Looking for a desktop computer

[yv0nne]

I don't know about anyone else, but any *serious* photographer will tell you you cannot edit on a laptop. I know this isn't a fight over what's better lol but desktops forever for that part of my world!

[Airn]

Originally Posted by Beanie

Even a MacBook Pro all the way to 16GB doesn't stand up to a desktop when it comes to needing a workhorse of a machine. Ask a hardcore gamer if they would use a laptop. =P Desktops are never going away.
I like laptops but I could never imagine using one as my main machine, even just from the logistics of posture. Ow.

You can't really game on a laptop. Gamers prefer desk-tops. And like others have said UPGRADE-ABLE.

I don't know about photography, but if you have a gaming computer, you have to upgrade all the time. You may have had the best graphics card in 2011, but you won't in 2013. And a lot of new games are requiring more and more.

I game on my laptop but if I had a (better) gaming desktop, I would use that instead. We're currently in the process of building our gaming desktop. A laptop was never even considered.


It REALLY depends on what you want a computer for. My laptop is honestly too heavy for me to benefit from its 'mobility'. I'm planning on getting a tablet instead of another laptop. We'll always have desktops. Might not always use Windows, though. Gamers are pisssssed at Windows 8.

[Lyzelle]

For anyone who is on my Facebook and has seen my art...I work from a laptop. A cheap one at that. They aren't useless. And I can flip the argument and say I've crashed two desktops in the last 5 years because they couldn't handle the work. Desktops aren't all that is holy and good.

But, they do take abuse better. I might be able to squeeze an extra year or two out of a desktop rather than the laptop. But for someone who runs their technology ragged...one isn't really any better than the other.

For people who run music, videos, and general browsing, either desktop or laptop would work for them. The difference is just...the abuse. Very few people are willing to clean out their crap, run NICE software, and keep up with the general maintenance. Then they turn up all the quality settings and run it into the ground. Yeah, laptops don't take abuse well. But that is honestly the only real difference between a nice laptop and a decent desktop.

So if you are looking for high quality processing power, but you know you've killed your last 5 computers or so within 5 years...then don't bother with a desktop. You're still going to kill it, it'll just be a more expensive murder. If you are going to take care of your electronics, and work with what you got (rather than making it slave for you), you could get away with a laptop. But if you're just some run-of-the mill person looking to maybe play a few games, run a few editing programs, and mostly browse and never keep up with any maintenance, ever...get a desktop.

In the end, you have to find what is the best option for YOU.

[Dogdragoness]

That's all I am saying, that desktops aren't all that, laptops can be functional too, I keep up maintenance on mine, protect it from malicious software, keep my virus programs UTD as well as my software.

I try not to store a lot of data on it & after I am done browsing, I have it set up to dump the history, temp files & cookies.

[Psyfalcon]

I killed a laptop. Constantly overheated (it was a desktop replacement, with a P4 3.4, very hot running). Screen broke (vertical magenta lines.)

So, a list of negatives.
Onboard screen very expensive to replace.
Cooling is limited, most run lower powered processors.
You're limited to upgrading the hard drive and ram.
Limited to a single on board hard drive.

You can do plenty on a laptop, but I would not call desktops obsolete, even for basic tasks. Even HD video upsets some laptops, which have to work very hard to cool down when using the onboard video. Laptops may not be able to drive large monitors at good framerates.

The best part of desktops is that you can replace any part. You can add fans, hard drives and video cards. Even the motherboard can be user replaceable.

Also.. desktops are usually cheaper to replace than an equivalent laptop.

[Dogdragoness]

Originally Posted by Psyfalcon

I killed a laptop. Constantly overheated (it was a desktop replacement, with a P4 3.4, very hot running). Screen broke (vertical magenta lines.)

So, a list of negatives.
Onboard screen very expensive to replace.
Cooling is limited, most run lower powered processors.
You're limited to upgrading the hard drive and ram.
Limited to a single on board hard drive.

You can do plenty on a laptop, but I would not call desktops obsolete, even for basic tasks. Even HD video upsets some laptops, which have to work very hard to cool down when using the onboard video. Laptops may not be able to drive large monitors at good framerates.

The best part of desktops is that you can replace any part. You can add fans, hard drives and video cards. Even the motherboard can be user replaceable.

Also.. desktops are usually cheaper to replace than an equivalent laptop.

My moniter is 17 inches, as large as my desktop, my laptop is faster then my desktop, I chose a laptop (after much research on which one would be best for me) what I meant by "obsolete" (one again not making myself clear, sorry LOL, I have been working some long hours & I am a little fried ) was that most "mainstream" stores dont really carry a large selection of desptops anymore, everyone is all about the laptops & (the useless IMHO) tablets.

I also run HD vid & watch movies on my laptop & never once has it overheated. Now there are some laptops that are POS's, (sony is one, I know they are supposed to be good but I personally have not had a good experience with a sony) HP is another (their desktops IMHO are crap too) of course a lot of ppl will say that Compaq is POS but I had one for 10 years & it was a workhorse, I sold it for $300 because being a race track rat, I move around alot & stay in a lot of track housing which is basically like a college dorm, little one room apts that done yield enough space for a desptop, plus moving it every three months is a hassle. with my laptop i can just put it in its case & we're GTG (good to go).

I also write a lot of fanfiction & I have a lot stored on this computer & it still has a lot of space left.

a desktop is great, but they are cumbersome, besides, right now I am laying comfy in by bed with my computer on my lap, writing this , not having to sit in some computer chair hurting my back LOL.

[LindaJD]

I know many photographers who use laptops. They do what my husband and I do, we hook up a large screen monitor to our laptop when editing our photo's. I use 2 screens at work too. It is nice having a big screen to hook my laptop up to without having to have the space for the whole unit. It is good for gaming too.

[yv0nne]

Well, yes. If you hook it up to another screen I suppose. But that isn't really using your laptop to edit. The external screen is WHY you use a desktop.

[Dogdragoness]

Originally Posted by yv0nne

Well, yes. If you hook it up to another screen I suppose. But that isn't really using your laptop to edit. The external screen is WHY you use a desktop.

Why is it not? You are still using the hard laptops hard drive / software to preform the task therefore technically still using it to edit.

I know a lot of gamers who game on laptops, now I am not hardcore but I have gamed on a laptop & had no problems. They aren't like tablets. The only thing that took some getting used to was the way a mouse is on a laptop but that took like ... A week of using it to get the hang of it.

The only thing it does is sometimes it types duplicate letters, but I have spellcheck (on word, IE doesn't have it for Internet, or it does but I haven't gotten round to setting it up).

Don't get me wrong desktops are great, I would have one I had the room/lifestyle for one, but I just don't, so I have to compromise somewhere. As far as laptops being delicate, mine has the "impact smart" hard drive so if it is bumped or dropped, it will survive.

[Airn]

Originally Posted by Dogdragoness

Why is it not? You are still using the hard laptops hard drive / software to preform the task therefore technically still using it to edit.

I know a lot of gamers who game on laptops, now I am not hardcore but I have gamed on a laptop & had no problems. They aren't like tablets. The only thing that took some getting used to was the way a mouse is on a laptop but that took like ... A week of using it to get the hang of it.

The only thing it does is sometimes it types duplicate letters, but I have spellcheck (on word, IE doesn't have it for Internet, or it does but I haven't gotten round to setting it up).

Don't get me wrong desktops are great, I would have one I had the room/lifestyle for one, but I just don't, so I have to compromise somewhere. As far as laptops being delicate, mine has the "impact smart" hard drive so if it is bumped or dropped, it will survive.

First, I agree with Yvonne. I don't mind laptops or desk-tops. My preference changes depending on what I want to use the computer for. But the appeal of a laptop is mobility. I realize laptops have developed many pluses, but that is usually the biggest. Using any other hardware with the laptop (except a mouse, maybe) is using some hybrid.

You CAN game on a laptop, but it's not ideal. First, as has been mentioned, the insides of the computer can be upgraded in a desktop. Second, a lot of people use the keyboard and buttons the mouse to game. That is pretty difficult to do on a laptop. It can be done, yes, but it's not preferred. I can play several games on my PS3 and computer, but I prefer the computer. (Gaming is a really general term. I'm not talking about playing Solitaire and Bejeweled, here.)

I'm gonna disagree on the screen size being the same. My laptop screen can be the size of my TV. That's pretty hard to do with a laptop. And the bigger the screen, the less laptop-y it is, IMO.

I have a laptop and a desktop. I like both of them. I use them for different things. They both have their niche.