#is building and overclocking PCs

[littleeyesofpallas]

87CLOCKERS

[gynoidgearhead]

you've heard of gaslight gatekeep girlboss

now get ready for benchmark bootstrap bottleneck

[bullseyereview2it]

Do AMD Ryzen 7 8700G and Ryzen 5 8600G processors have enough power in gaming to make you forget about the video card?

We adore PCs outfitted with the latest and most high-performance components, running games at the highest possible FPS in 4K resolution. However, what do you do when your gaming budget doesn’t stretch beyond the price of a second-hand flagship phone? AMD addresses this question and caters to budget-conscious gamers and casual players by introducing the 8000G Series. This series could serve as a…

[woodlandenjoyer]

I was into building PCs and overclocking in the first few years of high school, I fooled around in the BIOS a fair amount. I only killed one or two motherboards.

[thelongestway]

A crazy theory just coalesced about Star Trek holodecks. Why does every ship have them? Why are they some of the last things to go down, if they need so much power and are purely recreational? Why do they malfunction so often? I submit to you that holodecks essentially fulfill the function of a top-end graphics card on modern-day PCs. Yes, they run games for pleasure. But also they are very good for running a bunch of complex calculations, especially involving the simulation of space and laws of physics. And this has a bunch of utility uses. Y'know how graphics cards are used for stuff like protein folding or, more annoyingly, bitcoin mining? This, but in Star Trek.

So here's my little bit of crazy world building: holodecks function as reserve processing units. In normal operation, they handle scientific sims, like we often see in the shows (and a bit of fun for the crew). But in combat, they handle some of the heavy-duty calculations for things like autofiring beam banks or shield redistribution, which is why people don't usually redistribute power from them immediately. Your holodecks go down, you do a lot more by hand. And sometimes you get edge scenarios such as storing physical bodies in their RAM. Most crews fiddle with and overclock theirs, which is why there are so many bugs. But everyone swears by them anyway.

[genericpuff]

welp, this kinda sucks

I'm currently at odds with the PC that I got a couple months ago, it's started freezing and soft-resetting randomly for seemingly no reason. It would usually be after hours of use that I could chalk up to the memory overloading, but now it's happening as soon as I boot up the frigging thing. And just to make it clear how much I've done on my own to diagnose the problem, our attempts to fix it have included the following:

Limiting startup applications

Running virus / malware scans

Swapping out display monitors

Updating the GPU drivers

Setting a lower overclock profile in the BIOS settings

Swapping out power cables and outlets to check for power surges

So far none of these things have worked and if anything, the issue has just gotten worse in the last two days. Like, it can barely make it to the startup screen sometimes, despite the memory and CPU usage being >20%, there is zero reason it would be the PC overclocking itself just from startup.

(and no, it doesn't even compel me, i'm just annoyed to shit LOL)

So I dropped it off with the guy who built it (he runs an electronics / pawn shop downtown that's very reputable and well-known so it's not like I don't trust him or anything, he's been building PC's for people in the area for years) and it's now in his care for the next day or two while he tries to isolate the problem. Right now the only thing I can imagine being the problem is the power supply or my display monitor, which is my old Huion Kamvas 22 Plus that still works as a monitor, just not a drawing tablet - but if something's still fucking around in the tablet, it could be causing problems through the PC, maybe.

When I dropped it off with the guy, he went and set it up in his office and came out and told me that so far it seemed to be running just fine, when he asked me if I was doing anything specific I told him it was crashing even after startup so I gave him permission to overclock the shit out of it, run 53879205893 browser tabs, run my games, software, anything he needed to do to push it to its limits and see if he could replicate the problem.

I am terrified if it has to do with the motherboard, because that will be an expensive replacement that will also potentially lead to losing files / installations / etc. depending on how big an issue it is. It could also potentially be Windows 11 having a hissy fit especially seeing as how it's freezing up on startup, but doesn't freeze on the BIOS screen when it loads up in safe-mode after hard resets, so something is clearly happening between the hard boot-up and the startup of Windows 11 itself.

Thankfully I do have Google Drive sync support and plenty of external HDD's that I can back my stuff up to, but with the freezing and restarting getting as bad as it's been, I haven't been able to back anything up, and I don't want to risk doing it manually if it'll just freeze and potentially corrupt my files in the process. So I told the guy to call me if he needed to mess with anything concerning the system storage so that, if he could at least keep it running stable in the shop, then I could swing by and get everything I needed synced up safely before he messes around with anything.

It could also very well have something to do with the power supply itself, the house that I occupy the main floor of isn't exactly built with electric optimization in mind, we've had fuses blow on us before just from running the hair dryer at the same time as the TV, so if it's something to do with the PC drawing too much power for the electrical system here to keep up with, either (hopefully) the guy will be able to instruct me on how to lower and manage that power intake through the PC's BIOS (I believe you can but I'm still a massive noob on custom builds and I don't want to go tinkering with it myself) or, idk, maybe I'll have to get my landlord to drop by again with his electrician and check out the fuses to make sure they're all operating properly. I'm not an electrician either, so fuck if I know at this point what could be going on. I feel like it can't be the house itself because everything else is running fine and it's just become a recent issue, but our city's power grid is also not exactly praised for being good at its job, especially not in the winter.

So yeah, I'm a little - well, a lot - stressed right now, but all I can really do at this point is wait. Fortunately, I have my iPad and also remembered that I still have my old PC, so I've hooked it up, at best if the problem repeats itself on this PC then I'll know it has to do with the display monitor, at worst I'll just be stuck working with my clunky old hardware for a couple days, which is annoying, but it'll get the job done. Fortunately I had the newest episode of Rekindled uploaded to the cloud in Clip Studio so I can still download it and work on it, which was my biggest worry when everything started to go belly-up (next to just, like, having a working PC).

Sooooo yeah. It's annoying, but I'm hoping for the best. Send good vibes y'all, I really could use it rn, between this and slow traffic at work and some other personal shit that's been going on, it's been a shitty few days (╥﹏╥)

And yeah, I'll keep y'all updated on if it affects this week's update, it really shouldn't honestly as most of the work left is doable from both my iPad and PC, but obviously at this point anything can happen so if anything has to be postponed or changed to accommodate the current situation, I'll update y'all as soon as I can! Thanks everyone, y'all are the best, wish me luck <3

[thedawningofthehour]

didn't you say you were making Draxum's house in the sims? Did you ever finish? :(

So I whined about this on my main blog, but I'm having issues with my computer. The power port, and I've noticed this for a while, gets extremely hot whenever I try to run anything more intensive than Powerwash Simulator, and the past few months it's become harder and harder to get it to charge. (I'm not overclocking or anything-I bought this computer for gaming and made sure it had the specs to run shit like my heavily modded Skyrim and Fallout, it should be able to run Sims) I contacted Acer about a repair and they quoted me over eight hundred dollars. The actual computer was about 1200-1300, for comparison. There's other issues with it as well-there's a chip on the screen that's really obvious on a white background, and they advertised that it would support a second hard drive, but it's never recognized the one I bought. The power port is the most grievous though, and power ports on laptops are notoriously hard to repair.

And this computer isn't old. I bought it last spring. Less than a year and a half-and I've barely been gaming on it because I've been writing this, so I spent over a thousand dollars on a turtles fanfiction machine essentially. (there's been other reasons, depression funk caused a complete disinterest in gaming and after so many mass shootings I've started feeling guilty whenever playing games with guns, but writing is mostly what I've been using this expensive gaming PC for) I only had the one-year warranty that came with the computer, but honestly I can't find it in myself to regret that too much because I have never once had a company actually honor a warranty. It's like safety deposits on apartments or insurance claims-they'll do everything they can to weasel out of doing what they're supposed to.

So back to your question-I currently don't trust my computer to run the Sims. Or anything else. And I can afford to buy another gaming PC right now, but it would be financially pretty irresponsible. I returned the tablet I bought to draw with, and I think I'm going to get one of those two-in-one laptop/tablets so I can use it for drawing and writing. Maybe I'll be able to run the Sims 4 on that-it doesn't have to run great, I use it mostly as a building simulator. Kind of sucks though, Crusader Kings 3 came out with another expansion pack and the new Cities Skylines is coming out this fall, plus I've been getting a hankering to play Skyrim again.

But enough about my computer woes, I do think I have some screenshots I could show...

First floor, I apparently took these during the first round of building because I made a lot of changes. The lab is way bigger now, and I have the rest of the house shell done. The blank space in the back right is where I was going to put in the multi-story room where the turtles find the weapons-which is probably the least completed part of the entire house because holy hell the building controls do not want to work with me.

But in the back left you can see Cass and Gale's rooms! :)

I do like how the main hallway turned out. I know it was mostly destroyed on Creation Day, but let's just say Draxum redid it in the same style. The middle picture, that's the little storage room that hides the door to the part of the house where Gale's room is. If you know the Sims you can tell where the secret door is.

And yes, I know the half-walls under the stairs look ridiculous, I've fixed it since then. I couldn't just extend the half-wall all the way back because it would delete the upper staircase, for some reason.

I'm pretty proud of how the living room is turning out. Could be a little bigger, but the symmetry of the bookshelves are just too perfect. (also the curved walls get fussy, FUCK CURVED WALLS) Needs some clutter on the mantle though.

The kitchen no longer looks like this, I moved around a lot of the pictures and added another layer of cabinets, because Draxum probably has like six sets of fine china he's received as gifts throughout the years and refuses to part with. I added more retro-looking décor, because the last time he remodeled this room was in the sixties and I wanted it to look a little old-fashioned. I also imagine he refuses to get an electric stove, saying his mystic wood-burning stove works just fine. I tried to work a pantry in, but it didn't really pan out. (lol) And the more I think about it, he probably has a legit larder somewhere in the basement, since Draxum is from a time before refrigeration and would have grown up storing food in underground cellars. (and he deffo has like several years worth of food stored away, he's pretty much a doomsday prepper)

This is also incidentally the layout of the kitchen at my old house, hence the weird octagon dining area. Except we had windows. With no curtains. In the woods. It was unsettling to cook at night.

Draxum's study is bigger now, and I think I added a fireplace? He absolutely has eight bazillion degrees and awards and he puts them ALL on his wall. He earned that shit, dammit.

His bedroom's nothing to write home about. It's comfortable, not luxurious. There's no electric lights because he prefers candlelight.

Just imagine that white bathroom counter stained with pink splotches from Draxum's hair dye.

I had BARELY done anything with the pool, but as you can see it is indeed a tank. Draxum was planning to keep a mutant or something in there.

I was actually in the process of redoing the entire greenery lol, but I think I did an okay job on 1.0. Not the mason jar lamps though, I'm not sure what I was thinking there.

Some pictures of Lab 1.0. The ooze-vine-thing looks terrible; I straight up haven't even started to recreate it in 2.0. I pushed back Draxum's alchemy area and gave him an actual medical bay in the back, which is where The Table would have been located.

That's mostly Gale's area on the left, I think it still broadly looks this way? I didn't put in stuff like the robotics table because it just looked silly-and besides, we're not actually playing this build. We know Galois only needs two hands and a welder to make a robot.

I will leave you off with a slightly more clutterfied Gale's room! Oh, but also, I GOT PURPLE CC CURTAINS FOR HIM. :D After I took this picture, but just know he has them now. He has no reason to have them because he does not have a window, but I'm happy for him.

[not-radioshack]

Writeup: AOpen i945GMm-HL shenanigans

AOpen i945GMm-HL - The Retro Web

Welp. This board is weirder than I ever thought it'd be. Not the board in general, but the specific one I bought.

To begin, it turns out that my particular board, and likely many others of the same model, are OEM-customized boards that AOpen provided to a little company called RM Education. They make all-in-one PCs for the UK market.

...And they are using evaluation BIOSes (in other words, BIOS software that's normally only meant for prototyping and... well, evaluation) in their retail boards.

My specific board contains BIOS version R1.08, which is actually R1.02 apparently. There is evidence of an R1.07 existing as well from a reddit thread on the r/buildapc subreddit, but I doubt that it's been dumped anywhere.

Moving on to the original point of this writeup, I got this board because I wanted to build a system that pushed the 32-bit Core Duo T2700 as far as possible, meaning I needed a mobile-on-desktop board. AOpen built a reputation for doing this sorta stuff in the 2000s, so I went ahead and picked one of their boards for use (although I would've much preferred using the top of the line AOpen i975Xa-YDG instead if it were being sold anywhere. That's a VERY tasty looking board with its full size DIMM slots and SLI-compatible dual PCIe x16 slots and ability to crank the FSB all the way to 305MHz).

Slightly surprisingly, the Core Duo T2700 is quite the overclocker! It's able to push from 2.3GHz all the way up to 2.7GHz with some FSB overclocking using the SetFSB tool. It's multiplier-locked to a range from 6.0 to 14.0, so I can only push it through this means.

The board I'm using, the AOpen i945GMm-HL, supports running the FSB up to 195MHz. It's okay-ish in terms of stability, but crashes when running Aida64 benchmarks unless I loosen the memory timings from the 5-5-5-15 settings that it uses at 333MHz to 5-6-6-18, which is just the tiniest bit faster than its stock settings for 400MHz operation by SPD. With these settings, it's much more stable and is able to run the benchmarks, though unless I lower the FSB from 195MHz to 190, it will consistently crash Chrome when trying to play Youtube videos on integrated graphics. I'll likely experiment some to see if adding a card capable of handling the video playback in hardware helps.

For now, this is all for this blog post. I'll follow-up with more details as they come in reblogs. As follows are the specs of the system:

AOpen i945GMm-HL (OC'ed from 166MHz FSB to 195MHz, 190MHz for more stability)

Intel Core Duo T2700 @ 2.7GHz (OC'ed from 2.3GHz)

2x 2GB Crucial DDR2 SO-DIMMs @ 5-6-6-18 timings

Some random 40GB Hitachi hdd lol

Windows XP Pro SP3, fully updated via LegacyUpdate

Supermium Browser (fork of Google Chrome and the reason why I was able to test Youtube playback in the first place)

Coming up: Installing One-Core-API and Java 21 to play Minecraft 1.21 on a 32-bit system out of spite for Microsoft "dropping support" for 32-bit CPUs.

[budget-your-electronics]

Building on a Budget: Unveiling the Top Best Affordable PC Parts for Your Next Build, Coming in under $1200!

Hey Tumblr fam! 💻✨

Are you ready to embark on the journey of building your dream PC without breaking the bank? We've got your back! 🚀 In today's post, we're unveiling the top best affordable PC parts that are turning heads in the tech world on a budget. Whether you're a gaming enthusiast, content creator, or just looking to upgrade your rig, these components offer incredible performance without burning a hole in your pocket. Let's dive in!

Processor (CPU): AMD Ryzen 5 3600

An absolute powerhouse with 6 cores and 12 threads.

Unmatched performance for its price range.

Perfect for gaming and multitasking.

Graphics Card (GPU): ASUS TUF GAMING NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060TI

Budget-friendly with impressive gaming performance.

8GB GDDR6 VRAM for smooth amazing ray tracing graphics.

Ideal for 1440p gaming without compromise.

Motherboard: MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK GAMING

Supports AMD Ryzen processors out of the box.

High-quality components for stability.

Excellent overclocking capabilities.

Memory (RAM): Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200

Fast and reliable DDR4 memory.

Ideal for gaming and multitasking.

Low-profile design for compatibility with most coolers.

Storage: WD_BLACK 1TB SN850X NVME

Blazing-fast read and write speeds.

Compact M.2 form factor for a clean build.

Affordable NVMe option for quick system responsiveness.

Power Supply (PSU): CORSAIR RM850X FULLY MODULAR

Reliable power delivery with 80+ Gold efficiency.

Fully Modular design for clean cable management.

Great value for its wattage.

Case: NZXT H510

Sleek and minimalist design.

Excellent cable management options.

Comes with two Aer F120mm fans for optimal cooling.

Wireless Network Adapter: ASUS PCE-AXE59BT WIFI6 6E AX5400

Dual-band support for faster wireless speeds.

Easy installation with PCIe interface.

Ideal for gaming and streaming without lag.

Ready to take the plunge into the world of affordable PC building? These components have got you covered! Share your thoughts, ask questions, and let us know what other budget-friendly gems you've discovered for your setups. Happy building! 🛠️🎮✨ #PCBuild #BudgetGaming #TechTalks

Full Amazon Parts Links Below:

Graphics: https://amzn.to/46MqOcD

Wi-fi Card: https://amzn.to/41aY0sV

Case: https://amzn.to/41bkJVD

Power Supply: https://amzn.to/3GsMBv9

Hard Drive: https://amzn.to/3t7eqWL

RAM: https://amzn.to/3GtgnzF

Mother Board: https://amzn.to/3sWMYem

Processor w/ Cooler: https://amzn.to/3NcZPzQ

[crowcryptid]

so. I built the guys pc today. I could have never anticipated that it would take like 5 fuckin hours (in reality about 7 but I’m not including breaks)

Basically. It all went wrong because FUCKIN NEWEGG SENT THE WRONG CASE. I was like. Oh you picked the white one? He didn’t. They sent us a case that’s $20 cheaper but still charged him full price. It’s the smaller version of the case we picked. And the wrong color.

I panic. I look up the specs. Oh the radiator and gpu still fit, we’re ok. Right? I ask if he wants to wait to send it back or just stick with it and get his $20 refunded.

He wants to do it today. Ok.

Oh. Oh the top of the case doesn’t have a mounting rack for the radiator.. I mean I guess we don’t need it right. Oh the case is supposed to support a 360 rad but it doesn’t fit this one. Which is one of the most popular 360 rads (the one from Corsair). Very cool.

So I had to front mount it and the tubs are ugly and curled up because the case is small.

Whatever. The rest of the build went smooth until we had to put in the psu. Wtf. The drive bay makes it impossible to put in a regular psu. It completely blocks the cables. Why is it even included?? We had to take it out. Thankfully he didn’t have any hdds

We get into the bios. Oh his 6400 speed ram is stuck at 4800. Oh. I don’t know anything about overclocking as I never needed to do it. I spend about 30 mins trying to figure it out to no avail. I tell him we’re updating the bios. This didn’t fix it. For whatever reason the XMP profile is stuck at 4800 and there was only one profile. I didn’t have the time to try to figure that out.

He says it’s ok. We get windows running fine n whatnot only to notice. Um. The case fans are supposed to be rgb? And the case has a light strip at the bottom? But it’s not working.

Another 30 mins. I fix the light strip (it was unplugged) the fans still do not light up. They spin though. Confused. I try to look it up and every answer is just plug in the sata cable for power. It’s already Plugged in. I think to myself “maybe it’s cause I put all the fans into the control hub for the cpu cooler”

So I unplug the case fans and plug one into the motherboard, daisy chaining the rest as they were when we first opened the case. The fans don’t even spin now. Bro. It’s 9:30! Fuck this. I plug them back into the hub so at least they’re spinning.

We’re both tired af and the pc is working it’s just the 3 case fans aren’t lighting up and the ram is slower than it should be, so we call it a day.

I probably could figure it out but I was so damn tired and I’m still sick and I have work tomorrow

On the plus side I learned how Intel cpus are installed and finally got to try turning on the pc while it’s just a motherboard sitting on a box with a screwdriver :3

I thought it would turn on instantly but there was like a 2 second delay that made be feel very stupid. But nope you just touch that thang and it turns on.

Oh and apparently no manufacturer prints their manuals anymore. Every single item had a QR code to read it online. That kind of sucks.

[gamesception]

So here's the new toy that's been distracting me the last couple days. My decade+ old oversized ASUS gaming laptop finally pooped out several months ago, leaving me daily driving my Steam Deck of all things as my main home computer. And don't get me wrong, the Deck has performed remarkably well in that regard, but I've been meaning to get something a bit fancier for a while. Something that could handle 1440p gameplay at a decent framerate while streaming or recording, can manage image and video editing well, and in particular can run some VR games. I've been interested in VR gaming ever since Lobac posted about some of that a while back, especially with the Meta Quest 2 being a solid headset at a really aggressive cost. With the Zuck giving up on the metaverse, the Quest is likely never going to be cheaper than it is now.

I'd waffled for a while about building a PC, but in the end I psyched myself out and decided to go with a pre-built instead. Yes, that means willfully overpaying for the end product by a few hundred bucks to pay someone else to do the assembly and initial set up for me, but in exchange I only had to research one product instead of half a dozen separate components, plus there's a single warranty where if anything doesn't work it's somebody else's problem to fix it, and I'd only have to deal with a delay.

After watching and reading a bunch of reviews, Skytech seemed to be a decent choice for system integrator, with solid to positive reviews for various prebuilt models they offer, including Gamer's Nexus who tend to be pretty harsh on pre-builts. But it was this review from JustIN Tech that sold me on this Azure 2 model. "Performance equivalent to last gens best, but at half the price" is the exact tag line I was looking for, and after a recent price discount it was just within my $2k range.

In retrospect though, I should have done some more research on the specific components. I'm quite happy with the intel 13600 cpu, and while the included cooling setup is overkill for that chip, that just means I've got some free thermal space to overclock or upgrade in the future. Plus, it's pretty, and I'm shallow. On the other hand it turns out the nvidia 4070ti is not well thought of - generally considered badly overpriced, plus has the extra negetive association of being just a rebranding of the failed '4080 12gb' that was so roundly panned that its release had to be canned altogether. And the PNY model that came bundled in my unit isn't even as nice as the Gigabyte one in the JustIN Tech review. One of the reasons why Gamer's Nexus is the better channel for these sorts of reviews is that they do secret shopper and get the same stuff regular folks get, where as brands know what they're sending to channels like JustIN Tech and can take pains to make the best possible impression by including better components and taking extra care in assembly and packaging.

So what should I have purchased instead? I don't know. Maybe the 'blue' model of the same Azure 2 line, which is three hundred dollars cheaper to swap out the 4070ti for an intel Arc a770, which would probably have been more than enough for my intended use cases. Heck, with 4 extra gb of vram it might have even been better than the 4070ti for me in the long term, and if not then I could use the money saved towards swapping out to a better AMD card next gen. But the blue model comes in a blue version of the case, which wouldn't have made the swirly rainbow rbgs pop as much.

Anyway, while I might have made a different choice if I had done more research, that doesn't mean I'm at all unhappy with what I got! The Azure 2 arrived promptly. The build quality of the system is very nice. No damage, no loose or cross-threaded screws. Everything worked right out of the box when plugged in - including all the various external ports. Skytech certainly did a good job putting it all together. While the 4070ti might not be the most reasonably priced card for its performance level, now that it's here and paid for regardless, it seems like it should be able to do everything I want it to, at least for now. And if I end up replacing the gpu sooner then I would have liked, eh, we live and learn.

And while it doesn't matter at all compared to cost and performance, the swirly rainbow rgb lighting makes me feel like a Real Gamer (tm).

Desk is getting a bit cluttered tho.

As for performance, It's quiet and runs cool while playing my current games at top settings - though my particular game selection (mostly just Elden Ring on max settings with Ray Tracing), and my 1080p, 75hz monitor aren't exactly putting it through its paces yet. A new monitor is one of several upgrades & accessories I plan to get to go with this thing in coming months. New monitor, VR headset, an extra ssd on which to install linux - I figure I'll keep the windows install on the side, on the off chance there are games or utilities I can't get running in Linux down the line.

But anyway yeah, that's what I've been so busy with lately, delaying liveblog posts.

[mjm5655]

💯 — share three random facts about yourself that your mutuals may not know about you.

munday asks // accepting ! // @auburniivenus

i'm tech savvy af. i enjoy building pc, & even helping friends put pc together that give me a budget they have in mind, & working out what would be best for their value, along with cpu/gpu preferences. also do a bit of overclocking. my current build, if it had not been for sales i took advantage of may have costed me like $3000ish to build, but it was a good bit cheaper since i'm a bitch for sales.

i actually really like old wrestling ... like when it was back in attitude era, that was the good shit, & yea, i'm a bit like majima, i see big bara men & be heart eyes. don't ask me what goes on now though, it kind of got disinteresting, all i know is kenny omega has a sephiroth entrance, & i think that's cool af.

i collect pokemon cards, started back when it was black & white sets, did take a break somewhere ? now i'm back into it, i don't go anywhere crazy like buying multiple booster boxes etc, i tend to just get one, & maybe the etb. i actually have a zipped binder half full of full arts, i intend to fill it someday. just, i want them to make a full art of haxorus, haxorus gets no fucking love, & he's my favourite. ;-; the only thing redeeming about this is that i did manage to land myself an axew shiny during the poke go fest last year on that app.

[obiternihili]

the other day i found out about framework laptops and found myself really, really wanting one. like next laptop i get, easily. it got me on a kick wanting new tech shit though. so i've also been watching pc building things and various ""tech fails"" and watching for a ps5 because i haven't done that for a while. all that reminded me a) i haven't cleaned my pc in years b) i haven't really finagled my gpu since i haven't run into a wall. somehow i forgot evga has software in addition to nvidia and now the color of my graphics card's leds correspond to temp. and i'm capable of overclocking both my cpu and gpu if i ever feel like i need it. updating the software fucked with my color balance though so i had to redo that, and in the process i decided to change system themes and raised my monitors up six inches to keep my posture better. But this is making me ~aware of the space between the monitor stands in a way that makes me want to get a 2k or 4k monitor to sit between them and turn them 90°

why is it so much easier to redecorate virtual space like retheming and whatever than cleaning/redecorating physical spaces like rooms

[farmelearn]

The Crucial Role of Computer Hardware: Spotlight on Motherboards and Processors

In today's digital-driven world, computers have become indispensable tools for personal, professional, and industrial applications. While software often takes center stage in discussions about innovation, it's the computer hardware that lays the foundation for everything else. Among the critical components, the motherboard and processor are often referred to as the heart and brain of a computer, respectively. Let’s explore their importance and why understanding these components is essential for selecting the right hardware.

The Motherboard: The Backbone of a Computer System

The motherboard is a printed circuit board (PCB) that connects all the essential components of a computer, enabling them to communicate with each other. It acts as the central hub that ensures the seamless integration of hardware such as the processor, memory (RAM), storage drives, and peripheral devices.

Key Features of a Motherboard

Compatibility: The motherboard determines the types of processors and memory modules your system can support. For instance, different generations of Intel or AMD processors require compatible sockets and chipsets.

Expandability: It offers slots for additional hardware, such as graphic cards, sound cards, and networking adapters, providing flexibility for future upgrades.

Performance Optimization: High-quality motherboards often feature advanced cooling systems, faster data transfer rates, and overclocking support, ensuring stable and efficient performance.

Without a motherboard, a computer's hardware components would function in isolation, making it impossible to build a cohesive system.

The Processor: The Brain of the Machine

If the motherboard is the backbone, the processor (CPU) is undoubtedly the brain of the computer. The CPU performs the calculations and instructions required for applications to run, making it a critical component for overall performance.

Key Considerations for a Processor

Processing Power: A processor’s speed, measured in gigahertz (GHz), and its core count determine how many tasks it can handle simultaneously. Multi-core processors like Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9 are designed for demanding tasks like gaming, video editing, and 3D rendering.

Efficiency: Modern processors are designed to be energy-efficient, balancing performance with reduced power consumption to optimize battery life in laptops and lower electricity costs for desktops.

Future-Proofing: Investing in a processor with advanced features, such as integrated AI capabilities or higher cache sizes, ensures your system remains capable of handling future software updates and performance requirements.

The right combination of a powerful processor and a compatible motherboard can significantly enhance a computer's speed, reliability, and functionality.

Why These Components Matter

Understanding the roles of the motherboard and processor is vital whether you're building a custom PC, upgrading an existing system, or buying a new computer. These components directly impact:

System Performance: A robust motherboard and processor can handle resource-intensive tasks, reduce lag, and ensure smooth multitasking.

Longevity: Quality hardware ensures that your system remains functional and relevant for years.

Cost-Efficiency: Choosing the right components helps you avoid unnecessary upgrades and ensures you get the best value for your investment.

Conclusion

Computer hardware, particularly the motherboard and processor, forms the foundation of a reliable and efficient system. As technology continues to evolve, the importance of selecting high-quality components has never been greater. By understanding how these key parts work together, you can make informed decisions that meet your computing needs, whether for work, gaming, or creative pursuits.

Investing in the right motherboard and processor is not just about building a computer; it’s about creating a system that supports your goals and enhances productivity. So, next time you shop for hardware, remember: the heart and brain of your computer deserve the utmost attention.

[forgedrigs]

G.SKILL 16 GB DDR4-3200 CL16 G.Skill RipJaws V Noir Series Memory Kit

Where computer enthusiasts, gamers, and power users call out for more from their systems, the decision on memory kit selection becomes quite critical in building or upgrading a PC. With the advancements in DDR4 technology, options in high-performance memory kits have now expanded dramatically. Among the most prominent brands of memory modules, G.SKILL has managed to establish itself in the market through high-quality, performance-oriented products, which cater to everyone: from general consumers to extreme overclockers. One example among their range is the G.SKILL 16 GB DDR4-3200 CL16 RipJaws V Noir Series Memory Kit, which seems to be a good all-around offering where performance, aesthetics, and cost balance.

[computer8920]

A Step-by-Step Guide to Pairing AMD CPUs with the Right Components

Building a PC with an AMD CPU offers power and flexibility, but selecting the right components ensures optimal performance and stability. Here’s a summary of essential considerations:

AMD CPU Sockets: The most common sockets are AM4 (for Ryzen CPUs), sTRX4 (for high-end Threadripper CPUs), and SP3 (for EPYC processors in servers). For most consumer builds, AM4 is the go-to socket.

Chipset Selection: Chipsets like A320 (entry-level), B450/B550 (mid-range), and X470/X570 (high-end) offer varying features like overclocking and PCIe 4.0 support. The B450/B550 is good for gaming, while the X570 is suited for high-performance builds.

RAM Compatibility: Ryzen CPUs benefit from faster RAM speeds, with dual-channel setups typically used. Ensure compatibility by selecting RAM from the motherboard’s Qualified Vendor List (QVL). 16GB is adequate for general use, but heavy tasks may require 32GB+.

Power Supply (PSU): Choose a PSU with sufficient wattage (500W–650W for standard builds, 750W+ for high-end) and an 80 PLUS efficiency rating. Modular PSUs help with cable management and airflow.

Storage: For fast boot and load times, use an NVMe SSD, and consider a large HDD for additional storage. SATA SSDs are also a good option for everyday use.

Cooling Solutions: Effective cooling is vital, especially for overclocked CPUs. Air coolers work for most builds, but liquid coolers (AIO) or custom water cooling are better for high-end systems.

GPU Compatibility: Pair your AMD CPU with a suitable GPU for gaming (e.g., AMD RX 6700 XT or NVIDIA RTX 3060) or content creation (e.g., RX 6900 XT, RTX 3080). Ensure the CPU and GPU complement each other to avoid bottlenecks.

BIOS Updates: Check and update the BIOS to ensure compatibility with newer Ryzen models and ensure your motherboard supports your CPU.

Expansion Options: Consider future upgrades by checking the number of PCIe slots, USB ports, and M.2/SATA slots available on the motherboard.

Form Factor: Choose a motherboard size (ATX, Micro-ATX, or Mini-ITX) that fits your case and provides adequate expansion slots and airflow.

In conclusion, understanding the compatibility of each component ensures a smooth build process and a reliable, high-performance AMD-based PC.

Want to Buy Building a PC with an AMD CPU in Bulk from VSTL?

If you're looking to purchase AMD CPU-based PC building components in bulk, VSTL offers a range of high-quality products to meet your needs. Whether you're assembling multiple systems for a business, gaming center, or other projects, they provide reliable AMD CPUs, motherboards, RAM, and other essential parts at competitive prices. With the right components, you can create powerful and efficient PCs tailored to your specific requirements. Reach out to VSTL for bulk purchasing options and expert guidance on choosing the best hardware for your builds.