How to Troubleshoot No Power PC Issues

by Court Smith Posted on December 25, 2023December 25, 2023

A no power PC issue can be devastating, whether you just got one or it’s an old friend. See if these steps can restore power to your system!

A no power issue, whether in an old PC or how a new PC greets you upon arrival, is an intimidating problem. But take a deep breath–there are some troubleshooting processes that may be able to help.

Make sure you can find your PC’s power button in the first place. Look up the manual for your PC’s case to find where your power button is. (Many of our customers have had trouble finding the power button on the Eclipse!)

The first thing you’ll want to take note of is whether your keyboard and mouse light up when your try to turn your PC on. This will help guide what next steps you should take.

No power troubleshooting – If the keyboard lights up:

Reseat power button header

Before any following steps, please make sure:
- The computer is turned off
- The rocker switch on the back of your PC is switched from “I” to “0” so that no power is coming from your PSU to your machine.
- The PC is unplugged from the wall outlet. Then, please leave it off and unplugged.

Locate the PW SW/RES SW headers on your motherboard
- These headers are part of a set of headers called the “f-panel” or front panel headers. This set of headers is generally located on the bottom-right portion of the motherboard. You can find where your specific PW SW/RES SW headers are in this set by looking it up in the manual for your specific model and manufacturer of motherboard.
  - Many motherboards will have their manufacturer and model name printed on them in text somewhere. If you have a Skytech Gaming PC, you can send a clear and well lit picture of your motherboard to our support team for help identifying it.
  - While motherboards have many differences, most front panel header layouts are fairly standardized. Here is an example image of a standard f-panel layout:

You may need to remove the graphics card first, in order to easily access the headers.
Once you find your PW SW/RES SW headers, reseat them by unplugging them and plugging them back into their respective spots securely.
Plug your PC back in and try turning it on again.

We have a video guide from our staff that we hope you’ll find helpful for this process. It’s for front panel header installation, and shows a staff member plugging in the front panel plugs to their corresponding slots in a front panel header.

If that did not work, you can see if the issue lies in the power button with another test relating to those headers:

Jump PW/SW headers

Leave your PC plugged in for these steps and leave the rocker switch on “I” so that power can flow through the machine.
Get a thin, straight metal object such as a screwdriver.
Unplug the PW and SW headers.
Use your screwdriver to jump these two pins by touching them both with the screwdriver at the same time.

If your PC does turn on after you jump these pins, the issue is with the power button itself. You may be able to resolve this by replacing the button itself, or the front panel of your PC’s case. If you have a Skytech Gaming PC under warranty, contact our support team for more help with this.

Power cycle

Switch your PC’s rocker switch to “0” and then unplug the power cable.
Find your motherboard’s CMOS battery. You can find where it is by looking it up in the manual for your specific model and manufacturer of motherboard.
- Many motherboards will have their manufacturer and model name printed on them in text somewhere. If you have a Skytech Gaming PC, you can send a clear and well lit picture of your motherboard to our support team for help identifying it.
- You may still be able to locate it by sight without a manual. The CMOS battery is a flat silver battery about the size of a quarter.
Remove your CMOS battery from your motherboard and set it aside safely for later.
Allow a minute to pass. Then, press the power button on the PC repeatedly to drain the capacitors.
Leave the CMOS battery outside of the motherboard for some time, about 5 minutes.
Reinstall the CMOS battery
Plug the power cable back in and switch the rocker switch on the back to “I”.
Try to turn on your PC again

No power troubleshooting- If the keyboard does not light up:

Check external factors

Power cable:
- Before the following step, make sure the rocker switch on the back of your PC is switched from “I” to “0” so that no power is coming from your PSU to your machine.
  - Reseat your PC’s external power cable connection.
    - Make sure it is snug, tight, and securely plugged back in before trying to turn the PC on again. A loose connection to external power can cause issues.
Outlet/surge protector:
- Try another outlet and/or surge protector if possible to rule them out as potential causes.
Rocker switch:
- When trying to turn on the PC, make sure the rocker switch is set to “I” and not “0” so that power can flow through the machine.

Reseat PW SW/RES SW headers and short to test

We cover these in the prior section, so skip up to those instructions, and then return here for the next processes if they do not resolve the issue.

CPU power cable reseat

Before any following steps, please make sure:
- The computer is turned off
- The rocker switch on the back of your PC is switched from “I” to “0” so that no power is coming from your PSU to your machine.
- The PC is unplugged from the wall outlet. Then, please leave it off and unplugged.
Locate your CPU power cable.
- This should be in the top left of your motherboard (black or black/yellow). It will be somewhat compact in size.
Unplug this cable
- There should be a clip on the slot and on the plug itself.
  - When unplugging, please press down and hold the clip on the plug continuously.
Plug this cable back in tightly and securely
- Confirm that the clip on the slot and plug are lined up before reinserting the plug into the header.
- Do not press on the clip on the plug while reinserting.
Plug your PC back in, flip the rocker switch, and try to turn it on again.

Motherboard power cable reseat

Before any following steps, please make sure:
- The computer is turned off
- The rocker switch on the back of your PC is switched from “I” to “0” so that no power is coming from your PSU to your machine.
- The PC is unplugged from the wall outlet. Then, please leave it off and unplugged.
Locate your motherboard power cable.
- This should be on the right side of the motherboard, near the middle. It will be large as it has 24 pins.
Unplug this cable
- There should be a clip on the slot and on the plug itself.
  - When unplugging, please press down and hold the clip on the plug continuously.
Plug this cable back in tightly and securely
- Confirm that the clip on the slot and plug are lined up before reinserting the plug into the header.
- Do not press on the clip on the plug while reinserting.
Plug your PC back in, flip the rocker switch, and try to turn it on again.

Power cycle

Again, this process is also covered in a section above. Scroll back up to there, and then return here if your issue is still not resolved.

Paperclip test

If none of the above processes resolved the issue for you, we recommend performing a paperclip test to determine whether your PC’s PSU has a hardware issue. SilverStone has a wonderfully detailed written guide for how to perform this test. We also have a video guide made by our staff:

If you have a Skytech Gaming PC, when you insert the paper clip, take a clear and well-lit picture of how you did this, in case you need to contact support.

Need More Help with a Skytech Gaming PC?

If you have a Skytech Gaming PC, and you weren’t able to resolve your no power issue on your own, please contact our customer support team, and we’ll be happy to do our best to help. It will make it easier for our support team to help you if share the results if your paperclip test, if performed, including a picture of how you inserted the paperclip. If you notice any burnt/bulging capacitors or signs of burning/smoke, please send clear and well-lit pictures of this.

About Skytech Gaming

Skytech Gaming is a system integrator that builds prebuilt and custom PCs for both gaming and creative work. We aim to offer the best experience and performance at every budget, from low-cost entry level machines to the latest bleeding edge, high-end showcase PCs.

If you would like more information about our PCs, or have any more questions about RGB issues in a Skytech Gaming PC, please contact Skytech Gaming’s customer support team at (888)370-8882 or [email protected]. Our agents will be happy to do their best to help as soon as they can!

RGB Issues and Steps to Troubleshoot Them

by Court Smith Posted on December 25, 2023December 25, 2023

RGB issues that keep you from customizing your gaming PC just the way you want can be frustrating. We’ll do our best to outline troubleshooting processes here that may get you back in control.

If you’re encountering issues with your PC’s RGB such as no color showing, no ability to change color, or other issues, read through the steps below and try them out. We hope they can help you resolve the issue.

How to determine what method of RGB control your PC uses:

The method of controlling your RGB will be different depending on what components are installed in your PC. If you don’t know which method of control your PC might be using, we’ll explain here how you may be able to tell which one it is.

If your PC uses software to control its RGB, it will likely use SignalRGB. Most of our PCs will have SignalRGB software installed for RGB control, so SignalRGB may already be on your computer. If so, try using it. If not, you can still install it and try using it. But it’s possible that the reason we did not install it is due to component incompatibility in SignalRGB, so it may not work.

Some PCs will be built with components that are not compatible with SignalRGB’s system. In these cases, we may use a different software, such as the one produced by the manufacturing company of the motherboard the PC has, or an external method of RGB control such as a case button or remote.

There may already be another program on your PC for controlling your RGB. Check the table in the Help with RGB Issues in Other RGB Software section, and see if you have any of the software listed in the table.

Alternatively, your PC may use a form of external control, such as a remote or a button on the case.

How to troubleshoot RGB issues: no lights in one or more case fans

Check whether the PC is using the correct method of RGB control

For a PC that uses any of the methods of control, one thing you’ll want to check if you’re not getting any RGB lights at all is whether you need to toggle the RGB control of your PC from having it attempt to use the case button to motherboard control, or vice-versa.

If there is an “LED” button and/or unmarked button between the LED and power button on the PC’s case, try pushing and holding each down for 5 seconds (individually). If the PC was set to try to use a method of control it wasn’t built for, switching the method of control to the one it was built for may resolve the issue.

Reseat case fan connections

Regardless of how your RGB system is controlled, you’re going to need to make sure it’s connected properly. The connections between RGB fans and your motherboard can unfortunately shake loose during the bumps of shipping, and this can cause issues like RGB colors displaying improperly, some parts of the chain failing to display RGB colors, or If the steps in the appropriate section above didn’t work for you, we also recommend reseating your RGB fans’ connections in your PC case, and here’s how to do that:

Before any following steps, please make sure that the computer is turned off, the rocker switch on the back of your PC is switched from “I” to “O” so that no power is coming from your PSU to your machine, and that your PC is unplugged from the wall outlet, then please leave it off and unplugged.
Most Skytech Gaming PCs will have one or two fan controller, though in some the fans will connect directly to headers on the motherboard. Open the side panel of your PC, on the side your motherboard is mounted to (the side opposite the glass, typically). If you see something like the devices below, you have a fan controller.
- Our Archangel 3.0 and Shadow 3.0 models have an uncommon fan controller location; their fan controller will look different and be located in the front panel.

RGB Issues and steps to troubleshoot them - black fan controller — *Black box fan controller*

RGB Issues and Steps to troubleshoot them - bare PCB fan controller — *Bare PCB fan controller*

If you do have one or two fan controllers:
- Reseat each connection to the fan controllers.
  - Ensure the fan cables are connected in sequence, starting from port 1, and do not skip any connection points. Some controllers need fans to be connected in the correct sequence to function correctly.
If you do not have a fan controller:
- In this case your fans will likely be daisy-chained, which means they connect like Christmas lights, connected to each other in a kind of chain and then connected to headers on your motherboard. Follow all of the cables from each fan and reseat them where they connect to, by removing the plug and plugging it back in securely.
  - Some fans (Deepcool FC120) have proprietary connectors to their cases that connect between the fans and then the fan connector leads to a splitter that splits off into ARGB and PWM connections. The cables connecting some fans may vary. They will likely terminate on one end in sata power, and on other end usually two plugs if they are RGB fans (ARGB and PWM types).

RGB issues and steps to troubleshoot them - case fan examples — *Case fan examples*

Check for issues with a specific fan in the system

If the fans can spin while the PC is on, but some or all don’t light up:

Try unplugging one fan (with the PC turned off), and test to see if this resolves the issue for the remaining fans.
Repeat this for each fan individually.
If the issue is resolved with a fan removed from the system, that fan needs to be replaced.
- You can contact Skytech Gaming for help if you have a Skytech Gaming PC with remaining warranty coverage.

Check BIOS settings

If the fans are spinning, but the RGB is not on, you can try checking and changing some settings in BIOS.

Check the manual for your specific model of motherboard to learn where you should be able to find your case fan setting sin BIOS.
- You can find out what manufacturer and model your motherboard is by opening the Windows System Information app.
- To do this, open your start menu, and type “System Information” into the search bar. Open the app that this search should bring up. It should be a long text list.

RGB issues and steps to troubleshoot them - System Information — *System Information in the start menu*

To enter BIOS, as your PC is booting up, repeatedly press “Del” or the appropriate key. “Del” is a common one, but sometimes it will be “F2” or another key. It will often tell you on the screen which key you can press to enter BIOS as your PC is booting up, on your motherboard splash page.
- Once you locate your fans in BIOS as mentioned earlier, if they do show up, make sure each of your case fans is set to “PWM”.
  - Some types of fans won’t show up in BIOS even when they are working properly, but most common gaming PC case fans will.
- Try turning the case fan speed all the way up in BIOS. In some cases, this can cause the RGB to function properly.

For fans that have a header connected to the motherboard: If the fans do not spin or appear in BIOS, and you have checked everything is plugged in correctly by reseating the connections securely, then the issue may be a faulty fan controller. If you have a Skytech Gaming PC, contact our support team for help resolving this.

Troubleshooting RGB Issues with Hardware Control

Some PCs do not use software to control their RGB, but rely instead on a case button, remote, or other external control method. You can test whether the case button is the cause of the issue by jumping the pins the case button is connected to on the controller. To do this:

Find a thin, straight metal object such as a screwdriver and set it aside for later.
Before any following steps, please make sure:
- The computer is turned off
- The rocker switch on the back of your PC is switched from “I” to “O” so that no power is coming from your PSU to your machine.
- The PC is unplugged from the wall outlet. Then, please leave it off and unplugged.
Open both side panels of your PC case.
Follow the cable from your case button to the fan controller.
Unplug the case button connection from your fan controller. Remember this spot.
Plug your PC in, flip the rocker switch, and then turn your PC back on.
Get your screwdriver/metal object, and gently contact it to the pins the case button connection was plugged into on your fan controller.

If jumping these pins is able to light up your RGB fans and change their colors, then the issue is within the button itself. You may be able to resolve this by replacing the button itself, or the front panel of your PC’s case. If you have a Skytech Gaming PC under warranty, contact our support team for more help with this.

Help with RGB Issues in SignalRGB

Before you install SignalRGB, you’ll need to uninstall all other RGB control software to prevent them from interfering. If you are having trouble with SignalRGB already, try uninstalling it, checking for and uninstalling any other RGB software (check our list in the Help with RGB Issues in Other RGB Software for some examples. Note that it is not an exhaustive list.), then reinstalling SingalRGB to see if this resolves the issue.

When setting up SignalRGB, you’ll need to specify the models of the components in your PC with RGB, such as the models of case fans you have. Not all fans will be compatible, but Signal can still work with some unlisted fans. When using unlisted fans with Signal RGB, we’ve had the most success selecting “Gamdias Aeolus” for the fan model.

Here’s a simple video from SignalRGB that explains how to get started with using it:

SignalRGB also has their own extensive and specific troubleshooting guide on their own website. We encourage you to check their resources out for RGB problems specific relating to using SignalRGB.

Some Skytech Gaming PCs will be built with components that are not compatible with SignalRGB’s system, but can still use a different software made by the PC’s motherboard manufacturer. In these cases, we use the motherboard manufacturer’s software.

Help with RGB Issues in Other RGB Software

If SignalRGB doesn’t work for you, instead you can try the RGB software made by your motherboard’s manufacturer. You can find the manufacturer of your PC’s motherboard by opening the Windows System Information app. To do this, open your start menu, and type “System Information” into the search bar. Open the app that this search should bring up. It should be a long text list.

Gigabyte	RGB Fusion 2.0
ASUS	ASUS Aura Sync module within Armoury Crate
ASRock	Polychrome
Biostar	VIVID LED DJ III
MSI	Mystic Light RGB

^{RGB software of common gaming PC motherboard manufacturers}

Contact the respective motherboard manufacturer’s support for help with their software.

Need More Help with a Skytech Gaming PC?

If you have a Skytech Gaming PC, and you weren’t able to resolve your RGB issues on your own, please contact our customer support team, and we’ll be happy to do our best to help. It will make it easier for our support team to help you if your support agent is able to see clear and well-lit pictures of one of your case fans (with the PC turned off; like the one below), your fan controller (if applicable), and any other relevant components you may be experiencing RGB issues with.

RGB issues and steps to troubleshoot them - Example of a clear and well-lit picture of a PC case fan, with the PC turned off. — *Example of a clear and well-lit picture of a PC case fan, with the PC turned off.*

About Skytech Gaming

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC Requirements – Can Your PC Defend Pandora?

by Court Smith Posted on December 9, 2023December 8, 2023

Want to know if your PC is ready to explore the world of Pandora? We’ll break down the Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC requirements here.

Dive into the world of Pandora in Ubisoft’s new game release, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and become a defender of this planet. You’ll get to learn more about the Na’vi as you explore the all-new Western Frontier continent and organize local tribes to fight the RDA. But before you embark, you’ll need to know if your PC is ready to handle the task.

Read on to see our breakdown of the Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC requirements for different performance levels, and see what Skytech Gaming PCs we would recommend to meet them.

Available on the Ubisoft store, and included with Ubisoft+.

See the Official Game Overview Trailer from Ubisoft Forward

Minimum Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	AMD Ryzen 5 3600 / Intel i7 8700K
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	AMD Radeon RX 5700 / NVIDIA GTX 1070 / Intel ARC A750 (REBAR on) (8 GB VRAM)
RAM (System Memory)	16 GB (dual-channel)
Storage	90 GB available space for installation on an SSD
Operating System	Windows 10/11; With DirectX12 API

^{Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC requirements can be found on Ubisoft’s website.}

Recommended Skytech Gaming PC for Minimum PC Requirements

This version of our Shiva PC meets the minimum requirements. Notes for these specs on Ubisoft’s website mention that these requirements are geared towards an experience of about 30 FPS in 1080p on the low graphics settings preset and FSR2 quality preset.

Recommended Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X / Intel i5 11600K
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT (12 GB VRAM) / NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti (8 GB VRAM)
RAM (System Memory)	16 GB (dual-channel)
Storage	90 GB available space for installation on an SSD
Operating System	Windows 10/11; With DirectX12 API

^{Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC requirements can be found on Ubisoft’s website.}

Recommended Skytech Gaming PC for Recommended PC Requirements

A version of our Shiva 2 model meets the above specifications for the recommended requirements. Ubisoft’s notes on their website estimate that these specs will get you around 60 FPS in 1080p on the high graphics preset and the FSR2 quality preset.

1440p High Settings Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X / Intel i5 11600K
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	AMD RX 6800 XT (16 GB VRAM) / NVIDIA RTX 3080 (10 GB)
RAM (System Memory)	16 GB (dual-channel)
Storage	90 GB available space for installation on an SSD
Operating System	Windows 10/11; With DirectX12 API

^{Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC requirements can be found on Ubisoft’s website.}

Recommended Skytech Gaming PC for 1440p High Settings PC Requirements

This Archangel 4 version matches up with Ubisoft’s system requirements for the game in 1440p. They note to expect about 60 FPS in 1440p using the high graphics preset and FSR2 quality preset with these specs.

2160p Ultra Settings Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	AMD Ryzen 7 5800 X3D / Intel i7 12700K
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	AMD RX 7900 XTX (24 GB VRAM) / NVIDIA RTX 4080 (16 GB VRAM)
RAM (System Memory)	16 GB (dual-channel)
Storage	90 GB available space for installation on an SSD
Operating System	Windows 10/11; With DirectX12 API

^{Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PC requirements can be found on Ubisoft’s website.}

Recommended Skytech Gaming PC for 2160p Ultra Settings PC Requirements

A version of our powerful Azure 2 PC meets the 2160p ultra requirements for this game. Ubisoft states to expect about 60 FPS using the ultra graphics preset and FSR 2 balanced preset.

Tell us what you think!

We want to know what our community of gamers and content creators is up to. Let us know on social media what about Avatar: Frontier of Pandora you’re looking forward to or enjoying the most!

About Skytech Gaming

If you would like more information about our PCs, please contact Skytech Gaming’s customer support team at (888)370-8882 or [email protected]. Our agents will be happy to do their best to help as soon as they can!

FSR 3: AMD’s Recent Advances in Graphics Processing Technology

by Court Smith Posted on November 4, 2023November 4, 2023

AMD is boosting the performance of their GPU hardware with new technology, FidelityFX Super Sampling 3 (FSR 3). Learn more about their new developments here!

At Gamescom 2023, AMD presented their latest advancements in their performance boosting FidelityFX Super Sampling 3 (FSR 3) technology, and showed what it would look like in one of the games with support for it, Forspoken. Notably, like some of their other FidelityFX technologies, AMD reports that this technology will be open-source and freely available for developers on GPUopen.com.

How FSR 3 Works

AMD’s biggest updates to FidelityFX in this iteration are frame generation, and the “Native AA” quality mode. FSR 3’s frame generation combines data from games with an enhanced version of AMD Fluid Motion Frames to increase framerate in supported games. This can be combined with super resolution upscaling for even higher framerates. “Native AA” provides high-quality anti-aliasing and sharpens your image.

You can see a more detailed breakdown of the tech, including performance comparisons, in AMD’s blog.

Watch the AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 First Look

Hardware Support

AMD explains on their site that the nature of this technology does not require machine learning hardware, and as such it can be used on a variety of hardware. Though, they have some specific supported and recommended choices they advise sticking to when using upscaling and/or frame generation features:

Hardware for using FSR 3 + Upscaling + Frame Generation	AMD	NVIDIA
Supported	Radeon RX 5000 Series and up.	GeForce RTX 20 Series and up.
Recommended	Radeon RX 6000 Series and up.	GeForce RTX 30 Series and up.

Hardware for using FSR 3 + Upscaling (No Frame Generation)	AMD	NVIDIA
Supported	Radeon RX 590 and up.	GeForce GTX 10 Series and up.
Recommended	Radeon RX 5000 Series and up.	GeForce RTX 20 Series and up.

Game Support

*^{Immortals of Aveum – Image from Steam store page.}*

FSR 3 is still pretty early in its rollout to game support. So far, there are only two games with official support: Forspoken and Immortals of Aveum. However, 12 more are confirmed to have their support on the way, with a list including more big triple-A titles:

*^{Forspoken – Image from Steam store page.}*

AMD has also partnered with many big-name developers and publishers for their support on this project, so we can expect to see more supported games from them in the future. They also mentioned working with Epic Games to develop an Unreal Engine 5 plugin for the technology to help smoothen its integration into UE5 games. Here’s their list of supporting partners:

Ascendant Studios
Enduring Games
Square Enix
11 Bit Studios
CCP Games
CD Projekt Red
Focus Entertainment
Game Science
Mainframe
Massive Entertainment (A Ubisoft Studio)
Offworld Industries
Pearl Abyss
Reflector (Bandai Namco)
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Saber Interactive
SEGA
Turtle Rock Studios
Ubisoft
Unreal Engine

Tell us what you think!

We want to know what our community of gamers and content creators is up to. Let us know on social media what game you’d most like to see AMD FSR 3 support arrive for, and what your opinion of the technology is!

About Skytech Gaming

What to Do When Your PC Won’t Display to Your Monitor: 7 Troubleshooting Processes to Try

by Court Smith Posted on October 14, 2023October 19, 2023

Whether it’s a new rig or a sudden change in your old one, when your PC won’t display to your monitor it can be a frustrating experience. Learn some troubleshooting processes that may help you get your display back!

Featured image courtesy of Soulkid Photography via Pexels.

It may seem like there’s nothing you can do when your PC won’t display, but that’s not necessarily the case. There are many things that can cause a PC not to display, and some are relatively easy to fix. We’ll order these from the simple steps worth getting out of the way, to the more complex troubleshooting processes, and also add videos to help provide additional guidance.

Is your monitor on and configured correctly?

Make sure the monitor is plugged in and powered on.

If it’s powered on, there should be a light on or near the power button and you may get an error message such as “No Signal”.

Check that the input source on your monitor is set to the same input connection as the cable you’re using (HDMI, DVI-D, or Displayport). Most monitors have a button that allows you to choose between your monitor’s different input options.

You may need to refer to your monitor’s manual to find out which button will change your device input source. Searching the monitor’s model online will likely help you find its manual.

These are some of the most obvious and easiest steps, and while some people are tempted to skip these instead of checking them, we think it’s definitely worth a few minutes to rule these out as the source of the issue. Nowadays, many monitors will automatically detect the correct one, but it’s simple and easy to double check this to rule it out.

Is your display cable plugged into the correct ports?

Confirm that the display cable (your HDMI or DisplayPort cable) is plugged into the monitor output port, not the input port if any. Some monitors will be able to send a display to another device, but that same port will not be able to receive a display from the computer.

Also, make sure you are plugging your display cable into the correct port on your PC. Which place you’ll need to look for these ports will vary depending on whether your PC uses a graphics card, or only relies on graphics processing integrated into its CPU. Most gaming PCs will have a graphics card installed, but some budget models will use CPU integrated graphics processing instead.

If your PC has a graphics card, you’ll want to plug your display output cable into one of the display output ports coming from this card, not your motherboard. A graphics card is long and rectangular, and will typically be mounted horizontally relative to how your PC stands, though they can also be mounted vertically in some builds. The ports will be around the middle of the chassis. The card will connect to the rest of your PC internally via a PCIe slot on your motherboard for information processing and may have its own power cables coming from your PC’s power supply unit (this is typically the case in modern gaming PCs).

Here’s a picture to demonstrate where the display output ports will typically be located on a gaming PC that has a graphics card installed.

PC won't display. Back of PC with graphics card installed.

Here’s a video made by our staff about how to troubleshoot when your PC won’t display, the first section of which covers ensuring your display cable is plugged into the correct port on your PC.

Check that your display output cable is working.

Sometimes, the problem when your PC won’t display can be as simple as a display cable that has failed. It’s worth making sure your display cable itself isn’t the source of the problem. Check your display output cable for damage. Whether you notice any damage or not, try using a different DisplayPort or HDMI output cable for your PC’s display output cable. It’s best if the cable you use for this step is one you know works with other devices.

Test monitor with another console or device that can output video.

In some cases, an unexpected monitor issue can be the culprit when your PC won’t display instead of an issue with the cable or the PC. It’s worth testing your monitor with a difference device that you know works and can provide display, just to rule this out and make sure your monitor is working properly.

Test if your PC is passing POST.

This step is a quick test that can tell you more about the issue.

After your PC has been on for about 10 seconds and is not displaying, try pressing the power button rapidly, and continue pressing the button rapidly for about 30 seconds.

Did it turn off, or turn off and on again due to these button presses? If it did respond this way, the PC should be otherwise functioning okay, and the issue causing it to not display lies between the graphics card and the monitor.

If the PC did not respond, hold down the power button. Does pressing and holding the power button turn off the PC? If the PC responds to the long press, but not the rapid presses, that means the PC is not passing its Power-On Self Test (POST). The CPU and motherboard should be okay, and the issue may be with another component (likely RAM).

Write down your results for reference.

Our next troubleshooting processes involve reseating some internal components that can commonly cause your PC be to unable to display when they are not seated quite correctly. Components can need to be reseated due to the bumps of shipping, or moving a PC from place to place. Choose the process recommended for your POST results first, but there’s no harm in trying both.

After you finish attempting troubleshooting processes that involve reseating internal components of your PC, if your PC won’t display still, you may want to perform another POST test to confirm the results haven’t changed. Write them down again.

If you have a Skytech Gaming PC, and you need to contact our customer support team, telling the agent you’re working with the results of your POST test will be helpful.

If your PC is not passing POST: Reseat your PC’s RAM

Make sure that the PC is turned off, your PSU is switched from “I” to “O” so that no power is coming from it to your machine, and then unplugged. Now you can try the following steps to reseat your PC’s RAM:

Open the glass or metal side panel so that you can see your PC’s RAM sticks in your PC’s motherboard. To the right of the CPU cooler, there should be one or more vertical sticks. These sticks are the RAM modules.

Check to see if there are locking tabs on the top or bottom of the slot that a RAM module is inserted in.

Press down on the top and bottom locking tabs for the slot (if applicable) to release the module.

Take the module out of the slot.

Then, insert the module back into the slot, one side at a time. We find that it is easiest to slide the module in the bottom of the slot first. Make sure the center notches align correctly before pressing in, and that the locking tabs on the top and bottom (if available) snap into place after pressing in.
- Press against the bottom with your thumb firmly but carefully until you hear it snap into place, and then press against the top of the module until it also snaps into place.
- Whether you have one or two locking tabs, you still should hear 2 clicks when inserting the module into the slot, one for each side.

Now you can close your PC up and test to see if your PC will display.

Here’s a video made by our staff about how to troubleshoot when your PC won’t display, set to start at the section that covers reseating your RAM:

If your PC is passing POST: Reseat your PC’s Graphics Card

First check the back of your case and see if there is either a sliding bracket with 2 screws, or a single hinged bracket with 1 screw.

If you see a bracket, you will need to loosen that screw and move the bracket in order to expose the graphics card screws.

After you have moved the bracket, or if your case does not have a bracket on the back, open the side panel (usually glass but can be metal) to allow you to see your graphics card.

Remove the PCIe power cable(s) for your graphics card.
- There should be a clip on the slot and the plug itself.
- When removing the plug, press on and hold down the clip on the plug continuously.

Remove the screw(s) mounting the graphics card onto the bracket on the left side with a Phillips-head screwdriver.

Press the plastic tab on the right side of the motherboard slot that the graphics card is inserted in to release the card, with your finger or carefully with the screwdriver tip.

Once the card is released, slowly and gently rock it back and forth horizontally towards yourself to remove it.

Reinsert the graphics card, making sure it is firmly secured. You should hear or see the plastic tab lock back into place.

Reinsert the screws and close the bracket if necessary.

Plug your graphics card PCIe power cable(s) back in.
- Confirm that the clips on the plug and header are lined up before reinserting the plug into the header.
- You do not need to press the clip on the plug while reinserting the plug.

Now you can close your PC up and test to see if your PC will display.

Here’s a video made by our staff about how to troubleshoot when your PC won’t display, set to start at the section that covers reseating your graphics card:

If after these steps, your PC won’t display still:

At this point, if the issue is still not resolved and your PC is a Skytech Gaming PC, we recommend contacting our customer support team for help. When you contact them, please let them know what the results of your POST test were. This will help them do their best to help you better.

If your PC is not a Skytech Gaming PC, and your PC won’t display still, you may need to contact any relevant warranty services that you know you have that cover your product.

If you built it yourself or do not have a warranty, and your PC won’t display still, you may want to begin considering that some of your PC’s components may need to be replaced. In some cases this could be the graphics card or the RAM.

We wish you the best of luck in your troubleshooting!

About Skytech Gaming

If you would like more information about our PCs please contact Skytech Gaming’s customer support team at (888)370-8882 or [email protected]. Our agents will be happy to do their best to help as soon as they can!

Assassin’s Creed Mirage PC Requirements: Can Your PC Jump Into the Action?

by Court Smith Posted on October 7, 2023October 6, 2023

Can your PC handle the next installment in this action-adventure franchise? We break down the Assassin’s Creed Mirage PC requirements here for you to find out.

Experience Basim’s quest through the vibrant streets of ninth-century Baghdad: witness the astounding transformation of an ordinary soul into an unparalleled Master Assassin, guided by the mysterious Hidden Ones organization. Brace yourself for an exhilarating escapade filled with heart-pounding action! Prepare for an extraordinary parkour and stealth assassination experience that has defined this incredible franchise for years.

But before you dive in, you’ll need to know if your PC meets the Assassin’s Creed Mirage PC requirements. We’ll discuss them here and recommend Skytech Gaming PCs for the minimum and recommended requirements.

See what other PC game releases we’re most excited about in October in our recent blog post.

Assassin's Creed Mirage PC Requirements - Hooded figure with a blade hiding behind a pillar looking at two guards

You can play Assassin’s Creed Mirage through Ubisoft+ PC Access, buy the game from the Ubisoft store, or the Epic Games store. Developed by Ubisoft Bordeaux and published by Ubisoft.

See the official launch trailer for Assassin’s Creed Mirage:

Minimum Assassin’s Creed Mirage PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	Intel i7-4790K (or Intel i5-8400 with Rebar for system with an Intel ARC GPU) / AMD Ryzen 5 1600
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB VRAM) / AMD Radeon RX 570 (4 GB VRAM) / Intel Arc A380 (6 GB)
RAM (System Memory)	8 GB
Storage	40 GB available space for installation
Operating System	Windows 10 or 11

^{Minimum Assassin’s Creed Mirage PC requirements available on the Epic Games store page.}

For these PC component specifications, there is a performance estimate of about 30 FPS at low graphics settings in 1080p resolution. Of course, you’ll be likely to have a more satisfying experience with a PC that meets or exceeds the recommended specifications.

Editor’s Pick – Skytech Gaming PC for Minimum Requirements

Assassin's Creed Mirage PC requirements - Skytech Gaming PC Pick for minimum requirements. Chronos Mini.

Assassin's Creed Mirage PC Requirements - Hooded figure atop a camel looking at a large castle on a hill

Recommended Assassin’s Creed Mirage PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	Intel i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (6 GB) / AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (6 GB) / Intel Arc A750 (8 GB)
RAM (System Memory)	16 GB
Storage	40 GB available space for installation
Operating System	Windows 10 or 11

^{Recommended Assassin’s Creed Mirage PC requirements available on the Epic Games store page.}

The Epic Games store page performance estimate for these specs says to expect about 60 FPS at high settings in 1080p. If you want to push the resolution and graphics settings higher than this, you’ll need to exceed these hardware specifications.

Editor’s Pick – Skytech Gaming PC for Recommended Requirements

Assassin's Creed Mirage PC requirements - Skytech Gaming PC pick for recommended requirements. Shadow 3.

Assassin's Creed Mirage PC Requirements - hooded figures jumping on building architecture

Tell us what you think!

We want to know what our community of gamers and content creators is up to. Let us know on social media what about Assassin’s Creed Mirage you enjoy the most!

About Skytech Gaming

Mortal Kombat 1 PC Requirements: Is Your PC Ready to Fight?

by Court Smith Posted on September 16, 2023September 15, 2023

Learn if your PC is ready to fight with our Mortal Kombat 1 PC requirements breakdown here!

Mortal Kombat 1 is about to hit its full release on September 19th, and is already available for early access for those with the Premium Edition. To get in on the high-intensity fighting action on your PC, you’ll need to know first if your gaming machine can handle the heat. Read on to learn what it will take to run Mortal Kombat 1 on PC.

Mortal Kombat 1 PC requirements - 2 characters dual wielding weapons facing each other, about to fight.

Mortal Kombat 1 is available now for pre-order through the Steam store and the Epic Games store.

Watch the Mortal Kombat 1 Official Launch trailer

Minimum Mortal Kombat 1 PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	Intel i5 6600 / AMD Ryzen 3 3100 or Ryzen 5 2600
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 / AMD Radeon RX 470 / Intel Arc A750
RAM (System Memory)	8 GB
Storage	100 GB available space needed for install
Operating System	Windows 10 64-bit

^{Minimum Mortal Kombat 1 PC requirements available on the Steam store page.}

To run this game at a minimum, these are the requirements given, and it won’t take the beefiest or newest computer in the world to meet them. Of course, you may not be able to turn up the graphics settings very high at just the minimum needed to run the game, and you may not see super high framerates.

Editor’s Pick for Minimum Requirements

Mortal Kombat 1 PC requirements - minimum specs - PC pick - Nebula

Mortal Kombat 1 PC requirements - two characters posing, one with a small blade.

Recommended Mortal Kombat 1 PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	Intel i5 8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT / Intel Arc A770
RAM (System Memory)	8 GB
Storage	100 GB available space needed for install
Operating System	Windows 10/11 64-bit

^{Recommended Mortal Kombat 1 PC requirements available on the Steam store page.}

For better performance and the ability to push your graphics settings higher, you’ll want to at least meet or exceed the recommended PC requirements, which requires a little more power. Older generation hardware will do, but it will need to be at least mid or high tier in strength. Interestingly, the recommended requirements don’t call for any additional RAM over the minimum, so this game may not rely as heavily on RAM.

Editor’s Pick for Recommended Requirements

Mortal Kombat 1 PC requirements - recommended specs PC pick - Blaze 3.0

Mortal Kombat 1 PC requirements - two characters standing facing each other

Tell us what you think!

We want to know what our community of gamers and content creators is up to. Let us know on social media what about Mortal Kombat 1 you’re most excited for!

About Skytech Gaming

Lies of P PC Requirements: Can Your PC Handle this Soulslike?

by Court Smith Posted on September 9, 2023September 8, 2023

We take a look at the Lies of P PC requirements here–learn if your PC is ready to take on this soulslike!

Lies of P is an upcoming soulslike PC game release set for September 19th, with a heavy Bloodborne influence and an interesting story premise based on a classic tale: the puppet Pinocchio. The protagonist in this game is indeed said to be a puppet made by a character named Geppetto, true to its fairy tale inspiration, though the Steam store description promises the game takes the tale and “turns it on its head.” The setting speaks to this a bit, as it is set in the dark and elegant Belle Epoque era of the late 19th century in France. Lies of P will be coming to the Steam store and Xbox Gamepass on its launch date.

Lies of P PC requirements - gameplay screenshot of player character Pinocchio held in the air by a large mechanical puppet enemy.

See the rest of the list of games coming out in September 2023 we’re excited for in our previous blog!

Watch the gamescom 2023 trailer for Lies of P

Minimum Lies of P PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	AMD Ryzen 3 1200 / Intel i3-6300
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	AMD Radeon RX 560 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (4 GB VRAM)
RAM (System Memory)	8 GB
Storage	At least 50 GB of available space needed for install
Operating System	Windows 10 64-bit

^{Minimum Lies of P PC requirements available on the Steam store page.}

According to the minimum Lies of P PC requirements available via Steam, this game shouldn’t take very powerful hardware to be able to play. However, there are no performance estimates on the Steam store page for the game for these minimum specs.

Editor’s Pick for Minimum Requirements

Lies of P PC requirements - minimum PC pick

Lies of P PC requirements - cinematic screenshot of intimidating characters in front of a coffin painted with the word "LIAR".

Recommended Lies of P PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	AMD Ryzen 3 1200 / Intel i3-6300
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT (4 GB VRAM) / NVIDIA GTX 1660 (6 GB VRAM)
RAM (System Memory)	16 GB
Storage	At least 50 GB of available space needed for install
Operating System	Windows 10 64-bit

Interestingly, the processors for the recommended Lies of P PC requirements are the same as those that meet the minimum requirements. Based on this, it seems like this game will lean more heavily on RAM and graphics cards to power up its performance, instead of the CPU. There are also no performance estimates on the Steam store page for this game using the recommended specs, either.

Editor’s Pick for Recommended Requirements

Lies of P PC requirements - recommended specs PC Pick - Nebula

Lies of P PC requirements - gameplay screenshot of combat with a large sentient plant looking type of enemy.

Tell us what you think!

We want to know what our community of gamers and content creators is up to. Let us know on social media what part of Lies of P you’re most excited for!

About Skytech Gaming

Intel 14th Gen: What We Know So Far

by Court Smith Posted on August 12, 2023August 11, 2023

Intel 14th Gen drops and some changes for their CPU lines are on the horizon. Learn everything we know so far here!

Intel announced 14th Gen would be coming in 2023, and recently confirmed that the expected launch will be “in the second half of 2023”. Official word on release dates are still not more specific than that, though there is speculation from some sources in tech news that they may reveal some of the first 14th Gen CPUs at Intel’s Innovation event that typically occurs in September or October. This year, it is planned to take place on September 19th-20th at the San Jose Convention Center in California.

Based on how their releases tend to roll out, it’s likely the higher performing chips of Intel 14th Gen will be revealed first, with more mainstay and budget CPUs trickling in during 2024.

See Intel’s roadmap as presented at their 2022 Investor Day below:

Intel 14th Gen - Intel 2022 Roadmap Official — *^{Image from Intel}*

Will there be desktop CPUs in Intel 14th Gen?

There’s a focus on laptop CPUs for their Meteor Lake branded line in Intel 14th-Gen, and it’s anticipated that if there are to be desktop processors in this launch, that they will be branded as a “Raptor Lake refresh”. The future 15th Gen Arrow Lake is expected to be the full desktop CPU line replacement for Raptor Lake, and is anticipated in 2024.

Will I need to upgrade my motherboard for Intel 14th Gen?

You may not necessarily need to upgrade your motherboard to install a desktop CPU from the upcoming Intel 14th Gen releases. This “Raptor Lake refresh” in Intel 14th Gen is expected to be the last step of CPU upgrades seen for the LGA 1700 socket, and Intel will likely shift to CPUs for the LGA 1851 socket afterward.

Thus, these Raptor Lake refresh desktop CPUs should be compatible with older motherboard models that use the LGA 1700 socket. If you currently have an Intel 12th or 13th Gen CPU in your motherboard, you’re likely good to go. This also means DDR5 RAM is not necessarily a requirement for using these processors, and you can still use DDR4 RAM with them despite having a latest-gen CPU.

In situations like this, however, please note that a BIOS update may be required. Please check the product page for your motherboard on the manufacturer’s website once these CPUs are out for more precise information about upgrading and what you’ll need to do.

Intel 14th Gen - An example of a CPU. Image from Jeremy Waterhouse via Pexels. — *^{Image from Jeremy Waterhouse via Pexels.}*

Intel 14th Gen will introduce a new naming system

With the new processors in Intel 14th Gen also comes a new naming system for their CPU product lines going forward. They’re doing away with the “i-” prefixes, for one thing. Also, even though we know it’s their 14th generation of CPUs, they will not be including references to “14th Gen” as part of the official branding for them.

One of the bigger changes is that they will be separating CPUs into three tiers: “Intel” CPUs, “Intel Core” CPUs, and “Intel Ultra” processors. Within each tier, there will still be different numbered versions to choose from with increasing performance as the number designation increases, which will just use the “3”, “5”, “7” or “9” as an indicator. We’re guessing the highest performers per generation will typically come from the Ultra line, just based on its name.

Here are examples from Intel about how this will look for the Ultra and Core Processors respectively:

Intel 14th Gen - Intel image explaining Core Ultra line naming with new product badges — *^{Image from Intel}*

Intel 14th Gen - Intel image explaining Core line naming with new product badges — *^{Image from Intel}*

Tell us what you think!

We want to know what our community of gamers and content creators is up to. Let us know on social media whether you’re excited for what Intel 14th Gen hardware releases have in store for us!

About Skytech Gaming

Baldur’s Gate 3 PC Requirements: Is Your PC Ready for this Epic Adventure?

by Court Smith Posted on August 5, 2023August 4, 2023

This long-awaited RPG is finally fully released! Make sure your rig is ready and meets the Baldur’s Gate 3 PC requirements.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is finally here in full, and many of us are more than ready for the wait to be over–but what about our computers? If you didn’t start playing in early access, you may be wondering if your computer can handle Larian’s amazing RPG experience before you buy. We’ll break down both the minimum and recommended Baldur’s Gate 3 PC requirements here.

Baldur's Gate 3 PC requirements - Character holding a magic object.

For an optimal experience, we recommend a PC that at least meets, or hopefully exceeds, the recommended PC requirements. If you meet just the minimum requirements, you should still be able to play, but you’ll likely need to keep the graphics settings on the lower side. The 150 GB installation size is a bit hefty, so you’ll need quite a bit of space.

See the Baldur’s Gate 3 Launch Trailer

Minimum Baldur’s Gate 3 PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	Intel i5-4690 / AMD FX 8350
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD RX 480 (4GB+ VRAM)
RAM (System Memory)	8 GB
Storage	150 GB available space to install (SSD required)
Operating System	Windows 10 64-bit

^{Minimum Baldur’s Gate 3 PC requirements available on Steam store page.}

Baldur's Gate 3 PC requirements - character standing on a building roof overlooking a populated city.

Thankfully, the minimum requirements are not that high for this game, making it more accessible to gamers on a budget or with older rigs. The game calls for a CPU and GPU that are generations behind the latest hardware releases for its minimum specs, and only 8 GB of system memory.

Minimum PC Requirements – Editor’s Pick

Baldur's Gate 3 PC requirements. Skytech Gaming Nebula PC version for minimum requirements.

Recommended Baldur’s Gate 3 PC Requirements

CPU (Central Processing Unit)	Intel i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)	NVIDIA RTX 2060 Super / AMD RX 5700 XT (8+ GB VRAM)
RAM (System Memory)	16 GB
Storage	150 GB available space to install (SSD required)
Operating System	Windows 10 64-bit

Baldur's Gate 3 PC requirements - cinematic combat with a minotaur.

Meeting or exceeding the recommended Baldur’s Gate 3 PC requirements should get you a better experience with the game than just the minimum requirements would, and you should be able to pump the graphics settings up a bit more. By how much will depend on how greatly your rig exceeds the recommended specs. We recommend slowly increasing your settings until you notice an issue or you’re dissatisfied with your FPS. There’s no mention of expected FPS or recommended graphics settings to use with the minimum and recommended requirements on the Steam store page.

Recommended PC Requirements – Editor’s Pick

Baldur's Gate 3 PC requirements - recommended requirements pick - Blaze 3.0 version

Tell us what you think!

We want to know what our community of gamers and content creators is up to. Let us know on social media what part of Baldur’s Gate 3 you’re most excited for!

Nebula

Archangel 4

Archangel 4

Shadow 4

Nebula

Archangel 4

Eclipse

Azure 2

Archangel 4

Shadow 4

Chronos 2

Chronos 2

Shiva 2

Chronos 2

Shiva

Azure 2

Archangel 4 (13)

Archangel 4 (13)

Azure (7)

Azure (7)

Azure 2 (19)

Azure 2 (19)

Blaze 3 (3)

Blaze 3 (3)

Blaze 4 (11)

Blaze 4 (11)

Blaze 4 Mini (7)

Blaze 4 Mini (7)

Chronos (5)

Chronos (5)

Chronos 2 (15)

Chronos 2 (15)

Chronos Mini (9)

Chronos Mini (9)

Eclipse (6)

Eclipse (6)

Eclipse 2 (6)

Eclipse 2 (6)

Eclipse Lite (8)

Eclipse Lite (8)

Eclipse lite 2 (6)

Eclipse lite 2 (6)

King95 (7)

King95 (7)

Legacy 4 (6)

Legacy 4 (6)

Mini PCX1 (1)

Mini PCX1 (1)

Nebula (4)

Nebula (4)

O11 Dynamic (1)

O11 Dynamic (1)

O11 Vision (10)

O11 Vision (10)

Omega (1)

Omega (1)

Omega 2 (3)

Omega 2 (3)

Prism 3 (10)

Prism 3 (10)

Shadow 4 (20)

Shadow 4 (20)

Shiva (2)

Shiva (2)

Shiva 2 (12)

Shiva 2 (12)

Siege 4 (5)

Siege 4 (5)

No power troubleshooting – If the keyboard lights up:

Reseat power button header

Jump PW/SW headers

Power cycle

No power troubleshooting- If the keyboard does not light up:

Check external factors

Reseat PW SW/RES SW headers and short to test

CPU power cable reseat

Motherboard power cable reseat

Power cycle

Paperclip test

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