Question is pretty straight forward, will the 5080 be enough or should one really be looking at the 5090 for Path Tracing? It’s honestly more impressive to me than Ray Tracing, I know that sounds silly but blows my mind how it makes some media look.
Feel free to share your opinions/experiences!
Hi r/careerguidance (and any other relevant subs),
I’m in my mid-30s at a major career crossroads and feeling nervous about long-term stability. I’d really appreciate honest perspectives from people who’ve pivoted later in life.
Background:
• 20+ years in hospitality/culinary (line cook → Kitchen Manager → Sous Chef). I stepped back from advancing further due to burnout, though I still work it on and off.
• 15-20 years in Music Tech: live sound, sound design consulting, audio effects, MIDI, setting up recording studios, plus social media and marketing for music-related work.
• Last 5-7 years I’ve been the primary caregiver for an aging family member.
• In my 20s I completed core classes + partial Psychology degree at community college (currently 3.6 GPA). I had to pause when my father passed away and family needs took over. I’ve always wanted to work in Psychology-related fields.
Other strengths:
• Lifelong hands-on Computer Science experience (fixing/building computers since I was a kid, studio tech setups, troubleshooting hardware/software).
• I learn technical concepts quickly and enjoy problem-solving that blends creativity + tech.
I now have some funding opportunities to go back to school and can declare a major after finishing prerequisites. I’ve researched the job market a lot. Friends and family are in healthcare and strongly suggest nursing/medical routes for stability and demand. However, my real interests lean toward Psychology, Biomedical Engineering, or similar interdisciplinary paths.
My big questions:
• Given my age, background, and need for solid job stability, is it realistic/worth it to finish a degree now? Any success stories from similar pivots?
• Psychology vs. Nursing vs. Biomedical Engineering (or other suggestions like Health Informatics, UX/UI with my audio/tech background, or something else)? Which offers the best ROI and work-life balance?
• How much do my transferable skills (audio tech, troubleshooting, kitchen management, social media/marketing) help when applying for jobs or further schooling?
• Any red flags I should watch for in these fields right now?
• Recommended community college → university paths, certifications, or alternative routes (bootcamps, etc.) that could bridge faster?
Thank you so much for reading this far. Any advice, personal experiences, or resources would mean a lot right now.
(I’m on the east coast I’m open to relocation and remote opportunities-education-training.)
I’ve been building PCs for a very long time. I know what I need for most parts and tend to take my time choosing components for the best balance of performance and thermals.
I get that the RTX 5090 would be amazing, but it’s way too expensive right now (and prices have been inflated). I could grab a 5080, or wait and see if the 5090 drops closer to MSRP again.
That said, I’m also looking at AMD options and more affordable Nvidia cards like the 5070 Ti. I don’t need maxed-out 4K everything, but I do love scenic/open-world games like Crimson Desert (great benchmark for visuals and RT).
Daily drivers: Tarkov, Arc Raiders, WoW, Diablo 2/4, Battlefield. I also play lots of modern narrative/RPGs that lean heavily into ray/path tracing.
I have most of the build figured out — just need help matching a GPU to my case/thermal setup. Gaming is a hobby, so I’m flexible and don’t mind spending a bit more for future-proofing.
What would you recommend?
I just got a new Puffco Peak and I’m trying to dial it in for rosin. The preset colors are:
• 🔵 Blue (Low): 490°F
• 🟢 Green (Medium): 510°F
• 🔴 Red (High): 530°F
• ⚪ White (Peak): 590°F
I’ve been doing best with a cold start on green or blue, sometimes stepping up to red for a small hit if the rosin is drier or older. With really stubborn/old batches I’ve had to go to red to get a decent melt, but I know 530°F starts pushing terps.
I prefer rosin for the entourage effect, but I’ve been defaulting to sugar lately because it’s more predictable. Is the new Peak just not ideal for rosin, or could storage/age be a bigger factor?
Curious what temps and techniques people are having success with, especially for live rosin/jam/thumbprints.
Thanks!