Flip Flopping between macOS and Windows

[LiE_]

Do you know something I don't? (well everyone knows something I don't )

Of all of the companies, Nvidia is low on the list to heavily drop any price. AMD on the other hand missed an opportunity. They mentioned in the last investors call that they're reducing manufacturing to reduce supply thus keep prices elevated. They had an opportunity to grab marketshare from Nvidia but chose to fill their coffers. They'd also generate goodwill and positivity but instead want to maximize profits.

Back to Nvidia, I just don't see any reason as to why we'll see significant price cuts on the 4070 Ti

Given enough time retailers will start to do offers when they've had stock sat on shelves for months.

 

[LiE_]

Looks like the 4070 Ti is struggling with VRAM at 4K in Harry Potter, so will have to keep that in mind. I may look at the 7900 XT/XTX.

 

[LiE_]

Here's the final parts list. Just waiting for the CPU cooler to arrive today.

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/x9CrbK

Spent more than I wanted on the GPU but for the times when I want to play a game I should get a good high refresh rate 4K experience. I wanted to avoid spending £800 on a 4070 Ti and then having to turn settings down or hitting VRAM limits, the extra £400 on the 4080 FE made sense when doing the man maths.

 

[maflynn]

Looks like the 4070 Ti is struggling with VRAM at 4K in Harry Potter,

Seeing some reviews, and what not, it seems any card under an RTX 4080 is struggling with that game.

I wanted to avoid spending £800 on a 4070 Ti

I think a 4070 is a horrible card, and it was made worse by Nvidia first calling it a RTX 4080 with no other identifiers. If you're going to spend a boat load of money on a GPU, and I consider 800 dollars a lot, then push it up a bit more and get a proper 4080. I think the biggest benefit the RTX 4070 Ti is that it will drive RTX 4080 sales up.

 

[LiE_]

All done

 

[Expos of 1969]

All done

View attachment 2157851

Looks very nice. The key question is have you really dumped Apple for the long term 🤓

 

[LiE_]

Looks very nice. The key question is have you really dumped Apple for the long term 🤓

I have tried many times over the last year to try and get back to Apple and it's just not worked and felt forced. I've said it many times before but for my job and interests Windows is the best fit. I also really like Andriod on Pixel phones.

 

[leemkule]

I have tried many times over the last year to try and get back to Apple and it's just not worked and felt forced. I've said it many times before but for my job and interests Windows is the best fit. I also really like Andriod on Pixel phones.

You also said fairly recently that being on the windows ecosystem encouraged you to watch too many tech reviews and having spent so much money when you barely game an expensive graphics card was a waste, then you bought an 4080.

I'm not having a go, I love doing the same, but at this point it just seems that you just enjoy researching>ordering>opening>selling>repeat more than actually using the technology for any real length of time. I think it's just all under the guise of trying to find the 'optimal setup' that doesn't exist; it's really just a harmless hobby.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

You also said fairly recently that being on the windows ecosystem encouraged you to watch too many tech reviews and having spent so much money when you barely game an expensive graphics card was a waste, then you bought an 4080.

I'm not having a go, I love doing the same, but at this point it just seems that you just enjoy researching>ordering>opening>selling>repeat more than actually using the technology for any real length of time. I think it's just all under the guise of trying to find the 'optimal setup' that doesn't exist; it's really just a harmless hobby.

Oh man is that me. I have been content with my M1 MBA 16/512, my M1 iPad Pro 12.9", and iPhone 13 Pro Max. But why do I have this stupid gaming PC just sitting there with just a few games installed otherwise dead. What if I could get one of these new gaming laptops (with a 4080) and replace my MacBook Air and my gaming PC?

Then I come to my senses and remember all the reasons I left windows in the ***** first place.

And that was before Apple became the only vendor to offer end-to-end encryption on all of my information!

I need to just let it go and accept I won't have a gaming laptop and MacBook in one.

I think it's I really enjoy the "researching>ordering>opening>selling>repeat more than actually using the technology for any real length of time." (as you so sagely put it)

I need to move on and get back to writing my novels. <sigh>. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[LiE_]

You also said fairly recently that being on the windows ecosystem encouraged you to watch too many tech reviews and having spent so much money when you barely game an expensive graphics card was a waste, then you bought an 4080.

I'm not having a go, I love doing the same, but at this point it just seems that you just enjoy researching>ordering>opening>selling>repeat more than actually using the technology for any real length of time. I think it's just all under the guise of trying to find the 'optimal setup' that doesn't exist; it's really just a harmless hobby.

Absolutely do enjoy the building part but not so much recently. This was more out of necessity than any burning desire. My work laptop just isn't up to the job tbh, I needed something more powerful. As I started to put this build together I had originally planned to use the iGPU and not get a dedicated GPU. However knowing myself I would at some point want a GPU to play the odd game on but with it being 4K and me not liking a sub par experience I did some mental gymnastics to arrive at a 4080.

This may ultimately get relegated to purely a personal machine if I change jobs but the monitor does have a KVM switch so I'm ok with that.

 

[c0ppo]

I have tried many times over the last year to try and get back to Apple and it's just not worked and felt forced. I've said it many times before but for my job and interests Windows is the best fit. I also really like Andriod on Pixel phones.

We are almost in the same situation. I still like MacOS, but I can't stand iPhones anymore. Too limited and too locked down for my own personal taste. Just ordered OnePlus 11, since I really like OnePlus phones. They feel faster than any other phone on the market. Selling my S22U as soon as OnePlus arrives.

Looking forward to great battery life + really fast charging as well

 

[maflynn]

All done

View attachment 2157851

Wow that GPU is a chonky boy

 

[LiE_]

Wow that GPU is a chonky boy

Yup, same size as the 4090.

 

[1885507]

I’ll just leave this here…

As it turned out, an all-new Windows 11 PC that was never used to browse the Internet contacted not only Windows Update, MSN and Bing servers, but also Steam, McAfee, geo.prod.do, and Comscore ScorecardResearch.com. Apparently, the latest operating system from Microsoft collected and sent telemetry data to various market research companies, advertising services, and the like.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-11-sends-user-data-to-third-party-services

 

[maflynn]

I’ll just leave this here…

I subscribe to this channel: This video does a great job at how much telemetry goes out

There's O&O Shutup10 which stops as much or as little telemetry as you wish

Chris Titus has (had?) a nice debloater He used O&O Shutup10 in the background, but also shut down many services and things that streamlined your windows 11 setup. It looks like he renamed it, and now its the windows toolbox and does a lot more. I think just doing the O&O is all you need.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

I’ll just leave this here…



https://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-11-sends-user-data-to-third-party-services

WOW! That's even worse than I thought. I use that shut up thingie on my gaming PC, but it's time to do it to my wife's PC as well!!!

 

[maflynn]

WOW! That's even worse than I thought. I use that shut up thingie on my gaming PC, but it's time to do it to my wife's PC as well!!!

The thing is you have to keep using it. Many of the major updates that MS pushes, resets the telemetry. I don't think its the monthly ones, but the twice a year updates.

 

[1885507]

WOW! That's even worse than I thought. I use that shut up thingie on my gaming PC, but it's time to do it to my wife's PC as well!!!

The irony of having to purchase a license for the pleasure of sharing one's data with Microsoft's cadre of advertising and analytics "partners."

Notably, the very same analytics and data sharing practices from W10 apply the same in W11; only Enterprise and Academic licenses receive Security level sharing while Full sharing was the default for all others, can't set below Basic.

The thing is you have to keep using it. Many of the major updates that MS pushes, resets the telemetry. I don't think its the monthly ones, but the twice a year updates.

This goes well beyond simple telemetry. Per the article...

As it turned out, an all-new Windows 11 PC that was never used to browse the Internet contacted not only Windows Update, MSN and Bing servers, but also Steam, McAfee, geo.prod.do, and Comscore ScorecardResearch.com

 

[maflynn]

This goes well beyond simple telemetry. Per the article...

Yes, as the video I linked shows.

 

[c0ppo]

Thats one of the reasons I really don't like Windows. I simply hate being spied on.
Besides that, my laptop on PopOS is way more silent and feels faster than Win11. Probably due to telemetry and all the background stuff.

But I guess that's the norm these days, and thing are just gonna get worse and worse. I would like someone with expertise do the same thing with MacOS.

 

[Velin]

Last year I was close to building a desktop PC. But held off.

Now, I think the M2 Pro changes the calculation. That little box can drive a 4k monitor to 240hz, and can also drive 6k and 8k displays. And these types of displays are coming, a whole bunch of monitor releases in 2023. No longer have to buy overpriced Apple studio display.

Because desktop Macs can now finally run higher end monitors at high refresh rates, I think more people are gonna buy them. Can get a nice LG OLED and use it as a monitor now with a Mac, just like PCs.

The remaining PC advantage is video games. But who wants to spend $1k to $1.8k for overpriced Nvidia and AMD GPUs, along with 1000-watt power supplies to run these giant cards? And computer games are such a waste of time, it’s all loot boxes and microtransactions. I haven‘t played them for any length of time in many years.

With the M2 chip and the new display i/o, Mac making so much more sense now. Good hardware, efficient components, great formfactor, no stupid-size GPUs and PSUs, great Apple ecosystem. That‘s my thinking now.

 

[maflynn]

Now, I think the M2 Pro changes the calculation.

I'm not sure I understand. What is your desire to move on to a PC was due to the M1's inability to drive multiple 4k monitors?

But who wants to spend $1k to $1.8k for overpriced Nvidia and AMD GPUs, along with 1000-watt power supplies to run these giant cards?

If you're looking for the top tier GPU, I wholeheartedly agree, but I don't believe that is a typical cross section of PC builders. I myself have been living with an RTX2060 and I've been very content with it. The number one card on Steam are GTX series cards, not even 20 series RTX.

I think you can get away with a very efficient and fast GPU without breaking the bank. Also, while the newer GPUs are more power hungry, I don't think a 1000 watt power supply is the norm - at least not yet. Also many gaming laptop's power brick is in the 150 to 250 watt range. I'm mentioning that just for comparison.

Just doing some basic googling, it seems an RTX 3060 laptop GPU seems to be a bit faster then M2 MBP's I could be wrong on this, but I think 3080s and and 3090s are faster, never mind the 40 series.

I'm not trying to say the M2 is trash, but desktop computing can offer a lot more options, performance and choices that can still be significantly less expensive then a nicely equipped MBP.

Edited for clarification

 

[LiE_]

I have an 850w PSU running my 4080, it would never pull close to the full 850w.

 

[Velin]

I'm not sure I understand. What is your desire to move on to a PC was due to the M1's inability to drive multiple 4k monitors?

It was more about the M1 Studio and the Studio Display with stand being a terrible value proposition. Properly specced, the combo was going to cost north of $5k — and you’re still stuck with essentially a 5k iMac screen at 60hz, costing $2k for the monitor/stand alone? Hated it.

But a cheaper M2 Pro Mac Mini, with improved display i/o, along with new monitor releases, or an LG 42 OLED for ~$800, that’s a new ballgame.

I'm not trying to say the M2 is trash, but desktop computing can offer a lot more options, performance and choices that can still be significantly less expensive then a nicely equipped MBP.

Perhaps. But the new Mac mini offers good performance for a good price, and in a pleasing form factor — if you don’t need a huge GPU.

Also, part of this is coming from the realization I don’t want to play computer games anymore, and realizing I haven’t wanted to in quite some time. Boring, repetitive, waste of time, waste of life. Take away the need for 4k 144hz gaming, and you eliminate the need for most of these graphics cards. And if you’re not gaming, Apple’s ARM and GPU architecture starts to make more sense.

I may be thinking about this wrong. But you first eliminate the need to purchase an overpriced Studio Display (because of improved third-party options at reasonable prices). Then add in a competitively priced Apple desktop (Mac Mini M2 pro) that can now properly drive these third-party monitors.

I just see this changing the equation, from a horribly overpriced and limited desktop/monitor pairing (Mac Studio + 60hz IPS Apple Display), to a reasonable desktop choice (Mac Mini) with an improved ability to drive a now-wider choice of third-party monitors (e.g. LG OLEDS, Dell IPS black panels, Dell upcoming 6k 32-inch, many more in 2023 and 2024 from Philips, Lenovo, ASUS).

 

[lcseds]

My M1 32GB 1TB Studio with Studio monitor combo was $3500. Not unreasonable pricing with regard to Apple products. I don't know what you mean by "properly specced", but north of $5k is a bit of a stretch.