PC setup with minimum bloatware from peripherals and minimum shady apps?

[ComfyGreenHoodie]

This is half asking the community, and half requesting LTT produce a video on this topic due to their ability to test a huge variety of peripherals, hardware, and apps. This question was prompted by the recent videos on switching to Linux (especially the intro) and purposefully installing bloatware.

 

Ever since Windows 10 reached EOL, I've been thinking more and more about changing my setup and digital habits. My exposure to W11 has been awful with AI Copilot injected into everything, even freaking Notepad which is supposed to be a barebones .txt editor. OneDrive is too expensive to justify it and has the potential for my data to be scraped for AI training. I got an email from Google about just how much privacy I need to give up in order to use Gemini. Logitech wants to install a 1GB app that can display desktop ads and harvest data just so I can adjust my mouse sensitivity. iCue makes my keyboard pretty colors but is a memory hog. And on and on and on.

 

So I'm wondering what the simplest and least invasive setup is, both in terms of hardware and applications, without dropping to the level of "generic Target mouse." I'm probably going to stick with W10 for the time being, but a switch to Linux by the end of the year is possible.

 

As examples:

• A mouse should be a good quality gaming mouse, with either an extremely lightweight app to adjust DPI (so not Logitech) or has a physical button on the mouse that adjusts it.
• For the keyboard, RGB and lights would be nice, but I don't need the fancy iCue ripple effects. Either a button on the keyboard itself to cycle through colors, or being able to have a slow shift between two colors. I've never built my own KB before and I'd prefer some brand I could grab at MicroCenter, but building my own is absolutely on the table if it's worth it.
• Fan speed controller. I'm fine giving up my Corsair RGB computer fans for some Noctuas if it means less bloat. I had to install the NZXT CAM app to control the fancy screen on my AIO cooler too, but now my computer lives under my desk so I never even see the screen.
• Browser. Firefox seems okay for now, but I keep getting AI feature pop-ups. So many others are Chromium based and have issues with Ublock Origin though.
• De-Googling and De-Windows-ing. I cancelled OneDrive, it was too expensive to justify, plus the privacy concerns. But that means I need some way to sync files between my desktop and laptop, along with a replacement for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. I use Google Sheets a lot, but Google has a lot of the same privacy issues.
• Even some motherboards and GPUs want software installed like MSI Center or Zotac FireStorm. Yes control panels can be useful and needed, but the idea is to pick hardware that keeps things as simple as possible.

It's going back to the old KISS acronym: Keep It Simple, Stupid. I want to make a setup out of hardware and apps that do exactly what they are for, and nothing more. (VLC remains the king.)

[Ha-Satan]

20 minutes ago, ComfyGreenHoodie said:

For the keyboard, RGB and lights would be nice, but I don't need the fancy iCue ripple effects. Either a button to cycle through colors, or being able to have a slow shift between two colors.

My Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed works on both Linux and Windows with basic keypresses to switch effect types without needing to install any software. That said, it's a terrible keyboard and I don't recommend buying it. But I think it's likely you'll be able to find other keyboards that work similarly.

 

23 minutes ago, ComfyGreenHoodie said:

Fan speed controller. I'm fine giving up my Corsair RGB computer fans for some Noctuas if it means less bloat. I had to install the NZXT CAM app to control the fancy screen on my AIO cooler too, but now my computer lives under my desk so I never even see the screen.

How many fans do you have and what motherboard are you using? I've always just controlled fan speeds directly in BIOS.

 

23 minutes ago, ComfyGreenHoodie said:

Browser. Firefox seems okay for now, but I keep getting AI feature pop-ups. So many others are Chromium based and have issues with Ublock Origin though.

I use Librewolf on Linux, which is basically just a Firefox fork with most of the privacy and adblock settings enabled by default and, as far as I can tell, without AI bloat. It can take a little bit of adjustment since it is set up to not remember any of your passwords and automatically log you out of everything when you close the browser.

 

There is a Windows version of Librewolf available but I have not used it, so YMMV.

 

27 minutes ago, ComfyGreenHoodie said:

along with a replacement for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. I use Google Sheets a lot, but Google has a lot of the same privacy issues.

I find that LibreOffice is a functional drop-in replacement for MS Office for most tasks. It's not a 1:1 replacement, so if you need some super-specific Excel functionality, for example, there's a chance that LibreOffice might not be able to do it. But I have found that for all practical purposes, for me, it is a workable alternative.

[asdasdasdasdasdasd]

Keychron has a web-based software to control their keyboards and mice, afaik, so you don't have to install anything.

[ComfyGreenHoodie]

17 minutes ago, Ha-Satan said:

How many fans do you have and what motherboard are you using? I've always just controlled fan speeds directly in BIOS.

7 fans and an MSI motherboard, it's a MEG x570 Unify from about 6 years ago. I forget the push/pull setup I went with, but I'm pretty sure: 3 intakes at the front of my case with the AIO block, 3 on top as exhaust, 1 at the rear as exhaust.

 

I'm using Corsair RGB fans for the top/back, and the included NZXT fans for the ones at the front. I think they all go to a Corsair hub, and that plugs into my motherboard.

[suedseefrucht]

OS: I use linux/GNU Fedora as my main system for most tasks. I still have Windows 11 without microsoft account on a seperate SSD in case I need it for gaming or special photo editing software. Logitech Software runs there too.

Mouse and keyboard: I use logitech devices but I configure them once and save the config on the device. This way it works on linux too and I could uninstall the software.

Fan speed, pump speed: I set it up in the UEFI/BIOS.

Browser: I use brave for browsing. It blocks a lot of stuff and with the right settings it runs steaming services.
For E-Mail I use thunderbird to avoid ads and annoying logins on websites.

And even though I use RGB on keyboard and mouse, my internal system components are non RGB or I dont use the rgb part.

[Lurking]

1 hour ago, ComfyGreenHoodie said:

This is half asking the community, and half requesting LTT produce a video on this topic due to their ability to test a huge variety of peripherals, hardware, and apps. This question was prompted by the recent videos on switching to Linux (especially the intro) and purposefully installing bloatware.

 

Ever since Windows 10 reached EOL, I've been thinking more and more about changing my setup and digital habits. My exposure to W11 has been awful with AI Copilot injected into everything, even freaking Notepad which is supposed to be a barebones .txt editor. OneDrive is too expensive to justify it and has the potential for my data to be scraped for AI training. I got an email from Google about just how much privacy I need to give up in order to use Gemini. Logitech wants to install a 1GB app that can display desktop ads and harvest data just so I can adjust my mouse sensitivity. iCue makes my keyboard pretty colors but is a memory hog. And on and on and on.

 

So I'm wondering what the simplest and least invasive setup is, both in terms of hardware and applications, without dropping to the level of "generic Target mouse." I'm probably going to stick with W10 for the time being, but a switch to Linux by the end of the year is possible.

 

As examples:

• A mouse should be a good quality gaming mouse, with either an extremely lightweight app to adjust DPI (so not Logitech) or has a physical button on the mouse that adjusts it.
• For the keyboard, RGB and lights would be nice, but I don't need the fancy iCue ripple effects. Either a button on the keyboard itself to cycle through colors, or being able to have a slow shift between two colors. I've never built my own KB before and I'd prefer some brand I could grab at MicroCenter, but building my own is absolutely on the table if it's worth it.
• Fan speed controller. I'm fine giving up my Corsair RGB computer fans for some Noctuas if it means less bloat. I had to install the NZXT CAM app to control the fancy screen on my AIO cooler too, but now my computer lives under my desk so I never even see the screen.
• Browser. Firefox seems okay for now, but I keep getting AI feature pop-ups. So many others are Chromium based and have issues with Ublock Origin though.
• De-Googling and De-Windows-ing. I cancelled OneDrive, it was too expensive to justify, plus the privacy concerns. But that means I need some way to sync files between my desktop and laptop, along with a replacement for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. I use Google Sheets a lot, but Google has a lot of the same privacy issues.
• Even some motherboards and GPUs want software installed like MSI Center or Zotac FireStorm. Yes control panels can be useful and needed, but the idea is to pick hardware that keeps things as simple as possible.

It's going back to the old KISS acronym: Keep It Simple, Stupid. I want to make a setup out of hardware and apps that do exactly what they are for, and nothing more. (VLC remains the king.)

Most of the above are self-inflicted. Just don't buy RGB, or don't buy the ones with fancy controls. By a keyboard with dumb RGB and so on. 

if you "need" specific gaming mouse with programming buttons, research the lest invasive ones. Or program the mouse, then de-install the software (if that works and the mouse remembers the program). 

 

Yes, if you use LLM or search engine, that LLM or search engine will know what you asked for. How else would it work? Even duck duck go will know what you searched for. 

 

Use Fan speed control in BIOS. Some critical feature shouldn't be controlled from the OS anyway. Like in a car, the thermostat is just dumb wax and not related to a likely buggy entertainment screen. This is for safety reasons (yes, newer cars have electronic thermostats, but assume the minimum fan speed in BIOS a safety device)

 

You can't escape Google. Firefox foundation is paid for by Google. This is basically just a browser that exists so Google can say "we don't have a monopoly, there is Firefox!". Most major browsers are chromium based. and most websites work best for chromium. and your ISP and the site you visit also know you vested them and what yo entered. You having fond that website with Google is the least of your problems. Uless you are willing to give up your phone and modern car, there is no escaping. 

 

for MS office try all the alternatives. ANY online solution will be...online. Try Libre Office. This really is up to you and your needs. Subscribing to OneDrive also seems self-inflicted. Just de-install. Finding a replacement that is online will be hard since they all will have your data. Pay a lot of money for commercial services. 

 

You bring up good points and some are worth a video. but resolve the self-inflicted unnecessary ones first. Leave the actual hard ones for a video idea (online storage isn't trivial to resolve in private manner). the peripherals with less software overhead also are a good video topic. 

 

There is a software called "syncthing". IMHO it hasn't a great noob UI, but it allegedly syncs files across platforms. 

[Ha-Satan]

21 minutes ago, ComfyGreenHoodie said:

7 fans and an MSI motherboard, it's a MEG x570 Unify from about 6 years ago. I forget the push/pull setup I went with, but I'm pretty sure: 3 intakes at the front of my case with the AIO block, 3 on top as exhaust, 1 at the rear as exhaust.

 

I'm using Corsair RGB fans for the top/back, and the included NZXT fans for the ones at the front. I think they all go to a Corsair hub, and that plugs into my motherboard.

OK, so I dunno about RGB control here. I've never used RGB fans and don't care about them.

 

However, in terms of fan speed control, it looks like your board has 6 total fan headers, one that's marked for the CPU fan and 5 for the other fans, as well as the AIO pump header. So with one fan splitter, you could have all 7 fans plugged directly into the mobo and bypass the fan hub altogether, then just control them from the BIOS. This might be more difficult in terms of cable management, of course.

[thrasher_565]

rgb has been a problem from the start. any program you install can have a phone home. so best is to use few of them if posable. 

 

you can build your own argb controller and program it or use other controllers and there software posably better  simple just dont use the argb. 

 

for mouse dont no if there's after market programs to control things most games have built it controls 

 

and like other said buy a mouse / keyboarded that had built in argb controls if you want something... i have that but dont really care for it ant more i use it for back lit really. or simple no argb...

 

 

 

 

[Syrsly]

I'd like to know what my options are for a really good MMO mouse and macro keyboard which both integrate with OBS web sockets on Linux. I'd prefer a good open source solution.