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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

#561

Post by Tsiklon »

lhl wrote: post #450
xondono wrote: post #424

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What? There’s a lot of laptops that hit their top clocks with no issues. The main problem is that doing so seriously reduces your battery duration and emits significant noise. Pick anything over the 800$ range that isn’t a macbook and you’re way more likely to hit clocks than not.

The problem isn't hitting the top clocks, but sustaining them. Only the biggest "desktop replacement" class laptops tend to be able to sustain 120W+ CPU dissipation. Note that workstation-class (H) laptop CPUs also make compromises on performance - the Ryzen 9 4900H is 8C16T but only has 4MB L2$, 8MB L3$, and a max TDP of 54W. A desktop Ryzen 9 3950X by comparison is 16C32T and has 8MB L2$, 64MB L3$, and a 105W defau…

As an aside you have an interesting notation, using $ to substitute for cache, using that symbol never once crossed my mind hah

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#562

Post by WalterBright »

wyclif wrote: post #406
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 don't want a gaming machine that comes with a graphics adapter that sounds like a 747 taking off Out of curiosity, what do you use instead? I'm wondering what the best options are for workstation-type desktops.

A fanless graphics card. There's still a fan in box, but it's a larger one and it's thermostatically controlled, most of the time it's turning slowly.

If I'm running a multicore big job, the fan spins up and annoys me.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#563

Post by a_imho »

ashtonkem wrote: post #151

I really wish my employer would just give me a desktop; they keep insisting on giving me a laptop that I immediately close and plug into a dock. But, it's just not a fight worth having for me.

Were you required to take it home during covid?

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#564

Post by theshrike79 »

wavegeek wrote: post #501
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 prefer a full size keyboard. Also every laptop has a different - stupid - keyboard layout.

Some PC laptop manufacturers insist on adding the damn numpad to the keyboard.

This makes the whole keyboard lopsided, rendering the rightmost quarter completely useless. Don't get why they would do that.

Let the 15 people in the world who _need_ the numpad for data entry use an external one.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#565

Post by cjfd »

When I bought my current desktop computer it was not so very easy to find one without windows. I live in the Netherlands and I actually ended up ordering one from Germany. It used to be that I could just buy a windows-free pc from the local computer store. I find this a bit worrisome and shocking...

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#566

Post by morganvachon »

easton wrote: post #245
morganvachon wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"They must trust Microsoft’s certificate (and thus any bootloader Microsoft has signed)." This one in particular always pissed me off, and I'm glad it only applies to pre-built machines that come with Windows 10 preinstalled. If the individual motherboard makers ever decide they need to be "certified for Windows 10" and start auto-trusting a certificate for closed-source commercial software, I'm left with no choice b…

You can revoke the keys as a user, it’s just that the system has to trust the Microsoft CA out of the box. If you have purchased a device with Secure Boot capability (including a motherboard), it trusts Microsoft’s CA (since it would be extremely confusing for 99% of users if Windows wouldn’t boot without trusting a key). My Ryzen board trusted Microsoft out of the box, it has to if they want to pass Windows logo cer…

"...it’s just that the system has to trust the Microsoft CA out of the box"

That's the entirety of my complaint.

Thanks for the link! My board is not on it as I assumed.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#567

Post by ffwd »

Regarding the "tragic" part of the post... It feels like there are more people learning Python and other things like that than there were 10 years ago. Linux is built into Windows, there is a lot of github activity, is all of this a sign that there will be more tinkerers in the future? That tinkering will be more for everyone rather than a few experts?

Also since you have a lot of computer science majors, and coding is a thing everyone knows about (?), it seems like there will always be a sizable portion that will need proper computers and a proper OS that isn't just a "device". I mean without programmers and technical people in the future the companies themselves will not be able to run so there must always be proper options for those who want it

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#568

Post by Gravityloss »

sincerely wrote: post #120
Gravityloss wrote: post #94

I would like a pc that would be silent, small and would actually look good. Most cases have "gamer" or "office" aesthetic, neither of which I like. I think the only decent looking is Streacom DB4: https://streacom.com/products/db4-fanless-chassis/

r/sffpc might be up your alley

Those mostly seem to be basically naked pc:s with a completely perforated case and lots of fans. This would make them very vulnerable to dust.

I was thinking of the opposite: the case being the heat sink. The Fanlesstech blog presents these sometimes. https://www.fanlesstech.com/

I don't know if it's enough to just cool the CPU (and using integrated graphics) and let convection handle the other components? Does the chipset or memory need active airflow over them?

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#569

Post by anemoiac »

Shouldn’t this be an obvious option? When did desktops become a non-thing?

I know it’s not a practical choice for everyone, but I’ve always maintained both a desktop and a laptop. The desktop tends to be both significantly cheaper and more powerful, and it typically also survives a couple laptop upgrades before being replaced.

Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers

#570

Post by morganvachon »

p_l wrote: post #280
morganvachon wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"They must trust Microsoft’s certificate (and thus any bootloader Microsoft has signed)." This one in particular always pissed me off, and I'm glad it only applies to pre-built machines that come with Windows 10 preinstalled. If the individual motherboard makers ever decide they need to be "certified for Windows 10" and start auto-trusting a certificate for closed-source commercial software, I'm left with no choice b…

Full compliance with Windows 10 Enterprise certification requires ability to enter Setup Mode , where all certificates are deleted and owner has to reload the whole certificate database from scratch. The requirements mentioned by grandparent are for setup where without any extra configuration you can approach a computer with Windows 10 install media and it will install properly.

"The requirements mentioned by grandparent are for setup where without any extra configuration you can approach a computer with Windows 10 install media and it will install properly."

You can do this on any x86/x86_64 hardware made in the past 15 years. Whether your machine has a traditional BIOS, UEFI with SecureBoot off, or UEFI with SecureBoot on, Windows 10 will install with zero complaints.

You only get to be "certified by Microsoft" if you follow all of their rules, but you don't have to be certified to install Windows 10 (yet).

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