Let's define the term "Power User"

[Lil Chillbil]

Let's us the forum define the term power user based on this survey, its such a vague question and I thought we could get a bit of an idea from this crudely drawn out survey...

 

Also lets discuss below 

 

[T.Vengeance]

Minimum to be called a Power User = Can game on major titles at around 60 fps at medium settings and has enough storage that can hold the whole game library (steam or Origin w/e) + Music + picture + some TV shows

[Lil Chillbil]

to qualify for a power user you must have

 

 

Quad core with hyperthreading

single rather mainstream card like a 770

SSD and hdd combo

 

 

with dual monitors 

[Art Vandelay]

IMO, a power user just needs the hardware that suits the things they are doing. I encode video, play games and do low powered work, so I need a good CPU, like a 2600k (I got a deal on it, I know it's overkill), dual 480s (cheap and effective), and dual monitors (so useful).

[dharmadrummer]

I think power user shouldn't be defined by hardware so much as the user's ability to use their system and adapt to other operating environments.

[Lyons]

Uhhhhhhhhhm... I'm pretty sure 'power user' usually refers to the amount and type of work a person does, not the compute capacity of their computer. A 'power user's' computer spec will be determined by the amount of power they need.

[MdX MaxX]

Yeah, hardware alone doesn't define a power user.  Any rich kid can buy a rig with a 3930K and a GTX Titan, but if he uses it as a facebook machine then "power user" is the last thing I'd call him.

 

IMO it's all about making the most of what you've got.  You're still rocking an i5-750 and a GTX 460 but you've overclocked the mess out of them?  You're a power user.  

[TheSLSAMG]

Yeah, hardware alone doesn't define a power user.  Any rich kid can buy a rig with a 3930K and a GTX Titan, but if he uses it as a facebook machine then "power user" is the last thing I'd call him.

 

IMO it's all about making the most of what you've got.  You're still rocking an i5-750 and a GTX 460 but you've overclocked the mess out of them?  You're a power user.  

 

I'd call them a dick. I strongly agree with you.

[Lays]

does this make me a super chip?

[Jack.EXE]

sadly in america, anyone with a 4 core and a dGPU is considered a 'power user" by most standards.

[Lord Pantaloons]

Anyone what knows how to disassemble a PC and actually does it is a power user imo regardless of the specs of their PC.

[DirkaFat]

does this make me a super chip?

Yep, and don't let people tell you otherwise

[Lays]

Yep, and don't let people tell you otherwise

 

 

:]

[Lil Chillbil]

So now we have come to the conclusion, that the rig doesn't have anything to do with it.

 

this is good we are making progress to where we can edit the wikipedia page.

 

a few months ago, I actually was rocking an old imac core 2 duo and a sony handycam working my bum off. it crashed half the time but I did what I could do and modified the cooling and cranked up the fans. Running final cut pro was a blast on that thing up until the day it died and I got my pc. 

 

 

Did that make me a power user?

[Lord Pantaloons]

So now we have come to the conclusion, that the rig doesn't have anything to do with it.

 

this is good we are making progress to where we can edit the wikipedia page.

 

a few months ago, I actually was rocking an old imac core 2 duo and a sony handycam working my bum off. it crashed half the time but I did what I could do and modified the cooling and cranked up the fans. Running final cut pro was a blast on that thing up until the day it died and I got my pc. 

 

 

Did that make me a power user?

Yep, it wouldn't matter if you had some little Atom powered mini pc you'd be a power user in my book. I think that you aren't a "power user" if you're just familiar with software, you need to know hardware because not everything can be solved with windows troubleshooter or whatever the OSX equivalent is. You should be able to diagnose and solve hardware related issues like cooling and faulty parts and know how to replace/repair them without turning your PC into a paperweight.