LucShep

The RX 7900 XTX 24GB is basically same performance as the newer RX 9070 XT 16GB, the latter also providing better solutions (FSR4, better RT), better power consumption, better temps, and better support (being the most recent launch and their current flagship, it certainly gets the most focus for AMD Drivers). The VRAM is really the only reason to get an RX7900XTX. But then it's getting long in the tooth, it wasn't all that impressive at launch, and it sure won't be impressive now. The $799.99 is not all that amazing for it in the current day, but then that's complicated to evaluate if you decide that, for some reason, this is really what you want... The RTX 5070Ti 16GB will perform better than those two for DCS VR. I'm unsure of what made you unimpressed with the RTX 5070Ti but it's ~40% faster on average (4K+ res) than your RX 6800XT, not counting superior and newer solutions (DLSS, RT, etc). The only conclusion is that the GPU market and the prices have been, are, and probably will remain FUBAR. Honestly, I think there's little to no point in getting anything faster than an RX 9070XT 16GB (if preference is AMD) or RTX 5070Ti 16GB (if preference is Nvidia). And why? ... the mentioned RTX5080 16GB is just too expensive for the somewhat minor improvements if brings over those two. ... the awaited "RTX 50 Super" series, which bring 24GB versions for the RTX 5070Ti and RTX 5080, has been postponed - rumour puts it at 2nd to 3rd quarter 2026 (we'll see). ... the RTX 5090 32GB is just a completely different discussion - no offense to those who buy/bought them - because it's just silly, hilarious really. ... the RTX 4090 24GB, which was so criticized, ironically became "the last great Nvidia release" - anyone owning one should keep it, undervolt it, cherish it as long as possible. If this is about using it for DCS VR, then it's definitely Nvidia (not even a contest). It that's the use case, my vote if upgrading from an RX 6800XT goes to the RTX 5070Ti 16GB. That, or a used RTX 3090 24GB if at less than $600. The problem of VRAM consumption is a very old discussion in DCS, and it's up to ED and third parties to solve it. Forcing people to get stupid expensive GPUs just to address VRAM concerns has been a bit of a meme for DCS VR, but I'm sure that is not their intended scenario.

With Windows 10 reaching end of life (EOL), and if one is unwilling to upgrade to Windows 11 or uninterested in Linux (for whatever reason), using a “customized” version of Windows 10/11 focused on lightweight design and privacy could be a practical solution. These “customized” versions - such as ReviOS, AtlasOS and Tiny11 - are unofficial editions of Windows, modified by independent communities. The goal is to provide the same Windows experience, but with: Less bloatware (no Cortana, Edge, telemetry, Microsoft Store apps, etc.) Better performance on weaker or older PCs More privacy (fewer background services sending data to Microsoft) Faster boot times and lower RAM/disk usage _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Disadvantages / Risks Not officially supported by Microsoft (no warranty, no automatic updates) Some versions come from non-transparent sources → always a risk of altered code Certain features may not work (e.g., Windows Defender, Microsoft Store, updates) Sometimes they remove too much, causing possible issues with drivers or apps _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ReviOS Best balance between performance, stability, and compatibility. Focused on performance and low latency, popular among gamers; keeps full compatibility with games and drivers. Base: Official Windows 10/11 with deep optimization Focus: Reduced latency, less bloatware & telemetry, full game and driver compatibility Works with: NVIDIA/AMD drivers, Steam, DCS World, peripherals, etc. Pros: Faster boot and system response Keeps Defender, Windows Update, and Store optional Clean installation — nothing important removed Cons: Updates are manual (you apply project patches) Some Microsoft online features (account, OneDrive) are disabled by default Official site: https://revi.cc AtlasOS Focused on maximum FPS and minimum latency. Similar to ReviOS but more aggressive, aiming for maximum FPS and lowest input lag. Built for: eSports and pure performance More aggressive removals: Defender, Windows Update, Cortana, Edge, etc. Best for: Gaming-only PCs Cons: No native protection (you’ll need your own antivirus/firewall) Some Windows apps/features won’t work Official site: https://atlasos.net Tiny10 For very old or low-end hardware. Extremely lightweight versions made by NTDEV, based on clean Microsoft ISOs. Good for very old PCs, but very minimal. Extremely lightweight (under 10 GB installed) Comes without: Windows Update, Store, Defender, and many dependencies Best for: Old PCs, offline setups, or testing Not recommended for daily or online use Author: NTDEV — https://archive.org/details/tiny-10 (note: it’s best to verify on the official NTDEV blog before downloading) _________________________________________________________________________________________________ If your goal is to stay on Windows, without upgrading to Windows 11 and without suffering MS shenanigans, while making it lighter, faster, and more private, these alternatives may be a solution - provided you download only from the official project sites and verify the files’ integrity. Anyway, just a heads up.

FWIW, you got a couple more errors on that LOG, make sure it's not a mod (or a problematic module) creating the problem: Line 205: ERROR EDCORE (528): Drivers errors while mounting coremods/aircraft/f-15e/liveries/f-15ese/usaf 17th ws af90 low vis clean.zip: Line 206: ERROR EDCORE (528): ZipDriver: Failed to open zip archive coremods/aircraft/f-15e/liveries/f-15ese/usaf 17th ws af90 low vis clean.zip. Line 223: INFO DX11BACKEND (544): DX11Renderer initialization (w:2560 h:1440 fullscrn:0 vsync:0 adapter:0 monitor:0 shaderErrors:1) Line 239 to 258: ERROR DX11BACKEND (544): Shader "/shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx" failed to compile. Reason: /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:65:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_DECAY. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:66:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_DECAY_SECOND. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:67:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_FLAGS. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:68:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_SHADOW_PARTICLES_COUNT. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:69:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_WORLD_OFFSET. ParticleSystem2/common/clusterLighting.hlsl:77:31: W4300: Redefinition of ComputeLighting. ParticleSystem2/common/clusterLighting.hlsl:78:39: W4300: Redefinition of ComputeLightingInternal. ParticleSystem2/common/clusterLighting.hlsl:79:36: W4300: Redefinition of GetParticleLightInfo. ParticleSystem2/common/clusterLighting.hlsl:80:42: W4300: Redefinition of GetShadowParticleLightInfo. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:75:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_DECAY. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:76:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_DECAY_SECOND. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:77:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_FLAGS. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:78:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_WORLD_OFFSET. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:79:1: W4300: Redefinition of LIGHTING_PARTICLE_SHADOW_GET_FUNC. ParticleSystem2/common/clusterLighting.hlsl:77:31: W4300: Redefinition of ComputeLighting. ParticleSystem2/common/clusterLighting.hlsl:78:39: W4300: Redefinition of ComputeLightingInternal. ParticleSystem2/common/clusterLighting.hlsl:79:36: W4300: Redefinition of GetParticleLightInfo. ParticleSystem2/common/clusterLighting.hlsl:80:42: W4300: Redefinition of GetShadowParticleLightInfo. /shaders/ParticleSystem2/groundPuffComp.fx:902:20: E5017: Aborting due to not yet implemented feature: Non-direct structured resource store.

Bazzite protects you from yourself but it also locks you in when you want to act like a "power user". I'd say to take Nobara (KDE or Gnome, as you prefer) for a spin. It's as close as “Bazzite without restrictions” as it gets right now. It's mutable Fedora base (meaning you can install everything with dnf). It comes with the same game packages and optimizations (Proton GE, DXVK, OBS, MangoHUD, codecs, etc). No crashes - you can tinker with the system, customize everything, compile, etc. More traditional, but equivalent in performance. In practice, “Nobara is what Bazzite would be if it were mutable.” It only lacks automatic rollback and atomic update (which you rarely need).

Dude, relevant for what? Steam stats are only a really tiny portion of the global user stats, which was what was being discussed when you replied with that (once again!). People are getting tired of Windows shenanigans, and the closest working alternative is Linux, period. If that's not your case, fine - use Win11 and the upcoming Win12. That's your choice. If gamers (including DCS users) feel stuck with an OS that they despise, knowing that it's clearly going from bad to worse, then why would anyone oppose to the idea of exploring some other OS that may provide most (if not all) of the same functionality with none of such problems? And where does that hurt you, really, for you to insist (on and on and on and on) with a point that doesn't relate? Don't like it, don't use it. Interested? Then stay tuned, or maybe give it a go and pick a distro (my 2 cents). That's it. Got nothing to do with stats.

Just to clarify where those "ballpark figures" came from - they're all pulled from public, human-compiled datasets rather than anything hidden or speculative. Steam Hardware & Software Survey: https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey Linux share sits around 2-3 percent of monthly active users, roughly equal to about 3 million PCs. StatCounter Global Stats: https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide Reports Linux desktop share between 2 and 3 percent worldwide through 2025. Flathub Stats Dashboard: Flatpak downloads have roughly doubled since 2022, showing higher desktop activity. The official Flathub statistics page: “Statistics | Flathub” shows total downloads and apps. Flathub - Apps for Linux A news article reporting that Flathub has passed 2+ billion downloads. https://www.phoronix.com/news/Flathub-Two-Billion-Downloads The stats directory showing year-folders for Flathub downloads (indicating long term data collection). Flathub - Apps for Linux Canonical / Ubuntu blogs and Launchpad metrics: Canonical has published multiple posts and pages showing user metrics, repository activity, and desktop adoption trends confirming Ubuntu and its derivatives remain the most widely used Linux desktop base. “A first look at desktop metrics” (June 2018) — Canonical’s initial data about Ubuntu Desktop installs, upgrades, and geographic distribution. https://ubuntu.com/blog/a-first-look-at-desktop-metrics “Canonical and Ubuntu – user statistics” (October 2018) — Explains Canonical’s approach to telemetry, user-count transparency, and privacy. https://ubuntu.com/blog/canonical-and-ubuntu-user-statistics “Ubuntu Live Stats” (Launchpad.net) — Publicly visible Ubuntu ecosystem metrics (bugs, translations, code, and repo activity). https://launchpad.net/ubuntu-stats “Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 LTS: Noble Numbat deep dive” (April 2024) — Mentions that “Ubuntu powers millions of PCs and laptops around the world.” https://ubuntu.com/blog/ubuntu-desktop-24-04-noble-numbat-deep-dive Arch and Manjaro mirror telemetry: Arch and Manjaro maintain public mirror directories showing ISO and package activity; timestamps and file volumes indicate consistent year-over-year growth since 2022. Arch Linux Downloads page: https://archlinux.org/download/ Example Arch ISO mirror (dotsrc.org): https://mirrors.dotsrc.org/archlinux/iso/latest/ Example Manjaro mirror listing: https://mirror.archlinux.tw/Manjaro/pool/overlay/ (NOTE: the caveat here is these sources demonstrate that mirror/ISO/package telemetry exists and is visible (downloads, timestamps etc). However, one can not locate a source that publishes “steady rise” as a quoted official growth figure for arch/manjaro ISO downloads publicly in a simple graph or table with date-based trend (at least not in the sources I found). So the statement “show a steady rise … since 2022” is still reasonable deduction (based on visible increasing timestamps, releases, mirror traffic) rather than a clean “here’s the table” citation) UnionTech / Deepin (UOS) press releases and IDC analyst reports (2023-2024): mention "millions of users" for Deepin / UOS deployments across Chinese government and SOEs - exact figures vary. “Linux Deepin’s big brother claims it’s hit three million installs” (by The Register) — reports UOS has “over three million installs” in China. theregister.com “Recently … UOS has shipped over 6 million units in the desktop market” (on a Chinese-site article) beijingetown.com.cn “Deepin community … global users over 5.4 million … its downstream commercial distribution UnionTech UOS has been installed on over 6 million devices in China.” linuxjournal.com “China-made OS aims … with potential mass market of 300 million individual users” (in a 2020 article) globaltimes.cn (NOTE: These sources support the idea of “millions of users/devices/customers,” but they do not always offer a fully transparent breakdown (free vs. paid, region, exact dates)). In the end, none of these sources agree perfectly - which is exactly why any figure has to be treated as an estimate, "ballpark figures". Combining them gives a reasonable global Linux desktop range of roughly 40-60 million users (about 2-4 percent market share). Whether one prefers StatCounter, Steam, or distro-mirror data, they all point to the same trend: Linux's share is small but steadily growing, helped by better drivers and more user-friendly distros. And THAT trend was the only real point behind my post back there! Anyway, the sources above speak for themselves - folks can check whichever they trust most. Negative. You're not paying attention to the sequence of posts and their context (which is EVERYTHING). He's posting the same chart that he has repeatedly posted for eons, without context to the post (mine) to which he directly replied to, with that. He's trolling -again- and you're fueling him - YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!!!111111oneoneoneone So, this thread starts with news that there'll be changes on Linux, involving Vulkan, Nvidia and VK3D, which should boost Nvidia to work as good there as it does in Windows. Which will soon benefit anyone - including people in here - who does not want to continue using Windows (for all the valid reasons!) and have been at the side fence looking at Linux (deterred by the lower gaming performance of Nvidia there). Then it became a back and forth argument about the validity of Linux in the gaming scenario..... Then its validity in the grand scheme of global usage..... Then it spiraled into a “philosophical” fight about AI credibility rather than staying on-topic about Linux...... Seriously, WTF has gone wrong in these forums??

What, you again? Still grasping at straws on repeat with Steam charts which, alone, don't matter to the current discussion? Go away troll. What? ....ashamed?? LMFAO ooh boy, the drama! Look, nobody said the numbers were gospel. They’re clearly labeled as estimates - as I mentioned, and again, just rough ballpark figures based on public data like repo stats, project reports, canonical blogs, mirrors and forums data, ISO downloads estimates, Github stats, distrowatch rankings, Steam surveys, etc. That’s how almost every Linux userbase estimate works, since hardly any distro publishes exact telemetry. The point wasn’t to “fake data”, it was to show Linux’s scale has grown - especially with Windows 10 going EOL. If you think the numbers are off, cool - bring your own sources! But yelling “lies” and telling me "I should be ashamed" (ROFL!) over something that’s obviously presented as an approximation just misses the point, is downright comical, and does not invalidate the argument and the context, at all. This isn’t about being “AI-generated” or “made up” - it’s about putting rough context behind a trend that most people already see happening. And that’s not something you can “push back” against - it’s simply the reality.

Sure thing bro, go ahead and do your own research to contradict the ballpark figures shown there (which is all they are). Have fun in the process.

Unsure it'll help but, this may be worth a look:

Sorry pal, got more things to do than waste time searching all over the interweb for what the AI will pull up in mere seconds, from the same inumerous internet sources... (canonical blogs, mirrors and forums data, ISO downloads estimates, Github stats, distrowatch rankings, Steam charts, etc) .....which you'd probably contest anyway and label as "just random untrusty data from the internet" riiiiiight? Notice the "FWIW" (For What Is Worth) that I used there. That's what AI has been well used for - pretty good for quick ballpark figures (i.e, rough estimate numbers for a general idea) and valid enough for matters like this one.

Be it as it may, things are only getting better for Linux and its varios distros. Numbers are already very significant and will only increase. FWIW, enquiring ChatGPT about ballpark figures of Linux users: I think it's a reality that some kind of exodus of Windows has already started. Which also means more people involved and more men at work, directly or indirectly, to make things better. With the upcoming Nvidia improvements for it (see video on first post of this thread) more users will get to Linux gaming. Even Pimax (VR) now mentions Linux support in their roadmap. As for other HMD brands, it seems VR in Linux is more complicated but no longer impossible (check). Although it'd be fantastic, I'm not counting on @mbucchia to make VR software for Linux. Others will find a way for most popular headsets. I see simracing FFB peripherals starting to get support (for example), one would presume same will eventually happen with flightsim equivalents. Headtracking already works, with Opentrack (with Lutris inside DCS wineprefix, I read somewhere), even some compatibility for TrackIR seems to be developed (linuxtrack). Matter of time until things get better organized and standardized, and for other interested users here to atempt the transition in much easier ways.

Meanwhile.... ....and it's just one among so many other Linux distros, for which similar stories will be happening. It'll be cool to see the numbers in a few months from now.

Yep. And I think that there's a misunderstanding regarding Linux. It's not trying to take on the world and become a monopoly. That won't happen, not anytime soon if ever. It's about having a great alternative, for anyone who has all the valid reasons to be discontent with MS Windows and wants a way out of it. I get that the adaptation fears, the related complexities, and the lack of mainstream info (so many questions about software compatibilities) scare people away. But, regardless, there is interest. The simple fact that Bazzite alone (just one among many of the Linux versions/distros) gained over 10.000 users (ten thousand) between May and August this year is telling. That was two months ago... you can count on many more giving a chance to whatever Linux distro since then (disgruntled users with Win10 EOL) and even more in the future.

It's tough to recommend one because none will feel like Windows. Opinions vary which to recommend. I think it'll depend on the use case. Whether it's more "generalistic/casual" (also the kind you'd put on a non-gamer machine) or mostly PC gaming focused. And whether you prefer an "immutable" or a "mutable" distro (more about it HERE) - the former may be better for a newcomer, but very restrictive once he/she becomes progressively more advanced as a user . Each distro comes ready with more or less and different stuff (drivers, apps, etc) already pre-installed and set - which is an important aspect of each distro, to provide a more "hands on aproach" out of the box for the user, i.e, lose less time installing and testing stuff. It's more about "which one suits my preference", so looking/reading (watch reviews, etc) about each, and maybe test for a short period if curious, is recommended. All are capable of being a "daily driver" OS, but I'd say: "Generalistic/Casual use" - Mint, Ubuntu and Zorin are among the most popular. "PC Gaming focus" - Bazzite, Nobara, Pop!_Os, Manjaro, Garuda and CachyOS are among the most popular. Mint actually works for gaming and is great for someone new to Linux or migrating from Windows, but you may need a bit more manual setup (drivers, Proton, etc). It's a solid choice for stability and minimal tinkering, but gaming performance is not on par with “gaming-focused” distros, which will generally do much better for that use case. Bazzite is a gaming-focused distro (Fedora-based), it works great for gaming (comes prepared with packages and optimizations) and good for someone new to Linux, or migrating from Windows. It might be the "easiest" to adapt, it's ready to game "out of the box". It's great for new users who prefer a "set it and forget it" experience. However, its immutable design means that making significant changes or customizations later on could require more work, compared to other distros (note: all others in this list are mutable, aka "traditional"). The non-english translations are also a bit "crude", which also denounce the "still in development" stage and feeling of this distro. Pop!_Os may be the single best choice for most users who are migrating, if one distro has to be picked (balance of ease, gaming performance, and high-end hardware support). It offers strong out-of-the-box support for GPUs, for gaming and modern hardware, yet remains beginner-friendly enough for a smooth Windows-to-Linux transition. It feels refined if compared to other distros in this list (maybe because it's being backed by a company - System76), even if the Gnome desktop environment feels unrelated to Windows. It's definitely worth trying, in my opinion. Nobara is probably the best overall choice if you’re more adventurous and comfortable learning new things (or anticipate a lot of tweaking for DCS with peripherals or VR). It's built specifically for gaming (Fedora-based), includes game packages and optimizations (Proton GE, DXVK, OBS, MangoHUD, codecs, etc) and, for someone migrating from Windows, it’s very attractive because many of the “gaming setup” tasks are already handled. Some users might find the experience a bit "rough around the edges", particularly with incomplete translations or less-polished features. But, having both KDE and Gnome for the desktop environment means it can also suit different tastes, really good. Then there are three other popular choices that are Arch-based, which are more of a risk, or harder first step, for a new user migrating to Linux. 1) Manjaro is generally stable, performant, with rolling updates, but a bit less predictable and might need a few extra steps for gaming-specific optimization, if compared to Bazzite or Pop!_OS. It does have a large community, so solutions are easy to find, and it may be the easiest Arch-based distro to use and with least Arch-specific pains. 2) Garuda, which is very performance and gaming-oriented, with lots of customizations and tools. It offers great power and flexibility, but updates can occasionally break things, and the learning curve is high. 3) CachyOS, which is highly optimized for gaming (custom kernels, performance-tuned) and aimed at power users. It’s excellent for someone who enjoys tweaking/optimizing and is already comfortable with Linux, but it’s probably quite challenging for a beginner migrating to Linux. The thing with these three distros is that, while they try to simplify, the Arch base they use means a higher potential for constant manual fixes or troubleshooting. TL;DR: best Linux distros for gaming (and DCS World?) from easiest to hardest: Bazzite ↔ Pop!_OS (tie) → Nobara → Manjaro → Garuda → CachyOS The tie between Bazzite and Pop!_OS is because the former is “easier” from the first boot, but the latter is more forgiving once you want to change things.

@SharpeXB As always with your long standing "modus operandi", you keep derailing threads. To keep talking in circles, with back-and-forth arguments, just to guide the conversation off-topic, in whatever unrelated direction that entertains you, is not being part of a discussion. And that ruins meaningful debates. I've been guilty myself of taking your bait and fueling you - my bad - sorry to everybody else who was looking into this. You've dismissed the topic outright, without even having the most basic understanding of Linux, how it runs games. It's been made clear that this subject doesn't interest you, nor does it concern you. You're clearly antagonizing for whatever sadistical reason. In other words: it's "trolling". So there is no point for you in being here. Go away. Go derail some other thread, please.

Note that there are two versions of Necksafer: VR Neck Safer Steam VR: https://gitlab.com/NobiWan/vrnecksafer VR Neck Safer OpenXR: https://gitlab.com/NobiWan/xrnecksafer

There's a lot of drama and clickbait going on for valid reasons. Now, if you're unable to see through the drama smoke, then that's a "you problem" (not you, I mean generally). But looking at Steam charts, while ignoring what's going on in the OS ecosystem, to let that bias a narrative/choice really seems like weak "sheep" mentality, doesn't it? I know it may seem unrelated that Servers and Web systems went mostly to Linux, but the argument that was thrown out was, and I quote, "Nobody wants a world divided into several OSs for no good advantage". To which I replied, with charts to ilustrate it, that it is already divided and has been for good advantage. Actually, I do think it makes sense, on top of current ongoing changes in mainstream desktop/laptop OSs, to wonder why those have been going that way for years now, and whether that can/will transpire to mainstream usage at some point. I'll simplify it for you - at the end, the only thing that will matter for each single person using a PC is whether: 1. you want to keep with a growingly intrusive, bloated and restrictive OS, where you are exploited (like it or not), i.e, it becoming opposite of what made it "mainstream". or 2. you want to try a simpler, non-intrusive, non-bloated and unrestricted OS, an alternative that is community driven, concerned about making it as good as it can get. I don't give a hoot about Steam charts. I have concerns about privacy, about being exploited, about having less control, about having to fight (constantly tweaking) the OS to make it my own. On a paid product, on top of that. Being in Europe I have free extended support for Windows 10 until October 14th, 2026. As soon as that is over (probably before that) I'm going Linux - Nobara, Bazzite, Pop!Os, Garuda, etc, all look like good propositions - matter of testing and deciding which distro. I don't mind adapting or sacrificing an extremely small part of functionality (if any, at all) knowing it will be fixed at any moment. If those distros work this good already and will only get better, while the current "establishment" is going the way of the Titanic (for the user experience), then such decision has been made pretty darn clear - to me anyway.

Depends on the cost, and your expectations. The i5 14600K is, overall, a noticeable upgrade over the i5 11600K (over 30% performance increase). But you'll also need a new motherboard. If it's a Z790 DDR4 motherboard model, then you can reuse that 64GB memory kit I see in your signature, and everything else you already have. If looking for a "good and affordable" Z790 DDR4 motherboard for the i5 14600K, there are good picks from MSI, Asus and Gigabyte going around $300 CAD. Now, be aware - a better CPU will make a noticeable difference on the min FPS (aka 1% lows) but probably not so much for the maximum FPS. The CPU will give benefits to FPS performance in that they won't flutuate as much. But then you mention VR. And for DCS, VR with an RX 7800XT, that's going to be complicated regardless of CPU upgrade. You need a better GPU for DCS VR, and preferentially an Nvidia model. But then a better GPU may be bottlenecked by that ageing i5 11600K - kind of back to square zero, and probably better to look for a total system upgrade.

Indeed. Cherry picking someone's quote and throw it out of context, to fit a broken narrative, is a classic sign of trolling. *added again to the block list*

As I said, "the world is already divided into several OSs, and for good advantage". Which contradicts what you previously implied. PC gaming is a only a part of the mainstream desktop/laptop market, itself a very delayed reflection of the global market, including Server and Web. If the global tendencies already have shifted those (towards Linux), and with the mainstream OS in use (Windows) going worse - and it is - then the laptop/desktop market/segment may gradually go same way at any point (partially or globally). As they say, numbers don't lie: source: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/server-operating-system-market-106601 source: https://w3techs.com/technologies/comparison/os-linux,os-windows

You need to get out of that repetitive loop that you clinge so hard to (repeatedly posting same silly "VHS vs Betamax" analogy) and look at other examples showing otherwise. If you need to know why you should not hold on to that idea, then just look at the mobile phone arena just fifteen years ago. There were a plethora of OSs being used on smartphones of that era. Yet, even with Apple dominating, it was only a matter of time where its restrictiveness played in favour of the next best OS competitor - Android. Surely you know what is Android, right? You're probably even using a smartphone running its Operating System. This is an open-source OS, designed primarily for touchscreen-based mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. And pretty much all smartphone manufacturers use it today (other than Apple that is). Funny enough, it's based on a modified version of the Linux kernel. History of both hardware and software is full of stories like these. All that is needed is something to disrupt, either negatively or positively, to drastically change the tides, market tendencies and all business involved to adapt somewhat easily. The world is already divided into several OSs, and for good advantage. Corporations, in many business/services today, already use Linux server solutions, and for a long time now. Now, I don't think Linux will "overthrow" Windows in the mainstream laptop/desktop (if ever) but what I'm very sure of is that, the worse that Windows gets, the more users will look to Linux and give it a chance, migrate, realize the advantages, then stay there. And more widespreaded it becomes, word of mouth, hive mind and all that. It will grow immensely, everything points to it. The next months/years will be interesting, because Linux is already showing potential enough to give PC users an OS (in its various iterations, known as "distros") that is supposed to have what is needed and none of what is unneeded. Which is what everyone used to think about Windows all the way back, ironically.

IIRC, the 55 error code is memory related(?). Could be wrong profile of RAM or it not being loaded. Now, I'm not sure if you've changed anything in the BIOS after updating it. Regardless, on that motherboard, if you've updated to the correct latest BIOS, then I'd enter the BIOS and do these simple steps: 1) Load Optimized Defaults (press F5), then save and reboot (press F10). Enter the BIOS once again after that. 2) Upon entering BIOS again, go to "Advanced Mode" (press F7) and on the top of screen go to "Extreme Tweaker". You'll see this screen: (click image to enlarge it) Check what setting is in the "AI Overclock Tuner". If it's on "Auto" change it to either "XMP II" or "XMP I" (see which one of the two works best for you). If confused on "what is the difference between the two?" - "XMP II" is the default profile (most commonly used) provided by the memory vendor for your specific RAM kit. - "XMP I" is an alternative validated board profile by the memory vendor and ASUS (the manufacturer of your motherboard) for your specific RAM kit. After changing that, press "F10" to save changes and exit (it'll reboot), see if it's now booting correctly. If it's still not booting correctly, make sure the memory sticks (RAM) are physically placed in correct slot in the motherboard (shutdown the computer and cut the power in the PSU before that!), as image below: (click image to enlarge it) Or it could be something as simple as incorrect boot device priority, for the Operating System. This can be changed easily in "EZ Mode" of BIOS (see image below), which is the main panel once you enter the BIOS (or press F7 if in "Advanced Mode"). You'll see "Boot Priority" on the right of the screen, just change it to the drive where you have Windows installed. Press "F10" to save any changes and exit. (click image to enlarge it)

Have you even tried it? Being lazy or stubborn means right about ZERO when it comes to opiniate on such tools and shortcomings of Windows. A Windows PC is not a gaming console. It's not "ready and done", not perfect out of the box (very far from it). It's a platform that you can/should adjust to a variety of use cases. Windows needs to catter to laptops and desktops, office, home/casual users and also to gaming. But, by trying to be good on all of those use cases, it's not perfect when it comes to more intensive stuff, like gaming in its more advanced aspects. Core Parking can be detrimental to your gaming, and that stuff is not snake oil. Read about the subject. It's really old news. Experiment, come to your own conclusions. And, notice, Core Parking is only just one aspect, there are a gazilion more "tweaks and tools things" you can/should do to improve Windows for your PC gaming. Just because you think it's not needed doesn't mean that there aren't benefits and performance left on the table.

I'm still not sure if 1) you've got some guilty pleasure of trolling in the forums or 2) if you're just oblivious to the obvious. You're comment taken "as is" means that you miss the point of tools like these ("Park Control" in this case). It is not "required", at all. But using it does have benefits. It's up to you to use it or not. However, be sure that any Windows PC "by default" has the power plan and the CPU Core-Parking + Frequency Scaling unoptimized for gaming (not even debatable - it isn't). Once you're on the bleeding edge with ultra demanding games and their control (more so if with VR), you'll appreciate this kind of "tweaks and tools". You may also do what "Park Control" does manually on registry (it's been done for eons) but it makes this simpler, faster - why it's so popular - and it works. You'll appreciate how that very small but noticeable difference in performance and latency, that Windows is "stealing" by default (to favour lower power consumption and temps) can be used in your favor, for less stuttering for example.

Absolutely. Core Parking is a feature that dynamically sets your CPU Cores to stay idle and not run any threads based on the current power policy and their recent utilization. This feature is designed to decrease energy consumption and therefore reduce heat and power usage. But parked Cores don't have a place when gaming, much less if running an intensive game/sim like DCS. In this use case, you want ALL your CPU Cores to be fully "awake", ready and imediately available at any moment. Therefore, any Core Parking should be disabled to avoid any (otherwise unavoidable) performance / latency deficit. This is why Park Control, to unpark all Cores, is nearly indispensable for PC gaming. Setting the highest power plan (most performant) while gaming is also very beneficial (not the case for mundane tasks), which can also be done with this tool. After it's installed, run it. Make sure it's set to start at Windows login (settings are in the app's icon, at bottom right of desktop). After this, and just as an example... You can then change the "Active Power Profile" manually before running the game, to "Bitsum Highest Performance". More than just a high power profile, this also unparks any and all CPU Cores, and also sets the CPU Frequency Scaling to 100% (most performant). Once finished with your gaming session, go back and change to the "Balanced" power plan. This returns it to the regular (default) Windows power plan and CPU Core Parking / Frequency Scaling settings. Or, if prefered, you can edit each of the different power plan profiles, for both CPU Core Parking and Frequency Scaling, to your preference.