Question Are you a brand loyalist?

[SHaines]

With tech evolving every day, we're seeing big leaps forward in the tech we take for granted. For the most part, we tend to pick the best available item, regardless of brand. However, some of us may still have some preferences for specific items.

Do you consider yourself a brand loyalist for any of your tech? If so, why that brand?

For me, I've broken the habit of buying Sony headphones every single time I upgrade. When I was younger, Sony was the only name brand I could afford, so I just got used to using their equipment for pretty much anything related to music. I did use them pretty much exclusively for about 30 years though.

How about you?

 

[Krimdog]

AMD video,and Soundblaster audio. I used to only get AMD processors,but now I have an Intel. Logitech keyboards and mice. If my audio isn't running through a real stereo,then Logitech speakers as well. No other hard preferences.

 

[JadeHarley]

Sapphire

 

[ojutan]

With tech evolving every day, we're seeing big leaps forward in the tech we take for granted. For the most part, we tend to pick the best available item, regardless of brand. However, some of us may still have some preferences for specific items.

Do you consider yourself a brand loyalist for any of your tech? If so, why that brand?

For me, I've broken the habit of buying Sony headphones every single time I upgrade. When I was younger, Sony was the only name brand I could afford, so I just got used to using their equipment for pretty much anything related to music. I did use them pretty much exclusively for about 30 years though.

How about you?

I've broken this habit long time ago... in the nineties I loved Apple until I discovered that they voluntarily delivery cheap hardware to exploit the brand in favor of increasing the profit... e.g. formerly all Macs had SCSI disks. Of course they were expensive in acquisistion and work well, but then - without lowering the price - they decided to use cheap IDE disks in. Also all from Apple was made preventing people to buy standard hardware to extend their hardware capabilities... then this iphone madness started, with 150$ fees to replace a 5$ battery, and in the iPad2 the Wifi antenna suddenly went weak. The antenna was a 3$ part, the replacement would have cost 200$. my wife bought an iPad2 for 500$, then the display got broken, the replacement was 100$. LAter it turned out that Apple used bad quality glass for the asian market from where my wife is from... of course the original Apple replacement display broke again without any visible influence. I know that from Apple powerbooks where displays got broken just by the heat inside of a docking station... the replacement was for free but the display was a malconstruction. As former Apple tech I had to replace houndreds of them... Also WD introduced a mad thing, I bought 4 WD Red 4 TB in 2014. Then I needed replacement and woundered about the low price. Then it turns out that the drive went SMR which has drawbacks in RAID arrays, and the non SMR version suddenly increased 50% in price and they now call it WD Red Pro. But they don't tell anybody, the drive's code did not change, the y introduced a new 4-letter code for the CMR version with the very high price tag. Good bye WD, Good by Apple

 

[Zoel.fahmi]

Not me
But yeah I've been Nokia fans before Android strike

 

[apollothesun]

With tech evolving every day, we're seeing big leaps forward in the tech we take for granted. For the most part, we tend to pick the best available item, regardless of brand. However, some of us may still have some preferences for specific items.

Do you consider yourself a brand loyalist for any of your tech? If so, why that brand?

For me, I've broken the habit of buying Sony headphones every single time I upgrade. When I was younger, Sony was the only name brand I could afford, so I just got used to using their equipment for pretty much anything related to music. I did use them pretty much exclusively for about 30 years though.

How about you?

...AMD CPU's for 20 yrs now/ EVGA for PSU/ MASTERCOOLER thermal paste/
Everything else is based on benefit and cost.

 

[aanderson2040]

If im happy with the brand, I'm more likely to buy it again in the future but if I'm not, I'm probably not going to waste my money on them. The only reason I would switch brands is if another offered the same thing but better in some factor (price, performance, reliability)

 

[Likendor]

My brand loyalty depends on the type of the device/component.

Motherboards and video cards: ASUS only. Initially it was their reliability but now it's only a habit I believe.

RAM: earlier it was Kingston. Now G.SKILL, because of the chips quality, good overclocking and the widest compatibility (QVL tests),

Chassis: I was a total InWin fanboy in the past - they always built high quality strong cases. Recently I purchased CoolerMaster (due to their ultimate cool design), but I regret it a bit. C700M is totally beautiful, but the quality is very poor - I faced a lot of issues with this chassis - number of problems really shocks taking into account its overwhelming price. I already tired to hear tons of excuses from their techsupport.

Sound card: only Creative Sound Blaster (since 90's). I read that ASUS can do even better sound chips now, but I still like Sound Blasters more.

PSU: SeaSonic. They are just the best and the most reliable.

Periphery: I very liked A4Tech products - they work great, and their mice have a DPI switch - it's very important for me. But they have 2 serious disadvantages - low quality of plastic and terrible software. Now I use Razer periphery devices - very expensive but very high quality and great perfomance. And their mice also have a DPI switch. So I betrayed A4Tech quite easily.

GPUs: used nVidia for a very long time, but then tried AMD due to much more reasonable prices, but I was not satisfied. AMD really does have issues with drivers, which can be unstable quite often. I had textures glitches and issues with audio over HDMI. After these issues I returned to nVidia cards which never had problems. Moreover, now there's ray tracing. So, now I have quite a strong loyality to nVidia.

CPUs: used only Intel always. Never used AMD cpus. Even now, when AMD offers some great CPUs at reasonable price, I still stay with Intel. Another habbit, and some ephemeral feeling that Intel is a bit more prestigious.

 

[bit_user]

I realized I do have one strong brand preference, and that's for ODROID over Raspberry Pi.

The reason is simple. ODROID has been in the ARM-based SBC game since even before RPi and they've consistently focused on delivering the best performance and features, at a reasonable price. By contrast, RPi is constrained by self-imposed full compatibility requirements and, above all, price.

And, due to the compatibility requirements, RPi is basically wed to Broadcom, which seems to regard Pi as good publicity, but not a big enough market to justify using even previous-gen manufacturing nodes. By contrast, ODROID simply uses the best SoCs for the price and purpose, whether they be from Samsung, AMLogic, Rockchip, or even Intel. This means not only better performance and functionality, but also less power, heat, and no thermal-throttling (a problem area for the last couple Pi's).

The two most Pi-like competitors they have are:

• https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-c4/
• https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-n2-with-4gbyte-ram/

They also have a x86 board:

https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-h2/​

And they even have a handheld game emulator kit:

https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-go-advance/​

You can order direct from HardKernel, or from a US-based distributor:

https://ameridroid.com/collections/odroid​

I've just been thinking about it a lot, lately, because I recently had to dust off my old Pi for a little project, which had me finally pull the trigger on the N2. Also, there's been a lot of Pi coverage on this site, lately, and readers should be aware that not only do alternatives exist, but some are much better than others.

I've hardly even seen ODROID mentioned in Toms' news feed, though the N2's release was indeed covered:

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/hardkernel-odroid-n2-single-board-computer,38941.html​

 

[Scot007]

Dell since 1987

 

[Deicidium369]

I bought a 120 mm and 140 mm Cougar fan, like 7-8 years ago, and they both made a clicking noise and felt a little unbalanced. After that, I switched to Noctua and never looked back.

I have 20 or more installed and they work as flawlessly as the first day - not talking about the LED ones

COUGAR Vortex PWM 120mm (CF-V12HP) Orange
COUGAR Vortex PWM 120mm (CF-V12HPB) Black

 

[Deicidium369]

Huh?

Seasonic is certainly not cheap nor flashy. Something id consider both cheap and flashy is like a Thermaltake Litepower/SMART RGB

Yeah not sure what he is talking about - does Seasonic even have an RGB line? If so I haven't ever seen them

 

[Deicidium369]

Yes, I am a brand loyalist.

McDonald's over Burger King
White Castle over Krystal.
Popeye's over KFC.

As for PC parts, that's more budget related, but even there, I don't opt for what I consider bottom tier brands.

-Wolf sends

Ew. Wouldn't and will never eat at any of those places... no Wendy's, Jack In The Box.... will get a Whataburger (triple cheeseburger no tomato extra onions) when I am back in Texas...

 

[Deicidium369]

Personally I'd like to think I'm not, however it's impossible not to see just how much Intel and Nvidia gouge their product prices. AMD is offering CPUs and GPUs that more or less match the performance of both brands, at significantly lower costs. Also, after seeing Linus's video dragging Intel's 10th gen lineup and showing their less than pretty business practices, it would be extremely hard to convince me to go for Intel on any future upgrades.

I'm also partial to Corsair's LED fans, mainly due to just how intuitive the iCue software is. If their wiring connections were more universal they'd be dominating the field.

That's your opinion and it's fine. Some people are budget constrained... Linus is a tool - he's all about the clicks.

 

[Deicidium369]

I went through a phase of that. I didn't even like Diet Coke, at first, but wanted to cut down on sugar. But then, I discovered it's almost addictive, and I'd be drinking Diet Cokes when I wouldn't normally even have a Coke.

Eventually, I dropped it and now I just have an occasional Coke Zero or Diet Barq's with foods I'm accustomed to having with soft drinks.

The nutrasweet messes with your brain - and makes you actually crave more sweets. I used to be a Dr Pepper guy - until they changed the sugar with HFC - then Coke for a short time - now it's 99% Green Tea - I make from green tea leaves and often with zero sugar.

 

[Deicidium369]

I realized I do have one strong brand preference, and that's for ODROID over Raspberry Pi.

The reason is simple. ODROID has been in the ARM-based SBC game since even before RPi and they've consistently focused on delivering the best performance and features, at a reasonable price. By contrast, RPi is constrained by self-imposed full compatibility requirements and, above all, price.

And, due to the compatibility requirements, RPi is basically wed to Broadcom, which seems to regard Pi as good publicity, but not a big enough market to justify using even previous-gen manufacturing nodes. By contrast, ODROID simply uses the best SoCs for the price and purpose, whether they be from Samsung, AMLogic, Rockchip, or even Intel. This means not only better performance and functionality, but also less power, heat, and no thermal-throttling (a problem area for the last couple Pi's).

The two most Pi-like competitors they have are:

• https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-c4/
• https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-n2-with-4gbyte-ram/

They also have a x86 board:

https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-h2/​

And they even have a handheld game emulator kit:

https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-go-advance/​

You can order direct from HardKernel, or from a US-based distributor:

https://ameridroid.com/collections/odroid​

I've just been thinking about it a lot, lately, because I recently had to dust off my old Pi for a little project, which had me finally pull the trigger on the N2. Also, there's been a lot of Pi coverage on this site, lately, and readers should be aware that not only do alternatives exist, but some are much better than others.

I've hardly even seen ODROID mentioned in Toms' news feed, though the N2's release was indeed covered:

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/hardkernel-odroid-n2-single-board-computer,38941.html​

Terasic DE-10 Nano / MiSTer over all other SBCs

 

[bit_user]

The nutrasweet messes with your brain - and makes you actually crave more sweets.

Aspartame is comprised of phenylalanine, which is a precursor of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Now, I'm no psychopharmacologist, but I'd hazard a guess that's got something to do with its habit-forming nature.

now it's 99% Green Tea - I make from green tea leaves and often with zero sugar.

I drink green tea, like every day. Organic, loose leaf. Brew it stronger and longer, for maximum benefit. More bitter is better.

If it hurts your stomach, you could water it down or try eating something with it. Green tea is a natural carb blocker, but you're better off with nuts, IMO. I take some fish oil and maybe pop a few walnuts or pecans.

 

[bit_user]

Terasic DE-10 Nano / MiSTer over all other SBCs

Uh... did you check the specs? That thing is way out of date, dude.

​

• 800 MHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor
• 1 GB DDR3 SDRAM (32-bit data bus)

​

​

https://www.digikey.com/en/product-highlight/t/terasic-tech/de10-nano​

Sure, it's got a FPGA, but unless you're doing something worth programming it for, you're better off with even a RPi v4 than that thing. Also, they want $130 for it. That would set you up with a full ODROID-N2 kit w/ EMMC, case, and power supply.

 

[mcbroneolli]

cooler master because i just ended up with a mm710 mouse, a cooler master cpu cooler and a cooler master case so i guess i just started getting things to match

 

[ddg4005]

I prefer ASUS motherboards running Intel chipsets, NVIDIA GPUs, and Creative Labs soundcards, so yes, I am brand loyalist through and through.

 

[NightShade_7]

When it comes to processors, I've always preferred AMDs. My first PC had an Athlon XP 2400+, I've had a Phenom II 555 BE that ran pretty hot, and the only time I bought an intel cpu was for my laptop which was an i5-4200U. And now I'm about to upgrade to a Ryzen system soon.

When it comes to graphics cards, I've preferred the value for money AMD/ATi offerings but that didnt stop me from getting the amazing XFX 8800GTS, as it was simply superior to whatever offerings Radeon had at the time.

And when it comes to pc cases, I am simply in love with NZXT. It is hands down my brand of choice when it comes to cabinets. And if i had to get an AIO I'd take a Kraken just to go with the case.

Besides these biases I'll pretty much prefer whatever brand gets me the best performance at the lowest price per my budget.

 

[bit_user]

I've had a Phenom II 555 BE that ran pretty hot,

I have one of these, but it runs cooler than my Haswell i3, which is supposed to be lower-power (54 W vs. 65 W).

I forget the brand, but the heatsink I used was a tower-style with 3 double-ended, direct-touch heatpipes and a single fan.

 

[Deicidium369]

Uh... did you check the specs? That thing is way out of date, dude.

​

​

https://www.digikey.com/en/product-highlight/t/terasic-tech/de10-nano​

Sure, it's got a FPGA, but unless you're doing something worth programming it for, you're better off with even a RPi v4 than that thing. Also, they want $130 for it. That would set you up with a full ODROID-N2 kit w/ EMMC, case, and power supply.

Have you seen the MiSTer project - far from out of date - development of cores is increasing every day. I have cycle accurate Atari ST and Amiga (have the real HW, but this is better) not to mention the new Capcom play system cores and tons of arcade cores. $130 for the unit, $70 for the 128MB, 45 for the IO board and $45 for the USB hub + ~$50 for 256GB microSD and that doesn't include the case. I have the RPI4 - about 20 something of them - replaced several older less capable components in my Home Automation system. Wouldn't use the DE-10 Nano in that role, same as I wouldn't use the RPI to play games. I have an older Odroid, and I was one of the original backers of UDoo way back when.

 

[Deicidium369]

Aspartame is comprised of phenylalanine, which is a precursor of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Now, I'm no psychopharmacologist, but I'd hazard a guess that's got something to do with its habit-forming nature.


I drink green tea, like every day. Organic, loose leaf. Brew it stronger and longer, for maximum benefit. More bitter is better.

If it hurts your stomach, you could water it down or try eating something with it. Green tea is a natural carb blocker, but you're better off with nuts, IMO. I take some fish oil and maybe pop a few walnuts or pecans.

Apparently my comments about going to Chengdu and taking a trip top a tea plantation in Yunnan must have triggered one of the Mods since the post was deleted.

 

[bignastyid]

Or it was just off topic.

 

[bit_user]

off topic