A Need for Speed?

Speed is one of the most important measurements of technology. Computer users, especially those who understand them on a deeper level, really stress the importance of high-speed, ultra-performing components. The thing is, though, how much speed do we really need?

I mean, sure, we’d all love a Core i7 Extreme processor, a SSD, 16 GBs of RAM, and a couple graphics cards in SLI. But really, how could we use that? What good, other than insane bragging rights, could possibly come from investing in a machine like that.

In extreme circumstances, parts like that can be nice. I’m sure that professional video editors can use the extra boost. But, really, what good is it for us? If you’re a big gamer, you want power. But, if you’re like most of the people that visit this site and run Linux, there is absolutely no need I can think of.

We’ll use my beloved machine for example. I run a Core 2 Duo @ 2.96GHz, and have a Radeon HD 4850 graphics card w/ 512 MBs of video RAM, and I never need anything more. Technically speaking, it’s not the fastest machine on the Earth, but I’ve always found it zippy. Honestly, I couldn’t ask for more. The most resource-heavy thing I do is watch Blu-ray discs, and I don’t come anywhere close to taxing my machine.

My point is this: geeks spend a lot of time choosing the parts for their machines, and it’s naturally embedded in their DNA to get the best-performing components they can. But if you take a step back and think about it, is there such a thing as computer overkill? I certainly think so. Moderation is always key. Of course, that’s easy for me to say. We both know that if I had the opportunity, I’d have some insanely powerful machine that could outperform everyone else. Do I need it? No. But it’s just the natural inclination I have.

And actually, to completely contradict my previous statement, it’s important to go for the speedier things. The more we push for better performance, the more it will be delivered. When people keep the hardware companies on their toes, we’re helping to push innovation. After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?

So, is there a need for speed? No. But, darn it all, we should want it anyway. It’s pride and demand that pushes innovation, and we could always use more of that.