Breaking Dad's Big Bad Gaming Discussion - For all things to do with PC Gaming !

[RMerlin]

One would hope that drivers could fix the whole Intel thing with that chip... esp. since it is Intel's chip and they know ethernet as well as the next guy...

Well it's been around two years since I've bought the motherboard with that chip, and they are still trying to work around what seem to be silicon design flaws.

 

[avtella]

@RMerlin which version of the I225V is in your motherboard?

And it’s 4 hardware revisions so far if you include the i226v. If I correctly recall (feel free to correct) looking at Intel’s statement, the drop issue due to Energy Efficient Ethernet doesn’t occur at 1 GBPs Link rate only at 2.5. One of my firewalls has I226V based ports, but pretty sure EEE is disabled by default and no issues on BSD so far, fingers crossed.

 

[RMerlin]

@RMerlin which version of the I225V is in your motherboard?

Revision 3, which is the latest AFAIK. It doesn't have the same critical flaw that rev 1 had, but it still has issues.

If I correctly recall (feel free to correct) looking at Intel’s statement, the drop issue due to Energy Efficient Ethernet doesn’t occur at 1 GBPs Link rate only at 2.5.

Yes, my latest ssues also started when I moved to 2.5 Gbps (however the high retransmit issues from some driver versions was at 1 Gbps).

 

[follower]

@RMerlin which version of the I225V is in your motherboard?

And it’s 4 hardware revisions so far if you include the i226v. If I correctly recall (feel free to correct) looking at Intel’s statement, the drop issue due to Energy Efficient Ethernet doesn’t occur at 1 GBPs Link rate only at 2.5. One of my firewalls has I226V based ports, but pretty sure EEE is disabled by default and no issues on BSD so far, fingers crossed.

225 and 226 have a lot of issues like packet drop, disconnection, slow speed. They are faulty hardwares. I210-T1 is still good for 1gb. AQC107 is good for other speeds. The bad news is Intel said that they will not develop any NIC chips until 2024.

 

[L&LD]

PassMark Intel vs AMD CPU Benchmarks - High End

PassMark Software - CPU Benchmarks - Over 1 million CPUs and 1,000 models benchmarked and compared in graph form, updated daily!

www.cpubenchmark.net

CPU Benchmarks and Hierarchy 2024: CPU Rankings

We've run thousands of CPU benchmarks on all new and older Intel and AMD CPUs and ranked them.

www.tomshardware.com

Agree to disagree, it's as futile as discussing apple vs android with an apple fan.

And here's a current take on this topic. And note in the AMD vs Intel 2023 Chart, Drivers and Software (what I was originally talking about) are in Intel's favor (and have always been).

AMD vs Intel: Which CPUs Are Better in 2023?

We put Intel vs AMD in a battle of processor prowess.

www.tomshardware.com

Intel is a better computing platform, today. And, better for performance for the price, it's also Intel.

If you're looking for the fastest overall chips on the market at an accessible price point, you should look to Intel's CPUs. The potent 13th-Gen Raptor Lake series builds on Intel's hybrid architecture formula, which combines high-performance and efficiency cores into one package, to deliver a winning blend of performance in both gaming and productivity workloads, but that comes at the cost of higher power consumption than AMD's competing chips.

The AMD vs Intel CPU conversation has changed recently, as Intel has taken the overall performance crown while undercutting AMD's price-to-performance ratio with the Raptor Lake chips. Raptor Lake comes with the most disruptive change to Intel's CPU overall chip design methodology, not to mention core architectures, that we've seen in a decade. They also come with the 'Intel 7' process that has proven exceptionally competitive, particularly against AMD's superior 5nm process node from TSMC. That shifted our rankings from a 7-to-4 advantage for AMD to a 7-to-5 advantage in Intel's favor.

Raw performance is rarely something to strive for, if not balanced with other aspects of modern computing that are equally, if not more, important. Just as the process node doesn't automatically give a 'win', nor does comparing the performance of server components to what consumers actually want and buy.

 

[BreakingDad]

And here's a current take on this topic. And note in the AMD vs Intel 2023 Chart, Drivers and Software (what I was originally talking about) are in Intel's favor (and have always been).

AMD vs Intel: Which CPUs Are Better in 2023?

We put Intel vs AMD in a battle of processor prowess.

www.tomshardware.com

Intel is a better computing platform, today. And, better for performance for the price, it's also Intel.





Raw performance is rarely something to strive for, if not balanced with other aspects of modern computing that are equally, if not more, important. Just as the process node doesn't automatically give a 'win', nor does comparing the performance of server components to what consumers actually want and buy.

With respect I kindly refer you to post #206

"Agree to disagree, it's as futile as discussing apple vs android with an apple fan." You had a bad AMD laptop and now you hate them, I get it

I didn't all my AMD systems have been top notch stable, cheaper, faster and more efficient.

Each to their own.

Back to the random Gaming chatter:

Yes @RMerlin I can see the Asus Specs are way better than the decks, you mention Asus's software - aint that the truth - for a company that makes such amazing hardware wth are they doing in the software dept- Armoury Crate is the most hideous windows detroying bloat I ever had the misfortune to once install. So yeh the software side scares me on the Ally , the reviews regarding the control sticks scare me also, hence I kinda feel that the Deck is just more solid if I was buying once today - which I am not incidentally, handheld gaming isn't really my thing. I am a Valve fan to be fair, that said I'm also an Asus fan, not sure if I am in this arena yet though, time will tell. I do think Valve have done a great job on the deck in this arena so far though, and I look forward to seeing what the deck2 has to offer.

Talking of hand helds , for anyone using the switch ; this may be of interest https://www.ghacks.net/2023/06/09/nintendo-switch-nitro-deck-accessory/

Interested in peoples thoughts on gaming keyboards and switches, Merlins words on K68 have kinda scared me looking at the K70. Althout I am familiar with cherry MX reds and knocking the caps flying off i do it reguarly to my escape key on this hyperX. Also wondering if anyone has used the double shot pro corsair keys - from what I have read they may be too light for my fat fingers.

 

[sfx2000]

Interested in peoples thoughts on gaming keyboards and switches, Merlins words on K68 have kinda scared me looking at the K70. Althout I am familiar with cherry MX reds and knocking the caps flying off i do it reguarly to my escape key on this hyperX. Also wondering if anyone has used the double shot pro corsair keys - from what I have read they may be too light for my fat fingers.

Keyboards and Mice - there's a lot of flexibility and options out there - and it's hard to give an objective statement, as everyone has their personal preferences - makes it hard to buy online as one cannot get a good feel of a peripheral until it's unboxed at home.

For my Mac that I use for productivity and coding - I have an Apple Extended Keyboard II that is decades old, it uses Alps mechanical damped switches, and while the Cherry switches come close, I haven't found a keyboard that works for me.

For gaming - I have an older Logitech G series (I'd have to look for the model number), but it's wired and it's fine for my needs.

 

[L&LD]

With respect I kindly refer you to post #206

"Agree to disagree, it's as futile as discussing apple vs android with an apple fan." You had a bad AMD laptop and now you hate them, I get it

I didn't all my AMD systems have been top notch stable, cheaper, faster and more efficient.

Each to their own.

If it was a single AMD system, I wouldn't bring it up. If it was just me, that link I provided wouldn't be available.

I do agree to disagree, your specific experience doesn't change the facts I've presented.

There is no futile 'fan' support here. There is only reporting from many sources that AMD isn't the stable computer system that I, and many more users, require.

I'm very happy your AMD systems are working well for you.

This is the minimum I would expect too, from an AMD based computer. But haven't seen it yet.

 

[sfx2000]

I'm very happy your AMD systems are working well for you.

Can we consider this closed then?

 

[BreakingDad]

Keyboards and Mice - there's a lot of flexibility and options out there - and it's hard to give an objective statement, as everyone has their personal preferences - makes it hard to buy online as one cannot get a good feel of a peripheral until it's unboxed at home.

For my Mac that I use for productivity and coding - I have an Apple Extended Keyboard II that is decades old, it uses Alps mechanical damped switches, and while the Cherry switches come close, I haven't found a keyboard that works for me.

For gaming - I have an older Logitech G series (I'd have to look for the model number), but it's wired and it's fine for my needs.

I did look at logitech, their mice are amongst the best you can get but their keyboards have proprietary Romer G switches, which the public seem split on. My gut tells me to stick with the devil I know - Cherry MX, and avoid proprietary switches, so I am still hovering over the TKL K70 Corsair (partly because it links with icue and plays nicely with signal rgb)

 

[Maverick009]

I still have one set of Logitech Z5500 5.1 in perfect condition. The THX 505W RMS monster "PC speakers":

View attachment 50723

Used to be my home theater audio system for a number of years. Logitech used to make great speakers indeed.

I remember setting them up when I worked at a now defunct PC store. The Z906 their spiritual successor with some refinements. Some of the best speakers of their times, before hardware audio started to become a thing of the past and helped in retrospect kill off surround sound speakers. Only a few companies still make decent speakers let alone high quality 5.1 ones. I do not think I have seen let alone can find 7.1 ones anywhere, without going full home audio lol.

 

[Maverick009]

I would rather think that the Ally is a "Gen 2" device compared to the Steam Deck. It has a new revision of AMD's SOC, runs much quieter, and has a slightly better screen (if I recall).

The software side is where the Steam Deck probably still has the advantage, since they actually developed a game-centric OS to handle it, while Asus has to work within the limitations imposed by Windows. Plus, Asus has never been a great software company (like the vast majority of hardware manufacturers who handle software as a necessary evil rather than an asset), while Valve has an history as a software developer.

I actually been eyeing the Asus Ally and may get it towards end of year or sometime next year. The hardware is rock solid and I would recommend the model with the Z1 Extreme AMD APU in it. The software side is still a work in progress but I am hearing Microsoft is working on a Windows 11 handheld gaming mode, so that could be the big software upgrade to put the Ally front and center.

 

[sfx2000]

With all the press attention recently on the Oculus update and now Apple's Vision thingy...

Any things on the VR headsets and gaming in particular?

Cookie-Einwilligung

www.meta.com

I hear cool stuff - but.. I can't use a VR headset for more than about 5 mins, as I get terribly motion sick... but I'm also one of those folks that couldn't do 3D at the cinema back when that was a thing, there I would get terrible headaches after 15-20 mins...

 

[anotherengineer]

Terraria

It's the casual person game.

 

[sfx2000]

Beat Saber??

Looks fun...

As I mentioned, I have to opt-out on the whole VR thing, but I do see the opportunities...

 

[Maverick009]

And here's a current take on this topic. And note in the AMD vs Intel 2023 Chart, Drivers and Software (what I was originally talking about) are in Intel's favor (and have always been).

AMD vs Intel: Which CPUs Are Better in 2023?

We put Intel vs AMD in a battle of processor prowess.

www.tomshardware.com

Intel is a better computing platform, today. And, better for performance for the price, it's also Intel.





Raw performance is rarely something to strive for, if not balanced with other aspects of modern computing that are equally, if not more, important. Just as the process node doesn't automatically give a 'win', nor does comparing the performance of server components to what consumers actually want and buy.

I have to disagree with that. I do not go just on reviews, but own experience and the platform upgradability path and AMD wins there. Overall performance and life of the platform AMD owns there as well with the launch of the X3D parts. Drivers have been getting significantly better especially as of late as the platform has matured. Remember this is AMD's 4th major gen vs. Intel's 13th and for a company that was on the brink of falling to the wayside to come back this rejuvenated and strong says a lot. The other driver and BIOs quirks were part of some of the board vendors trying to outdo each other and a small part of AMD not reigning in the flexibility. I will give it that they at least came through and owned up to the mess with the burning chips, even when some board vendors wanted to downplay it...cough...Asus...cough...but the issue is now being fixed. Intel also doesn't escape from these issues, and their iGPU drivers were always a mess and only recently with actually launching dGPUs did they find out that maturing the drivers and getting every bit of performance you can is very important when competing and wanting devs to include your cards in their game requirements. Also, Intel's newly acquired Killer NIC drivers are not so great, and it seems like they are not pushing anything special from that group now.

My overall point and argument I am making for AMD, is yes, their past was hit or miss, including with their Zen launch on software, but it is all coming together now, and matured a lot. I have been using Ryzen CPUs since the first Zen and own a CPU from each iteration of the architecture, with exception of 7000 series right now, and I have seen a nice improvement in the drivers and software side of things. The only thing I am seeing now is a few companies have abandoned their board software or so it seems like Gigabyte, as they designed a new control center for X600/B600 and some newer Intel chipset boards that combine all features including RGB together in a new package, and it seems like RGB Fusion 2.0 is now dead with slow to no major updates, with latest update having some crashes. It just happens on both sides and sometimes comes down to any partners or board vendors directly. Prior to the X570 and now X670 platforms, the board vendors did little in quality and features/performance for AMD, as AMD had to prove themselves all over again. Ultimately each is to their own, but I also would not want to own Intel CPUs now due to high power draw, and not talking a little.

Current system specs

AMD Ryzen 5900X 12C/24T CPU - Currently not overclocked
Gigabyte Aorus X570 Xtreme v1.1 Motherboard with Titan Ridge v2.0 ThunderBolt 3 add-in card
32GB Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB DDR4-3600Mhz Dual-Channel Memory
Powercolor AMD Radeon 7900 XTX Red Devil OC 24GB GDDR6 graphics card
WD Black SN750 512GB M.2 SSD - Windows 11 OS
WD Black SN750 1TB M.2 SSD - Game SSD
WD Black 6TB 7200RPM SATA + 500GB SSD SATA Cache using Primocache
SanDisk 3D Nand based 500GB SATA for emulators and ROMS
Seagate Barracuda 3TB 7200RPM SATA for scratch disk/video editing
Seagate Momentus 500GB SATA for spare storage/dump drive
Pioneer BDR-S13UBK Ultra 4K Blu-Ray SATA in a USB 3.0 Enclosure
Corsair RX1000i 1000W Modular Power Supply
Liquid cooled with 2 rads, currently only hooked up to the CPU as the waterblock for my 7900 XTX RD variant is hard to come by and I do not want to pay shipping from EK
Logitech G915 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard (Clicky)
Corsair DarkCore Pro SE RGB Wireless mouse
Logitech Z906 5.1 THX certified surround sound speakers
Logitech Brio 4K Camera with Windows Hello
Xbox One and Xbox Elite Series 2 controllers
Nintendo Switch Pro wireless controller
Corsair Virtuoso wireless headset

My eventual plans are to upgrade the motherboard to the Asus X670e Crosshair Hero (I thought about the extreme, but I do not think I can justify the nearly $350-400 extra this time) due to better overall support and looking at picking up a 7950X3D part this go around. I also plan on upgrading my mouse to the Logitech G502 X Plus wireless mouse as I am moving back over to Logitech in part due to the unified software for all the devices, including the racing wheel/pedal set and H.O.T.A.S. X56 Flight Stick/Throttle controllers I want to add, plus the keyboard and mouse they have are the best out. May be some other upgrades here and there too, but those are the big ones, as I am working on a couple other projects too.

 

[Maverick009]

With all the press attention recently on the Oculus update and now Apple's Vision thingy...

Any things on the VR headsets and gaming in particular?

Cookie-Einwilligung

www.meta.com

I hear cool stuff - but.. I can't use a VR headset for more than about 5 mins, as I get terribly motion sick... but I'm also one of those folks that couldn't do 3D at the cinema back when that was a thing, there I would get terrible headaches after 15-20 mins...

I eventually want a VR headset, but have been reserved on them. Any suggestions of a good one that is feature rich with great specs, but will not break the bank? I also want it to work with a PC.

 

[sfx2000]

Current system specs

Nice build...

 

[Maverick009]

I agree - there's a lot of things that can impact latency - going wired for Keyboard/Mouse goes a long way as we remove the wireless framing overhead.

Keyboards are interesting, as some have a limited keyboard buffer, so keystrokes can get queued/blocked when things get intense - if one is in a target rich environment in a first person shooter, e.g. outmanned/outgunned... the right peripherals is the difference between getting thru it or respawning...

Try a wireless keyboard from Logitech using Lightspeed or Corsair using Slipstream. They are by far the best and practically eliminate any lag. I believe Logitech's Lightspeed combined with mechanical keyboard has done just that as I am using the G915 Clicky and there is no lag. Their G502 X Plus mouse also uses LightSpeed tech and mechanical switches for the buttons and certain that also was to eliminate lag while perfecting the click speed for games especially in FPS.

 

[Maverick009]

With respect I kindly refer you to post #206

"Agree to disagree, it's as futile as discussing apple vs android with an apple fan." You had a bad AMD laptop and now you hate them, I get it

I didn't all my AMD systems have been top notch stable, cheaper, faster and more efficient.

Each to their own.

Back to the random Gaming chatter:

Yes @RMerlin I can see the Asus Specs are way better than the decks, you mention Asus's software - aint that the truth - for a company that makes such amazing hardware wth are they doing in the software dept- Armoury Crate is the most hideous windows detroying bloat I ever had the misfortune to once install. So yeh the software side scares me on the Ally , the reviews regarding the control sticks scare me also, hence I kinda feel that the Deck is just more solid if I was buying once today - which I am not incidentally, handheld gaming isn't really my thing. I am a Valve fan to be fair, that said I'm also an Asus fan, not sure if I am in this arena yet though, time will tell. I do think Valve have done a great job on the deck in this arena so far though, and I look forward to seeing what the deck2 has to offer.

Talking of hand helds , for anyone using the switch ; this may be of interest https://www.ghacks.net/2023/06/09/nintendo-switch-nitro-deck-accessory/

Interested in peoples thoughts on gaming keyboards and switches, Merlins words on K68 have kinda scared me looking at the K70. Althout I am familiar with cherry MX reds and knocking the caps flying off i do it reguarly to my escape key on this hyperX. Also wondering if anyone has used the double shot pro corsair keys - from what I have read they may be too light for my fat fingers.

I replied to another person in this post, but yeah the software on the Ally is the only hold back. It was said to be better at launch, but the real sauce may be in the rumor that Microsoft is building a handheld game mode for Windows 11 that may be the real key to gaming on those handhelds without a bunch of other software layers on top. On another note, RGB controls are being baked into Windows 11 and will roll out at some point soon. That will be great as we can dump a lot of these 3rd party apps and hopefully be down to one location to rule them all.