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Kerry C.

Kerry C.

Joined on 08/08/12

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 11
Most Favorable Review

AMD Ready!?

Patriot Viper 4 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000) Extreme Performance Memory, Black Sides / Red Top Model PV48G300C6K
Patriot Viper 4 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000) Extreme Performance Memory, Black Sides / Red Top Model PV48G300C6K

Pros: Seriously, it should have that on the label (PER my own experience with 2 kits so far, so YMMV), because it doesn't and some might be scared to make the jump. 2x kits, 2 builds, Ryzen 2200G APU's (yes, they are APU's, get over it AMD, you started with then naming convention!)

Cons: Its the cost of 16GB from 2016~... not Patriot's fault I know, but still a Con! Only 8GB total not 16GB (I am reaching here)

Overall Review: Haven't fiddled with tighter timings or OC on the memory yet as they where for PC's that arent for me! One was a gift PC and one was for a nephew, both CPU/GPU OC'd, however, RAM set to XMP profile only. Smooth as silk!

Most Critical Review

STAY AWAY FROM ASROCK!

ASRock DESKMINI A300W AMD Socket AM4 AMD A300 1 x HDMI Barebone System
ASRock DESKMINI A300W AMD Socket AM4 AMD A300 1 x HDMI Barebone System

Pros: Great idea/form factor Business's love the idea VESA mounting was cool

Cons: Since its release its been constantly behind in BIOS/Firmware updates and AGESA release's from AMD. It took multiple tickets and AMD confirming it was an issue (hint, AMD rarely confirm what AGESA resolves so if they release an update, just do it for the love of all that is sacred) for them to finally push an update for higher VRAM allocation and a small bump in AGESA which resolved some crashing experienced with office applications AS WELL. In that regard however, that's it, nothing past that, it never got the final v1.0.0.6 of the initial Ryzen v1 AGESA release, and they have opted not to update it to the v2 family v1.2.0.7 release from AMD which would ensure Windows 11 compatibility and prevent the stutters the thing suffers from and was released by AMD specifically to encompass products like this A300 Someone did release a test BIOS which 100+ people on the SFF forums and DE forums it came from that did test (myself as well) and it was GREAT and had AMD AGESA ComboAM4v2 v1.0.0.2 and fixed nearly all my issues, yet, they didn't finish it, and refuse to fix existing issues so my business customers requested they be replaced instead of staying on BETA non Windows 11 compliant BIOS.

Overall Review: If you haven't purchased yet: Stay away from ASRock for these types of solutions, 15~ purchased, 2 for personal, the rest for business's, and all replaced now since ASRock refuses to update the BIOS to fix issues that have been RESOLVED by AMD in AGESA releases. If you have purchased already, report any issues experienced and simply request they stop abandoning great hardware by updating the BIOS to the latest AMD released AGESA which is ComboAM4v2 v1.2.0.7

Stay Away!

Intel 665p Series M.2 2280 1TB PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 3D3, QLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) SSDPEKNW010T9X1
Intel 665p Series M.2 2280 1TB PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 3D3, QLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) SSDPEKNW010T9X1

Cons: Intel only listed this for a short time before pulling it. I had* downloaded the latest Intel SSD Toolbox software (no longer called that, called MAS or some nonsense), and even IT did not have it as a supported drive despite my 660p and 670p being supported! *Submitted a support ticket and it was resolved but to forget a product to support! While lack of firmware updates is usually ok if its working well, the fact that models around this one got updates and that it wasnt supported by the software in the first place does not give me hope for using this outside unimportant data storage.

Overall Review: Be careful if you have/own it, could be a ticker.

Launch day Purchase

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X - Ryzen 5 5000 Series Vermeer (Zen 3) 6-Core 3.7 GHz Socket AM4 65W None Integrated Graphics Desktop Processor - 100-100000065BOX
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X - Ryzen 5 5000 Series Vermeer (Zen 3) 6-Core 3.7 GHz Socket AM4 65W None Integrated Graphics Desktop Processor - 100-100000065BOX

Pros: The jump from Zen/+/2/ to 3 has been just fenominal to experience. Coming from the 3950x, though lacking cores, performance was still up across anything I did

Cons: IHS had super tall corners that bit into my water block and was causing cooling issues, I had no choice but to sand them down a bit so it would sit flatter and not dig into my copper waterblock!

Overall Review: Would recommend if needing something midrange.

No issues OOB so far!

GIGABYTE GA-AB350M-Gaming 3 (rev. 1.0) AM4 AMD B350 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-AB350M-Gaming 3 (rev. 1.0) AM4 AMD B350 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

Pros: Nice feature set. Small/Skimpy VRM heatsink, but hey, it HAS one! No issues OC'ing

Cons: Issues with Fan control from BIOS fighting Fan Control in OS, either by Windows or by Gigabyte's own tool Issues with Hibernate, doesn't shut all the way down (have to hit power button once to fully power down, then again to power back on), moved ALL COMPONENTS to another motherboard, issue doesn't exist when transplanted.

Overall Review: For a low end model, BIOS still needs some love, and Fan control issues exist across the medium and high end series as well, come on Gigabyte, fix it!

AMD makes a comeback in a BIG way!

AMD RYZEN 3 2200G Quad-Core 3.5 GHz (3.7 GHz Max Boost) Socket AM4 65W YD2200C5FBBOX Desktop Processor - Retail
AMD RYZEN 3 2200G Quad-Core 3.5 GHz (3.7 GHz Max Boost) Socket AM4 65W YD2200C5FBBOX Desktop Processor - Retail

Pros: I build PC's for family/friends and random people, super simple, super smooth, bar none best entry level build, can be had for $320 usually (sales) with CPU/RAM/Motherboard/Case(withPSU), add $20-80 for an SSD or big HDD! Build 3 with this hidden tiger.

Cons: The only Con, is that AMD decided NOT to solder this like they do with all other PROC's, it does this APU a WORLD of good for longevity and overclocking results... Not that they sell it to be overclocked, but when it can do 500Mhz+ on the GPU easily for 1.6Ghz top-end, and 300Mhz+ on the CPU easily for a 3.8/3.9 top-end... Needless to say, unrealized power/potential that I would have happily paid $5-$15 more for in the box!