Is it an effective tool to build PC?

[_galaxy]

I have a PC with AMD components which also has national caveats, not to mention the pc case.

I don't wanna deal with enthusiastic wanna-be trying to make those /r/PCMasterRace builds, I just wanna learn how to clean my pc and upgrade it's components. Is this an effective tool to build it?

I also saw there's a workshop. I wonder if I can find my components there?

EDIT: Nevermind workshop is filled with anime bs. Sad.

[Jackthedragonkiller [Chirch]]

I mean you can get a minor understanding, but it does skip over certain things that are actually important like Memory setup. In game, you can put the sticks in any slot and it would function normally, but in reality, it does actually matter and some boards (if not all) won't boot unless the sticks are in the right DIMM.

If you want a full understanding as of how to build a PC, I suggest watching a tutorial on YouTube from people such as Linus Tech Tips or Bitwit since they both have PC building guides/tutorials. Linus even has a first person view.

In fact my first PC build was done thanks to watching Bitwit's tutorial, that's actually what encouraged me to build it and hey, it works!

[_galaxy]

Originally posted by Jackthedragonkiller:

I mean you can get a minor understanding, but it does skip over certain things that are actually important like Memory setup. In game, you can put the sticks in any slot and it would function normally, but in reality, it does actually matter and some boards (if not all) won't boot unless the sticks are in the right DIMM.

If you want a full understanding as of how to build a PC, I suggest watching a tutorial on YouTube from people such as Linus Tech Tips or Bitwit since they both have PC building guides/tutorials. Linus even has a first person view.

In fact my first PC build was done thanks to watching Bitwit's tutorial, that's actually what encouraged me to build it and hey, it works!

I see. Seeing as I already have a built pc though, I don't think the software aspect of this game will come as a issue. It's more about learning to clean it.

I saw some tutorials of cleaning my computer, which consists of spraying air through it. Seeing as 2 components I have the companies seem to be partened with the game, I feel as if I can learn to clean them (them being removing the CPU fan and applying thermal paste, and removing the GPU to clean the fans). Would the game accomplish at least that?

[Dekar_Serverbot]

As the person above me mentioned, the memory issue is very innacurate, making 10 GB builds impossible or even mixing those teamgroup memories incompatible just by colors, also the position works anywhere, even if you just put one single ram in the third slot, which would be a crime against the motherboard regardless the manufacturer.

The only thing that this helps with is to test the dimensions of the components and very basic stuff. The silicone lotto is even more RNG than real life.

[Jackthedragonkiller [Chirch]]

For _galaxy
Ah, didn't notice you had already built it.

The game does use thermal paste but you just click on the thermal paste in the inventory and click on the CPU and it's applied. It does seem to apply the correct amount though, just when applying paste, make sure you don't put to much on, it won't break anything really as long as it doesn't get onto any circuits but it would be messy to clean up.

As for the removal of GPU fans, no. In-game you just take out the whole card and only clean it with the compressed air can. You can't actually remove the GPU fans in-game, the game also skips over a rather important part of GPU removal and installation which is the PCIe lock which I don't get.

So, yes for thermal paste, yes for dust cleaning, no for GPU fan removal.

For Dekar_Serverbot
Is it even possible to get a 10 GB build? Aren't the only sticks in game 4, 8, 16, and 32? The only way I see a 10 Gig rig is 5x2 GB sticks which could be possible, but why?

And there are other things the game gets right, not only dimensions. Such as CPU placement, it at least aligns it correctly. I think at least, both my old AMD FX-8320E and my new R7 3700X faced the same way on to entirely different mobos over 6-7 years of technology. Can't say anything for Intel but I'd imagine they are aligned correctly.

[_galaxy]

Originally posted by Dekar_Serverbot:

The only thing that this helps with is to test the dimensions of the components and very basic stuff. The silicone lotto is even more RNG than real life.

That can actually be useful. Assuming the game has my case

Originally posted by Jackthedragonkiller:

For _galaxy
Ah, didn't notice you had already built it.

The game does use thermal paste but you just click on the thermal paste in the inventory and click on the CPU and it's applied. It does seem to apply the correct amount though, just when applying paste, make sure you don't put to much on, it won't break anything really as long as it doesn't get onto any circuits but it would be messy to clean up.

As for the removal of GPU fans, no. In-game you just take out the whole card and only clean it with the compressed air can. You can't actually remove the GPU fans in-game, the game also skips over a rather important part of GPU removal and installation which is the PCIe lock which I don't get.

So, yes for thermal paste, yes for dust cleaning, no for GPU fan removal.

Alright man. I think I might buy it. I just hope on a sequel the devs improve more on the realism part... maybe VR support? I mean I don't see why some companies wouldn't just outright give money to them.

[Jackthedragonkiller [Chirch]]

Part of me wishes it was more realistic to since it's a simulator. But I guess it's meant to simulate building PC's not be a entire teaching tool. And I do wish for VR support one day as well but that may be a while.

Hope you enjoy it!

[Biervampir [AUT]]

It learns you the very basics, but not enough to build your own PC without running into dozens of errors.

Use following tools:
pcpartpicker:
To check compability

userbenchmark:
To compair hardware

outervision:
To calculate watt usage

Newegg/geizhals:
For price compairison.

YouTube:
For tutorials

[_galaxy]

Originally posted by Jackthedragonkiller:

Part of me wishes it was more realistic to since it's a simulator. But I guess it's meant to simulate building PC's not be a entire teaching tool. And I do wish for VR support one day as well but that may be a while.

Hope you enjoy it!

I kind of give it a pass since they're probably the first guys who made something like this and it works. If we do get a sequel, that will be another story. But for the moment I think the product might suffice for me.

[Dekar_Serverbot]

Originally posted by Jackthedragonkiller:

For _galaxy
Ah, didn't notice you had already built it.

The game does use thermal paste but you just click on the thermal paste in the inventory and click on the CPU and it's applied. It does seem to apply the correct amount though, just when applying paste, make sure you don't put to much on, it won't break anything really as long as it doesn't get onto any circuits but it would be messy to clean up.

As for the removal of GPU fans, no. In-game you just take out the whole card and only clean it with the compressed air can. You can't actually remove the GPU fans in-game, the game also skips over a rather important part of GPU removal and installation which is the PCIe lock which I don't get.

So, yes for thermal paste, yes for dust cleaning, no for GPU fan removal.

For Dekar_Serverbot
Is it even possible to get a 10 GB build? Aren't the only sticks in game 4, 8, 16, and 32? The only way I see a 10 Gig rig is 5x2 GB sticks which could be possible, but why?

And there are other things the game gets right, not only dimensions. Such as CPU placement, it at least aligns it correctly. I think at least, both my old AMD FX-8320E and my new R7 3700X faced the same way on to entirely different mobos over 6-7 years of technology. Can't say anything for Intel but I'd imagine they are aligned correctly.

Actually, it's pretty easy to get non binary options, as long as they are both from the same manufacturer and same frequency AND you put them in the right order there is no problem, you can mix 4 GB with 8 GB ones and so on. It has been an option since the old monocore processors and is still working, currently my PC has 24 GB of RAM by having one 8GB and one 16GB RAM sticks.

[No Exit]

If you want a REAL simulation of a tech support/computer business then they'll have to include a job where you have to plug in an external harddrive and migrate all your customers porn to it because they are old and their hands don't work well anymore. Guess why?

True story.

[🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊]

Originally posted by Dekar_Serverbot:

Actually, it's pretty easy to get non binary options, as long as they are both from the same manufacturer and same frequency AND you put them in the right order there is no problem, you can mix 4 GB with 8 GB ones and so on. It has been an option since the old monocore processors and is still working, currently my PC has 24 GB of RAM by having one 8GB and one 16GB RAM sticks.

Just because you -CAN- do it does not mean you -SHOULD- do it. Even in real life you should never mix and match ram of different capacities. Just because it works now doesn't mean it will always work forever. It could suddenly blue screen on you completely at random one day and you'd have no idea what it was and it could just be incompatible ram that suddenly decided to surface one day 6 months down the line. You have to live with the constant knowledge that you used a potentially unstable configuration that could possible cause problems completely at random. Are you really comfortable using a PC like that? I never would.

You might be "Lucky" and manage to use a computer with mismatched ram for years with no problems. Some people are so lucky. Some aren't. It's a gamble. The "Best Practice" in real life is to always install 100% exactly matching memory sticks and typically buy them as a set together when you buy the ram. And if you can't afford to buy another matching set when upgrading then just wait and save up and get a matching set. Potential instability isn't worth saving $40 getting a different set of ram in real life.

That's why they force us to use 100% exactly matching sets in-game. It's what we should be doing in real life. Also this game is simulating running a small mom`n`pop computer repair store. Computer repair stores in real life would never ever give a computer back to a customer with mismatched ram and risk it crashing on them and having them come back for more repairs. At least an honest shop wouldn't. Maybe a dishonest shop might do that on purpose to get people to return to suck more money out of em.. that would suck.

Originally posted by _galaxy:

Alright man. I think I might buy it. I just hope on a sequel the devs improve more on the realism part... maybe VR support? I mean I don't see why some companies wouldn't just outright give money to them.

This is the official developer response regarding VR: https://steamcommunity.com/app/621060/discussions/0/1693785035807127266/#c1693785035808995704

There has been no further update on this issue since the original post 2 years ago and VR support is not in the roadmap, despite the literally hundreds of threads and posts asking for it. Personally I think by now we'll never see it. They know by now we want it.

[Thjaffi]

Originally posted by Aquafawks:

Originally posted by Dekar_Serverbot:

Actually, it's pretty easy to get non binary options, as long as they are both from the same manufacturer and same frequency AND you put them in the right order there is no problem, you can mix 4 GB with 8 GB ones and so on. It has been an option since the old monocore processors and is still working, currently my PC has 24 GB of RAM by having one 8GB and one 16GB RAM sticks.

Just because you -CAN- do it does not mean you -SHOULD- do it. Even in real life you should never mix and match ram of different capacities. Just because it works now doesn't mean it will always work forever. It could suddenly blue screen on you completely at random one day and you'd have no idea what it was and it could just be incompatible ram that suddenly decided to surface one day 6 months down the line. You have to live with the constant knowledge that you used a potentially unstable configuration that could possible cause problems completely at random. Are you really comfortable using a PC like that? I never would.

You might be "Lucky" and manage to use a computer with mismatched ram for years with no problems. Some people are so lucky. Some aren't. It's a gamble. The "Best Practice" in real life is to always install 100% exactly matching memory sticks and typically buy them as a set together when you buy the ram. And if you can't afford to buy another matching set when upgrading then just wait and save up and get a matching set. Potential instability isn't worth saving $40 getting a different set of ram in real life.

That's why they force us to use 100% exactly matching sets in-game. It's what we should be doing in real life. Also this game is simulating running a small mom`n`pop computer repair store. Computer repair stores in real life would never ever give a computer back to a customer with mismatched ram and risk it crashing on them and having them come back for more repairs. At least an honest shop wouldn't. Maybe a dishonest shop might do that on purpose to get people to return to suck more money out of em.. that would suck.

Originally posted by _galaxy:

Alright man. I think I might buy it. I just hope on a sequel the devs improve more on the realism part... maybe VR support? I mean I don't see why some companies wouldn't just outright give money to them.

This is the official developer response regarding VR: https://steamcommunity.com/app/621060/discussions/0/1693785035807127266/#c1693785035808995704

There has been no further update on this issue since the original post 2 years ago and VR support is not in the roadmap, despite the literally hundreds of threads and posts asking for it. Personally I think by now we'll never see it. They know by now we want it.

it doesn't matter at all, if the RAM modules have the same capacity, the same nominal clock, or even are from the same manufacturer.

RAM is managed by the IMC (nowadays) in the CPU, not by the RAM itself.
The IMC controls the running specs of RAM, including frequency, latency or even single and dual channel mode.
its irrelevant
- if one channel is populated with 4GiB + 8GiB, and the other with no modles at all
- if one channel is populated with 16GiB and the other with 2GiB
- or any combination you can imagine
As told, the frequencies and latencies are set by the IMC, regardless whats written on the package from the RAM

to prove that, i have an old FX8320 on an Gigabyte AM3+ board here (4 Slot) with 3 completely different RAM modules: 2GiB, 4GiB and 8GiB, different Manufactueres, different nominal speeds.

All work in any combination, in any slot and absolutely stable (non OC!)

for sure its "more failsave" to use matching modules, but in my experience, no imaginable combination will ever fail under non-OC circumstances.

additionally all modern DDR4 boards - i have seen so far - automatically train the memory and resets itself to very stock ram settings if POST fails or even if changes to RAM are detected. If not, a CMOS clear should do that too.

[🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊]

Originally posted by Thjaffi:

it doesn't matter at all, if the RAM modules have the same capacity, the same nominal clock, or even are from the same manufacturer.

RAM is managed by the IMC (nowadays) in the CPU, not by the RAM itself.
The IMC controls the running specs of RAM, including frequency, latency or even single and dual channel mode.
its irrelevant
- if one channel is populated with 4GiB + 8GiB, and the other with no modles at all
- if one channel is populated with 16GiB and the other with 2GiB
- or any combination you can imagine
As told, the frequencies and latencies are set by the IMC, regardless whats written on the package from the RAM

to prove that, i have an old FX8320 on an Gigabyte AM3+ board here (4 Slot) with 3 completely different RAM modules: 2GiB, 4GiB and 8GiB, different Manufactueres, different nominal speeds.

All work in any combination, in any slot and absolutely stable (non OC!)

for sure its "more failsave" to use matching modules, but in my experience, no imaginable combination will ever fail under non-OC circumstances.

additionally all modern DDR4 boards - i have seen so far - automatically train the memory and resets itself to very stock ram settings if POST fails or even if changes to RAM are detected. If not, a CMOS clear should do that too.

I think you might want to remember that this ultimately is about the game, PC Building Simulator. In this game it is simulating running a small mom`n`pop computer repair store like we see in a strip mall in real life. In these sorts of stores if a customer's computer requires any sort of work involving the memory in said computer then almost all shops (At least most reputable shops that actually do things right) will always install 100% matching memory, in pairs. Exact brand, capacity, size, and model. Therefore that is what this game is simulating and that is why they do it in this game. Also that is the way it -SHOULD- be done in real life. It does not matter if "Someone can plug it up this alternative way and it happens to work for you and you are lucky that there are no issues".

That's not the concern nor issue here. I know it could work that way and you may happen to get lucky that it would work that way for you. Putting mismatched memory in any computer could (potentially) lead to blue screens, crashes, or any other random form of instability somewhere down the line. What if you are getting blue screens one day and crashing and you need to get a school project done with your computer and then you have to sit there wondering "Was it that ram that didn't match causing it, or is it something else?". No one wants to be in that situation. This situation is is completely avoidable if we just use the correct memory population in the first place.

The bottom line is this: This game requires we match memory in the game. If you want to play the game then get used to matching memory.