Technology Android

[masta247]

So spending more on the CPU means I can spend a bit less on a "higher CL" RAM and not notice the difference in performance of the slower RAM?

Yup, 3d cache essentially makes RAM latency pretty much a non-issue. It's as if you had RAM with no latency and near-infinite speed. You're going to run into use cases where RAM speed and latency will matter, in particular if something uses up all of that CPU cache and is needed asap, but in gaming this is going to be pretty rare and usually inconsequential. You can get the G.Skill 6000mhz CL36 kit and be set for long years.

So which side is "winning" right now? The consumers, who have a seemingly small portion of users that refuse to buy any new offerings from any manufacturer until prices improve for them? Or AMD/Nvidia who don't feel the pinch at all of releasing subpar offerings and either get consumers to still buy them or get people doing AI stuff to buy their GPUs at a wholesale level and still line their pockets?

The consumers are losing. The GPU market is a mess. I guess Intel? There's an opening for them to claim a decent spot in the lower mid range and low end.

Nvidia has DLSS, which is great if the games you play support it. With it you can get a lower end card and get the performance of a high end card without dlss, without much of a difference in graphics quality. It could also add to the longevity of the GPU, though you never know with Nvidia, as they can introduce a new version of DLSS that won't run on older GPUs. I wouldn't be surprised, as they're known for assholery like that.

Otherwise AMD is better value, especially if you buy last gen cards.

I'm skipping this generation, as AMD and Nvidia are both milking people, and the value is just horrible. I'm still very happy with the RTX3080 - I think it's the best value card since the 1080Ti. It's still better value than the 40 series. I was happy I managed to get it right after launch. If I had nothing and was forced to get something today, I'd probably look at the 4070 or maaaybe 4070Ti (though it's severely overpriced, as you could have had that performance for that price for over 2 years now with the 3080). Because the 4080 feels like a scam.

 

[dilla]

You can get the G.Skill 6000mhz CL36 kit and be set for long years.

Could I even get slower RAM too, like a 5600 Mhz? I know it's different from the CL values, though not sure how, but I was dead-set on 6000 because I heard it was the "sweetspot." Again, not sure what it means but I was taking advice from PC Builder on YT and select members on Reddit's BAP sub because I just don't know hardware stuff that well.

Switched the mobo to the ASrock Riptide WiFi. I guess you sold me on going the "E" route for the B650.

I'm still going to wait for a few months. A new nugget I read about the 6950 is that it's very power-hungry and that an even smart buy would be the 6800XT lol. I guess one could just continue to go down the price-to-value scale and end up with a 6600XT because Value™.

 

[Casey]

Has anyone used a VPN to purchase YouTube Premium, Spotify or any other digital subscription?

Why would you need to use a VPN to buy these?

 

[Pittsey]

Why would you need to use a VPN to buy these?

Set VPN to 3rd world country. Get 3rd world pricing

 

[Tha Massive Bell]

If Ron DeSantis wanted to watch a non-woke version of a Disney flick, he'd use VPN to access the Chinese media.

 

[Casey]

Set VPN to 3rd world country. Get 3rd world pricing

Ahhh I see. Makes sense.

 

[dilla]

I didn't know I could use my Google Rewards credit to get a paid tier of Google Drive. Or whatever it is that gives you 100GB of storage.

I used to use Flickr since 2012 or so, when they offered 1TB of storage for free for photos but in the past 2-3 years, they reneged on that promise and started nickel and diming users. I backed all my photos off Flickr to an external drive because Flickr was threatening to delete photos that went over their threshold limit, like a bunch of assholes.

I never really opened the Google Photos app on my phone but I did a few days ago because things have change around me. I saw that my phone had been uploading images from my phone there and organizing them using some "smart" system.

I liked how it looked and it got me interested in maybe buying a subscription for a cloud storage service, for once. I've had a 100GB Box.com account since 2011 (came for free with my HP TouchPad) and it's been great. But I'd like to keep that for storing documents and files and not necessarily photos. Although it could be a second layer of backup for photos. Google Photos just looks a lot better to me and I imagine a paid sub will add some more features.

$20 for a year isn't too bad but it's even better if I can use the $40+ of Play Credit I've been earning since like 2013 for Opinion Rewards.

The facial recognition Google is works pretty well. I still have about 10GB of storage left on GMail, which would include pictures. I'm wondering if getting a premium sub would be good for long term storage.

 

[ARon]

What's the verdict on the Pixel 8 Pro? Besides the overheating when it's going full throttle for 20+ mins

 

[dilla]

I had to spring for the Google One account after my recent trip had me going well over my 15GB storage cap for Google Photos. I didn't know Google VPN existed. I'm using it on my phone with no noticeable changes.

Still, appreciating the 100GB of storage, though. Used the Play credit I got from the Google Rewards thing to pay for it for a year for $20.

 

[Tha Massive Bell]

I bought one of these cheap cameras for the holiday. I took about 25 photos but I can't find the USB port. How do I upload them onto my PC? Help!

 

[dilla]

What are the top wireless earbuds these days? I've had my Buds+ for over two years now and they're still going on strong. But I see Samsung has the Pro 2s and an FE edition. They've trimmed their lineup quite a bit since I last saw their offerings.

But does anyone else have a set of earbuds that are under $150 and sound better than the Buds+s?

 

[masta247]

What are the top wireless earbuds these days? I've had my Buds+ for over two years now and they're still going on strong. But I see Samsung has the Pro 2s and an FE edition. They've trimmed their lineup quite a bit since I last saw their offerings.

But does anyone else have a set of earbuds that are under $150 and sound better than the Buds+s?

I'd stick with the Buds+ for now unless you need active noise cancellation. The Buds2 Pros sound similar, albeit with ANC, but an inferior fit (they removed the wingtips that make the OG Buds have such a snug/untouchable fit).
Samsung has brought the wingtips back with the just-released Buds FE, which are essentially like Buds+ mini, but with no wireless charging. People are celebrating the return of the wingtips, and since they just released a product with these, there is hope that the Buds we see in the future will also have this superior design/fit.

If you're not in a rush to get ANC, I'd sit on the Buds+ until a meaningful update comes out. They are still likely the best Galaxy Buds overall. Headphones move really slow, and the sound quality typically does not significantly improve over time - many of the best headphones today were first released over 20 years ago, for context. With wireless buds you're just gaining/switching features, and experiencing minor variations in sound signatures between the same maker's products, rather than any sound quality innovations - that well is almost dry at this point.

What people buying Samsung's Buds often don't realize, and the reason why they are so good, is that Samsung's Buds are essentially AKG headphones tuned by Harman teams, with Samsung's Galaxy teams delivering the connectivity and software (including an incredible audio codec, albeit one that only works with Samsung devices). It's quite a killer combination, as Samsung now owns both companies.

AKG traditionally were never in the same "run-of-the-mill" Sony/Bose league, but rather were one of the top 5 sounding, audiophile-grade headphone makers in the world, with a price to match. In terms of sound, Buds+ are already similar to former AKG in-ears that before the Samsung acquisition used to cost nearly twice as much, and that's for wired models. In terms of the sound signature, it's perhaps Harman's most balanced work.
Since Samsung wanted to enter the earbud market with a bang, they went pretty all out. They were adding wired $100-class earbuds for free with some of the earlier Galaxy smartphones, and are doing a similar thing with their wireless earbuds that punch way above of their traditional AKG price class. The OG Buds were already comparable to AKG N400, at 60% the price, with additional tuning by the Harman teams, and with better software. And the Buds+ were a substantial improvement on top of those.

All of this is to explain that as long as you're rocking a Samsung phone, it'd be hard to find a comparably good overall package. And the Buds Plus are perhaps the best in the entire line, albeit without ANC. At best, you may find products that sound about as great, yet with a different sound signature.

You could look into the Sennheiser Momentum in ears, as they sound different. Mind you, it's not much better or worse. Sennheiser and AKG were major competitors, and I always liked the Sennheiser sound more personally than what AKG/Harman typically go for. In particular the one that Sennheiser introduced with the Momentum line, which sounds more "dynamic", while AKG/Samsung would be more balanced/muted. But you'd lose the seamless experience that Samsung Buds give you with Samsung phones. You'd also pay far more for less well-rounded earbuds, just to get that Sennheiser Momentum sound signature, as Sennheiser has no incentive to sell audiophile-grade buds for anything less than audiophile-grade prices, as opposed to Samsung essentially selling beefed-up AKG buds at a large discount. Plus, Sennheiser doesn't have the same connectivity/software firepower that Samsung does, and doesn't integrate as well with phones.

 

[dilla]

Samsung has brought the wingtips back with the just-released Buds FE, which are essentially like Buds+ mini, but with no wireless charging.

I saw the FE on the site but didn't look too deep in to the specs. They took out wireless charging? LOL

Even my Buds+ case has that, although I don't really use it.

AKG traditionally were never in the same "run-of-the-mill" Sony/Bose league,

I remember looking at wired headphones back in 2011 and really liking the looks of the K550s, I think they were called. So they've been around a while, I know that much. 2011 was around the time a lot of phone OEMs were partnering or buying audio companies. I think LG had a few phones with internals speakers from Beats by Dre lol.

Sounds like I really should just take care of my Buds+s and not look to upgrade for at least another 2 years. I don't car for ANC from earbuds. I have read it's not as good from anyone, be it Bose, Sony, Samsung, etc. I do have my Sony xM3s for the times I do want ANC.

 

[masta247]

I saw the FE on the site but didn't look too deep in to the specs. They took out wireless charging? LOL

Even my Buds+ case has that, although I don't really use it.



I remember looking at wired headphones back in 2011 and really liking the looks of the K550s, I think they were called. So they've been around a while, I know that much. 2011 was around the time a lot of phone OEMs were partnering or buying audio companies. I think LG had a few phones with internals speakers from Beats by Dre lol.

Sounds like I really should just take care of my Buds+s and not look to upgrade for at least another 2 years. I don't car for ANC from earbuds. I have read it's not as good from anyone, be it Bose, Sony, Samsung, etc. I do have my Sony xM3s for the times I do want ANC.

Yeah the Buds FE were meant to be the "budget" Galaxy Buds. Kind of like the S23FE is really a trimmed-down S22+ with some select lower-end components (like an optical fingerprint scanner).

The things is that the Buds FE are actually very good. With the lack of wireless charging being the one main con. I think otherwise they'd be competing too well against the Buds 2.

I'd stick with the Buds Plus for a while, unless there's any reason you aren't happy with these. They are excellent headphones that are very competitive even in 2023, except for the lack of ANC being the only thing they're missing. They certainly aren't worse in terms of sound quality, battery, or anything else compared to today's greatest. If you tried the Buds 2 Pro, you'd probably think they sound the same, except aren't as comfortable due to the rounder design with no wingtips.

 

[Pittsey]

I had to spring for the Google One account after my recent trip had me going well over my 15GB storage cap for Google Photos. I didn't know Google VPN existed. I'm using it on my phone with no noticeable changes.

Still, appreciating the 100GB of storage, though. Used the Play credit I got from the Google Rewards thing to pay for it for a year for $20.

I've got 2TB. It share it with my wife and son

 

[Tha Massive Bell]

I've got 2TB. It share it with my wife and son

Hey, there you are! You must be a busy man

 

[Pittsey]

Hey, there you are! You must be a busy man

I always have time for Streethop

 

[dilla]

I've got 2TB. It share it with my wife and son

The sharing part is pretty neat. I think my sister and I will fill up 100GB eventually so I may need to up the storage in the future.

I used the Google One VPN on my phone for a bit. Didn't notice much of a difference but it does interfere with wireless Android Auto and it won't connect. I even get an error message on the phone telling me VPNs mess with AA. So I turned it off for good since my phone auto-connects wirelessly to my car for AA every time I get in and I use AA to some degree on every drive. Sucks the VPN interferes so much with it.

 

[dilla]

Yeah the Buds FE were meant to be the "budget" Galaxy Buds. Kind of like the S23FE is really a trimmed-down S22+ with some select lower-end components (like an optical fingerprint scanner).

The things is that the Buds FE are actually very good. With the lack of wireless charging being the one main con. I think otherwise they'd be competing too well against the Buds 2.

I'd stick with the Buds Plus for a while, unless there's any reason you aren't happy with these. They are excellent headphones that are very competitive even in 2023, except for the lack of ANC being the only thing they're missing. They certainly aren't worse in terms of sound quality, battery, or anything else compared to today's greatest. If you tried the Buds 2 Pro, you'd probably think they sound the same, except aren't as comfortable due to the rounder design with no wingtips.

If the Buds Pro 2s go on sale for BF, I might get it. It's $150 after a $75 trade in credit for my Pluses right now but that doesn't seem too good of a deal. If it drop below $100, I might. Especially since Samsung has good cash back offers on CB portals around the holidays. 15+% CB, or more, and I might do it. I'll just continue to be nice to my Pluses in the meantime since they've served me well for 2 years. I didn't think I'd keep them that long when I got them but here we are.

 

[masta247]

If the Buds Pro 2s go on sale for BF, I might get it. It's $150 after a $75 trade in credit for my Pluses right now but that doesn't seem too good of a deal. If it drop below $100, I might. Especially since Samsung has good cash back offers on CB portals around the holidays. 15+% CB, or more, and I might do it. I'll just continue to be nice to my Pluses in the meantime since they've served me well for 2 years. I didn't think I'd keep them that long when I got them but here we are.

Is there any particular reason you're thinking about the Buds Pro 2? Personally, if I were buying headphones today, I'd probably lean towards the Buds Plus rather than the Buds 2 Pro regardless of the price.

The battery life is far better on the Buds Plus, and they also have an edge in sound quality. While they are nearly the same in terms of the sounds they are capable of outputting, the Buds Plus are tuned to be more true-to-life, while the Buds Pro 2 give you somewhat unnaturally amplified base and treble, at the expense of vocals. You can adjust that in the equalizer, as the drivers are capable of producing essentially the same sounds.

The Buds Plus fit better, so you can more comfortably work out in these - the wingtips ensure that they maintain a firm position in your ear and you don't need to adjust them periodically the way you'd do with the Buds 2 series that are rounder and skimped on the wingtips. The Buds 2 Pro give you very good ANC, but at the expense of those other trade-offs.

You can see here that the Buds Plus are objectively the slightly better headphones between the two, with some big wins (battery and sound accuracy), whereas the Buds 2 Pro only score subtantially higher where noise isolation is concerned thanks to ANC:
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/t...e-wireless/1791/34599?usage=19&threshold=0.10

To add, I have the original Buds, which aren't even exactly as great as the Pluses. I got the Buds2 in a bundle with my 23U, and I gave them away to my girlfriend, as they just aren't as good - sound nearly exactly the same, but they lost me on the fit. I needed to adjust them at the gym, where the original Buds would stay firmly in my ears regardless of what I did, as they are secured firmly in place by the wingtips.

The Buds3 series may be launching soon though, likely with the S24 series at the start of 2024, as it's been over two years since the Buds2 came out. The Buds2/Pro are good in isolation, but not better overall than the first generation was, if you don't care about ANC. My wishful thinking is that they bring the best of the Pluses with the Buds 2 features, perhaps somewhat further improved. Samsung already signaled that they know it's the right path with the recent FEs.