----- Original Message ---- > From: Rainer Duffner <rainer at ultra-secure.de> > To: CentOS mailing list <centos at centos.org> > Sent: Thursday, September 4, 2008 4:49:02 PM > Subject: Re: [CentOS] OT: workstation recommends: Thinkmate? > > > Am 04.09.2008 um 21:36 schrieb Lanny Marcus: > > > Barry Olddog wrote: > >> I'm looking to buy a new workstation, and it looks like Thinkmate > >> makes what I need -- their vsx "virtually silent" variety. I > >> hestitate because I wasn't happy with a laptop I bought a few > >> years ago from a small outfit that sold Linux boxes exclusively. > >> Does anyone have experience with Thinkmate, and in particular, the > >> VSX line? If the later, is it really quiet. I run Centos on four > >> machines now, three of which are Dells, and I'm hoping to do > >> better. The Dell T5400 is close to what I want, but I get more for > >> less from Thinkpad -- at least on paper. > > > > No experience with Thinkmate, or, knowledge of them, but 4 of the 5 > > computers in this room are Dell's. If Thinkmate is a long > > established company, with an excellent reputation, buy from them. If > > not, Dell will be around, to support your T5400, for a long time. > > > > > Indeed. > But before I spent that much money on a PC, I'd want to *see* it and > hear it. In reality. > Anybody can claim to manufacture a "virtually silent" workstation. > > Too bad, Apple is the only vendor that has stores and all models on > display (at least, for desktops - but for a server, noise isn't > relevant anyway). > > How much is the price difference actually? > > > Rainer The difference is about $1,000 -- 25% more for the Dell -- but the machines are not exactly the same. Thinkmate is opteron, and the Dell, xeon -- which some would say is a factor in Dell's favor; Dell includes a RH subscription whether you want it or not; Dell has three hard drives (the max), Thinkmate four. With the Dell, the memory comes from Crucial, which means there's a waste of two small modules; Thinkmate sells memory at a reasonable price (I'm figuring 32 gigs). The HP xw9400 is closer to the Thinkmate, but an extra $200 to $300, with memory from Crucial. I'm just leery of a maker that I don't know; I searched for reviews and comments, but found almost nothing. Maybe that's telling me something. Barry