My current Windows laptop is getting pretty old and I'm starting to look at replacements, but this time I'm kinda tempted to try a MacBook. Never really used macOS before, so not sure what to expect or whether switching would be a headache. I mainly use my laptop for everyday stuff like browsing, YouTube, office work, studying, managing files and running a bunch of apps at once. Sometimes I do a little photo editing too, nothing professional though. The battery life and overall build quality of MacBooks look really appealing, especially compared to some Windows laptops in the same price range. But I'm worried about compatibility and getting used to a completely different operating system. Are there Windows programs that you really miss after switching? How does gaming work on Mac these days, and is connecting external monitors and other accessories straightforward? Also, do MacBooks actually hold up better over several years or is that just hype? Don't wanna spend a ton of money only to realize I would've been better off buying another Windows machine. Would love to hear from people who switched and whether you'd make the same decision again.

Been wondering if getting an external webcam is actually worth it when my laptop already has a built-in camera. I mostly use it for online meetings, video calls with friends and sometimes classes, and the built-in one gets the job done but the image quality isn't exactly great. It looks kinda grainy, especially when the lighting isn't perfect, and the picture doesn't look very sharp. Not sure if buying a separate webcam would make a noticeable difference or if it's just one of those upgrades that sounds better than it actually is. Do external webcams handle low light better? And is 1080p really enough or should I be looking at 2K or 4K models? Also curious if cheaper webcams are actually decent or if you need to spend a lot to get something noticeably better. Don't wanna waste money on another device if my laptop camera is already good enough for normal everyday use. For those who've switched from a built-in camera to an external one, was it actually worth the upgrade?

I am just now installing new windows 10 which I downloaded from Microsoft. Gemini also told me to delete all the partition 1 disks and install it on the Ssd. There were like 5 partitions on disk 1.

Is this enough, or at there additional steps, just to be sure?

I know it's unlikely they have, but I am well aware that it can happen.

Finally finished putting my first PC together and it actually booted, which honestly surprised me lol. Everything seems to be working fine so far but I keep worrying that I messed something up during the build. Temps look okay, fans are spinning and Windows installed without any problems, but I still feel like I might've missed something important. Is there anything I should check after building a PC to make sure everything is properly installed and running safely? Any beginner mistakes I should watch out for?

Chrome has been eating up a pretty big chunk of my RAM lately and I'm starting to wonder if my current setup is enough or if I should upgrade. I usually have around 20-30 tabs open at once, mostly YouTube, Reddit, random websites and some work stuff. Sometimes I also have Discord and Spotify running in the background.

I've noticed Chrome can easily use several GB of memory even when I'm not doing anything particularly demanding. Sometimes switching between tabs feels a bit sluggish too, especially when I've had the browser open for a few hours.

Currently running 16GB of RAM and not sure if that's still considered enough for normal everyday use. Would upgrading to 32GB actually make Chrome run better or would I barely notice any difference? I don't really wanna spend money on RAM if the problem is just Chrome being Chrome lol.

Also curious if things like Memory Saver actually help or if they just reload tabs every time you come back to them. Does having more RAM mean Chrome will automatically use more of it anyway?

For people who keep tons of tabs open all day, how much RAM are you running? Is 16GB still fine or is 32GB becoming the sweet spot nowadays? Would love to hear some real experiences before deciding whether to upgrade.

Noticed a lot of PC gamers recommending DisplayPort over HDMI, especially when it comes to gaming monitors, and I'm trying to figure out what makes it so special. I've always used HDMI and never really had any problems with it, but apparently DP has some advantages that I'm missing. Can it support higher resolutions and refresh rates better, or does it offer features that HDMI doesn't have at all? I'm also curious if there's any noticeable difference in picture quality or performance when playing games. My graphics card supports both connections, so I can use either one without needing any adapters. Just don't wanna pick the wrong cable when setting up a new monitor. I've seen people mention things like G-Sync, FreeSync, HDR and multiple monitor support, but not sure which connection handles these features better. Does DisplayPort have any real advantage in everyday use or is HDMI perfectly fine as long as you're using a newer version? Would love to hear what you guys prefer and why. Is there any reason to always choose DP when both ports are available?

My PC is starting to feel a bit slow, especially with newer games and running multiple things at once, so I'm thinking about getting a better CPU. Problem is I really don't wanna buy a new motherboard too if I can avoid it. Is swapping just the processor usually possible or does it depend on the motherboard model? I've seen people mention socket compatibility, BIOS updates and chipset limitations but honestly it's a bit confusing. If the new CPU has the same socket as my current one, is that enough or could it still cause problems? Also wondering if older motherboards can handle newer and more powerful processors without any issues. Don't wanna buy a CPU just to find out it won't work with my setup lol. Anyone here upgraded their processor while keeping the same board? Was it pretty straightforward or did you run into compatibility problems? Any tips on what I should check before buying would be really helpful.

How often are you actually supposed to replace thermal paste on a CPU? I've seen some people saying you should change it every year, while others say good quality paste can last 3-5 years without any issues. My CPU temps seem fine right now, but I'm wondering if leaving the same paste for too long can cause problems later. Does thermal paste really dry out that quickly or is this yearly replacement thing just unnecessary maintenance? Also, do you guys wait until temperatures start getting higher before replacing it, or do it on a regular schedule just to be safe?

Been looking at different power supplies for a new PC build and keep seeing people recommend 80+ Gold or Platinum units over Bronze ones. I get that they're supposed to be more efficient, but does that actually make a noticeable difference in how much electricity you pay for?

For example, if two PCs have the exact same components and one uses a Bronze PSU while the other has a Gold PSU, how much extra power would the Bronze one actually pull from the wall? Is it something you'd notice after a few months or are we talking about such a tiny difference that it barely matters?

Also wondering if the difference gets bigger depending on how many hours you use your PC. Like someone gaming 5-6 hours every day versus someone who mostly browses the internet and does basic stuff. Would the Gold unit save enough electricity over time to make up for its higher purchase price?

Not really trying to spend extra money just for a fancy certification if there's no real benefit lol. I also hear people say that a more efficient PSU runs cooler and quieter, so maybe there's more to it than just electricity costs.

For anyone who's actually compared these, did you notice any difference on your power bill? Is Gold worth paying extra for or is Bronze perfectly fine for a normal gaming PC?

I have two of these rigs that I've salvaged/cleaned up/upgraded, both with i7-9700K processors. They both had the cooler installed this way by the original builder, though they only had the CPU fan and one exhaust fan and the attached 120mm was on top, pulling air down (there was no GPU).

On a scale from 1 to 10, how bad is this? I've been thinking about pulling these off and pasting them to be vertical instead of horizontal, but I'm not sure it is really worth it. I've tried to work with what I have by putting an exhaust fan above on both rigs but I doubt this is as good as if it were rotated 90°, right?

EDIT: The other rig has a small MSI 5500XT in the bottom PCI-E slot, so there's more room for air flow above it than in this monstrosity. This rig is mostly used as a server so the GPU barely runs.

EDIT2: They have been fixed! :D I will add another case fan in the rear before long, that top fan is a weird 140mm from an NH-D10 that won't fit properly on the back.

Trying to figure out the best place to put my PC since I'm rearranging my room and kinda stuck between keeping it on the desk or putting it underneath. My desk isn't huge, so having the tower on top takes up a decent amount of space that I'd rather use for other stuff. But I've heard putting a PC on the floor isn't really a good idea because it can collect more dust, especially if you have carpet. My floor is tiled, not carpet, if that makes any difference. Also wondering if being closer to the floor affects airflow or makes the PC run hotter somehow. The case has fans at the bottom and front, so I don't wanna block them or mess with the cooling. Another thing is cleaning, I guess having it on the desk makes it easier to keep dust away but not sure if the difference is actually that big. I'm pretty new to PC stuff so maybe I'm overthinking this lol. Where do you guys usually keep your towers? Is putting it on the floor perfectly fine as long as it's not directly on carpet, or is keeping it elevated genuinely better for temps and long term dust buildup? Any advice appreciated.

So my PC suddenly started doing this weird thing where I press the power button, all the fans spin up and the lights come on for like 2 seconds, then everything shuts off again. Sometimes it tries to turn itself back on but doesn't get anywhere. Not even getting a display or anything. I'm pretty new to PC building so honestly not sure where to start. Could it be the PSU, motherboard or maybe something with the RAM? I don't wanna start buying random parts without knowing what's actually causing it. Anyone had this happen before or know what I should check first?

work with the team behind Ministry of Gaming. We’re developing a platform for paid remote gaming on privately owned PCs, and the mods gave me permission to discuss it here.

I’m mainly thinking about a second gaming PC that’s already built but rarely gets used—not buying another machine hoping it’ll pay for itself.

Would you consider letting someone pay to play remotely on it during hours you choose? Or would you rather keep it switched off and available for yourself?

Our current model gives the owner 50% of the session payment. Owners set their hourly price and cover electricity and other running costs from their share. Bookings aren’t guaranteed. That split has already put some people off, which is useful feedback.

Security is another obvious hurdle. Having a spare PC doesn’t mean you’re comfortable giving someone access to it or your home connection.

If you have a machine sitting unused, what would decide it for you? Feel free to include its specs, but I’m just as interested in reasons you’d leave it unplugged.

Got a gaming laptop recently and honestly didn't expect the battery to be this bad. Even when I'm not playing anything, just browsing, watching YouTube or doing some basic stuff, the battery percentage drops crazy fast. Sometimes it barely lasts a couple hours before needing the charger again. I knew gaming laptops weren't exactly known for great battery life, but is this normal? I thought I could at least use it unplugged for normal everyday tasks without constantly worrying about charging. Did I just have unrealistic expectations or is there something wrong with my laptop?

My PC has been feeling kinda sluggish lately and I'm starting to wonder if Windows itself is the problem. Boot times are getting longer, programs take a while to open, and sometimes even basic stuff like browsing or switching between windows feels slower than it used to. Nothing is completely broken, just feels like the whole system has gotten heavier over time.

I've had this Windows installation for a few years now, installed and uninstalled tons of programs, tried different drivers, downloaded random tools and probably have a bunch of junk running in the background without even realizing it lol. I've done some basic cleanup, deleted temporary files and disabled a few startup apps, but honestly haven't noticed a huge difference.

So I'm thinking about doing a completely fresh Windows installation, wiping the drive and starting from scratch instead of trying to fix everything manually.

For people who've actually done this, how much of a performance difference did you notice? Does it make a pretty big difference in everyday use, boot times and gaming, or is it mostly just a small improvement that people exaggerate? Also wondering if a fresh install can make an older PC feel noticeably newer again, assuming the hardware is still fine.

Just don't wanna spend hours reinstalling Windows, drivers and all my programs only to end up with basically the same performance as before. Is it actually worth doing every once in a while?

Raw data

smartctl -x sda

smartctl 7.5 2025-04-30 r5714 [x86_64-w64-mingw32-w11-24H2] (AppVeyor)

Copyright (C) 2002-25, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===

Device Model: SanDisk SSD P4 64GB

Serial Number: 111248300117

LU WWN Device Id: 5 001b44 4f27f5455

Firmware Version: SSD 8.10

User Capacity: 64 022 175 232 bytes [64,0 GB]

Sector Size: 512 bytes logical/physical

Rotation Rate: Solid State Device

Form Factor: 1.8 inches

TRIM Command: Available

Device is: Not in smartctl database

ATA Version is: ATA8-ACS T13/1699-D revision 2d

SATA Version is: SATA 2.6, 3.0 Gb/s (current: 3.0 Gb/s)

Local Time is: Thu Nov 12 17:00:46 2026 SAST

SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.

SMART support is: Enabled

AAM feature is: Unavailable

APM feature is: Unavailable

Rd look-ahead is: Enabled

Write cache is: Enabled

DSN feature is: Unavailable

ATA Security is: Disabled, frozen [SEC2]

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===

SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:

Offline data collection status: (0x00) Offline data collection activity

was never started.

Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.

Self-test execution status: ( 0) The previous self-test routine completed

without error or no self-test has ever

been run.

Total time to complete Offline

data collection: ( 120) seconds.

Offline data collection

capabilities: (0x15) SMART execute Offline immediate.

No Auto Offline data collection support.

Abort Offline collection upon new

command.

No Offline surface scan supported.

Self-test supported.

No Conveyance Self-test supported.

No Selective Self-test supported.

SMART capabilities: (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering

power-saving mode.

Supports SMART auto save timer.

Error logging capability: (0x01) Error logging supported.

General Purpose Logging supported.

Short self-test routine

recommended polling time: ( 2) minutes.

Extended self-test routine

recommended polling time: ( 16) minutes.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 1

Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:

ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAGS VALUE WORST THRESH FAIL RAW_VALUE

5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct -O---- 100 100 --- - 0

9 Power_On_Hours -O---- 100 100 000 - 63345

12 Power_Cycle_Count -O---- 100 100 000 - 1185

171 Unknown_Attribute -O---- 100 100 000 - 72

172 Unknown_Attribute -O---- 100 100 000 - 943611520

187 Reported_Uncorrect -O---- 100 100 000 - 2234

199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count -O---- 100 100 000 - 0

230 Unknown_SSD_Attribute PO---- 058 100 --- - 0

232 Available_Reservd_Space PO---- 095 100 005 - 0

241 Total_LBAs_Written -O---- 100 100 000 - 39866240828560

242 Total_LBAs_Read -O---- 100 100 000 - 34271374573

||||||_ K auto-keep

|||||__ C event count

||||___ R error rate

|||____ S speed/performance

||_____ O updated online

|______ P prefailure warning

General Purpose Log Directory Version 1

SMART Log Directory Version 1 [multi-sector log support]

Address Access r/W Size Description

0x00 GPL,SL r/O1 Log Directory

0x03 GPL,SL r/O16 Ext. Comprehensive SMART error log

0x06 GPL,SL r/O1 SMART self-test log

0x80-0x9f GPL,SL r/W16 Host vendor specific log

SMART Extended Comprehensive Error Log Version: 1 (16 sectors)

Device Error Count: 181 (device log contains only the most recent 64 errors)

CR = Command Register

FEATR = Features Register

COUNT = Count (was: Sector Count) Register

LBA_48 = Upper bytes of LBA High/Mid/Low Registers ] ATA-8

LH = LBA High (was: Cylinder High) Register ] LBA

LM = LBA Mid (was: Cylinder Low) Register ] Register

LL = LBA Low (was: Sector Number) Register ]

DV = Device (was: Device/Head) Register

DC = Device Control Register

ER = Error register

ST = Status register

Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as

DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,

SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 181 [52] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 5 hours (0 days + 5 hours)

When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:

ER -- ST COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC

-- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --

40 -- 51 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:

CR FEATR COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name

-- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- -- --------------- --------------------

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 77 40 00 2d+03:11:48.526 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 76 40 00 2d+03:11:48.517 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 75 40 00 2d+03:11:48.509 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 74 40 00 2d+03:11:48.505 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 73 40 00 2d+03:11:48.501 READ DMA EXT

Error 180 [51] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 6 hours (0 days + 6 hours)

When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:

ER -- ST COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC

-- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --

40 -- 51 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:

CR FEATR COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name

-- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- -- --------------- --------------------

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 76 40 00 2d+03:11:48.517 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 75 40 00 2d+03:11:48.509 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 74 40 00 2d+03:11:48.505 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 73 40 00 2d+03:11:48.501 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 72 40 00 2d+03:11:48.501 READ DMA EXT

Error 179 [50] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 6 hours (0 days + 6 hours)

When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:

ER -- ST COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC

-- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --

40 -- 51 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:

CR FEATR COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name

-- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- -- --------------- --------------------

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 75 40 00 2d+03:11:48.509 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 74 40 00 2d+03:11:48.505 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 73 40 00 2d+03:11:48.501 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 72 40 00 2d+03:11:48.501 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 71 40 00 2d+03:11:48.500 READ DMA EXT

Error 178 [49] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 2 hours (0 days + 2 hours)

When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:

ER -- ST COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC

-- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --

40 -- 51 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:

CR FEATR COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name

-- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- -- --------------- --------------------

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 74 40 00 2d+03:11:48.505 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 73 40 00 2d+03:11:48.501 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 72 40 00 2d+03:11:48.501 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 71 40 00 2d+03:11:48.500 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 42 1b 70 40 00 2d+03:11:48.497 READ DMA EXT

Error 177 [48] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 3 hours (0 days + 3 hours)

When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:

ER -- ST COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC

-- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --

40 -- 51 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 Error: UNC 4 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:

CR FEATR COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name

-- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- -- --------------- --------------------

25 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 42 1b 60 40 00 2d+03:11:48.459 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 3c e2 e0 40 00 2d+03:11:48.459 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 35 97 60 40 00 2d+03:11:48.458 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 26 20 20 40 00 2d+03:11:48.457 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 63 9e 08 40 00 2d+03:11:48.457 READ DMA EXT

Error 176 [47] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 11 hours (0 days + 11 hours)

When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:

ER -- ST COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC

-- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --

40 -- 51 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 Error: UNC 2 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:

CR FEATR COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name

-- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- -- --------------- --------------------

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 1b 5e 40 00 1d+10:07:21.325 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 1a de 40 00 1d+10:07:21.324 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 1a 5e 40 00 1d+10:07:21.324 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 19 de 40 00 1d+10:07:21.323 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 19 5e 40 00 1d+10:07:21.323 READ DMA EXT

Error 175 [46] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 11 hours (0 days + 11 hours)

When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:

ER -- ST COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC

-- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --

40 -- 51 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 Error: UNC 2 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:

CR FEATR COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name

-- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- -- --------------- --------------------

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 1b 5e 40 00 1d+09:58:46.796 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 1a de 40 00 1d+09:58:46.796 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 1a 5e 40 00 1d+09:58:46.795 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 19 de 40 00 1d+09:58:46.795 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 19 5e 40 00 1d+09:58:46.794 READ DMA EXT

Error 174 [45] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 11 hours (0 days + 11 hours)

When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:

ER -- ST COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC

-- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --

40 -- 51 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 Error: UNC 2 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:

CR FEATR COUNT LBA_48 LH LM LL DV DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name

-- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- -- --------------- --------------------

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 1b 5e 40 00 1d+09:39:52.893 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 1a de 40 00 1d+09:39:52.892 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 1a 5e 40 00 1d+09:39:52.892 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 19 de 40 00 1d+09:39:52.892 READ DMA EXT

25 00 00 00 80 00 00 00 42 19 5e 40 00 1d+09:39:52.891 READ DMA EXT

SMART Extended Self-test Log (GP Log 0x07) not supported

Warning! SMART Self-Test Log Structure error: invalid SMART checksum.

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1

Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error

# 1 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 48587 -

# 2 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 61673 -

# 3 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 54792 -

# 4 Extended offline Aborted by host 90% 46696 -

# 5 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 21088 -

# 6 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 54860 -

# 7 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 19043 -

# 8 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 63054 -

# 9 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 25327 -

#10 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 62483 -

#11 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 33744 -

#12 Short captive Completed without error 00% 57803 -

#13 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 25293 -

#14 Extended offline Aborted by host 90% 28072 -

#15 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 14539 -

#16 Extended offline Aborted by host 90% 55234 -

#17 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 46428 -

#18 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 49138 -

#19 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 25717 -

#20 Extended offline Aborted by host 90% 50305 -

#21 Short offline Aborted by host 90% 39612 -

Selective Self-tests/Logging not supported

SCT Commands not supported

Device Statistics (GP/SMART Log 0x04) not supported

Pending Defects log (GP Log 0x0c) not supported

SATA Phy Event Counters (GP Log 0x11) not supported

Exitcode: 64 (0x40)

Type <return> to exit:

Been looking at OLED monitors lately cause the picture quality looks amazing compared to regular IPS and VA panels, especially for gaming and watching movies. But one thing keeps making me hesitate is burn-in. I keep seeing people saying it's not really a problem anymore with newer OLED panels, while others still warn about it and say you'll eventually get permanent marks on the screen.

I usually use my PC for gaming, browsing, YouTube and some basic work, so there will definitely be static stuff on the screen for hours sometimes, like taskbars, browser tabs and game HUDs. I don't wanna spend a lot on an OLED monitor just to start worrying about damaging it after a year or two.

Are the newer OLED technologies actually doing a good job preventing burn-in or is it still something you have to be careful about? Also, how much do things like pixel refresh, screen shifting and automatic brightness limiting actually help in real use?

Would love to hear from people who've owned an OLED monitor for a couple years, especially if you use it daily for everything and not just gaming. Is it worth taking the risk in 2026 or should I just stick with IPS?

Just got a new 144Hz monitor and noticed Windows is only letting me select 60Hz in the display settings. Not really sure what's causing it, checked the advanced display settings but 144Hz isn't even showing up as an option. I'm using an HDMI cable that came with the monitor and my GPU should support higher refresh rates. Do I need a specific cable or is there some setting I'm missing? Kinda new to this stuff so any help would be appreciated.

Hello all,

I recently bought the CORSAIR RM1000x ATX 3.1 PCIe 5.1 1000W as it was considered an A+ PSU.

My old PSU was a Apevia Prestige ATX-PR850W — 850W

Ive heard mix reviews that the corsair PSU is good and one of the best but also some bad ones that this unit has died after a couple months or a year. I went off the publicly known PSU tier list and I'm deciding if I should get something else or keep this. With how much I've invested into my PC, I don't mind spending money on quality parts but also staying in a good budget ($500 PSU might be overkill).

Appreciate any input, thanks.

Thinking about getting a separate 1080p webcam for my PC but wondering if it's actually a noticeable upgrade over the built-in laptop camera. Mostly gonna use it for Discord calls, online meetings and occasionally chatting with friends while gaming. My laptop camera isn't exactly great, but not sure if a cheap 1080p webcam would make a big difference. Does 1080p actually mean better image quality or does lighting matter more? Also, are budget webcams worth buying or should I save up for something better? Don't wanna waste money on a tiny upgrade lol.

Picking an SSD for my new build and keep going back and forth between the heatsink and non-heatsink versions. There's a decent price difference and not sure if paying extra actually makes sense. The PC is mainly for gaming, installing large games, browsing and normal daily use, so nothing crazy workload-wise.

I've heard NVMe drives can get pretty hot and start throttling when they reach certain temperatures, but is that something I should realistically worry about? Does gaming put enough load on an SSD to make cooling necessary, or is it mostly an issue with constant heavy file transfers?

My motherboard has an M.2 heatsink already, would that be enough to keep things cool or are the ones included with SSDs better?

Also, does keeping the drive cooler actually help with its lifespan or is the main benefit just avoiding performance drops? Trying to get this right before ordering everything. What do you guys usually recommend for a regular gaming PC?

looking into DDR5 RAM for a new PC build and honestly getting confused by all the numbers lol. Some kits have higher speeds but worse CL timings, while others are slower but have much lower latency. Everyone seems to have a different opinion on which one matters more, especially when it comes to gaming. For example, would 6000MHz CL30 be better than 6400MHz CL36, or is the faster kit still worth getting? Does the difference actually show up in real-world performance or is it mostly just benchmarks showing tiny improvements? Also, does the CPU make a difference here? Planning to use a Ryzen build, so not sure if there's a particular sweet spot I should be aiming for. I don't wanna spend extra money chasing numbers that won't make any noticeable difference when gaming or doing everyday stuff. Would you prioritize lower CL timings or higher MHz when choosing DDR5? And is there a point where going faster just isn't worth the extra cost? Would appreciate some advice from people who've actually tested different kits instead of just looking at spec sheets.

Noticing this weird screen flickering whenever I launch a game on my PC, but everything looks completely normal when I'm just browsing, watching videos or doing regular stuff. It doesn't happen all the time either, sometimes the screen flashes for a second then goes back to normal, other times it keeps happening during gameplay and gets pretty annoying. Not sure if it's a GPU issue, monitor problem or maybe something with the drivers. I've tried lowering some graphics settings but can't really tell if it makes a difference. Temps seem normal too, so I'm kinda running out of ideas lol. Could it be related to refresh rate, G-Sync/FreeSync or maybe the DisplayPort cable? Don't wanna start replacing parts without knowing what's actually causing it. Has anyone dealt with something similar? What should I check first to narrow it down?