#puget systems

[perkins-buzo]

[alandistro]

Do you get your computers custom built/have you previously built your own computers?

I kinda sorta co-built my first desktop for the DFTBA offices back in 2008. By which I mean, I held the flashlight and handed various tools to Dr. Noise, who really built my first desktop for the DFTBA offices on my dining room table.

Before that I was buying my computers pre-built from Dell and was never super happy with them. Since then I have had all of my desktops custom built by a company called Puget Systems. They specialize in custom high-end workstations and servers. They have a lifetime warranty on labor and tech support (based in the US, Washington state to be precise). And they really work with you to make sure you get a build that is right for your projects, not just the most expensive parts. I highly recommend them.

My new computer that’s arriving today has the following specs (apologies to those who follow my private blog and have seen all of this already, I promise I’ll shut up about it soon, maybe)…

CPU: Intel Core i7 6700K 4GHz Quad CoreRAM: Crucial 32GB DDR4-2133Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 Strix w/ 4GB RAM (overclocked by 12%)Sound Card: Steinberg UR22 Audio Interface (24-bit/192kHz)

Drive C: Intel 800GB PCI-E SSD (for OS/programs/games/Office files)Drive D: Intel 1.2TB PCI-E SSD (for audio/video project files)Drive E: WD Red 4TB HDD (for my lossless music library)Drive F: WD Red 4TB HDD (for archiving and backups)

Drive G: 24x DVD-RWDrive H: 16x BluRay Burner

OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

Monitor: LG Ultrawide 29″ (2560x1080 which is the 21:9 cinematic movie ratio, or basically just shy of two 4:3 monitors side-by-side)

The PCI-E SSD hard drives are pretty unique, they bypass the limitations of SATA III and instead connect directly to the motherboard via PCI Express. Where a standard hard drive will get sustained reads of about 100MB/s, PCI-E SSDs get sustained reads of 2,500MB/s (25x’s faster than standard drives). It’s really an incredible new technology.

One standard benchmark test run to compare computers is a quick playthrough of the Alien Vs Predator video game. A lot of computer reviewers use it as it makes comparing one system to another easy. Here’s the AvP benchmark numbers for my new system vs my old. Higher average frames-per-second (FPS) is better. And anything above 30 FPS is considered smooth when playing.

Alien Vs Predator Benchmark Test(the game is played at various quality settings with predetermined routes so each playthrough is the same)

OLD computer, low settings: 48.5 FPS NEW computer, low settings: 416.5 FPS

OLD computer, high settings: 28.4 FPSNEW computer, high settings: 240.9 FPS

OLD computer, everything maxed: 19.5 FPSNEW computer, everything maxed: 155.1 FPS

That’s about a 900% improvement over my old system, and even my old system is pretty kick ass (Kristen bought my old system as a huge upgrade to her current laptop). Quick old system specs: Intel Core i7 4770S 3.1GHz, 32GB ram, GeForce GT 640 2GB video card, 2x512GB SATA III SSDs, 1x3TB WD Red HDD.

I can not wait for UPS to arrive today with the new system. I’ll post pics later today while unboxing and setting up. :)

[protostatus]

Ask and Google Answers

So let's start with - http://www.forbes.com/sites/quickerbettertech/2011/10/10/steve-jobs-was-a-jerk-good-for-him/

I was asking myself when the independent, unbiased articles would start coming out that would get away from the Steve Jobs' Columbus like legacy and start telling the full story of Steve Jobs. Good or bad. It's common knowledge among his detractors that Apple Products are built  in a "sweat shop" in China. It's common knowledge that Steve Jobs controls internal communication to a "communist" level. And we know that these practices have lead to great success for Jobs. Business is business is business. For a man built on the image of catering to "the rebels", he really catered to his own need for control over the Apple brand image.

So after spotting the article by Gene Marks on Forbes.com, I started asking myself if there are any US based computer manufactures anymore... and I surprisingly found a few!

Systemax

Puget Systems

ZT Systems

Lotus PC

I am going to have to give these four companies a hard look when it is time to buy my next computer. Especially Lotus. On the surface, they look like good machines. I think it's time to start looking at the "Made in" labels. I don't like the idea of a 14 year old working 12 hrs to build/sew the products I buy. Hard to avoid, but could probably be done.