Mr. Fox

You hate cold and I hate heat. My body has adjusted to the hot weather here, but too hot is a health risk that is equally hazardous as freezing to death. Extreme heat and extreme cold are both an issue. Temperature aside, I love living in the desert because I do not like precipitation in any form. I hate rain and I hate snow. I like it to be very dry, clear skies and low/no humidity whether it is hot or cold. I find it easier to get warm if I am too cold. I can bundle up and add more blankets to the bed. If I am too hot it is harder to fix that problem. You can be wet and naked and still be too hot, LOL. Both can kill you.

I delid my own with the der8auer tool. Works fantastic. You just have to spend about 30 minutes moving it back and forth with the tool until it is loose. Tedious but foolproof as long as you keep going until it falls off and don't try to lift the IHS before it is loose. Usually in the range of 500-1000 Cinebench R23 points lower with the Apex. AMD CPUs are inconsistent between Cinebench runs and can have a wide variance between runs with the same CPU. There are too many artificial algorithms in play with Ryzen. But, I can't get within 500 to 1000 points of my best scores with the Strix or AORUS Master using the Apex with the same CPU installed. It almost has to be something in the firmware. It would not seem logical for something with the motherboard hardware to affect it. Also worth mentioning that it is with the same Windows installation. To rule out an OS issue I create an image from one, restore it using Macrium Reflect on the other and reactivate. So all of the same software, tweaks, drivers and OS tuning on both machines. This makes no sense to me. There is probably something I need to do different that I don't know about. Maybe an obscure BIOS setting I need to turn on or off on the Apex. This should be an almost entirely mathematical outcome based on core count, IPC and clock speed as long as something is not interfering with the Cinebench run. This EPYC CPU seems like a really good sample and I am pretty sure I am going to keep it. It seems better than average looking at the V/F curve and voltage requirements in practice. Getting it to function like an X3D in a scenario where it should has not worked for me yet. When I try to configure it to use the 3DvCache CCD it is defaulting to the non v-cache CCD no matter what I have tried so far. Configuring it to function like an ordinary CPU it seems fine, so I suspect this is a firmware configuration problem, an OS/game/chipset driver bug issue, or even an ignorant noob issue on my part (relating to firmware configuration). I did a clean OS install with the latest chipset drivers and set everything that is supposed to be how it is done that I know of and it still parks the wrong CCD and activates the one without v-cache, LOL. I don't care about the v-cache necessarily, but if I can use it as leverage for 3DMark scores I certainly want to take advantage of it. I don't expect it to matter much at all with something like Cinebench, wPrime, Pifast, or Y-Cruncher.

One thing I find very puzzling about the Apex is that it does not matter what CPU I have installed, my Cinebench scores are always notably lower than the Strix. Every CPU that I test consistently has stronger Cinebench results when I install it in the Strix. This is my third Apex. I don't really understand why this is the case, but it is consistent. Same was true of the AORUS Master... consistently higher Cinebench scores than the Apex using any given CPU. This really bugs the crap out of me and makes me wish I had saved $300 and just purchased another Strix X870E-E or just kept the AORUS Master. I think I am spinning my wheels with the EPYC CPU. It seems like a much better sample overall, but I am not going to be able to really confirm that until it is delidded and bare die. Absolutely ludicrous thermals with the factory solder and IHS. It's unfortunate that most CPUs suck with the factory solder and IHS. It's true of both Intel and AMD, but seems much more so with AMD for some reason. They seem a lot more sensitive to high temperatures. Jury is still out whether I like 3DvCache. The 9950X3D that I RMA'd was such a pathetic silicon sample that it wasn't fair to draw any conclusions based on what a piece of garbage it was. I'm leaning toward either not liking it or viewing it as an irrelevant selling point/gimmick. (I'm a casual gamer, not a gaming enthusiast, and it seems to provide no tangible benefit for an overclocking enthusiasts.) I do see higher FPS in the few games I tested. 3DMark doesn't seem to benefit.

I still have a lot to figure out for the best settings for tuning of this new EPYC CPU but it does appear to be better than either of my good but average 9950X samples. Initial impressions are that it is a pretty decent sample. I think my memory kit could be a little better, but I was surprised it could run 6400 1:1 and FCLK 2200. I haven't spent much time with core tuning yet, just set a simple PBO, but will definitely need a good manual overclock to see any respectable Cinebench results. I will play with it more tomorrow to confirm it is worth keeping before I delid it. I always forget how crazy hot these CPUs are that have not been decapitated and run bare die. There are still many hours that need to be invested to find what works best. Requires a lot more time and effort with AMD to get things figured out.

Hopefully this was not a waste of sand. But, I will find out as soon as I button things up. If it's not better than what I already have it's going back for a refund.

I've been watching the insane increase in DDR5 prices. I don't need any, but decided to see if I could find some spares cheap to hang onto. Just scored a Trident Z5 DDR5-8000 48GB CL40 1.400V kit with Supercool direct touch cooler on eBay for $250. That same RAM kit is now about $300 sold and shipped by NewEgg. So, basically like getting the Supercool cooler kit for free, give or take a couple of bucks.

Intel Core Ultra 290K, 270K and 250K Plus spec leak: “Arrow Lake Refresh” with higher clocks, more cores and faster memory support So, a real "nothing burger" when all is said and done. The most intelligent thing AMD has going for it is long-term socket viability. Intel needs to learn from this now and back-track on some of their recent very stupid ideas (bring back hyperthreading and go back to monolithic design without the stupid Atom cores). It is hurting them more than they know. Their ending of hyperthreading was the final nail in the coffin for me. But their constant socket revisions requiring new motherboards after a few CPU generations is a compelling reason for people to choose AMD even if they would rather stay with Intel. (I am conflicted because I can't say that I like either one now. They both have pros and cons, but both have more cons than pros.) The short socket lifespan is a very damning attribute for Intel now that they no longer operate from a place of absolute supremacy and domination. They used to expect us to put up with it as going with the territory, which was fine when they still ruled the world. I'd really like to make my next build an Intel platform again. The overclocking experience (CPU and memory) is much better on Intel, but the lack of hyperthreading and abbreviated upgrade path due to frequent socket changes is making me question the logic of it. Once upon a time, not long ago, that was the only somewhat logical basis for choosing to go with AMD instead of Intel and that alone was never enough because there were too many other compromises attached to the idea. Intel should revive X299 and make modern versions of CPUs for that socket LGA 2011-v2 platform... 32 or 36 threads at 6.0GHz+ all-core overclock, quad-channel DDR5 8000+ and 40+ PCIe lanes... I'd be all over that, like white on rice... hell yeah, in a heartbeat. And, I'd be willing to pay twice as much as a Core Ultra (or Ryzen) flagship CPU to have it. The most fun I have ever had with overclocking was on X299. 100% (double stock clock) overclocking wasn't that difficult.

Did you mean to link to a post by @electrosoft or an article about the shiny new product that offers so little? The link leads here: https://notebooktalk.net/topic/109-official-benchmark-thread-post-it-here-or-it-didnt-happen-d/page/824/

I generally do as well. I like understated wallpaper best (not a fan of the busy or chaotic look) and usually still with the same regardless of the machine or the OS.

Here is my new wallpaper. I use it for both Linux and Windoze wallpaper.

Zorin is the best choice for anyone moving from Windoze to Linux. Ubuntu is probably the best option for anyone wanting to ditch crApple. Any Ubuntu or Debian derivative is generally user-friendly. I like most of them. My preferred distro is Kubuntu followed by Mint. Zorin is super easy for Winduhz converts to get acclimated to Linux. It is not a customizable in terms of the GUI and when I have used it I always ended up installing Plasma/KDE. Personally, I do not care for immutable distros like Bazzite or CachyOS, although CachyOS looks fantastic the immutable aspect of it makes it an unacceptable option for me. If I wanted the OS to make all of my decisions for me and restrict what I can do then I would just stick with a crappy option like Micro$lop Windoze or crApple's MacOS.

I have been able to use my CMO file from the prior BIOS version, but the trick is to save a profile with the new BIOS first, then apply the old profile over it. (Safedisk shared this.) So after flashing I disable TPM, Secure Poot, iGPU, WiFi, BT and save it as a new BIOS profile. F10 to save and exit, then go back in and apply my OC CMO profile from the previous BIOS. That has not given me any issues. After applying the old profile and confirming all was well, then save again as a new OC profile and new CMO file for the updated BIOS version. I could see where an old profile might be incompatible if they removed, changed or added new features or rearranged menu order, but if the only changes are underlying code and BIOS default values there is no excuse for them not being compatible. I ordered an EPYC 4585PX. I hope it is better at core and memory overclocking than either of my average 9950X so I don't have to RMA/refund yet another one. The only reason I did not return either of the two I have now is they were average based on what I could tell looking at other samples judging from HWBOT scores and better than the below average trash samples I RMA'd before them. If it is not better than I am probably just going to just send it back for refund and be done with trying to enjoy lackluster AM5 overclocking. The 9950X3D that I returned was the worst Ryzen 9 sample I have ever seen. It was an absolute POS. Even gaming it turning to crap. Having to enable TPM and Secure Poot filth to play the new BF and CoD releases is totally unacceptable. I about popped a vein when I discovered they had retroactively applied Javelin to BF 2042 and rendered a game I had thoroughly enjoyed totally worthless to me. Bastards.

Nice new feature in ASUS BIOS for F3 Save as CMOS file to save all BIOS files to USB as a single file instead of a separate CMO file for current profile only. Explanation from safedisk: https://www.overclock.net/posts/29527571/ @jaybee83 @Raiderman https://www.overclock.net/posts/29527497/ Explains why CMOS is much larger than CMO.

If we are going to be real in the truest sense, we must also consider the reality of the fact that the problem is way beyond the scope of YouTube. We have EXACTLY the same problem with mainstream media "news" outlets. If YouTube is going to censor things they do not agree with or they believe to be misleading, or because it is dangerous or harmful to whatever agenda they ascribe to, it doesn't solve the problem of sheeple believing the propaganda they watch on the "news" on TV that is equally (perhaps even more) misleading, damaging and deliberate disinformation, partial truths, edited information taken out of context or with relevant details omitted to change the meaning or misrepresent the original message, etc.

It seems relatively obvious they do not care where their money comes from as long as it keeps on coming. The income generated from nefarious schemes by bad actors isn't a problem for them because they do not care about the safety and well-being of their community members. The only thing that they "police" is opinions and exchanges of views by community members that are contrary to the narrative and one-sided agenda that their organization seeks to promote.