Notebook or desktop

packerfan · Post by **packerfan** » 07 Mar 2007, 22:04

I am debating on which to try to get (if my parents break down)

Laptop E1705 2.0 c2d 7900gs 2gb ram wuxga screen
Pros:
Portability
Can be brought to friends house easily
Can let my parents borrow for trips (large factor)
Can be brought on vacations and just about everywhere
Accidental Warrenty
Cons:
Less Power
Hard to Upgrade
Crappy cost to power ratio.

Desktop: 24 screen 5.1 surround sound core 2 duo e6300 8800gts 2gb overclocking ram htpc case
Pros:
Power
Great power to cost ratio
Easy to upgrade
Better components eg: sound card 7.1 vs 2.1
Htpc case is somewhat portable
Cons:
Can't be brought on vacation
Can't easily be brought to a friends house, i might look insane.

On a further note they both cost about the same price
Please give me an explination why you have ____ reasoning

Post by **ctrlsteef** » 07 Mar 2007, 22:56

I voted desktop since I believe you also wanted to play games on it right? If you want to play games you definatly want to go desktop.

On the other hand though, if games aren't a really big thing to you and you want to play a match of Patience :wink: every now and then you're probably better of with a laptop.

BlackHat · Post by **BlackHat** » 07 Mar 2007, 23:24

If you buy a laptop... you lose youre power of a desktop pc. And that is what you dont wanna mis.

packerfan · Post by **packerfan** » 07 Mar 2007, 23:31

Ok yes i like to play games but keep in mind i have never ran a game above low-medium quality so im used to crappy looking games.

TomCo · Post by **TomCo** » 08 Mar 2007, 02:11

Get both,

Get a slightly smaller screen (22") and perhaps ditch the surround sound for the time being and you should be able to get a decent laptop for bringing around with you.

I bought a second hand 15" widescreen Acer laptop 1.7Ghz PentiumM, 2Gb ram and an X600 for Ã¢â€šÂ¬400

packerfan · Post by **packerfan** » 08 Mar 2007, 02:13

Keep in mind im trying to convice parents....

Asking for two pcs is out of the question :D

JohnnyWakko · Post by **JohnnyWakko** » 08 Mar 2007, 03:02

So the only reason to get a Laptop is mobility? Or do you think this would be a discerning factor in convincing your "financiers" as they could potentially see it as an investment for thier own use as well? I don't think you should sell the "Take on vacations" point, that would be a barrier to finance I would say. Besides, you need to spend time away from your PC everynow and then... :hide (I felt the eyes and thoughts of millions of PC users zoom in on me just then all trying to collectively make me spontaneously combust.)

How often do you need to mobilise it? Why not get something that is easy to cart around other than the laptop? Cordless peripherals, case bag, small 19" LCD, no surround sound, just 5.1 headphones.

Surely your "financiers" would be more inclined to get you a PC if you painted thier house... :hide

Violent Ken · Post by **Violent Ken** » 08 Mar 2007, 03:23

i've had 3 laptops in the past 5 years for school, and honestly i probably could've survived only with the first. i always had a desktop for gaming.
for less performance and higher price, i cannot recommend a laptop unless you are bleeding cash

until laptops can be upgraded as easily as desktops i won't buy another. if i need to type quickly i can use pocketpc

YouTube · Post by **ViciousXUSMC** » 08 Mar 2007, 08:18

Laptop is only for people that have small spaces (like studio apartments or lots of room mates and stuff) that just like to chat, and brose the net, and listen to music and stuff. Great for that reason.

The other reason is mobility, if you travel alot.

When it comes to price, or performance. They lose out big time.

So its a no brainer to get a desktop unless the above applies to you.

I dont play games much anymore myself, but i still love the power my desktop brings me, also the nice monitor choices ^^

Im on the market for a laptop now myself for use at work, and I tell you as a PC enthusiast its HARD to find one up to my performance expectations that wont break the bank.

Post by **ctrlsteef** » 08 Mar 2007, 09:09

Ok yes i like to play games but keep in mind i have never ran a game above low-medium quality so im used to crappy looking games.

I don't think that's how you want to think really. If you go for a low spec system the chances that you can't use it for longer then a year are great.
You will get some serious problems with running modern games, even at low settings. And I don't think you want that :wink:
I always say "cheap buying is expensive buying". With this I want to say that in the end you have to spend way more money then you would have if you bought a good rig in the first place.

tk421 · Post by **tk421** » 08 Mar 2007, 15:47

personally, if i had to have 1, i would go desktop - and ditch the htpc case.

and i would steer WAY clear of the inspirons. nothing but hassle. if you want a Dell laptop - go latitude or forget it. i've had both. i gave my inspiron away. free.

highway-star · Post by **highway-star** » 09 Mar 2007, 02:13

If you can only have 1 choice, I will say go for notebnook.

I have 2 desktop and 2 noteook. The portability of a notebook with Wi-Fi so that you can to stuff anywhere. Most of my games are played on my desktop but I do have 1 or 2 installed on notebook so that I can play them when I am on the road.

If you like trying out the latest and the greatest and are particular with quality, the raw power of the desktop that you can put in all the great stuff is the way to go.

My next question is wheather should one get a Mac so that we can run both Windowes and Max OS, you get to try out both and get the best of both world.

packerfan · Post by **packerfan** » 09 Mar 2007, 02:38

Another factor i have is the fact that i do most of my gaming late at night after my parents go to sleep so if im talking really late at night they might get annoyed and with a laptop i can carry it downstairs away from them. (our rooms share a wall)

Unless i was to have my pc downstairs but then i couldnt talk when they were watching tv.

And i wouldnt want to move my equipment to much. So i would either have to move it to another room which is kinda hard to do or i would have to get a lappy.

Otherwise i could try getting a barebones lappy with just a x1400 or so and then get a 20 inch monitor no surround sound and deduct some other things but then i have to deal with really bad laptop performance. Plus the laptop is probably an helpful sort of push for them to get it as it is an investment they could also use

skeeder · Post by **skeeder** » 09 Mar 2007, 03:05

I have a desktop. But since I haven't been gaming I've debated selling it and getting a laptop. I haven't done that because Desktops are useful, powerful, and don't overheat as easily.

My vote: Desktop.

JohnnyWakko · Post by **JohnnyWakko** » 09 Mar 2007, 03:43

Another factor i have is the fact that i do most of my gaming late at night after my parents go to sleep so if im talking really late at night they might get annoyed and with a laptop i can carry it downstairs away from them. (our rooms share a wall)

Unless i was to have my pc downstairs but then i couldnt talk when they were watching tv.

And i wouldnt want to move my equipment to much. So i would either have to move it to another room which is kinda hard to do or i would have to get a lappy.

Otherwise i could try getting a barebones lappy with just a x1400 or so and then get a 20 inch monitor no surround sound and deduct some other things but then i have to deal with really bad laptop performance. Plus the laptop is probably an helpful sort of push for them to get it as it is an investment they could also use

As much as I hate to say it - cause I friggin HATE "Lac-tops" - due to these factors I really think a Laptop is your best bet. I think you need a lifestyle choice, not a performance choice as you need flexibility to get out of the folks way. Once you are out of the "financier" hair then get a desktop, ouch.

Unless of course you can think of a better solutiont hat won't annoy them. Paint their walls.

packerfan · Post by **packerfan** » 09 Mar 2007, 05:39

Thanks johnny.

OT: What the heck is up with you and painting their walls as a bribe :lol:

JohnnyWakko · Post by **JohnnyWakko** » 09 Mar 2007, 06:38

It will be seen as a good way to earn some "good will" with the "financiers." It's all about building the relationship, that way they will say to each other "Darling, our very handsome son, oh my how handsome he is, has been working very hard lately, have you seen the good job he did on the painting the walls? I think it is time we bought him a new desktop, and while we are at is why not get him a laptop as well?"

If this doesn't work, go the laptop.

Dem Pyros · Post by **Dem Pyros** » 09 Mar 2007, 06:46

Desktop.

I had to make this choice about 2 years ago. I made the wrong one.

JohnnyWakko · Post by **JohnnyWakko** » 09 Mar 2007, 13:07

In fact I am going to (for your support of course) start a "Campaign Partition thread" to show your folks how much you deserve a new desktop, where everyone can partition thier support for you to get a desktop instead of a laptop.

Vote here:

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=89240#89240

packerfan · Post by **packerfan** » 09 Mar 2007, 15:27

Ok i got my price down by 600 bucks by downgrading case. Getting the cheapo dell 20" sceen (basic one). Getting a cheaper but equally good psu. Ditching the 5.1 sound getting a smaller hdd. So what would you reccomend for a laptop to use when they are asleep. On long weekends i will probably just haul my stuff down since it will only be a case, keyboard, mouse, small monitor, pair of headphones. I was looking at the hp basic entertainment notebook with just a 7400 in it but im not sure. I was also thinking of looking at dell outlet as you can often find coupons for 20+% off

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