The new M1/M2 Macs (w/ sufficient on-CPU unified RAM) do seem very enticing given their touted, very high performance gains over more traditional architecture of Intel/AMD... even if still wanting to run Windoze (in whatever emulation mode) for stuff other than hardcore Windoze-based gaming that *might* trip up in emulation mode...
IF I were actually in need of a new PC, definitely would consider migrating to a Mac w/ M1 Max or Pro (probably w/ 32GB unified RAM to play it safe... as I just wouldn't trust 16GB to be enough... especially for video processing/editing in multi-tasking mode although I only do that very occasionally mainly as a hobby).
My current, 2.5-yo build w/ AMD Ryzen 7 3800x on ASRock x570 Taichi mobo still seems plenty powerful enough for the foreseeable future... though maybe I'll finally migrate over in another few years or maybe not if Intel/AMD catches up by then -- I don't upgrade that often since I'm not really a gamer and hadn't bothered w/ a full DIY build in a long while before this last one... though I did used to do such fairly often back around my 1st fulltime job or so in the early-to-mid-90's, including some builds for Intel-based Unix before Linux was much of a thing (and even briefly a personal one to try out the shortlived Intel-based version of NextStep before Jobs returned to Apple and NT finally came out).
I don't generally use my PC for HT purposes though, except when I first dipped into HT w/ a DVD drive kit for a short while before buying my 1st standalone DVD player. And I'm not at all considering trying the HTPC route again mainly because I don't wanna spend the time/effort (and $$$/hassle on additional high-TB storage) on ripping discs for my own local streaming at full quality -- if I already have the discs, I want full quality (or whatever digital streaming would serve otherwise)... and as it is, I don't get around to (re)watching them enough, so don't wanna have to spend additional time on ripping and maintenance... Even though I tend to be very budget-conscious, the reality is the time spent is likely far more costly in the long run -- you really have to love doing such as a (sub-)hobby unto itself (well beyond just enjoying high quality content) for it to be worthwhile me thinks...
Anyhoo, David, hope you're able to get the problem sorted out before long, especially now that you've sent the mobo back to ASUS...
_Man_
IF I were actually in need of a new PC, definitely would consider migrating to a Mac w/ M1 Max or Pro (probably w/ 32GB unified RAM to play it safe... as I just wouldn't trust 16GB to be enough... especially for video processing/editing in multi-tasking mode although I only do that very occasionally mainly as a hobby).
My current, 2.5-yo build w/ AMD Ryzen 7 3800x on ASRock x570 Taichi mobo still seems plenty powerful enough for the foreseeable future... though maybe I'll finally migrate over in another few years or maybe not if Intel/AMD catches up by then -- I don't upgrade that often since I'm not really a gamer and hadn't bothered w/ a full DIY build in a long while before this last one... though I did used to do such fairly often back around my 1st fulltime job or so in the early-to-mid-90's, including some builds for Intel-based Unix before Linux was much of a thing (and even briefly a personal one to try out the shortlived Intel-based version of NextStep before Jobs returned to Apple and NT finally came out).
I don't generally use my PC for HT purposes though, except when I first dipped into HT w/ a DVD drive kit for a short while before buying my 1st standalone DVD player. And I'm not at all considering trying the HTPC route again mainly because I don't wanna spend the time/effort (and $$$/hassle on additional high-TB storage) on ripping discs for my own local streaming at full quality -- if I already have the discs, I want full quality (or whatever digital streaming would serve otherwise)... and as it is, I don't get around to (re)watching them enough, so don't wanna have to spend additional time on ripping and maintenance... Even though I tend to be very budget-conscious, the reality is the time spent is likely far more costly in the long run -- you really have to love doing such as a (sub-)hobby unto itself (well beyond just enjoying high quality content) for it to be worthwhile me thinks...
Anyhoo, David, hope you're able to get the problem sorted out before long, especially now that you've sent the mobo back to ASUS...
_Man_
