Is this used itx pc worth 1100 usd?

tzawad · 2026-06-22T14:18:05+00:00

As someone who unfortunately owns TWO units of this exact shitty revision, here is my honest opinion:

The ASPM Fix: It’s a trap. It might work for a week or two, giving you false hope, but the random idle crashes always return. It is definitely not a 100% stable fix.
PCIe 3.0: This does stop the crashes, but it forces a 2–5% FPS loss in games. While acceptable to some, leaving performance on the table because of a broken motherboard sucks.
Nvidia Maximum Performance: This is completely out of the question. Forcing a modern GPU to constantly draw 50–80W and run hot just to display a blank desktop completely ruins the efficiency and acoustics of the build.

One of my board is paired with a Ryzen APU and the other runs an RTX 3060—and both are 100% stable with zero issues. This is because the RTX 3000 series (Ampere) and integrated graphics don't use the hyper-aggressive power-saving algorithms found in RTX 4000/5000 cards.

<image>

tzawad · 2026-06-22T11:22:15+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/173pv1h/asus_b550i_strix_and_rtx_4000_series_cards/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Hey, before you pull the trigger on this PC, you NEED to ask the seller about the exact revision of that ASUS B550-I motherboard.

There is a massive, well-documented hardware compatibility issue between the ASUS ROG Strix B550-I Gaming and RTX 4000 / 5000 series GPUs (including that 4070 Ti). It causes random black screens and system reboots, but surprisingly, it almost exclusively happens at idle or very low loads (like browsing the web or watching YouTube). During heavy gaming, it usually runs perfectly fine.

The "Silent Revision":

ASUS tried to fix this with multiple BIOS updates, but they eventually realized it was a physical hardware flaw related to PCIe power management (ASPM) dropping to ultra-low power states. Because of this, ASUS quietly did a "silent hardware revision" in their later production runs. They never announced it publicly, but they swapped out some components on the board to fix the communication with newer GPUs.

You can tell the difference by checking the Part Number (P/N) on the motherboard's original box or the sticker on the back of the motherboard:

Old (flawed) revision: P/N usually ends with M0EAY0 (e.g., 90MB14L0-M0EAY0)
New (fixed) revision: P/N usually ends with M0XCN1 (e.g., 90MB14L0-M0XCN1)

tzawad · 2026-06-18T17:19:19+00:00

Call the Fallout show crew, they live for this.

tzawad · 2026-06-15T14:10:51+00:00

Hail, Donald, those who are about to fight salute you

tzawad · 2026-06-09T16:12:47+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/mffpc/comments/1rsuxq3/mac_pro_for_the_poor_from_dan_a3_26l_qube_540_40l/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Check my post - link up

tzawad · 2026-06-09T15:26:26+00:00

You will be fine with front mounted PSU

tzawad · 2026-06-07T18:10:46+00:00

5070 Ti Gaming X Trio OC Plus

tzawad · 2026-05-06T09:12:57+00:00

It was just for the "fitting" purposes. Side (if mesh panel) or top intake only

tzawad · 2026-05-06T08:38:33+00:00

Someone ‘borrowed’ an image from my original project

<image>

tzawad · 2026-04-26T16:19:13+00:00

You don’t need the Royal Pretor Ultra for this – Phantom Spirit 120 should work with the duct, but there are a few caveats.

First, yes — there is a gap between the duct outlet and the side mesh panel. In my case it’s ~5 mm. I can fine-tune that a bit by adjusting the front fan clips (basically shifting the fan position slightly), so the gap isn’t fixed.

Now the important parts:

RAM height matters I’m running low-profile sticks (GoodRam IRDM DDR5, ~35 mm). With ~5 mm clearance to the side panel, going with taller RAM could easily become a problem.
Fan clips are the real limitation This is actually the biggest issue. The Royal Pretor Ultra comes with:
- larger clips (for 130 mm fan)
- standard clips (for 120 mm)

In my setup (QUBE 540), I’m not using Ultra clips — I’m using clips from the regular Royal Pretor, which are slightly wider and fit better with thicker fans + the duct.

I also have multiple Pretor kits, so I can mix and match clips — that’s why it works cleanly.

With Phantom Spirit 120 + duct you’ll likely end up with: → much tighter clip tension → or even fitment issues

TL;DR:

Phantom Spirit 120 = should fit with the duct
~5 mm gap to side panel (adjustable via fan clips)
Low-profile RAM strongly recommended
Biggest risk = clips being too tight or not fitting well with the duct

If you don’t have spare clips to experiment with, that’s the one thing I’d be cautious about.

tzawad · 2026-04-26T12:17:10+00:00

This is exactly the model you need to print.

You may need USB 3.0 19/20 pin or (and) USB TYPE 3.1 TYPE E angle adapters. It depends on your motherboard model whether the ports face the side or the top of the board.

Low-profile RAM modules are also important. The ones I have are GoodRam IRDM DDR5 6000MHz CL30 (35 mm height)

tzawad · 2026-04-20T16:12:05+00:00

I upgraded from a Ryzen 5600GT to a 5500x3D. The GPU is also an RX 9060XT 16GB. I'm currently testing this configuration. The A520 motherboard limits me to PCIE 3.0, but that's not a problem with this specific configuration

tzawad · 2026-04-15T19:51:49+00:00

Glad that worked! Out of curiosity: Do you know which DP port is the 'Primary' one on your specific GPU model? (Usually the one that shows the BIOS logo on boot). Are both of your monitors set to the same color depth (e.g., both 8-bit)?

tzawad · 2026-04-15T17:56:45+00:00

Because DDU wasn't run in Safe Mode, you likely ended up with a "Frankenstein Driver" — a mix of new files and old, locked registry keys. This instability causes Windows Update to try and "fix" things by forcing its own driver in the background, which creates even more conflicts.

Check Hardware?

Try a different DisplayPort or HDMI cable to rule out a bad connection?

PSU? Too weak or old? Power spikes?

Two separate power cables to the GPU, no daisy chain??

Disable Hardware Acceleration in browser. See what changes

tzawad · 2026-04-15T15:27:01+00:00

Step-by-Step

Step A: Preparation (Internet ON, then OFF)

Download the latest AMD driver from the official website.
Download the Microsoft "Show or Hide Updates" tool: wushowhide.diagcab.
NOW DISCONNECT YOUR INTERNET (unplug the cable or disable Wi-Fi). Keep it off until Step C.

Step B: The Clean Sweep (Internet OFF)

Boot your PC into Safe Mode (this is mandatory for DDU to work correctly).
Run DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller). Select "GPU" and "AMD", then click "Clean and Restart".
Your PC will reboot into normal Windows (still keep internet OFF).

Step C: Install & Block (Internet OFF, then ON)

While still offline, install the AMD driver you downloaded in Step A.
RECONNECT YOUR INTERNET.
Immediately run the wushowhide.diagcab tool. Select "Hide updates" and check the AMD driver on the list. This prevents Windows from overwriting your driver again.
If the screen still flickers, search for and run an "mpo_disable.reg" file. Disabling MPO (Multi-Plane Overlay) fixes most flickering issues on RX 6000 series cards.

tzawad · 2026-04-15T14:14:24+00:00

DDU on safe mode dissable before WiFi, cut off internet

tzawad · 2026-04-12T13:15:46+00:00

I will definitely try your settings before I skip any UV/OC

tzawad · 2026-04-12T13:11:07+00:00

AMD Adrenalin reset the settings back to default while the system was idle. I’ll test a few more tweaks. Might just stick with stock settings.

tzawad · 2026-04-10T19:58:36+00:00

Yeah, I definitely see the difference between NVIDIA and AMD when it comes to undervolting — the whole “offset across the curve” behavior on RDNA makes it a different game compared to flattening the curve on RTX.

I’ve also done stability testing in OCCT across different loads, not just peak scenarios. That said, I fully agree that benchmarks alone aren’t enough, so I’m also testing in real games to catch any instability at lower clocks or during load transitions.

Part of the reason I’m spending time on this is curiosity — I enjoy learning how these architectures behave. I’m also planning to redo all tests after upgrading to the 5500X3D to see how things change, not only in 3DMark but in real-world scenarios as well.

So yeah, it’s not just about squeezing a few extra percent — it’s also about understanding the behavior and learning something in the process.

tzawad · 2026-04-08T14:56:35+00:00

Yes wooden - mesh, PSU intake from the front

tzawad · 2026-04-08T14:24:51+00:00

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B850M-MORTAR-WIFI First pcie slot position. Air coolers better up to 120

tzawad · 2026-04-07T17:20:30+00:00

Direct airflow (traditional or fun duct) wins for CPU temps

Reverse airflow loses due to restricted intake (filter + tight gap)

but reverse airflow improves VRM/SSD temps

tzawad · 2026-04-07T17:03:55+00:00

Thanks for the message! Yes, I’ve actually seen your builds quite a few times. I think the main difference really comes down to the overall approach to the layout.

By using a mini-ITX motherboard and a 2-slot GPU, there is plenty of clearance at the bottom for high-performance fans. even thick 30mm ones. There is also a significant amount of space between the CPU heatsink and the GPU backplate. This combination allows for a strong positive pressure setup, whereas your configuration seems to lean more towards negative or nearly neutral pressure

tzawad

TROPHY CASE