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Also the treadmill of computer progress means that keeping devices for multiple years has significant costs in performance compared to replacing it regularly.

by kimixa 5y ago

Also the treadmill of computer progress means that keeping devices for multiple years has significant costs in performance compared to replacing it regularly. A good watch can be passed down through generations. A computer passed on from my father would likely just be a storage and disposal cost instead of any real use. Outside of specialist enthusiasts and collectors, I suppose. But for every working Apple 1 there's thousands of c64s that no longer function quite right.

pdimitar 5y ago
That's a very good point, thank you. Conversely, nowadays that is less and true though. Currently, getting a latest Ryzen 5000 APU laptop can very easily last you 10 years or more -- until something physically breaks inside. The machines themselves are very energy-efficient and fast enough for everything except special work niches. So I suspect we're witnessing a culture shock: what used to be the best strategy no longer is, and the players (the producers) haven't adapted yet.
- vetinari 5y ago
  > Currently, getting a latest Ryzen 5000 APU laptop can very easily last you 10 years or more You never know. I have an AMD TR 1900X CPU (launched in August 2017) in a box, since Windows 11 doesn't run on it.
  - llampx 5y ago
    This sounds so wrong tbh, first that you would get a 1900X which was the smallest Threadripper, and that you would then use it in an application which doesn't use all of its PCIe lanes, which is what differentiated it from the 8-core Ryzens. May I ask, why you need to run Windows 11?
    - vetinari 5y ago
      I didn't need many cores; but I needed the PCIe lanes. 1900X was perfect for that. I don't follow, how did you figure that my application doesn't use all of its PCIe lanes? Another thing was, that since there were less cores and the thermal capacity was the same as the bigger siblings, the cores were clocked slightly higher (3.8 GHz base frequency). Eventually, I got one of last 2920X for a good price. I got more, but slower cores and it still works in the X399 board I used with 1900X. --- I actually do not need to run 11 yet. But eventually, it will come.
  - pdimitar 5y ago
    Ah. I definitely mean on Linux.
  - fellellor 5y ago
    Now is your chance to “I run arch btw”.
kewrkewm53 5y ago
" Also the treadmill of computer progress means that keeping devices for multiple years has significant costs in performance compared to replacing it regularly." The interval of replacement due to performance is getting longer through. A 10-year old high-end laptop is still pretty good for average user today, especially with an SSD. Most people need just something that can run web-apps and stream HD videos via browser. Buying a new laptop solely for performance is getting harder and harder to justify. I guess that's why Macbooks are attractive, they offer more than just performance.

by kimixa 5y ago

pdimitar 5y ago

That's a very good point, thank you. Conversely, nowadays that is less and true though. Currently, getting a latest Ryzen 5000 APU laptop can very easily last you 10 years or more -- until something physically breaks inside. The machines themselves are very energy-efficient and fast enough for everything except special work niches. So I suspect we're witnessing a culture shock: what used to be the best strategy no longer is, and the players (the producers) haven't adapted yet.

vetinari 5y ago
> Currently, getting a latest Ryzen 5000 APU laptop can very easily last you 10 years or more You never know. I have an AMD TR 1900X CPU (launched in August 2017) in a box, since Windows 11 doesn't run on it.
- llampx 5y ago
  This sounds so wrong tbh, first that you would get a 1900X which was the smallest Threadripper, and that you would then use it in an application which doesn't use all of its PCIe lanes, which is what differentiated it from the 8-core Ryzens. May I ask, why you need to run Windows 11?
  - vetinari 5y ago
    I didn't need many cores; but I needed the PCIe lanes. 1900X was perfect for that. I don't follow, how did you figure that my application doesn't use all of its PCIe lanes? Another thing was, that since there were less cores and the thermal capacity was the same as the bigger siblings, the cores were clocked slightly higher (3.8 GHz base frequency). Eventually, I got one of last 2920X for a good price. I got more, but slower cores and it still works in the X399 board I used with 1900X. --- I actually do not need to run 11 yet. But eventually, it will come.
- pdimitar 5y ago
  Ah. I definitely mean on Linux.
- fellellor 5y ago
  Now is your chance to “I run arch btw”.

kewrkewm53 5y ago

" Also the treadmill of computer progress means that keeping devices for multiple years has significant costs in performance compared to replacing it regularly." The interval of replacement due to performance is getting longer through. A 10-year old high-end laptop is still pretty good for average user today, especially with an SSD. Most people need just something that can run web-apps and stream HD videos via browser. Buying a new laptop solely for performance is getting harder and harder to justify. I guess that's why Macbooks are attractive, they offer more than just performance.