[thebiglabowski]

I currently use a powerful Mac for my computing needs, which include heavy browsing and regularly running multiple programs in CS5.

By heavy browsing, I mean jumping back and forth between 20+ tabs (that's on the low side) and often exceeding 40 tabs between two displays. Often I feel that this heavy browsing takes a noticeable toll on my machine's performance, even when I have plenty of memory to spare.

So I'm thinking about getting some sort of A B switch and hooking up my Mac for CPU-intensive processes, and then another computer for only browsing.
My thoughts are a Chrome Book or Chrome Box, but does anyone have any suggestions? What computer might suit my needs when it comes to only heavy browsing, but low CPU function beyond the browser?

thanks!

[M98custom1212]

What's your budget?

[diablodow]

Look into a tablet perhaps? A nexus 7 on the low price side and a nexus 10 on the higher side.

[cameron122000]

Originally Posted by diablodow

Look into a tablet perhaps? A nexus 7 on the low price side and a nexus 10 on the higher side.

Probably not with how many tabs he wants to have open. Between 20 - 40 tabs on a tablet wouldn't be a good idea.

Browsing with so many tabs open is going to take up a lot of RAM and also require a non-bottom-level CPU. You need something with lots of RAM and a medium-powered CPU. Cheapest would be to buy the parts off of Newegg and put it together yourself. Buy 4 - 8GB of RAM, a motherboard with onboard graphics that will hold all of the RAM, and a mid-range CPU. You'll be set.

[Supra_MKIII]

Build a cheap mini-ITX rig IMO

[thebiglabowski]

Originally Posted by M98custom1212

What's your budget?

Low, a few hundred at most.

Originally Posted by diablodow

Look into a tablet perhaps? A nexus 7 on the low price side and a nexus 10 on the higher side.

A tablet really doesn't have the usability that I need for the fluid transitions I need from tab to tab. Also, I use developer tools on Chrome and also Firebug, not sure what kind of support they have for mobile devices.

Originally Posted by cameron122000

Probably not with how many tabs he wants to have open. Between 20 - 40 tabs on a tablet wouldn't be a good idea.

Browsing with so many tabs open is going to take up a lot of RAM and also require a non-bottom-level CPU. You need something with lots of RAM and a medium-powered CPU. Cheapest would be to buy the parts off of Newegg and put it together yourself. Buy 4 - 8GB of RAM, a motherboard with onboard graphics that will hold all of the RAM, and a mid-range CPU. You'll be set.

I'm more of a software guy, not a hardware guy, never built a computer before. I just figured maybe a Chromebook would be a good investment because it allocates all resources to exactly what I need.
Price wise, what range am I looking at to build a decent machine from scratch? Possibly a mini-ITX rig as the guy I quoted below mentioned?

Originally Posted by Supra_MKIII

Build a cheap mini-ITX rig IMO

[Ford]

I built a box for some Rational tools that run on linux a couple weeks ago. I went into newegg, dug into their tech stuff 2 or 3 generations behind.

BIOSTAR A780L3B AM3 AMD 760G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard (had onboard gfx) $45

AMD Athlon II X2 1.6ghz Regor - $30

Kingston HyperX 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) - $40

WD 320GB 32 MB cache, 6gb/s read/write - $60

I had a box lying around, but you likely could find a box and PSU for not much more on top of that. You mentioned you don't have a lot of hardware experience. As long as you get your motherboard/processor setup properly...everything else should hook up fine, or at least well enough =P

[Mustang7302]

If you go with a second desktop, I suggest a software solution to replace a hardware A/V switch or KVM. Checkout Mouse Without Borders from the Microsoft Garage. It allows you to share your mouse, keyboard, clipboard, and drag/drop files to other computers on your local network; just setup a dedicated monitor for the second machine and it will feel like your main computer has an extended desktop with the benefit of dedicated hardware resources.

I use this at the office. Two monitors on my laptop for development, and a third monitor on a desktop used to monitor remote virtual servers; the three screens feel like one big desktop with one set of a mouse and keyboard.

[DJ Bob (Banned)]

why do you need 40 tabs open at a time?

[thebiglabowski]

Originally Posted by Mustang7302

If you go with a second desktop, I suggest a software solution to replace a hardware A/V switch or KVM. Checkout Mouse Without Borders from the Microsoft Garage. It allows you to share your mouse, keyboard, clipboard, and drag/drop files to other computers on your local network; just setup a dedicated monitor for the second machine and it will feel like your main computer has an extended desktop with the benefit of dedicated hardware resources.

I use this at the office. Two monitors on my laptop for development, and a third monitor on a desktop used to monitor remote virtual servers; the three screens feel like one big desktop with one set of a mouse and keyboard.

Sounds awesome, I'll definitely check it out.

Originally Posted by DJ Bob

why do you need 40 tabs open at a time?

Right now I have about 10 jsfiddles open, a site I'm working on, about 5 more pages from that same site, maybe 5-7 research tabs (teaching myself some new css), and 4 fiverr gigs that I plan on checking out at some point today that I don't want to close yet. Also 3 CNN articles I plan on reading during lunch that I have not yet closed.
That's about 30, but it says I have 34 open, maybe something in another window too.

[carson66]

what's the brand prefer?

[r_racer11]

Originally Posted by Mustang7302

If you go with a second desktop, I suggest a software solution to replace a hardware A/V switch or KVM. Checkout Mouse Without Borders from the Microsoft Garage. It allows you to share your mouse, keyboard, clipboard, and drag/drop files to other computers on your local network; just setup a dedicated monitor for the second machine and it will feel like your main computer has an extended desktop with the benefit of dedicated hardware resources.

I use this at the office. Two monitors on my laptop for development, and a third monitor on a desktop used to monitor remote virtual servers; the three screens feel like one big desktop with one set of a mouse and keyboard.

Use this setup at work. Its great for stuff like design because i can work on large files on my main and then jump to the secondary for using the browser. Mouse with borders works great too except i had to turn off the shared clipboard because it kept crashing it.

[akward silence]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o01_s00_i00

[Jebus Christ]

The second I read the title of the thread the only thing I can think of is a chrome book. I mean that's literally what the entire operating system is built for. You can also pick up the Samsung chrome book for $250. When I held it I felt the quality was solid. No moving parts, light as hell, fantastic price, and built around the chrome browser.

Definitely go into a best buy and check it out because it may be the best solution in this specific case.

[Nvertmini98]

look into a samsung Chromebook

[thebiglabowski]

Originally Posted by akward silence

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o01_s00_i00

What is this sorcery?

[akward silence]

They are pretty cool. I got one just to play with and it works really well.

[thebiglabowski]

So can you (verbally) walk me through what it is capable of? I can't imagine it can handle anywhere near the load I'd want it to.

[akward silence]

Originally Posted by thebiglabowski

So can you (verbally) walk me through what it is capable of? I can't imagine it can handle anywhere near the load I'd want it to.

You plug it into your TV or monitor and it does whatever a tablet would do. Web browsing, games, media, etc. It does quite a bit, it surely surprised the hell out of me.

[thebiglabowski]

Originally Posted by akward silence

You plug it into your TV or monitor and it does whatever a tablet would do. Web browsing, games, media, etc. It does quite a bit, it surely surprised the hell out of me.

Interesting, I may have to check it out.

[earlsweatshirt (Banned)]

If all you plan on doing is browsing the web then go with a toshiba satellite. They pretty much have the specs of a baked potato but would be 10/10 for just browsing. They're dirt cheap also.