Questionthe ideal set up
Questionthe ideal set up
I’ve been using my old system for six years without updating. Recent reviews show I’m still stuck in a Stone Age trying to grasp this new steam technology!
I need to get back into the modern scene. The recent issues with failing hard drives and frequent freezes make things difficult—clearly, a fresh desktop PC is necessary.
Key requirements are:
- A compact case, as space is limited in an apartment.
- Quiet operation.
- At least two HDMI ports for dual monitors.
- An accessible cage for easy data access on CDs and DVDs.
- Four USB 3 ports, since I often need to connect several external 3.5-inch HDDs.
- At least two internal racks for 3.5TB drives (likely around 6TB each).
- Fast transfer speeds for moving up to 2TB of files between drives—currently this process takes hours or days.
- No gaming; light photo editing is acceptable but not intensive.
- Budget around $2000, plus or minus a bit.
I own a retail version on Windows 7 and hope it will work with Windows 10 and then Windows 11?
If anyone has had a similar setup recently and found it suitable, please share.
And if you faced any challenges along the way, let me know too! Thanks in advance.
1. No SSD?
2. Windows 7 no longer receives updates to Windows 10 or is available for free. It might be better to purchase a legitimate Windows 11 version instead.
Because ODD drives are no longer popular, locating a compact model can be challenging. I've already taken steps to prepare for this by using this enclosure for my current drive:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XRCCV44?ref...tails&th=1
You might also think about purchasing one of these in the future, which I have already bought:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079LTC6ML?ref...tails&th=1
If you expect frequent use of those external USB3 drives, a powered external USB3 hub could be a good option. A hub with its own power source would reduce the load on your motherboard's USB3 system.