What should i buy laptop or desktop??

dubs89

dubs89

New Member
Hey everyone,

I am planning on going into game art and design within the next year and am looking for a computer to do work on.

I know one of the main programs they use is maya.

I dont know if i should buy a laptop or a desktop or what kind for that mater.

Will a good enough laptop run maya just as well as a desktop? (a laptop is my prefered choice but it is more important to me that the computer runs maya very fast and rendering does not take long)

I have $3000.00 to spend.... use it wisely:)

Thank you so much!!
 
Well yeah, Laptops are more expansive but in performance, they're pretty close. Get a good laptop and you'll be fine.
 
this is easy, Do you want to be able to carry it about and take it to diffrent places or not?

If yes, then get a laptop

If no get a desktop as you can have nice big multiple monitors which is very usefull for image creation. you can also upgrade it much more easily
 
Well yea i would like it to be portable (isnt that always a bonus?) but it does not have to be if were talking liek a 1500$ diference or other things like over heating/proformance diferences. The computer does not have to be portable by any means i just think it would be convienient.

-Does anyone know how nessicary to have a laptop for going to school in such a field?
 
For that price you could prob get both, but here is what i would do.

Spend about 2k on the laptop.
With the remaining 1k do this:
- Get an external monitor (24in or so)
- Then get an external hd
- Speakers and sound card if you want
- Lastly nice keyboard and mouse set

Hope that helps
Bob
 
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I agree that if i buy a laptop i will have a 24 inch monitor / keyboard / mouse at home. however will the laptop be fast enough....

What is a good lap top to consider? (i can spend all 3000$ on the laptop becase i got a 500$ gift card for the monitor etc)

Also if anyone thinks a laptop is a bad choice please tell me.
 
There are two small issues with laptops though :
- the bigger the screen, the heavier the machine to carry (my laptop in the sig has a 16/9 17'' widescreen...:)but weighs nearly 5 kgs...:(;
- work or game anywhere you want is fine...provided your battery will cope...
 
Hmm look at the Toshiba Sattlite X200 20S with the 8700MGT 512mb thats around 2 thousand and spend 1000 on:

24inch monitor 1920X**** <forget this part
Keyboard and mouse
 
weight really doesnt mater to me, i cant speak from experiance but it doesnt seem that wieght should really be a issue over proformance...

Hmm look at the Toshiba Sattlite X200 20S with the 8700MGT 512mb thats around 2 thousand and spend 1000 on:

24inch monitor 1920X**** <forget this part
Keyboard and mouse
Click to expand...

I can spend all 3000$ on the laptop as i got a 500$ gift card for the monitor and stuff.....
 
Alright, so now your total is 3500.
That that kinda of money, I would seriously recommend getting two machines.
one being a desktop and the other being a laptop.

Before I recommend anything thing else, it would help to know what exactly your using the machine for. You said game art, I take it that means you game?

Bob
 
If you stay at home most of the time I recommend an desktop. With 3,500 you'd probably get an QX with it.

1,500 can build an very nice system.
 
Hmm but wouldnt it be the same as having 2 machines if i jsut ahd a super powerd laptop and a screen to hook it up to at home?
 
Well, yes and no.
-If you go the two machines route, you can get a laptop that is really a laptop and not a desktop replacement. You can get one that is capable of doing what needs to be done, but then have a desk top that is for the really demanding tasks.

And also, since you said you would be doing alot of rendering and design work. I would recommend getting a FireGL or Quadro card, I don't know of any laptops that offer those.

Hope this helps
Bob
 
vroom_skies said:
Well, yes and no.
-If you go the two machines route, you can get a laptop that is really a laptop and not a desktop replacement. You can get one that is capable of doing what needs to be done, but then have a desk top that is for the really demanding tasks.

And also, since you said you would be doing alot of rendering and design work. I would recommend getting a FireGL or Quadro card, I don't know of any laptops that offer those.

Hope this helps
Bob
Click to expand...

Rendering and Design.... Macbook Pro :D
 
And also, since you said you would be doing alot of rendering and design work. I would recommend getting a FireGL or Quadro card, I don't know of any laptops that offer those.
Click to expand...

Dell has one wit hthe quadro card...

Dont macbook pro's have geforce cards?
 
Im afraid Im going to go against everyone here with the two computers, I would stick with just one big powerful laptop. Although,

While in say a meeting/class, you could be taking notes on the laptop while in your home/dorm computer is compiling.

So it could go either way, I know no one has really recomended a laptop, and thats pretty much all your asking, but give it about 5 more pages, someone will finally find you one. I would, but I dont know ANYTHING about laptops (except macbooks suck) *cough* avoiding a flame war...
 
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