u/Conrad_246

I keep seeing BitLocker mentioned when people talk about Windows security, but honestly I’m not really sure if regular users actually need it. I know it encrypts the drive, so if someone steals the PC or takes the SSD out, they can’t just access all the files. That sounds useful, but I’m wondering if there’s any downside for everyday use.

Does turning BitLocker on affect performance much? Like gaming, boot times, opening programs, copying files, etc? The PC isn’t some super old machine, but I don’t really wanna enable something that makes everything slower for basically no reason.

Also what happens if something goes wrong with Windows or the motherboard? I’ve heard people mention recovery keys and getting locked out of their own files, and that part kinda worries me. Is the recovery key automatically saved somewhere with a Microsoft account, or do you need to manually save it?

And is BitLocker mainly useful for laptops since they can get stolen, or does it make sense on a normal desktop too? There’s nothing super sensitive on the PC, mostly games, school/work files, photos, downloads and random stuff.

Would you guys enable it on a normal home PC, or just leave it off unless there’s a specific reason to use it? Trying to figure out if this is one of those Windows features that’s worth turning on and forgetting about, or something that can cause headaches later.

Trying to figure out if HDMI 2.1 is actually important for PS5 Pro or if it’s one of those things people say you need just because it’s newer.

Looking at getting a new TV/monitor for the Pro and some of the options have HDMI 2.1 while others are still HDMI 2.0. I understand 2.1 has more bandwidth, but not sure how much that actually matters on PS5 Pro in real use.

Main thing I’m wondering about is 4K 120Hz. Does PS5 Pro actually need HDMI 2.1 to get 4K at 120fps, or are there situations where HDMI 2.0 can still handle it? Also does VRR depend on HDMI 2.1, or can that work properly over 2.0 too?

Would there be any difference with games that use the higher graphics modes on Pro? Like better resolution, higher frame rates, or less compression? I keep seeing stuff about 48Gbps bandwidth and I’m not sure if the PS5 Pro can even take advantage of all that.

Also if a TV has HDMI 2.1 but only one port supports the full bandwidth, is that something worth worrying about? Planning to have the PS5 Pro connected most of the time, maybe another console later.

Basically trying to avoid buying a TV that looks good on paper but ends up limiting the Pro. Is HDMI 2.1 something I should consider a must-have, or is HDMI 2.0 still fine for most PS5 Pro setups?

I’m looking at different GPUs and the VRAM numbers are kinda all over the place, so not really sure what’s considered enough anymore. Some cards have 8GB, then you see 10GB, 12GB, 16GB, 20GB, 24GB and obviously the bigger number sounds better, but does it actually matter that much depending on what you’re doing?

Mostly thinking about gaming at 1080p or maybe 1440p. I’m not trying to run everything at ultra with insane ray tracing, but I also don’t wanna buy something now and have games complaining about low VRAM in a couple years. Is 8GB still fine for normal 1080p gaming or is that already starting to become a problem? And for 1440p, is 12GB the sweet spot or should I be looking at 16GB instead?

Also does VRAM matter for stuff besides gaming? Like video editing, AI, Blender, texture mods, emulation, etc. I see people saying more VRAM makes a GPU “more future proof” but then others say the actual GPU performance matters way more.

Trying to figure out where the point of diminishing returns is. Like is there a big real-world difference between 8GB and 12GB, or 12GB and 16GB, assuming the GPUs are otherwise similar? Would love some advice before wasting money on a card with either too little VRAM or way more than I’ll ever use. What amount would you consider the minimum today for a new gaming PC?

Nothing happens when I press the power button on my first PC build. No fans, no lights, no beeps, literally nothing.

I checked the PSU switch and it’s on, and the power cable is plugged in. I’m pretty sure I connected the motherboard power cables but honestly at this point I’m second guessing everything lol.

Could this just be the front panel power switch connector being in the wrong spot? Or is there something else I should check first before I start taking the whole thing apart again?

Parts are:
CPU:
Motherboard:
GPU:
RAM:
PSU:

Any quick things I should check? Don’t wanna make it worse by messing around randomly.

Is a 4TB internal SSD overkill for a PS5 or actually worth it if there’s a good deal? I’m looking at upgrading the storage and keep going back and forth between 2TB and 4TB. The 4TB sounds kinda crazy but games are getting huge and I’m already running out of space way faster than expected. Some games are like 100GB+ now, then you add updates, DLC, screenshots, clips, and suddenly the drive is almost full lol. I don’t really wanna constantly delete games just to install something new, especially with my internet being kinda slow sometimes. But at the same time, I’m not sure if I’d ever actually use all 4TB or if I’m just paying extra for storage I don’t need. Does having a bigger SSD have any downside besides the price? Like does it affect performance, loading times, heat, or anything else? Also is there a point where buying a huge SSD for a PS5 just isn’t worth it anymore compared to getting a smaller one and deleting/reinstalling games when needed? For people who have 4TB installed, do you actually use the space or does most of it just sit empty? Trying to decide before spending the money, so would appreciate some real-world opinions. 2TB seems reasonable but 4TB is tempting if I can avoid worrying about storage for years.

Laptop gets noticeably hot even when I’m literally just watching YouTube, nothing else running. Fans start spinning up, the keyboard gets warm, and sometimes the bottom gets hot enough that I don’t really wanna keep it on my lap. This is happening even with pretty normal videos, not like some crazy 4K 60fps stuff.

I checked Task Manager and the CPU usage doesn’t look insanely high, usually bouncing around depending on the video. GPU usage is also pretty low from what I can tell. So I’m kinda confused why the laptop is working this hard just to play a video.

Could it be something with hardware acceleration, browser settings, or maybe the video codec YouTube is using? I mostly use Chrome, if that matters. I’ve also got a bunch of tabs open sometimes, but nothing super heavy.

The laptop isn’t ancient either, so I wasn’t expecting it to get this hot doing basic stuff. Could dust or old thermal paste cause this even if everything else seems to work fine? And is there an easy way to check whether the CPU or GPU is actually the thing causing the heat?

Just trying to figure out if this is normal laptop behavior or if something is wrong before I start messing with settings or taking it apart.

Looking at some M.2 SSDs for my PS5 and I keep seeing versions that already come with a heatsink. Is that actually better or just paying extra for something I could add myself? Also, are the pre-installed heatsinks usually good enough for keeping temps down during longer gaming sessions? Don’t wanna buy one and then find out the heatsink is too big or doesn’t fit properly in the PS5 lol. What would you guys recommend?