What type of computer do you prefer/have?

[notoppings]

First off tell us what you have now then answer anything that appeals to you.

Do you prefer a laptop or a desktop? What brand do you prefer? Single core, dual core, quad core? How much memory do you use or need? What do you use your computer primarily for? Are you happy with your computer, or would you like to upgrade? What kind sound/graphics card do you use?

I know that we all use our computers to connect to the INTJ forum some of us use their computers to create art, be it music, photo or film. Some are into gaming, others just for research or school and work. Did the *use* of your computer dictate the type of computer you purchased? Or was it a gift? Was it a hand me down?

What would be your ultimate setup? How many screens? How many towers? WIFI, DSL, cable, or sat? wireless routers, printers? Anything that you can think of to make your ultimate setup, the sky's the limit and then tell me how much you think it would cost?

[Saint]

I mostly use my laptop (Thinkpad T60) for everything. This computer was given to me by my college as part of a scholarship.

2GB memory seems to be bare minimum in this day and age. I photoshop/render a lot, though.



My ultimate setup would cost around 6 billion dollars. I don't get the question.

[ScottH]

I'm a speed-freak. I don't game much, but I write physics and other simulations, and I can't get enough raw speed.

I bought a new system a few months ago (bought parts, built myself). It's:
Core 2 Quad Q6600 (running at 3.0 Ghz)
8 GB 1066mhz RAM
ATI Radeon 3870
2x Western Digital Raptor drives

The price/performance ration was super for this setup.

I'm an ATI loyalist for video cards, but particularly liked the 3800 series as the first GPU's that support full 64-bit floats.

[MichaelH]

ScottH, nice set-up! The Core 2 Quad 6600s are the sweet spot for price and performance right now. I noticed you got the RAM at 1066MHz, which gives you some nice memory bandwidth! (per Wikipedia)

Right now, I have a Mac mini. It's not quite enough computer for me, but it was:
Cheap when I didn't have much money
A Mac when I needed something to write on. (Still used for that.)
Works with my nice 24", 8-bit-color LCD monitor.

My dream system: Mac Pro or dual G5, connected to my 24" monitor. No dual monitors for me, I've had them and just don't need them. I have cable internet, but I'd love to team that up with OC3. Bittorrent is the Library of Alexandria of the 21st century! Add two Macbook Pros - one for me, one for my spouse. I also want a better keyboard. And a backup external hard drive. And an iPod. And that's all. Nothing more. Except maybe...heh.

[ScottH]

ScottH, nice set-up! The Core 2 Quad 6600s are the sweet spot for price and performance right now. I noticed you got the RAM at 1066MHz, which gives you some nice memory bandwidth! (per Wikipedia)


Thanks! They're also a terrific CPU to overclock. I've met folks running 3.6 Ghz, but I've not spent the time to get the aftermarket cooler.

As for the RAM, I built my first neural-network on a Pentium with 16 MB RAM, and it was frustrating to run out of memory with such small networks. SO, when I bought this system I decided to "max out," only to later find that Corsair--the manufacturer of my memory--said "You cannot run 4 2GB modules at full speed." Well, fortunately, they were wrong and I can run all four up to 1100+ Mhz without any issues. Just over 8 GB/s [tested] bandwidth :-)

[AutisticCuckoo]

I definitely prefer desktops for serious work. I built a new one a couple of months ago, with a dual core 3 GHz CPU, 4 GiB RAM and a 500 GB HDD. I run Fedora 8 on that and I have a single 1280×1024 17" screen.

I use it mainly for web development and writing, so I don't need all that much power or a fancy graphics card. The only thing I might want to add is a second monitor. I've got that at the office and it's quite useful for web development.

[Apathy]

I own a MacBook Pro (Core 2 Duo 2.2 Ghz, Nvidea 8600 GT, 2 GB, 120 GB) which I had to buy for university. I now also use it at home where I connect it to mouse, keyboard and the 24 inch LCD monitor hanging on my wall. I have both Leopard and Windows XP on it, yet I only use the latter because it basicly does everything I need and does it well. I'm happy with this setup and I feel like I can use it comfortably for atleast the next couple of years. I mainly surf the internet and ocasionally play a videogame like W3 TFT. I watch ALOT of video on it. I backup/store everything on an external 1 TB harddisk. I like this very much, it's very efficient and pretty.

[mkay]

I have several laptops. Wireless. I usually use 'em at my desk. But I like having the flexibility to drag 'em all over the house, onto my recliner, into a hammock outside and such. I have a light Viao for travel, but I think I've taken it only once while traveling.

My INTJ has a bunch of PCs. He's even got one hooked up to a big flat-screen TV.

[MichaelH]

I have several laptops. Wireless. I usually use 'em at my desk. But I like having the flexibility to drag 'em all over the house, onto my recliner, into a hammock outside and such. I have a light Viao for travel, but I think I've taken it only once while traveling.


My ENFP friend is much the same way. He lives off his laptop. He's never in one spot long enough to make use of a desktop!

[Jakalwarrior]

I prefer heavily overclocked desktops :P A lot of the fun for me comes from tweaking and seeing how much performance I can get for not much money.

$45: X2 4000+ -- started at 2.1 overclocked to 2.9ghz
$79: Asus M3A -- hate this board, good clocker but 2 dead ram slots
$35: PC6400 DDR2 --started at 800 4-4-4 overclocked to 828 at 4-4-4-9
$150: HD4850 -- started at 625/1880 overclocked to 725/2250

--- Rest of my parts reused from previous builds. Antec 650 trio, some 20 dollar antec all black case. CM690 or something? XP90C heatsink ive had forever, etc...

Why go with a dinky AMD dual core? It is plenty for games and was cheap as dirt. When I run into a game where it bottlenecks the video card at high settings I will replace it! Hopefully phenom 45nm quadcores will be clocking good by then! I wanted a quadcore from the start but I didnt want to spend 200 on a Q6600 (what they cost when I was building) since all I do is game and general usage. I dont encode nearly enough videos to justify a quad.

[Caramel]

I prefer my computers in working order* :>

Current setup (4-5 years old):
Asus K8N mobo, nForce 3 chipset
AMD Athlon 64 3000+
Used to be 2GB PC3200 DDR, but one module died last week, so now its 1.5GB. :(*
Asus nVidia GeForce 6800GE, all shaders+pipes unlocked --> 6800Ultra
2 SATA harddisks
1 DVD/CD reader, 1 DVD/CD writer
1 Floppy (yes, really)
1 mouse
1 keyboard
1 20 inch widescreen monitor

If the memory module is any indication, this computer seems to be on its way to electronics afterlife.

So, new setup coming in september/october:
X58 mobo
Intel Core i7 (Nehalem Bloomfield), Quad Core, 2.66 GHz version
6 GB DDR3 memory
ATI HD4870 (probably)
Perhaps a new 24inch widescreen monitor...

Using computer for 1) work, 2) work, 3) work, .....10), games, 11) internet, 12), fun.

(Work = calculating peak performance of an enzyme, folding proteins, analyzing 19200 genes at once, crosscorrelating 19200^X genes/proteins, comparing the result of one analysis with the next, generating graphs/tables, generating logs...)

I HATE having to sit and wait for my computer to finish (small analysis = 20 minutes, large analysis = whole night), so I want a computer that finishes my analysis faster and lets me use it in the process (= multicore).

Not quite sure what kind of videocard I want/need, something that can render in high quality at 1920 x 1200 (for the 24inch monitor). We'll see. =)

[Jakalwarrior]

Caramel are you sure that stick of memory is dead?(Tested in a dif computer? or by its self?) Could just be the memory controller dying. I have had three 939 chips get weak memory controllers as they age and lose the ability to do 1t, then 4 slots, then dual channel, then I ended up having to downclock and run loose loose timings. Arg!

One of them I ran 2.75vdimm for its life, the other 2.9vdimm, and the last one stock!

[Caramel]

Caramel are you sure that stick of memory is dead?(Tested in a dif computer? or by its self?) Could just be the memory controller dying. I have had three 939 chips get weak memory controllers as they age and lose the ability to do 1t, then 4 slots, then dual channel, then I ended up having to downclock and run loose loose timings. Arg!

One of them I ran 2.75vdimm for its life, the other 2.9vdimm, and the last one stock!

Yes, I'm sure the memory stick is dead. I've run memtest86 on it and it couldn't even pass the first test (it actually managed to crash memtest!)
I've also tested it in a different computer and there it did the same.

I've also swapped around some memory sticks to test if it could be the controller, but they all passed the test with zero errors.

When I install the module, my computer becomes painfully slow, gives BSODs, or spontaniously reboots every 10 minutes. Those problems haven't occured since I've removed it. =)

I didn't know the socket 939 memory controllers were that bad. Poor you :( Good thing this computer is on a socket 754 chipset then ;)

[eyebyte_AtWork]

I have an HP laptop - its ok.

I want a few laptops to compliment all my tasks.

1. A Thinkpad T Series (With XP not Vista) - For work related learning (I am a developer)
2. A MacBook Black (For fun stuff)
3. A Dell Inspiron using Ubuntu (For more fun stuff - and mind candy)
4. oh - and the best one - the Panasonic Tough Book (The most rugged one) (For more serious endeavors that may require hiding out in the rain forests or Brazil - a country with favorable extradition laws)

[Fej]

My computer sucks major a** It's about 4 years old and has crappy components.


My dream computer is:


Power Supply: 1000W Silverstone Strider Power Supply

Motherboard: NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q9650 (3.0GHz x 4) 45nm 12MB L2 Cache

CPU Cooling: Zalman Ultra Quiet CNPS9500 AT Copper CPU Cooler

Memory: 4GB Kingston HyperX 6400 DDR2-800 (2x2GB)

Hard Drive One: Western Digital VelociRaptor 300GB 10,000 RPM 16MB Cache - SATA II

Optical Drive One: 20X Dual Layer DVD±RW Drive w/ LightScribe Technology - black

Video Card: NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 280 1GB GDDR3

Sound Card: Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro Series

Network Card: Integrated Gigabit Network Card

Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-Bit) SP1

[HackerX]

Memory: 4GB Kingston HyperX 6400 DDR2-800 (2x2GB)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-Bit) SP1[/B]

These are mutually exclusive. You'd probably want to head to 64bit by that stage.

[ScottH]

These are mutually exclusive. You'd probably want to head to 64bit by that stage.

Not quite. He'll see anywhere from 3.0 to 3.5 GB in Vista 32.

But I agree in general... little use for 32 bit OSes if one has to buy new anyway. Limits RAM upgrades beyond 4GB.

[Fej]

These are mutually exclusive. You'd probably want to head to 64bit by that stage.
Maybe, but I do not want to have headaches with incompatibilities.

Not quite. He'll see anywhere from 3.0 to 3.5 GB in Vista 32.

Yes

[Jakalwarrior]

Lemme update mine since I just had to order all new stuff lol

4gb OCZ DDR800
E7200 (hoping to hit 4ghz at decent vcore)
Biostar T series P31 board.

Hurt me to blow that much money in one week. Came out to 250 on computer parts. Atleast I got good deals though. 52 on the board, 108 on the chip, 84 (50 after MIR) on the ram, and 10 for some arctic cooling MX2 (ran out of AS5).

[wnewport]

I just built this myself...
quad - q9450 @3.2ghz a core for now
8gb of Ram
Vista 64-bit
1.5+ gigs in hard drive space

Used for a large music collection, simple video editing, multitasking, the normal stuff.

Edit: I also have a Sager Laptop with dual core and 4gb that I used for the same purposes until recently.

[Saint]

Vista 64-bit
1.5+ gigs in hard drive space

[wnewport]

Whoops, 1.5+ TB.

[NephilimAzrael]

Bog standard:
Processor: Intel Core Duo 4300 @ 1.80 Ghz 1.80Ghz
Memory: 2 Gig
OS: Vista Home Premium, 32bit
750 Gig Hard drive

[Trym]

MacBook Pro 15" 3 yr old.

3 GB RAM
ATi Radeom x1600
250GB HDD
2,33 ghz Core 2 Duo

[burazekun]

I personally have:

Antec P180 case
Rosewill 480watt powersuply
2x Scythe S-Flex 120mm Fans
1x Antec 120mm trispeed Fan

Abit AX78 770 AMD Chipset motherboard
AMD X2 4000 processor (OC'd to 2.4ghz)
MSI HD 2600xt 256meg DDR4 Graphics Card
2x1gig Patriot Extreme Performance 6400 DDR2 ram (800mhz)
250gig Seagate SATA hard drive (16meg buffer, 7200rpm, thin form)
Samsung 20x DVD +/- RW SATA drive
Samsung floppy drive

Then my other system has:

Some offbrand blue windowed case with a plastic handle on top and I put Stewie bumper stickers on the sides.
Orion 480watt powersuply
Some offbrand powersuply 120mm fan I rigged to run as the exhaust fan.

Abit AW8D 975x Intel chipset motherboard
Pentium D 805 2.66mhz processor
2x512meg Wintec 667mhz ram
Some offbrand DVD combo drive
Gigabite Nvidia 7600gs passively cooled graphics card
3x Maxtor MaxLine III 250 gig HDD's
Thermaltake CL-P0372 cooler (92mm fan, overhanging heatsinc design)
Spire PCI slot cooler

I use a Rosewill KVM switch
AG Neovo 17inch Monitor
Logitech Wireless Keyboard and rechargable Mouse combo

[HackerX]

Not quite. He'll see anywhere from 3.0 to 3.5 GB in Vista 32.

But I agree in general... little use for 32 bit OSes if one has to buy new anyway. Limits RAM upgrades beyond 4GB.

That's mutually exclusive enough for me :P

Not paying for 4gig not to take advantage of it

[Wuchak]

3.326 on my Dell XPS 420 Quad Vista . . . I was disappointed on my first glance at the system, and said to myself, "where did 4 go?"