Uses
Hardware and software I use for development and daily work. Not an endorsement, just documentation.
Hardware
ThinkPad X13 Gen 4
In service since Nov 2024
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7840U (8C/16T) |
| GPU | AMD Radeon 780M (integrated) |
| RAM | 32GB |
| Storage | 512GB Kioxia NVMe |
| Display | 13.3" 2560x1600 |
| OS | NixOS 25.11 (ZFS root) |
Great keyboard and flawless Linux support out of the box. Fingerprint reader works perfectly with fprint. Single USB-C cable to my monitor handles power, display, and peripherals. The trackpad is mediocre and I don't use the TrackPoint due to finger strain. No built-in Ethernet, so I use a USB-C adapter.
Homelab
MikroTik CRS328-24P-4S+RM
Core switch
| Ports | 24x 1GbE PoE+, 4x 10G SFP+ |
| PoE Budget | 500W |
| Form Factor | 1U rackmount |
Powers all my PoE devices (access points, cameras, some IoT). The 10G SFP+ uplinks connect to the server. RouterOS takes some getting used to but is extremely capable once you know your way around.
ASRock Rack X570D4U-2L2T
Virtualization host
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5750G (8C/16T) |
| RAM | 64GB ECC DDR4 |
| Network | Dual 10GbE + Dual 1GbE + IPMI |
| Boot | 2x 1TB WD Black SN7100 NVMe (mirror) |
| Fast | 2x 2TB Samsung 870 QVO (mirror) |
| Bulk | 3x 18TB Seagate Exos (RAIDZ1) + 1 spare |
| OS | NixOS 25.11 |
Runs all my VMs and containers, and serves as first-stage backup target to the HDD RAIDZ pool. The X570D4U-2L2T is a proper server board with IPMI, ECC support, and dual 10GbE. ZFS handles all storage with separate pools for boot, VM disks, and bulk data. The QVO SSDs were spares I had lying around and need replacement soon due to wear. The hot spare gives me peace of mind for the large drives.
TP-Link Omada EAP670
Wireless access point
| WiFi | WiFi 6 (AX5400) dual-band |
| Bands | 5 GHz (4804 Mbps) + 2.4 GHz (574 Mbps) |
| Uplink | 2.5 GbE |
| Power | PoE+ (802.3at) from switch |
Ceiling-mounted AP powered via PoE from the MikroTik switch. Performance was disappointing in standalone mode - only became decent after setting up the Omada controller. Not sure why, but it works now.
CyberPower OR600ELCDRM1U
Power backup
| Capacity | 600VA |
| Form Factor | 1U rackmount |
| Interface | USB (NUT compatible) |
Sized big enough for the homelab load. USB interface works great with NUT for graceful shutdowns. Replacement batteries are cheap and easy to find. Would recommend. Only downside is some coil whine.
StarTech 12U Open Frame Rack
Infrastructure housing
| Size | 12U |
| Type | Open frame / shelf |
Open design keeps everything cool and accessible. Fits in a closet and holds the server, switch, patch panel, and UPS. The open frame makes cable management visible, which I actually prefer.
Software
Coming soon.
Peripherals
Kinesis Advantage 360 Pro
Current daily driver
| Firmware | ZMK |
| Layout | QWERTY |
Build quality is superb, except the palmrest cushions which are showing wear. The ZMK toolchain is frustrating to work with. Haven't modified the firmware yet. Split design is handy but not a must.
Kinesis Advantage 2
First ergonomic keyboard
| Firmware | QMK (via Kint controller) |
| Layout | QWERTY (previously Neo) |
My entry into ergonomic keyboards. Initially used with the Neo layout, later switched to QWERTY. Replaced the stock controller with the Kint controller. I think I love this even more than the 360, except for the function keys. The brick-style design is kinda cool.
View project →Home Office
Coming soon.
Retired
ZSA Moonlander
Retired
| Firmware | ZMK |
| Layout | QWERTY |
Fantastic build quality and firmware tooling. Ultimately preferred the contoured Kinesis design and sold it.
Aruba Instant On 1930 24G PoE
Retired
| Ports | 24x 1GbE PoE+, 4x SFP+ |
| PoE Budget | 195W |
| Cooling | Passive (fanless) |
Decent switch and the only passively cooled option I could find with reasonable port density. Retired because I wanted more SFP+ 10G ports, and the web interface is frustrating. The lack of CLI access is particularly annoying when you want to use LLMs to help with configuration.