Uses

The hardware, software and equipment I regularly use

Hardware

Desktop

• Custom Desktop PC:
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X - I find this CPU to be the best balance of performance and price. It uses the AM5 socket so I can upgrade it later.
  • Motherboard: MSI MAG B850M Mortar WiFi - A little more expensive than other options, but it has WiFi 7 support which I needed since I don’t have an Ethernet port on the wall.
  • RAM: 32GB DDR5 (6000 MHz CL30) - I bought this RAM just before the market crashed. I could have gone with 16GB, but I got a good deal on this one.
  • Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD - 2TB gives me enough space to comfortably run a dual boot without worrying about storage. Fast and reliable, not much else to say about it.
  • GPU: Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 9060 XT - I went with AMD for better Linux compatibility. I picked the Nitro+ version because it was on sale and I really like the design.
  • Case: Lian Li Dan A3 - I wanted a small form factor case with good airflow. It is great, though it was a bit tricky for a first build due to the number of possible configurations.
  • CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15S - Keeps my CPU cool and quiet. I chose the NH-D15S specifically because it has only one fan, since two fans would have taken too much space in my case.
  • Power Supply: Corsair SFX 850W - Very happy with this PSU. The fan never spins, and the small form factor along with the braided cables makes cable management much easier.
• Keyboard: Nuphy Air75 V3 - A great low-profile keyboard with wired, wireless, and Bluetooth support. I picked the silent switches so I can use it comfortably in an open-space at work.
• Monitor: Lenovo Legion R27qe - I got it for under $150 which was a great deal. Nothing particularly impressive about it, but it does the job well for the price.

Music

• MIDI Keyboard: Swissonic EasyKey 49 - This is my first instrument. Since I am self-teaching piano, I didn’t want to spend too much before knowing if I would stick with it. I really recommend it though. The build quality is solid and the 49-key format is perfect if you just want to play for fun without taking up too much space.

Software

• Operating System - Dual Boot NixOS and Windows 11
• Terminal - Kitty
• Text Editor - Zed and Helix