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Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
101–110 of 592 posts
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#102If a microplane counts as "hardware", then I can't not bring up my whetstone! Cost all of around $40, is a genuine joy to use, and keeps all of my knives sharper-than-sharp. I started out with a very expensive knife (Wusthof classic 8", around US$150 or so at the time) but nothing to sharpen it with, and this was a mistake. If I could do it again I'd recommend young cooks on a budget start out with a $20 IKEA knife a…
Adjacent: Microplane (the beans) graters and zesters are a revelation after using generic box graters for decades. Worth every penny.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#103A vertical mouse did amazing things for my wrist.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#104A QMK or a similar programmable keyboard. Often found in mechanical ones. I believe QMK supports 32 layers. So far I've only needed 4 or 5 but the boost in productivity is night and day.
Totally agreed. My main keyboard and macropad are both QMK programmable.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#105Anker PowerCore 26800 (26800mAh) - 3 USB outputs, 2 inputs for charging. Removed away all worry about not having phone charging capability if you're on the move. There's likely better options available now with USB-C inputs, but the product is still fantastic. Oral-B Genius 9000 - looked like an overpriced & gimmicky toothbrush (with AR + Bluetooth). It is, but the carry-case is useful to double as an extra shaver->U…
Do you bring your battery with you when you're out and about? How do you carry it (if you do)? I have a battery and it is pocket sized, but it's not exactly comfortable to carry along with my wallet and phone.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#106Adjustable stand for your phone (gorilla stand or tripod). Helps to position your phone during video chats such that everyone is in the picture. When buying make sure it supports both vertical and horizontal.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#107A good coffee machine at home. Unbelievable ROI, one of my favourite purchases.
Maybe tangential, but would most folks be likely to discern the difference vs. a glass French press? Most drip coffeemakers I’ve used are both more expensive and make worse coffee (not to mention harder to clean), so I’ve largely given up on the category, but admittedly haven’t done proper research in quite a while.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#108Anker PowerCore 26800 (26800mAh) - 3 USB outputs, 2 inputs for charging. Removed away all worry about not having phone charging capability if you're on the move. There's likely better options available now with USB-C inputs, but the product is still fantastic. Oral-B Genius 9000 - looked like an overpriced & gimmicky toothbrush (with AR + Bluetooth). It is, but the carry-case is useful to double as an extra shaver->U…
Do you bring your battery with you when you're out and about? How do you carry it (if you do)? I have a battery and it is pocket sized, but it's not exactly comfortable to carry along with my wallet and phone.
Depends if I think I might be needing it.
Tote bag/leather satchel for everyday (especially because it lets you carry USB & lightning cables); backpack for longer trips. It's a big battery and wouldn't be feasible to carry in my pocket
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#109A 3rd monitor lets me see live preview, documentation, and code all at once. I'm out of desk space to test the effectiveness of a 4th An nvme drive made everything boot faster A good chair (either herman miller or steelcase) fixed my back pain
>A good chair (either herman miller or steelcase) fixed my back pain Mine too! If you're on a budget, there are plenty of individuals on Facebook Marketplace and similar that sell used Steelcase/Herman Miller chairs for about a third of retail price. The more reputable used dealers will repair them before sale, as well.
Also check out the Herman Miller company outlet store- https://www.officeoutlet.net
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#110A 2560x1440 monitor running at its 1:1 native resolution. The screen real estate improvement over 1080p is substantial. You get so much more vertical space and you can easily fit 4 side by side code windows at 80 chars. At 24" or 25" the PPI is also quite nice for reading text. I wrote up a very big monitor selection guide at https://nickjanetakis.com/blog/how-to-pick-a-good-monitor-fo... , I try to keep it up to dat…
Wait till you get a 32 inch 4k one. I am shocked a lot of IT professionals still use 1080p when the above can be found for as low as 250 usd with discounts