How I computer
Like most people who spend most of their time in front of computers, I’ve settled on a setup that just works for me and my workflow. I love seeing how others organize their apps, tweak their desktops, or configure their gear, but I’ve reached a stage where any major overhaul would throw me off balance. I’ve throughout the years picked up more than one good idea from friends over time.
Desktop Setup
Hardware Components
My main machine is a custom-built desktop in a clean white Thermaltake TR100 case. I’m not someone who puts too much value on having a flashy looking computer, and focus more on having a quiet, powerful system. I’m not much into gaming or working with Cuda/working with graphics, so my GPU is somewhat underpowered compared to the other components making up my machine, and since I didn’t want to deal with any weird Nvidia driver issues, because I use Linux on all my machines I went with an AMD one.
- OS: NixOS 25.11
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7600
- RAM: Corsair Vengeance DDR5 64GB
- PSU: ASUS ROG Loki 850W Platinum
- Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX B650E-I
- Cooler: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro
- Case: Thermaltake TR100
- Keyboard: Keychron K6
- Mouse: Logitech MX Master 4
- Monitor 1: AOC Q3279VWF
- Monitor 2: Kamvas Pro 22
- Camera: Emeet C950 4K
- Speakers: Razer Leviathan V2 X
- Headset: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1
Software Configuration
I’m all in on NixOS for everything. I got into Linux more seriously two years ago, and I can’t picture using anything else. I love its declarative style and how it just works. Since switching to NixOS on all my machines, my config work has dropped way off. And I waste a lot less time ricing my system.
I use a tiling window manager because it lets me tweak everything to fit my workflow, every key combo behaves exactly how I want. I make use of Hyprland with Waybar and Rofi.
Laptop Setup
I own a Lenovo IdeaPad 1(15ALC7) with a Ryzen 5 5500U and 16GB of Ram. It runs NixOS too, basically the same flake, since I’ve two NixOsConfigurations in my flake one specifically for my laptop that’s just minimally different than my Desktop one.
Since I rarely make use of it I didn’t bother spending more money for better specs, because I mainly use this machine when I’m away from home or heading to a hackathon. I prefer a lightweight machine for travel since I can always remotely connect to my desktop if I need more power.
Server Configuration
My server runs NixOS too, with a mix of utilities. Where possible services are set up as native NixOS modules. Some run in systemd-nspawn containers using NixOS’s built in container support. I still make use of a few Docker containers because I haven’t gotten around to writing NixOS modules for them yet.
Phone Setup
I use the Nothing Phone (3). I’ve been a fan since 2022 of Nothing and its minimal, clean and futuristic looking design and still have my beat up Phone (1). The only relevant software I have on that phone is Termux and Slack.
Productivity Apps
A lot of my work happens in the browser, emails, documents, slides and so on. I use firefox for that and switch between work and personal accounts with Firefox containers to keep them separate. For notes, I use Obsidian. It’s perfect because I need quick access to info on anything I don’t work with more than twice a week.
Development Tools
I keep things fairly lght with, Kitty, Tmux and Neovim. I don’t like bulky IDEs and prefer working quickly.
Connectivity and Security
Tailscale has been my go-to solution. For everyday VPN needs, Mullvad serves as my primary choice due to the typical advantages it offers.
Conclusion
In the end, this streamlined, mostly NixOs powered ecosystem has transformed my faily computing from a constant tweak fest into a seamless, reliable foundation that lets me focus on creation over configuration.