Got a simple question? Get a simple answer!

This thread is for all of the small and simple questions that you might have about computing that probably wouldn't work all too well as a standalone post. Software issues, build questions, game recommendations, post them here!

For the sake of helping others, please don't downvote questions! To help facilitate this, comments are sorted randomly for this post, so that anyone's question can be seen and answered.

If you're looking for help with picking parts or building, don't forget to also check out our builds at https://www.pcmasterrace.org/

Want to see more Simple Question threads? Here's all of them for your browsing pleasure!

  • If you ask a question, and someone answers it correctly, reply with a thank you, but include this checkmark: ✓ ( or write !check instead )

    This will score the user whose comment you replied to a 'point'. The points will unlock special flair that will show in all Daily Simple Questions threads.

    In case you missed it, click here for yesterday's Daily Simple Questions thread. There may be some questions still unanswered! Below is a selection of questions with no replies. See if you can help them out.

    If you don't want to see this comment click the little [-] to the left of my username to collapse this comment.

    What should I fill the inside of my PC with? I'll be traveling 25 miles (40km) by bike trailer with it in a suitcase to the train station, where it'll be a carry-on. So not worried about hard impacts, but lots of small jolts and bumps. I have a 240mm AIO, mATX board and case, and a 2-slot GPU which I'd plan to take out and wrap with clothes. I'm not sure if the InstaPaks still work well with an AIO or if another solution would be better.

    https://reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/1pksmd3/daily_simple_questions_thread_december_12_2025/ntqfqip/

    Hi everyone, I’m using an HP 1030 G2 (8GB RAM, Windows 11). The built‑in Bluetooth has very poor range — I can only connect my phone or speaker if they’re right next to the keyboard.

    I tried using a USB Bluetooth adapter I had lying around. In Device Manager it shows up as “Generic Bluetooth Radio” with a yellow caution sign. I disabled the inbuilt Bluetooth driver and installed a third‑party driver, which makes the adapter work, but then I can’t use the laptop’s Bluetooth without it.

    The bigger problem is that it’s still a hassle to connect my speaker for just a few minutes of music. I’d really like an easier way to connect my laptop to my speaker (or phone/other accessories) with better range.

    Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank

    https://preview.redd.it/m0s442m9ms6g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a43b49ddffbbfc07742a03ffa7030d037c4da55

    https://reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/1pksmd3/daily_simple_questions_thread_december_12_2025/ntns999/

    I was playing a game. When I exited, I found Copilot opened (and seemed to have been open for a while). I'm still on Windows 10.

    Did I accidentally press some kind of combination keys to open it? Though I'm not sure why it's installed.

    https://reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/1pksmd3/daily_simple_questions_thread_december_12_2025/ntt2l02/

    User Points (365 days) Lifetime
    A_Neaunimes 37 1207
    Lastdudealive46 30 139
    Eidolon_2003 29 273
    Cable_Salad 29 83
    _j03_ 20 184
    MGsubbie 16 412
    mister_newbie 16 127
    reckless150681 12 12
    SystemError514 11 92
    Ok_Definition_1933 11 11

    I am a bot - This action was done automatically. Please direct any questions or concerns ( or bug reports ) to /u/eegras - About /u/PCMRBot

    parent

  • RX 9060XT 8GB = 378 USD

    RX 9060XT 16GB = 460 USD

    RTX 5060 8GB = 350 USD

    RTX 5060 TI 8GB = 440 USD

    RTZ 5060 TI 16GB = 510 USD

    which one is the best value? (prices are from my area)

    parent

    Both 16 GB cards are fine.

    If you play at 1440p I would maybe get the 5060 ti since Nvidia's upscaling is a bit better. At 1080p they are pretty much tied in price/performance.

    parent root

  • I've ordered a mini pc, the gmktec k12 to be exact, and now I'm looking for the ddr5...

    As you know, ddr5 price has risen up to the moon, and the only kit that is somewhat reasonable in my area is Fanxiang 32x2gb 4800mhz, priced at $210.

    What do you know about this brand?

    I searched and they all said this is a real brand, but tier 3 quality and I better pray to god that I didn't get the faulty kit...however the review is 1 year ago, and I don't know how are they today.

    parent

    I would buy it and run memtest86 for a few hours to see if it throws errors. If it doesn't, it should be fine.

    The other question is if you actually need 64 GB in a mini PC. I would assume that 32 should be more than enough.

    parent root

    Yeah...the problem is they no longer have 32gb kit, and all other 32gb kits from reputable brands are $300-400+, even more expensive than this 64gb kit from fanxiang...

    parent root

    Maybe you are just lucky with that kit then. Make sure it's not a scam though.

    parent root

    Nah...I'm on the fence...the thing is...no one touches them, even though everything else is sold out...

    parent root

  • [deleted]

    parent
    parent root

    [deleted]

    parent root

    Looking through isthereanydeal, I don't really see that

    parent root

    [deleted]

    parent root

    There are hundreds of games listed there, the vast majority is not cheaper on Gamesplanet.

    parent root

  • Is it worth upgrading my 3070 to a 9070XT with a 5700X3D? Or should I just save for a full upgrade?

    parent

    Do you actually need an upgrade atm? Most things will run smoothly on 3070. I would suggest you save up for a full upgrade and not go for a semi upgrade before the parts get even more expensive. Is you really need the upgrade, I would suggest maybe streaming a pc and if that is not feasible for you, only then go for it.

    parent root

    More of a comfort thing really, like you said the 3070 is still ok, I should probably wait another generation you’re right.

    parent root

  • Are people over-reacting about dust?

    parent

    A desktop PC is relatively safe. It has to be a lot of dust to make a difference, and even then it likely won't get damaged.

    Laptops are much more at risk though. They are usually very close to their max temperature even under ideal conditions. And they are also more likely to actually die from heat issues, because the components are so cramped together that virtually everything inside heats up.

    parent root

    Not necessarily. There's a difference between wanting it completely clean for aesthetic reasons vs just trying to keep it from over heating. Some dust doesn't really hurt anything, but lots of dust definitely can

    parent root

    Lol yes I opened my laptop after 2 years of rough use and can say its true. I had literal sort of mud on the fan

    parent root

  • I am looking to buy a PC. I do not have much money but don’t mind if it isn’t the most newest or best in class latest and greatest.

    What are your thoughts on this? I saw the benchmarks and all relevant data. Just asking on a pure instinctual standpoint that you guys and gals may have in PC’s versus me.

    Gaming PC – Spec Sheet

        • CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X (8-Core / 16-Thread)

• GPU: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming OC 12GB

• Memory: 64GB Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR4-3200

• Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix B550-A Gaming

• Storage: 250GB SATA SSD (OS installed)

• Case: NZXT H510

• Networking: USB Wi-Fi dongle (no onboard Wi-Fi)

• Operating System: Windows (installed

    Seller price $750.00.

    I know that graphic cards are for the most part coming down to MSRP and the motherboard and memory is last gen. I don’t mind that. I have KVM gaming monitor to combat the WiFi dongle requirement. I also have a 4tb nvme I’m going to install already.

    parent

    I think that'll do nicely. My biggest complaint would've been the tiny amount of storage, but with that 4TB for your games drive you'll have plenty of space. It is somewhat old, but it's still very capable and reasonably priced. I mean it's better than my computer lol

    parent root

    !check

    Thank you.

    Thank you for confirming that even though it's outdated somewhat, with the nvme install that it's good for the price point. Just trying to get a decent rig as a holiday gift without breaking the bank. Newer Gen with ddr5 would be great but research in pricing and the fact that the 12gb 3080 still performs great you years later was why I'm considering this build.

    parent root

    Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how you see it) hardware doesn't go out of date nearly as quickly as it used to! If you're on a budget I think a DDR4 based system makes a ton of sense considering the price of memory right now

    parent root

    !check

    parent root
    parent root

  • How hot should my cpu and gpu get during normal use and when gaming? And what does the % refer to next to the temps?

    parent

    Depends what sort of machine you're using. I'd expect a laptop to get a lot hotter than a well-built desktop for example. Your parts will keep themselves from overheating automatically, but the downside of that is they have to slow themselves down to do that. Generally speaking, lower is better, but anything up into the 90s C is technically fine.

    The percentage is most likely % utilization, but there are a few other things it could potentially be. The monitoring software you're using doesn't tell you what it is?

    parent root

    !check

    parent root
    parent root

    It simply says CPU% and GPU%. I'm using Thermalright's Peerless Assassin 120 digital. Reason I ask about all this is because I some trouble with my cpu cooler noise and thought I'd have to get a better idea of cpu/gpu performance before controlling my fans.

    but anything up into the 90s C is technically fine.

    A friend told me 70s is a problem and at 80 the pc could shutdown. Where can I find this kind of information? I don't want to know accidentally damage my components.

    For context, cpu is r7 9700x and gpu is 9060xt

    parent root

    cpu is r7 9700x

    The 9700X is designed with a 95°C limit. It is normal that it reaches this temperature under extreme load, this does not cause damage. Games usually don't make it this hot though.

    gpu is 9060xt

    The 9060 XT has multiple temp sensors. I could not find the official thermal maximum, but according to various reddit threads the GPU chip itself usually stays in the 60s and the other values can go somewhat higher.

    Where can I find this kind of information?

    You can install hwinfo, it lists some of the thermal limits. Some are under Summary, some are under sensors.

    I some trouble with my cpu cooler noise

    Hard to help since that is a bit vague... what issue do you have?

    parent root

    !check

    parent root
    parent root

    what issue do you have?

    it was really loud. I changed the profiles on all my fans to silent. the issue persisted for a bit but now it's much more manageable. If it gets worse I'll fidget with the fans somehow. I believe all I have to do is just reduce the curves.

    parent root

  • I am choosing between 5070 and 5070 ti. Is the 300€ worth it for the 4gb and the extra performance? I’m on 1080p right now but I am saving for a 1440p oled. If I would choose the ti variant I will buy the monitor in about 8 months rather than in ~3 months. For AAA games I would be happy to achieve around 100 fps 1440p high or ultra

    parent

    If you look just at the performance difference, not really. Either should be totally fine for 1440p. 4k, you would want the 16gb.

    parent root

  • Quick question. So my wife purchased a pretty nice pre-built. I’ve built our last three, but she went pre-built on this one. Overall, it’s a pretty stacked PC that’ll be phenomenal for 1440p gaming and great for 4k.

    My only question is I’m not sure what AIO this is. I’ve tried google image searching it and iPhone AI search thingying it. I can’t find it anywhere. I will say most of the PC is MSI.

    Picture of AIO. https://i.imgur.com/cwiIhEs.jpeg

    parent

    Can you link the prebuilt PC itself?

    parent root
    parent root

    Hm, I have seen the AIO shape somewhere before, but I can't remember. Looking through google examples I can't seem to find it.

    The logo is that of Stormcraft, so they just put it on some OEM part.

    parent root

    Gotcha. Yea, it is Stormcraft. I can’t find it either. As long as it keeps the temps down and I’m able to curve the fans speed I’ll be fine. It’s got 6 intake fans and 4 exhaust. So I think it’ll be ok.

    We haven’t really ran it yet. But, the one time we booted it and let it run I opened the case and it was basically almost ice cold. I didn’t push if super hard, but it still kept the case very cool.

    parent root

    Have you looked into the BIOS to check what the AIO model was?

    The identity, whether a full brand id or a model number ID should be listed within the Bios somewhere, maybe around the cooling controls or connected hardware.

    parent root

    I have not yet. We’re probably going to set it up this weekend. I’ll check then. Appreciate the heads up!

    parent root

  • My friend is having issues with 25h2. I bought a new SSD and wanted to pre install a 23h2 ISO I had on it. Thing is, I don't have access to their machine. Is there any way to get this drive prepared so that when they plug it in all they have to do is go through windows setup?

    Somebody told me to try DISM but from what I saw I would need to use a bootable USB with that.

    parent

  • hello, i made a 2nd pc same as my main one. b650 with 7800x3d cpu ddr5 ram 6000mhz but when i opened the pc the dram light on my MB was and the pc is on post. i tried resitting the ram slots, i also put the working ram from my main build, cleared the CMOS battery, even changed the psu, what can be the issue?

    parent

    How long did you let it run? First time boot on AM5 can take quite long.

    parent root

    for around 15-30 minutes

    parent root

    Did you make sure your RAM was EXPO ready or EXPO and XMP ready and not just XMP ready?

    or

    Did you make sure your MB Bios was up to date.

    Not all Motherboards will come preinstalled with the same Bios version, your first PC could be a newer version while your second PC motherboard was unused backstock that finally came out with an older bios version, or something like that.

    parent root

    I m the same guy that made the question, I updated the bios and even if I had not made sure that it was expo ready I put the exact same ram from my first pc on to the motherboard and still had the same issue

    parent root

    If it is not the RAM, then it could be the CPU or MB.

    one way to check if it is the Motherboard or CPU would be to take out your CPU of PC 1 and put it into PC 2 and PC 2 CPU into PC 1.

    If PC 1 turns on with PC 2 CPU but PC 2 fails to turn on then it is the Motherboard most likely.

    If PC 1 Fails to turn on but PC 2 turns on then it is the CPU most likely.

    since you said that they were the same build, exchanging parts between a known working build with the new will help you narrow down the issue.

    parent root

    i was the motherboard thanks a lot gyus

    parent root

  • Did i overpay? Cpu: AMD Ryzen 7 9700x Cpu cooler: gamdias chione p360 LCD motherboard: MSI x670E gaming plus wifi Memory: 32gb kingston fury beast DDR5 Storage:2 TB kingston kc3000 MVMe Video card: geforce 5070 TI Case:lian li 011 vision compact Power supply: 850 watt 80+ gold rated Total cost $2628 USD

    parent

    Not really, I just spec'd out a build with these specs and it was only a tiny bit cheaper. Factor in the cost of actually putting it together and that's a reasonable price.

    parent root