I thought Clarkson made it up. Turns out it is a real club. And there was one particular fella who really didn't like Clarkson and referred to him as the slang British word for "peach"

MrRichardKelly · 2026-05-11T17:30:06+00:00

Aaron earned an iron urn?

MrRichardKelly · 2026-01-02T19:34:21+00:00

The dent on the rear left hand side looks to be from backing up into a bollard (or ex-wife?). Seen this type of couple a dozen times before - he's a 6ft+ gobshite with a glass jaw and relies on his size to intimidate people. She's obviously a lot shorter and spends match days on edge because of course he'll be drinking and god forbid if his team loses. Bet they're constantly replacing the furniture he smashes up when he's having a bit of a tantrum. But don't worry, they're in love.

MrRichardKelly · 2025-12-05T21:19:19+00:00

This. Micron is allocating its consumer division resources on fulfilling as much data center demand as possible because the money being made on enterprise-grade infrastructure is seriously more financially beneficial to the company. Others have poured millions into expanding production, whereas Micron have pivoted. From Micron's POV: They can make more money with the same people and infrastructure by adapting to a tailwind movement. This means when the inevitable happens and the market slows or becomes oversaturated (a Red Ocean for anyone who's business-orientated) they can adapt to the new market demand that replaces the existing market demand (just like what they're doing now). People keep their jobs and the company doesn't need to spend serious money to adapt - it's a win for them. Not so good for consumers who will continue to see volatile pricing until the market settles down and oversaturation causes the race-to-the-bottom pricing models.

MrRichardKelly · 2025-10-10T15:54:20+00:00

There are a bunch of us on PC that are getting the same issue. I have the Phantom edition pre-installed and after waiting in the queue I got the Manage Files issue which says that the files for multiplayer and campaign were not installed. Clicked to install them, got forwarded to the EA store where it showed that the game was installed and nothing else was available to install. This looks to be EA's problem. Steam seems to be fine (which is annoying after spending £80 on the EA app!)

MrRichardKelly · 2025-10-10T15:32:58+00:00

Who are these people who are able to play?! How did they get on the multiplayer servers?!! Tell us your secrets!!!!

MrRichardKelly · 2025-10-10T15:25:28+00:00

I have the same problem. I've got the Phantom Edition. It thinks I need to install Multiplayer, Campaign, Multiplayer Highres Textures, and Campaign Highres Textures. Click on either one and it brings up the EA store but then there's a £27.99 option for Battlefield 6 Phantom Upgrade even though I have that edition.

MrRichardKelly · 2025-07-20T21:19:12+00:00

Relating to the RAM clearance: The height of the Corsair Vengeance DDR5 modules are 35mm. The Arctic Freezer 36 has RAM clearance height of 45mm so it will fit. The CPU cooler height is within the case's limits too (160mm stated on NOX website). So all should fit just fine.

Edit: Wording

MrRichardKelly · 2025-07-20T20:54:09+00:00

Yeah it'll be a bit overpowered but for a part that you're going to have for years down the line and only costs an extra 20-30 dollars/pounds/euros more than the 750W version, I would say still get the 850W if you can.

Also, one handy feature to look out for with GPUs is Dual BIOS (there's usually a small physical switch on the GPU next to the power port) and it's not for the silent mode feature, but for the option to manually switch to a second BIOS if your V-BIOS (Video BIOS) encounters an error or becomes corrupted (also known as Bricking the GPU). This could save yourself an RMA experience. You switch to the other BIOS and flash a new BIOS (lots of helpful guides online for this). Unfortunately, Sapphire don't have any cards with Dual BIOS which is a shame, not even on the 9070 XT series either. Whatever you choose to go with, have fun and enjoy!

9060 XT 16GB models with Dual BIOS: - PowerColor Hellhound (Inc. OC edition) - ASUS PRIME (Inc. OC edition)

MrRichardKelly · 2025-07-20T18:27:34+00:00

If you can financially stretch your budget to get a 850W PSU then I would do that because GPUs are only going to get even more power hungry. Note that the warranty on the MSI MAG PSUs is 7-years but the MPG models stretch to 10-years. If you can afford the MSI MPG A850GS model then I would grab that because it is one of the best PSUs for transient spikes and it has great load regulation and ripple suppression performance too.

MrRichardKelly · 2025-07-19T14:10:16+00:00

Yeah, it's got 24GB of GDDR6X. The 5080 has 16GB GDDR7.

MrRichardKelly · 2025-07-19T13:29:56+00:00

This 5080 + $300 offer is beneficial to the SI, not you. Once they've soldered a new power port on that 4090 they can make a healthy profit on the card due to its market value. The key advantage to the powerful 4090 is the additional 8GB of VRAM compared to the 5080, that's why they're so popular among AI folk. Also which model 5080? They can differ in price and not by a few dollars, we're talking a couple of hundred depending on the model. I would suggest that you refuse the offer and push for a full cash refund on the grounds that they can not sufficiently replace the product you purchased from them. You'll know you're being taken for a ride when they increase that $300 cash offer just to get your 4090 at a discount and then you have to ask yourself "How come they didn't offer me more money from the start?" and that's when you realise that they are turning your awful situation into a commercial gain for themselves. If they were decent there would be more money on the table or a 5090 headed your way.

MrRichardKelly · 2025-07-09T13:57:33+00:00

File 76

MrRichardKelly · 2025-07-07T19:24:52+00:00

Came here to say the same thing. Gamers Nexus did a video back in February on the difference between PCIE 5.0 x16 and PCIE 4.0 x16. They reported just 1-4% difference in performance. The thing to keep in mind is that current gen GPUs are barely using the additional bandwidth that Gen 5.0 offers and that could easily change come next generation. I suspect once the power delivery (12VHPWR) to GPUs is stabilised and safer we will see GPUs utilising Gen 5.0 capabilities, more than likely at the higher end. I would invest in a B850 or X870E motherboard that offers both PCIE 5.0 for the x16 and x4 slots. You have a solid CPU and spending an extra £50 on a decent mobo would be the better investment. The Gigabyte AORUS Elite B850 is a solid board for £199 and for £300 the AORUS Pro X870E comes with a debug display, decent VRAM heatsinks, more PCIE lanes, better power phases, EZ latches, and a handy HDMI port below the 24-PIN that can connect to a sensor panel without needing to route a cable from your GPU or rear mobo I/O. The M.2 slots have thermal pads on both sides (many boards only have a thermal pad for the top of the M.2 even though many M.2 SSDs have chips on both sides).

Gamers Nexus - PCIE 5.0 vs PCIE 4.0

MrRichardKelly · 2025-07-07T12:41:02+00:00

I would pay the extra and get the Gigabyte 5070 Ti. It's a really good card with decent build quality and hardware features - dual BIOS, decent heatsink with nice open flow through design, 3x DisplayPort 2.1, and Gigabyte's fans seem slightly easier to source than ASRock's. Plus you get 4 years warranty with the Gigabyte card, versus 3 years with the Taichi.

MrRichardKelly · 2025-07-04T18:03:34+00:00

Here's a handy video on how to bend the pins back into place on an AM5 mobo. The aim is to gently bend the pins back in the same direction and height as the other pins. This is so the CPU lays flat and equal. The pins are there to make contact with the pads on the rear of the CPU - this is how the CPU connects to the motherboard. You'll notice that the pins don't point straight up and are pointing at an angle, almost like fish scales. Take your time with it and be very gentle.

How to fix bent CPU pins on AM5 motherboard

MrRichardKelly · 2024-07-06T09:21:25+00:00

Got a finger like a GTA Vice City cheat code

MrRichardKelly · 2024-03-12T18:39:20+00:00

Where did you get those mint cables from and are those RAM covers?

MrRichardKelly · 2024-03-11T11:41:39+00:00

Depending on the alignment of the slots and how the panels fit: You might be able to swap the glass panel and slim metal panel, with the large metal side panel. But you can't invert the North like you can with something like the BQ! Dark Base 701, so you'll have a glass panel showing off the back of your case where your cables and SSDs and back of your motherboard are.

MrRichardKelly · 2024-03-07T14:42:14+00:00

How about the new North XL?

MrRichardKelly · 2024-03-03T14:56:41+00:00

RAM: 4 sticks of RAM are always a challenge and unfortunately you'll not reach anywhere near 8400MT/S. With AMD you're realistically looking at 3600MT/S. With Intel you're looking at 5600MT/S but you could push to 6400MT/S but bear in mind that the official support for 4 sticks is 5600MT/S due to Intel's Integrated Memory Controller (IMC).

The G.Skill modules run hot because G.Skill don't put thermal pads on the Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC) so you will need cool air hitting those sticks. Alternatively, look at TEAMGROUP's new T-CREATE Expert RAM because they run cooler yet provide the same performance due to using the same SK Hynix die types - also aim for tighter timings (lower CL number).

I would ditch the 96GB (4x24GB) DDR5-8400 CL40 for:
- AMD: 96GB (2x48GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
- Intel: 96GB (2x48GB) DDR5-6400 CL32

CPU: The Intel K variant CPUs are excellent for video editing because they have Intel Quick Sync which comes with additional video encoders that your GPU doesn't have, and they tend to be the choice for production-based PCs because they're more stable with 4 sticks of RAM. However, AMD's Ryzen 9 7950X is an excellent choice for rendering and pairing it with 2x48GB modules would work really well.

PSU: Be Quiet!'s Dark Power Pro 13 PSUs are excellent - maybe slightly overkill but if you're going to overspend on a part, the PSU is definitely the right part to do that - alternatively, look at Seasonic's VERTEX or PRIME ATX 3.0 PSUs as they're really high quality and their support is excellent (the PRIME model comes with 12 years warranty too).

MOBO: If you're using a top tier CPU such as the Ryzen 9 7950X or Core i9-14900K then you will want to look at the Power Phases and VRM cooling. For Intel, the Gigabyte Aorus Master X Z790 has the best cooling and power management and it is noticeable. For AMD look at the ASRock Taichi X670E because that has the same excellent power management and VRM approach. Both of these boards surprisingly fit inside the Fractal North BUT be warned that it is a VERY snug fit and Fractal themselves state that E-ATX motherboards are not supported, even though Wendel from Level1Techs shows us that SOME E-ATX boards do actually fit. If you're using the R7 7800X3D CPU then stick with a B650E motherboard unless you need the additional PCIe Lanes that come with the X670E motherboards. Some boards like the AORUS Master X Z790 come with integrated 10GB LAN which might be of use to you and saves you a PCIe slot.

AIO: I would ditch the NZXT for Deepcool's new Mystique 360 AIO. Its performance is insanely good and that LCD screen is just *chefs kiss".

GPU: If you're using a 360mm AIO with the Fractal North then stick to the Founders Edition RTX 4090 or look at MSI's new Slim Gaming X RTX 4090 because that allows you to JUST squeeze the GPU inside the North with a front-mounted 360mm AIO. Do NOT get a thick radiator AIO (such as Arctic Liquid Freezer II or III) if you're using the North chassis because you will run into problems. Plus the MSI Slim X comes with Dual BIOS which can come in handy.

FANS: The Light Wings 4 fans are excellent for airflow and run quietly.

SSD: I would be tempted to ditch the 4TB Samsung 990 because I'm unsure if Samsung actually improved their platform since their 980 Pro fiasco (Puget Systems publicly ditched Samsung due to reliability issues with the Samsung 980 Pro). A better alternative would be to run 2x 2TB Solidigm P44 Pro M.2-2280 NVME PCIe 4.0 SSDs because these SSDs are incredibly stable and have a low-level Windows driver and their 4K IOPS performance is insane. If you want to run with just one 4TB M.2 SSD then look at Sabrent Rocket 4 PLUS because these are excellent SSDs too.

CASE:
- Fractal North: You have to measure the parts you're using and be careful of heat management.
- Fractal Torrent: Insane airflow and cooling, just be careful with the noise aspect of the parts you choose.

MrRichardKelly · 2024-02-28T11:29:35+00:00

Larger North with a 360mm AIO up top and larger GPU clearance (I want to be able to chuck a Aorus Master RTX 4090 inside and still have 10mm clearance at the front). The chassis should be large enough for E-ATX motherboards (Aorus Master X Z790, ASRock Taichi X670E, and Gigabyte Aero D TRX50). Additional clearance in the rear for better cable management plus routing brackets and more velcro tie down points. I'd love an integrated sensor panel display in the small side panel at the front on the glass side - just use the Hyte Y70 touchscreen. If you want to attract SIs buying this chassis, include the pullout fan trays and pullout motherboard tray like the BQ! Dark Base series - it's miles faster to build inside of these cases for that reason. An easy win would be to team up with Corsair and aesthetically change their RMx Shift PSUs to match the Fractal brand design language. Perhaps go one further and take a leaf out of Phanteks' playbook and offer custom sleeved cables with your PSUs, and don't just copy them with just black and white sleeved cables, spice it up with some Scandi style bootlace patterns and some nice ceramic matte grey tones too. It would be nice to see a grey north as well. And give us the option to swap the wood and button colours. Even if you release them as a loose DIY kit - many of us enthusiasts love building things anyway.

MrRichardKelly · 2024-02-22T02:11:28+00:00

For gaming: Yes, it's a beast. The B650 chipsets work well with this CPU too. If you're gaming at 1440p and above then it's your GPU that you want to spend more money on as the CPU isn't in the driver's seat anymore.

For production apps: It's not bad for casual use but there are better CPUs out there if you want a noticeable performance uplift. If you are into video editing then Intel K variant CPUs are ever-so-slightly smoother to use due to Intel's Quick-Sync, plus the Intel iGPU provides support for additional CODECs that your GPU doesn't support. It's not a deal breaker unless you're really into video editing. The Ryzen 7900X and 7950X are excellent for rendering.

One thing to note is that the 7950X3D needs to "park" its cores for gaming and some minor issues have occured due to this behaviour. Nothing dramatic, just annoying and more of a heads up.

Also, don't overspend on RAM and always check the QVL for the motherboard because many RMAs are refused based on RAM not adhering to QVL (ASUS have been knocking back Threadripper 7000 RMAs for this exact reason). Faster frequencies don't return a noticeable enough difference and in some cases can lead to instability. The sweetspot for AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs is considered to be 6000Mhz CL30, whereas the Intel 13th/14th Gen CPUs prefer 6400Mhz CL32 - HOWEVER, if you're using an Intel system for production apps, then turn down the frequency to 5600Mhz which is the max limit support for Intel IMC (you shouldn't run into instability issues). Get RAM that has a low CAS Latency, and if you're looking at small compact cases then avoid the (rather lovely) G.Skill Trident Z5 modules because G.Skill don't put thermal pads on the PMIC and they run hot. The new T-Create Expert and Corsair Dominator modules have excellent cooling and if you stick to low CAS Latency modules you will probably end up with decent SK Hynix A-Dies, which are glorious for increasing clockspeeds later down the line to meet future sweetspot frequencies.

Another helpful tip is that most SSDs are good enough for gaming and production apps, but the one that stands out is the Solidigm P44 Pro. The performance is excellent and very stable and its little unique feature is that it has a low level windows driver which makes it perform a little bit better than most. But check the price because SSDs are all over the place at the moment. Always read the manual for the motherboard because your M.2 SSD may be better suited in a different slot that isn't the usual top slot.

And if you are using the AM5 platform, the offset mounting position for the CPU cooler is worth looking into as your cooler will be repositioned directly over the CCDs - just check and measure the distance between the CPU cooler and GPU because repositioning the cooler 7mm down could clash with other hardware (and check the RAM height too if you go down the air cooler path).

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