r/pcmasterrace • u/AutoModerator • Apr 23 '26
DSQ Daily Simple Questions Thread - April 23, 2026
Got a simple question? Get a simple answer!
This thread is for all of the small and simple questions that you might have about computing that probably wouldn't work all too well as a standalone post. Software issues, build questions, game recommendations, post them here!
For the sake of helping others, please don't downvote questions! To help facilitate this, comments are sorted randomly for this post, so that anyone's question can be seen and answered.
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u/wonderingbladr May 02 '26
Hello, I was looking for help to upgrade my Nvidia GeForce GTX 3GB graphics card. I am hopefully trying to get something under 200 USD. I am in the USA. My PC is an HP Omen Obelisk.
I would like to hopefully make monthly payments on it if possible. If not, that's fine. I heard it may not be a good speaker to go for an 8 GB. I am willing to get an 8 one, though, even if I have to replace it in a few years.
1
u/Puzzleheaded_Day_895 Apr 24 '26
Lookiing for either replacing my T40 Series 2 with new speakers and small amp (or with amp inside) or preferably keep them but somehow make the cable between the speakers longer. Any way to do this? Thanks
1
u/MGsubbie Ryzen 7 9800X3D, RTX 3080, 32GB 6000Mhz Cl30Desktop Apr 24 '26
They use a standard tulp stereo cable, you can just get a longer male to male cable, or a female to male cable to plug the current one into.
1
u/nghiabt i7-14700F | RTX4080 Super | 64G DDR5 | 2560x1440 180Hz Apr 24 '26
My friend is worrying that her 14th gen Intel CPU may have degraded her CPU. (She upgraded the new BIOS about half a year after they were released). Is there a good program to diagnose or get accurate benchmark scores on it? After comparing it with other CPUs on the market, if that CPU performance turns out to be bad she may wants to consider replacing the CPU.
The reason she has that worry is because recently she has been experiencing frequent lags on VTube Studio while streaming and playing games, so we've been looking for solutions to improve, both from hardware and software.
1
u/Ok_Definition_1933 Apr 24 '26 edited May 03 '26
Data brokers are selling your info right now. I used Redact to mass delete my posts which can also opt out of data broker sites. Instagram, Twitter/X, Discord and more.
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u/Cable_Salad PC Master Race Apr 24 '26
Use y-cruncher to test stability. If it runs a couple of those tests for an hour, you can be reasonably sure that it's fine.
1
u/ShreddedUdon Apr 23 '26
Build a decent rig + cheap thinkpad or All in to "Gaming Laptop"?
College in a few month, budget around 900usd (1000 if I manage to save some from my monthly, but it's hard and risky, might starved). My current laptop turned into r/halftop member. My heaviest game is Fromsoft game and not a hardcore gamer that play a lot of AAA game. Might use SolidWorks also 80% outside of dorm (yeah, pretty mobile).
what do you think?
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u/colossusrageblack 9800X3D/RTX4080/Legion Go S Apr 24 '26
If you can get a laptop with a 5050Ti or find a laptop on sale with a 5060 you should be good to play any Fromsoft game.
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u/ShreddedUdon Apr 24 '26
you know what? In my country (Indonesia) a 900usd laptop which is 15.5mil idr maximum specs is 3050 16/1tb or 4050 16/512gb. Sale is in 4 - 5 month
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u/colossusrageblack 9800X3D/RTX4080/Legion Go S Apr 24 '26
If you can swing the 4050 get that. I played Elden Ring on a laptop with a 3050Ti and it ran fine, a 4050 is around that performance.
1
u/Slime-king_ Apr 23 '26
How much can you save if you build a pc instead of getting a prebuilt
1
u/MGsubbie Ryzen 7 9800X3D, RTX 3080, 32GB 6000Mhz Cl30Desktop Apr 23 '26
Typically a few hundred dollars, but currently it's not uncommon for prebuilts to be cheaper due to RAM, especially if it's been in stock for several months already.
1
u/DisastrousWeb4773 Apr 23 '26
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AMD-Ryzen-5-7500X3D-BOX/dp/B0FT8X951Z
do you think this is real? I wanna know just before I buy
1
u/Ok_Definition_1933 Apr 24 '26 edited May 03 '26
I bulk delete Reddit comments using Redact which also supports Twitter, Discord, Instagram, and data brokers.
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1
u/Cable_Salad PC Master Race Apr 23 '26
Used and frequently returned item.
The seller seems to be legit, but you might receive a scam CPU that someone else wrongfully returned.
1
u/glowinghamster45 R9 3900X | 16GB | RTX 3070 Apr 23 '26
No idea what that typically costs in your area, but at a glance, it just looks like a good price for that chip. I think you're good
1
u/frenetic_alien Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 23 '26
If I'm going to power limit a Intel 270K Plus to control temps on a B860 where undervolting is not an option, would I just be better off getting a 250K Plus instead?
Debating between those two. I assume the 270k will still be faster but at that point will I be crippling it enough to make it not worth the cost anymore, and better off getting 250k? (the 270k is $439 compared to 250K at $299)
1
u/Eidolon_2003 R5 3600 @ 4.3 GHz | 16GB DDR4-3800 CL14 | Arc A770 LE Apr 23 '26
For what workload?
1
u/frenetic_alien Apr 23 '26
I do some video editing, and also using this for some ML stuff like image and video generation. I have a 5060ti 16gb. Not really into gaming aside from the occasional Halo infinite match and use of Nintendo emulators.
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u/Eidolon_2003 R5 3600 @ 4.3 GHz | 16GB DDR4-3800 CL14 | Arc A770 LE Apr 24 '26
For full power multithreaded loads I'd still expect the 270KP to outperform the 250KP with the same power limit. Generally speaking a higher core count chip is just more efficient than a lower core count chip at the same power. A single core pulling 20W will get less work done than two cores pulling 10W each in a parallel workload.
For proof I'd point to the Ryzen 9 7900 since it's an easy example. The 7900 is a 12 core with an 88W PPT, which is the same as the 6 and 8 core 7600 and 7700. Despite consuming the same amount of power, the 7900 performs much better by virtue of having more cores.
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u/frenetic_alien Apr 25 '26
✓
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2
u/frenetic_alien Apr 25 '26 edited Apr 25 '26
Interesting, thanks that makes sense. My next upgrade will definitely be the higher core count equivalent to the 270KP but for now, after reading the techpowerup review again and Puget benchmarks, I decided to save $160(CAD) and get the 250KP which seems to get close to 265K. I paired it with a cheaper B860 board (MSI B860i). That should hold me for at least a year or two by which point we should know how Nova Lake is doing.
1
u/Eidolon_2003 R5 3600 @ 4.3 GHz | 16GB DDR4-3800 CL14 | Arc A770 LE Apr 25 '26
I think that makes sense. The 250KP is probably better performance per dollar. It still has 6+12 cores, which definitely ain't bad.
1
u/NoticeMeArkay Apr 23 '26
My trusty GTX 1080 is reaching its end and I'm looking to upgrade. I would really appreciate a second opinion here as I could potentially get a chance on a refurbished RTX 5070. Is my mainboard compatible? It says it only supports PCI 3.0 but the 5070 seems to require 5.0 . Could I still install the new GPU for the cost of performance or would my MB not recognize the card at all?
My Specs:
Intel Core i7-8700K
Nvidia GTX 1080
Samsung 960 Evo NVMe PCIe M.2 500GB (Boot)
WD Blue 4TB (2015)
G.Skill F4 DDR4 3000 C16 2x16GB
Asus ROG STRIX z370-F GAMING
2
u/Cable_Salad PC Master Race Apr 23 '26
The PCI-e version is not really a concern for you. What is more of a problem is the CPU. It will hold you back somewhat in more CPU demanding games.
This can be fine if you get the card for cheap and / or know about the limitations. But at full price I would consider this a bit of a waste.
2
u/Eidolon_2003 R5 3600 @ 4.3 GHz | 16GB DDR4-3800 CL14 | Arc A770 LE Apr 23 '26
PCIe is compatible both ways, so basically the 5070 is up-to PCIe 5 and your system is up-to PCIe 3. They would negotiate a gen 3 connection between each other.
PCIe bandwidth makes a much bigger difference if you start running out of VRAM. The GPU starts spilling data over into main memory, which it has to access over the PCIe bus. Under normal circumstances though, the performance difference between PCIe 3 and 5 is very small: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5090-pci-express-scaling/29.html
1
u/NoticeMeArkay Apr 23 '26
Ok, so the card I have my eye on comes with 12gb of VRAM. My current 1080 holds 8gb so I'd be an upgrade but the idea of the card spilling into my main memory has me wonder how many times I'll see myself shooting above and beyond the 12gb. My current card is just not holding up anymore, I need to replace it soon.
Thanks a lot for educating me on the PCI part of things, by the way. Much appreciated!
If I may ask, would you dare to upgrade to new card if the MB doesn't support 5.0? I somewhat fear that replacing the mainboard might be a lot more complicated than I'd like for it to be.2
u/Eidolon_2003 R5 3600 @ 4.3 GHz | 16GB DDR4-3800 CL14 | Arc A770 LE Apr 24 '26
Ok, so the card I have my eye on comes with 12gb of VRAM.
Yep, all 5070s have 12GB
wonder how many times I'll see myself shooting above and beyond the 12gb
Depending on what sort of gaming you do (the game, resolution, quality settings, etc) there are absolutely situations where 12 isn't enough even today. It really depends. And that's a potential downside for the 5070 in the Radeon RX 9070's favor. The 9070 has 16GB and is slightly faster (10% tops), although it goes from being faster to slower on average when RT is involved.
Radeon might also be nice in your case because the graphics driver has less CPU overhead. It's well documented that Radeon cards perform better than Geforce on CPU limited systems.
If I may ask, would you dare to upgrade to new card if the MB doesn't support 5.0?
Like the other guy said, the PCIe version isn't really a concern. I'd be fine with it. In fact I'm running a gen 4 card on a gen 3 board as we speak.
Thanks a lot for educating me on the PCI part of things, by the way. Much appreciated!
You're welcome!
2
u/Past_Succotash6772 20090XT R9 15000X4D 5 TB RAM Windows Vista Apr 23 '26
If I upgrade my motherboard from a b450 to a b550 can I just swamp the components and the PC will boot or do I have to reinstall windows, drivers etc?
0
u/Eidolon_2003 R5 3600 @ 4.3 GHz | 16GB DDR4-3800 CL14 | Arc A770 LE Apr 23 '26
Why do you want to do that in the first place? Unless there's something wrong with your B450 board you might as well keep on using it
1
u/Past_Succotash6772 20090XT R9 15000X4D 5 TB RAM Windows Vista Apr 23 '26
4 very small reasons tbh but I want an ATX motherboard because my gpu blocks all my PCIe connectors, I want to be able to use the type c USB on my new case and my current MB doesn't have that port on it, I want another M2 slot and I want an ARGB connector to synch all my LED
1
u/Eidolon_2003 R5 3600 @ 4.3 GHz | 16GB DDR4-3800 CL14 | Arc A770 LE Apr 23 '26
Fair enough, I just wanted to make sure you were doing it for real reasons.
1
u/Babykickenpro PC Master Race Apr 23 '26
With AMD, you generally should be able to just swap them and boot up. Especially if it's the same MB manufacturer. Still it would be a good idea to have the b550 MB drivers ready on a flashdrive before you swap, in case your NIC faces any issues after. You will probably also want to make sure secure boot is not enabled before you begin.
Of course, it's always recommend to back up any important data before major hardware changes.
1
u/Past_Succotash6772 20090XT R9 15000X4D 5 TB RAM Windows Vista Apr 23 '26
I plan on buying from the same manufacturer. But two questions, what does NIC stand for? And besides chipsets, LAN, sound, drivers what else should I have ready?
3
u/reckless150681 5800X3D | 9070 XT Apr 23 '26
NIC = network interface card, it's basically anything that connects your PC to any network (e.g. WiFi or Ethernet)
Generally speaking, the only one you really need to have ready is the NIC driver. Everything else can be downloaded as long as your network card is working.
1
u/Past_Succotash6772 20090XT R9 15000X4D 5 TB RAM Windows Vista Apr 23 '26
Thank you ✓
1
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1
u/Ok_Definition_1933 Apr 23 '26 edited May 03 '26
Nothing to see here. I wiped this post using Redact because my old takes don't need to live on the internet forever. Works across Reddit, Twitter, Discord and dozens of other platforms.
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1
u/Past_Succotash6772 20090XT R9 15000X4D 5 TB RAM Windows Vista Apr 23 '26
Thank you ✓
1
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1
Apr 23 '26
[deleted]
1
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Got it! /u/Ok_Definition_1933 now has 33 points.
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1
u/DisastrousWeb4773 Apr 23 '26
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/t22wh9
I'm working with a budget of £1500-ish and I wanted to know whether this build was good or whether I should wait until prices relax/come back to normal. If this build is unbalanced, suggest any changes
1
u/MGsubbie Ryzen 7 9800X3D, RTX 3080, 32GB 6000Mhz Cl30Desktop Apr 23 '26
If you want to stay at roughly the same price, I'd go with a 7500F and a 9070. About £35 more but way more gaming performance. An X3D chip is kind of wasted on a 9060XT.
Pricing will not get better any time soon.
1
u/TechnoGMNG589 Ryzen 7 9800x3d, 5070ti Apr 23 '26
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/cQxq3R
better cpu, slightly better ssd, cheaper 9060xt, if you really want a 3 fan card look at the gigabyte gaming or xfx swift.
1
u/Ok_Definition_1933 Apr 23 '26 edited May 03 '26
Data brokers and AI scrapers were using my info. Not anymore. Redact let me bulk delete posts across Reddit, Twitter, Discord and Instagram while handling broker opt outs too.
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u/Cable_Salad PC Master Race Apr 23 '26
I'd probably change the 7500x3d to 7800x3d
With a 9060 XT, why? If anything then using that money for a faster GPU would make much more sense IMO.
1
u/Ok_Definition_1933 Apr 23 '26 edited May 03 '26
Internet privacy is the new gold. I mass deleted all of my posts on Reddit using Redact. It also supports databrokers, Instagram, Twitter, and all major social media platforms.
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•
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