Hey everyone! I'm helping a friend out with his used PC that he got for a pretty good deal. The setup includes an i9 9900K, 64GB DDR4 RAM (2x32GB Corsair), an ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming 4 motherboard, a NVIDIA RTX 2070, and a 1TB Samsung EVO 990 Plus NVMe SSD along with a 1TB SATA WD SSD. I've already installed Windows 11 Pro and all necessary drivers, and everything is running smoothly. However, I ran into a few bumps that I'd love your thoughts on:
1. The RAM won't reach the XMP speed of 3600 MHz, and I can only get it to 3200 MHz before boot failures occur. I thought most decent RAM could hit those XMP speeds with just 2 DIMMs, but I'm hesitant to tinker with voltage settings. Am I missing something?
2. The motherboard has a custom BIOS from CyberPower. I flashed it to the latest version available from them, but it's still a step behind the official ASRock BIOS. Is there any compelling reason to try to update to the official one?
3. The original CPU cooler isn't cutting it. I ran some Cinebench tests, and it throttles when hitting 90°C. Do you think it's worth suggesting a $60–$75 cooler, even though my friend isn't a gamer and won't be overclocking? The CPU usually runs at a cool 35°C-40°C.
4. Lastly, is there anything simple I might be overlooking in the BIOS settings that could improve performance? My friend primarily uses this PC for photography in Photoshop, so I'm wondering if a cooler or faster RAM is worth it for his needs. What do you think?
2 Answers
Yeah, I've had similar issues with custom BIOSes limiting RAM speeds. It could be worth checking for any BIOS settings related to memory compatibility. 3200 MHz should be enough. Regarding the cooler, if you're not overclocking, the current setup should be sufficient, but keep an eye on the temps during heavy tasks. A budget cooler could improve thermal performance without overspending, especially since your friend isn’t a gamer.
The CPU and motherboard need to support the RAM speeds collectively. If the XMP fails, it might be due to the BIOS setup or just that the combination can't handle those speeds. 3200 MHz is still pretty solid, to be honest, and unless your friend is pushing heavy workloads, it’s likely fine. As for the cooler, if it's an AIO liquid cooler from CyberPower and it's really not performing well, you might suggest upgrading to a more efficient air cooler. You can find decent options under $60 that could do a better job without breaking the bank.
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