Laptop or desktop
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 789
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Laptop or desktop
I've just upgraded to wireless broadband, and enjoy being able to use the work laptop all around the house.
The old desktop is on its last legs, but I'm in two minds about whether the replacement should be a lap or a desktop.
Are there any pros and cons that you can come up with for either.
(The use is for internet, email, general office stuff - no games, sims etc)
The old desktop is on its last legs, but I'm in two minds about whether the replacement should be a lap or a desktop.
Are there any pros and cons that you can come up with for either.
(The use is for internet, email, general office stuff - no games, sims etc)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: fairly close to the colonial capitol
Age: 55
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Usage noted. You will most likely be very happy with a nice laptop on the wireless. Nothing like doing email or business correspondence from the great outdoors, eh?
Useful in transitory mode too.
Games and mission critical apps would have tilted the balance the other way by the, erm way.
Good Luck!
Useful in transitory mode too.
Games and mission critical apps would have tilted the balance the other way by the, erm way.
Good Luck!
Join Date: May 2000
Location: London
Posts: 383
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would say that as you aren't planning to play any games or use any intensive applications like that then go for the laptop.
If you were then definatly desktop.
Although depending on how long you intend to spend on the computer, for instance on the net etc I wouldn't like to be staring at a small laptop screen for long. You could always though buy a bigger monitor if you wanted to plug in to the laptop as they are cheap, or get a docking station.
If you were then definatly desktop.
Although depending on how long you intend to spend on the computer, for instance on the net etc I wouldn't like to be staring at a small laptop screen for long. You could always though buy a bigger monitor if you wanted to plug in to the laptop as they are cheap, or get a docking station.
Registered User **
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To save bucks$$$£££ go for a desktop, I had a laptop, spilt tea on keyboard, sent away, big $$$$ for repair. Desktop....Down to local supermarket £25 new keyboard.
RS
RS
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
Age: 24
Posts: 6,487
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Agree with RS - desktop far easier and so much cheaper to repair, upgrade etc. Screen goes on laptop out of warranty - beyond economic repair - screen goes on desktop, buy a new one to your budget/needs. Need more disk space on laptop - tough, or get an external drive, need more on desktop, just shove another one in....and so it goes on.
Price for price, laptops are not very robust compared to desktops, in my experience.
Price for price, laptops are not very robust compared to desktops, in my experience.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Cambridge, England, EU
Posts: 3,443
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
(1) Desktops have vastly better keyboards. So if you're actually going to do any typing, particularly if you do it properly rather than pecking with one or two fingers, desktop wins. Except of course that you can buy a separate keyboard and plug it into the laptop.
(2) Desktops have proper mice, laptops have little tits you have to push around or grotty touch pads. Except of course that you can buy a separate mouse and plug it into the laptop.
(3) Desktops have whatever screen you choose to buy. Laptops have whatever screen they come with. Except of course you can buy a separate screen and plug it into the laptop.
So ... if you buy a laptop and decide you can't get on with the keyboard or the tit or the screen you can buy external ones (I've got a real mouse for mine; put up with the built-in screen; choose not to use it for any non-trivial typing).
(4) Desktops are expandable much more than laptops - you can add memory, add peripherals, add disk, replace the graphics card, and so on. This is rather more difficult with laptops - typically you can add some memory, if you didn't get the maximum possible optional memory in the first place, but that's about it. Except that ... these days most of the extras you might want are available as USB plug-ins, so maybe not too much of a big deal here.
(5) IME laptop hard disks are somewhat on the slow side. Not a big deal maybe if you don't do disk-intensive stuff (I do, I'm a software developer).
(6) Only the brave go round upgrading or replacing their operating systems on laptops. Somehow this is a less scary experience on desktops - there's less worry that you won't be able to find and install whatever specialist drivers the laptop hardware needs.
(7) It is still the case that desktops give you more power for the same money, although the gap is no longer the factor of two that it used to be.
And the one thing in favour of laptops:
(8) Whilst it's not impossible to put a desktop in a suitcase and stick it in an aircraft's hold (I've done this in the days before laptops were commonplace) it's not much fun. Laptops are much more portable.
So, I have a desktop. I then decide whether I need a laptop as well ... and I've decided I do, so I've got one of each. But I don't think I could live with only a laptop.
(2) Desktops have proper mice, laptops have little tits you have to push around or grotty touch pads. Except of course that you can buy a separate mouse and plug it into the laptop.
(3) Desktops have whatever screen you choose to buy. Laptops have whatever screen they come with. Except of course you can buy a separate screen and plug it into the laptop.
So ... if you buy a laptop and decide you can't get on with the keyboard or the tit or the screen you can buy external ones (I've got a real mouse for mine; put up with the built-in screen; choose not to use it for any non-trivial typing).
(4) Desktops are expandable much more than laptops - you can add memory, add peripherals, add disk, replace the graphics card, and so on. This is rather more difficult with laptops - typically you can add some memory, if you didn't get the maximum possible optional memory in the first place, but that's about it. Except that ... these days most of the extras you might want are available as USB plug-ins, so maybe not too much of a big deal here.
(5) IME laptop hard disks are somewhat on the slow side. Not a big deal maybe if you don't do disk-intensive stuff (I do, I'm a software developer).
(6) Only the brave go round upgrading or replacing their operating systems on laptops. Somehow this is a less scary experience on desktops - there's less worry that you won't be able to find and install whatever specialist drivers the laptop hardware needs.
(7) It is still the case that desktops give you more power for the same money, although the gap is no longer the factor of two that it used to be.
And the one thing in favour of laptops:
(8) Whilst it's not impossible to put a desktop in a suitcase and stick it in an aircraft's hold (I've done this in the days before laptops were commonplace) it's not much fun. Laptops are much more portable.
So, I have a desktop. I then decide whether I need a laptop as well ... and I've decided I do, so I've got one of each. But I don't think I could live with only a laptop.
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
Age: 24
Posts: 6,487
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
I have a desktop and a Nokia 9300 - QUERTY keyboard, synchs with Outlook, POP3 email. I find it great for drafting short reports, letters, reminders etc when I'm waiting for/travelling on trains/planes. Far easier to pocket than a laptop, and not really the end of the world if it's stolen. Even with good back-ups, having a laptop stolen with all your work and private stuff on it would be a pain.
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Witnesham, Suffolk
Age: 80
Posts: 3,498
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's very much horses for courses.
Unless you want to use it "on the move", a laptop involves several compromises. It's almost certainly a much slower processor, the monitor is a lot smaller, and the keyboard is fiddly.
I use a laptop at the "second home", where there is a docking station with a proper keyboard and mouse, and the screen is "sort of reasonable". The same laptop goes on trips with me, so is versatile.
But at home, the desktop has a comfortable chair to go with it, a much larger monitor, a very good keyboard and mouse, and is very much faster than the laptop.
Of course, if the funds will run to both...
Unless you want to use it "on the move", a laptop involves several compromises. It's almost certainly a much slower processor, the monitor is a lot smaller, and the keyboard is fiddly.
I use a laptop at the "second home", where there is a docking station with a proper keyboard and mouse, and the screen is "sort of reasonable". The same laptop goes on trips with me, so is versatile.
But at home, the desktop has a comfortable chair to go with it, a much larger monitor, a very good keyboard and mouse, and is very much faster than the laptop.
Of course, if the funds will run to both...
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you are not going to be playing any high end games then you could always go for a laptop with a docking station. That way you have the versitility of a laptop with the option of sliding it into a docking station and have the ability of being able to use a standard monitor, keyboard & mouse. Then simply slide it out and off you go again fully portable.
Allen
Allen
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: South East
Age: 56
Posts: 614
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Desktops are clearly easier and cheaper to upgrade and repair, but I wouldn't be without my laptop now. I am free to use it in any room in the house and take it anywhere.
You can get some great deals now, and you can always have an external hardrive for those larger files etc.
A decent home/contents policy will cover any unfortunate accidents (not yet tested).
Just my humble opinion.
You can get some great deals now, and you can always have an external hardrive for those larger files etc.
A decent home/contents policy will cover any unfortunate accidents (not yet tested).
Just my humble opinion.
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: England
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Get the laptop; considering the use you have said you will put it to a desktop's extra performance is going to be unnecessary. As for the screen size; a 15 inch laptop screen is perfectly adequate, as is a laptop keyboard for typing.
As for the ease of upgrading various components; why worry? You'd really have to have some very specific requirements to need more than what the average, even cheapest, laptop offers these days.
And I use both desktop and laptop computers all day in my engineering/computing job, but opted for just a laptop at home.
Finally, I'm typing this lying on my back in front of the TV using my wireless broadband connection - try doing that with a desktop!
As for the ease of upgrading various components; why worry? You'd really have to have some very specific requirements to need more than what the average, even cheapest, laptop offers these days.
And I use both desktop and laptop computers all day in my engineering/computing job, but opted for just a laptop at home.
Finally, I'm typing this lying on my back in front of the TV using my wireless broadband connection - try doing that with a desktop!
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: UK
Age: 60
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Haven't had a desktop for about 10 years, always had a laptop with a dock station/screen/keyboard for serious work and now wireless to use it around the house or wired at work.
It's a more expensive solution, cost of ownership higher, risk of failures higher, but get it auto-backed-up somehow and it's far better than a desktop.
Unless, of course, you want to play PC games or do high-performance stuff (which I don't).
If you buy one brand and stick with it, the peripherals you add-on tend to be able to be used with your 3-yearly upgrade. IBM T-series come with 3 year warranty, which I have used several times - they are well worth the dosh.
BW
It's a more expensive solution, cost of ownership higher, risk of failures higher, but get it auto-backed-up somehow and it's far better than a desktop.
Unless, of course, you want to play PC games or do high-performance stuff (which I don't).
If you buy one brand and stick with it, the peripherals you add-on tend to be able to be used with your 3-yearly upgrade. IBM T-series come with 3 year warranty, which I have used several times - they are well worth the dosh.
BW
Personally, I'd swing towards the laptop. Change of opinion as I had a laptop years ago and it was rubbish! Have always been a desktop kinda guy, as I like to mess around with them, tweak and upgrade them. Now have a Vaio SZ series laptop, and have never been happier with a PC!
Small, light, battery lasts for 5+hrs when it needs to, screen is a decent size and the processor is pretty good (dual core widger, more powerful than my desktop anyhow!). Have bought a freeview tv tuner that's the size of a usb memory stick, and my laptop is now all I need to take with me to home bravo. Awesome piece of kit and highly recommend it, especially when combined with wireless broadband.
Did I mention it's carbon fibre and weighs less than 2 kilos
Not advertising vaios in particular, but hey! (Bond uses one as well in less you havent seen the shocking ads!)
Small, light, battery lasts for 5+hrs when it needs to, screen is a decent size and the processor is pretty good (dual core widger, more powerful than my desktop anyhow!). Have bought a freeview tv tuner that's the size of a usb memory stick, and my laptop is now all I need to take with me to home bravo. Awesome piece of kit and highly recommend it, especially when combined with wireless broadband.
Did I mention it's carbon fibre and weighs less than 2 kilos
Not advertising vaios in particular, but hey! (Bond uses one as well in less you havent seen the shocking ads!)
