Tech Gaming Hardware discussion (& Hardware Sales) thread

[Slobodan]

I aint messing around!

If interested purely on aesthetics. Should consider going small form factor. It'll eliminate the Pc tower completely from the scene. Placing all emphasis on the desk, peripherals and surrounding decor.

No I still value airflow over aesthetics, I won't go SFF any time soon

 

[JaviBrewski]

Finally happy with it. sure the Mobo is going on 8 years old and im rocking a R5 5600 and a RX6600. It's definitely been a budget build over the years and serves me in my needs. hell even the aio cooler, fans, and case are budget. But i'm happy

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

I have an RGB set mostly with Corsair components (fans, cooler, ram, case, k+m). Their iCue software would always drive me nuts -- certain components would stop changing colors, sounds of USB connect/disconnect, software that would fail to update properly. But I must say, after a year of periodic frustration they seem to have ironed the kinks out, tho the software does take up like 1 GB of RAM which seems excessive.

Regardless, I admit I really like RGB. Changing the color schemes just kind of freshens things up.

 

[Slobodan]

Regardless, I admit I really like RGB. Changing the color schemes just kind of freshens things up.

I keep the rainbow puke effect on during the day and change to purple at night, it creates a nice ambiance/mood. I like nice colours.

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

I keep the rainbow puke effect on during the day and change to purple at night, it creates a nice ambiance/mood. I like nice colours.

Not to sound like a super dork, but I don't use the rainbow much.... I will use my sports teams colors (Purple for Ravens) when they are playing, will use some themes when gaming, some more relaxing effects when listening to an audiobook, and others just kind of randomly to feel fresh.

I like a rocket pop theme (Blue, Red, White) like the popiscle, a watermelon (Red and Green), sunny beach (Blue and Yellow combo) on a nice sunny day etc. I do worry however that when a piece of my equipment stops working (like a fan breaks) I'm going to have a bitch of a time trying to replace it with all the wiring and finding the right replacement. So far so good tho.

 

[jefferz]

I have an RGB set mostly with Corsair components (fans, cooler, ram, case, k+m). Their iCue software would always drive me nuts -- certain components would stop changing colors, sounds of USB connect/disconnect, software that would fail to update properly. But I must say, after a year of periodic frustration they seem to have ironed the kinks out, tho the software does take up like 1 GB of RAM which seems excessive.

Regardless, I admit I really like RGB. Changing the color schemes just kind of freshens things up.

If you have a Stream Deck, there's a plugin that allows you to change profiles, turn the rgb on/off, etc.

 

[My Spot]

This would be a LOT cooler if it was all period specific hardware.

 

[jefferz]

This would be a LOT cooler if it was all period specific hardware.

WTF is that? That front panel isn't even close to lining up. That looks like something a 12 year old would do.

They could have 3d printed a front panel that at least fits the case.

 

[HeLLMuTT]

rainbow puke effect... I like nice colours.

 

[Slobodan]

Reminds me of that Mafia comedy movie lol

 

[Brampton_Boy]

Just picked up a Predator Helios Neo 16 (13900HX with RTX 4080). I don't really game all that much, but it was on sale for $1499 CAD and I couldn't pass up on having a 32 thread laptop. I did some quick benches and it is faster than my 5950x desktop CPU. It's wild to see just how fast mobile processors have become.

 

[avenue94]

Just picked up a Predator Helios Neo 16 (13900HX with RTX 4080). I don't really game all that much, but it was on sale for $1499 CAD and I couldn't pass up on having a 32 thread laptop. I did some quick benches and it is faster than my 5950x desktop CPU. It's wild to see just how fast mobile processors have become.

Heck of a deal, where'd you find it?

 

[Brampton_Boy]

Heck of a deal, where'd you find it?

Open Box at Canada Computers. Its MSRP is $2200 - I think I may know why it was an open box return though. The fan spins to 100% in performance mode and sounds like a rocket launcher. Temps also seem very high, but in app/game performance seems fine.

 

[JBSchroeds]

Open Box at Canada Computers. Its MSRP is $2200 - I think I may know why it was an open box return though. The fan spins to 100% in performance mode and sounds like a rocket launcher. Temps also seem very high, but in app/game performance seems fine.

Don't take this as 100%, but I'm fairly sure those 13900 cpus are space heaters, they hit thermal limits and stay there pretty much no matter what cooler you've got on them when you're hitting them with a full-core workload.

 

[Brampton_Boy]

Don't take this as 100%, but I'm fairly sure those 13900 cpus are space heaters, they hit thermal limits and stay there pretty much no matter what cooler you've got on them when you're hitting them with a full-core workload.

Yeah - after doing some reading, it turns out that the 13900HX are just lower binned versions of their desktop counterpoints. It is virtually impossible to keep them within their thermal envelop without maxing out the fans or applying some sort of undervolt (which Acer doesn't allow).

Even with those challenges in mind, I have no complaints. I can't come close to finding anything near this price point.

 

[idrankyourbeer]

Intel Launches Arrow Lake Core Ultra 200S — big gains in productivity and power efficiency, but not in gaming​

Gaming looks to be a letdown.

The major change with these is new RAM even though they're compatible with current RAM. The latter is nice, but it doesn't matter as much as it might because you'll need a new motherboard, anyway, and it might only be useable for this generation. Uggh:

Here's the head-scratching part:

Both the lifting of the review embargo and the launch of the chips for sale is slated for October 24th. That's usually not a good sign when both are on the same day.

Intel had a real opportunity here to seize some momentum in the desktop space when they critically need some wins, but it isn't looking like they will. These reports are understandable from a business point of view because clearly they have been more focused on server, laptop/mobile, and AI markets looking forward which are more significant to their business. But it's still not good news at a time when the company needs good news.

god damn. whats up with their naming scheme?

 

[Madmick]

god damn. whats up with their naming scheme?

It's an unbelievable mess. I think I shared a Tom's Hardware article when it was announced, and he went out of his way to express his frustration at how bad the naming is on Intel's side. It was already bad before, and somehow they made it worse-- even more confusing.

AMD is naming their merch as sensibly as Apple and Playstation: Zen, Zen+, Zen 2, Zen 3, etc. Fucking beautiful. Even when they have glitchy skips in the processor models themselves because of laptop/mobile products (i.e. Ryzen 4xxx and Ryzen 6xxx just got skipped for desktop), we can all refer back to the architecture, and grasp the relative sequencing. Nobody struggles. So easy.

Meanwhile, Intel has embraced the Microsoft Xbox naming strategy. It seems designed to confuse people who are even passionate hobbyists.
"Hey, guys, guess what? We're rebooting naming! We're gonna call it Core Ultra!"
"Oh, okay, so it's going to be the Core Ultra 1st gen?"
"No, we're going to put hundred in the name."
"Oookay. So then the Core Ultra 100? Weird, but sounds great."
"Yeah. But, um, wait, no. Also an S. Yeah, an S sounds good. Put an S in it."
"WTF? Whatever, okay, so the Core Ultra 100s series?"
"Yep."
"Great. Sounds good."
"Just one little thing."
"Please stop."
"It's the 200s series."
"Oh, gotcha. My mistake. I'm embarrassed. I totally missed the 100s line that preceded it."
"Nothing preceded it."

 

[idrankyourbeer]

It's an unbelievable mess. I think I shared a Tom's Hardware article when it was announced, and he went out of his way to express his frustration at how bad the naming is on Intel's side. It was already bad before, and somehow they made it worse-- even more confusing.

AMD is naming their merch as sensibly as Apple and Playstation: Zen, Zen+, Zen 2, Zen 3, etc. Fucking beautiful. Even when they have glitchy skips in the processor models themselves because of laptop/mobile products (i.e. Ryzen 4xxx and Ryzen 6xxx just got skipped for desktop), we can all refer back to the architecture, and grasp the relative sequencing. Nobody struggles. So easy.

Meanwhile, Intel has embraced the Microsoft Xbox naming strategy. It seems designed to confuse people who are even passionate hobbyists.
"Hey, guys, guess what? We're rebooting naming! We're gonna call it Core Ultra!"
"Oh, okay, so it's going to be the Core Ultra 1st gen?"
"No, we're going to put hundred in the name."
"Oookay. So then the Core Ultra 100? Weird, but sounds great."
"Yeah. But, um, wait, no. Also an S. Yeah, an S sounds good. Put an S in it."
"WTF? Whatever, okay, so the Core Ultra 100s series?"
"Yep."
"Great. Sounds good."
"Just one little thing."
"Please stop."
"It's the 200s series."
"Oh, gotcha. My mistake. I'm embarrassed. I totally missed the 100s line that preceded it."
"Nothing preceded it."

hell at this point the i9, i7, and i5 is redundant as everybody knows what tier list it is based on the model number. instead of core 5, core 7 and core 9 just get rid of that. because "my core 9 has 24 cores" is completely dumb.

why not just have it intel ultra series 1 and then have 900, a 700, a 500, and a 400 model, and then have the K and/or F beside the unlocked ones and the ones with no integrated gpu? i mean at least that would keep things true to their original naming scheme.

like wouldn't that be a whole lot easier to figure out? like a ultra series 1 900K or a ultra series 1 700KF and a ultra series 2 900K and a ultra series 2 700KF, etc... i mean i guess now we're going x85 and x65 and x45 for some reason which makes absolutely no sense to me. i mean even in 12 years from now they could be on the intel ultra series 13 700K and i would still know what is what. all these new numbers and words though is just muddling it all up.

 

[avenue94]

god damn. whats up with their naming scheme?

I personally think Intel's change is an improvement. Letter is architecture, Ultra is better than core, bigger number is better if letters are equal. Plus for Lunar Lake, the last digit indicates 16 or 32GB for RAM since it's on-package.

That isn't to say it was a needed overhaul, but it's done at this point.

hell at this point the i9, i7, and i5 is redundant as everybody knows what tier list it is based on the model number. instead of core 5, core 7 and core 9 just get rid of that. because "my core 9 has 24 cores" is completely dumb.

Average shopper has no concept of heterogenous core design, that's who the Core 3/5/7 labels are for. That's most of the market. Rule of thumb I always have to remind OEMs: if the specification isn't on the physical tag, it doesn't exist to 80 percent of shoppers.

i mean i guess now we're going x85 and x65 and x45 for some reason which makes absolutely no sense to me.

This part is confusing, I can only assume Intel is leaving x90s, x70s, etc. for a potential refresh or KS equivalents.

AMD is naming their merch as sensibly as Apple and Playstation: Zen, Zen+, Zen 2, Zen 3, etc. Fucking beautiful. Even when they have glitchy skips in the processor models themselves because of laptop/mobile products (i.e. Ryzen 4xxx and Ryzen 6xxx just got skipped for desktop), we can all refer back to the architecture, and grasp the relative sequencing. Nobody struggles. So easy.

Customers consistently struggle with AMD when the PC OEMs do market testing on names. Mostly due to the mixing of model year and architecture (first and third digits), you end up with chips that sound better actually being worse because the did a SKU with an older architecture. Plus AMD started at Ryzen AI 300 for the stupidest reason.

"Oh, okay, so it's going to be the Core Ultra 1st gen?"

They did do that, the name is Core Ultra Series 1. Most product URLs include this.

"Yeah. But, um, wait, no. Also an S. Yeah, an S sounds good. Put an S in it."
"WTF? Whatever, okay, so the Core Ultra 100s series?"

You find indicating architecture with a letter more confusing than AMD using the third digit for the same thing?

"Please stop."
"It's the 200s series."
"Oh, gotcha. My mistake. I'm embarrassed. I totally missed the 100s line that preceded it."
"Nothing preceded it."

How is this different from the old naming scheme? New architecture or yearly release has always meant a bigger number for Intel. Core Ultra Series 1 to Series 2 is clearer than going from 12th to 13th Gen Core (at least for now).


PS if you guys find Intel's naming scheme bad, just wait until you see Qualcomm's lol.

 

[avenue94]

god damn. whats up with their naming scheme?

I personally think Intels change is an improvement. Letter is architecture, Ultra is better than core, bigger number is better if letters are equal. Plus Lunar Lake numbers within the same 10 (40s, etc)) denote ram configuration. I do agree though that the

Open Box at Canada Computers. Its MSRP is $2200 - I think I may know why it was an open box return though. The fan spins to 100% in performance mode and sounds like a rocket launcher. Temps also seem very high, but in app/game performance seems fine.

Awesome buy. That original MSRP is inflated, but you got a deal either way. Especially since Canada Computers have been closing.