Your best computer-related investment?

[Ekaros]

So, I don't know or care to look if this already exist...

What is your best computer investment, in sense of pleasure and enjoyment.

For me the other is Filco with Browns, obvious reasons for everyone here, still my favorite board.

And the other is my Lenovo L220x display, nice M-PVA 22" and 1920x1200 resolution. Sadly those aren't made anymore

[Lanx]

has to be the combination of $500 ergohuman chair and three ergotron arms 2 monitor 1keyboard, i guess 3 used kinesis as well, but they could be better (and will be).

[N8N]

I dunno, I definitely think it's all about the monitor and peripherals though; they tend to be more important to the user experience than the CPU itself.  I'd say it's a tie between my nice big monitor and my Filco just because I haven't found a 100% perfect mouse yet.

[Bilbin]

2233RZ 120Hz monitor.

[oneproduct]

I bought a collector's edition of Battlefield 2142 a long time ago and it came with a Battlefield 2142 headset. I've been using it as a microphone for the longest time, I just wear the headset around my neck because it kills to wear it around my ears but the microphone is pretty good quality for something I got free.

[TheSoulhunter]

Probably Duke Nukem 3d back then, never played a game that much again...

[laffindude]

27" >HD monitor. I had 1920x1440 "hi rez" monitors about 10 years ago. CRTs are amazing like that. The 1920x1080 gimped resolution doesn't do it for me, and the 2 30" I own are a bit too big. 27" is just right. Now, if they would just come out with a 27" Cintiq like the 24" one that just announced, I'd be a happy dude.

[Demofly]

The biggest and best computer investment I ever made was I bought a Q6600 and 8800GT when they were released. I got like 7 years outta those thangs.

[alaricljs]

Hmmm, Q6600 came out in Jan 2007... That's coming up on 5 years.  8800GT on Oct 2007, that's 4 years.  I also have one of each of those (in different machines) and they are quite nice for the price I paid, but I made a point of not buying them anywhere near the release date.  Considering the Q6600 is running my server for both business and personal use it's probably the better of the hardware investments I've made.

[iindigo]

One of the best is definitely my Wacom Intuos3 9x12 drawing tablet. It costed $300+ when I bought it, but damn was it worth it. I've had it for about 6 years now and it still works as well as the day I bought it... great piece of hardware.

The other is my 27" iMac, mainly for its display (but its hardware is nice too). 2560x1440 is such a great resolution to work at and its pixel density is awesome too. I'll never drop down to a smaller monitor again.

[EverythingIBM]

Probably the best monetary investment was the IBM server I got with 16GB RAM, two xeons, and four HDDs for $500.
Yeah, but I don't use it a whole lot.

In terms of pleasure and enjoyment; most of that equipment was all free. Everyone who sees my beige '86 model M thinks it's a piece of crap, along with the other good stuff.
It was all neglected and heading out for the dump in one form or another.
But I always clean it up and take good care of it all.
Humans are so wasteful. Value shouldn't be judged through the eye of the beholder, but for what the item actually is and does.

[TacticalCoder]

I had 1920x1440 "hi rez" monitors about 10 years ago. CRTs are amazing like that.

Amazing if you could live with the geometric distortion, the flicker (which is, to some people with good eyesight, very noticeable, even at high refresh rate), if you liked the fact that old CRTs were all analogs and if you didn't mind screen-burning (aka "screen afterimage").  Not to mention that they did "age" and gave worse and worse quality over time (but, granted, the colors were good).

I was shelling big $$$ for Sony Trinitron CRTs back when I was working in the pre-press industry but I jumped ship as soon as 20" flat panels with DVI output came out and never looked back.

Old keyboards: yes.  Old analog CRTs: no way : )

[HeavyArms]

My keyboard, I know this may sound kind of cliche but it truly has provided a luxury that I am very thankful for.

[laffindude]

You mentioned all my dislikes about CRT. I wouldn't go back either, but LCD has many faults as well. I still see ghosting, have burn in, ****ty colors, laughable black levels, laaaaaag.

[hashbaz]

Weight and space alone are enough for me to be grateful the CRT days are over.  The guys who handle color correction where I work still use them though.

[Fobbah]

One of the best is definitely my Wacom Intuos3 9x12 drawing tablet. It costed $300+ when I bought it, but damn was it worth it. I've had it for about 6 years now and it still works as well as the day I bought it... great piece of hardware.

The other is my 27" iMac, mainly for its display (but its hardware is nice too). 2560x1440 is such a great resolution to work at and its pixel density is awesome too. I'll never drop down to a smaller monitor again.

Agreed on the wacom being a good buy, I only have a bamboo (~$100) but it has proven extremely useful for taking notes. Very useful when i have to nut out some math real quick, or quite often i'll be in a skype call with other developers and sketch up some software architecture, I bring it along to university and write up my notes with it as well. The best part about using one for taking notes is that if you organise your files properly you never lose your work, whereas a disorganized guy like me working on paper winds up with 30 piles of paper that just get thrown out XD.

Being able to draw in photoshop with it or play OSU with a wacom is a nice fun side benefit when I have the time
I would definitely consider buying a higher end model when I have the cash.

However my best investment was definitely picking up the stripped cabinet for this bad boy for $40:


Sure, i pumped about another $500-600 into building the thing, but the cabinet was damn cheap.

[Hydroid]

I too would say the best computer related investment I made has got to be my Wacom Bamboo Fun. I bought it when I was 15 with birthday money and have never looked back. While I might not use mine every day I do use it a lot and it has helped my casual hobby of being a photoshop user since I was 12. I used to edit car pictures and make them look like they were all tricked out.

For example taking a picture like this:

and turning it into this:


Note, that wasn't one of mine, but I started off using photoshop trying to do things like that and I learned a lot of stuff. And while I don't do that kinda stuff anymore I do use it for the occasional web design or graphics project and I'm very happy that I have it every time I use it.

[NamelessPFG]

They have their quirks, but the last two FD Trinitron G1 monitors I've bought (21", can handle 1600x1200 at 95 Hz) serve me well for things that cost me $6 and $10. I can't be bothered to pay several times those prices for LCDs that still have some tradeoffs, though if one of you is willing to give me a 30" 2560x1600 IPS monitor just to get me to switch, I'll take it. (24" 1920x1200 IPS would be fine too, but no lower than that.)

As a work tool, I suppose my best computer-related investment is my HP 2730p. AFFS+ LCD, Wacom Penabled, lasts quite a while on battery (especially with a slice battery), and this one had the extra perk of having an Intel X18-M 80 GB already installed. The only big drawback would be the Intel GMA 4500MHD, but with convertibles like this, I don't have much choice.

But why is it such a good investment over my past two convertibles? I'd say it's a combination of the screen, the battery life, the light weight (for a convertible), and generally being free of paper notebooks. Can't stand working with paper for note-taking, but I still need a pen for math.

For something more recreational...hard to say. It could be my highly-modified Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar + RCS pedal setup that I've had for several years, but I'd give all of that up if I had to lose my TrackIR 4 Pro otherwise. It could also be my vintage Stax Lambda setup (which is computer-related in that it stays tethered to my desktop), but I need more than a month to pass proper judgment on that.

[Lanx]

i guess this is where being colorblind is cool, i really don't care for crt, tube anything anymore. but i have lots of ppl come over and go, your colors look off, then i bought a pantone thing and have only computer profiles and they stop complaining, don't know how to calibrate my projector tho, it's sad lol the only way to calibrate my projector is with THX. THX dvd's come with a calibration, you wear special glasses (they're like cardboard) i couldn't see the special images, so like my fiance' had to calibrate it.

[keyboardlover]

My pr0n collection.

Anyone who says otherwise is lying or female.

[alaricljs]

Time can also be considered an investment...

[alaricljs]

bandwidth

[itlnstln]

Door locks (if still living with parents), a good pair of headphones...

But think of all the money you're saving without a GF!

[jpc]

CS/EE degree

[Ekaros]

CS/EE degree

Does Communications count?

[woody]

CS/EE degree

Is this some new Enhanced Edition of the classic Counter-Strike?

[Ekaros]

Yeah, that 3k€ of loan which I have used 1k€ of is killing me

[jpc]

You sure about that?

Yes. I graduated with no loans and a few bucks left over, from a part-time job senior year. That was Silicon Valley before the bubble popped. Whee :biggrin:

For young people today in post-Hope America, a science/tech/engineering/math education is one of the few ways left to get into a good career so you can pay off the loans.

My brother just got his Master's degree in drama and stage acting. God help him.

[Oqsy]

What is your best computer investment, in sense of pleasure and enjoyment?

My desktop. Still running strong.

[Quarzac]

Yes. I graduated with no loans and a few bucks left over, from a part-time job senior year. That was Silicon Valley before the bubble popped. Whee :biggrin:

For young people today in post-Hope America, a science/tech/engineering/math education is one of the few ways left to get into a good career so you can pay off the loans.

My brother just got his Master's degree in drama and stage acting. God help him.

I guess I have a good plan then! I know a couple kids who are going to end up like your brother though.
As not to threadcrap, I'm going to say that recently it's my Logitech X-530s, though prior to that it was probably my first desktop, which I got off my sister's friend for $50. Wasn't particularly good, but it got me interested in computer hardware, and later computer programming.

[jpc]

Okay, I'll post on topic too.

I built an 800Mhz "thunderbird" Athlon for my same brother in August of 2000, back when those were about the fastest CPUs that anyone had seen. He used it for a year and turned it back over to me. That box ran quietly and reliably for ten years.

[wmtx]

My Intel X25 SSDs.

[Balgrog]

Probably my computer chair and desk. When I moved into a apartment 2 years ago, then tenant left his computer chair. Best chair I have ever had. My desk was my school desk growing up, and I love it to death. There is a shelf under it and I put my feet there sometimes, and lots of other nice stuff! Computer-wise, I <3 my samsung syncmaster. Makes everything look so pretty.

[JimBobMorris]

Gonna have to say my 128GB M4 SSD and my Logitech MX400 laser mouse. It's the only mouse i've used on my home computers for almost 6 years and it's still going strong.

[Dox]

I can't live without my U2711.

[Gerk]

Nec 3090 ftw.

[nar]

My LG P300 laptop. Thin and Light Enough that I can bring it anywhere. Powerful enough that it's all I need to bring to do anything. And with enough battery life to let me take notes during the longest of my continuous blocks of lectures.

There's nothing like a professor referencing something you learned 3 years ago and being able to type that into a search box and instantly having your notes from 3 years ago available right there while the prof is talking about it in the lecture.

[whiskerBox]

Oh man this is a good one, My first great investment was my ibook g4. Since then I have had 4 good investments that I use all the time.
-13" MBP
-SSD
-Timbuk2 bag
-Filco tkl

They have all been doing a great job getting me through school

[keyboardlover]

Probably my ClickClack keys and my doubleshot Cherry Corp esc key.

They appreciate in value every time I breathe

[NimbleRabit]

Definitely my computer desk.  I was using desks way too high for a long time and finally got (well, made) a desk that was low enough for proper posture at the computer.  This has had by far the most significant impact on my comfort out of every investment I've made.

As far as internals go, the Q6600 was a surprisingly good investment.  That thing is still going strong and I expect to be using it for a while longer.

Some others that come to mind:
My speakers (Swan D1080).   These things not only sound great, but they are absolutely gorgeous.  Couldn't be happier with this purchase.
Trackball (CST L-Trac).  Using this at work made all my wrist/hand pain go away almost immediately, and since I don't game at work there's no downside.
Mechanical keyboards of course (Leopold).  I'll never be going back, and I plan on using the ones I now have for years to come.

For fun, here are some of my worst computer-related investments:
Razer Deathadder
Sennheiser PC151
Every keyboard I had previously

[Fast_Fingers]

Probably spending a little more to get a Corsair PSU (650TX). I don't have to worry about anything exploding. I should've spent more for modular though.

Second place would be the Ikea Galant desk. It's at a perfect height, accommodates LCD clamps for arms from Monoprice, and the little storage cabinet is the perfect height (and a great surface) for a mouse. I do need a better chair one day though...maybe a Steelcase on ebay or a used office furniture store.

Third place is my Unicomp Spacesaver. Dealing with reports is significantly less irritating.

[ClackFactory]

Your best computer related investment-

Tons of keyboards, Duh! J/K I don't know if that's the best or worst investment so far. LoL  =P

I would easily say my Cintiq 21 UX, hands down.

The computer I built with the help from geek hack members would be the second best investment. fo sho   =)
Thanks again for that one guys.

[clickclack]

Your best computer related investment-

Tons of keyboards, Duh! J/K I don't know if that's the best or worst investment so far. LoL  =P

I would easily say my Cintiq 21 UX, hands down.

The computer I built with the help from geek hack members would be the second best investment. fo sho   =)
Thanks again for that one guys.

[kaen]

A good solid swivel chair should not be overlooked, no idea what brand mine is but it is built like a tank, has lasted me the best part of a decade and i'm no waif.

I've been using nothing but Intellimouse Explorer 3.0 mice since they first came out, bloody marvelous. Alas this year i've been replacing most of my office and I decided to jump for a steelseries sensei instead, but my statement still stands.

Altec Lansing desktop speakers, i've had two sets from this company in 10 years, they are cheap, loud and durable. Do the job.

Corsair, fill your computer with their products, very high quality components all round.

[jellowiggler]

My sata 3, synchronous mem SSD.  Doesn't matter which one you chose, just hit those two points and you will be happy.

Also, my mechanical keyboards and mx518 mouse. High quality kb and mouse affect everything you touch and do with your pc.

Good quality monitor. Don't skimp. You will have a monitor for a few systems, not just one.

My cosair power supply txv2 power supply. Feed your computer good power. It will love you. ( I even have an APC ups as well)

I agree that the Cosair name is one of the best. They stand by their products. I was very disappointed in the k60 and k90 mechanical keyboards though. (They aren't fully mechanical, they mix cherry mx red switches with rubber membrane keys. Boooo!)

[Pylon]

I'd say my Dell Latitude E6410 laptop. It was $480 refurb'd with a great keyboard, great design, and magnesium alloy chassis. The Core i5-520M is an absolute night and day difference over the 9-year old 1.7GHz Pentium 4 machine I was using earlier.

[fossala]

Switching my house to thin clients (LTSP). Saves time and money.

[davkol]

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[mr_a500]

 

[tomten_alle]

I`d say the best investment I have made is my 2010 13" MacBook Pro. I am planing to using it for at least 3 more years. Hopefully it doesn`t break.