Computer advice

[PP Mguire]

For the radiator, the proper mount is radiator mounted direct to front of case with the fans on the inside blowing air in. Even without RGB rings the fans would normally be on the inside. The PR pictures show RGB fans facing out toward the glass but that's with just fans and no rad.

As for the board, send it back to where it was purchased and say it had bent pins. Just don't mess up the second one because you can't claim innocence. If it was purchased from Amazon they won't even really care.

 

[ikonix360]

If I cannot straighten the pins I'll send it back.



Was hoping I had a molex to 4 pin fan adapter so I could power the fans to see how the airflow is.

EDIT:

I did mount the fans per the picture online.

Other pictures show the radiator mounted on the inside top of the PC case. Had I paid a little more attention I would have picked a case that could handle a 360mm radiator on the top.

 

[ikonix360]

Looks like if I use the M2_2 socket the PCIE1 will be 8X only so i must use the M2_1 socket for the SSD.

 

[PP Mguire]

Yes, use M.2_1 slot because it's Gen 4. M.2_2 is Gen 5 and shares lanes with PCI-E 1. Alternatively you could also use M.2_3 or 4. Since you said you got the heatsink version, I'd use M.2_3.

 

[ikonix360]

The heatsink came off easy enough so I used M2_1.

Using a very tiny flat headed jewler's screwdriver and a microscope I was able to get the few bent pins straight enough to where I feel confident it should work, however two pins were bent over backwards and those two I got as close to how the rest are as I could, but I am unsure of those two pins. Also I don't think the bent pins are fully as straight like the other pins, however I do know the pins do compress some when the CPU is installed so the bent pins should still make proper contact. I still don't understand how two pins bent over backwards though.

In my opinion the CPU retainer should not be on a hinge, but rather it should move vertically up and down so that pressure is applied equally on all sides of the CPU, however that wouldn't work given that would require extra height and then CPU coolers would have to be designed differently and as such might not cool as efficiently.

What I don't get is the manufacturer knows this motherboard is most likely gonna be used for gaming and that users are most likely gonna want to use both PCIE_1 and M2_2 at the same time as that would be the fastest combination, yet they force users to either have the faster read/write speeds or better graphics.

Now the graphics card came with a splitter that combines three 6 pin PCI-E cables into one 8 pin PCI-E plug. The 8 pin PCI-E cables that came with my supply seem beefy enough to where I might be able to just use the one cable. Is that ok or should I still use the splitter that came with the card?

EDIT:

I decided to just do a return with Amazon as that was the safe option. Would hate to power it up and find a pin wasn't bent right after damaging the CPU.

 

[PP Mguire]

What I don't get is the manufacturer knows this motherboard is most likely gonna be used for gaming and that users are most likely gonna want to use both PCIE_1 and M2_2 at the same time as that would be the fastest combination, yet they force users to either have the faster read/write speeds or better graphics.

They're not making you choose, it's for future Gen 5 cards. The speed of Gen 4 and 5 are fast enough that you only need 8 lanes as it is for the graphics card, so to mitigate cost they use the same lanes supplied to feed both. Not to mention that these CPUs only have 16 total Gen 5 lanes to begin with. This is why most board manufacturers settled for only offering Gen 4 M.2 slots rather than Gen 5, but ASRock gives you the option so you can use a Gen 5 drive later if you want without needing to upgrade. GPUs and SSDs are only Gen 4 still anyways.

Now the graphics card came with a splitter that combines three 6 pin PCI-E cables into one 8 pin PCI-E plug. The 8 pin PCI-E cables that came with my supply seem beefy enough to where I might be able to just use the one cable. Is that ok or should I still use the splitter that came with the card?

No that would be 3 8pin into a single 16pin ATX 3.0 connector. It requires all 8pin cables to be present and make sure when you plug the 16pin portion into the card that it's firmly inserted all the way. There should be no gap between the adapter and the card power connector.

 

[ikonix360]

That card looks like it has a 12 pin connector.

Motherboard has been sent back.

I did order the kit to mount the card vertically as that just looks better to me given the RGB lights where the fans are can now be seen through the glass side panel.

I'll get the computer running and loaded with Windows 11 in the house then once it is working I'll move it to my 12' X 12' building with the glass panels off and once I get it set back up and running I'll put the glass panels back on.

Given the 32 gigs of RAM only cost $165 I ordered a second 32 gigs of the same RAM. 64 gigs will definitely be more than I would ever need now, however if later on I decide to use it for things that take up a lot of RAM, I won't have to install more RAM.

Given the graphics card can handle four monitors I'll have the three I currently use and when I get a 12' X 24' building built I'll have a fourth along with a wireless keyboard and mouse on my workbench so that when working on something I can look up whatever I need to right there on my workbench instead having to go over to my PC and do it as often I use service manuals or schematics that are on my PC and it's nice to have the monitor, keyboard & mouse right where I'm working without needing a computer there taking up space and I won't have to transfer anything to another PC just to see it at my workbench.

For the monitors I'll use the existing two 24" for the side displays and a 24" gaming monitor for the main display as the only monitor that really needs more than 60Hz refresh rate is the monitor I am going to use to display games I play.

 

[PP Mguire]

That card looks like it has a 12 pin connector.

It's 16pin.

Given the graphics card can handle four monitors I'll have the three I currently use and when I get a 12' X 24' building built I'll have a fourth along with a wireless keyboard and mouse on my workbench so that when working on something I can look up whatever I need to right there on my workbench instead having to go over to my PC and do it as often I use service manuals or schematics that are on my PC and it's nice to have the monitor, keyboard & mouse right where I'm working without needing a computer there taking up space and I won't have to transfer anything to another PC just to see it at my workbench.

Take heed that the more monitors you have the more performance it sucks up.

 

[ikonix360]

Indeed it does, but should be fine.

 

[PP Mguire]

For now, but next gen titles are already killing 4090s. Put the extras that you can on the IGP.