Since I recently changed computers, let's see here what is the best configuration for a desktop PC, which applies both to a new PC and also to an older computer that would seem absolutely to be replaced.
So trying to be as brief as possible, I will describe my PC from the point of view of the hardware configuration and also, above all, from the point of view with the optimizations applied and the optimal configurations of the settings and software.
My new desktop PC can be considered mid-level and was built by assembling various new parts and maintaining parts of the old computer including discs, video card and other things like power supply and fans.
The new parts are Motherboard, Processor, RAM and Case.
The system remained that of the old PC, obviously Windows 10 64 bit, which after 3 years from the first version, has now become truly obligatory for everyone.
READ ALSO: Start with a new Windows PC
To be precise, the parts purchased are:
- Corsair Carbide houses
- Ballistix Sport 8 GB, DDR4 RAM (then I also added another 4 GB RAM)
- Intel i5 CPU (the most expensive piece)
- Gigabyte Z370P D3 motherboard
Already present were:
- Samsung SSD
- Nvidia GEForce GTX 1060 GPU
- Corsair 650 Watt power supply, just to be on the safe side.
It is therefore an average calibrated Desktop PC, with a value of about 800 Euros, which is really quick to switch on and to load websites and basic programs, giving excellent performance even for the most modern video games, which I can play with high details without no lag problem.
For those who consider PC gaming performance to be less important, the only part of the PC on which you can save at least 100 Euros is the video card, which can be a less powerful model without problems.
For the rest, the configuration with Intel i5 CPU and 8 GB of RAM seems to me really the minimum to have a computer that will last for years.
To work and play, I kept the ergonomic vertical mouse and the backlit keyboard .
As already written, it is worth replacing the standard mouse with a new, more comfortable one and with more buttons, not only to not get tired too much, but also to assign the keys in more basic functions to be used more quickly such as copy and paste.
I also chose to buy a backlit mechanical keyboard, more comfortable for typing and which allows you to stay on the computer at night without having to turn on lights.
Specifically, it is the Corsair Strafe.
The computer also has a webcam and microphone that I keep covered on the lens when not in use (as Zuckerberg does and as explained in the article on how to protect microphone and webcam from espionage).
As mentioned above, Windows 10 is installed on the PC, with active automatic updates, on which, however, I proceeded with the deactivation of Cortana, which I personally never use.
Among other important configurations, I leave the animation effects off in memory of the old PC which slowed down a lot.
We have seen how important it is to disable animated effects on the computer to gain speed, even if the PC has a nice processor and a lot of memory.
My PC starts very fast thanks to the SSD and also because I don't use any background program that starts on its own, as explained, in the guide to disable all programs from automatic start.
The only two programs that I keep active all the time, in addition to the video card driver (which, by the way, is a 40 Euro AMD Radeon R7 1GB) are the OneDrive, Volumouse and F.Lux programs.
Volumouse is used to adjust the volume with the mouse wheel
F-Lux is used to adjust the brightness and coloring of the screen according to the time of day, very useful in order not to tire the eyes at night.
Speaking of eyes, computer glasses, which I never give up, are important to me as I always work at the computer.
On the computer I have installed many programs, most of which I use little or nothing, but I still think they can be useful.
Among these I would like to mention the 10 PC programs to be installed always and free and above all: Irfanview for images, CDBurnerXP, LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office, Chrome and Firefox, Malwarebytes, Ccleaner, 7Zip and VLC MediaPlayer.
As default browser I use Chrome, not only because it is very expandable with many extensions, but above all for its ability to synchronize between PC and smartphone.
As a music player I have disabled Windows Media Player (see how to disable Windows functions) and instead use AIMP, among the best programs to listen to music on your PC.
For videos, the aforementioned VLC Media Player, to view images and make changes to Irfanview while instead as antivirus I do not use anything and I remain with the basic protection of Windows Defender of Windows 10.
Using the Pushbullet extension on Chrome I can also receive cell phone notifications on the PC.
Among the best features of Windows 10 that I use every day are certainly:
- the virtual printer to save to PDF in Windows 10
- the possibility to minimize a window by shaking it with the mouse from its title (press on the title, hold it down and then move the mouse quickly to resize it on the fly)
- the automatic arrangement of the windows when you move one to the side, at the bottom or at the top, to support multiple programs or folders.
- The Windows 10 clipboard history feature to facilitate copying and pasting.
- Having a large screen, I also used the options (in Settings> System ) to enlarge the desktop, the size of the text, icons and images.
- Using the Microsoft account in Windows 10 to synchronize settings and documents within the Onedrive cloud.
- Turn off all monitoring options in the Settings section -> Privacy .
- Activated the Memory Sensor function to keep free space in Windows 10.
Then I refer to the guide on the options to be changed in Windows 10 for an optimal system configuration and the options to be disabled to keep Windows 10 fast.
The Windows 10 Start menu now I keep it as default, although until recently I used Classic Shell to have the Windows 7 Start menu in 10 to better display the list of installed programs that otherwise remains a bit hidden.
I don't know if this is absolutely the best configuration for a Desktop PC, perhaps buying an i7 processor instead of the i5 would have been even faster and more performing, but I think it is a balanced solution, which allows you to do everything without ever being limited or stuck, even looking at the wallet.
In case of doubts or curiosities, you can ask me in the comments.
READ ALSO: How do I configure my Android smartphone optimally
So trying to be as brief as possible, I will describe my PC from the point of view of the hardware configuration and also, above all, from the point of view with the optimizations applied and the optimal configurations of the settings and software.
My new desktop PC can be considered mid-level and was built by assembling various new parts and maintaining parts of the old computer including discs, video card and other things like power supply and fans.
The new parts are Motherboard, Processor, RAM and Case.
The system remained that of the old PC, obviously Windows 10 64 bit, which after 3 years from the first version, has now become truly obligatory for everyone.
READ ALSO: Start with a new Windows PC
To be precise, the parts purchased are:
- Corsair Carbide houses
- Ballistix Sport 8 GB, DDR4 RAM (then I also added another 4 GB RAM)
- Intel i5 CPU (the most expensive piece)
- Gigabyte Z370P D3 motherboard
Already present were:
- Samsung SSD
- Nvidia GEForce GTX 1060 GPU
- Corsair 650 Watt power supply, just to be on the safe side.
It is therefore an average calibrated Desktop PC, with a value of about 800 Euros, which is really quick to switch on and to load websites and basic programs, giving excellent performance even for the most modern video games, which I can play with high details without no lag problem.
For those who consider PC gaming performance to be less important, the only part of the PC on which you can save at least 100 Euros is the video card, which can be a less powerful model without problems.
For the rest, the configuration with Intel i5 CPU and 8 GB of RAM seems to me really the minimum to have a computer that will last for years.
To work and play, I kept the ergonomic vertical mouse and the backlit keyboard .
As already written, it is worth replacing the standard mouse with a new, more comfortable one and with more buttons, not only to not get tired too much, but also to assign the keys in more basic functions to be used more quickly such as copy and paste.
I also chose to buy a backlit mechanical keyboard, more comfortable for typing and which allows you to stay on the computer at night without having to turn on lights.
Specifically, it is the Corsair Strafe.
The computer also has a webcam and microphone that I keep covered on the lens when not in use (as Zuckerberg does and as explained in the article on how to protect microphone and webcam from espionage).
As mentioned above, Windows 10 is installed on the PC, with active automatic updates, on which, however, I proceeded with the deactivation of Cortana, which I personally never use.
Among other important configurations, I leave the animation effects off in memory of the old PC which slowed down a lot.
We have seen how important it is to disable animated effects on the computer to gain speed, even if the PC has a nice processor and a lot of memory.
My PC starts very fast thanks to the SSD and also because I don't use any background program that starts on its own, as explained, in the guide to disable all programs from automatic start.
The only two programs that I keep active all the time, in addition to the video card driver (which, by the way, is a 40 Euro AMD Radeon R7 1GB) are the OneDrive, Volumouse and F.Lux programs.
Volumouse is used to adjust the volume with the mouse wheel
F-Lux is used to adjust the brightness and coloring of the screen according to the time of day, very useful in order not to tire the eyes at night.
Speaking of eyes, computer glasses, which I never give up, are important to me as I always work at the computer.
On the computer I have installed many programs, most of which I use little or nothing, but I still think they can be useful.
Among these I would like to mention the 10 PC programs to be installed always and free and above all: Irfanview for images, CDBurnerXP, LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office, Chrome and Firefox, Malwarebytes, Ccleaner, 7Zip and VLC MediaPlayer.
As default browser I use Chrome, not only because it is very expandable with many extensions, but above all for its ability to synchronize between PC and smartphone.
As a music player I have disabled Windows Media Player (see how to disable Windows functions) and instead use AIMP, among the best programs to listen to music on your PC.
For videos, the aforementioned VLC Media Player, to view images and make changes to Irfanview while instead as antivirus I do not use anything and I remain with the basic protection of Windows Defender of Windows 10.
Using the Pushbullet extension on Chrome I can also receive cell phone notifications on the PC.
Among the best features of Windows 10 that I use every day are certainly:
- the virtual printer to save to PDF in Windows 10
- the possibility to minimize a window by shaking it with the mouse from its title (press on the title, hold it down and then move the mouse quickly to resize it on the fly)
- the automatic arrangement of the windows when you move one to the side, at the bottom or at the top, to support multiple programs or folders.
- The Windows 10 clipboard history feature to facilitate copying and pasting.
- Having a large screen, I also used the options (in Settings> System ) to enlarge the desktop, the size of the text, icons and images.
- Using the Microsoft account in Windows 10 to synchronize settings and documents within the Onedrive cloud.
- Turn off all monitoring options in the Settings section -> Privacy .
- Activated the Memory Sensor function to keep free space in Windows 10.
Then I refer to the guide on the options to be changed in Windows 10 for an optimal system configuration and the options to be disabled to keep Windows 10 fast.
The Windows 10 Start menu now I keep it as default, although until recently I used Classic Shell to have the Windows 7 Start menu in 10 to better display the list of installed programs that otherwise remains a bit hidden.
I don't know if this is absolutely the best configuration for a Desktop PC, perhaps buying an i7 processor instead of the i5 would have been even faster and more performing, but I think it is a balanced solution, which allows you to do everything without ever being limited or stuck, even looking at the wallet.
In case of doubts or curiosities, you can ask me in the comments.
READ ALSO: How do I configure my Android smartphone optimally
