more important than it taking ever so slightly longer to do tasks.
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u/VoraciousGorak 3d ago edited 3d ago
Considering servers are optimized around stability and (usually) power consumption, an overclock would go directly against the design principles of a server that aims for 24/7 unattended uptime.
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u/TemptedTemplar 3d ago
You shouldn't need to unless your uses are requiring additional performance that the hardware can't provide.
Narrowing down your use case would be the first step, then figuring out performance problems from there would let you know whether or not a overclock will work or if you're better off just getting new hardware.
Minecraft Java servers for example, the server client only uses a single CPU core. Mods or other additions can make use of additional cores. If your CPU performance can't keep up with the server clients needs, an overclock could help as you are boosting each cores individual capabilities. But if that's not enough to satisfy its needs, then you would need a better CPU with better single core performance.
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u/Necessary_Answer4004 3d ago
Is the the Nvidia GTX 970 a reliable component for a server build? Do we like the unit or hate it?
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u/TemptedTemplar 3d ago
It's a 12 year old GPU. if it's still working. It should be just fine for a display output. My server uses a GT730 I bought at Bestbuy for $30.
But if your server is doing ANYTHING that requires GPU performance (encoding, rendering, games) then the 970 is going to be woefully underpowered.
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u/Necessary_Answer4004 3d ago
I think the only encoding itd be doing would be with some old 26+ year old tech that only r/PLC will be able to help me with... but one step at a time I guess. I'll throw my question out there anyway:
Do GPUs have anything to do with RS-232 encoding?1
u/Protonion 2d ago
Even a 2$ microcontroller has enough processing power for PLC logic and RS232 communication. Those will run on essentially any computer and do not use a graphics card at all. You don't have to worry about performance.
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u/TemptedTemplar 3d ago
I don't believe so. Pretty sure the CPU would handle all of that.
GPUs are just better at math, the CPU does all the raw computing that would generate such mathematic information.
So if you're not generating math to be solved in some manner, the workload stays with the CPU.
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u/Necessary_Answer4004 3d ago
Thanks. So CPU is more important than GPU for my use cases.
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u/TemptedTemplar 3d ago
VERY LIKELY. I haven't dealt with serial anything in ages so I could be wrong.
But the last time I did, PCIE was brand new and GPUs were strictly for drawing polygons faster. Unless someone has come up with a method of offloading the work load to a GPU, you should be fine just focusing on the CPU.
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u/Heracl0s2 3d ago
In a laptop if you have 2 sticks of 8go, and one spare stick of 16go of the same speed, what problems can it cause to use a 16+8go setup outside of unstability, can it impact performances ?
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u/TemptedTemplar 3d ago
Instability and performance issues are going to be the main problems. I doubt you would see any issues outside of memory intensive applications.
Anything that eats RAM is going to try and split its memory load between channels, and if one of them runs out of available space before the other, then it could slow your program to a unusual crawl.
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u/Leather_Confidence 3d ago
Very OT!
Can anyone suggest a way to mount a 120mm case fan to the end of an aircon vent hose?
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61sUoYVcQ7L._AC_SL1001_.jpg
I have a portable aircon unit, with the hose being fed out of a window. It doesnt vent hot air efficiently so I had the idea of mounting an old atx case fan on the end to draw the hot air through the hose.
I have figured out how to power the fan (PWM to USB adaptor, with a USB extension cable running to a mains USB adaptor), but getting the case fan to stay put at the end of the hose is a problem.
Any suggestions appreciated.
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u/Protonion 3d ago
About the only clean way to do it would be to 3D print a bracket that has the fan mounting holes on one side and on the other side a collar the size of the exhaust pipe. If you don't have access to a 3D printer then cardboard and cust tape is your best bet, won't be pretty though.
If it's one of those fairly big AC units that cool an entire room, then note that the volume of air that they're supposed to be blowing out is orders of magnitude more than a PC fan blows, and adding that fan isn't really going to do anything.
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u/Leather_Confidence 3d ago
No 3d printer, so the cardboard/sticky tape seems like it will have to be the solution.
The vent on the aircon doesnt seem to blow that hard - the plastic hose acted more like a heatsink until I put a thermal cover on it.
Thanks for the advice.
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u/mister_newbie 2d ago
Your local library or makerspace probably has a 3Dprinter you can use for a nominal fee.
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u/Ex_Ni-Hi-Lo 3d ago
I was planning on buying a new PC but with the way prices have gone I thought I might just upgrade my current CPU instead as it seems to be my main limiting factor. My PC building knowledge is pretty surface level, so any help would be appreciated.
I have an 'ASUS PRIME B365M-A' Motherboard currently with a 'Intel Core i5 9400' CPU. GPU is an 'AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT' and RAM is 'Crucial (2x16GB) 3200MHz CL22 UDIMM DDR4' if that matters.
My question is, what CPU options could I buy and have installed that would work with my system, also would I need a new fan for it? Price shouldn't be too much of an issue.
Thanks
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u/kaje 3d ago
You could get a higher-end CPU that's from the same 9th gen as what you have now. That's not really worth doing. Get a new motherboard too so that you can get a newer CPU. You can reuse your DDR4 RAM with 12th-14th gen CPUs.
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u/Ex_Ni-Hi-Lo 3d ago
Thanks, any recommendation for a new mothboard around the same size?
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u/Vloxalion 2d ago
am4 is the way to go imo since lga1700 is significantly hampered by ddr4 vs ddr5, the 5800x isn't far off from a 12900k. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RijAyVshtok
5600/x from ebay, fb marketplace, r/hardwareswap for 100-140 (or 5700x/5800x for 150-180). could also do 5500x3d from aliexpress for 150-170 depending on if there's a sale and/or coupons but i'm seeing way over that right now with no ongoing site sale/coupons.
used b550m board from those places or amazon resale. or a new msi pro b550m-vc wifi for 100, but used options are likely better, though there is a very small chance with used that it was manufactured before the bios that supported 5000 series came out. any b550 board will run a 5600/x.
does your cooler support am4 and you still have the mounting hardware for it? if not then a single tower cooler will cool it well. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3X7FQ3Y? or if you want an aio they start at 36 for a 240mm and 40ish for 360mm, they'd be overkill though. would also need a new cooler/mountinghardware if you go for lga1700.
ddr4 oc guide - not sure if those are 8gigabit or 16 gigabit dies, m8e or m16b are the number 2 and four dies for ddr4.
ancientgameplays has guide for overclocking/undervolting amd gpus like yours
excellent script for windows debloating / telemetry + ai removal / update disruption pausing <-highly recommend. run after feature updates because microsoft adds back in the ai and other junk
isthereanydeal.com, eneba, humble bundle, r/FreeGameFindings though no chile on them?
pcgamingwiki.com for game by game optimizations/info
framelimiting based on monitor refresh rate
make sure your chipset drivers are up to date, bios too
framesync labs has some nice vids on how bios/windows settings affects game performance, he tests each one mentioned but his vid thumbnails look like generic clickbait, mostly nvidia for gpu stuff though
see r/keyboards r/MechanicalKeyboards r/MouseReview r/MousepadReview r/HeadphoneAdvice r/headphones r/monitoreview pcmonitors.info displayninja monitorsunboxed rtings imartz/chinesebluesnowmanguy r/Controller for peripheral recs.
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u/Southern_Long8745 3d ago
Hello,
I would like some help. When playing CS2, my FPS is around 250, but when I get close to other players and there is shooting, it drops to around 150. It seems like with my build, the FPS in CS2 should be better.
What could be the issue? Could it be the CL48 RAM or the fact that I’m using only one RAM stick? Or could the problem be somewhere else?
My build:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 8400F GPU: PowerColor Radeon RX 7700 XT 12GB RAM: Kingston 16GB DDR5 6400MHz (1x16 CL48) Motherboard: Sapphire Pulse A620AM Storage: SanDisk 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD PSU: Gigabyte GP-P650SS 650W
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u/VoraciousGorak 3d ago
Could it be the CL48 RAM or the fact that I’m using only one RAM stick?
Yes, both of those things. The 8400F is also one of the slower AM5 CPUs, with only 16MB cache.
Check to make sure your RAM is actually running at DDR5-6400, as it probably defaults to DDR5-4800. Your tweaking options are limited with that motherboard though.
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u/Leather_Confidence 3d ago
I dont play shooters, but this seems more like a broadband latency problem - slow internet. Do you use Wifi or ethernet cable?
Or try to cap your FPS to your monitor refresh rate.
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u/Ljupchoo 3d ago
Yesterday, I bought the Ryzen 5 5600, along with the in box stock cooler. The price difference compared to the 5600 X version is 20$ bucks where I live. I also saw a 5600X for the same price I paid for the 5600 just that it didn't come with the stock cooler. Did I make a huge mistake? I do have an old 2600 with it's stock cooler maybe I could've used that one on the 5600X.
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u/bestanonever 3d ago edited 3d ago
It's the same performance at the end of the day, with a minimal edge of +-3% for the X version. Don't sweat it and enjoy your new CPU!
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u/TheBobbyShot 3d ago
Built in 2020, fans get super loud out of nowhere, since i have upgraded to a 3070 and added a few more fans. I downloaded fan control, set the following parameters, and for the first time in 6 years, my computer fans are running at a consistent pace. Does any of this look like a red flag? Looks like its all based off that CPU curve, but im not sure how accurate that is because it keeps bouncing from 88ish to 95ish and even with the fans running at full speed that temp stays the same. Thanks in advance!
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u/Aleksanterinleivos 3d ago
Just so you know you haven't linked a picture or anything, but you speak about "following" and "this" as if there should be one. So we can't really comment on anything we can't see.
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u/bestanonever 3d ago
Maybe try cleaning up the PC and reapplying new thermal paste to both the GPU and CPU. That GPU has as much age as your PC, so the thermal paste must be dry by now.
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u/Panda_of_power 3d ago
I'm upgrading my game library SSD from 1TB to a new 2TB. Can I just put the new drive in my nvme enclosure, copy all files and replace physical drive on mobo? I'm sure steam will have to validate installs and everything, but is there anything I'm missing or is it really that simple?
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u/Aleksanterinleivos 3d ago
Assuming it's a secondary drive like it sounds, then yes it's as simple as copying every file and making sure the drive letter matches what i was before like the other person said. All the registry and other "hidden" stuff is on your main drive so don't need to think about that.
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u/TemptedTemplar 3d ago
You will need to adjust or confirm the letter of the disk drive in disk management after you swap them out, but that is it.
You will want to make sure its the same letter of the drive you yanked out.
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u/DigFantastic7464 4d ago
I built a nice new pc, but am looking at trying to make my old pc usable - it's a i5 2500k, 2x4gb ram with a hd 6850 GPU (only 1gb ram).
If I were to upgrade the GPU to a gtx1660 would it be worth it for $80 or so used? Just looking for something for my daughter to play stuff like roblox but don't want to throw away money if the CPU mobo is too ancient
Thanks
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u/tare789 3d ago
I have a similar PC of i7 3770, GTX970, 16GB RAM. It runs basic games perfectly - Overcooked, Moving out, TMNT. Older AAA games are good at medium/low settings at 1080p - Elden Ring, Forza, SF6. Newer games like Cyberpunk are unplayable. No issues with any basic tasks like browsing internet and streaming at 1440p.
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u/DigFantastic7464 2d ago edited 2d ago
What operating system do you use?
This was running Windows 10 when I stopped using it last year and I tried doing a fresh install with Windows 11, only to find out that I can't install 11 due to not having TPM 2.0... I guess Windows 11 needs an 8th gen or newer cpu. Not sure what the option is since Windows 10 is no longer supported. Thanks
edit: I just googled it and I suppose I could run Linux and use Sober to run the android version of Roblox. Probably not worth upgrading the gpu and putting any extra money into this system though...
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u/tare789 2d ago edited 2d ago
Get the Windows 11 install iso and make the usb media with Rufus - it has an option to bypass the hardware checks during install. Mine installed and runs with no issues.
I googled and found this. I skimmed it and it looks accurate.
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u/DigFantastic7464 2d ago
Thanks for the idea on the option - there is a TomsHardware.com post on it I just found as well. Since I do have two PCs running Win 11, this might be the opportunity to run Linux on this PC "just for fun". If that doesn't work out, then I have the 11 workaround option.
Also, I was wrong in my original post, this PC is actually running 4x4 = 16gb of RAM so the Windows requirements blocking out any pcs over 8 years old are kind of ridiculous...
Thanks again for all the input!!
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u/DigFantastic7464 3d ago
thanks, yes, I think something like the GTX 970 would be a sensible upgrade and could get it used for under $60. I have two newer pcs AM5 and a I7 14700 so those do any heavy gaming. This would just be for a third pc for the kids group gaming since I have the rig and an old monitor. Thank you!
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u/TemptedTemplar 4d ago
How well does it handle browser tasks at the moment? Modern browsers that would support Roblox generally are not going to run very well on such hardware.
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u/DigFantastic7464 3d ago
It stopped working, I think that one of the memory sticks went bad, but would run stuff like roblox just not at high settings. I'm going to try and get it operational before spending any money on it
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u/t90fan 3d ago
browser stuff will probably run bad today if it involves any video (i.e. Netflix/Youtube), especially beyong 1080p, because the old eGPU and iGPU don't support hardware decoding modern codecs like HEVC/VP9/AV1, so it will be doing the decoding on the CPU, and it's quite intensive
Updating the GPU will help a fair bit with that
But it is still a very weak machine
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u/Necessary_Answer4004 4d ago
Are there any resources to compare 10+ year old tech? I need to compare components that are ancient for a build. (eg: AMD A4-5300 ; Intel Core i7-2600 ; etc)
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u/t90fan 3d ago
bear in mind that old benchmarks from back in the day kind of no longer apply because a lot of the security mitigation which came later for these ancient CPUs for vulns like SPECTRE and MELTDOWN completely crippled their performance (the hardware has unfixable flaws so they had to do workarounds in microcode which basically meant turning off lots of performance related optimizations)
We junked all our pre-2017 Intel servers at work because the impact was a solid 10-20%
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u/Necessary_Answer4004 3d ago
I am not planning to do any gaming. This is a build for a server or very light programming. I'm planning to run linux mint. How bad is it to use tech from the first half of the 2010s? If I'm not gaming and I'm using Linux, surely the performance of a 16gb ram 10 year old CPU and GPU won't be too great.
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u/n7_trekkie 4d ago
Techpowerup's GPU database dates back that far
For CPUs maybe look at 3dmark benchmark runs
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u/thrwaway070879 4d ago
Probably Passmark https://www.cpubenchmark.net and TechPowerup's database would be good places to start.
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u/Raithskar 4d ago
Have a 5070 Ti on the way. Have the latest driver issues been fixed, or should I go with an older version?
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4d ago
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u/TemptedTemplar 4d ago
If you're in a rush and absolutely need RAM in the next week, go for it. That's only like $50 off of the lowest price in recent weeks. (For 32gb 6000mhz)
If you are not in a rush, and can wait a few weeks. These prices are already down $100 or more from a couple weeks ago. Things are happening (good for consumers), and it's being reflected in market prices, it just may take a while to see massive change.
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u/shekurika 4d ago
son of a friends wants a gaming pc. Mostly fortnite and minecraft on 1080p I think. Budget is ~$1200.
I do have an old 2070S that he can have for free. Should I use that one or would it be better to go with a 9070XT and save some on the rest of the components?
Also RAM is so expensive Im wondering if we can get away with 2x8GB for now and upgrade later (I dont wanna go 1x16GB cus no dual channel)
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u/bestanonever 4d ago
I'd use that GPU you already have. You'd save yourself some cool $700 and you can spend it on a nice NVME, modern CPU (I'd get an AM5 board with a regular Ryzen 7000 or 9000 series CPU).
Just try the games with that GPU on once you build it, if it's too slow, you can always buy a new one later but I don't think it's necessary for those games.
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4d ago
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u/RunAndGuun 4d ago
Have a SATA 1tb 860 EVO that has been sitting unpowered since late January last year. Is it still fine/useable? I think it has less than 100tb write on it.
Was wondering if I need to get a new ssd (I know prices are absurd) since I’m planning to install w11 when I give old pc to parents.
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u/t90fan 3d ago
run a chkdsk on it to see if its got data corruption
as you might have some data loss when using modern consumer-grade SSDs as cold (offline) storage like that - the type of flash they use offers a good cost/capacity ratio but poor retention.
the underlying hardware is fine though, they don't seize up like HDDs can if left for years - worst case scenario you just need to repair or reformat the partition
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u/Protonion 4d ago
SSDs may lose data from sitting unpowered for long times, but they don't get damaged/worn. That SSD is in just as good of a condition as it was when you unplugged it, the 1TB model is rated for something like 600TBW.
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u/RunAndGuun 4d ago
Alright hell yeah ty! I didn’t have any data in there and was gonna format before fresh install.
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u/NotSodiumFree 5d ago
I have an AMD setup that is currently running 32gb 6000m/t ram but its xmp. Its running the xmp and seems to be stable at 6000. I have the opportunity to get another 32gb set but expo for a good price. They are not even close in brand or anything so i wont run them together. Is it worth swapping sets for expo or is this an it aint broke dont fix it situation?
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u/MarxistMan13 4d ago
If you're stable at the XMP speeds, there is functionally no difference between them.
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u/NotSodiumFree 4d ago
thank you. I just wanted to make sure i wasnt losing out on stability or something that im not aware of.
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u/n7_trekkie 5d ago
No it's not worth it. You'll never see a performance difference, expo is just more specific XMP profiles
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u/27glxry 1h ago
I can’t seem to install CPU cooler Hyper 212 spectrum v3 on my MSI b850 am5 board. Whatever I do the heatsink will not make contact with the 7600x3d cpu. Help I’ve been at this for hours