Desktop for a developer.

[Alan]

For historical reasons, my main development PC is Windows. It's is getting a bit old but a half decent Hp I3 about 6 years old. I upgraded to 250 SSD and 10gb mem that gave it new life 2 years back.

Now I don't care for Windows much, and although with powershell and the same tools as a Dev Linux device it does the job, I'm thinking I should get a Linux desktop.

My current pc only supports 2 screen s and I really want 3.

I could Install a new graphics card, trash windows and install linux on my old HP

Or buy a new desktop.

Problem is, most recommendations for Linux Dev desktop are build one yourself after carefully selecting compatible components. Whilst I could do that, I CBA.

So I'm looking for recommendations for an OS free desktop, good Linux support, graphic card to support 3 screens. Reasonable SSD & memory & processor. ( I'm not a gamer / bitcoin miner / graphic designer so don't need a top machine )

 

[The Byre]

Check out Scan Computers.

I assume this is for graphics work, so have a look here

https://www.scan.co.uk/3xs/custom/cad-graphics-workstations#anc

 

[Alan]

I assume this is for graphics work, so have a look here

hmmm

I'm not a gamer / bitcoin miner / graphic designer

no it is for coding, just I like 3 screens, one for my left eye one for my right eye and one for my mind's eye.

 

[The Byre]

The mind's eye requires a special mind accelerator card and Windows Mind-Pro, SP3.

Adobe do a cloud or SaaS mind-package as a CS extension - I think it's called Head-in-the-Clouds. It requires an iLok dongle and of course, if that goes down, that's when you hear developers shouting "I'm losing my Mind here!"

Come to think of it, I am losing my mind here - the sun's shining, so I'll find some urgent tasks to perform outside, like look at some urgent trees, or see if I can spot some urgent woodpeckers or an urgent butterfly or two.

 

[kulture]

I can recommend scan too. Bought a custom build one and am happy. They give decent advice over the phone too, and I would suggest phoning them to get advice of a graphics card for your actual usage, rather than the slim offering in their custom build.

 

[KM-Tiger]

http://www.broadberry.co.uk/workstations

These people are professional, it's who I use for server hardware. Not the cheapest but best value rarely is.

It's a shame you want three screens. My workstation is a i5 Intel NUC from Broadberry. Superb piece of kit, but only 2 screens, one HDMI, one Displayport.

ls@desk2:~$ uptime
17:48:16 up 402 days, 20:00,  5 users,  load average: 0.31, 0.53, 0.95

402 days since reboot, that's running Debian.

 

[Alan]

I like the idea of the NUC - cool - It says

Number of displays supported (on-board graphics) 3

I'll double check with them.

-edit- the i3 has 3 display ports it seems the i5 not so ..

 

[Alan]

@KM-Tiger btw what desk top you using with debian? Gnome, KDE, other?

 

[KM-Tiger]

btw what desk top you using with debian? Gnome, KDE, other?

XFCE, though with a fair few tweaks to the panels so it's how I like. It's lightweight and simple and you can run some Gnome stuff like Gedit.

 

[Alan]

Just a little update.

Having checked my W 10 desktop I discovered it was actually an I5, so it didn't seem right to spend £600 and a machine when I already had an i5 with 250gb SSD and 1TB hdd, sound card etc etc.

Slightly worrying deciding to trash my complete W10 environment ( didn't want dual boot ), went with OpenSUSE and opted for the KDE desktop option.

So far very smooth, and lightening fast.

Thank goodness I don't have to have anything to do with MicroSoft any more.