I totally get Avacado's position being where he is. It's all season and then what a dedicated summer tire? Seems less a reason to carry two sets if he's not racing or something.

Having two sets makes way more sense if you need a dedicated snow tire for winter and then an all season (or as I call them - 3 season) tire for a normal car.

I started doing that in 2018. Been through two sets of snows since then just due to how CO winters can be between snows (dry and sometimes warm). But it definitely prolonged the life of my all seasons. My snows are usually on from November through end of April or early May which is usually the last snow of the year in this area anyway. So I have a pretty even split of time on sets.

Nice thing is having them on their own set of wheels, Discount Tire will just swap em for free.

I'm probably on my last season for the all season set and will need to get a new one next spring. I kinda went cheap last time with some General Altimax RT43's. They were $110/tire in 2018 when i got them. Thinking I'll go back to Michelin as they just feel better but they definitely didn't last as long. I don't need anything crazy as I am driving a Mazda CX-5.

On 24/04/2024 at 06:51, Grandpasnorz said:

Personally I wouldn't buy anything other than a Samsung or LG TV. So many people go for the budget TV's or the entry level TVs. I won't buy entry level Samsung or LG TVs either. There is something to be said about you get what you pay for. And always go for quality over screen size. For me, Mini-LED is the way to go until OLED can fix the screen burn and lower the cost.  I'm not sure there are any brands that dont sell your data anymore. Privacy seems to be a thing of the past. 

 

My livingroom TV is : Samsung 85" Neo QLED 4K Smart TV (QN85QN85CAFXZA). And I use Govee Backlighting and have a JBL 500 soundbar.  

 

I don't really think burn-in is anywhere near the problem it used to be on LG WOLED displays. QD-OLED sounds like it still has some issues.

But at this point I can report that after almost 2 years of everyday usage on my 48" C1, there's still no burn in and I don't even hide my taskbar or desktop icons.

To add to Enterprise's post, my tabletop group recently bought a TCL to use for Foundry VTT that we setup at the end of our table for our Pathfinder 2E games. Honestly for the price its really nice and looks great.

3 hours ago, ENTERPRISE said:

All I will say is that they launched the product at a time where economically speaking, people are in a worse position financially, at least here in the UK. Granted I consider this product a Halo product based on the price and this was already priced out of reach from most BUT financially we are worse off and I would not be surprised if that was another factor. 

 

Plus I still find Apple a more and more niche market as the years go on. With Apple overall not having the same appeal as they used to, some of the customers they once had that would have jumped on this, have since moved on. So in my opinion they have a smaller market to capitalize on. 

 

Just my view on it.

This is certainly a very niche product to begin with so it makes a lot of sense in my mind that once people who actually wanted it (and had the means to get it) did, that demand would drop off a cliff.

But Apple does have some things bigger scale to think about too. Even MacBook sales are dropping hard. Apple Silicon is probably a double-edged sword for them - great stuff for ultra efficiency and battery life, like I am extremely impressed with the battery life on my work 16" MBP with M1 Pro. But at the same time, this M1 Pro is fine, literally no reason to upgrade to any of the newer models.

11 hours ago, Snakecharmed said:

Seeing Grandpasnorz's response and comments about OLED in Cerebus's TV thread reminded me to revisit this thread and my original comments. For all the reservations I have about OLED as a daily driver monitor, I finally figured out how I plan to make an LG OLED TV work for my family room, which will be primarily driven by my Ryzen 7 4800H/RTX 2060 laptop and consequently be showing my Windows desktop for not insignificant amounts of time:

 

Wallpaper Engine, because I hate the idea of having a boring black background and hiding all desktop UI elements for the sake of preserving the OLED pixels. To me, the point of having an OLED is to show it off whenever it's turned on even when you're not really using it.

 

Or I could just not care, but I've not cared to the tune of having the same 52" Samsung in my family room since 2008. I don't go through monitors and TVs that often. I can barely resell my old monitors, but I can still manage to haul them off in my car to FedEx Office for shipping. Big old TVs are practically e-waste to me. Knowing me, I'm going to end up keeping a new TV for a decade and I don't want burn-in to be present for the latter half of its occupancy in my home.

 

Maybe I'll have a 65" LG C/G 6 or 7 by the time I get around to refreshing the family room space and start making an effort to use it more frequently again. When that time comes, I can't continue to use a 52" 1080p TV anymore.

 

I imagine by then, either LG's MLA panels will have reached the C-series or the M-series will actually distinguish itself from the G-series beyond its wireless capabilities to move the G-series more mainstream.

Shrug. I don't hide my taskbar or anything. August will be 2 years for me on the C1. No burn in yet that I can see.

EDIT: 2828 power on hours so far. And yeah I really do hope they bring MLA panels to the C series at some point.

23 hours ago, pio said:

Nothing would please me more.  Maybe just adding a simple old school teamspeak server with the IRC for chat.   

Actually yes please, could we all switch back to that instead of discord?  

Man I don't know, Teamspeak always sucked when I used it for MMO/guild stuff back in the day.

5 hours ago, Alex said:

Their ZMT is good, but even that I found it's just better to go with Watercool's version as it's much more pliable and doesn't harden over time.

ZMT can be ok, but its such an inconsistent product, why risk it? Sometimes its rather dirty. Often times its out of ID/OD spec tolerances.

45 minutes ago, Fluxmaven said:

Their coolant was a Mayhems blend not sure if the newer version still is... 

 

No one knows. Corsair has basically just said they source the new stuff (XL8) from Taiwan and that it's incompatible with their old Mayhems blend coolant (XL5). I'd guess a generic glycol based premix.

As for the rest of your post, I have not had one single good experience with an EK product, not one. The Evo Supremacy plating was awful and flaked away in a way that blocked up the fins leading to system freezes from hitting 100C on the 4790k. Was also missing mounting hardware in the box when new. Similar story with my old 980 Strix block and its plating. The only EK part I have in my current rig is a reservoir/pump unit and that is because it's what Micro Center had stocked locally when I needed one. I've snapped two of the plastic retention arms so far just from trying to take the pump out of the housing. 

13 minutes ago, Alex said:

Corsair is quickly taking over the entry-level WC business, and I feel like the higher-end stuff is becoming less niche with a select few companies establishing themselves more and more in that space. Those that already go with Watercool, Optimum, etc., the 'bougie' stuff, wouldn't likely go back in a hurry to EK. And the entry-level anything business is always super competitive and has even less brand loyalty.

 

EK has been losing customers from both, and if this is how they handle things internally - I don't see them ever correcting either path. They have long been charging premium prices for mid-range products, and while we all hoped they'd right their ways... I don't think it's going to happen.

 

 

 

 

And their pricing premium only keeps going higher!

Everyone here knows I do not have very positive opinions about EK and their role in the industry these days, but I do feel bad for any employees who aren't being paid what they are due if true.

On 15/04/2024 at 19:19, speed_demon said:

The big thing with the intel cards is what I've also said about AMD in the past - How well they sink or swim will entirely depend on driver support. Nvidia really nails drivers and has done so for many many years. Hoping to see more of that coming out of both AMD and Intel in the future.

I mean Nvidia has almost 30 years on Intel. Intel was never going to have driver parity out the gate, but what is clear is how much they keep improving them as time goes on. I personally hope Intel keeps at it because this space needs a strong 3rd competitor. Likewise I am interested to see how Battlemage shakes out.

2 hours ago, The Pook said:

+1 for anti-ultrawide gang

 

strongly considering grabbing an Asus' PG32UCDM but going to wait to see if anything similar/cheaper comes around (plus it's OOS everywhere for MSRP).

The 48" C1 is going to go to the living room and I think a 42" C4 is in my future.

I've always hated ultrawides and don't think that will change anytime soon.

12th gen ok then? Wife's PC has a 3070 Ti and a 12700kf.

22 hours ago, tomekmak said:

Sup.

I am new there.

I am dedicated overclocker

/img/logo.png

tomekmak @ HWBOT

HWBOT.ORG

---

HWBOT is a site dedicated to overclocking. We promote overclocking achievements and competitions for professionals as well as...

 

Welcome!

8 hours ago, UltraMega said:

LogoFAIL is a set of security vulnerabilities affecting different image parsing libraries used in the system firmware by various vendors during the device boot process. It impacts devices by placing malicious code inside an image file that is parsed during boot, leading to persistence¹. Here are some key points about LogoFAIL:

1. What Is LogoFAIL?

   • LogoFAIL is a constellation of two dozen newly discovered vulnerabilities that have existed for years, if not decades, in Unified Extensible Firmware Interfaces (UEFIs) responsible for booting modern devices running Windows or Linux.
   • These vulnerabilities allow malicious firmware execution early in the boot-up sequence, making infections nearly impossible to detect or remove using current defense mechanisms².
   • The attack is dubbed LogoFAIL by the researchers who devised it.

2. How It Works:

   • LogoFAIL involves hardware seller logos displayed on the device screen during the boot process while the UEFI is still running.
   • Image parsers in UEFIs from major vendors are riddled with roughly a dozen critical vulnerabilities that have gone unnoticed until now.
   • By replacing legitimate logo images with identical-looking ones specially crafted to exploit these bugs, LogoFAIL enables the execution of malicious code at the most sensitive stage of the boot process (known as DXE, short for Driver Execution Environment).

3. Scope and Impact:

   • Hundreds of Windows and Linux computer models from virtually all hardware makers are vulnerable to LogoFAIL.
   • The attack can be remotely executed in post-exploit situations, using techniques that can’t be easily spotted by traditional endpoint security products.
   • Exploits run during the earliest stages of the boot process, bypassing defenses like Secure Boot and similar protections designed to prevent bootkit infections.

4. Affected Parties:

   • Participating companies include UEFI suppliers (AMI, Insyde, Phoenix), device manufacturers (Lenovo, Dell, HP), and CPU makers (Intel, AMD, ARM).
   • Links to advisories and vulnerability designations are available in the original research².

5. Protection and Mitigation:

   • If you’re concerned about LogoFAIL, consider the following steps:
     • Update your firmware: Check for security patches provided by your device manufacturer.
     • Prevent unauthorized access: Ensure that attackers cannot gain access to the EFI System Partition (ESP) where the logo image is stored³.

Remember, LogoFAIL is not a virus but rather a set of vulnerabilities that allow attackers to bypass security measures and install malicious software during the boot process⁴. Stay vigilant and keep your devices secure!

 

 

Thanks ChatGPT!

I agree that that would be a great feature for some of the longer threads out there.

On 02/04/2024 at 20:25, LabRat said:

Thing is, the GRE is faster, generally (in rasterization) and does RT 'fine' w/ XeSS or FSR Scaling (or lower Native-res. 1080p 144hz, here)

 

Yes I agree its the faster raster card, but its definitely a worse card for RT w/ FSR.

On 02/04/2024 at 21:09, pio said:

The GRE should in theory, be capable of doing RT titles as well as any other 7900 series card I'd think.  They're all Navi 31 cards afterall.  It's a tad cut down in terms of shaders and all that jazz, sure.  But its still a full fat Navi 31.  I'm not sure which portion of the card is responsible for the RT performance on the 7900 series cards, but its not cut down THAT badly.

With that said, yes Nvidia cards are doing RT better.  We all know that.  At 5120x1440 / 120Hz, I have zero complaints about the RT performance on my 7900xtx though.  It could be better, yes.  But I knew RT was a bonus when buying this card, and it does the job well enough with FSR / frame scaling.  Last gen's AMD cards were an absolute joke with RT performance.  At least the 7900 series are capable of PLAYING the titles with RT enabled.  I want to say the 7900 xtx is approximately on par with a 3090 or so in RT performance?  Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the performance really isn't bad for RT titles.

It's Navi31 sure, but I wouldn't call it "full fat". That's the 7900XTX. Its 80 compute units for the GRE vs 96 on the XTX, not to mention a reduction in memory bandwidth from 384-bit to 256-bit.

The architecture is basically that each compute unit has a ray accelerator, so it is 80 vs 96. That's about a 17% cut-down on the GRE.

Sure we can all say "its not that bad" but its still for all intents and purposes a generation behind which is why I think trying to slot in price wise to Nvidia's current gen really isn't all that compelling to me.

20 hours ago, Fluxmaven said:

IDK if we'll ever see actual feature parity between AMD and Nvidia. We're at the point where AMD does all the same stuff albeit a gen behind. 

 

And that's fine for most people. Sure it's fun to crank the settings in Cyberpunk and go stare at some neon sign reflections in a puddle of water, but at some point you just want to play through your backlog of games. I DO have mostly nvidia cards and I still don't bother with ray tracing. 

 

If it weren't for the lackluster Folding@home performance and higher power draw, I'd buy more AMD cards. The GRE will drop to $500 before Ngreedia ever drops the price of the 4070 Super. As it sits, I think it's an OK option for a lot of people. 

Yeah I just feel like that "generation behind" on RT / FSR like features makes these launch MSRPs for AMD cards really lackluster - they are after all pricing within Nvidia's current generation.

I can at least say the price usually course corrects, unlike Nvidia.

It's a solid enough card as a slot in between the 7900XT and the 7800XT. But looking at the performance vs the 4070 and 4070 Super I think the price is kind of a hard sell for what you give up in RT. It's not terrible, but it's definitely a worse card if RT matters for you and I think the 16GB vs 12GB argument at this price segment is less important. So asking for the same money as a 4070...I don't know. Its also considerably more power consumption than the 4070 and 4070 Super under load, so I don't see a win there either.

I guess if 12GB vs 16GB is make or break for your use case, otherwise I don't know, not excited about this card at $550.

55 minutes ago, The Pook said:

 

 

me neither 

 

half expecting to get another generation with the same VRAM limits on the lower tier (<5090) cards honestly, seems like an NVIDIA move  

I agree. The only difference is I don't think they'll try to launch a 5060 8GB. I think they'll try to hold out for the higher density memory chips into 2025 before launching those cards. If they can get 3GB modules, then even a 128-bit card can have 12GB.

3 hours ago, ozlay said:

36GB

That would be nice, but sounded like no 24Gb chips till next year, so if the 5090 launches this year, its stuck with 2GB modules so 24GB or 48GB if a 384-bit card.

I personally don't buy the 512-bit rumors.

30 minutes ago, Barefooter said:

Next-gen GPUs likely arriving in late 2024 with GDDR7 memory — Samsung and SK hynix chips showed chips at GTC

From Tom's Hardware

Next-gen GPUs likely arriving in late 2024 with GDDR7 memory

 

 

My guess is 5090 is either another 24GB card or 48GB if they decide to clamshell 3090 style. And the 5080 if it's 256-bit again, is another 16GB card then, unless it comes out when the 24Gb chips arrive in which case it becomes possible for 24GB as well. I could see 48GB, then 24GB. And then if the 70 and 60 cards also use higher density memory into 2025, enables options for some odd sizes like 18GB for 192-bit cards and 12GB for 128-bit.

Or they could just go lame and pull another 40-series lineup VRAM wise. Who knows.

@Avacadohit the nail on the head.

+1 to avoiding EK. They are really overpriced yet have massive quality control issues with most of their products. You never know what you are going to get whether its faulty DD blocks, dirty misfitting tubing, to really crappy coolants.

Instead I agree with Avocado's list that the likes of Aquacomputer, Heatkiller (Watercool), Optimus, Bitspower, Phanteks, Alphacool (generally) are all generally considered to be quality and should cost considerably less than brands like EK for similar or better performance.

I'm using a clear premix right now since I had it and figured I should just use them, but I agree that distilled water with Mayhems Inhibitor+ and Hades+ drops is all you need. Having had issues with glycol based coolants collecting little bits of congealed glycol in the Optimus block, I'll probably either look at other premixes or more likely just switch back to distilled + those additives.

You don't have to get all your parts from one vendor. It might make it easier as a first timer, but I generally mix and match. I like Aquacomputer or Heatkiller reservoirs for the material quality, but I might like blocks from various companies depending on who has the best performer for a given block type, while choosing Alphacool or Hardware Labs radiators, with fittings from Bitspower, Monsoon, Barrow, or whoever is making what I need that's quality.

For pumps I am also more of a D5 guy. For a single component loop, one should serve your needs just fine. D5's utilize the coolant/water of your loop for cooling, and in my experience are generally quiet (though not silent). Once my fans are ramping up a bit I can't hear my 100% speed D5 at all. DDC's on the other hand use external heatsinks, but I have also heard they tend to be louder. I've never actually used a DDC in any of my loops so just speaking from what I've heard and not from experience.

The other difference is that D5's tend to provide better flow rates while DDC's tend to be better head pressure. Head pressure is good for high restriction loops to maintain flow, but a simple loop a single D5 will do just fine. So you can really go either way here.

Tubing - I wouldn't go into hard tubing a first go around. Hell I'm not sure I'll ever do it again either. Stick to soft tubing and again Avacado gave good recommendations for which tubing to get, and I agree with those recs.

Pull vs push does not matter and performs the same. If the question is should you have fresh air intaking into the radiator vs exhausting used up case air through it, I imagine its not a big deal either way as long as you have good airflow.

Just feeling some nostalgia for some Dreamcast games I forgot about playing. Forgot how good this particular soundtrack was.

But I wanted it to cook breakfast.. 

All seriousness though, good review and I agree, I've yet to really see a point in even upgrading my Gen 3 drives and when I do get some more, will probably stick to Gen 4.

13 hours ago, Mr. Fox said:

Thanks, brother.  It's a shame they are not going to release it in the US. I don't understand that.

Yeah I don't get why companies do that.

Good review and always appreciate the accompanying video reviews/walkthroughs!

Agreed, good review! I once again have to compliment your builds and the themes. Love the Half Life themed PC.