Tech Gaming Hardware discussion (& Hardware Sales) thread

[WhiteMousse]

So the MSI Optix 27CQ curved monitor has been giving me trouble with G-Sync. It's not listed under NVidia's recommended monitors for G Sync Ultimate, G Sync or even G Sync compatible.

So it looks like I need a new monitor. If you guys have some recommendations let me know. I don't know how important HDR is but that seems to bump the price up by a very hefty amount. So I'm guessing it's important.

 

[Madmick]

So the MSI Optix 27CQ curved monitor has been giving me trouble with G-Sync. It's not listed under NVidia's recommended monitors for G Sync Ultimate, G Sync or even G Sync compatible.

So it looks like I need a new monitor. If you guys have some recommendations let me know. I don't know how important HDR is but that seems to bump the price up by a very hefty amount. So I'm guessing it's important.

Here's the customized Rtings table I made a long time ago for gaming:
https://www.rtings.com/monitor/tools/table/64234

You can see the various levels of G-Sync for it. It's vague, so I'll elucidate:

• Yes (Native) = Official; you'll find this on the official G-Sync list
• Yes (NVIDIA Certified) = Freesync monitors NVIDIA has officially declared meet all of its unspecified G-Sync standards they assert exceed Freesync compliance
• Compatible (NVIDIA Certified) = This one appears to be a weird category with just one high-end monitor (HP Omen X 25f) that NVIDIA has certified will support Freesync, but using an NVIDIA card. Bizarre. So all of its Freesync specs should accommodate your NVIDIA card
• Compatible (Tested) = Freesync Monitors listed as fully G-Sync compatible that have been confirmed by Rtings themselves with extensive testing; the minimum VRR framerate should always be guaranteed down to 20
• Yes = Freesync monitors that are G-Sync compatible that have not been confirmed by Rtings themselves; so they may exhibit issues like monitors that are only partially compatible or not compatible for some (or all) games
• Partially Compatible and Partial = Freesync monitors that are G-Sync compatible, but with issues; usually this means the minimum supported VRR framerate is only stable if you set it higher (usually in the 40-60 range). I don't know why they have two filters for this, think they just messed up and wrote the same thing differently, because even their "Learn More" page doesn't mention a distinction.
• No = Not G-Sync compatible

I assume you ran into the same issues as this Redditor. I encountered similar issues trying to calibrate an LG 34UC79G for a friend:
My experience with MSI Optix MAG27CQ G-sync compatibility

One more list to aid your shopping:
https://www.displayninja.com/g-sync-monitor-list/

*Edit*
Oh yeah, if you do spend more on an HDR monitor, I suggest making an effort to get HDR600 as a minimum. This still isn't "true HDR", but there is a significant advantage in specifications over HDR400.

 

[WhiteMousse]

Here's the customized Rtings table I made a long time ago for gaming:
https://www.rtings.com/monitor/tools/table/36827

You can see the various levels of G-Sync for it. It's vague, so I'll elucidate:

• Yes (Native) = Official; you'll find this on the official G-Sync list
• Yes (NVIDIA Certified) = Freesync monitors NVIDIA has officially declared meet all of its unspecified G-Sync standards they assert exceed Freesync compliance
• Compatible (NVIDIA Certified) = This one appears to be a weird category that includes one high-end monitor (HP Omen X 25f) that NVIDIA has certified will support Freesync, but using an NVIDIA card. Bizarre. So all of its Freesync specs should accommodate your NVIDIA card
• Compatible (Tested) = Freesync Monitors listed as fully G-Sync compatible that have been confirmed by Rtings themselves with extensive testing; the minimum VRR framerate should always be guaranteed down to 20
• Yes = Freesync monitors that are G-Sync compatible that have not been confirmed by Rtings themselves; so they may exhibit issues like monitors that are only partially compatible or not compatible for some (or all) games
• Partially Compatible and Partial = Freesync monitors that are G-Sync compatible, but with issues; usually this means the minimum supported VRR framerate is only stable if you set it higher (usually in the 40-60 range). I don't know why they have two filters for this, think they just messed up and wrote the same thing differently, because even their "Learn More" page doesn't mention a distinction.
• No = Not G-Sync compatible

I assume you ran into the same issues as this Redditor. I encountered similar issues trying to calibrate an LG 34UC79G for a friend:
My experience with MSI Optix MAG27CQ G-sync compatibility

One more list to aid your shopping:
https://www.displayninja.com/g-sync-monitor-list/

*Edit*
Oh yeah, if you do spend more on an HDR monitor, I suggest making an effort to get HDR600 as a minimum. This still isn't "true HDR", but there is a significant advantage in specifications over HDR400.

Outstanding. Thank you so much!

 

[PEB]

It happened unfortunately no Best Buy in my area got them. It was at a lot of locations. They distributed tickets at 7:30 am. Some areas got 30 or more in total.

 

[PEB]

PC part shortages predicted to be worse then the horrible state it is now. Suppliers are stating recent conditions in Taiwan over supply demands overseas think China demands. They take priority over US. Don't know if it's due to recent military action by China.

 

[Madmick]

Suppliers are stating recent conditions in Taiwan over supply demands overseas think China demands.

 

[rob mafia]

PC part shortages predicted to be worse then the horrible state it is now. Suppliers are stating recent conditions in Taiwan over supply demands overseas think China demands. They take priority over US. Don't know if it's due to recent military action by China.

if it wasn't for his join date/driving sim posts, i'd think he's a wumao with the recent postings.

 

[PEB]

China getting Nvidia GPU's ahead of the US by some number. Already confirmed that Chinese coffee shops of all things were swimming in Nvidia an AMD GPU's. There are videos of stores with stacks of 3080's. China getting stuff before us in many cases.

https://www.xtremegaminerd.com/nvidia-is-ready-to-ship-the-new-rtx-3060-to-the-e-cafes-in-china/

 

[PEB]

Intel produced its first 7nm EUV part. Not a CPU but still a complex part. But they are getting ready for CPU EUV production.


"
Already off to a good start. Intel 4 is also a fully EUV enabled process node, which means it will use the very latest manufacturing machines money can buy in production. EUV, or Extreme Ultraviolet, is a manufacturing technology that has been on the cusp of use for years but is now finally moving from limited use cases to running the shop.

EUV should help reduce complexity for Intel in manufacturing chips, which should even translate to better yields and more consistent clocks. That's all very helpful when it comes to the final product we load into our gaming PCs, and could have a massive impact on performance and pricing."

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pcgamer.com/amp/intels-new-brain-chip-uses-its-first-7nm-silicon/

 

[jefferz]

CaseLabs is back! They have a new owner and they're working on bringing the old cases back. Hopefully they'll still have the old quality and it's not someone just using the name.

 

[PEB]

 

[jefferz]

Microcenter wants $280 for a 1050ti. GTFO.

https://www.microcenter.com/product...cked-dual-fan-4gb-gddr5-pcie-30-graphics-card

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

I feel like I'm priced out of an upgrade right now. I mean, it seems like I'd have to spend $2,000 to get something on par with my six year old system.

Upgrading beyond that just seems like a rip off. I think I'm going to wait for the next series of chips/mobos and DDR5 RAM and down to earth video card prices then gobble it up. Don't care if I have to was 1.5 years. Ideally I'd have upgraded my video card a year ago or so (like go to a 3060 ti) before getting an overhauled system. My i7-6700K is still peppy from my perspective, and i'm surprised that the 32GB of RAM I got years and years ago is still so ample so much later. I seldom get to 16 GB in use, mostly around the 11 to 12 GB RAM in use is where I stay.

 

[Madmick]

I feel like I'm priced out of an upgrade right now. I mean, it seems like I'd have to spend $2,000 to get something on par with my six year old system.

Upgrading beyond that just seems like a rip off. I think I'm going to wait for the next series of chips/mobos and DDR5 RAM and down to earth video card prices then gobble it up. Don't care if I have to was 1.5 years.

It fucking sucks, but this is the silver lining:

We're on the precipice of the best time to upgrade to a new comp in 13 years. The next batch of motherboards:

• First AMD motherboards that will support the upcoming Zen 4 processors (AM5) & first Intel motherboards that will support upcoming Alder Lake processors (LGA 1170).
  So not only will these enable usage of CPUs to which no current motherboard owners can upgrade, but they should also offer the upgrade potential for the greatest number of future generations of processors; meaning you'll be able to gain more from an upgrading down-the-road than with any other motherboard generation
• PCIe 5.0 slot
• DDR5 RAM
• USB 4.0
• Thunderbolt 4: USB-C compatible offering 80 Gb/s bandwidth (that's 59% the bandwidth of DDR4-2133MHz RAM!!)
• 5 Gb/s internet bandwidth support

Additionally, USB 3.2 front port headers and at least 3 x m.2 slots are becoming normalized even on lower-end boards. Recycled traditional 2.5" SATA SSDs are becoming the "slow" secondary storage/media drives.

Ideally I'd have upgraded my video card a year ago or so (like go to a 3060 ti) before getting an overhauled system. My i7-6700K is still peppy from my perspective, and i'm surprised that the 32GB of RAM I got years and years ago is still so ample so much later. I seldom get to 16 GB in use, mostly around the 11 to 12 GB RAM in use is where I stay.

I wouldn't fret an upgrade you didn't take that you likely wouldn't have gotten. None of the RTX 3000 or RX 5000 video cards were obtainable at launch. From the moment they released, it's been the way it is now: everyone has been hustling trying to luck out by winning the race for a random drop, waiting with fingers crossed in overcrowded queues, or paying scalper prices.

Anyone's best bet right now is to try a custom builder like CyberpowerPC by carefully selecting parts, and purchasing when the ideal "Daily Deal" rotates around. They're still running the 3060 Ti Daily Deal, but the "Battlebox 2021" foundation is even cheaper this month. The deal last rotated on 2 days ago, and last month it was on a 7-day cycle, so you should be able to purchase the below Reddit-flagged build at the same price on the 9th. Obviously you'd probably want to change a few things (ex. RAM, Case, CPU Cooler, Motherboard):

Or to go with a prebuilder like Maingear:
https://maingear.com/gaming-desktops/

Both are built on universal standards, so you can upgrade yourself at a later time. You might consider relegating your current comp as a very high-end HTPC and secondary gaming comp for your main living room (assuming you don't already have one, and that this isn't where you gaming comp is already situated). You could swap out any drives to the new comp.

 

[PEB]

Microcenter wants $280 for a 1050ti. GTFO.

https://www.microcenter.com/product...cked-dual-fan-4gb-gddr5-pcie-30-graphics-card

Lol

I paid 130 for mine like 4 years ago.

 

[My Spot]

Saw an Acer Predator at Walmart with a 1660 Super for $900. Not bad in this climate.

 

[PEB]

Tech people have pushed back the GPU price return to sanity back another 3 months to Q1 of 2022 apparently they just cannot produce them or enough of them. Could be the backlog is just huge for so many different parts other then GPU's?

 

[My Spot]

And if you're lucky enough to live near a MC they have a prebuilt from their in-house Powerspec brand with a 1660 Super for $900 as well. $1200 with a 3060.

 

[Madmick]

Have you heard anything about performance. @Madmick how about you?

I'm about to build a new system, wondering if I should hold off for Intel's new CPU gen.

I always go top of the line (pretty much) everythimg outside cards with a new build. I'd replace my 3080 (what I'm getting) in a 5000 series in two years or so. Gives me a good 5 years per system

@GtehMVP
I focus my technically speculative discussion of Intel processors in this thread to avoid the foodfight derails. Here are the only two posts I've made below. From the TDPs and the fabrication process in the schematics leak, I would speculate that we shouldn't expect any significant gains from Intel with the 12th Gen. If they best the Zen 3 processors per core it won't be by much. They're just cranking the power up. Since the 9th gen the most impressive leaps they've made have been with their onboard GPU, and specifically with the laptop processors in the 11th Gen. My prediction is that they will again be only of interest as a prospective value buy: if the price is right.
Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake Schematics Allegedly Leaked
Intel 12th Gen New Stock CPU Coolers (for non-K processors only)

But, whether you go AMD or Intel, definitely hold off until the next gen. Of that you can be sure.

We're on the precipice of the best time to upgrade to a new comp in 13 years. The next batch of motherboards:

• First AMD motherboards that will support the upcoming Zen 4 processors (AM5) & first Intel motherboards that will support upcoming Alder Lake processors (LGA 1170).
  So not only will these enable usage of CPUs to which no current motherboard owners can upgrade, but they should also offer the upgrade potential for the greatest number of future generations of processors; meaning you'll be able to gain more from upgrading down-the-road than with any other motherboard generation in a socket's lifecycle
• PCIe 5.0 slot
• DDR5 RAM
• USB 4.0
• Thunderbolt 4: USB-C compatible offering 80 Gb/s bandwidth (that's 59% the bandwidth of DDR4-2133MHz RAM!!)
• 5 Gb/s internet bandwidth support

Additionally, USB 3.2 front port headers and at least 3 x m.2 slots are becoming normalized even on lower-end boards. Recycled traditional 2.5" SATA SSDs are becoming the "slow" secondary storage/media drives.

 

[Madmick]

@WhiteMousse
I didn't see if you bought a new G-Sync monitor, yet. If you hadn't, here's a solid deal:
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/del...dgf/apd/210-axeh/monitors-monitor-accessories


Here is the Rtings review:
https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/dell/s2721dgf

For your convenience here is that table I made so you can see how it stacks up. At an 8.4 Gaming rating it's just 0.4 points off the #1 scoring 27" 1440p monitor that is G-Sync Native or NVIDIA Certified. It also has a very strong 8.0 Mixed Usage rating:
https://www.rtings.com/monitor/tools/table/64234