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Post by Tim on Jun 5, 2023 10:22:43 GMT
Nearly a month into my Linux experiment and so far I still haven't built my Windows gaming machine, it's sat in bits looking a bit sorry for itself! I've ended up building a completely new small form factor Linux PC, which doesn't look like your average PC and it's really small for a desktop computer case. They do the below case in silver, but I'm with Mike . . . . has to be black  Looks more like a fancy toaster than a PC!
I know it's probably not something many think about, but it feels like I have a 'personal' computer again which I'm in full control of, rather than a managed box controlled by someone else. I'm sticking with Linux Mint as my O/S having tried a number of the alternatives and use Linux on my two media servers, one for music and one for my projector and films - so I'm still Linux only until I build a gaming PC.
So, so far so good and the only thing I thought would cause me a problem was my Fuji scanner, but that was recognised immediately and scans to .pdf without issue. Without the Windows proprietary software it doesn't do all the fancy stuff it can in Windows, but I only ever use it to scan to.pdf, so that's a non issue for me. My Samsung printer worked straight away too, so that's everything I'm ever likely to need. Only thing I haven't decided on yet is a backup solution as I'm a bit fussy about my backups.
I still don't know if I'll stay the course, but so far I'm optimistic Microsoft will remain in my rear view mirror for a daily use PC operating system.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 5, 2023 10:55:39 GMT
Nice looking PC case, but it looks larger than my Minisforum X400.
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Post by Tim on Jun 5, 2023 11:13:08 GMT
That's because it's not a Mini PC Martin it's a desktop PC - it's huge compared to my ASUS PN50 mini PC. But can you get a full size graphics card, up to 2 x 2.5" SSD's and 2 x NVMe's in an X400? As that's what I need it to do for me  |
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Post by Tim on Sept 20, 2023 7:16:43 GMT
Geek alert build (for Tim): Minisforum UM790 Pro AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS barebones PC arriving soon.  32GB Kingston Fury DDR5 SODIMM 5600MT/s RAM.  My existing Samsung 980 Pro M.2 NVMe PCIE 4 1TB SSD.  My existing AOC Q2770PQU 27" monitor.  That is a geeky response Martin for sure . . .  |
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Post by Tim on Sept 20, 2023 8:49:56 GMT
Just had an email from Louqe to say my Ghost S1 case is on it's way from Sweden via UPS. Hopefully it'll have a less eventful journey than Slinger's RAM! |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 20, 2023 10:49:58 GMT
My Minisforum PC has been despatched today, too!
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Post by Tim on Sept 20, 2023 11:54:09 GMT
Haha . . . the race is on . . .
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Post by Tim on Sept 21, 2023 16:54:29 GMT
UPS Tracking
13:42 20/09/2023 - Label Created, Sweden
12:00 21/09/2023 - Glostrup, Denmark
I might have the edge here Martin as yours is probably coming from Shenzhen?
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Post by MartinT on Sept 21, 2023 17:02:33 GMT
Yes, you will undoubtedly win the race as mine is coming from HK. Tracking suggests it hasn't left yet  Not that I'm in any rush, my current Minisforum Ryzen 5 is doing a fine job. Oh, the RAM has arrived! |
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Post by Tim on Sept 21, 2023 19:03:33 GMT
Progress update: I'm definitely a Linux convert - 6 months on and there's nothing I miss about Windows 10, the only thing I've needed Windows for is to update the maps on my SatNav, as Garmin Express needs Windows or Mac. You can do it manually, or use Wine on Linux . . . but that's it, everything else I use works on Linux. When I next update the SatNav I'll use Wine or a Windows Virtual Machine. I'm not going to bother gaming much anymore, what I currently play works on Linux, but if I do fancy some top tier games I'll buy a PS5.
I now run Linux Mint exclusively, my desktop PC acts as a JRiver file server for playing FLAC files and also as a movie server sending files to my projector. I've got 6TB of storage on 2 x NVMe drives, but can easily bump that to 8TB if needed, unlikely though as I'm using less than 4TB and don't buy as much music these days.
At the moment it's all in a silver NCASE M1 which runs completely silently. The M1's a 12 L case so the smaller Loque Ghost S1 will hopefully be able to do the same job silently too, but if I hear a whiff of fan noise it'll be on eBay and I'll go back to the M1 and call it a day.
It's a very low power computer as I don't have a light dimming energy sucking graphics card anymore and don't run a standalone JRiver server on my NUC. Just one machine for everything instead of a big desktop PC, plus a NAS and JRiver music file server which both ran 24/7.
NCASE M1
Linux Mint 21.2
Ryzen 7 5700G
Gigabyte B550 ITX motherboard 6TB NVMe SSD (1 x 4, 1 x 2) 32GB RAM Noctua fans & cooling
Not my desk . . . I'm not as tidy as that, but I'm working on it. The M1 pictured below isn't a 'mini' PC case, but it's not too big either and considering it's replaced 3 computers, one of which was huge, then I'll take that
So I'm really glad I finally took the plunge and moved away from Windows completely . . . never say never, but I can't see that ever changing now.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 21, 2023 20:16:31 GMT
Nice clean setup.
We have something in common: I don't do gaming either. I only care about video performance so that my 27" WQHD monitor does a great job of streaming video when I'm watching drama upstairs.
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Post by Tim on Sept 21, 2023 21:12:20 GMT
I only care about video performance so that my 27" WQHD monitor does a great job of streaming video when I'm watching drama upstairs. Well a Ryzen 9 7940HS will definitely do that. |
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Post by Tim on Sept 22, 2023 10:59:03 GMT
Actually going further, that Ryzen 9 CPU will totally eat streaming TV drama. I ran my 3840 x 2160 Epson projector for a couple of years on an AMD Athlon 3000G (2 core/4 thread 3.5GHz) in Windows 10. Never once had a stutter, so you've got miles of headroom And you might need to give Lewis Hamilton a call . . . but it can still go tits up I'm sure!
UPS Tracking
09:15 22/09/2023 - On the Way Stanford Le Hope, United Kingdom |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 22, 2023 11:27:01 GMT
Actually going further, that Ryzen 9 CPU will totally eat streaming TV drama. I ran my 3840 x 2160 Epson projector for a couple of years on an AMD Athlon 3000G (2 core/4 thread 3.5GHz) in Windows 10. Never once had a stutter, so you've got miles of headroom Yes, I don't think TV streaming is going to be an issue at all. In fact, with the latest AMD Adrenalin software driver, my current Ryzen 5 is handling it very well indeed into the 2560 x 1440 resolution. It's not often I need raw power and it's mostly when I need it for work, things like parent portal site building, some Azure functions and large scale searches, as well as having loads of browser tabs open and a VPN line for server work. Despite being so cloud based, these things respond well to local CPU power. My new machine has now left HK, into the void that is mostly UK customs. |
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Post by Tim on Sept 22, 2023 18:34:08 GMT
My new machine has now left HK, into the void that is mostly UK customs. I've just paid my customs duty on it, that really grinds my gears about Brexit when buying from the EU . . . how fecking stupid we are, probably the only country in history to impose economic sanctions on itself!
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Post by MartinT on Sept 22, 2023 19:25:28 GMT
I've just paid my customs duty on it, that really grinds my gears about Brexit when buying from the EU . . . how fecking stupid we are, probably the only country in history to impose economic sanctions on itself! I couldn't agree more. Once we get rid of the generation that voted for Brexit, perhaps we can restore this country to some sense of normality. |
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Post by Tim on Sept 24, 2023 10:58:27 GMT
Your parcel is arriving tomorrow.
From LOUQE AB
Get notifications for UPS parcels coming to you.
Scheduled Delivery
Monday 25/09/2023
End of DayThat'll be good if it does . . 7 days is pretty decent to be fair. Takes Evri longer than that to collect a parcel from a Drop Off point!
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Post by Tim on Feb 15, 2024 20:33:04 GMT
Ha, never updated this . . . but it did arrive on time . . . however, since then I changed back to the NCase M1 and today I moved my installation over to a new (older) motherboard on my test bench and have ordered another new case!!! I now have an HDPLEX H3 on the way from Germany, which is a fanless case, so it'll be totally silent, I'm a bit OCD about fans in computers. Even so called silent ones don't make the cut, so I'm going totally passive for my main computer as well. Both my music server and film server are now in passively cooled cases. The H3 looks more like a power amp than a PC.
So I now have 6 empty cases in the spare room and a brand new, never opened Lian Li case in my storage unit  as soon as this current upgrade is over, I'll get them all onto ebay. I keep threatening to build a Windows gaming PC, but I've been thinking about that for over a year now.
I am however still using Linux, that hasn't changed. Even swapping my 4TB NVMe O/S drive today to an older B450 motherboard, from a B550 one didn't phase it. Plugged in the drive, booted and it went straight to the desktop. Not even a slower boot time. I was feeling a bit cavalier after that, so I updated the Linux kernel too, but I still haven't managed to break it . . . I'll keep trying though.
Maybe if Mike came over he could sort that out for me!
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Post by MartinT on Feb 15, 2024 21:10:46 GMT
That's a gorgeous case, Tim, and I thought my Minisforum was cute.
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Post by Tim on Feb 15, 2024 21:46:28 GMT
I really like the minimal industrial design Martin, but in reality it's just a 5kg aluminum heat-sink! I've been searching for ages to find something that's both minimal and silent. The NCase came close, but every now and then the fans would spin up so I could hear them, so it had to go.
I can see it staying for a long time, it'll fit a mATX board so I'll have plenty of choice for internal upgrades, without having to change the case.
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Looks more like a fancy toaster than a PC!
as soon as this current upgrade is over, I'll get them all onto ebay. I keep threatening to build a Windows gaming PC, but I've been thinking about that for over a year now.