etapollo13

I think I ruined everything, nothing is working and I’m out so much money

Posted by Keeps-@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 1009 comments

Is an anti static wrist strap necessary when building a pc?

Posted by Over_thinker76@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 48 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I'd only use one if you frequently experience static in your home/build area. My aunt's house as a kid was somehow a static shock nightmare. Like every 5 minutes. It's never happened to me in my house and i was fine without a strap.

My friend told me that I shouldn't get a RX9070 for my 9950x3D is it true?

Posted by Gold_Warning_8345@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 42 comments

etapollo13@reddit

You're 100% able to run that combination. The combo is a little "unbalanced"in that your CPU is top tier and GPU is mid tier. This combo really only benefits you in very CPU heavy activities. Though the combo would work, if your playing games something like a 7800X3D or 9800X3D paired with a 9070xt would give you better gaming performance for a similar overall price. Coding shouldn't really require a great CPU, and going with a better GPU could help in rendering, LLMs and other work. TLDR, your friend is kinda right. You can use this combo but there are likely better combinations for a similar price

Is 3.5k for a PC (without peripherals) a good investment?

Posted by ENIGMA-XTX@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 56 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Gotcha. Based on your budget, of probably look for a 9800x3d near msrp if those still exist in your country. I'm assuming that pre-tarrif 9800x3ds are getting pretty rare out there. I run a 7800x3d and it's awesome, but if your can get a 9800x3d at a reasonable price it would be with the upgrade

Is 3.5k for a PC (without peripherals) a good investment?

Posted by ENIGMA-XTX@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 56 comments

How do I build my own pc?

Posted by Next-Theme-2069@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 24 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Oh also the PSU tier list is important in selecting a power supply that won't be a fire hazard. It's kinda hard to read(for me at least) but it's a great resource for picking the power supply.

How do I build my own pc?

Posted by Next-Theme-2069@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 24 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Watch a few YouTube videos on assembling a PC. I did it for the first time last year and it went really smoothly. 4-5k should get you a very nice pc (depending on tarrifs). Also pcpartpicker is an amazing resource that'll help you check compatibility of components.

Return 7900xt for 5070?

Posted by DizzySignal7@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 28 comments

etapollo13@reddit

If it helps i absolutely love my 7900xt. Been running it for a year now without driver, temp, or performance issues in 3440x1440p ultra settings

[USA GIVEAWAY] Win the new 27” 4K Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 gaming monitor!

Posted by Rocket-Pilot@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 17632 comments

Figures Dam it No more HYTE in US

Posted by ifeeltired26@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 154 comments

Is HDR worth it?

Posted by Wild_Owl1276@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 22 comments

How do i convince my parents to let me BUILD my own pc

Posted by kaberdos_mastikus@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 111 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I built my first pc at 12. I'm 38 now and built my second pc last year. It was pretty easy both times. Just educate yourself ahead of time and when building it, take your time and make sure to have a step by step video playing/pausing while you build. I bet if you can educate yourself on the parts and how they need to be assembled, you could demonstrate to your mom that you know how to do it. Also if anything breaks you can return it usually. Just buy from Amazon and return it. Also make sure to buy everything at the same time so everything is in the same return window. I had to wait 3 months for my computer case and luckily ended up checking all of my components because my motherboard came with bent pins. If i had waited until i got my case i would have been past the return window.

Today I discovered that "4K is useless at 27 inch" is an outdated ignorant opinion.

Posted by Eleonoraa_@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 874 comments

etapollo13@reddit

That's roughly what i run now. I have a 45" 3440x1440. It's huge, and you can pretty easily see the pixels. Luckily i sit almost 2 arm lengths away so it's perfect for me. I'd honestly still be running 34" if it weren't for the insane deal i got on the super fancy monitor i have now. It's curved 45"oled 240fps, and i got it for about $550 brand new through auction. It retails for about $1700.

Today I discovered that "4K is useless at 27 inch" is an outdated ignorant opinion.

Posted by Eleonoraa_@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 874 comments

Any tips on transporting a PC?

Posted by Green-Performer-8994@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 134 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Take the side panel off and gently put a tightly woven soft linen in there kinda taco'd around the GPU. It's not without rush but that's what I've done on a short trip. The right thing to do is buy computer expanding foam packets. They're like 2-3 bucks a piece on Amazon. But more than one because you will fail installing the first one. They cure really fast. I used one of these foam packs and moved a pc in the car from AZ to OK with no damage, and new Mexico roads are mostly composed of potholes.

Was upgrading to a 5070 a mistake?

Posted by LeCasanovaa@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 273 comments

Should I be avoiding the ASRock mobo with a 9800X3D?

Posted by PositiveClimbGearUp@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 55 comments

Are ASUS products really as bad as people make them out to be?

Posted by Trawzor@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 216 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Search the video by gamers Nexus called something like "asus scammed us." It was i think within the last year. It's pretty crazy and puts Asus on my no-go list until they establish a new track record of operating in good faith.

Considering a 4K OLED Monitor – Is It Worth It?

Posted by stm-1@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 161 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Just got an LG 45" ultrawide curved OLED and it's absolutely amazing. It's 3440x1440p so you can see the pixels of your sitting close but at a normal distance it's incredible

What’s the best mouse money can buy?

Posted by Impossible-Plane-990@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 241 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Only one other person said it so I'll repeat it. WL Mouse Beast X mini. I've used a couple dozen higher end mice, the beast x mini is the winner and it's not very close. There are multiple sizes so check your hands size and grip style. The regular beast X is too big for me even though i have large hands. I use a relaxed claw so the mini is perfect.

What’s the best mouse money can buy?

Posted by Impossible-Plane-990@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 241 comments

What’s the best mouse money can buy?

Posted by Impossible-Plane-990@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 241 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I can't believe nobody else said it yet. I've used dozens of higher end mice (i do light auction trading) and the beast x mini is my favorite mouse by a huge margin. Ironically i have big hands, but with my lazy claw grip the mini is the perfect size. Weirdly enough shout out to the lofree touch pbt mouse. It looks uncomfortable as hell but it's a great daily driver at work.

This pos won’t give my monitor signal

Posted by AegonOfficial@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 4 comments

etapollo13@reddit

This is a weird question because I'm assuming you are doing it right, but if your monitor cable plugged into the GPU rather than MOBO I/O? I'm not sure if your CPU has an IGPU but if it doesn't, that could be a reason you're getting no output.

i need some help for a pc.

Posted by bod_light@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 8 comments

etapollo13@reddit

You can shave money off the noctua cooler, monitor (check out the AOC 3440x1440p curved monitor, it is less than $300 and it's amazing for a VA monitor) and windows.

Hello lovelies. My 10 year old PC needs some help but I know next to nothing.

Posted by schwindlig@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 9 comments

etapollo13@reddit

So your ram is fine, i wouldn't swap it out. You could get an am4 motherboard and ryzen 5k series CPU and keep your old RAM, but if you do this it will likely work better just using 2 sticks (32gb) of your ram instead of all 4(64gb). 32 gigs of ram is plenty for most applications. I have a new $2k pc i built last year with 32 gigs of ram, and I'm not tempted to upgrade to 64. As far as GPUs go, the upcoming radeon 9060 could be a good way to get a big jump in performance. Otherwise a radeon 7600 or nvidia equivalent should run a couple hundred bucks and will still make a big difference.

Is it a bad idea to build an expensive computer with no experience?

Posted by Odd_Key_6385@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 155 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I did last year and it went great! Just watch tutorials and whole building have an assembly video running to make sure you don't miss anything. Go slowly and you'll be fine

Nvidia frustration pushed me to 7900xt

Posted by Vegetable_Frame3628@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 682 comments

Nvidia frustration pushed me to 7900xt

Posted by Vegetable_Frame3628@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 682 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I run ray tracing on my 7900xt in every game i play. The only game where I've had to run framegen to keep 1440p ultra settings with ray tracing is cyberpunk. Black myth should be similar but otherwise i maintain 140fps+ in 3440x1440p ultra in everything i play. Ray tracing kills performance of Nvidia and AMD? It just looks Nvidia less.

Nvidia frustration pushed me to 7900xt

Posted by Vegetable_Frame3628@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 682 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I love my 7900xt. Its a beast in 3440x1440p. I kinda wish that there was a compelling competitor in this new generation, but I'm even more glad that i don't feel any fomo and should be set until UDNA/6000 series.

[9800x3d+7900XTX] should I get an ultra wide OLED 1440p monitor?

Posted by unrul3d@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 15 comments

etapollo13@reddit

It's excellent. I haven't run into a single issue with a game not supporting the resolution. The rare exception is sometimes cutscenes are locked to a specific aspect ratio so you get temporary black bars during cutscenes.

[9800x3d+7900XTX] should I get an ultra wide OLED 1440p monitor?

Posted by unrul3d@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 15 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I run a 3440x1440p monitor and it's great for gaming and work. I'm looking at keeping the resolution the same but upgrading to an oled panel

Do most people buy custom cables or they get lucky their PSU had good looking ones?

Posted by CatBeansNBellies@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 132 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Lol you're completely right. I learned hard into aesthetics because it's on my desk and my first self built machine. I ended up with a 7900xt when i could have gone xtx if i didn't consider aesthetics at all. No regrets as I look at it almost as much as the monitor. To be fair, the aesthetics of the case (thermaltake tower 300 matcha green) was the thing that convinced me to build my first gaming pc in the first place, so I'm not upset that i leaned into the thing that sparked my interest in pc building. I was watching CES 2024 coverage, saw the new case, and almost immediately started saving/planning the build. It is crazy to run 4 dimms ddr5 just for the solid look. If at the time there was a 2 slot mobo available in Matx, i probably would have been willing to spend an extra $20 just for the clean look. That's the beautiful thing about building your own. You choose what's important to you.

Do most people buy custom cables or they get lucky their PSU had good looking ones?

Posted by CatBeansNBellies@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 132 comments

etapollo13@reddit

This is such an important distinction. Extensions should not be used as cable replacements. They're safe if purchased from a reputable source... Unless you have 12VHPWR. I would have a tough time trusting a stock connector much less a custom 12VHPWR connector.

Do most people buy custom cables or they get lucky their PSU had good looking ones?

Posted by CatBeansNBellies@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 132 comments

etapollo13@reddit

So i bought custom, but to be clear, cable extensions don't replace the psu cables, but attach to the end of the cable. If you use custom cable extensions as cable replacements, you could have a very bad time. Mine were kinda pricey for the color I wanted, but they look awesome and work great. No hanging pigtails or crinkly cables.

At 27", which one would be better: 144hz 4K or 240hz 2K ?

Posted by kqk2000@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 224 comments

At 27", which one would be better: 144hz 4K or 240hz 2K ?

Posted by kqk2000@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 224 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Im in the same boat. I run 35" 3440x1440 ultra wide and it looks incredibly sharp. I'm looking at upgrading my VA panel to oled soon, but I'm going to keep it at the current resolution. I have a 7900xt/7800x3d so i could technically go 4k, but my current resolution is gorgeous.

Why does it feel like manufacturers are far behind developers?

Posted by Cakalacky@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 80 comments

etapollo13@reddit

There are big time diminishing returns when you go top of the line. At the top end you spend an incredible amount of money for vanishing improvements in performance. I ended up spending about $2k (i could have keep it closer to 1.5k but went aesthetic) on a 7800x3d/7900xt build and it crushes everything in 3440x1440p. I don't really know if developers are "ahead"so much as they are releasing unoptimized games. Moore's law appears to be dying so the last 20 years of growth rate in hardware are slowing down.

Is it worth going from an RTX 4060 with 1440p monitor to an amd 7900xtx?

Posted by TheseConcert1427@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 117 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I'm in the same boat, I'll believe it when i see it. I really want the 8800xt to be a huge jump up from my 7900XT, but I'm not sold on the rumors

Is it worth going from an RTX 4060 with 1440p monitor to an amd 7900xtx?

Posted by TheseConcert1427@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 117 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Yes. As you go higher in performance, there are diminishing returns in the terms of "frames per dollar." This is especially true in GPUs. Even though AMD GPUs tend to be a better value proposition, they also have diminishing returns when it comes to value. This is why i got a 7900xt even though i could have afforded a 7900xtx. Im running ultrawide 1440p, and 7900xt was "good enough" (it's usually overkill) and i couldn't justify paying 30% more on a GPU that has about 15% better performance.

How far behind the curve is my PC?

Posted by BigwoodsBeard@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 89 comments

etapollo13@reddit

That's tough because obviously the GPU is the main limiting factor, but in stalker 2 the bottleneck could weirdly be the CPU. Crazy "optimization"in that game

Friend made this build for me. Thought?

Posted by fainfive@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 4 comments

etapollo13@reddit

If you have the budget for it I'd go with more storage, but it looks good otherwise. I ended up building my pc with 6tb m.2 storage and don't regret it.

Is there any point getting the 9800x3d or 7800x3d for most?

Posted by Ackatv@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 11 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I run 3440x1440p resolution with a 7900xt and a 7800x3d. There are several games in which my bottleneck is the CPU. Stalker 2 is a good recent example. I would not be able to average 65ish fps on high settings native with a "less capable" CPU. Most games are going to be GPU limited at higher resolution, but not all.

What are the best strategies for the *average* PC user to avoid bloatware on a new setup?

Posted by Charrikayu@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 96 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Ive only built one pc recently, but i love modifying hardware with custom shells (switch, steam deck etc) and the feeling is pretty similar. It's easy but there are many steps to keep track of, so you need to go slow and follow a guide. It's easy but the scary part is the high impact of making a big mistake (my fear was bending cpu pins on the motherboard). Building a pc there are very few ways to break it by putting it together wrong. The vast majority of mistakes will lead to the pc not turning on. It's easy as long as you can go slow and keep your cool.

Should I return my NZXT build after the scandal?

Posted by WalkingRock829@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 21 comments

etapollo13@reddit

You're fine. The main issue with the recent controversy is their predatory rental scheme. Their pc's are fine, and if you got a good discount on one you probably got a decent deal. If you're worrying about making an ethical purchasing decision from a major corporation, then good luck. There are no heroes when it comes to multinational corporations. Just better and worse versions of unethical.

Thoughts on this ASUS prebuilt from BestBuy? Intel Core i7-14700KF, 32GB RAM, 4070 SUPER, 2TB SSD

Posted by seriouslynoideaman@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 3 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I personally wouldn't touch anything asus until they've demonstrated a track record of not engaging in crazy anti consumer schemes. You can build a similar pc for about the same price right now with a better cpu and a case that is more "you". Also i wouldn't want to go with an intel 13700 cpu. They're in the booboo box with asus at the moment, and the 13700 cpus can potentially degrade.

My new RX 7900XT is underperforming and I don't know why

Posted by Unusual-Operation945@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 44 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Yes, especially with a 7900xt you should be using 2 separate cables. Worst case you have a bad PSU and it could cause instability/damage. Best case you're leaving performance on the table.

My new RX 7900XT is underperforming and I don't know why

Posted by Unusual-Operation945@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 44 comments

etapollo13@reddit

I second the other commenter that you should be running 2 separate 8 pin cables. You can pig tail, but you're going to limit power delivery significantly. You're main issues are your CPU and using userbenchmark, but after those are fixed, consider a second 8 pin cable

My new RX 7900XT is underperforming and I don't know why

Posted by Unusual-Operation945@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 44 comments

How to properly decide if No RGB PC build is better than RGB and vice versa?

Posted by BurritoK1ll3r@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 7 comments

etapollo13@reddit

Here's what you do. Flip a coin. The trick isn't just going with whatever won the coin flip, but after the coin flip and winner is determined, ask yourself if you're disappointed in the winner of the coin flip. If you're not disappointed at all, go with the winner. If you are disappointed in the results, you know you wanted the loser of the coin flip the whole time and go with that option.

I know nothing - want to buy monitors for my boyfriend as a gift.

Posted by Ok-Monitor4663@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 65 comments

etapollo13@reddit

You're right, although there are some really good (for VA) panels these days. I have an AOC widescreen VA panel and it's incredible(again, for a VA panel) during super dark scenes i can occasionally notice the backlight/greyish blacks, but there is absolutely zero smearing in any scenario. The action is super crisp. I'll eventually get an OLED or micro LED etc, but I haven't found anything yet that checks all my boxes. Im really surprised at how good a VA panel can be after owning this monitor.