Laptop vs. Desktop. Help me decide!

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Ev0

Ev0

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In the coming months, I will most likely be moving away to attend University, and I will need a new computer. But, what I can't decide is whether to go with a laptop or a desktop. Now, I know the pros and cons of each type of system, but I want to know if paying all the extra money for the mobility of a laptop will be worth it? The big advantage of getting the laptop would be that I could use it in my classes when the need arises, and I would be able to attend LAN parties with ease. Yet, obviously, if I got a desktop, I would save probably close to $1,000 (Canadian dollars), and I would have a higher performance system with more room for upgrading.

My main computing activity is gaming (Mostly HL2 and the coming mods for it, along with a variety of Simulations, and strategy games), so I'll need plenty of performance so I'll have at least a half decent computer for the next four years (the lifespan of all my previous PCs, and the length of time I'll likely be attending University). Battery life doesn't concern me too much, as I will likely have the laptop plugged in most of the time I use it.

If I was to get a laptop I would likely go for an Alienware Area-51m (Unless anyone can convince me there is a better gaming laptop out there). If I end up getting a desktop, I would most likely build my own. And I will likely be purchasing whatever computer I end up deciding to buy in either June or July.
 
Well if your University is offering a laptop for you, then you wouldn't need a laptop (unless you REALLY wanted a gaming laptop because most UNIs that give you a laptop give you the **** ones). So if they are offering a laptop, I'd go for the desktop. Actually, I'd go for the desktop either way. 👍
 
With that extra $1000 you save, you could get a very good Pocket PC and Keyboard. You could type your notes in class and save them onto you Desktop. How much leaning to you plan to do, anyway? :p It's not worth the extra $1000. The Pocket PC will save you money.

That's just my 2 cents (3 cents canadian)
 
For gaming purposes I would not reccomend getting a laptop. I currently have an HP laptop and the video card sucks arse. Also, unless you are going to be on the move alot and taking your computer with you, you don't need a laptop, although the LAN partibility would be a plus. I'm not sure how good the Alienware laptop video cards are, but most of them suck for framerates in games and whatnot.

Over Christmahanakwanzakah (gotta be PC, :lol: ) break I'm going to start building my own hellish gaming rig because cuz I can't play nothin new on my laptop and I'm quite tired of it.
 
Well, there is only one University that I am considering that gives students laptops, but it's my bottom of the barrel safety school, so I highly doubt I'll be ending up there.

And the idea of the pocket PC and a folding keyboard doesn't sound like a bad idea. I could still make a kickass desktop, and have more than enough leftover to go for the pocket PC. The only possible drawback to that though is LAN parties, but I still have no idea how often I'd attend those (may end up being one or two a year, or I could become addicted and go every other weekend).

And I do plan to learn at University. At least some of the time ;). But I hope to go into an engineering program, and from all indications it seems some hefty hours are required for studying.
 
VTGT07
For gaming purposes I would not reccomend getting a laptop. I currently have an HP laptop and the video card sucks arse. Also, unless you are going to be on the move alot and taking your computer with you, you don't need a laptop, although the LAN partibility would be a plus. I'm not sure how good the Alienware laptop video cards are, but most of them suck for framerates in games and whatnot.

Over Christmahanakwanzakah (gotta be PC, :lol:) break I'm going to start building my own hellish gaming rig because cuz I can't play nothin new on my laptop and I'm quite tired of it.
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The alienware laptops come with a selection of GeForce cards (I think the 6800 is the highest end available), but they also have a Radeon 9700 available. In the coming months, I'd guess ATi would release a portable version of their X line of cards. But I'll have to wait and see.
 
They're the mobile versions of the Desktop cards, so they lack performance wise from my experience. If you're going to go with a desktop, which is what I would recommend in this case, I would either get a ATi X800 :drool::crazy: or an ATi 9800Pro AIW :drool:. Just make sure you get a 256bit video card, they have alot better performace than their 128bit counterparts. You'll probably never need anything higher than a 128MB video card, seeing as how no game currently uses anywhere close to all of that memory.

edit:
Or atleast not anytime soon, that is.
 
If you're big on gaming, don't try to make your laptop do that. PC's can be ready to go for lan parties easily enough if you have a shuttle case and an LCD display.

Ask yourself if you would want to buy a laptop even if you had a very powerful desktop. If the answer is yes, get both. If the answer is no, get a desktop.

If you didn't care about performance for games, I'd have told you to get a laptop only.
 
My vote goes to desktop. I doubt that you'll be needing a laptop in class very much, and that pocket pc/keyboard idea's pretty good. With the desktop, gaming will be better than on most any laptop, even the Alienware gaming laptops. As far as lan parties go, desktops arent all that hard to move around, especially if you have a lcd screen. Since this is for college, I'd highly suggest an lcd, seeing as you won't have much desk space anyway. Good luck with the colleges and the computer-getting.
 
if you can only gather $1000 canadian, don't get a laptop. It's not going to get you anything really worth paying for. You'll have a really slow configuration and battery life on the low end laptops is really sucky. I barely managed to get through half a lecture with the ****ty IBM that i'm being forced to lease. The thing is rated for 2.5 hours but realistically, it never got more than 2 at maximum power saving features :irked:. If you want a laptop for study purposes, get one with the Pentium M processor and consider buying a battery extender later down the road. These are the only laptops that will get you the battery life needed to go through the full 3 hours of a lecture. These laptops are MUCH lighter and better on power usage... but don't expect a fast processor by any means. The desktop replacements like the alienware weigh over 6.5 pounds at minimum and they won't normally last more than 2 hours on battery (power saving on and minimal cpu usage). For gaming, these things are pretty good but not the greatest. They'll handle most games but don't expect to be able to max out the settings in farcry or half life 2.

Get a decent desktop for the 1k and upgrade it as you need parts later on.
 
emad
if you can only gather $1000 canadian, don't get a laptop. It's not going to get you anything really worth paying for. You'll have a really slow configuration and battery life on the low end laptops is really sucky. I barely managed to get through half a lecture with the ****ty IBM that i'm being forced to lease. The thing is rated for 2.5 hours but realistically, it never got more than 2 at maximum power saving features :irked:

Get a decent desktop for the 1k and upgrade it as you need parts later on.
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He doesn't have a $1000 budget, emad, he will save $1000 with going with a desktop, which I think he shouls spend on a PocketPC, keyboard and use the rest for making his comp kick major ass.
 
bleh, i was in the process of making an edit... either way, i don't think the weight and battery consumption of a desktop replacement style laptop is worth the price. The so called portability of it is only usable in that you can fold it up and carry it to the next lan party. They're too heavy and hot to have on your knees for more than a short while.

Anyways, what EH said is a good idea. Get a cheap pocketpc and keyboard - use those for note taking and keep the desktop in your dorm or at home or wherever you plan on keeping it. No need carrying the sucker everywhere. Your books will be too cumbersome as it is.
 
I think I'm going to go the pocketpc and desktop path, right now I'm looking at some pocket pcs from HP and Toshiba. I would have also considered the Asus MyPal, but it lacks a hold switch! :lol:

And if I do get a PDA that runs on windows mobile, would applications that work on windows XP also work in mobile (of course assuming the program doesn't require too many system resources to run)?

And I also now see another upside to a pocket PC vs. a laptop. It's less likely to be stolen than a laptop since it's either going to be in my hand or in my pocket. Laptops on the other hand, are stolen all the time from people who are not careful.
 
pocketpcs don't have windows software. They run a completely different operating system. There are however a lot of ports and pocketpc alternatives to windows programs. All you'll realy need is MSWord and excel compatibility with a good scheduling app. All three should come prepackaged.
 
I thought Windows mobile was a scaled down version of windows designed for PDA use. But is it a completely different OS, just with the same name and interface?

And how well do PDAs surf the internet? How well do they perform basic functions like browsing web pages, checking gmail, or forum browsing/posting? When I get a PDA, I will likely go for built in WiFi, unless they are poor at surfing the internet.
 
emad
pocketpcs don't have windows software. They run a completely different operating system. There are however a lot of ports and pocketpc alternatives to windows programs. All you'll realy need is MSWord and excel compatibility with a good scheduling app. All three should come prepackaged.
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http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/about/default.mspx
Nope .. Pocket PCs sure don't come with windows software .. :lol:

That URL should answer some of you questions, Evo.
 
Ev0
I thought Windows mobile was a scaled down version of windows designed for PDA use. But is it a completely different OS, just with the same name and interface?
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same name, same interface, and a lot of windows software ported onto the windows mobile OS in a "pocket" format.

And how well do PDAs surf the internet? How well do they perform basic functions like browsing web pages, checking gmail, or forum browsing/posting? When I get a PDA, I will likely go for built in WiFi, unless they are poor at surfing the internet.
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It should be good enough. I'm not sure how well they render web pages though. Either way, most pocketpcs (palm os not included) should come with wifi as a standard feature.
 
Thanks for the link VTG!

And yeah, I'm expecting poor rendering of webpages on a pocket PC, just as long as I can post on forums, check e-mail, and search google, I'll be satisfied with it's internet performance (which it seems a good pocket PC will do).
 
Hey Evo, which Pocket PC did you choose? I've decided that I'm going to ask for one for christmas this year (yes, I know it is a little late) and have sorta picked one out, but I'm not sure about it.

Here it is!
 
I haven't decided yet, since I am going to be buying it in about 6 or 7 months time, so I'll see what's on the market then.
 
Desktop for - power, and just power, oh and did I mention power?[laptops are just slow IMO compared to my sister's Compaq X1000 and my a610y desktop]

Laptop[notebook] for - Versatility, on the go use, wirless capabilites[I would reccomend a notebook for one that is always on the go.];)
 
Definitely right to go with the desktop + PDA.

Bear in mind that PocketWord does not support tables. Shouldn't cause you too much trouble.

Remember to get Kensington locks for the desktop and TFT screen. A small investment to stop you worrying about some scrote running off with your kit.
 

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