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The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

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Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#231

Post by NoPiece »

zalzane wrote: post #216
simonsarris wrote: post #96

I've felt this way since I built my last desktop in 2008. I was sort-of waiting for the "gee its time to upgrade" mark to roll around in 3 or 4 years, but it hasn't happened yet. Any games I want to play it still runs very well, and it still feels very fast to me even compared to modern off-the-shelf systems. When my friends ask for laptop-buying advice I tell them if they like the keyboard and screen, then its just…

>because people do not need $2000 Facebook and email machines Devil's advocate: if that is true, then why are macbook pros such a hot sell? I'm typing this here in a college library's lobby. When I look around, I see roughly 3/4 of the laptop-using students are using a macbook pro, with a few macbook airs littered around. If I were to walk around and glance at what people were working on, it'd probably be something l…

I'd say laptops have been improving quite a bit in non-computational ways. Weight, battery life, and screen quality particularly.

Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#232

Post by maerF0x0 »

gtaylor wrote: post #8

I built a dev/gaming machine back in early 2010. It's stout, but not a ridiculously expensive (~$1,000) behemoth. The only thing I've done since then is toss some more RAM in so I could have two sets of triple channel DDR3 instead of one. I can still run just about any modern AAA game at the highest settings. The only time I felt like I've needed an upgrade is while playing Planetside 2, which is/was very CPU bound f…

just for the hellavut i checked out gaming at 4k (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/pq321q-4k-gaming,3620.ht...) and note that it takes Titan's in SLI (at $1000 each) to get good framerates on many modern games.

Like another poster said, with "game" terms replacing "data": " But, if you can run a [game] and it's [good framerate], it just means you should really be doing better [gaming] over more [pixels]."

Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#233

Post by venomsnake »

Quick and dirty guide for having decent PC:

1. Buy mid range processor with a lot of L2 cache 2. Find mobo that supports lots of ram and stuff it to the max. 3. SSD is a must 4. Buy the second card of the high tier model (the cut chip from the most recent architecture (in their times that were 7950, 570 etc ... but with current branding of NVIDIA a total mess it may require some reading if you are on team green) 5. Any slow hard drive will be enough for torrents 6. In 2 1/2 years upgrade the video to the same class. in 5 years ... if the market is the same repeat. If it is not - lets hope there are self assembled devices on the market non locked.

I have been doing that since 2004 and never had a slow or expensive machine.

Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#234

Post by mixmastamyk »

zalzane wrote: post #216
simonsarris wrote: post #96

I've felt this way since I built my last desktop in 2008. I was sort-of waiting for the "gee its time to upgrade" mark to roll around in 3 or 4 years, but it hasn't happened yet. Any games I want to play it still runs very well, and it still feels very fast to me even compared to modern off-the-shelf systems. When my friends ask for laptop-buying advice I tell them if they like the keyboard and screen, then its just…

>because people do not need $2000 Facebook and email machines Devil's advocate: if that is true, then why are macbook pros such a hot sell? I'm typing this here in a college library's lobby. When I look around, I see roughly 3/4 of the laptop-using students are using a macbook pro, with a few macbook airs littered around. If I were to walk around and glance at what people were working on, it'd probably be something l…

A MBP can be brought around to show how cool you are, a Dell Workstation not so much. Maybe if somene builds a handle for the Mac Pro borg cylinder. ;)

Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#235

Post by platz »

mindslight wrote: post #199
platz wrote: post #25

Below is what I feel is a relevant excerpt from Text of SXSW2013, Closing Remarks by Bruce Sterling [1]: --- Why does nobody talk about them? Because nobody wants them, that’s why. Imagine somebody brings you a personal desktop computer here at South By, they’re like bringing it in on a trolley. “Look, this device is personal. It computes and it’s totally personal, just for you, and you alone. It doesn’t talk to the…

This isn't universally wrong, but it is dead-wrong with present technology. And covering our eyes and pretending that we are currently that advanced doesn't make it so. Because while basic computation is a universal commodity, what is implemented on top of it certainly isn't - a piece of software always functions as someone's agent. When the systems you end up relying on are entirely defined by someone else, the only…

Good thoughts here. I am optimistic due to things like raspberry pi and arduino becoming popular, but at the same time these things just feel like this generations version of building radio kits and model airplanes. Ultimately it's the data rather than the computation that's important.

Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#236

Post by drexel »

Zak wrote: post #130
simonsarris wrote: post #96

I've felt this way since I built my last desktop in 2008. I was sort-of waiting for the "gee its time to upgrade" mark to roll around in 3 or 4 years, but it hasn't happened yet. Any games I want to play it still runs very well, and it still feels very fast to me even compared to modern off-the-shelf systems. When my friends ask for laptop-buying advice I tell them if they like the keyboard and screen, then its just…

When my friends ask for laptop-buying advice I tell them if they like the keyboard and screen, then its just plain hard to be disappointed with anything new. That's exactly what I'm disappointed with on everything new. The Thinkpad T60p, from 2006 remains superior on both points to everything new from my point of view.

Better than newer T series? I've been looking into Lenovos because the keyboard is the main differentiator I care about on a laptop.

Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#237

Post by wvenable »

zalzane wrote: post #216
simonsarris wrote: post #96

I've felt this way since I built my last desktop in 2008. I was sort-of waiting for the "gee its time to upgrade" mark to roll around in 3 or 4 years, but it hasn't happened yet. Any games I want to play it still runs very well, and it still feels very fast to me even compared to modern off-the-shelf systems. When my friends ask for laptop-buying advice I tell them if they like the keyboard and screen, then its just…

>because people do not need $2000 Facebook and email machines Devil's advocate: if that is true, then why are macbook pros such a hot sell? I'm typing this here in a college library's lobby. When I look around, I see roughly 3/4 of the laptop-using students are using a macbook pro, with a few macbook airs littered around. If I were to walk around and glance at what people were working on, it'd probably be something l…

When you start collage, you normally get a new computer. But otherwise I agree with your premise. A high powered desktop PC is no longer a status symbol for anyone compared with laptops, tablets, or phones.

Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#238

Post by bparsons »

I have a 13 inch Acer I purchased in early 2011. Despite its low cost, the thing has run like a charm since day 1. I literally have zero desire to replace this thing at any time in the foreseeable future. It still runs 4+ hours on a battery, which is remarkable, since I use this machine more than 5 hours a day.

I have a desktop with twice the processing speed and twice the ram, but for all intents and purposes, it runs almost exactly the same as the little Acer. Unless I am playing a game or running illustrator, I simply don't need the power.

Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#239

Post by true_religion »

X4 wrote: post #222
zalzane wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>because people do not need $2000 Facebook and email machines Devil's advocate: if that is true, then why are macbook pros such a hot sell? I'm typing this here in a college library's lobby. When I look around, I see roughly 3/4 of the laptop-using students are using a macbook pro, with a few macbook airs littered around. If I were to walk around and glance at what people were working on, it'd probably be something l…

People who believe in being able to buy social status are the ones perfectly fooled by advertisements! Someone can be butt ugly, poor and stupid, but still have the highest social status and popularity in most social environments. What makes one an attractor of popularity is demonstrating power, will and the ability to achieve what you want. Who would be more popular? A) A rich guy who thinks he can buy friends, by i…

If you can't achieve C, you sure can use your money to achieve A or B.

Re: The PC is not dead, we just don't need new ones

#240

Post by bluedino »

Zak wrote: post #130
simonsarris wrote: post #96

I've felt this way since I built my last desktop in 2008. I was sort-of waiting for the "gee its time to upgrade" mark to roll around in 3 or 4 years, but it hasn't happened yet. Any games I want to play it still runs very well, and it still feels very fast to me even compared to modern off-the-shelf systems. When my friends ask for laptop-buying advice I tell them if they like the keyboard and screen, then its just…

When my friends ask for laptop-buying advice I tell them if they like the keyboard and screen, then its just plain hard to be disappointed with anything new. That's exactly what I'm disappointed with on everything new. The Thinkpad T60p, from 2006 remains superior on both points to everything new from my point of view.

That's exactly what I'm disappointed with on everything new. The Thinkpad T60p, from 2006 remains superior on both points to everything new from my point of view.

While a very fine machine in it's day, the screen, battery life, processing power, disk speed, size, and lack of heat on a modern machine like the 13" Retina MacBook Pro are on another level. You're talking about 7 years of evolution.

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