3 ms·
Author seems to have built 5 systems from 2016 to 2023, or around every other year. Some parts (e.g., RAM) are re-used across multiple builds It's interesting
by jepler 3y ago
Author seems to have built 5 systems from 2016 to 2023, or around every other year.
Some parts (e.g., RAM) are re-used across multiple builds
It's interesting to wonder: How much $$ is the hardware cost vs the lifetime energy costs? Is a more power-hungry machine that would operate for 4 years better than one that would operate for 2 years?
The motherboard + CPU is USD 322 right now on pcpartpicker. At USD 0.25/kWh (well above my local rate but below the highest rates in the US), 36W continuous over 4 years is also about $315. So, a ~43W, 4-year system might well be cheaper to buy and operate than a 7W, 2-year system.
- hrdwdmrbl 3y agoFun tinkering like that is not about saving money. It's about the journey, not the destination.
- 1-6 3y agoAt least the author documents their journey well. If many people who read this save energy by learning good fundamentals of system build, that alone goes a long way. CPU/mobo makers are also probably taking notes.
- buro9 3y agoI average a fully loaded NAS every 8 years apparently. I don't really expand their storage, as by this time the network and software is out of date, so I buy a new one and make the current the backup to the new, and then dispose of the one that was the old backup. It's interesting, the upgrade interval has held for 20 years already and so it becomes easy to understand the amortisation, 16 years of use, but really only 8 as the primary and 8 as the backup.