Off-Topic Thread V3.0

Serephucus

There's Windows 10 LTSC as a possibility. I use it for my VMs as the footprint is a little smaller, and they generally don't do as much **** in the background.

I think Edge is supposed to be pretty light, mainly because it doesn't have as much features. I'm sure there are lighter/more niche options available.

z0oT

BloodBath wrote: »

Windows for laptops seems to be awfully ****e. I bought my mum a new laptop for her birthday thinking it would be more than good enough for what she uses it for. Just internet browsing and listening to music. Some intel quad core atom, 4gb of ram, 14" full HD IPS with a built in small SSD.

It's nowhere near as fast as I was expecting even after I reduced the memory footprint removing unnecessary apps, disabling all monitoring and data sharing, reducing windows effects and choosing performance over power savings.

Maybe I'm just used to my own PC being as fast as it is but I've been thinking about changing the OS on it. Do Microsoft do any barebones lite version of windows for laptops and if not why not. Any alternatives that are basic enough and similar to windows in terms of UI?

What's the best lite/fast internet browser?

You could try Windows Server 2019. That's quite a bit lighter than the desktop version.

Any Linux enthusiast will tell you to try out a version of that on such a machine for that kind of use case. Although if she wants to do things like access photos on a smartphone, use a printer etc. down the line she might run into issues, which is why my automatic answer wouldn't be a Linux OS.

That being said though, I can't imagine any version of Windows running well on an Atom, while there are loads of Linux flavors that will do the job better for speed/responsiveness but may lack some functionality.

Microsoft used to have this minimal version of Windows XP for Netbooks back in the day when they took off but I don't think they've done the same for 10. 10 was always supposed to be much better on resources.

wotzgoingon

I run Linux Mint on my really old laptop. Runs perfect. Bearing in mind it is from around 2005. No dedicated graphics card in it either.

Wouldn't be used much as I have two desktops but I fire it up every now and then just because.

BloodBath

Should have done my homework a bit better. Thought it should be good enough and the reviews were fairly positive.

Maybe my standards are too high. She hasn't complained about it and it's still better than her old one, more than half the size/weight with the same screen size. The old thing was over 10 years old but was high end at the time. Brick of a Asus yoke that sounds like a hoover at this stage. The new one is fanless which was a selling point but I guess the CPU is not quite up to it.

Even 1080p/60 videos seem to tax it to the max.

Homelander

BloodBath wrote: »

Windows for laptops seems to be awfully ****e. I bought my mum a new laptop for her birthday thinking it would be more than good enough for what she uses it for. Just internet browsing and listening to music. Some intel quad core atom, 4gb of ram, 14" full HD IPS with a built in small SSD.

It's nowhere near as fast as I was expecting even after I reduced the memory footprint removing unnecessary apps, disabling all monitoring and data sharing, reducing windows effects and choosing performance over power savings.

Maybe I'm just used to my own PC being as fast as it is but I've been thinking about changing the OS on it. Do Microsoft do any barebones lite version of windows for laptops and if not why not. Any alternatives that are basic enough and similar to windows in terms of UI?

What's the best lite/fast internet browser?

I know it sounds condescending because clearly you've well versed in PC stuff, but what's running on the laptop?

My work laptop is a quad core atom, think N4000 or something like that? With 4GB ram and 128GB SSD, fresh install of Win10. It's perfect for firefox/netflix/etc without any issues at all.

And my main desktop is a 3700X/16GB/2070S, but I find the laptop completely fine for basic stuff. It's mostly used for Netflix, email, typing and watching x265 10-bit, no issues.

BloodBath

Homelander wrote: »

I know it sounds condescending because clearly you've well versed in PC stuff, but what's running on the laptop?

My work laptop is a quad core atom, think N4000 or something like that? With 4GB ram and 128GB SSD, fresh install of Win10. It's perfect for firefox/netflix/etc without any issues at all.

And my main desktop is a 3700X/16GB/2070S, but I find the laptop completely fine for basic stuff. It's mostly used for Netflix, email, typing and watching x265 10-bit, no issues.

I'm fairly clueless when it comes to mobile and laptops though tbh.

Nothing really on it apart from Chrome and Spotify.

I looked up the built in 64gb of ssd memory and it's quite slow. Think it was around 80mb/s read. It does have an easy expansion slot for a 2.5" drive and I have a spare still packaged 120gb ssd with 450mb/s reads. Would have to reinstall windows but maybe that would boost it a bit.

K.O.Kiki

So -- 1 year on from thinking my MSI MAG27CQ's DisplayPort port had died... I fixed it.

Just had to go into the OSD and set Game -> Response time -> Extreme.

And I have 1440p 144Hz again.

FFS :rolleyes:

Homelander

Same monitor I used to have. Swapped it for a 3440x1440 120hz, not sure it was the best decision.

K.O.Kiki

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

So -- 1 year on from thinking my MSI MAG27CQ's DisplayPort port had died... I fixed it.

Just had to go into the OSD and set Game -> Response time -> Extreme.

And I have 1440p 144Hz again.

FFS :rolleyes:

Guess which unlucky SOB just had a hard object fall from a shelf, bounce off the floor & destroy his monitor?

FVCK

Serephucus

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

So -- 1 year on from thinking my MSI MAG27CQ's DisplayPort port had died... And I have 1440p 144Hz again.

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Guess which unlucky SOB just had a hard object fall from a shelf, bounce off the floor & destroy his monitor?

Fun while it lasted, I guess?

Well, EVE have a pretty nice 144Hz 1440p monitor arriving in a couple of months, so far as I know. Might be worth a look.

mp3guy

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Guess which unlucky SOB just had a hard object fall from a shelf, bounce off the floor & destroy his monitor?

FVCK

Clearly a photo is required.

Cuddlesworth

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Guess which unlucky SOB just had a hard object fall from a shelf, bounce off the floor & destroy his monitor?

Homelander?

Lu Tze

Note to self: only place soft things on shelf in the office. Consider installing toe board.

smuggler.ie

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

FML

Not wise to post img with personal info on display..

Redfox25

That hurts even to look at it KO.

ijohhj

Anyone know of a cheap stand to go under a monitor to give it a few extra inches? My monitor has height adjust but not enough.

Mr Crispy

Ah that's shitty luck, K.O.Kiki.

Shlippery

ijohhj wrote: »

Anyone know of a cheap stand to go under a monitor to give it a few extra inches? My monitor has height adjust but not enough.

Have ya considered a monitor arm? They're a great spacesaver.

Yup. Monitor arm's are a godsend. You can pick cheap decent one's up on Amazon.

SickBoy

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yup. Monitor arm's are a godsend. You can pick cheap decent one's up on Amazon.

Any recommendation for an arm for two 27" ?

SickBoy

SickBoy wrote: »

Any recommendation for an arm for two 27" ?

I have the single arm by the below maker. No problems with it so far.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Invision-Dual-Monitor-Mount-Height-Assisted-Black/dp/B07DJPX8XB?ref_=ast_sto_dp

ijohhj

Shlippery wrote: »

Have ya considered a monitor arm? They're a great spacesaver.

I did, hate that I spent extra on a monitor with adjustable height though looking for something cheap, even plastic, out of the likes of tesco or tiger that would do, just for a few inches.

ijohhj

ijohhj wrote: »

I did, hate that I spent extra on a monitor with adjustable height though looking for something cheap, even plastic, out of the likes of tesco or tiger that would do, just for a few inches.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-DHMSA-Adjustable-Monitor-Stand/dp/B00X4SCCFG/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3L1T6QMZB7GU0&dchild=1&keywords=deepcool+monitor+stand&qid=1586978550&sprefix=deepcool+monitor+%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExQlNMWDZXRzBMM0NRJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDIyODIyMTJONEJQTVg3R0Q5RCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzg5MTk3M1E5WEMwUU1MNEVYTSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

smuggler.ie

ijohhj wrote: »

I did, hate that I spent extra on a monitor with adjustable height though looking for something cheap, even plastic, out of the likes of tesco or tiger that would do, just for a few inches.

This would help? Get all three...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bookseries/B00JR3Y7S2/ref=dp_st_0385537670

Mr Crispy

Ikea do one for €20 and it looks okayish.

ijohhj

Yeah something like that is exactly what I'm looking for, thanks.

K.O.Kiki

https://twitter.com/VideoCardz/status/1250718257931333632?s=19

z0oT

Got some nice badges in the post at long last yesterday.

Bazzo

Any got any recommendations for open source MS Office alternatives? New laptop, I'd had MS office for free on my previous one as I was back in university for a bit.

Mr Crispy

Libre Office, if you don't want to go the Google Docs/Sheets/Slide route.