paddy-stone

Agree with above, if you're not opposed to getting one from China, you can go on aliexpress and find loads of systems based on n100 cpu, and is mini PC sized, which means no worrying about power supply etc, just pick one that you need, for example some come with 2 sata SSD/HDD slots... but bear in mind that those one can be much more expensive. My preference would be to go with a normal mini pc box, and use the USB for storage, along with an external USB drive, or possibly a HDD dock for example. If it's just for home usage, that should be plenty fast enough, I've used USB storage drives in the past with no problems at all. [edit] Just found this one for $106 freehttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005234874016.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller.4.3358ojdZojdZ1u&gps-id=pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40050.354490.0&scm_id=1007.40050.354490.0&scm-url=1007.40050.354490.0&pvid=4b9e26d8-a7dc-4557-acc0-e2685a9746e4&_t=gps-id:pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40050.354490.0,pvid:4b9e26d8-a7dc-4557-acc0-e2685a9746e4,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238116%232002&pdp_npi=4%40dis!USD!270.26!102.70!!!270.26!102.70!%40211b613117086938887121125e8ef8!12000032308953602!rec!UK!882557326!&utparam-url=scene%3ApcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller|query_from%3A

Go on Amazon to see if it's as cheap there. I went on Amazon.uk and can get the 240 Arbg for £62

I wouldn't bother.. but if you already have a mobo that's suitable then maybe $10.

Well you could always try one of these ways with linux https://office-watch.com/2023/microsoft-office-linux-four-ways/ But really if you need windows for certain apps, then stick with windows, although you might find that it's pretty slow, especially adding office on top of windows already bloated use of ram. So you might want to add more ram as 4gb is very low.

Depends on what you want to do with it really in some respects? If just general web browsing. media playing, media server etc, then can easily go with linux mint/pop-os/ubuntu for most things.

I found this info: New Scalable Clocking Architecture for Easier Timing Closure The C/A CK has typically run at the same frequency as the data-strobes (DQS) in all prior LPDDR standards, up to LPDDR4/4X. Such a clocking scheme puts enormous pressure on both the DRAM C/A lanes and the SoC timing convergence, since the CK is the reference for C/A lanes on the memory channel and the memory controller in the SoC typically runs at half the CK frequency at the DDR PHY Interface in the DFI 1:2 ratio mode. For example, for an LPDDR4/4X speed of 4267 Mbps, the CK and DQS run at 2133 MHz, and the C/A has a data-rate of 2133 Mbps and controller clock runs at 1066 MHz. Such a clocking scheme is not scalable at LPDDR5 speeds. Thus, LPDDR5 adopts a new clocking scheme, where CK runs at one fourth the data-strobe frequency at speeds higher than 3200 Mbps, and at half the data-strobe frequency at speeds under 3200 Mbps. Hence, even at 6400 Mbps, this clocking scheme requires CK to operate only at 800 MHz. This allows C/A to run slower (at 1600 Mbps, since C/A can transition at both rising and falling edges of CK rate (for example: DDR type) in LPDDR5) and hence greatly improves the margins on the C/A lanes. Similarly, a slower CK enables the SoC to not only close timing more efficiently, but also provides a higher performance, since the controller can now work at 800 MHz in DFI 1:1 ratio. Additionally, LPDDR5 does not support the traditional bi-directional data-strobe architecture, and instead introduces two uni-directional data-strobes: Write clock (WCK) for Writes and an optional Read clock (RDQS) for Reads. The system can choose to operate either strobe-less or with a single-ended strobe for Reads at lower speeds and save power, although a differential strobe (RDQS/RDQS#) becomes necessary for higher speeds. source: https://www.synopsys.com/designware-ip/technical-bulletin/key-features-about-lpddr5.html So in essence even though it's reporting 800Mhz, this is normal

Ahh OK, that's why I wanted to check... my ram is running way slow then. I've also checked in bios and it's reporting that it's running at 6400, so not sure what's going on.

Hey, just a quick question/observation. I noticed that my RAM in HWINFO64 shows 786.5Mhz under the max column. When I looked in CPU-z for confirmation, I saw that it said FSB/uncore? was 1:8, so took that to mean that the memory clock frequency FSB should be x8 to get the approx 6400Mhz that I was looking for? I just got a 6800U mini-pc to replace those times when I'm mostly doing not much but browsing and listening to music etc... but still a decent enough performance for most stuff. I might even try dual-booting with OMV to see what the performance is like as a NAS.

My response is "who said that!!!" then run away laughing maniacally.

My dog would lick me all over if she could. She started at 8 wks old when we got her too. She almost daily decides she wants to lick my head (I'm balding, and shave my head), so she jumps up on the couch that I sit in front of on the floor, and proceeds to put her paws on my shoulders and lick all over the top and back of my head... I don't mind it though personally, but my family look disgusted often She will be five in another month, time has absolutely blown past.

Sorry to be a grammar nazi, but the word is cease, not seize

I have the new-ish Xiaomi F5, I was going to get the pro for the wireless charging, and a few other upgrades to the F5... but in the end decided the much lower cost of the F5 was worth a shot. I am really pleased with the F5, and I decided to get a magnetic charger for the phone to hopefully put off any issues with the charging port. I'm still getting the 67W charging from it too, which is a bonus for my usage, only requiring between 20-40 mins charging every few days and I usually recharge when it gets down to between 20-30% left. The magnetic charger I got was only a few $ from aliexpress, and I usually get my packages between 5-7 days on average. I also got my phone from there too, but at the time it took about 4-5 weeks... but at only £240 approx was around £160+ cheaper than buying from a UK source. The magnetic adaptor is this one https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004263177310.html it just plugs into the same charger cable you would normally use. I have a few dotted around the house for convenience.

Yes it's working fine, as above. For example my HWINFO reports mine at 1800Mhz, but because it's DDR is actually 3600Mhz. We see this common misconception all the time on here, and everywhere TBH... you're no different to others that don't know these things, so no worries

For me personally I can't stand having to deal with the discs etc. Once I rip them to my server, they stay in their cases in storage. I have 3 copies of my most used/favourite movies, not including the physical. So that I don't have to spend my valuable time re-ripping / downloading again. I probably wouldn't be so anal about it if my internet was faster, but at only 60Mb/s it takes a while for a 50GB+ to DL... and even longer if I rip it myself. Lately I have been more exacting with my choice of movies to own... And I've also been getting more digital movies, rather than physical, so it hasn't been as bad lately. I think it stems from the time when we were still using floppy discs and it took a very long time to do pretty much anything, and having to wait, and wait, and wait... approx 3-4 hours just to install windows 3.11 IIRC, and don't get me started on ms office. So I have computer ADHD, or PTSD if you like from those times in my late teens to mid 20's approx when time seemed to stand still while trying to do anything... I swear that out of an 8 hour day, we spent around 6 hours waiting for stuff to happen... and that's not including 24k internet waiting, just time for programs to load, installations etc etc. Now I just can't wait for my fix

Yeah depends on chipset, some mobos are able to update bios etc without cpu/ram, but TBH for testing purposes I don't think it's worth bothering... just wait for entire system and do a system test out of the chassis if possible. Worst thing is taking all the time and cable routing etc and then finding out your mobo or cpu or something is DOA. Even almost 30 years in I still do a bench test of components when doing a full system build/rebuild. A few years back I skipped doing a testbench, heartbreaking when you have to remove almost the entire system in the end to send a part or 2 back as DOA... makes you remember for the next few times though, lol

I'll be buying one soon, I am torn between the EM680 with a 6800U 8c/16t @4.7Ghz max, USB4 etc, or the UM780 with a 7840HS 8C/16T @5.1Ghz max, USB4 etc... both would be with 32GB DDR5 ram. |EM680 is approx £435, also the DDR5 is LPDDR5 @6400Mhz which I can't see the price of even anywhere, but even 5600Mhz 32GB 2x16 is approx £160, whereas a single 32GB is £95... so the price of the Em680 is really very good considering how much the parts would have cost. Plus you get USB4 x 2, one of which is used for power. UM780 again parts out pretty well considering the spec, and works out approx £660 after vouchers, also with USB4 x 2, except this time it also has a dedicated 19v power input... although you can use USB4 for powering if you want. DDR5 on this is lower at 5600Mhz. Personally speaking I am leaning towards the Em680 as I would be using it more for things like media player/server/NAS usage than anything else... and works out at a fairly low energy machine for every day use, and would consider it for use for casual gaming and retro gaming machine too. My main desktop would get a lot less usage with the mini-PC in use... but would still be there for if I wanted to go high FPS gaming, video recoding and other high intensity usage.

Not familiar with Asus BIOS settings as it's been years since I last dealt with them... so all I can suggest is reset cmos as I said above, and hopefully make it less painful in future with saving profiles.