Have a (home-built) linux box? Let's discuss (I want to build my own)

[Jabberwocky]

Hey PF!

Short First Post Intro:
I've been a long time spectator here. I'm a junior undergrad physics major. PF has been a lot of fun, and tremendous help to me (like last winter I applied to many REU's). So thank you all!

At the REU I'm in now, I'm learning linux. I'd love to hear any of the following:

1. Your current system:

Specs? Distro? Likes? Dislikes?​

2. Dream system?

(Desktop or laptop)? Distro?​

3. Any advice for someone who's never built their own computer.

So here's me:

1. Macbook pro. Intel core duo 2.8 GHz. 4 GB ram. Dual booting Xubuntu.

Likes: Love Apple's design/hardware. Xubuntu is fast and lightweight.​

Dislikes: Apple keyboard/hardware isn't always friendly with linux.​

2. I'm unsure, but something I've built myself so I understand the system (and of course awesome tech specs)...

3. n/a

Basically I would be blowing a good portion of my REU stipend on this...

 

[Astronuc]

My comany uses Mandriva.

The dream systems are quad or oct processor systems. Some folks told me though that some high end 512-core (processor) systems aren't too expensive, so I'll be looking at those, with a large amount of RAM and a fast bus.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Wow! That's a lot of horsepower. The most I could afford and put to good use would probably be an oct core system or two quad cores.

Eventually I'd like to upgrade to a cluster system, but I'm starting small.

 

[jhae2.718]

1. Your current system:

I built a system around a Core i7-2600K, I boot Xubuntu 11.04 (configured to look like 10.04, I don't like the updated interface) off of a 160 GB SSD along with Win 7 Ultimate for Visual Studio (Kinect SDK work) and SolidWorks. Each OS has a 1 TB WD Caviar Black HDD. I have a BD-RW drive. I have a GTX570 (for games and CUDA programming) and 16 GB of DDR3 @ 1333MHz. This is in an Antec 900 case.

2. Dream system?

Pretty much my current system, maybe all SSD and a third monitor, plus another 16 GB or RAM.

3. Any advice for someone who's never built their own computer.

Don't rush it, double check all your components. Watch this video from Newegg first (all three parts):

Make sure to get an nVidia graphics card if you don't use integrated graphics, ATI's Linux drivers are horrible.

 

[LudusRex]

I would highly recommend building your own linux box. It can be a fun and rewarding experience, and it also allows for a lot of customization and control over your system. Plus, it can save you money in the long run compared to buying a pre-built system.

In terms of my current system, I have a home-built desktop running Ubuntu 18.04. It has an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a NVIDIA GTX 1660 graphics card. I chose Ubuntu because it's a user-friendly distro with a large community for support. I also appreciate its compatibility with a wide range of software and hardware.

For my dream system, I would love to build a high-end desktop with a powerful processor, plenty of RAM, and a high-end graphics card. I would likely stick with Ubuntu, but I also have a soft spot for Arch Linux.

As for advice for someone who has never built their own computer, my main piece of advice would be to do your research and plan ahead. Make sure all your components are compatible with each other and don't be afraid to ask for help or advice from others. Also, don't feel like you have to spend a lot of money to get a good system. There are plenty of budget-friendly options that can still give you a great experience.

Overall, building your own linux box can be a fun and worthwhile endeavor. It allows you to truly understand and customize your system, and can also save you money in the long run. Good luck with your build!