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I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

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Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#171

Post by lights0123 »

monoideism wrote: post #30

Instead of blasting UEFI, take a minute to learn about tools like `efibootmgr`, and how to install your own keys, so that you control your own machine. UEFI is a bit overengineered, but it's OK. - Most computers' UEFI firmware, desktop or laptop, allows you to install your own keys. - And every computer I've ever heard of with UEFI will allow you to disable secure boot. - Linux runs just fine on UEFI. I'm worried abo…

And in fact, it's the only way to boot Linux on x86 without additional software.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#172

Post by sokoloff »

cgriswald wrote: post #170
sokoloff wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not GP, but I travel a lot for work (last 7 months notwithstanding). When I’m home and docked, I have a 9/10 experience compared to my personal desktop. When I travel, I have a 1/2 as good experience as compared to when docked but 100% better experience than my desktop would give.

I think what confuses me about the GGP is that at some point don't you just get both a desktop and a laptop rather than trying to turn a super-laptop into an on-par desktop?

That’s what I did (and with one USB cable swap and a button press on the monitor, I can switch keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, and camera between them).

But the key for me is I do that because I have a work laptop and a personal desktop and I want no question about the ownership of things I do on the desktop.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#173

Post by nightski »

nvarsj wrote: post #169
agloeregrets wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is that actually true anymore? I mean, hardware wise they are not much faster, but cooling is a different story.

The trend in laptops has been for longer battery life and less heat. Since there haven't been any major breakthroughs in battery technology or mobile processor power (at least from Intel), this means lower power for processors and generally lower performance in general. Almost all laptops are using ultra low voltage Intel chips. And even the ones that don't, except for high end gaming laptops, thermally throttle ALL…

I know you put the Intel disclaimer in there, but I just bought a laptop with an AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS and am loving it. It has me pretty hyped to get an AMD processor for the first time for my desktop when the 5900 launches in November. But the laptop chip has far exceeded my expectations.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#174

Post by auggierose »

Exmoor wrote: post #122
agloeregrets wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is that actually true anymore? I mean, hardware wise they are not much faster, but cooling is a different story.

There are obviously many ways to do this comparison, but going off Wikipedia's pricing for most recent Intel processors. Their highest end mobile processor is currently the i7-1185G7 which apparently retails for $426. Let's compare it with the closest desktop processor to that price, the i9-10900 ($438). Cores (Threads): 4(8) vs. 10(20). Base Freq: 3.0ghz (At 28w TDP) vs. 2.8ghz. Max All Core Turbo: 4.3ghz vs. 4.8ghz…

A MacBook Pro can have an i9 and 8 cores, isn't that better than the i7-1185G7?

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#175

Post by justinram11 »

japhyr wrote: post #45

Does anyone have any recommendations if I want to keep using macOS, but I'm not tied to a MacBook? I realized I hadn't taken my main MacBook off the dock in 9 months. When I go out, I have an older one that I'm happy to use away from my desk. Since it's acting like a desktop now, I though maybe I'd replace it with a higher-spec mac desktop. But a high end mac mini isn't much different than a high-end MacBook. It seem…

I've got a 2018 i7 mac mini that I upgraded the ram to 32GB myself and it's a very capable little machine (got it when I needed to do Unity Mobile Game development, but it keeps up with pretty much everything).

I do wish I would have gotten a bigger internal SSD (I bought it with 256GB, but have now moved most of my files to an external SSD and it's a constant struggle).

I've also now purchased an external GPU to drive my 2 4k monitors at home (it can do 2 4k monitors of text editing itself without struggling _too_ much, but it does run about 15C cooler with the eGPU), so it's hard to say if an iMac wouldn't have been a better purchase, but the nice thing about the mac mini is I can easily throw it in a backpack when I need to travel every couple of months.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#176

Post by 0x98 »

cgriswald wrote: post #164
0x98 wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't agree with the part about desktops not being mobile, there are plenty of sub 10L cases that you can literally fit in your backpack and walk away. If you don't carry your computer around very often you can easily have a desktop that's portable. The most extreme example of this is the Velkase Velka 3[1]. - [1]: https://www.velkase.com/products/velka-3

I don't think it's useful to conflate the terms 'mobile' and 'portable'. You've been able to make a portable desktop for several decades. (I recall one Compaq that came in a closable case with a handle.) That's not typically what people mean by 'mobile'. That 'extreme example' weighs as much as many laptops and it's just a case. Even if you carried a small display, and everything else you need, I doubt most people wo…

That makes sense, I agree with you. Though I still think there’s something to be said about the mobility of desktop computers today and saying outright that they are not mobile might not do justice to them.

Edit: Especially with the rise of the Small form factor PC culture.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#177

Post by RasmusLarsen »

nvarsj wrote: post #169
agloeregrets wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is that actually true anymore? I mean, hardware wise they are not much faster, but cooling is a different story.

The trend in laptops has been for longer battery life and less heat. Since there haven't been any major breakthroughs in battery technology or mobile processor power (at least from Intel), this means lower power for processors and generally lower performance in general. Almost all laptops are using ultra low voltage Intel chips. And even the ones that don't, except for high end gaming laptops, thermally throttle ALL…

What example configuration machine from a decade ago can match (or beat) a current-gen maxed-out Thinkpad or Macbook Pro in raw performance? Those laptops are quite speedy compared to something from 2010

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#178

Post by Gibbon1 »

formerly_proven wrote: post #69
agloeregrets wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is that actually true anymore? I mean, hardware wise they are not much faster, but cooling is a different story.

> I mean, hardware wise they are not much faster, but cooling is a different story. The highest spec macbook comes with a 9980HK and starts at 2800 $. A 3900X has approximately twice the performance in multi-threaded workloads and you can easily build an entire quiet workstation with it for less than 1000 $. Half the performance, thrice the price. Great deal. Yes, there are also "laptops" with a 3900X in them. But ev…

The way I work is I have two desktops, one at work, one at home. I used to also have a laptop but when it died I bought a large tablet.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#180

Post by bluedino »

WalterBright wrote: post #16

I prefer a desktop because: 1. I like big, big monitors. 2. I prefer a full size keyboard. 3. I prefer a separate mouse. 4. I prefer big freaking disk drives installed. 5. I put the desktop under my desk, and with a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse, there is much less of a snarl on my desk. 6. The desktop has an optical drive I still use. 7. The desktop has lots of USB ports and they're all in use. 8. I can repla…

I like being able to throw a handful of large SATA HD’s in a desktop for tons of storage. A laptop with usb drives of equal size is just cumbersome
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