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I’m in the midst of setting up a new personal computer, so I thought it might be a fun discussion: how often do you buy personal computers? Do you try to keep a laptop as well as a desktop? Do you only have a work computer and then use something like an iPad, Chromebook, or just your phone for other things? Which programs (new or old) are must-haves for you? Are you on Team Apple, Team PC, or Team Other? Where do you fall on important questions like mechanical keyboard vs. ergonomic keyboard?
For my $.02… I try to keep a laptop as well as a desktop, both PCs. I had an Apple laptop 10+ years ago which I killed by spilling a martini on it, whoops — but having been on Team PC my entire life all of the minor differences between the two systems were majorly annoying me.
When my second to last laptop died, I bought a Chromebook instead, but really didn’t like that — obviously a lot of my work is on the web, but I missed being able to sort things into folders.
My most recent laptop was bought at Costco a few years ago — I just went off the specs Wirecutter recommended for speed and so forth, and was pleased with the price (maybe $650?) and I’ve been pleased with the computer, which is handy if we’re going on a longer vacation as well as if I just want to work on the couch.
My personal desktop is probably 10 years old, at least, though… my father (now retired but formerly an electrical engineer/patent lawyer) has always been tech savvy enough to build our computers, picking out different components like graphics cards, hard drives, cores, etc., so he was extra helpful in helping me choose new components for this one.
The new computer is great (very fast, lickety split!) but… I’m having problems finding my most-used folders and documents, so that’s fun.
The programs I’ve already installed: Microsoft Office, Slack, Spotify, Canva, Paint, iCloud, and Evernote.
A related question, I suppose – how often do you get new cell phones? I thought my phone was relatively recent (2021, an iPhone 12-mini, I think) but everyone who got good pictures during the eclipse made me realize that I do need a new one, and when a tech-savvy friend was looking at my phone recently he couldn’t get over “how tiny your old phone is, they don’t make them like this anymore!!”
Over to you, readers — how often do you get new personal computers? Which are your favorite programs?
Stock photo via Stencil.