electrosoft

Correction. I wasn't paying attention (in a rush today since it is the wife and my official holiday shopping all day "fun"), I forgot when you switch gears it auto resets the memory frequency to auto so that G4 pass run was at 5600 (DERP!). This means most likely last time in G4 it was back to auto frequency too when testing the KB sticks and it passed. So I set it to G4 to remove the CPU from the equation, set to 8400 and it failed again on both the KB and Corsair sticks. So that is a double failure at G4 on the KB 8200 sticks and Vengeance 9200 sticks when testing 8400 but 8200 passes. So now it is pointing to the MB not the CPU. I'll dive back in either very late tonight or tomorrow as now onward to Xmas shopping and dinner and more shopping....

I asked a few times about a replacement because they auto refunded it immediately when it was still in the "claims" portion of the program. I'll be asking again. I've lost confidence in most shipping carriers these days. From basically unreliable delivery windows to poor deliveries (another reason I installed cameras) to flat out thieves within I'm skeptical most times now and actually trust Amazon's own delivery network as much if not more than UPS or FedEx. Wow, I think the last time I had a bad stick was early DDR4 SODIMM from G.Skill and they replace the kit in less than a week. G.skill replacement should be straight forward (as long as things don't go missing in transit), but any recourse on the bare Chinese brand? Wow, that's even better! I approach it the same. As long as I can consistently get 100fps or more at all times, I'm good. I cap my frames at 175fps everywhere to keep balance between the lows and highs unless I'm running delves, then I cap it to the actual display cap which is 240hz on this Alienware OLED 32" 4k display. Yeah, then you have a lot of optimization / greater fps ahead of you. Things really are only going to get better. Did the power go out because of the high winds or do they purposely shut down power due to the high winds / fire risk? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ And lastly, 265k is a potential issue....but we will see. Testing so far with the Corsair 9200 sticks G2 8000 pass G2 8200 pass G2 8400 fail (and I mean within the first minute) G4 8400 pass 8400 G4 pass is the same as with the Kingbank sticks except the KB sticks required a fan and 1.5v. These 9200 sticks only require 1.45v and no fan. I'll goose the voltages on the IMC to see how much further I can push it in G2 but falling off the rails at G2 8400 isn't a great portend of things to come. But first I'm going to see how far the MB can go in G4 just to see how far it can go with the newest BIOS. If it can do at least 8800 I'll keep it. If not, back to Amazon it goes and most likely a Unify is in my future unless I can find a well priced and properly working Apex.

Nice! The wonderful thing is you have a lot left in the tank with that memory for further performance gains / optimizations. 25% more fps is a pretty massive upswing over a 12900ks. How are the 1%/.1%? Did you enable 200S boost only? Have you tried @Talon's manual OC settings on the 285k yet? 9200 Memory arrived yesterday and I'm currently crunching it at 8200 (it passed 8000). I'll keep climbing by +200mhz each test cycle to see where it lands before I switch over to G4 for the final verdict "is it the CPU or motherboard?" If you're reading this and quietly thinking "I thought you got 9600 sticks?" The seller only had one set on hand but had listed two. Luckily, he had even one set so at least @win32asmguy was able to get a set! He apologized profusely (I'm a firm believer in snafus happen), so it was all good but he offered me a set of 9200 Corsair sticks at a steep discount (less than half the price MSRP) so these will more than do the trick for my needs since you need unicorn gear to hit G2 9200 anyhow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Testing these Kingbank vs TG sticks earlier, and the King sticks are definitely better. Could be the TG 8200 sticks are from 2024 and the KB 8400 sticks from 2025 but they can run at tighter timings at 8000 so far vs the TG sticks. Taking a timeout on them atm while I run the 9200 sticks through the ringer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The bad: Amazon refunded me for that PSU but I couldn't order/get a replacement at the same black friday pricing because of the whole UPS stolen / claim situation. I'll just stick with my $80 Coolmaster SFX 850w PSU for now......

Isn't it infuriating when the bias is clear in these videos for CPU comparisons? Either run default vs default EXPO vs XMP based on actual AMD/Intel speeds or take the time to properly test and OC each platform with similar levels of overclocking. I'm fine either way, but be consistent. The problem is 99% of viewers won't go over the fine print or even care. They run right to the results and move along. One reason I still watch FrameChasers and especially BlackBirdTech is they push max tuning on each so you can actually see the end product if both are OC'd within reason to gather some data for your own analysis.

Unfortunately my "local" MC (local = 70min drive) never had them in stock even at the $399.99 price quoted before. 😞 They do have the Z890 Maximus for $399.99 but....eh..... I'm hoping this $176 Stix-A with all the subsequent BIOS updates will get 'er done. I'll make sure to drop down to G4 just in case it fails in G2 to remove the 265k from the equation if the first stab at G2 fails. Dream scenario is these 9200 sticks and the strix can do 8600-9000 so I can focus on the CPU and a few potential 265k binning or 270k/290k binning. If the Strix-A is the problem it will be sent back and I'll have to pick up something a bit stronger.... Sheesh, that took forever but glad it arrived safe and sound. Let us know how it goes.

With the most recent updates, I did finally switch over to 8000 on AM5 for my main rig. I plan on dialing in both the TG 8200 and KB 8400 sticks and seeing which pair reigns supreme at 8000. I am thinking so far with the TG on AM5 and KB on the 265k atm the KB sticks are going to be the best at 8000 but I won't know till I flip flop them. BBT did a nice comparison a bit ago about which was better (8000 vs 6000 vs 6400) and while it isn't mind boggling in its victory, 8000 now comes out ahead on AM5: ------------------------------------------------------------- Speaking of pushing speeds, Amazon has the MSI Z890 Unify brand new for $399.99. While BIOS updates have probably helped many of the upper tier boards since being tested (IE Taichi, Elite, Maximus), HUB did find the Unify had no problems running and passing 8800 while the Z890 Strix-A failed. E and F did pass though. Unify is a 2 dimmer too. I have till Jan 31st to return the Strix. When my new 9200 sticks arrive, I'll be putting the Strix to task asap. Sheer amount of boards that couldn't pass 8800 is pretty massive..... --------------------------------------------------------- This. Test hardware yourself. I call it "the itch" and 99.99% of the time, I end up scratching it then comparing my results against various 'tubers and other results to quantify and qualify my findings (and to dismiss many influencers)

What was the first video? It has been removed by the uploader..... Who whudda thunk it? @Mr. Fox has run into a board that is TOO OC focused for his tastes 🤣

At least UPS now adopts the photographic evidence chain of delivery as an added, extra step but still that is insane. After a few delivery hiccups with Best Buy, I only do in store pickup for most items and depending on value, I crack it open right then and there before walking out the door. I did find once I installed very noticeable and visible cameras to my front door, deliveries were much better and packages placed properly. I then noticed deliveries suddenly shifted quite frequently to my side door so I installed a camera there too. 😁 Fraud and unethical buyers are so rampant now that those of us who abide by the law have to fight an uphill battle. I guess the one saving grace is it never made it out for "delivery" but was torn apart and taken (I suspect my package was not the only one), at the local distribution center.

Ugh, tis the season for people thieving...... fa-la-la-la-la.....la-la-la-la..... Package clearly made it to the local UPS Facility where someone decided to gift themselves with a nice, nifty Corsair SF1000 SFX PSU.... %()%)%$_+$ thieves......

TechSource picked up a Matrix 5090 and it can't memory OC past +275 for some reason while his Astral hits +650 no problem but I am wondering why neither of them can go full tilt memory OC in AB? (Timestamped at memory OC fail point). Couldn't offset at stock as much as the Astral, but that makes sense considering native boost and still landed ~60mhz higher in Heaven bench run and scored higher overall. OC wise it was better at stock voltage, but quite frankly neither one of these cards is worth the scratch IMHO. I loved my Astral for many reasons, but ($3359.99) ~$3400 after tax and BB rewards just didn't sit right. To pick up an open box Vanguard 3 months later for ($1971) ~$2100 when all was said and done after tax with MC discounts and be a much better sample really has altered my expectations going forward with the 6090 whenever it drops. I'll patiently wait and/or take a 6090 for a 60 day spin in the interim during the return window via BB if required like this last cycle ended up being for myself. We all know those 6090s (especially if AI is still here) are going to be min $2299.99 if not higher. I know from personal experience and talking to others, being over qualified is a red flag because most companies assume the job you're willing to take is most likely a stepping stone and as soon as you're afforded, you will move to a better paying position reflective of your skill set / resume. Not that everyone isn't always looking to advance their careers, but those who are over qualified tend to do it more often. The market also continues to tread downward and I expect more layoffs and contraction over the next few years. @tps3443 in current market conditions, depending on what you actually do and its overall market viability/demand, holding tight is the best option atm especially with a young family and a new house but always keep your ear to the ground too.....quietly. I can name several friends and family that were a little vocal/forward facing about looking for another job and their current employer, ah, expedited their job search in the worse way by letting them go.

Yeah, that's the thing. Those timings are trash still, BUT even with them the 265k has better overall 1% and .1%. First thing I did was think, "tuned properly, how much even better will the lows be?" Clearly a base X3D owner and that's ok but you have to give equal love. As for Voltages and 5090, more fuel for the higher voltage fire being a factor: I think that with the release more of the Matrix vBIOS than the XOC, we're really seeing even air cooled cards pulling ahead with higher voltage from factory. The argument that lower voltage cards are more efficient while higher voltage cards have more OC capability has merit. Between @Mr. Fox , @tps3443 and @Raiderman, you're in good hands @Reciever!

In regards to voltages and 5090s, in the same vein as I was asking awhile ago here about subjecting naturally lower voltage cards to forced, higher voltages via EVC2 or now with the XOC. There is a reason cards are coming off the fab binned at various voltages and qualities: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9800X3D vs 265k at all thee resolutions (1080p, 1440p, 2160p) Pay particular attention to the 1% and .1% across all the results: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Is there a review out on this stuff comparing it to other pastes along with other LMs and PTM?

That's fair 🤣 Hopefully it isn't a problematic issue with the PSU design itself but just a faulty model. I wouldn't put it past MSI to issue a newer revision addressing an older problem and replacing them as reported. Intel is actually doing very well on the mobile front. Much more efficient than AMD and quieter. Four AMD laptops I've had pass my way from an iGPU only model to the Raider 7955HX3D variant just had insane fan noise overall because of how the chips operated in laptop form. Desktop continues to get a bad rap and unfairly so at this point IMHO. Until Intel solves their thermal issues, e-cores are here to say. On the upside, each iteration of e-cores get more and more powerful. The jump from Raptor to Arrow was pretty decent. I wouldn't be adverse to the 5090 remaining top dog till 2027. Really get that ROI before we eventually sell them off hopefully like last time and recoup every cent and even make a little on the top. I can see staying put as is at the moment. You put a lot of work into that rig and it is big and beautiful. If it is gaming like a monster at 4k (ditto), keep riding it! Next fall Panther should be a monster along with AM6. One reason I'm trying (emphasize the word "trying") to keep Arrowlake cheap but I know me sooo...... I'll obviously hold onto the 9600 sticks to carry over to whatever drops next.... Did you hold onto any of your DDR5 kits from before or did you sell off everything?

Re: Crocs..... NO. 😆 (Mic Drop!) The fact Micron is shelving an entire brand to focus on the AI market is frightening....the market is truly going to be horrific for consumers next year. AI everywhere is consuming everything at a voracious rate. On the other hand, I can't wait to see it become sentient......again (We all know this has had to have happened before somewhere in the great cosmos) One thing I did with the 4090 and will do with the 5090 is just leave my pigtails attached at all times. Even when I moved the 4090 between systems for testing, I left it connected and just connected up the 4x PCIE cables. One of the benefits of the pigtails....I guess? Yep, looks like 4090 cycle all over again but a 2.5yr+ life cycle is a long time. Imagine no new cards till Fall 2027 except for a Super refresh.....*yawn* We will see, but I wanted to also have some G4 fun and see how far that will go. I basically wanted the best of both worlds to eventually push 9200+ G4 for funsies as I will end up binning some samples along the way over the next several months as time allows. I want to remove RAM as a potential bottleneck in that equation and also be settled in for Panther Lake potentially next year. I will eventually probably end up switching motherboards down the road too depending on how this all goes. Those V-color 9600 sticks will effectively remove a bit of this noise for now and remove a variable right out of the gate letting me focus on motherboards and cpus. I also need those extra KingBank sticks for my daughter's AM5 system buildout in progress. Yeah, I'm definitely going to hold onto the 16 Pro Max as long as possible till a member needs an upgrade. Sheesh, 2TB model? Really? That's crazy storage! You should come back and run Ultra or AM5 bro! Something new and different. 🙂 Come down the rabbit hole with us! 🤑 With no new hardware on the horizon, it's time to play and tweak either AM5 or Ultra which will undoubtedly be faster than your current setup for gaming as a bonus and harness that 5090 even more. Yep, G4 is just for bandwidth testing/funsies. The idea is to push 8600+ tuned to the bones in G2 and play with G4 at 9000+. With the 9600 sticks you have the potential ability to do both and remove any binning issues from the equation pushing lower spec'd DDR5 modules on the hopes they can push higher. It really lets you focus on the MB/CPU combo. For your setup already having been pre-tested by @Talon, luckily you know exactly at a minimum what it can do no problem so you should be able to come right out of the gate initially tuned on the CPU and memory pushing 8600 tuned right out of the block and go from there. It really is coming to you ready to rock and roll in the best way. On my end, I get to FAFO with lower tier hardware (Z890 Strix-A + 265k) right out of the gate and a bunch of unknowns. On my end atm, it is the KingBank sticks holding me back as they passed 8000 and 8200 no problem but borked out at 8400 in less than 3 minutes on TestMem5 at 1.5v. I pushed them to 1.55v as an IMC test and they lasted almost an hour in TM5 before borking instead. I put a fan on them to cool them down while running and they made it through the 90 min run at 1.55v. With or without the fan, 1.50v and they borked out in less than 5 minutes at 8400. My TG 8200 sticks only require 1.45v so hopefully they have a little more room to play with and slightly better heatsinks (KingBank for the price then have exceptionally nice Heatsinks on them). My hope is the 9600 sticks will remove a lot of this redlining potential or need of a fan or better heatsinks and simply run as is tuned at 8600+ G2 and get some benching fun in at G4 9000+ if not with the 265k now then some other chips to bin over the next few months.

Microcenter 9070xt return story and some nice information on GPU checking and return procedures: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So all is well that ends well. Made the trip back up to MC St Davids to return that 9070xt and found out a few things. I had asked how a defective / non working card had slipped out for sale and how two more open box Challengers showed up for sale the next day. The rockin' tech assist associate let me know exactly how everything works. The one I bought had been shipped to their main return hub in Ohio from another store as a return then redistributed to the St David's store which means they do send out refurbs/returns that are supposed to work and seed them to stores to resell. You can tell if it is a main hub open box/refurb item (any item) with the green sticker on the side along with a marking. Sales associate pointed it out to me. If the card is returned as defective/not working and verified as such, the card gets marked down as defective and sent to ohio. Ohio then contacts the main companies for replacements/repairs. If they get back a new card in return, it goes back in new stock. If they get a refurb, it goes in as a refurb. Either way, they are then seeded back out to the various MC branches. What this means is you will never return an open box item that won't eventually be sent back to Ohio main returns and then reseeded to various MC stores. As such, there is near zero chance for you to return an item in the hopes of repurchasing it as an open box status. The problem with mine is it wasn't marked "defective" when returned (original new buyer probably just thought it was incompatible) but even then the main hub is supposed to check all cards for working status before shipping out open box / refurbs. Probably Amazon Renewed/warehouse magic where it is assumed it is working and just a return and they didn't check it at all. The receiving MC does not check the working status of open box / refurb items received since they are supposed to have been checked by Ohio main. On the other hand, the original store that took the return was SUPPOSED to check it before sending it to Ohio either way and they failed to do that. St. Davids immediately checked it even when I said, "it is dead. Get ready to see your VGA diagnostic light fire up white" A few seconds later after plugging it in I heard the tech chuckle and go, "yup, there's the VGA fail light in all its glory." 🤣 Refund immediately issued. It wasn't St David's fault but the original store who took the return and failed to plug it in and check it and Ohio mains for not checking it too. I did ask if for open box purchases can the customer request a quick check to make sure it at least posts and he said sure. I will keep that in mind next time. Thanks for attending my Ted Talk.....