|OT| The PC Hardware Thread -- Buy/Upgrade/Ask/Answer

MonthOLDpickle

我會打敗你!!
Oct 31, 2018
1,568
1,898
113
Taiwan
I haven't built my PC yet but I am going to the electronic expo up in Taipei this weekend and thinking of looking at a monitor. My future build will have a 4090 and still settling on a CPU (buddy has memory issues with AM5 and intel is EOL)...

If I plan to go 240hz and 2K what should I grab? 2k = 1440p? Should I grab wide?

I currently use 1080@60hz x2 so I am use to two monitors.

If wide, anyway to have it setup as two (or three) monitors - basically no bezel ?
 

Mivey

MetaMember
Sep 20, 2018
3,759
10,743
113
I haven't built my PC yet but I am going to the electronic expo up in Taipei this weekend and thinking of looking at a monitor. My future build will have a 4090 and still settling on a CPU (buddy has memory issues with AM5 and intel is EOL)...

If I plan to go 240hz and 2K what should I grab? 2k = 1440p? Should I grab wide?

I currently use 1080@60hz x2 so I am use to two monitors.

If wide, anyway to have it setup as two (or three) monitors - basically no bezel ?
1440p with a 4090 is a bit overkill, honestly. My current 2080Ti is still doing OK at that res. So maybe look for 4K or no need to go for a 4090.
 

Mivey

MetaMember
Sep 20, 2018
3,759
10,743
113
My last PC lasted me 10+ years.. >.> (Plus I got a deal waiting for the 4090)
If you are planning to have the PC for a while, then I would keep an eye out for 4K monitors. Your GPU should handle it just fine, and stuff like DLSS will make it quite future proof even on future games, baring any crazy path tracing stuff.
 
OP
Durante

Durante

I <3 Pixels
Oct 21, 2018
3,673
17,580
113
What are you using your monitor for primarily? If it's gaming and you have the budget for it, I'd go OLED. It's one of the biggest upgrades to image quality you can get.
 
  • This!
Reactions: Knurek

MonthOLDpickle

我會打敗你!!
Oct 31, 2018
1,568
1,898
113
Taiwan
Mainly gaming. Then video editing, remote play to my cell phone, random streaming and such, I use both my monitors a lot. I am just worried that I won't be able to have separate sections for games and such where I need to multi-task and having everything visible.
 

Joe Spangle

Playing....
Apr 17, 2019
2,395
8,106
113
Hey all,

Does anyone have any experience building their own case? Im thinking of giving it a go due to the current location of my pc being too snug and not enough air getting to it. I cant find a case that will fit in the space i have but i recon if i knock up a skinny box it might work ok.

Just wondered if anyone had done something like this before?
 

didamangi

Who do you think you are? I am!
Nov 16, 2018
1,034
2,982
113
Jakarta, Indonesia
steamcommunity.com
Glad to see gaming mouse starting to go the way of mechanical keyboards and iems. Lots of good cheaper options.

Bought this local brand mouse today for $35. Seems like a rebrand of Attack Shark X3. Can't complain so far. Top of the line sensor, triple connections, with grip tape and extra mouse feet as accessories. Let's see if it can last more than the 1 year warranty.



 

Ibuki

MetaMember
Dec 9, 2018
338
851
93
Colorado, USA
I’m looking into the state of the GPU market since my current one is having a bunch of issues. Has anyone coming from a 3080 upgraded to 40 series or switched to AMD recently? Curious to know your thoughts.
 

C-Dub

Makoto Niijima Fan Club President
Dec 23, 2018
3,698
10,865
113
I’m looking into the state of the GPU market since my current one is having a bunch of issues. Has anyone coming from a 3080 upgraded to 40 series or switched to AMD recently? Curious to know your thoughts.
I upgraded to a 4080 from a 3080.

Frame generation is awesome, if you have games that use it. But for games that don't use it the jump is much smaller.

But is it worth it regardless? No. I'm fortunate enough to have a good job and tons of disposable income so I could afford it quite easily, but I've also been dirt poor in the past and a 40-series card is not worth the money, especially if you've got a 3080, so consider it an indulgence.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ibuki

C-Dub

Makoto Niijima Fan Club President
Dec 23, 2018
3,698
10,865
113
Trying to diagnose a system issue.

Was downloading to my Gen 3 NVMe that's also my Windows install and got a BSOD. Tried rebooting and got stuck in a boot loop.

Looked in BIOS and the NVMe drive was not found (but my other 2 were).

Cracked open my PC, removed the NVMe and put it in a caddy, which I tested on my Mac. All my files are there.

Popped the NVMe back into my PC and the drive now shows in the BIOS. But Windows still won't boot.

Not sure what to do next to try and identify the problem. I don't want to buy another NVMe only for me to have the same issue if it's my motherboard, and I'm not sure I want to go through reinstalling Windows to a busted NVMe only to get the same issue in a few months.

Is there any way for me to test the NVMe or the motherboard without buying new parts?

Or am I just a victim of Windows being trash?
 

C-Dub

Makoto Niijima Fan Club President
Dec 23, 2018
3,698
10,865
113
Yeah, the Mac was able to read the files.

What I’ve wound up doing is wiping my drives (it is literally just games - I don’t need to back anything up from this machine) and reinstalling Windows.

I first tried to install it to a different Gen4 MVMe in a different slot on the motherboard.

The installer crapped its pants and refused to continue.

I then popped a 256gb Gen3 NVMe from my OG Steam Deck into one of those NVMe cards you can install in your full-size PCI-E sockets.

Windows installed fine, and all the connected drives (including the suspected broken NVMe) format and write fine. Got Cyberpunk installing to one of my Gen4 NVMes and I’ll verify the files to see if that’s an issue after it’s done installing.

So I dunno what happened. I wonder if something’s up with my BIOS and the boot order or something?

I’m starting to think it’s my motherboard at any rate. I’m gonna continue to play Cyberpunk and we’ll see if there’s any performance issues or further blue screens. If there is, I’ll try that app you suggested. I also have an alternate Windows desktop in my office I can run tests on.

If not my PC will probably limp on for a while longer. But I think it might be time to start saving for an upgrade in the next six months or so.

I was hoping to avoid having to do it until late 2024/early 2025, but here we are.