Our Savior's Arsenal
Everything PewDiePie actually uses. Not theoretical recommendations — this is his real, daily-driver setup. Verified from his videos with timestamps.
Hardware
Desktop PC
OS: Arch Linux
The main workhorse. Originally ran Linux Mint, then ascended to Arch. This is where most of the content creation happens.
Laptop
OS: Arch Linux + Hyprland
Tiling window manager setup. The "nuclear reactor control panel" rice that made every Linux user's jaw drop. Running Hyprland with custom Waybar, EWW widgets, and Rofi launcher.
Raspberry Pi 5
Role: Self-hosting server
Runs the core self-hosted stack: Vaultwarden, Nextcloud, File Browser, Pi-Hole. The little box that replaced Google's entire cloud for him.
Steam Deck
OS: Arch Linux (not SteamOS)
Wiped SteamOS and installed clean Arch. Used as a secondary server for services that need x86 (like Joplin). Also still games on it.
Google Pixel 9
OS: GrapheneOS
Running a privacy-focused fork of Android. Two user profiles — main and a secondary "distraction" profile with a 5-6 second switch delay for friction.
10-GPU Rig
Role: AI / Compute
The supercomputer. Runs vLLM for local AI models and a custom YouTube extension. Also contributes to Folding@Home for scientific research.
Software Stack
Browser
Firefox
With uBlock Origin, Unhook, and custom privacy settings. No Chrome in sight.
Search Engine
DuckDuckGo
No tracking, no filter bubbles. It just searches.
Password Manager
Vaultwarden
Self-hosted on Raspberry Pi. Took 2 days of "spinny circle" to set up. Worth every frustrating minute.
Cloud Storage
Nextcloud + File Browser
Both self-hosted. Nextcloud for sync, File Browser for a simple web file manager.
Notes
Joplin
Runs on the Steam Deck (not Pi — needs x86). Open-source Evernote replacement.
Self-hosted
Custom domain, self-hosted email server. Full control over the inbox.
TV / Media
Kodi
Replaced Google TV. Open-source media center that doesn't track your viewing habits.
AI
vLLM
Running on the 10-GPU rig. Built a custom YouTube extension powered by local models. No data leaves his network.
DNS Blocker
Pi-Hole
Network-wide ad and tracker blocking. Every device on his network is protected.
Terminal & Rice
Terminal Setup
- Shell: Zsh
- Multiplexer: Tmux
- System Monitor: Btop
- Search: grep (he's a purist)
- Boot Analysis: systemd-analyze
Desktop Rice
- Window Manager: Hyprland
- Status Bar: Waybar
- Widgets: EWW
- Launcher: Rofi
- Special: Custom daemon for taskbar auto-hide
Theme: "Nuclear reactor control dashboard"
A Note About Sponsors
PewDiePie has sponsors. We're transparent about this. The following services were sponsored in his videos, but he also genuinely uses them. We note them here so you can make informed decisions.
Hostinger
SponsorVPS hosting for self-hosting services. PewDiePie uses it for his personal website and recommends it as an alternative to home-hosting for people who don't want to run a Raspberry Pi.
Incogni
SponsorData removal service that contacts data brokers on your behalf to delete your personal information. A privacy service, but one that requires you to trust them with your info to remove it elsewhere.
What He Still Uses (Honestly)
Even our savior isn't perfect. Here's what he couldn't fully replace:
- Google Maps — "It's too good." The alternative was so bad he was 30 minutes late.
- YouTube — "I literally can't escape." But he fenced it with Unhook, RSS, and DNS blocking.
If PewDiePie can admit his compromises, so can you. The goal isn't perfection — it's awareness.