chrismin1302

Sorry guys, forgot to update you on the mod! Well, good news is it worked! That being said, I don't think I'd necessarily recommend it. Here's what I did: So, first task was to find some screws. Apparently you need 3mm diameter wood screws or whatever they're called. Took a photo of the ones I got which fit my dimensions perfectly: After that, assembly is obviously pretty simple, just sandwich it and add some thermal paste (I used MX4 2019). However, there is something very important to note: DO NOT TIGHTEN THE SCREWS AT ALL!!! There's no need, and you're putting all the pressure on the plastic on the fan's perimeter. IT WILL BREAK. THERE'S NO NEED, IT'S HELD IN PLACE WITHOUT TIGHTENING. Sorry for the caps, but hoping I can save others from having to super glue like me, especially when even after tightening it slightly it wouldn't move at all: So, let's get to the juicy stuff: did it actually help out with performance? Well yes, but actually no. Let me explain. Here are my original temps under Prime 95 small FFTs: 76-77 degrees under load for 20 minutes. Not bad, but not great. That being said, my ambient temps were quite high, so I'm not that worried about it. Now let's add the mod: 74-76 degrees under load. So, the same? Well, not quite. I did notice it took a lot longer to get up to those temperatures, where as before it was in a matter of a minute or two. So yes, more thermal mass certainly helped out but at the end of the day the difference in performance is small. Alright, thanks for reading, pic of the final build to celebrate!

LMAO legendary, should have done it when I had the same one mounted with zip ties to my old mobo. But yeah, I'll do it then

Hey all, So, I'm waiting for my parts to arrive for my new build. While I'm waiting, I was playing around with the cooler of the Ryzen 5 2600 and was kinda hoping I could find a way to squeeze a bit more performance out of my CPU or lower the temps. And, I think I have an idea. It might be stupid, but it looks plausible, and should work. I'm just wondering what you guys think. I have an old LGA 1155 heatsink (not the fan, it broke and I couldn't fix it) and its dimensions almost match the 2600's. It's quite a bit lighter and crappier, but I'm pretty sure I could sandwich it between my 2600's heatsink and fan to get more surface area and weight. Photos should make pretty clear what I mean: Stock Ryzen Cooler: Ryzen Heatsink with Intel Heatsink: And all of that together: So then, I just apply generous amounts of thermal paste in between and buy some longer screws from the hardware store. Here's a pic of the screws they include with some probably familiar objects for scale: So how stupid is it? Could it work? I think there's no harm that could be caused to the CPU or the Motherboard. And the mounting pressure should be more than enough to stop it from moving around under normal use. After all, a heavier cooler is usually better, and there's not much I can see that could go wrong. I'm gonna check if there's a specific dimension or name for the screws and if I find anything I'll post back. Any thoughts will be much appreciated!

Why are you limiting yourself to just the Galaxy S9? I can assure you that performance isn't a global Android issue. Since you're already an Android user, I think it would be better to choose another Android device instead of locking yourself down to the Apple ecosystem. I think it's better to have more options in the future, but that's of course up to you! OnePlus' devices are solid alternatives to an S9 at a lower price, or you could wait for the Pixel 3. Both devices will offer great performance and they offer unlockable bootloaders, so you can customize them as much as you want, and even get back some of the continuity features you'll be losing from Samsung's software. Plus, the Pixel is about on par with iPhones as far as updates are concerned.

I know USB 3.0 is more than 5 wires, I'm just saying that under specific circumstances you can skip the USB 2.0 wires entirely and just use the USB 3.0 wires. At this point, I'm just throwing ideas around to see what's possible. I won't know if it works until I actually try it. I'm just looking at what is theoretically possible for now.

Here's a picture of the 4 wires, don't know if it helps with anything.

I know, that's the issue here. These are 4 copper wires. I don't know what category, I can't find anything mentioned on them, however they are a bit thick and relatively hard to bend.

Hello everyone! Yesterday I found out that there are 4 copper wires running from the kitchen (where my router is) to my bedroom that are currently unused and part of the telephone infrastructure in my house. So, I wanted to see how much data I could push through those 4 wires and if it would be better than investing in an AC Wireless solution. Currently, I've got a gigabit router hooked up to a homemade FreeNAS from some older Gigabit compatible hardware. That network works fine, and with a USB 3.0 Adapter to Ethernet I can transfer files at upwards of 100MB/s to my Surface Pro 4, the device I plan to be using. Originally, I thought of using 2 pair Ethernet, which I actually tried and it works, so I'll go ahead today and buy an Ethernet Port to hook this up to the wall. However, since this is 2 pair Ethernet with only 4 wires, I'm limited to 100mbps, which is slower than my current WiFi for file transfer. Another idea I've had was to use these wires as USB wires. This is a bit more complicated than it sounds. USB 2.0 should work fine, but I am a bit over the distance limit. This should give me about 30mb/s transfer speeds, which is certainly an improvement. My Surface Pro 4 only supports up to 867mbps WiFi, so this might actually be faster than investing in a better WiFi solution. USB 3.0 is where stuff gets interesting. According to some research, I can ditch the USB 2.0 part of the connector entirely, since I can provide power on one end and the new USB 3.0 wires are enough to get the connection to work as intended on USB 3.0 devices. However, USB 3.0 has 5 wires. I've been trying to figure out what the middle wire does and see if that could be avoided on one end. On Wikipedia, it's listed as GND_SIGNAL, but I can't fully understand how it's used. Explanations would be much appreciated! Is there any other way I could achieve faster internet through those 4 wires? Any standards that I missed? It's a real shame that Ethernet only goes from 100 to 1000 mbits, it would be great if we could use two pairs to get 500mbits. I'm open to any suggestions and criticism! Thanks in advance, Chris.

Here's a cable for the Chipal: https://egpunotebook.ru/component/kabeli/cable_ngff Here's a version of the EXP GDC: https://www.amazon.co.uk/XCSOURCE-Laptop-External-Independent-AC866/dp/B074XFMFXZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528019006&sr=1-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=XCSOURCE+V8.4+EXP+GDC+Laptop+External+Independent+Video+Card+PCI-E+16X+Graphics+Card+M.2+A+Key+with+NGFF+Cable+and+ATX+PSU+Power+Cable+AC866 They both use A and E keying and are limited to x1, not x2 unfortunately. Even if I were to use the M key slot, I'd need the overly expensive 100$ version of the EXP GDC in order to use x4for a small performance improvement when using an external screen and a much bigger one when using the internal. Still, I won't be using that good of a GPU anyways, probably a 760, and my CPU will probably be a bottleneck to begin with. Also, x1 can go up to 8.0GBps if you're using a 6th gen it higher Intel processor, so that does give a bit of a performance improvement. It is however largely luck based as well.

As I already mentioned, A and E Key slots can also be used for external GPUs. Thanks for replying though!

TL;DR: Any way to connect WiFi and Bluetooth or an external GPU on an M.2 2242 B Key WWAN slot? Thanks. Hello everyone! So, recently, after having done quite a bit of research on what device I should get, I ended up looking into getting the Latitude 5285 with an i7 7600U and 16GB of RAM. I even found a very cheap refurbished one on eBay! It's a 2-in-1 device, much like the Surface Pro, and has great performance. However, when looking at the reviews, one thing stuck out on me. That was the fact that not only is the device easily repairable, but it also has a free M.2 slot. Here's a photo of its insides: As you can see, there is a free M.2 Slot on the bottom right with the writings WWAN 2230 SSD. That Port is normally used for WWAN Compatibility with 4G LTE Cards. However, there are also SSDs available for it, albeit SATA ones. HOWEVER, even though the slot claims to be a 2230 slot, by lining up the picture with a few quick sketches to check dimensions, it's actually a 2242, just like it should be to fit the WWAN Cards. So I have no idea why they didn't write that on there. Now that we know the Port is a 2242 M.2 Slot, we can also confirm that it's a B key slot. I'll also go ahead and tell you the rest of the ports on this device which I'm pretty sure are the following: a 2230 A Key M.2 for the Wifi and Bluetooth combo module Intel 8265 and a 2280 M Key M.2 SSD Slot. Yes, that's right. This tiny, portable, 12" tablet has 3 M.2 Slots! This is absolutely incredible. So now let's get to the GOOD PART: But can it run Crisis? Yes, it can, but I'd like to do it with an external GPU. Not only that, but I'd like to be able to use the device on the go, so no hanging out cables, removed screens or USB WiFI dongles. In other words, LET'S ADD A PORT TO THIS DEVICE! And this is where stuff gets weird. Our options for external GPUs on this guy can be seen on the egpu.io buyer's guide. Since I want a removable cable, I will be using either the EXP GDC or the Chipal. The Chipal already has a few advantages, with its super low 7$ price and the removable mini USB 3.0 cable. Wait, WHAT?! Mini USB 3.0 doesn't exist. Yet this Chipal adapter has one, and it's not a fake. I saw the images and even found one on Amazon, it's got 9 pins and full USB 3.0 compatibility. Yet, I couldn't find any official Mini USB 3.0 spec. We'll come back to that weird fact later, but for now let's look at what would fit in the machine: The EXP-GDC has two versions: an x1 version and an x4 version. The x1 uses the A and E key, so it would go where the WiFi card is. The x4 uses the M key, so it would go where the SSD is. The Chipal only has one x1 version with an M key adapter. HOWEVER, there's a Russian guy (there's always a russian guy...) who makes an A and E cable for this, but with only the end that connects to the GPU dock detachable. You can find it on his website, egpunotebook.ru Alright, that's great. Since we can get the Chipal for only 7$ and the two cables for the x4 version of the EXP GDC are way too big to fit inside the laptop case, I'll probably end up going for the Chipal. However, as you can see so far, I haven't mentioned the B key slot. As I mentioned earlier, this is the slot that's currently free on the computer, so I'd like to use that instead of killing something else for the External GPU. And, unfortunately, my research shows that the only devices available for that type of slot are the WWAN Cards for 4G LTE and some SATA based SSDs. Almost nothing else exists, no eGPU adapters, no WiFi or Bluetooth cards and the SSDs get real pricy above 256GB, even though they're only SATA. So, are we SoL on that slot? Not quite. While Wikipedia and some presentations on M.2 and, hell, even Dell's own website mention that it should have support for PCIe Lanes, YouTuber Novaspirit Tech tried cutting an M.2 M Key Chipal to fit that slot and it didn't work. So I got to work on figuring out why, and it turns out those specs might be false. According to PCI-SIG's documentation, M.2 B Keys aren't required to have PCIe Lanes, it's completely up to the manufacturer. That's why the only SSDs available are SATA based, not NVMe. And, apparently, some of the changes made to the B Key 2242 for WWAN to support PCIe lanes were enforced on February 2017, one month after the Latitude 5285 was announced. So, there's still a chance this device has support for that, as the manual mentions that it should support an NVMe SSD on that slot, but I'm pretty sure that's a mistake. Well, if we can't run an eGPU or a High Performance SSD, can we run a WiFi card? Technically, yes, we can! After all, there must be a way these WWAN modules connect, either through PCIe lanes or, more likely, through USB! However, after researching on global Wikis that have essentially every wifi chip on the market, the only thing that comes up is a Raspberry Pi style computer that fits in an M.2 Slot, and while that sounds cool AF (computersception!) it's not what I want. What about USB then? Well, here, it's technically possible. I found one (yes only one) M.2 B Key to USB adapter on eBay, but it requires a Floppy Style Power Connector for power and is big and bulky due to the connectors sticking out. So, I'd have to order that as well as a USB WiFi and Bluetooth module and hope I can solder everything together while removing anything it already has to slim it down and to fit it in that tiny space up there while also connecting it to the tablet's antenna so I can actually have half decent signal. Not impossible, but very hard to do. So, to conclude, that leaves us with two options: 1) Kill the WiFi card, get an A and E cable for the Chipal, solder a female connector onto it, like a Micro USB 3.0 and fit it in between something like the Volume Buttons. Then, use the empty B key slot with the USB adapter that I'll have to solder a WiFi and Bluetooth chip on. 2) Kill the SSD, get a SATA based 256GB SSD and use the M Key 2280 slot for the Chpal adapter with a female connector on the cable, like a Micro USB. I doubt there's even enough space in the M key slot, so I'll probably even have to slim that connector down. Let's talk a bit about that connector and placement. As I mentioned, I might use the space in between the Volume Buttons as I can cut the Button's plastic and probably fit a Micro USB 3.0 in between, keeping all functionality and without having to modify the case. So, to do that, I'll have to solder my own connector onto an already existing adapter. If that adapter is the original M key one, then things are a bit tricky as it's quite thicc and probably wont fit inside there unless I do quite a bit of trimming. On the other hand, the A and E key from the Russian guy is already soldered on, so I'll just have to add my female connector, which I'll probably get from a Micro USB 3.0 Extender. That's another reason why I'm considering using the A and E slot, along with the fact that it's closer to where I want the connector to be, unlike the M key which will probably need a connector on the bottom. Still reading? Cool, let's keep going. This all assumes that this thing even works with the device in the first place and that my soldering skills don't give up on me and I fuck everything up. It's difficult, and maybe not even worth it since I could probably get a Thunderbolt 3 device and be done with all this. However, it's cool AF and probably not *that* risky. After all, I can check all the connections in advance to see if I shorted out anything and so everything should in theory work. But I won't know until I get everything in my hands and try it out. I've done a lot of research on this so far and so I wanted somewhere to post all of my findings on the most ambitious project I've ever embarked on. I also would like to hear your opinions, on how crazy I am and in which other ways I could make this work. If you have any recommendations on getting around the problems that I mentioned or know of a way to use either eGPUs or WiFi and Bluetooth modules on B Key 2242 slots, I would be extremely greatful! In general, any info on the B Key WWAN slots would be extremely helpful. Thank you for reading the entire post, I really appreciate it! I hope you learned something new and you're as excited for this as I am.

Thank you for your reply! I'm not looking to do that much gaming, and I want to generally avoid 15" inch laptops. Anything around 12 - 13 inches is pretty good.

TL;DR: I've got around 1000€ and want a good convertible or 2 in 1 with good performance. Hello everyone, I have a Surface Pro 4 for a couple of months and I absolutely love it. There's literally been no other device that has been so useful and so enjoyable to use for me ever. But unfortunately, after 3 replacements due to hardware failure, I think it's about time to sell it. Looking online, it seems like I'll get around 700€ with all the accessories I have, maybe even a bit more. So, I am willing to spend up to 1000€ on a device that will replace it. There are a couple things I'm looking for in this new device. Performance is a must, maybe not as much graphically, but something like an m series or y series processor is out of the question. I also really value the form factor. This convertible style is why I love the Surface Pro 4. So I'm mainly looking for the same style, but 2 in 1s are also an option I guess. Repairability is something that I also really appreciate, as being able to fix the hardware myself is a big bonus, and I'm comfortable with messing around in my devices anyways. I will be using the device for many things, including Programming, Video, Audio and Photo Editing, maybe even some Gaming from time to time. I've done some heavy research on devices with the same convertible style and they all have their drawbacks. I considered the Transformer 3 Pro, but the battery life is horrendous and there's an issue with warping over time, which makes the fan have a grinding noise that can't be easily repaired as the screen is glued on. I also considered Lenovo's lineup, which seemed to be perfect. I even found some good deals on the Miix 720 which has everything I need, including Thunderbolt 3 with eGPU Support! However, the fan is reportedly quite loud and only had two steps, so it runs at full capacity most of the time. Now this could possibly be fixed, as you can easily disassemble the device. I would replace the thermal paste with some MX4, but could I do anything about the fan? I doubt it, but let me know. Dell also has some devices, but they're business oriented and I can't easily find them on eBay. Will check them again tho. 2 in 1s are also an interesting category that I haven't done much research on. I ended up finding the Dell Inspiron 5379 which has really good specs but the screen, design, SSD and pretty much everything else is like it's from 2015. I think I'm stuck here. There's nothing really that checks all the boxes. Ideally, I would love to get the Miix 720 and fix the fan issues, but I doubt that's possible. And I don't think I'll be using liquid metal on such an expensive device. I want your opinion on this please! Let me know if you have any good devices you'd recommend around this price point and with the same form factor. Thank you!

Did some testing and it isn't the mouse. Wierd. BTW my SSD is being written all the time by svchost, even when my PC doesn't lag. I am hating Windows 10 atm!

Nothing causes the Lag, task manager sits at 0% for everything. However I think I found the issue. Last night I forgot to turn off my mouse and so when I started my PC today it didn't lag. This all started after I got a new Microsoft keyboard/mouse combo. I'll do more testing and report back.