Here’s my current computer setup for computing.

Hardware

  • used Dell XPS 13 9370 from ebay
  • self-built Desktop Computer

Software I use mostly free and open-source software on my laptops. My OS, Terminal, Editors, Browsers, everything, are free to download and don’t cost anything to run.

  • operating system: Debian Linux
  • terminal: Blackbox
  • text editor: Obsidian, Cursor, Nano
  • browser: Firefox, Brave
  • pdf reader: Zathura
  • image editor: GIMP
  • development:
    • version control: Git
    • websites: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Go (for Hugo)
    • data analysis: Python (pandas, numpy, torch, matplotlib)

What computer should I buy next?

  • (Under $100) old Lenovo X220 – still plenty good for modern computing with Linux installed
  • ($100-$400) used Dell XPS 13 or Macbook Air – what I currently have, still more than enough computer for all of my work use cases. Not for gaming though.
  • ($400+) newer Dell XPS 13 or Macbook Air
  • ($1000+) Build your own computer