a new mac mini 8gb 256gb model (i have my sources)
a ryzen 7 5750h model with 8 gb ram and 256gb storage made by beelink
geekcom mini it8 with 16gb ram and 512gb storage with an i5 8259u
or just save you money and be happy with your pentium j4200 machine because though it's old it does its job 16gb ram 119gb ssd and 30 gb emmc
That depends, what are you trying do with a mini pc? Have a desktop like experience that is semi-portable and/or doesn't take up a bunch of space? Do you want to run a home server? Do you just want a machine you can use to testbed various software?
You can't really expect much of an answer without some clarification.
Well i was hoping some people would personalize it to whatever they would find most appealing.
what would i do with a home server? what is the advantage of a home server?
testing software, building packages. and a desktop experience that isn't power hungry.
Honestly, if i had my old tandy 1000 with cga graphics and its 8088 processor and a copy of word perfect that would take care of a bunch of my needs if i could transfer my writing from that to my tablet wirelessly to post online. I don't much care for these little tablets for trying to work on. Much prefer typing on my tv screen. tablets are cool for some things like facebook and email and the attraction for me is the low power useage.
the roku is pretty good for some things but i prefer youtube on the pc so i can block the ads.
a used chromebox upgraded and hacked to install linux on would suit me most days probably.
BAH! now i'm talking myself out of them all!
before deleting my amazon account, i was in the top 1000 of reviewers and some people had offered to pay me to review their products. i declined. can't be objective if i'm being paid.
There are some quite cheap i5 's like 6/7/8 series which would outperform the Pentium (which isn't difficult as it's an eco cpu, even some 1st gen i7's out benchmark that) and you could probably get one for more like $100 - $200. The i5's aren't so sought after as i7's but for performance a good i7 is better of course, especially for multi threaded builds. Don't know about the power usage concerns, but you could spend the change on a solar panel? 8)
I guess these are offically off my list as hopefuls
There's lots of things you can do with a home server, you can use it a cloud storage solution that you completely control (instead of having to rely on Google, etc).
You can make it a home media solution, so you store all your movies, tv shows and music on it and stream them over your local network to any other device in your house.
If you require compiling programs or doing machine learning you can have it set up as a machine that can run those jobs remotely for you so your main computer isn't useless in the meantime.
Or really any combination of the above.
Depending on what packages you're building, $500 might be a bit of an ask (unless budget is flexible or you find a good second hand deal).
You might be interested in looking at the Intel NUC (and other similar minicomputer designs).
They basically put medium to high end laptop parts in a small little box, that has power delivery, WiFi, ethernet and some USB and Thunderbolt ports on it and the idea is that you can take it around with you and plug it in wherever you happen to be.
The downside over a laptop is that you don't have a screen, keyboard or trackpad (which allows more compute power per $ budget).
Their biggest upside from memory is the VESA compatible mount point on the bottom of the design which means you can (depending on the back of your monitor) put your monitor on a stand and then use it's arm mount to mount the NUC to back of the monitor where it's out of the way.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Optiplex-Computer-i7-4770S-Bluetooth/dp/B07SPHR9SW/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3JK2SLC4F4TLA&keywords=core+i7+mini+pc&qid=1649761260&sprefix=core+i7+mini+%2Caps%2C550&sr=8-3
for 260$ it looks like a reasonable offer for a core i7 though it is 4th gen...
then here's a 6th gen setup for 340$
https://www.amazon.com/HP-EliteDesk-Quad-Core-Professional-Bit-Multi-Language-English/dp/B083JL2FXC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3JK2SLC4F4TLA&keywords=core+i7+mini+pc&qid=1649761260&sprefix=core+i7+mini+%2Caps%2C550&sr=8-5
You should be able to find something similar for less on eBay but you may have to rummage about or wait for a good deal to come up. Amazon is mainly aimed at larger professional sellers, so it's like getting a used motor from a dealer vs privately. But if something is described as working on eBay then you can always return it if it isn't, for example. Read carefully to ensure all the expected bits are there, some are sold without hard drives and so on, mostly it works out cheaper to get one that's complete. The newer generation ones have better / more modern graphics.
(I can build a kernel - with modprobed - in about half an hour on my 1st gen i7 with 8 threads so that's acceptable for me, and usually I build smaller things anyway. Some fast modern CPU's can do that in a minute or two though.)
do you use tmpfs and build it in ram?
No, just writing to an SSD with fairly regular spec rather than a gaming one. It was quite an improvement over my older C2D, more than I'd expected from the CPU benchmarks. I don't build things that size frequently but it's handy to be able to if required, and I can set it going then do something else for a bit until the drive light stops flickering. :D
TY for the thoughtful reply. i don't actually have a collection of anything other than cats. i could def put cat pictures on the server for sure.
machine learning? what's this skynet conspiracy you are throwing at me now?
i will def look on ebay.
i may decide to forgo this. the last time i had some money to spend i thought i would upgrade my machine i borked the cpu trying to removing it and trashed what for me was a pricey cpu and i spent a lot of money on nothing.
My landlord wont improve my apartment while i'm in it unless its very broken and unsable and sometimes not even then so i may spend it on the kitchen. it's a trash pit really.
will meditate more on what to do after i peruse ebay for options on i7 builds
ty
Oi! A contender!
Its a discount program for people qualify for verious reasons that must certify.
So it begins...
I cant discern for certainty if tnis machine will take 4x8gb or 4 x4gb ddr3 1600. This isnt the full tower but its just as tall but half as wide. I would like to install 4x8gb so i can buikd packages in tmpfs in ram.
Someone knows. Web search is inconclusive. Clearly the chip can run 32 gb butthe sffs seem to have only 2 memory slots.
I think now its tne usff with 16 g max
16GB would surely be ample for building most conceivable things, that's still 2GB per thread on an 8 thread CPU? You can back it up with a big swap partition just in case.
Yes. Good points. Ty.
i called nd asked which model as i wasn't sure. they said they operate by donations so they can't guarantee but that it is most likely the DT model. So not the SFF. i have 32 gb saved in my amazon inbox just in case. I'll order 16 for when it rrives and keep another 16 on hold. If it turns out to be the DT model then i'll make sure to put 24 gb tmpfs in ram and adjust makepkg.conf as it comes with a 250gb hdd. i have a 1tb but it's 2.5 inch hdd that came out of an external hdd that i had install in my last dektop for a backup drive.
Last time i tried building linux from scratch i got through the instructions ok but couldn't get the kernel to boot. I was using manjaro settings back then. This time i think i'll copy artix's kernel configs and see if i can get it to boot. i have a msata drive from an old laptop that's 128gb in a sata enclosure that will be good for an itchy linux install. If i can get it to boot i'll go on to even itchier linux and build up a WM build just to feel the burn and get really into all the particulars of booting up a linux gui build. Arch and Gentoo i have done well enough. Not gonna let Linux From Scratch give me a rash.
2 of each on the way. Still waiting for shipping info from the supplier. They aren't amazon and it's 7-10 days before it ships from the time it's ordered.
Timetec 16GB KIT(2x8GB) DDR3L / DDR3 1600MHz (DDR3L-1600) PC3L-12800 / PC3-12800 Non-ECC Unbuffered 1.35V/1.5V CL11 2Rx8 Dual Rank 240 Pin UDIMM Desktop PC Computer Memory RAM(SDRAM) Module Upgrade
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IV19HZE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_i_RZMDZ77T92TEVNW1EWJV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Dual SSD/HDD Metal Mounting Bracket kit 2.5 to 3.5, Convert Any 2.5 inch Solid State Drive/HDD Into One 3.5 inch Drive Bay
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FXW2S7W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_i_885Y7XJKW67ZCHHM04SY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
https://pcsrefurbished.com you have to be a nonprofit or below 200% of the poverty line is, on food stamps or in housing program to order from them. 170$ for a full i7 3rd gen desktop isn't too shabby.
fit/pc because I have purchased 5 of them and they are near indestructible and linux friendly
https://www.fit-pc.com/web/
Those fanless quiet machine are great low power solutions
I ordered my 3rd gen i7 desktop too soon. They now have 6th gen i7 desktop in stock
On the way by Monday at the latest. Maybe friday. Probably monday.
Or Sunday?????
Too much like right to deliver to me on sunday apparently... Back to monday.
Pcs for people refunded my money. I ordered this today.
What does no coa mean?
It's the sticker with the the MS product key you get on laptops and many prebuilt PC's.
I think it stands for "Certificate of Authenticity" ?
If it's coming without a windows installation no worries. If it has a windows installation it's likely unlicensed.
Ty. Def dont need that.
I have an old case laying about btw so this is also an option
I think my use case is basic pc desktop most of wich is done in a browser except for some writing in libreoffice. Aside from that i may want to build packages from source and i also dont want a machine for AAA gaming. That 5700g with 16 threads might be too much. A celeron mini pc for under 200$ fits most of what i would do daily really.
I ordered the hp elitedesk. I need money for other things too. The big shiny amd wipes me out. I can still afford to eat after buying the hp. P!us theres room for my drives and nvme one too and exrra rams
Are these usb c ports on the back here.. one marked idiot and the other the expansion module ?
FedEx didn't won't isn't delivering today. Last scan was from California 3 days ago. Still waiting but we are all ready! Even sugar babies is teeming with antici
Pation!
Screws for the drive caddy's specific to elitedesk g3, a pcie to sata3 adapter for the extra drives external HDD case for the ancient 1tb 3.5 inch drive. 2 16 GB memory sticks if drr4 3000, and various cables and splitters.
How to spend 500$ for a pc is a difficult question for me. :)
Progress already went far forward, my computer needs are 10 years behind. :)
Fanless would be second priority after opensource hardware options like libreboot or risc-v based prototypes.
Instead of computing power I would rather spend rest of money for a good keyboard Kinesis Advantage2 or split keyboard.
Risc-v would be cool if there were anything other than an apple m1.. that is risc chip isn't it?
A good keyboard would be nice. I never learned to type so a split keyboard would be a chore for me as I hunt and peck...
Here are some links about risc-v sbpcs.
VisionFive
https://rvspace.org/
BeagleV
https://beagleboard.org/static/beagleV/beagleV.html
Nezha
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/nezha-your-first-64bit-risc-v-linux-sbc-for-iot#/
I am not a fan of libreboot - been there done that - never ever ever ever ever again
BTW FANLESSNESS is likely the most important thing you can do for a computer. Low heat, Low stress, longer life, less power . It is, IMO, inexcusable for a modern desktop to have a fan. This is 2022.
Nah - I'll pass. My fit/PC has run for 8 years without ever turning it off and it uses about 20 watts of power? to run web servers and email with the same OS, upgraded since it was turned on and installed. It is 100% GNU compatible... in fact it was made for Linux.
Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU Z510 @ 1.10GHz
L1d cache: 24K
L1i cache: 32K
L2 cache: 512K
If it is not a fanless system, I wouldn't even ***consider*** it.