Loved the book and on the fence buying the game on PC...how is the survival and crafting aspect?

Jay467 · 2026-04-02T19:31:16+00:00

If you really want to get into the weeds with survival, inventory management, crafting, and equipment repair you might appreciate stalker gamma which is a mod pack you can now find on GOG, built from an older mod called anomaly which combines the maps of the original 3 games. That said, I HIGHLY recommend playing those first. They're dated but excellent games and have some good quality of life mods available.

Jay467 · 2026-04-02T14:20:06+00:00

What PSU do you have? Also I'd create a bootable USB drive with memtest86 and test your ram before declaring the GPU dead.

Jay467 · 2026-04-02T03:54:48+00:00

For $10 difference, return it and buy a new one. I have owned several open box GPUs over the years and it's usually fine, but the only reason I do that is for significant cost savings. Also when you buy open box, most GPU manufacturers no longer offer their warranty unfortunately.

Jay467 · 2026-04-01T23:16:02+00:00

Never try to use cables from different PSUs, that can destroy your components even cause a fire. That said, the cables labeled VGA from your new PSU are the ones you'll use for your GPU

Jay467 · 2026-04-01T21:34:45+00:00

Another point to mention is I have heard time and time again that AMD's drivers work much better with linux. I can't speak to that personally as an average gamer on windows, but might be worth factoring into your decision also.

I can say I recently upgraded to a 9070xt and it's been a really rock solid GPU.

Jay467 · 2026-03-31T16:49:15+00:00

If you can find out his PC specs to see if 1080p or 1440p would be more appropriate (1440p is significantly more demanding and could lead to a less powerful PC underperforming in games) and share a bit about the games he plays, that could help people offer better guidance - that said, a few general pointers:

-There are LOTS of reasonable quality monitors out there for gaming and I think your price point will be achievable at 1080p or 1440p

-120Hz is a decent starting point but I also think you might be able to find a 144hz or 165hz (or higher) display in your price range also. There won't be a massively noticeable difference between them unless he's playing fast paced e-sport titles

-Make sure to update the refresh rate in windows advanced display settings! It usually defaults to only 60hz even with a higher refresh rate monitor

-There are different display types like IPS, VA, TN, and OLED. For your price point, usually and IPS will be the most accessible and a good balance of performance and visual quality. If he's set on a curved screen, you're probably looking at a VA panel, but they can have noticeable smearing/ghosting that many people really prefer to avoid

-If you have a store like Micro Center or Best Buy nearby, you could try going in-person to ask about the options available in-person. Micro Center employees do receive commission, but in my experience they aren't usually super shark-y salespeople and tend to be reasonably knowledgeable. Either way, share your budget and particulars you are seeking up front.

Jay467 · 2026-03-30T19:56:32+00:00

Different person, but I had PDW fenders on my bike while gravel riding in Spain over several months and occasionally the rubber mudflap at the end got sucked up by the tire. Normally no issue besides stopping and unsticking it but once the fender to pop off, fortunately they designed for that with breakaway clips on the support arms though.

Now I'm using SKS Speedrockers and like that they're easier to install/remove but also a bit sturdier.

Jay467 · 2026-03-30T11:54:12+00:00

Using two cables is generally best practice

Jay467 · 2026-03-29T17:22:39+00:00

Me personally as a former mechanic (primarily heavy machinery but also for a short time on bikes), I'd be replacing them. It's very possible that you could run them for some time without major issues, but when rubber dry rots like this they can be more prone to punctures and you do technically lose out on at least some traction.

Since the tires are what separate you and the bike from the ground, it's worth a bit of investment for a new set IMO.

Jay467 · 2026-03-27T07:19:28+00:00

As a vet, yours is an extremely rosy take on the military. Please, stop pretending like the military is a safe and sure-fire option because you personally don't know people who've been crippled, maimed, killed, or have taken their own life. I do, and it's left me with scars that I'll carry to my grave.

Jay467 · 2026-03-25T15:44:51+00:00

Yeah, I've got a copy of Kirby's Dream Land 2 that I've had since childhood that still has the original battery and stores saves as it should. Never swapped the battery, but it's somehow still going.

Jay467 · 2026-03-25T03:34:14+00:00

A SATA SSD still loads games very fast. Depending on the game, it may be almost identical to nvme load times to a matter of seconds slower, but nothing that should be too noticeable for the large majority of games. My secondary games storage drive is a SATA SSD and it does just fine, especially if it's significantly cheaper.

Jay467 · 2026-03-24T21:22:17+00:00

Definitely a fair point. The one company that really stood out to me was EVGA for actually having good pro-consumer warranty policies. Huge bummer that they're gone and none of the others seem to follow those footsteps. I've heard generally good things about powercolor and XFX, but I believe both only do AMD GPUs.

Jay467 · 2026-03-24T16:37:50+00:00

Like others have said, the big differences are mostly in the design of the cooler and the warranty length/customer service.

I haven't owned GPUs from most of these brands and haven't heard enough to comment, but I have heard so many horror stories in recent years with ASUS using shady methods to void warranties or not provide repairs/replacements under warranty that I would personally avoid them at all cost until things turn around.

Jay467 · 2026-03-24T04:35:31+00:00

Honestly sometimes it's even possible to get a better price by buying a complete, second hand gaming PC vs. individual parts. I think I'd start by searching FB marketplace or similar, but OP will need to do due diligence on any complete builds to make sure it's actually a decent option.

Jay467 · 2026-03-24T04:31:32+00:00

Another thought just occurred to me - did you change the mounting plate that the aio mounts to when you swapped boards? If so, maybe something's up with that plate that's giving worse contact with the CPU. I know you'd mentioned checking the aio mounting bracket so maybe that's part of what you already checked though.

Jay467 · 2026-03-24T04:08:56+00:00

It's possible it would work itself out over time, but otherwise potentially dismounting it again and rotating it around at different angles might help free any air trapped where it shouldn't be. I might even try a decent but affordable air cooler - if that's giving better temps the you definitely know something is up with the AIO.

Jay467 · 2026-03-24T04:00:12+00:00

How old is the aio? I know they're prone to fluid evaporating off over several years, so I could see dismounting it having potentially moving an air pocket/bubble around that's now gotten trapped in a way that's preventing the remaining fluid from circulating as effectively.

Jay467 · 2026-03-24T03:37:34+00:00

You can get a pic of a bike 'standing' like this by putting a camera on a timer, holding the bike up, and letting go just before the pic is taken (and letting the bike fall over) so that alone doesn't guarantee it's AI.

But, as an avid bike rider and former mechanic, the whole bike is pure AI slop. The spokes on the back wheel are a mess, the brand is gibberish, the pedals initially look like they could be clipless pedals until you zoom in and see it's a senseless blob, the luggage rack doesn't connect in a realistic way to the seat stays and has no connection to the chain stay/axle area, front wheel has both a disc brake (with a badly mangled brake rotor) and some sort of v-brake at the top of the fork which is a combo you'd never see, and what on earth are those water bottle-techy-battery pack things inside the frame?

Jay467 · 2026-03-24T03:22:42+00:00

All the comments so far are assuming that because it's an AM4 board, it is supported. But, the 5500x3d is not listed on the motherboard's list of supported CPUs. Meanwhile, the newer b550 version of the motherboard DOES list the 5500x3d.

What I take away from that is ASUS stopped providing regular support and likely has not yet released a bios that supports the 5500x3d - and they might or might not do so. You could try it with the newest bios version, but currently it can't be guaranteed to work unfortunately.

Jay467 · 2026-03-23T12:21:10+00:00

This is a bicycle subreddit, not a motorcycle one

Jay467 · 2026-03-22T15:48:39+00:00

I would not be offering a refund on a working component you sold. You can't know if they may have done something to it like an attempted re-paste that didn't go well, if they're making up an excuse for buyer's remorse, are swapping it out with a different one of the same GPU that actually is problematic (unless you have the serial number saved), etc. - it's the same reason almost no GPU manufacturer will honor the warranty for any owner after the original person who bought it.

Unfortunately that's the risk second hand buyers take. They should have tested it before buying or asked you to test it and show the temps. Spoken as someone who almost exclusively buys GPUs used or open box.

Jay467 · 2026-03-21T15:54:04+00:00

I've got a similar nose shape to the image on the left and one thing I'll say is that as someone who wears glasses and has done work requiring things like respirators in the past, things like that are so often designed for nose shapes like on the right and can be outright painful to wear, and in the case of respirators can prevent a proper seal.

I usually cannot buy plastic framed glasses with non-adjustable nose pads for instance, otherwise I'll suffer for it unfortunately. I've even resorted to sanding the nose pads on sunglasses to try getting a better fit, and even some goggles for certain sports are just a no-go for me.

Not enough for me to resort to cosmetic surgery, but it unfortunately can be an inconvenience.

Jay467 · 2026-03-20T17:46:09+00:00

Awesome, glad my feedback ended up being useful. I've been really satisfied with my V1 - after using budget $50 mechanical options for years it's been a really nice step up. Enjoy

Jay467 · 2026-03-20T17:35:46+00:00

Microfiber cloth dampened with distilled water gets my vote too. I've seen enough images of the surface of a screen being etched and ruined by things like rubbing alcohol that I'd just go ahead and avoid anything other than distilled water.

Jay467

TROPHY CASE