Laptop or Desktop?

[Geoff]

I'm having a really tough time deciding this... I can either upgrade my computer and get a Core 2 Duo, and a high end graphics card (among other parts). Or I can buy an E1705 from dell, with the Core 2 Duo 2Ghz, 7900GS, and many other parts for around $1400.

If I had the desktop, I would still need to buy a semi-decent laptop for college, but if I had the laptop, I could get rid of my desktop since the laptop would have decent gaming power.

So what do you guys think?

 

[Yasu]

Go for the desktop and get a low-end laptop, you don't want to be tempted to play any games in class lol. On a side note, I don't think you really need a laptop for college. I'm in college right now and a journal and pen is working it out just fine. You hardly see anyone use a laptop anyways. I've seen only one person use a laptop in class and he turned it off after 3 minutes.

 

[Death By Bass]

yeah, depends if you're playing games, or just need portability...

I ended up upgrading my desktop a year or two ago, and I NEVER play games anymore!!! so it was just a waste!!!

I have a laptop or two aswell anywya, but it was just a waste of money...

 

[The_Other_One]

I agree with Yasu. That's basically what I did. Of course, being a college student, I use mine all the time at school. But even when I'm not at school, I like carrying it around with me. Plus, it's nice to get a TRUE portable laptop, not one of these 17lbs gamming ones that lasts about 1 hour on the battery.

 

[Hylian]

To be honest, I'd say keep school/work and personal computing separated. Upgrade your desktop, and see what options your school offers (ie. loaner laptops).

I did a programming course and could never imagine combining what I want (entertainment, music, gaming, etc), with what my school wanted (MySQL servers, Java dev programs, linux partitions, etc). Plus, if something ever went wrong, you'd loose a lot of information.

Another thing to think about, is if you'd ever need to use the advanced features of the laptop outside of your home. Like, do you ever watch DVD's, or play video games out in public? If not, stick with a cheap laptop that'll get you through your course, and do your own thing at home.

Hope you make the right choice for you.

 

[Geoff]

Thanks for your opinions.

Im going for IT, so alot of my classes are computer related, so about half or more students use their laptops in class. Our teachers also encourage us to use laptops for not taking, and we also get free internet via wi-fi.

T_O_O, I used to have an E1505 which was a mid-level gaming rig, and i got around 4-6 hours of battery life when just using normal things, like IE and MS Word, and that was when the settings were around medium. I had a low-end Acer that had a PM in it, and i only got about 1.5 hours on it on low settings.

 

[SirKenin]

I'll make the choice easy for you. What would you rather have stolen? A low end or high end laptop? Hmm?

 

[The_Beast]

High end desktop and a low end laptop. Just get a really basic laptop just to get by with.

 

[Geoff]

I'll make the choice easy for you. What would you rather have stolen? A low end or high end laptop? Hmm?

Believe it or not, thats why I sold my $2000 E1505, I had this feeling that in the next couple of days, I would either lose it or have it stolen, since the day before i left it in my classroom (luckily i realized it and went back).

Thanks again for all your input, as of now it looks like i should just use a low/mid-level notebook, and have my desktop for gaming and such. Feel free to keep the comments and suggestions comming.

 

[4W4K3]

Exactly what I would have done. Actually I went with a low/mid-range laptop and jsut got rid of my desktop. I've stopped gaming for the most part so there was no real reason to upgrade/keep the desktop.

 

[Geoff]

Exactly what I would have done. Actually I went with a low/mid-range laptop and jsut got rid of my desktop. I've stopped gaming for the most part so there was no real reason to upgrade/keep the desktop.

I've been going back and forth alot, as some of you may know. I have a decent gaming rig, then I decide i dont want to game anymore, sell it, then i end up with a crappy setup like i have now (minus the video card), then i realize how i miss playing CSS and DoDS every now and then, so I buy a nice setup. This goes on for evere, lol

I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I do enjoy playing CSS every now and then.

 

[SirKenin]

Believe it or not, thats why I sold my $2000 E1505, I had this feeling that in the next couple of days, I would either lose it or have it stolen, since the day before i left it in my classroom (luckily i realized it and went back).

Thanks again for all your input, as of now it looks like i should just use a low/mid-level notebook, and have my desktop for gaming and such. Feel free to keep the comments and suggestions comming.

It really puts things in perspective when you think of it in those terms. I knew a guy well that owned a pawn shop. If I had a dollar for every stolen laptop I saw go through there I would be a very rich man.

 

[4W4K3]

lol I get my fix at the GF's house. Gamecube and XBOX over there. And I'm always trying out new toys, currently saving for a digital drawing pad from Wacom, I want to get into drawing again...but on the computer!

 

[diduknowthat]

I've been going back and forth alot, as some of you may know. I have a decent gaming rig, then I decide i dont want to game anymore, sell it, then i end up with a crappy setup like i have now (minus the video card), then i realize how i miss playing CSS and DoDS every now and then, so I buy a nice setup. This goes on for evere, lol

I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I do enjoy playing CSS every now and then.

Doesn't that rig play CSS? It's got a pretty good graphics card (better than mine), just the CPU is crappy. And oh yeah, how much are you willing to pay for the low/mid range laptop?

 

[Geoff]

Doesn't that rig play CSS? It's got a pretty good graphics card (better than mine), just the CPU is crappy. And oh yeah, how much are you willing to pay for the low/mid range laptop?

Yes it does, but the CPU is a huge bottleneck. To put it in perspective, I get the same FPS as lowest graphics settings as I do on highest, lol

And for a low/mid level, im looking to spend no more then $850, but preferrably less. I've been looking at the Dell E1505/E1405, and they look pretty tempting.

 

[Iluvpenguins]

Hey Omega,this is offtopic,but why do you have such a random number for ram,doesn't your motherboard support dual channel?

 

[Geoff]

Hey Omega,this is offtopic,but why do you have such a random number for ram,doesn't your motherboard support dual channel?

I bought 512MB from ku-sama, and i "borrowed" 256MB from the family comp since 512 wasnt enough. And no, it doesnt support dual channel, it only has 2 ram slots as well. Oh ya, and its running at DDR333