5 ms·

You know what I want for my desktop, is a battery, so my computer doesn't reboot when I lose power for 5 seconds. Yes I know about UPSes, but they're $100+ and

by saulpw 2y ago

You know what I want for my desktop, is a battery, so my computer doesn't reboot when I lose power for 5 seconds. Yes I know about UPSes, but they're $100+ and unwieldy. I just need 30 seconds grace period to save my work! This is the main reason why I probably won't get a desktop again.

chmod775 2y ago
Amortized cost of a desktop is like 1/3rd that of a laptop of comparable performance. You're willing to pay thousands more because you don't want to pay for an UPS? This doesn't check out. The space argument makes more sense and from that I assume you're in a space constrained apartment. At the end of day I'm more curious what causes those intermittent power outages. Are you regularly tripping breakers?
- saulpw 2y ago
  It happens twice a year, it goes out neighborhood-wide during a storm or an animal chewed through something. Anyway I don't know where you get that "amortized cost" number. They seem a lot closer in price than that to me.
  - Panzer04 2y ago
    Depends on the class of performance you want. I think at the low end laptops are surprisingly cost-competitive with desktops, but if you want high-end laptops either don't exist or are hilariously expensive. Also depends on the type of laptop. A desktop-replacement laptop with extremely basic frame and screen (ie. cheap and shit) can have excellent specs at a competitive price, whereas an XPS or mac with a great screen, aluminium frame etc will be very expensive relative to the specification.
    - chmod775 2y ago
      This. Additionally desktop parts last longer and can be upgraded individually. They also have good resale value, offsetting the cost of upgrades (especially true for GPUs).
      - skydhash 2y ago
        True even for the mini form factor (the 1L desktop that uses laptop component). As you do not have to stay close to it, you have a great experience out of the box. I could use a chromebook for what I still use the laptop for (browsing and ssh from the sofa)
immibis 2y ago
Silly and dangerous idea: open up a power supply, study it thoroughly, then connect a 300 volt battery bank in parallel with the DC link capacitors.
sdenton4 2y ago
The UPS is a battery...

by saulpw 2y ago

chmod775 2y ago

Amortized cost of a desktop is like 1/3rd that of a laptop of comparable performance. You're willing to pay thousands more because you don't want to pay for an UPS? This doesn't check out. The space argument makes more sense and from that I assume you're in a space constrained apartment. At the end of day I'm more curious what causes those intermittent power outages. Are you regularly tripping breakers?

saulpw 2y ago
It happens twice a year, it goes out neighborhood-wide during a storm or an animal chewed through something. Anyway I don't know where you get that "amortized cost" number. They seem a lot closer in price than that to me.
- Panzer04 2y ago
  Depends on the class of performance you want. I think at the low end laptops are surprisingly cost-competitive with desktops, but if you want high-end laptops either don't exist or are hilariously expensive. Also depends on the type of laptop. A desktop-replacement laptop with extremely basic frame and screen (ie. cheap and shit) can have excellent specs at a competitive price, whereas an XPS or mac with a great screen, aluminium frame etc will be very expensive relative to the specification.
  - chmod775 2y ago
    This. Additionally desktop parts last longer and can be upgraded individually. They also have good resale value, offsetting the cost of upgrades (especially true for GPUs).
    - skydhash 2y ago
      True even for the mini form factor (the 1L desktop that uses laptop component). As you do not have to stay close to it, you have a great experience out of the box. I could use a chromebook for what I still use the laptop for (browsing and ssh from the sofa)

immibis 2y ago

Silly and dangerous idea: open up a power supply, study it thoroughly, then connect a 300 volt battery bank in parallel with the DC link capacitors.

sdenton4 2y ago

The UPS is a battery...