Re:I went back to using a ThinkPad from 2012
by dredmorbius on Monday January 10, 2022 @07:34PM
(#29885361)
Displays are hardest to upgrade and provide one of the most critical aspects of usability. Maximise display capabilities if possible.
RAM is easily replaced and only gets cheaper with time. Buy with sufficient RAM, and max that out a few years in.
CPU overall tends to have fairly minimal impacts on overall performance within the range offered in a given set of options, and there's often a sharp uptick in price for a small performance boost at the higher end. I'll usually downgrade slightly for savings.
Storage can be replace readily over system life and often should be. Get what you need initially but plan on an update later. SSD or fusion drives are optimal.
Depending on your OS, WiFi reliability often precludes raw performance. For Linux, go with well-supported options. (I don't drive Windows.)
I've never put a premium on graphics performance. If it plays videos and displays xterms, it's good enough for me. YMMV. I prefer open source drivers.
Overall power draw and batterylife are also considerations, and again dropping from peak specs may actually deliver advantages here. Alternatively, you'll find yourself buying capabilities that neither your battery nor thermal management can deliver consistently.
Maxxing out spec is going to cost quite a bit. Buying last season's maxxed-out spec will often provide significan savings, as may buying this season's somewhat-below-peak specs per my guidelines above.
This is based on a few decades of not chasing performance extremes and with a fair tolerance of sufficient performance. Ironically it's raw Web browser performance that seems to be the most critical element of desktop satisfaction these days.
RAM is easily replaced and only gets cheaper with time. Buy with sufficient RAM, and max that out a few years in.
CPU overall tends to have fairly minimal impacts on overall performance within the range offered in a given set of options, and there's often a sharp uptick in price for a small performance boost at the higher end. I'll usually downgrade slightly for savings.
Storage can be replace readily over system life and often should be. Get what you need initially but plan on an update later. SSD or fusion drives are optimal.
Depending on your OS, WiFi reliability often precludes raw performance. For Linux, go with well-supported options. (I don't drive Windows.)
I've never put a premium on graphics performance. If it plays videos and displays xterms, it's good enough for me. YMMV. I prefer open source drivers.
Overall power draw and batterylife are also considerations, and again dropping from peak specs may actually deliver advantages here. Alternatively, you'll find yourself buying capabilities that neither your battery nor thermal management can deliver consistently.
Maxxing out spec is going to cost quite a bit. Buying last season's maxxed-out spec will often provide significan savings, as may buying this season's somewhat-below-peak specs per my guidelines above.
This is based on a few decades of not chasing performance extremes and with a fair tolerance of sufficient performance. Ironically it's raw Web browser performance that seems to be the most critical element of desktop satisfaction these days.