this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2024
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As someone who daily drives a laptop for work and does field work on server facilities, finding a modern replacement that has both a RJ45 port and square USB (USB-A?) ports available on both sides, has been a pain in the hassle.
And I'm not even crying over the loss of VGA any longer. That one I can live without.
Recommend framework
I've been thinking about it, the main issue is how to get it shipped to my country in a way that I don't end up paying about 4 times the cost of an already expensive machine.
That is fair. They are definitely more than a typical laptop.
Yeah, but it feels like they're mostly worth it. Like, if there was ever a reason to get into the world of international smuggling, those machines would be The good justification.
I love mine so far. My only complaint is the charging for the 16 with the discreet graphics isn't quite enough if you do aaa gaming on it at high settings. When they come out with a 220w brick I will be content.
To be fair, if I was going for a laptop I defo wouldn't be doing this so-called "aaa" gaming. The good quality games are the oldies, the NES, SNES era, the CPS arcades. Those run well emulated on a decently-sized potato.
:D I do enjoy emulated games on it as well but bg3 has been a blast too. It was what drained my battery while being plugged in.
On a similar note I just found a 240w 48v usbc brick today, it's currently sold out everywhere but gives me hope in the next year I will be able to get one. It's a delta adp-240kb.
Thinkpad is still the answer. But i dislike that they started to solder in at least one RAM and took away the 2.5" bay.
gpd pocket is the best field work laptop series I know of right now.
Fam, thanks but am looking for daily driving some sort of laptop, not a glorified smartphone.
I accept your take fully. Here's why I still love it:
I have docks in any location where I plan to work for an extended period of time. "The smallest device which can run x86/x64 code" is what I look for in the handheld device I carry around with me that isn't company issued.
You're right about one thing, though. It and the surface go 2 before it are items I targeted when I saw the use that others were getting out of their iOS and Android tablets. I wanted a device that still gives me access to calibre for e-book sorting and the time waste-y low resource usage portion of my steam library even if I'm on an airplane. The pocket, as well as a charger, a slim bluetooth mouse, and an e-reader all fit in a pouch not much larger than a case for a study bible. I can pull that out of my travel backpack and tuck it in the pocket of the seat in front of me, then I don't have to fight with any of my carry-on luggage during the flight. I take a bluetooth controller or two with me if I'm going to be somewhere for more than a few days, and then when I'm back at the hotel I can hook this same tiny device up to the TV in the hotel room and play emulated games or resource friendly steam games.
I've been using laptops my whole life, and it seems like whenever I'm using the built in display, it's already a poor environment for productivity. Portability gets my attention in its stead.
recommend t480
Or just a little dongle with both of these ports which can be plugged in on any usb-c on any side?
🤷🏻you are even more free these days without even realising, I never saw any laptop at any age having more than one ethernet.
Dongles break, slide off, cause disconnects, can cause internal damage to the connector if the cables you have to connect are heavy, etc..., I already have the bad experience of having to use a USB hub to attach storage.
When it comes to engineering, I'm of the opinion that built-in > bolt in.
Heavy cables are just stupid no matter the port used, or dongle. Dongles do not brake faster than normal ports do. Normal ports do internal damage just the same way. “Cause disconnects”, only if damaged.
I don’t have problems with my dongle (which I had to use like only 2 times a year, anyway)
Wait!.... You don't have problems with something you only used twice in a year? No way!
Its clear you and the person you replied to have different use cases for your devices, and perhaps what they are saying is just as valid as what you are saying.
The PITA is that I use RJ45 pretty much every day. It's not just a matter of "oh there's wifi everywhere"; 99% of wifis everywhere are not open, or are actually not connected to the networks I'm working on, or I need the physical connector to diagnose wire / networking issues; and the performance of wifi on Linux on refurbrished machines tends to be subpar and they tend to not allow for "developer mode" options (playing with your MAC, WPA supplanting, etc).
If Tesla, the actual Tesla, had given us technology instead of the thief ~~Elon~~ Edison, then perhaps we'd somehow have point-to-point wireless RJ45 that would function everywhere, and I wouldn't need the connector.
Just use USB-C to Ethernet cables 😇
I think you mean a Ethernet to USB-C cable?
In any case, I already have the bad experience of Ethernet to USB-A cables not working, and not being able to know if they need some sort of driver. Not even on Linux, which is weird enough for me to temporarily give up on them and prefer built-in to bolt-in for something that's so important.
Yea.. comparing legacy USB with C and think one can apply the same reasoning.. usb C works great with Ethernet protocol in personal experience.
I've already been through the problem with that. Cba doing it again.
?
😌 I “need” it only twice on my daily driver a year.
There are many more devices I use in various situations with various ports and dongles. Heavy cables are a pain for all of them, no matter if dongles or no dongles. In fact dongles often prevent internal damage, since they often have a short flexible cable on the thunderbolt side.
But I guess doing something just a little different does need a lot of time to get used to, especially at the age of boomers 🤷🏻
That's the issue then. You think it's boomers who dont like change as opposed to capitalists removing functionality to sell it back to you in a separate package. I would aregue its zoomers not being able to identify when they are being conned.
Lol, I would literally choose 4x thunderbolt multi function ports than 10x dedicated only one use case ports. Not because of capitalism but because of functionality.
Ok. Cool, but like i said, your use case and the person you responded to are obviously different.
That doesnt have to be "because boomer" or be someone is objectively right or wrong. Because thats not the issue.
You are just trying to be right about something that is completely subjective.
I argued that taking the ports away and replacing them with usb ports is not as cut and dry as sayi g that is better. It depends on your own personal needs.
I accept that a port that can be anything you want is great and may have some advantages over a dedicated port that has only one function. But there are downsides.
You need to carry around a bunch of adapters to get what you need. You are limited to those 4 ports. Remember that most laptops had multiple usb ports alongside multiple display and audio ports so you have lost more than ypu have gained.
You also are still limited to 4 devices or you need a docking station which adds more bulk. And that docking station has limited power unless you connect an external power source.
I feel like you are looking at your needs and severely oversimplifying this debate. Which isnt helpful and doesnt make you right by default.
You travel with one dongle where up to 10 devices can be plugged in in various ports
Thunderbolt 3 ports can provide 15w of power. If you fill them up with devices, especially ones that draw power, then your docking station very quickly needs its own power source in order to make them all work. I've already had a docking station refuse to extend my laptop to multiple screens because it needed its own plug.
Anywayz im not arguing that they dont have advantages. Im arfuing that they aren't necessarily better than having individual ports dedicated to specific functions.
Well, on older PCs you had not mor power zo give than These days. You had back than too only max 4 Ports that can power devices over bus.
Solution: Dell Latitude laptop or Dell DA310 hockey puck adapter.
At least those are still here in my country, so yeah. Might be an option.