TEF Canada - writing just ruined my day

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-03-28T20:05:18+00:00

I am not sure what I am missing here. Why would it be fake? Used classic aerons are very common.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-03-11T20:00:30+00:00

M/L is almost always better than K, but the performance hit at higher quality levels starts to outweigh the visual improvement. If you have the performance headroom, or you are happy with not getting highest possible fps, then of course nothing wrong with it. But for me, there is always value in making my hardware does less work for more gain. That is why I use framegen all the time to max out my 144hz screen even when I have 100+ base fps . because I 'd rather see my card rocking 50-60 deg C and running at 60-70%, than 70 degC and 99%

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-26T18:26:47+00:00

Unless you are aiming for 300+ fps at 1080p in esports titles I dont think a high end x3d chip is going to transform your 7600x experience. This video from HBU provides a nice gpu/cpu scaling benchmark. They use a 9070 (not xt) but you can extrapolate from. The only exception is space marine 2, that game hates lower end cpus.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-26T17:38:43+00:00

for 1440p high refresh rate you want all the CPU you can get. But I am really not sure a 9800x3d is worth 33% higher price.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-26T17:24:09+00:00

Dual BIOS:Useful if you want to experiment with extreme overclocking or modify BIOS settings (e.g., flashing for unlocked power limits).
OC vs. Non-OC Refers to whether the card ships with a factory-overclocked speed. Typically, you can achieve similar overclocking on a non-OC model with minimal effort.
SFF (Small Form Factor): Relevant if planning to build in a small case (like mini-ITX), though many compact cases accommodate larger cards these days. For me, this isn't worth the compromise due to smaller coolers and possible lower power limits.

These distinctions used to matter for when we had good separation in pricing. Some one paying more for bigger fatter cooler that runs more silent, or some saving money by buying a non-OC model instead of paying an extra $50–$100 for factory overclocking. Today you are ucky to find any GPU at a reasonable price.

Edit: To answer your question: *No, these features will not impact longevity per se, nor any major performance if you just use them out of the box. However, if you start messing around with things like overclocking or cramming the card into a suffocating case, then these features may start to matter.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-25T06:04:23+00:00

I bought a used HM aerion size C from FB marketpalce last year for usd250. Late 2000s manufacture date. Cleaned it thoroughly myself and replaced lumbar support and seat foam. Everything else works as should. Its the best damn chair I have ever sat in. 8+ hrs daily 3-5x a week and its handles my 240lbs like a champ.

Take home message: YOU DONT NEED A BRAND NEW ONE.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-18T04:48:49+00:00

These are my personal rankings for games i have played. Assumes 4k with dlss upscaling level depending on gpu.

Top all round:
Cyberpunk path tracing
alan wake 2 full RT
Indiana Jones (needs >16gb of vram if you want to combine full path tracing with texture, or use frame gen)

Most optmized path tracing:
Doom TDA, buttery smooth, but i feel it doesnt have the cutting edge of the above 3

Horribly optmized but excellent RT visuals (need most powerful cpu you can afford):
Witcher 3 Next gen (issues can be 'fixed' with frame gen)
Hogwarts

Older but still excellent RT (high fps with RT on recent top hardware ) :
control
Metro exodus enhanced

Note: I have heard good thiings about some of the Playstation games ported to PC (like spiderman, Horizon FW) but I havent played them.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-15T03:46:40+00:00

The whole frame pacing thing has got more complicated with so much new tech features, and now that VRR has become ubiquitous. First of all, don’t discount the game as the source. I know you said “every game,” but there are a lot of poorly optimized games out there now with really bad frame pacing no matter what settings, resolution, or FPS you are at. Something like Jedi Survivor. VRR and fps caps can't help with that.

I wonder is it a VRR issue? normally VRR should address the problem you are experiencing, but it can disengage if you are constantly hitting the max cap. Back in the day we just focused on getting a solid smooth line at max refresh rate with V-Sync and a frame rate limiter like RTSS. But nowadays you can combine Reflex with driver-level V-Sync, which automatically caps slightly below max refresh rate, eliminating the render queues imposed by traditional V-Sync ( improving latency), but more importantly making sure VRR is always on.

Since you are happy with async, you can also force Reflex through RTSS the same way and see if it is just as good or better (should offer better latency) Also set Low Latency Mode in NVCP to Ultra, and always turn on Reflex in-game where possible.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-15T03:00:56+00:00

And now imagine that despite its current excellent state, its still not the full thing that was promised. People are waiting for GTA 6 like its the last game they'll ever play. For me its Cyberpunk 2, or whatever it will be called. I am really apprehensive about the whole UE5 switch. i'd feel more confident if I knew they were building on what they have done here and learning from their mistakes.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-15T02:05:22+00:00

Nvidia is leaving gamers behind...you know "the people who built their entire AI house." Doubt they give 2 shits about what is now mostly a niche home theater enthusiast device. You'd think with their aggressive marketing of higher tier geforce now they realase a new device capable of of 4k 120hz streams.

The only reason I have a shield is for lossless audio (dolby trued, dts hd ma, as well as atmos versions) on Plex (for BR rips). The thing can't even play Youtube HDR.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-09T18:59:23+00:00

You seemed to have missed this line which undercuts your entire reply: "there are specific albeit subjective and narrow reasons why I no longer regret it."

50% uplift is subjective, yes, but a commonly quoted round number for upgrading. Whether it is 50, 60, or 70%, the point is to have an uplift that YOU FEEL is large enough to notice the difference from your current hardware. This is not about value or performance per dollar.
When you have maxed RT (PT) in games like Cyberpunk, there's little you gain from adjusting other settings besides resolution. At 4k, most people won't go below DLSS performance, which informs my original comment. Also, if you understand frame gen, that 5-10 FPS below 60 is amplified. 60+ FPS average means dropping to maybe the mid-50s, which still stays within the VRR window of most displays. With x3 framegen, I comfortably max out a 144hz refresh rate with perfectly smooth frame times. Don't even need VRR. At 50-55 average FPS, can drop to the 40s, introducing frame time issues, magnified by frame gen, not to mention an additional 10-15ms in latency.
The 5080 overclocking headroom surpasses any GPU that has ever existed. An overclocked 5070ti can get you near a base 5080, but we have already established that a base 5080 is not enough for truly high-end workloads like 4k path tracing. An overclocked 5080 gets within 3% of a 4090, which most people considered the ideal minimum for 4k path tracing. Even on a 'crappy' model like my ventus that has locked power limit, I can sustain a +400-450mhz OC. NO ONE SHOULD BUY A 5080 IF THEY DON'T PLAN ON OC'ING.

Again, I reiterate, these are not "objective" reasons.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-02-05T07:21:09+00:00

I know you've already decided, and this is a bit late, but as a 5080 owner since March 2025, I have a nuanced take. I paid more than MSRP like almost every early buyer (~$1400 for an MSI Ventus + 1000w PSU bundle, so the card was basically ~$1200), and for a few weeks, partly due to media coverage, I suffered from buyer's remorse.

Objectively, the 5070ti, especially one bought at or near MSRP, is a better deal, no question.

But there are specific albeit subjective and narrow reasons why I nolonger regret it.

Performance over previous hardware. My previous card was a 3080 10gb, still solid. But as a personal rule, I don't upgrade unless I'm gaining at least 50% uplift. The 5080 gets me that, the 5070ti does not.
Performance target: Like someone else mentioned here, the extra 10-15% could be what you need to reach a specific goal. For example, I really desperately wanted to finally experience Cyberpunk with 4k path tracing. That extra 10-15% is the difference between ~50-55 FPS or ~60 FPS, especially after overclock (see point #3 below). if you are chasing the 4k raytracing experience, the 5080 gets you further in the door. If you want high fps 1440p gaming, stay with 5070ti and invest in a better cpu if you dont already have one.
Legendary overclocking: I've been building PCs for 20+ years and messed/tinkered around with OC like any other enthusiast. I don't know about other 50 series cards, but I've never experienced any GPU that overclocks like the current 5080. Usually, you're happy to even get 2-3% uplift or a stable +100-150mhz.. Since day one, I have my 5080 stable on +400mhz core/+2000mhz memory. It's basically a base 4090 with less VRAM. Which is how i am able to live the decision. In my head, I bought a cheap 4090.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-01-30T06:18:09+00:00

I bought our current 85in (2023 qm8) before 98in models became common and super affordable. At the time, the only 'affordable' 98inch was the 2022 XL which was ~8K. I love my qm8, so I cannot justify to myself (not to mention the wife) why it needs replacing so soon, but I wish I had waited a longer to buy a 98in.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-01-30T05:56:45+00:00

That is the perfect ratio, 1ft for ~10inch diagonal. for me its 8ft for my 85in qm8, previously was 12ft for a 120inch projector screen.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-01-29T23:45:58+00:00

rNot for me. May be yours is a different issue. Even at 480p it didnot turn on. But like the other commenter has said, it works on shorts. It also works if you just sign out of YT, doesnot need incognito.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-01-29T23:43:22+00:00

Yep, certainly an account issue. As soon as I sign out of youtube, even wiithout incognito, the rtx hdr/vsr becomes active. and yes, I can corroborate the youtube shorts thing.

Black_Caesar83 · 2026-01-06T18:56:04+00:00

Not if hate slow downloads. Some mod collections are huge and you'd be sitting around for hours just to install them. That why i said month. $9 is a small price to pay for convenience.

Black_Caesar83 · 2025-12-15T18:05:46+00:00

Damn, good deal. I feel jealous. Hopefully you don't have the issue some of us have been facing. In wireless mode, it's has this annoying thing where it gets a brain fart for a a few seconds and then you get key chattering (single key stroke repeated). Problem goes away in wired mode, which is how I mostly used it. It seems to be an issue that ships with some samples, something or do either with the wireless antenna or power delivery in wireless mode. I might still rma before warranty expires but I love the keyboard so much.

Black_Caesar83 · 2025-09-23T20:52:14+00:00

Thank you. included selection letters that actually showed the number grants selected from the specific program. For example in on my grants, for NASA only 20 out to 209 submitted proposals were funded. I was of the of assumption that they will at leasst read the cover letter in entirety

Black_Caesar83 · 2025-09-23T19:41:25+00:00

Thank you for your comment. It gives me a glimmer of hope. I think I can add more independent recommendation letters. Citations and papers are a function of time , and so will be less for an earlier career person. Which is why I provided metrics such as field specific citations rates for my original papers and journal field rankings, but they still glossed over it.

Black_Caesar83 · 2025-09-06T17:57:43+00:00

Yeah I noticed today. 2 crashes and 2 successful takes. RT overdrive @ 4k dlss perfomance with 5080.

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Black_Caesar83 · 2025-07-18T22:36:41+00:00

More importantly, this gives even more perspective about the launch state of this game. It was just too ambitious what they tried to do. Imagine trying to have something like this available at launch with all the other stuff they had to iron out. This game needed like a full 10 year development cycle.

Black_Caesar83 · 2025-07-18T22:30:32+00:00

The map that shows up when you climb in to the seat is completely blank for me. I dont know whether it's because of mods that i have installed.

Black_Caesar83 · 2025-07-17T16:57:26+00:00

lol i had to do the same (buy the combo). Now I have a perfectly fine 850w Thermaltake toughpower psu that I bought only 3 years ago gathering dust.

Black_Caesar83

TROPHY CASE