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charliea

(346 posts)

22. So have I

Reply to Fil1957 (Reply #13)

Tue May 5, 2026, 04:26 PM

Tuesday

Always built my own, and built a new one for each kid as they went to college. Built a few small form factor systems for friends over the years. Never could build a laptop though, at one point I saw some limited kits being offered but I wasn't impressed. I've got Windows on my current laptop but Linux on all of the desktops. Windows demands to have a TPM 2.0 on 11, precludes most systems older than 2019 although I know you can work around that with some effort.
Started to look at building a new one recently and saw what the AI (ha!) gold rush has done to component pricing. The new HBM4 memory standard is whizzy fast but the demand is higher than production capacity, and all other RAM prices rise with it. Expensive even to add memory to existing systems.

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Here's what data centers are doing to the PC business. I built my own PC last Sept. as mu old one was 13 years old [View all] Cheezoholic Tuesday OP

The computer geeks Keepthesoulalive Tuesday #1

Yes, it's why I built mine when I did, and in September. I still came in under Black Friday pricing, which is nuts n/t Cheezoholic Tuesday #3

When the orange piggy turd was elected kimbutgar Tuesday #2

I need to buy a new laptop, mine's 6 years old. Initech Tuesday #12

You might look at an Acer UpInArms Tuesday #27

Yeah Acer was on my list. Initech Tuesday #28

And Windows 10 will start becoming unusable in October. I can't put Windows 11 into my perfectly fine desktop. BamaRefugee Tuesday #4

I am still using my old windows machines Keepthesoulalive Tuesday #5

I have a 10 year old HP all in one. Sector 001 Tuesday #9

For some reason when I've run the test BamaRefugee Tuesday #25

Officially Sector 001 Tuesday #29

Get something refurbished. LuvLoogie Tuesday #11

Thank you I'll check that out BamaRefugee Tuesday #26

Refurbished I think is standard 90 days, but LuvLoogie Tuesday #34

I built mine last year. Bought a 7800X3D and 9070XT. Cost less than $1,000. Initech Tuesday #6

Will Linux become more popular? purr-rat beauty Tuesday #7

Not only that, but computer makers are "baking in" age verification and who knows what else. usonian Tuesday #10

My daughter just switched to Linux Luciferous Tuesday #14

My daughter has been using Linux for years and Prairie_Seagull Tuesday #17

I will switch as soon as the apps I use move over. tinrobot Tuesday #21

I salvaged the monitor, keyboard and mouse from my last Windows 10 PC. Used them on a $449 m4 MacMini. retread Tuesday #8

Apple supports their hardware for a ridiculously long time Soul_of_Wit Tuesday #15

Once you get a Mac, you'll never go back. nt Trueblue Texan Tuesday #18

Every desktop I've ever had I've built myself. It's fun, you save money and you get a depth of understanding of your Fil1957 Tuesday #13

So have I charliea Tuesday #22

A few years ago I really wanted to build a laptop, and the kit I saw was pretty good. If it was a little more expensive Fil1957 Tuesday #32

Also hard drives Bluetus Tuesday #16

I just bought a prebuilt gaming PC in late February. Grumpy Old Guy Tuesday #19

64GB of RAM cost me $153 last year. Same product today is $839 tinrobot Tuesday #20

If we slow AI, it's liking horse and buggy drivers yelling at cars. Melon Tuesday #23

China doesn't care about killing jobs or the environment. FascismIsDeath Tuesday #31

I work on a competitive industry Melon Tuesday #35

Horses? Not even close. It's more like car companies hoarding all the steel. tinrobot Tuesday #37

You left something else out jmowreader Tuesday #24

I had my newest machine custom made with a nice nVidia card that has 16GB of VRAM. FascismIsDeath Tuesday #30

M2 SSDs pricing has gone insane. yourout Tuesday #33

Remember when the fiber optic market collapsed because it built out too far, too fast ? eppur_se_muova Tuesday #36