PC Tech Thread

Cable lacing... use string of desired colour

http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/cable_lace/cable_lace.html
http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/cable_lace/Running_Lace.gif

kinky

Yup, used by NASA and in most telcos and datacenters... often found in tech offices, but seldom elsewhere TBH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtO9XysoZ6o

The twine is sold online https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/cables-wires/cable-ties-fixings/cable-lacing/

NASA instructions are here: https://s3vi.ndc.nasa.gov/ssri-kb/static/resources/nasa-std-8739.4a.pdf on pages 29-32

Thanks @Brun and @Velocio for the pointers. I should specify that this will be a conspicuous cable (more accurately, four pairs of headphone-and-mic XLR cables) lying across the table in a recording studio. I'd like to give the appearance of a single cable, so it's aesthetics that are priority rather than extraterrestrial pedigree.

I had found this, but it seems like a quite expensive option, even given it's 3 m long.
https://gadgetmac.com/reviews/bluelounge-soba-review.html

Maybe this would be good https://www.canford.co.uk/Techflex/TECHFLEX-BRAIDED-SLEEVING-Split-Spring-Wrap

Second link is the kind of thing we use - though not the split version: https://www.canford.co.uk/TECHFLEX-BRAIDED-SLEEVING-EXPANDABLE-Fray-resistant

in most telcos and datacenters

I've only seen it in the US or old bits of BT exchanges, the proper vintage ones with parquet flooring.

Yup, these days it’s all lacing bars and Velcro ties. Here’s one I made earlier:

1 Attachment

I've finally replaced my decade old GTS 450 with an AMD 6700XT and so far I'm a little underwhelmed. Whilst everything is working fine I was expecting a little more. I bought this for work and just general performance really. I definitely didn't buy it to play games, but lets just say I did want to play a game. Warzone is giving me 50 to 70 FPS on just high settings at 1080p upscaled, that doesn't seem right to me.

I've done a load of house keeping, installed the drivers nicely after using DDU, updated chipset drivers and bios. Could it be my CPU causing a bottleneck? (I don't exactly know what that means). There's also a dual bios switch on the GPU but I left that as it came.

Ryzen5 2600x
RX 6700XT
32GB - 3200
Corsair 650W PSU

The CPU would be my guess

Yeah you should be getting 60fps on 1440p ultra with a 6700XT.

https://youtu.be/Lnk1oS5U_9U

Ryzen5 2600x

I agree with @spotter that it's the CPU: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Ryzen+5+2600X&id=3235

Especially for games which occupy a single core, which unfortunately is most games.

I'd say the graphics card is fine https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/radeon-rx-6700-xt.c3695 , but... depending on what else you're powering from that PSU (i.e. USB peripherals, case fans, lighting) that you're near the limit of that PSU too... unlikely to be the bottleneck, that's more likely the CPU. but you're not helping the GPU and whole system if you're near the power limits.

The machine as you've listed the components should be a great mixed-use work machine, probably pretty damn good at A/V things, but yeah it's going to struggle with gaming. I'm not sure I'd try and fix that TBH, especially not with a work machine... the rabbit hole is deep and after only a few decisions I'd have said that buying a PlayStation is cheaper and more effective.

@fettled_nuts you're in the same boat as me. I have a similar CPU with an AM4 socket so to upgrade you're looking at something with AM4+ or AM5 and then that allows better ram and a NVMe SSD and suddenly you're replacing most of the computer.

upgrade you're looking at something with AM4+ or AM5 and then that allows better ram and a NVMe SSD and suddenly you're replacing most of the computer

CPU is always the worst upgrade... because it opens the door to a new motherboard, and at this point you're unlikely to bring many old components over, it's a path to just buying a new computer for sure.

Same, mines officially 10 years old now. It's had a good run while I upgraded the other components around it but I think I'm just going to get a pre built next

My honest take from having purchased a pre-built a few years ago, and having built way over the top earlier this year...

Regal's build is almost the perfect build https://www.lfgss.com/comments/17213659/

I'm not actually sure that can be bettered in terms of cost / value trade-off, capabilities... the "go small, but make everything good" produces a hell of a good outcome... and that machine will likely sweep the floor with pre-builts at a similar price point.

I still haven't brought myself to tot it up entirely… The Partspicker cost is way off of course, for a start the 4070FE was £569 from Nvidia, not £977 (but even that hurt given that I was originally budgeting for a 4060 Ti)

Edit: about £1600 for the PC itself. I would expect that you can get a faster prebuilt for that money but maybe with worse PSU, RAM, etc and a case that’s a lot bigger / uglier.

My problem is the budget. A new GPU and CPU + mobo quickly takes me to £600+ for entry level stuff when I can pick up a complete build for the same money with basically the same specs. I don't use my PC much and don't care about 4k or anything, I just want to play Tekken 8.

I just got a B550 board in the sale as it gives PCIe 4.0 and another NVMe slot over my current B450 board, and when I see it drop low enough, I'll probably upgrade my 5600x to Ryzen 9 as a last gasp the platform before moving to DDR5

Thanks for all the input, after lots of tinkering I think you're all right, it's most probably the CPU. Games are actually running completely fine for my casual needs and if I didn't have an FPS counter in the top corner I'd probably be none the wiser. I've waited so long for a new GPU though, I was kind of trying out games as a benchmark really, to see if everything was in order, and knowing it's not reaching it's full potential is a little annoying.

So essentially it's fine for now. I think I'll probably upgrade my CPU as a stop gap, it can probably be done for £150/£180? Should give me another year or so. I knew I would be cutting it close with the PSU so I'll upgrade that too at some point in preparation for a switch over to AM5 or whatever the thing is when the time comes.

I need a PS5 regardless, damn kids :)

Regal's build is sweet!

... it can probably be done for £150/£180?

The 5600x is only £148 on amazon atm, I have a 3070ti and a 1440p screen and dont feel the need for more. The Ryzen 7 5800x is £176 if you did want more for your use case, but this video shows how over a certain point games tend to be GPU limited more than CPU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqmRvTz0kbA

£135 on Amazon today. The 5600x will be a significant upgrade for you and based on the types of games it sounds like you're playing, it might last you a couple of years, or even come with you to your new build.

Just make sure you video yourself opening the box - it's prime season for fake returns/empty boxes at Amazon etc.

Fucking Corsair mouse seems to double click on single clicks a lot.

Looks like I'm not the only one with the issue:
https://forum.corsair.com/forums/topic/170223-2021-mouse-double-clicking-issue/

Firmware update
https://help.corsair.com/hc/en-us/articles/10012123041933

Sorry! Genuinely the first issue I've heard anyone having with them.

I had the exact same thing happen with a Logitech mouse, and similar results from Google.

Not your fault.

If something can break, it'll be me that finds out how.