Remodelopnik - Technology Edition

"KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs" (kusabisensei)
03/26/2015 at 13:16 • Filed to: None

It's official. I am starting the project to remodel the kitchen and dining room. We are knocking a wall down and turning it into one big space. We are also going to do a built in desk for me in the kitchen where I have a bay window. This means new computer time, which hasn't come for 10 years.

I'm very likely to just go buy an iMac with the retina display, the built in VESA mount, and this...

It's $425 and will work with the 100x100 VESA plate on the iMac. I'll have the fabricator put a mount hole in the stone for this.

Does this seem reasonable first off, and second, would I be crazy for wanting to install Windows 7 on it to play more SimCity 4?

DISCUSSION (15)

bob and john > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
03/26/2015 at 13:17

'mac'
"gaming"

LOOL

I dont just mean the OS. good luck trying to upgrade it in the future. Your better off with a steam box or a low end alienware X51

PS9 > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
03/26/2015 at 13:24

New computer time...

Oh my god. I don't remember the last time I brought a new computer. Bush was still president when I built this thing...and it runs 32 bit Vista... VISTA ...

I'd open the registry, but I'm afraid. I don't know how bad the windows rot on this thing must be. It has to be monstrous by now...I don't want whatever is in there to pop out and eat me alive, with a BSOD as the last thing I see...

E. Julius > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
03/26/2015 at 13:25

As Peter Black pointed out, Macs aren't ideal if you're into bleeding edge gaming. A new one should keep up for a few years though. My 2011 Macbook Pro with integrated graphics can still play a handful of new games, and the iMac would likely be able to keep up for longer. Of course, if you're only playing stuff like Sim City 4, you could handle that no sweat for decades.

Also, I dual boot and it works pretty well.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > bob and john
03/26/2015 at 13:30

Upgrade it? What is this, ChumpCar? I already have an Xbox for TV duty. I don't need a gaming PC anymore.

I'm on a 10 year upgrade cycle. I go through cars faster than I do computers! Plus I'd rather have the AIO form factor than having a separate monitor.

My days of build your own or buying a gaming PC are long past. I'd prefer something I can use, will not tire of looking at from a design point of view, and looks nice.

If I want to play a game, there's always the Xbox.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > PS9
03/26/2015 at 13:32

VISTA

That's a crying shame. It worked well enough, for what it was, but not much more than that.

bob and john > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
03/26/2015 at 13:34

*shrugs* your choice.

I'm more of a PC gamer now then i was before, and the fact that I do a fair amount of cad and rendering means i try to refresh something every 3-4 years.

as for design: eh, thats debatable. it really depends on the room,. the way i have my rooms made lend themselves better to the angular and dark lines of an alienware then a mac.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > E. Julius
03/26/2015 at 13:37

And if you read my response, the point is not a gaming machine. I have an Xbox and a TV for that.

I'm gutting the kitchen and getting all new stainless appliances and such, so the iMac fits from a design perspective, and does what I need it to do. It will stand up to light gaming, but then again, I don't do much gaming on PC.

E. Julius > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
03/26/2015 at 13:40

Well, in fairness your response was posted after my original comment. Makes sense though. I love Macs, and think they're fine computers. Everyone was kind of on the bandwagon for a while and now they're starting to fall off again it seems, but I've always thought they were solid since I first used one back in 2005. Sounds like it will look good in your sweet new kitchen!

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > bob and john
03/26/2015 at 13:42

I'd hate to see your kitchen if it falls into that category.

I'm trying to move away from black bamboo engineered flooring and black trim around the white cabinets. Knocking the wall down means I'll also have a lot more light in the kitchen.

Hence why I'm going in this direction rather than a more traditional computer room. Even as someone trained to write software and engineer solutions, I just would rather not live in a dark cave with an internet connection.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > E. Julius
03/26/2015 at 13:45

And then maybe I can get the rest of the windows replaced, and redo the downstairs to have more light and TV.

It needs new carpet and the walls need to be painted because they are a dark green. I don't like dark colors on walls when there is a challenge of bringing in enough natural light to the room.

I bought the house knowing it would need a lot of work. I'm just fed up with it enough to start doing it.

bob and john > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
03/26/2015 at 13:47

ah, you see i like tht look.

then again, I spend a lot of time in the garage and out on the road on a motorcycle, so I dont really care for the house to be completely open to the light.

ah well, different strokes and all tht.

E. Julius > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
03/26/2015 at 13:54

New windows make such a huge difference. The glass looks better, they make the whole house look nicer, and they're more energy efficient (although I'm sure you knew all that). Good on you for getting around to the work!

OPPOsaurus WRX > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
03/26/2015 at 14:17

If your buying iStuff i'm guessing your getting an IKEA kitchen as well. I've been there don that with the kitchen, if you have remodeling questions let me know.

Kinja'd!!!

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > OPPOsaurus WRX
03/26/2015 at 15:31

No IKEA kitchen here. Getting a set of DuraSupreme cabinets topped with quartz, solid wood flooring (different stain to finish it), a stainless 36 inch gas rangetop and hood, electric 30 inch oven, a few more things (dishwasher), and in knocking the wall out, I have to vault the ceiling in the kitchen (dining room is vaulted), which is mucho excellente.

This is a very big upgrade from the GE ceramic range in refrigerator white, and the 28 year old builders grade cabinets which are starting, in places, to literally disintegrate.

Glucklich21- master of the cones > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
04/14/2015 at 18:10

Does this seem reasonable first off, and second, would I be crazy for wanting to install Windows 7 on it to play more SimCity 4?

Nope. I did it on my iMac then found that they ported it to OSX on Steam years ago.

I've been playing SC4 since 2004.