For now more than 9 years I'm using my Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E545 with AMD quadcore CPU (actually "APU" b/c with iGPU) and 8 GB RAM, and currently 1 TB SSD. This machine is my main work machine at home and it's always on, even in the night, b/c it works also as a small server... It's using the 64bit Debian GNU Linux OS with the lightweigt LXDE GUI desktop. I've of course attached an external 27" monitor (via HDMI) and normal keyboard and mouse (via USB) to it. During that long time period I only had to clean the internal fan from dust every 6 months or so, and 2x even had to buy a new fan b/c it was damaged (due to too much dust, b/c not done a timely cleaning etc). I'm happy with it and would buy a successor of such a Lenovo computer with AMD CPU/APU (that's a very important criteria for me, as I hate everything Intel and Microsoft ).
Lol, no wonder your paranoid half the time. Those all had the chips that deliberately had back-doors built in for government spying. But if you're not doing anything wrong.. who cares? Right?
@vanzandt, I'm happy with my HW and SW. It's safe and rock-solid. Of course one has to use a good (restrictive) firewall, something like Pi-hole. Btw, never had to re-install the OS, as I always have been able to upgrade it to the next version. I started with Debian 4.0 (Etch) in 2007 or so, since then always upgraded, never needed to do a fresh-install. This is exceptional compared to the WinShit that I had used before since the days of Win95, Win98, Win2000, XP etc.
I'm just busting your chops quanto, enjoying the #1 feature of ET--- killing a little time while patiently waiting for the market to come to me on today's afternoon set-ups.
Yes I use a Mac. A base model refurb 2011 Mac Mini I got within a few days of Steve Jobs passing. It’s surprising but this 12.5 year old computer still runs fine. In the summer I think it’s got an overheating problem, probably needs new thermal compound on the CPU heat sink. I’m able to use an app to change the cooling fan speed so I just raise the RPM if the case starts to get hot. Has an i5 Intel chip and 8GB ram (it came with only 4Gb which actually was OK). 500Gb spinner HD, I bought a 500Gb SSD but haven’t had much need to install it. Use two Dell 23” HD monitors. I was for a long time dismissive of Apple gear as merely expensive and stylish, but I had owned some AAPL stock for a few years and it did great, so I figured I’d better try some of their hardware to see for myself. First thing I got was Apple In-ear headphones, which I didn’t like and that confirmed my opinion. But then the IPhone came out, I couldn’t afford one so I got an iPod Touch, and that was a good device, I remember waking up one morning, still lying in bed, I fired up the Touch and bought …. more AAPL. Later I got the iPad 2, and later yet the 2011 Mac Mini replaced a big Dell desktop (killed by webpage malware that got into the HD boot sector) and a Toshiba notebook, and I got 2 more iPads in later years. Got an iPhone 8 about 4 years ago, that’s what is used for most of my investing now, via the IBKR app from Interactive Brokers. I’ve tried the TWS app on the Mac Mini but it seemed a bit clunky on this old computer and it’s for frequent traders which is not me. I will remain with Apple devices. They cost a little more, I don’t like 100% of their features, but I’m very satisfied with them, and of course the AAPL stock is good and is my biggest holding.