PC Building NOW is Unaffordable.

Catnip said:

the 5070 Ti I want has dropped $200 CAD.

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gunrunnerjohn said:

Any place that has the RTX 5070 TI for $200 is a scam site! That one sells for over $1,000 anywhere I look in the US!

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He said it dropped $200 CAD.

Scott said:

He said it dropped $200 CAD.

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But even that could be suspect. No store going to undercut its competitors in this supply-constrained market.

Scott said:

He said it dropped $200 CAD.

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OK, I missed the dropped. I suppose that's possible, but I tend to doubt it.

Marie SWE said:

*lol*
I would never recommend Linux to people that dont have a reason for actually want to switch.
Linux sucks in the same way as Windows, just in different ways.

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Yeah, i've been a systems admin maintaining Linux servers since 1999 or so. I don't usually recommend most people to try the Linux desktop. Especially if they are not super savvy enthusiast type people. They need help and documentation and with Linux and 5,000 distros available to them, all doing it differently, it's just not a winning combo.

In the server room though....yeah.....different story. We have been moving steadily off anything windows we have left and moving it all to kubernetes running on linux containers. We still have AD and we have a lot of SQL servers, but things like Sharepoint, Office, etc....they are all running at Microsoft and we are just paying them to maintain it. Was never happier than once we outsourced all Exchange stuff to Microsoft and I didn't have to worry about the on-prem servers anymore. If it's not working, it's not my problem. Microsoft can fix we. We didn't make money on supporting Exchange, we made money selling other software to people.

Marie SWE said:

I think we can use Gary as a sign of, the world is coming to an end and Microsoft just goes belly up, the day Gary switch to Linux or Mac OS.

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Lol, yeah.........

I'm about 50/50 on Windows/Mac OS for desktop these days. Almost switched to Mac at work after running windows for 30+ years. Work eliminated our ability to run WSL, so I lost all of my Nix tooling and such. Almost everybody on team and my surrounding teams are all running on Mac's. I'm getting to be on the last windows holdouts.

gunrunnerjohn said:

Any place that has the RTX 5070 TI for $200 is a scam site! That one sells for over $1,000 anywhere I look in the US!

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No, no, no. It's not $200, it's $1600. The price has dropped from $1899.00 to $1699.00 CAD. Hopefully that is a trend.




That is the advert from NewEgg^^. That card was $1899 two weeks ago. I checked with a local shop that I trust and the price is the same there.

That is pretty much in line with what that card costs in the EU area too. (Did not realize at first how weak CAD has become vs EUR and thought WOW that is expensive as heck)

Still too expensive though...

Scott said:

He said it dropped $200 CAD.

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"She"

pparks1 said:

Yeah, i've been a systems admin maintaining Linux servers since 1999 or so. I don't usually recommend most people to try the Linux desktop. Especially if they are not super savvy enthusiast type people. They need help and documentation and with Linux and 5,000 distros available to them, all doing it differently, it's just not a winning combo.

In the server room though....yeah.....different story. We have been moving steadily off anything windows we have left and moving it all to kubernetes running on linux containers. We still have AD and we have a lot of SQL servers, but things like Sharepoint, Office, etc....they are all running at Microsoft and we are just paying them to maintain it. Was never happier than once we outsourced all Exchange stuff to Microsoft and I didn't have to worry about the on-prem servers anymore. If it's not working, it's not my problem. Microsoft can fix we. We didn't make money on supporting Exchange, we made money selling other software to people.

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Yeah.. that is the keyword.. if they are willing to learn a new OS.
On the positive side.. Linux as desktop OS have become much better(easier) just the last few years. I remember when i started using Linux side by side with win7 in 2018 it was a lot different then then now 2026.. ZorinOS have really come far in user-friendliness. it have passed Ubuntu and Mint in high speed just the last year.. and with PopOS as OEM machines and Tuxedo and some more hardware manufacturers it have become better since i started.
But still...... the user have to want to learn a new OS.. and it is not for everyone as some software Eco-systems just dont work to Linux.

So i only recommend it to those that want an OS they can have full control over.. or for people with to old hardware so they cant run windows even with bypassing hardware requirements... or if it is people hunting for absolutely best privacy they can get in today's world.
Otherwise when people have had it with windows i tell them to look at MacOS as its user-friendly and more stable then windows and still support most software Eco-systems.
I actually wrote an article a couple of years back for whom Linux is for or not... (To Linux or not to Linux.. that is the question.... )
and yeah i borrowed Hamlet when i chose the title. *LOL*
Edit: Perhaps i should post that article here on elevenforums too.....

I was late on the server-train.. even i was on Linux as primary around April 2019 i never switched my server until 2023(i think it was) as i felt i have to really know linux as a server OS and ZFS and all that before switching from 2012R2 to linux. I use PXE-boot and network drives and some services, so i had to learn how to do that on Linux first. Never switch a server until you know what you doing.. if uptime is priority.
I never looked in on Kubernetes, but i use docker.. i dont plan on upscaling my servers that much so i need Kubernetes.

pparks1 said:

Lol, yeah.........

I'm about 50/50 on Windows/Mac OS for desktop these days. Almost switched to Mac at work after running windows for 30+ years. Work eliminated our ability to run WSL, so I lost all of my Nix tooling and such. Almost everybody on team and my surrounding teams are all running on Mac's. I'm getting to be on the last windows holdouts.

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I have never used MacOS myself.. i helped my sister to enable NTFS a bunch of years back as she had an external backup disk to her old Windows computer. So i have 10-15 minutes of experience of Mac But it looked like a really easy system
I use Linux to 95% and Windows for 5%.. of those five i use 4 offline on win7.. and 1% online with W10 IoT, as my online software i need stopped update to W8.1 this summer.. so i did a panic install of W10IoT as you might have seen in VIP.*lol*
To bad MacOS is also hardware tied as i would actually prefer MacOS over W10IoT for my 1% work.. hackintosh solution isn't really my cup of tea.

I've made my living using Microsoft Operating Systems for the past 45 years. I'm not going to try to change now.

You hear people say all the time, "I know what I like".

They're actually saying, "I like what I know".

TraderGary said:

I've made my living using Microsoft Operating Systems for the past 45 years. I'm not going to try to change now.

You hear people say all the time, "I know what I like".

They're actually saying, "I like what I know".

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that is why i suggested to use you as an indicator of, the end of the world... if you switch from Windows to MacOS or Linux.. then there is a real catastrophe on the way for real.
I mean this in a kind way as you really like Windows.

Marie SWE said:

that is why i suggested to use you as an indicator of, the end of the world... if you switch from Windows to MacOS or Linux.. then there is a real catastrophe on the way for real.
I mean this in a kind way as you really like Windows.

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Actually, I know and like three different operating systems.
1, iOS on my two Apple iPads.
2. Android on my Smart Phone
3. And, of course, Windows 11.

TraderGary said:

Actually, I know and like three different operating systems.
1, iOS on my two Apple iPads.
2. Android on my Smart Phone
3. And, of course, Windows 11.

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I dont like or use smartphones, so Android and iOS is just nothing i ever would look into.
I am curious on MacOS for my 1% online-usage, but its to expensive hardware for only 1% use-case, i just cant validate that buy. *lol*
I really liked Windows up to win7. i still run win7 for offline usage
But win10 LTSC IoT seems pretty okay so far.. I might think that about w11 LTSC IoT too.
But then i have my evil i dont really like any OS gene.. So i just use what is best for the usage i need.. or as i formulated it in my signature.. what sucks less for the use-case.
My love OS was win 2000 i really fell in love with that OS,, so i didn't switch to XP until the SP3 release.

Marie SWE said:

To bad MacOS is also hardware tied as i would actually prefer MacOS over W10IoT for my 1% work.. hackintosh solution isn't really my cup of tea.

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I once dabbled in the hackintosh realm. IMHO, worst use of time ever in my technical career.

The beauty of the Mac experience comes from the hardware. The new M Series Macs are powerhouse performers, which just sip on power. The trackpad gestures on the Macbook line of products is second to none. Their Retina displays on their Macbooks and the dual tandem OLED's on the iPad Pro's are outstanding. The build quality is outstanding. Sadly, when you are in the hackintosh realm, you more or less miss out on all of this really great stuff. Yeah, you are still in MacOS, but missing a ton of the experience.

pparks1 said:

I once dabbled in the hackintosh realm. IMHO, worst use of time ever in my technical career.

The beauty of the Mac experience comes from the hardware. The new M Series Macs are powerhouse performers, which just sip on power. The trackpad gestures on the Macbook line of products is second to none. Their Retina displays on their Macbooks and the dual tandem OLED's on the iPad Pro's are outstanding. The build quality is outstanding. Sadly, when you are in the hackintosh realm, you more or less miss out on all of this really great stuff. Yeah, you are still in MacOS, but missing a ton of the experience.

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I get enough of the hackinWin *lol* so i dont feel too motivated to start that with hackintosh
as for the hardware.. yeah i have heard Apple have really good hardware for running local AI.. so its that part that might-might.... might, interest me in the future. But otherwise i dont have real usage for high performance hardware on desktops/laptops. I work with text documents to 98% and browsing the web and look at pictures and short movie clips for the rest 2%
So I'm not a really good candidate for the Apple eco system

MisterEd said:

You are right. The semiconductor companies are making record amounts of profit for RAM, SSDs , and GPUs for AI customers. Only a small amount of profit comes from consumers.

Today there are just three major manufacturers of RAM: Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Micron Technology. I something online recently. It seems there is a Chinese company that is increasing production of DDR5 RAM. Maybe we will soon be buying RAM from them instead.

I saw a YouTube video where someone who had 1 of 4 sticks of Crucial 128GB RAM fail. Even though the RAM was under warranty Crucial told them they had no replacement RAM so could only reimburse them what they paid for the RAM which was about $240. That was crazy since they would have to pay about $1200 for the RAM now.

Note Crucial is owned by Micron. Micron early this year said they were shutting down the Crucial consumer RAM supplier. That means that no more RAM is being manufacturer by Crucial.

Here are a few of the items items I bought in 2024 and 2025 and what they cost today:

Crucial 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 4800 Laptop RAM = 4/24 $85.59 | 8/26 $419.00
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB NVME SSD = 4/25 $129.99 | 10/25 $139.99 | 8/26 $369.99
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4TB NVME SSD = 10/25 $249.99 | 8/26 $589.99
Samsung T7 Shield 4TB Portable SSD = 10/24 $237.49 | 8/26 $849.95

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DRAM is roughly 4x what it used to be in the spring of 2025.

What Micron did was a double-dirty. Not only did they shut down supply to the consumer end user, but they obtained subsidies and tax exemptions to build 4 more manufacturing facilities. So Joe Tax Payer won't be able to buy any retail RAM via Micron, but he can pay them to build more manufacturing facilities for Micron to keep data farms supplied with RAM.

Marie SWE said:

I dont like or use smartphones, so Android and iOS is just nothing i ever would look into.

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My Smart Phone is actually a powerful Linux pocket computer that I always have with me and just happens to have a phone in it.

I have my entire Kindle library of books for ready reference on my pocket computer no matter where I am.

Since my Smart Phone also runs OneDrive, I always have all my data and photos as well as all my thousands of OneNote notes and the PDF manuals of every device I own at the ready, always there in my pocket, no matter where I am.

Marie SWE said:

I am curious on MacOS for my 1% online-usage, but its to expensive hardware for only 1% use-case, i just cant validate that buy. *lol*

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My large iPad Pro sits on the music rack of my grand piano and my entire sheet music library is on it. Talk about convenience! I love it!

My iPad Mini is mostly for reading my large Kindle library of books. I have over 800 books on it and it weighs a lot less than all those books.

Marie SWE said:

I really liked Windows up to win7. i still run win7 for offline usage

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For me Windows 7 was just another Windows in the long line of Windows. I no longer have any computers that old.

Marie SWE said:

But win10 LTSC IoT seems pretty okay so far.. I might think that about w11 LTSC IoT too.

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Windows LTSC is way to limiting for me and I wouldn't find it useful. It's entertaining watching your adventure with it though.

Marie SWE said:

But then i have my evil i dont really like any OS gene.. So i just use what is best for the usage i need.. or as i formulated it in my signature.. what sucks less for the use-case.
My love OS was win 2000 i really fell in love with that OS,, so i didn't switch to XP until the SP3 release.

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For me Windows 11 is the best one yet, by a wide margin, and I've used them all since the beginning.

Catnip said:

No, no, no. It's not $200, it's $1600. The price has dropped from $1899.00 to $1699.00 CAD. Hopefully that is a trend.

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Yep, that was clarified for me. That's actually reasonable based on the NewEgg US price of $1199.

TraderGary said:

My Smart Phone is actually a powerful Linux pocket computer that I always have with me and just happens to have a phone in it.

I have my entire Kindle library of books for ready reference on my pocket computer no matter where I am.

Since my Smart Phone also runs OneDrive, I always have all my data and photos as well as all my thousands of OneNote notes and the PDF manuals of every device I own at the ready, always there in my pocket, no matter where I am.

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You and me have a totally different workflow for work
My work is 70% offline based, do to security reasons so that is on air-gapped machines, then EOL OS's dont matter.. 30% online work is looking up information and i use a web browser for that.. so Linux Mac or Windows just do the same work when it comes to a browser
So i use Word and a few times Excel and some times i need to digitally sign PDF's and a web browser.

Personal photos i take with my real camera and not my phone, them i just have on my network drive and offline backups.. no cloud needed as i only look at them at home

TraderGary said:

My large iPad Pro sits on the music rack of my grand piano and my entire sheet music library is on it. Talk about convenience! I love it!

My iPad Mini is mostly for reading my large Kindle library of books. I have over 800 books on it and it weighs a lot less than all those books.

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Nice not everyone have a Piano at home. They really look good in a home. But i cant play any instruments more then my Stereo. *LOL*
I never have the time or calmness to read books.. so i think i own 10-20 real books that i have gotten during my life. I dont have one single digital book thogh. Perhaps when i get older and get more free time on my hands.

TraderGary said:

For me Windows 7 was just another Windows in the long line of Windows. I no longer have any computers that old.

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as i collect old OEM computers, i have all Microsoft OS's from the late 80's..... But i only use XP on my "printer-server" as my printer is so old that it dont have Ethernet and uses LPT port. *LOL* So i have an old XP home laptop i use as a printer-server.. Then i have win7 for MS-Excel and Adobe-Pro something to create and sign PDF's..
Then my computer connected to my home-cinema system is also running win7 as i keep all movies/series/music offline its no reason to upgrade OS or hardware as long as that computer running smoothly... the saying (If it ain't broke, dont fix it)

TraderGary said:

Windows LTSC is way to limiting for me and I wouldn't find it useful. It's entertaining watching your adventure with it though.

For me Windows 11 is the best one yet, by a wide margin, and I've used them all since the beginning.

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*LOL* yeah that thread is meant for entertainment. Perhaps someone will have use for it. But primary that one is pure entertainment as it can be fun to share my stupid projects i do from time to time.
For me i only use two programs in online-windows.. the Browser and my digital-ID verification software. The digital-ID software is Windows/Mac only, so that is why i need windows online.. So LTSC works for me as that is the only reason for me using Windows online
I dont dare to have an opinion yet on Win11LTSC as i haven't used it yet.. Home/pro.. i only dislike its a rolling OS.. But that goes for Linux too. I dont like rolling distributions there either.. i kind of like it the old way... install it now and it looks the same the day it goes EOL 10 years later.

@Marie SWE, yes, you and I live in two different worlds.