# Laptop vs. Desktop



## Speedbird1 (Oct 22, 2009)

I just got my first PC. It is a used, bulky PC from 2002. It has a limited memory too, only 256 MB of RAM. I plan to buy a laptop when I receive my back-pay in a few months. I was wondering what is missing in a laptop? Where is there room for the hard drive? Do the laptops have as much memory as their full-size counterparts? What about netbooks? How do they have a CD Drive or a HD? Something must be missing in these lightweight machines that they're not telling the public. They must also be expensive to repair. What's the story?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, if you're interested in a machine that has the maximum processing and graphics power for minimum cost, a desktop is going to be the cheapest way to go. I prefer a desktop for a computer that doesn't have to be moved unless you simply don't have the space for it.

You'll find very few laptops that have the same performance as a desktop, and most certainly you won't find a $700 laptop that can come anywhere close to the desktop you can buy for the same price.

Netbooks are a very slow and small laptop. They're designed with a very limited use in mind, and don't have things like optical drives, or lots of extra ports. They're also almost all running with the Intel Atom processor, an anemic CPU that's nowhere near the processing power of even a full size laptop processor.

You need to define what your use is going to be, and how long a life you expect the machine to have before you upgrade.


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## GTechWiz (Nov 10, 2009)

I'll Interpret what JohnWill said, netbooks SUCK! (Simply Put)
In fact, laptops, unless you MUST have one, is a waste of money, any serious computer person will tell you that Desktops are awesome and NO Portable computer is even remotely close in comparison with the new tech that you can get for $1,000 or less!

Laptops are VERY expensive to fix, as it takes 1 hour to take one apart and put it back together (that's $90 bucks right there!), and parts are more expensive for them as well. (being that they are compact!)

After the battery charger is fried, it's more or less a desktop anyway, so why bother I say?

Techs despise little computers, they are a complete waste of money, in my professional opinion (along with many others). Sure cell phones are nice, but with skype & internet service, things have change quite significantly in the industry.

By you using a 2002 computer, it's clear that you haven't kept up with technology, you can make your own desktop for as little as $250 bucks, that's CHEAP! If you can't afford that, I don't know what to tell ya.

I can get used CRT monitors all day for free or $15 or less! Keyboards & mice are 20 or less NEW! Of course software is where you will spend a lot of money, but I still recommend you use Ubuntu, if your only using the computer for internet! (Windows is an eye pleasing OS which is great for gaming, otherwise Ubuntu BLOWS IT AWAY!)

And did I mention it's 100% free?
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download

Now that is solid tech advice...


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## GTechWiz (Nov 10, 2009)

You really cannot upgrade a laptop other than, what, add some RAM?
My points are very valid, laptops (& especially notebooks or smaller PCs) are locked in boxes that are too expensive for what they can do, which isn't much at best.... I look at them like disposable lighters, they look nice, they have a life, and then you have your repair bill which will warrant just getting a new one! I actually seen a netbook for $250!

See what I mean? Cheaps is bad, unless your talking about sex, hehe...


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## redoak (Jun 24, 2004)

Space was mentioned as one reason to go with a laptop. That is my situation. I found a laptop available without an OS [I already had a retail "XP Pro" CD.] from a reputable maker that I could customize to some extent. I have a 17" screen, 1.67 MH "Dual" Intel processor and 1024 RAM, to mention a few specs. Furthermore, using the "touch pad" is much easier for me than a mouse. I believe this is another consideration.

{redoak}


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

GTechWiz said:


> You really cannot upgrade a laptop other than, what, add some RAM?
> My points are very valid, laptops (& especially notebooks or smaller PCs) are locked in boxes that are too expensive for what they can do, which isn't much at best.... I look at them like disposable lighters, they look nice, they have a life, and then you have your repair bill which will warrant just getting a new one! I actually seen a netbook for $250!
> 
> See what I mean? Cheaps is bad, unless your talking about sex, hehe...


Where do you get your information? Laptops are expensive? Prices have been dropping for quite some time, and you can get a very capable laptop for $600 that meets most consumer's needs.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The initial cost of a laptop isn't what puts me off, it's the relative power relative to a typical desktop. Key areas that usually fall short in a laptop are graphics performance and raw processor speed, not to mention things like USB connections and the like.

If your processing needs are met using a laptop, that's fine, but they do have limitations over a desktop.


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## guy2 (Apr 30, 2009)

Laptops aren't that bad ,iv just started using one for a 1 year now and there not painfully slow as i expected but not as fast as my old asus tower. Depends on your needs and desire for sleek tec i guess ,if you want a laptop that can compete with a desktop prepare to be busted.

M tech Laptops can do it ,please check them out ,laptops that compete with desktops use allot more power compared with a regular budget laptop ,that defeats the purpose of mobility.

Most Laptops suck at venting air correctly and are called net books because of that reason ,performance laptops are not meant to be placed on your lap anymore.

They are good for convenient usage at their best but i don't mind em since im a simple kind of guy.


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## Blazikenblade (Jan 1, 1970)

Well my computer is a samsung notebook. I dont dis any computers as it comes down to individual, what their needs are & requirements. I have a notebook cause Im on the go alot & take pics, edit them & go on the net a bit here & there.
The disadvantages to having a notebook is the fact its slow, mine is about 1.6ghz. Theres no cd or dvd rom, but thats compensated by buying an external usb one. My hard drive is 1gig. I do have an external usb hard drive to compensate as well. Which is my storage of pics,vids, other media & software. Mine has a sd card slot & great wireless connection. The size was what I needed at the time,as couldn't hold on a bulky laptop that weighs a bit. Theres 3 usb connection ports, a normal eternet cable port (i think that's what its called) one for a tv connection or screen.
The notebook itself came with a wireless net package. I couldn't afford a desktop so I got this instead. If a person needs a portable device on the go, the individual should research on what their requirements are before buying. Compare what brands have & ask people around what they have. Cause someone has a certain preference doesn't mean its the end all.

The details of my graphics card & other details is this (other details is on my computer specs):

Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for Mobile Report

Report Date: 11/14/2009
Report Time[hr:mm:ss]: 18:48:24
Driver Version: 6.14.10.4926
Operating System: Windows XP* Home Edition, Service Pack 3 (5.1.2600)
Default Language: English
DirectX* Version: 9.0
Physical Memory: 1014 MB
Minimum Graphics Memory: 8 MB
Maximum Graphics Memory: 128 MB
Graphics Memory in Use: 8 MB
Processor: x86 family 6 Model 28 Stepping 2
Processor Speed: 1596 MHZ
Vendor ID: 8086
Device ID: 27AE
Device Revision: 03

* Accelerator Information *

Accelerator in Use: Mobile Intel(R) 945 Express Chipset Family
Video BIOS: 1585.0
Current Graphics Mode: 1024 by 600 True Color (60 Hz)

* Devices Connected to the Graphics Accelerator *

Active Notebook Displays: 1

* Notebook *

Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Display Type: Digital
Gamma Value: 2.20
DDC2 Protocol: Supported
Maximum Image Size: Horizontal: Not Available
Vertical: Not Available
Monitor Supported Modes:
1024 by 600 (60 Hz)
Display Power Management Support:
Standby Mode: Not Supported
Suspend Mode: Not Supported
Active Off Mode: Not Supported

* Other names and brands are the property of their respective owners.


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## guy2 (Apr 30, 2009)

Satellite L305D-S5874

AMD 64X2 QL-60

3072MB PC6400 SDRAM

160GB 5400RPM

Im not very knowledgeable on the hardware aspect of PC's but iv been using this laptop much like i would use it as my only computer even tho i have a faster computer ,my Note Book has better everything that my asus has only as far as media related ,speed i don't think so.

It is a awesome multi media computer i must say and runs very demanding programs at ease. You can say im a power user in a media sense as well as allot of none media related freeware i experiment with to further my skills and general knowledge , pioneering as i like to call it. 

I run allot of programs in this machine for music creation and never experienced latency problems from any of my software's no matter how hard im running programs in this computer and that's because iv never needed to cross the threshold of programs maxing out my CPU. Allot of the media creation programs i use can easily max this thing out and even my asus but some how it never happens and that's why i have no issues with this computer ,so far so good ,i guess i will have to progress intill this computer become obsolete.


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## Speedbird1 (Oct 22, 2009)

I have no choice as I have no space for a desktop. The laptops I used at the Apple Store seem very fast and have lots of memory and storage space but are expensive ($2500 for iBook Pro) so they are out-of-the-question. I only really surf the net and send e-mails and want to store my photos. I now keep all my photos stored on the SD Memory Cards. I have over 10,000 photos. Would a laptop be able to store that? It's obvious that the desktop has more of everything. Does a laptop really have a HD? You'd think that space could be replaced by flash memory. Do laptops also burn CD's and have a port for printing? Netbooks are cute, like iPhones, but can't really do the job.


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## redoak (Jun 24, 2004)

You ask, "Does a laptop really have a HD? You'd think that space could be replaced by flash memory. Do laptops also burn CD's and have a port for printing?"

Yes they have a HDD. You certainly can find many with USB ports, mine has four. Yes, mine has a fully functional CD reader/burner.

It appears your problem- space- is what I faced. I found a laptop that is not for "lugging around" but is very good. As I mentioned earlier, the model was customizable. I could have made it much faster and with more Ram and larger HDD, if I needed, too.

The negative comments appear to be about the usual, ilight weight laptops. But for you and me where ours will serve as a desktop, there are models available that I believe will compare favorably, if not show up better, than some desk tops.

Go to the link below for references to the computer models available from the maker of mine.

Send me a personal message if you would like to know with whom I did business. A very small but very accommodating merchant.

{redoak}

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=asus+laptops&aq=1&oq=Asus+&aqi=g10


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## jp1203 (Jul 21, 2005)

I too prefer desktops, although I do have a laptop. The screen size is one of the reasons I stick with a desktop. I prefer my 22" to my laptop's 14".

My latest desktop build cost me somewhere around 300$, and for average use, it's reasonably well speced:
Intel Pentium Dual Core E5200, Overlocked to ~3.5 GHz
Samsung 22X SATA DVD Burner with Lightscribe
ECS Motherboard (G31 Chipset)
WD 80 GB SATA (I store everything on my file server, so storage is not a concern)
SoundBlaster X-Fi
4 GB DDR2 RAM

It runs Windows 7 Ultimate perfectly, and keeps up with everything I do with it.

I almost never use my laptop at home. It's basically for taking places. It's an IBM Thinkpad T43, very thin, but not so light. It's adequate for the basic things I use it for away from home, with a 1.6 GHz Pentium M and 1.5 GB RAM, but I think I'd be frustrated pretty quickly if I used it for everything. For one thing, it has no CD/DVD burner, and to buy one that fits in IBM's UltraBay is very expensive Only having two USB ports would be a frustration, too.

The mistake many people make is buying a notebook that they use in one place all the time. Many people leave them plugged in constantly, and never use the battery. As a result, when they need the battery, it no longer holds a charge. In newer laptops, this may have been dealt with, and there is software that will discharge and recharge your battery while it is on charge, but people don't realize it. With my laptop, I usually only plug it in when it's dead or nearly dead. I get about 4 hours of battery life, which, when compared to today's consumer level notebooks, is pretty high. Usually, you'll only see 2-3 hours life out of one today.

Desktops also have a much better power per dollar ratio. I built my desktop for around 300$, to get a notebook with those specs it would cost 500-600$ for a cheaper brand, such as HP or Dell. To replace my current Thinkpad with one about the same spot on their product line would be around 1000$. When it was new, it retailed for about 1800$, and a comparable mass-produced desktop was at most, 800$, monitor and everything.

Bottom line, if you plan to use it many places, get a laptop, but if it's going to sit in one place, a desktop is a much better choice!


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## Speedbird1 (Oct 22, 2009)

Thanks for the advice and I would prefer a desktop but have no room at all so it must be a laptop. I wasn't aware how expensive they are to repair. Do they break-down more often than desktops? What is a reasonable amount of memory to look for? I need at least a 15" screen as my vision is not what it used to be. In any case, the purchase must wait until after Jan. when I get my back-pay.


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## jp1203 (Jul 21, 2005)

I'd say they are less reliable, only because they're moved around. For instance, moving a delicate hard disk spinning at 5400 RPMs will always shorten its life. Some laptops do have a function that will shut off the hard disk if it detects movement, which can cause less harm to the drive. Two other major things to watch for: the screen and the power adapter jack. The screen can be cracked relatively easily on some models, and it is a 300+ dollar replacement for just the part. The power adapter jack is also rather major, I've seen many people leave the adapter plugged in and forget about it, then take the laptop and have the adapter break off the pin inside the laptop. In one case, someone had her laptop charging on the kitchen counter, and her cat got wrapped in the cord and it got pulled out breaking off the pin. Many times, this is a motherboard replacement, because soldering the pin back on is not usually bothered with, soldering that close to a board would probably kill it.

Basically, so long as you're careful with it, it should last for years and years. Many laptop failures are caused by accidental damage or misuse, not normal wear and tear.

I'd recommend a Lenovo laptop, even their consumer line ones are very well built. I have an old beater Thinkpad R31 that has fallen from several feet numerous times and has survived. I've heard that Lenovo's laptop quality is comparable to IBM's--it seems that when they bought out IBM's PC division, they didn't change much.

If you're getting a Windows 7 notebook, I'd say get at least 3 GB memory, preferably 4. More than four is definitely overkill for what you say you'd use it for.


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## namenotfound (Apr 30, 2005)

GTechWiz said:


> I can get used CRT monitors all day for free or $15 or less!


Though they are cheaper than the flat panel monitors, I don't recommend them. CRT monitors can cause eye cancer from the radiation they emit. I recently gave my bother a flat panel and told him to get rid of his old CRT for that very reason.


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## jp1203 (Jul 21, 2005)

namenotfound said:


> Though they are cheaper than the flat panel monitors, I don't recommend them. CRT monitors can cause eye cancer from the radiation they emit. I recently gave my bother a flat panel and told him to get rid of his old CRT for that very reason.


While I have never heard of the radiation causing problems, I did know that at low refresh rates, they cause major eye strain. Usually, when set at 75 Hz or above, they weren't considered a risk.

Regardless, I would also recommend LCDs, and don't see any reason to use a CRT now.

I replaced all the CRTs in my house with LCDs about a year ago, mainly for space reasons. 4" Deep is a lot nicer than 18" Deep.

I'm also tech coordinator at a small library with 4 patron workstations and a staff machine. We've replaced all but one CRT with 17" LCDs. Up there, the benefits are power consumption, heat generation, and again, space. We've been doing this one-at-a-time, because of our extremely low budget. Plus, for a small rural library, it makes us look sharp and "high-tech" to visitors. I've heard nothing but good about how they look in the building and computer room.

LCDs can even be had for under $100, now. 17" is very adequate for casual web-surfing users, and definitely fine for library workstations.


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## guy2 (Apr 30, 2009)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLPC_XO-1

What do you think about this bad little Laptop?

Not bad for the price i must say ,i can find this for 50-70$ on ebay.

Thinking about buying 2 ,1 for my little sister it would be her first and the other for a ebook reader and general web browsing for who ever in my house hold.

I don't care that it looks sissy because it tough as nails and has no moving parts.


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## namenotfound (Apr 30, 2005)

You can buy laptops as cheap as a single penny on eBay. $0.01 laptops are found in abundance on eBay.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Speedbird1 said:


> I have no choice as I have no space for a desktop.


I guess I find the title of the thread somewhat misleading, since you had no interest in the desktop.


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## ozziebeanie (Jun 24, 2009)

Personaly I do not like Laptops but then I imagine those that get a laptop get one because of where and when and what they use it for.

One would assume one would make the choice based on what their needs are, I would tend to agree with JohnWill when it comes to performance. Yes there are laptops that can be fast useful, more portable, and will do prob what most use it for, but to me nothing beats a desktop.

I would suggest writing a list of what you want out of your computer and what you want to do, what is important to you eg: maybe you need something portable, and if you are looking at cost also, put what is most important and what is not as important and see if your budget can include as many of the not so important stuff that you would like to have, after considering the real important stuff that you have to have. 

Research on line, no one here can make a recomendation as they do not know what you use a computer for.

You have to start with a list, then once you have that list, maybe post again and ask, ok I will be using this and that program etc what sort of resources will I need eg: ram etc processor, graphics card, sound card, bla bla bla, some programs are a hog when it comes to resources some not so much.


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## louise071 (Nov 18, 2009)

Laptop or Desktop? If your a homebuddy person go for Desktop. But if you travel often you need a laptop. Mobility,portability. Better to have both 

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Technology expert and member of *youserbase*, the technology wiki


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