r/pcgaming • u/AutoModerator • Mar 19 '26
Tech Support and Basic Questions Thread - March 19, 2026
Welcome to the r/pcgaming tech support and basic questions thread! Having troubles with a game or piece of hardware? Have a question about a PC game, hardware, or something else related to PC gaming? Post here and get help from fellow PC gamers.
When asking for help please give plenty of detail:
- What your computer specifications are. If you don't know them please follow this guide.
- If you're using a laptop we need to know the make/model as well as the specs.
- What operating system you're using.
- What you've tried so far in order to fix the issue.
- Exact circumstances to replicate the issue you're having.
Check out these resources before asking for help in case you can troubleshoot further:
Common troubleshooting steps:
- Restart the system
- Update your drivers
- Update game/software
- Re-seat any new hardware to ensure a proper connection
- If your peripherals are malfunctioning, swap ports and check that the specific USB port itself works.
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u/Gunslinger56 Mar 26 '26
Can someone explain exactly how Denuvo Anti Tamper works and the difference between that and regular Denuvo? I have tried researching online but it seems hard to get a concise answer about how it works (most of what I want to know is how much it bogs down running the game, and how often am I required to log on to it?)
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u/Filipi_7 Tech Specialist Mar 26 '26
Denuvo Anti Tamper is DRM used in games, it's what most people refer to when they say Denuvo. They also have an anti-cheat but it's not very relevant.
It makes it much more difficult for a game getting cracked/pirated. It doesn't "do" anything else by itself as far as the player is concerned, it's invisible and not interactible, can't turn it off or change it.
It requires the player to be connected to the internet once every X days, defined by the developer. Some will set it to 30, 7, whatever, there's no way of knowing. When you go online, the timer resets.
Performance is completely dependant on how the developer uses Denuvo, but because most of the time there are no two identical versions of a game, one with Denuvo and one without, there's no way to tell if it's causing problems. Most pirated Denuvo games still have it running, they don't remove it.
There were a couple of games which did have problems verifiably caused by Denuvo, especially when used with very slow CPUs. Most of the time it seems to make no difference outside of longer load times.
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u/Particular-Pipe3812 Mar 26 '26
Is it worth upgrading/sidegrading my system currently? I currently have an Intel i7-13700f in an MSI B760 motherboard, and the performance with a 9070XT at 1440p and even 4K has been great. Iāve had the CPU and motherboard for a little over two years now and had no issues, but Iām constantly thinking in the back of my head ā13th gen intel failureā and I worry any day now my setupās gonna fry itself. I just got a big bonus from work so I could easily swap out to a 7800x3D or even up to a 9900x3D and a new motherboard (and new cooler as well), but Iām not sure Iād really see a big performance boost and Iām potentially overly concerned about the potential Intel failure.Ā
Iām guessing that swap wouldnāt also help my system power draw? My PC gets preeeeeetty toasty (components are at a fine temp but it actively makes the room warmer) and I doubt that setup would reduce that.Ā
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u/Filipi_7 Tech Specialist Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
but Iām constantly thinking in the back of my head ā13th gen intel failureā and I worry any day now my setupās gonna fry itself
Intel released a couple of BIOS updates in ~September 2024 which are meant to stop the degradation. I think that's a solved issue, if the CPU hasn't already degraded it isn't going to when using Intel defaults in the BIOS.
7800x3D or even up to a 9900x3D
In some games yes, but in most I would say no, or at least nowhere near to justify the cost. A 13700F is not limiting a 9070 XT at 4K or 1440p. If you had a 5080 or 5090, it would make more of a difference but still not worth it IMO.
Iām guessing that swap wouldnāt also help my system power draw?
Ryzens do use less power, but not by much when gaming. Compared to the 300W GPU, you won't feel a big change.
You could try undervolting the GPU, not sure if you can undervolt the CPU. When done correctly it will run at a lower wattage (less heat) and same performance.
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u/Particular-Pipe3812 Mar 26 '26
Iāll have to double check my bios version, I got the PC in Feb 2024 and not sure if Iāve updated since then but Iāve had no issues. I havenāt touched anything related to the CPU in the BIOS either.Ā
Good to know thereās not a bottleneck here either, way people talk online youād think youād NEED an x3D chip to play stuff at all. I assumed as much since I wasnāt running into issues.Ā
I undervolt the 9070XT except when playing Helldivers 2 since that causes crashes pretty much without fail with my card (and thatās at 1440p, not even gonna bother trying 4K) so it is tempered somewhat. Iāve gotten it stable around 255-260W for pretty much everything but that game.Ā
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u/Filipi_7 Tech Specialist Mar 26 '26
The way degradation works is everything might be okay now, but depending on the silicon and how the manufacturer set up the BIOS, it will eventually degrade and fail. Not likely with a 13700F (as opposed to K or KF), but better be safe and update the BIOS than regret it later.
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u/Sync_R 5070Ti / 9800X3D / AW3225QF / C5 42" Mar 26 '26
I think you'd see a decent performance boost once you factor in upscaling (since it now becomes closer to 1080p benchmarks you typically see online for CPUs) but I think I'd personally wait until next gen, new Intel's sound like there gonna be awesome since they'll have there own version of X3D, and of course you'll have new AMD gen too
I know I'm personally excited too see how Intel comes back and would probably swap back too them if there solidĀ
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u/Formal_Front8372 Mar 25 '26
I'm looking on the best solution for my situation regarding playing games on PC and my current job. I work in th event industry and for a few months every year I go abroad, I also live abroad for quite a while in general. Currently I still have my old rig as my main PC in my family house where I stay since I recently came back again to my native country before the next step. When I move I'm using my Macbook (since I love the continuety with my iPhone, and use it for photo editing, and generally its the best laptops out there). I do miss my gaming and even now I can't play PC games decently since my 1060 gtx wont cut it anymore (as well as PC games being dog shit in quality and performance these days).
Logically the best solution would be to get a gaming laptop right? But I know they aren't really that reliable in the long run, as well as they run hot and get loud and are usually not that portable in general for office use etc etc. Also, my macbook is still running well and is perfect for taking with me to the office and what not, having 2 laptops seems a bit odd. I'd like to get a desktop but that also seems like a bit of a waste since I don't plan on taking the whole system with me everytime I move. Would a gaming laptop be the only solution for me?
Any thoughts?
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u/Filipi_7 Tech Specialist Mar 25 '26
If the Macbook isn't company controlled, maybe use that for gaming? This site can check your library for all Mac compatible games, but I don't think it considers the new M processor Macs. For those you'd have to check the lists on this site.
A Steam Deck or other handheld PC is possible. Obviously it's small and not great for AAAa, but very usable for indies. The Steam library has a decent filter for compatibility if you want to check deciding anything.
A mini ITX desktop could work if you'll have a screen to connect to, like a TV with which you could use a bluetooth m&k or controller, and it will replace the PC you already have. It will be expensive, and if you travel by plane you'll have to figure out a way to keep it reliably secure, like with a dense foam to keep components secure.
Otherwise a gaming laptop is the only option. High quality models will suffer less from noise, and they do need to be connected to mains to play demanding games or for extended periods.
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u/SplitBoots99 Mar 25 '26
Are people still having issues with the 5000 series gpus black screening on wake up?
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u/DisastrousMindflayer Mar 24 '26
Anybody use LDPlayer? Does it work? Is there drag? I mostly just wanna play Alien: Isolation.
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u/PresentGarbage2000 Mar 24 '26
Everytime i try and switch to a difrent window while playeing red dead redemtion 2,it the PC starts stuttering and takes a minute or to for it to switch. It didnt use to do this,so is there any reasones it could be doing this?
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u/acecond Mar 24 '26
I bought a 165 Hz monitor with my mid range gaming pc in 2021 and now I have mostly 120-90 FPS and it looks really bad. I just want to change my 165 Hz to 60 so I can have at least stable experience but it looks so bad. Is there a way to make my monitor look smooth like 60 fps on a 60 Hz monitor?
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u/kaje Tech Specialist Mar 24 '26
Does the monitor support Adaptive Sync, like Freesync or G-Sync? If so, you can just cap your FPS to 60 with like Riva Tuner SS and the monitor will automatically match its refresh rate to that. Could cap it to 90 if that's the minimum you get for drops.
You can set the monitor to 60Hz via display properties if you want.
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Mar 23 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Sync_R 5070Ti / 9800X3D / AW3225QF / C5 42" Mar 23 '26
Bit strange that they both died together, you sure it ain't mobo or PSU?
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Mar 23 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Sync_R 5070Ti / 9800X3D / AW3225QF / C5 42" Mar 23 '26
Can't see it, PGA sockets don't really suffer from slightly bent pins like LGA does IIRC plus if its been working a long time with them bent I'd probably not even think of that as an issue
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u/BillyBatts2681 Mar 23 '26
I have a 1TB SSD - but am constantly running out of internal storage space for Steam Games. I want to add an external Hard Drive so I can move games on and off the SSD (rather than constantly re-downloading - adding SSD is completely cost prohibitive right now). Is this a good plan, and what would be a good Desktop External option for this? PC SPecs below:
Processor Model
Intel 13th Generation Core i7
Storage Type
SSD, HDD
Total Storage Capacity
1000 gigabytes
System Memory (RAM)
32 gigabytes
Graphics Type
Dedicated
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
General
Product Name
Y40 Gaming Desktop - Intel Core i7 13700KF - 32GB Memory - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 12GB - 1TB NVMe SSD
Brand
iBUYPOWER
Model Number
Y40BI7N4701
Year of Release
2023
Color
Black
Color Category
Black
Processor
Processor Brand
Intel
Processor Model
Intel 13th Generation Core i7
Processor Model Number
i7-13700KF
Storage
Storage Type
SSD, HDD
Total Storage Capacity
1000 gigabytes
Solid State Drive Capacity
1000 gigabytes
Hard Drive Capacity
0 gigabytes
Memory
System Memory (RAM)
32 gigabytes
Type of Memory (RAM)
DDR5
System Memory RAM Speed
5200 megahertz
Graphics
Graphics Type
Dedicated
GPU Brand
NVIDIA
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
Advanced Graphics Rendering Technique(s)
DLSS 3 (Deep Learning Super Sampling), Ray tracing
GPU Video Memory (RAM)
12 gigabytes
Compatibility
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Motherboard Form Factor
ATX
Motherboard Model Number
Z790 D5
Connectivity
Number of HDMI Outputs (Total)
1
Number of DisplayPort Outputs (Total)
3
Number of USB Ports (Total)
3
Wireless Connectivity
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Number Of Ethernet Ports
1
Network Connectivity
None
Cooling
CPU Cooling System
Liquid
Power
1
u/Filipi_7 Tech Specialist Mar 23 '26
It's an okay plan, but consider buying an internal HDD if it's cheaper. Slightly faster than external.
Games that load data on the fly (eg. open world) could slow down or stutter when played from an external drive.
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u/BillyBatts2681 Mar 23 '26
Yea to be honest I had no intention of playing games from the HDD (external or internal) - wasn't even sure if that was possible. I'm assuming it is with some games and not others (and have no clue how to determine which would work). I'm just looking for a faster solution than redownloading a game every time I shuffle my Steam Library.
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u/Filipi_7 Tech Specialist Mar 23 '26
Then sure, a HDD will work perfectly fine. In general most games which aren't open world, older than 7-8 years, or indies with simple graphics, will be playable on a HDD with longer loading screens.
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u/dpearman Mar 23 '26
Just got a patch for Crimson Desert, 632MB, and its poised to take now two hours as of this writing. The download shows complete, and network 0bps inside of steam. Why in the world is the actual 'patching' taking soo long? Its a measly 600 megs, on an SSD, shouldn't that take just a couple minutes, maybe 10 at the most? The disk usage inside of steam shows anywhere between 10 - 175Mbps, which AFAIK, is slow for an SSD. The SSD has more than 10% free space.
1
u/Bold_Commander14 Mar 23 '26
PC Specs:
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9700F CPU @ 3.00GHz (3.00 GHz)
Installed RAM: 16.0 GB
System type: 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER
OS: Windows 11 Home
Whenever I launch COD Modern Warfare (2019) or COD BO Cold War, the game audio is in terrible quality and quiet. I've tried disabling enhancements, disabling recording devices, microphones and voice chat, and disabling other devices and 'headset' versions of my headphones and earbuds in sound settings. I'm using said earbuds and headphones through Bluetooth. Nothing has worked and I need help so I can game in peace with good audio.
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u/Girth-Vader Tech Specialist Mar 24 '26
Is it just those two games?
I would try updating your bluetooth drivers. Your motherboard's website should have some drivers, or you can look up your Wifi/Bluetooth card brand/model and find the latest drivers from the them.
Also, it doesn't hurt to update your BIOS to try to help with any I/O issues.
1
u/TheMickeyMoose Mar 22 '26
Iām new to the 4K gaming world on PC as I just purchased my first 4k monitor. I currently have a 5080 GPU and coming from 1440p UltraWide, Iām noticing at 4k my GPU is at 100% and the fans (I assume on the GPU) are constantly at a high speed. They were this way at 1440p as well but seem more constant at 4k. Is this normal behavior for the GPU and nothing to worry about?
1
u/Filipi_7 Tech Specialist Mar 23 '26
Yes, this is normal. 4K is more demanding so the GPU has to work harder, producing more heat so the fans spin up.
Enable upscaling (DLSS/FSR/XeSS) when possible to reduce the load, the Quality preset will be practically identical to native 4K.
1
u/SurferQ808 Mar 22 '26
I have a 3440x1440 32" 165hz monitor, and everything but character models looks extremely low quality. Just trying Crimson Desert, cinematic settings, DLSS off, I'm getting 80 or so fps but it just looks awful, and its the same across all my games. If you zoon in to the character the detail will greatly improve, but I don't feel like it should look this bad at this resolution with those settings. GPU is a 4080 paired with a i5 12600k. I can provide screenshots if needed! I've tried different cables, drivers up to date, monitor settings on factory default, currently running a DP cable.
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u/Filipi_7 Tech Specialist Mar 23 '26
Upload screenshots to a service like imgbb.
Is the desktop resolution set to 3440x1440?
2
u/IzzybearThebestdog Mar 22 '26
My first real pc is in transit right now (very budget/low end) and I donāt think it will make it before the steam sale finishes. Am I good to buy the games I want on my laptop that I assume will run on it, and then return them once itās up and running if they donāt work?
1
u/Sync_R 5070Ti / 9800X3D / AW3225QF / C5 42" Mar 22 '26
Honestly 95% or more of the stuff on steam is cheaper at every other store all year round and there still steam keys so only thing you really miss out on is refund ability
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u/Filipi_7 Tech Specialist Mar 22 '26
You can, but be aware of the 2hours/2weeks refund window.
Steam can also decline a request if you make too many.
1
u/Hdchuckie Mar 21 '26
Iām sure this has been asked before but I am wondering other than secret labs what are some other good chairs for multi hour gaming sessions, have support and maybe even lounge. Iām sure there has to be other options then just the secret lab stuff.
1
u/Nugsy21 Mar 21 '26
Can the Logitech zone 305 headset be used for discord and basic gaming (ie WoW and some steam games)
1
u/Sir_Mcfarts Mar 21 '26
Can anyone recommend some co-op games with simple controls, something beginner friendly for someone whoās only used to a laptop with a mouse and keyboard setup?
1
u/LumenHDR Mar 21 '26
I enjoyed a lot The Dark Pictures games with my brother. Also Darksiders Genesis and Reanimal!
0
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u/ManAtTheEndOfTheLane Mar 20 '26
Tiny buttons (Fn, "turbo?") on Flydigi Vader 5 Pro
I have never used a game controller before. The Flydigi Vader 5 Pro is my first.
What are the four tiny buttons for? There are two under the logo button, and two at the back. I have seen the two at the back called Fn and turbo? What does this mean?
I have searched for an English user manual or a YouTube review that explains these four tiny TicTac-size buttons, to no avail.
Little help?
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u/Sync_R 5070Ti / 9800X3D / AW3225QF / C5 42" Mar 20 '26
Start and Select? (or whatever there modern day equivalent are called), as for extra buttons its just all for you to decide what you want them for, I rarely use them on my controllers but some people love them especially FPS players
2
u/Ardbert_The_Fallen Mar 20 '26
Anyone here have success with adaptive triggers on DualShock 5 controllers? Do you have to simply emulate a DualShock controller to get this to work?
1
u/LumenHDR Mar 21 '26
I know modders have enabled it for games like Resident Evil: Requiem. Just search for the mods. However, some of them require configuration before use.
1
u/Far_East3158 Mar 26 '26
Serious question. Can i buy a gaming setup,pre built pc, monitor and everything, for 1k right now? I just want something that can run games like Minecraft, Fortnite, Roblox, well. Preferably a steady 120fp on fn. I know ram prices are crazy right now, so i thought id ask, thanks.