Desktops VS Laptops

[Wongtong]

Sorry if this topic has been posted before.

 

 

 

Our computer recently died, and my sister has been trying to make my parents buy (her) a laptop; even though she told them not to buy a new computer at all. I personally prefer desktops but I haven't actually used a laptop for a long time before.

 

 

 

So, as the title states, Desktops VS Laptops - which of these two are better?

 

 

 

Please help me by listing some Pros and Cons of any/both (take into account things like price, convenience, memory space, lag).

 

 

 

Desktops

 

 

 

Pros

 

-

 

-

 

 

 

Cons

 

-

 

-

 

 

 

-----------------------------

 

 

 

Laptops

 

 

 

Pros

 

-

 

-

 

 

 

Cons

 

-

 

-

[Mylez]

Desktops

 

 

 

Pros:

 

Easy to upgrade

 

Much more potential (gaming and such)

 

They do more

 

 

 

Cons:

 

Big

 

Clunky

 

Harder to move

 

 

 

Laptops

 

 

 

Pros:

 

Easy to move around

 

Small

 

 

 

Cons:

 

Much harder to upgrade

 

No real gaming potential

 

 

 

In my house, we have 3 desktop computers, 2 laptops. I much prefer the desktops, they are much more stable and can be used for so much more.

 

Laptops are good for quickly browsing the net etc. but not very good for web browsing, gaming, watching video's and such.

 

It's pretty much personal preference, and is dependant on what you use them for, but I game alot :D

[JoeDaStudd]

Desktops

 

 

 

Pros

 

*Cost

 

*Upgrade-ability

 

*Temperature

 

*No batteries needed.

 

*Monitor can be as big as you like

 

*Generally more powerful

 

*You can build one

 

 

 

Cons

 

*Heavy

 

*Not very portable

 

*Easy to spend lots of money upgrading

 

*May require extras (wifi card,bluetooth, etc.)

 

*Big

 

*Wires

 

 

 

Laptops

 

 

 

Pros

 

*Portable

 

*Battery

 

*Small

 

*All in One (comes with built in mouse, keyboard, wifi, etc)

 

*Very few wires

 

*Built in screen

 

 

 

Cons

 

*Less powerful

 

*Cost more

 

*Lack of upgrade options

 

*Fixed parts

 

*Depend very much on the model and make.

 

*Very heavy if desktop replacement.

 

 

 

The be all and end all is its usage.

 

If you want a portable PC then get a laptop if not get a desktop.

 

 

 

I own a 2 Desktops (one HTPC, one for gaming), a laptop and a netbook.

 

Each has there own uses.

 

(there is another Desktop and another laptop in our house so its pretty much equal.)

[thrash-boy]

Desktops

 

 

 

Pros

 

-Much higher quality & performance for MUCH less price.

 

-a MUCH longer lifespan

 

-Upgrades are a sinch, parts are easy to find that fit, and fitting is as simple as removing a few screws at most

 

-More support for games etc due to better hardware.

 

-Seeing as its not going to move anywhere, a dsl connection would be perfect, and it provides more performance than a wireless connection more suited to laptops.

 

-you can move it around on the desk to suit your needs. not everyone likes the same screen position or sitting in the same spot.

 

-things such as printers can be plugged in and left there, never to be touched again.

 

 

 

Cons

 

-You cant take it with you wherever you go

 

-takes up a bit of space (usually not a problem, expessially if you have a space where you old one is atm)

 

 

 

-----------------------------

 

 

 

Laptops

 

 

 

Pros

 

-You can move it around with you

 

-Best suited to the likes of teachers who absolutely MUST take there computer with them to each class for various reasons.

 

 

 

Cons

 

-upgrades are usually a pain from what ive heard

 

-parts that fit your system are usually very hard to come by, even old ones (old technology)

 

-parts which are up to date (the latest technology) rarely exist that will fit your laptop as soon as it ages the slightest bit.

 

-have to worry about keeping battery charged

 

-the battery is just another thing to worry about, just another item that could have something go wrong, and when it does you will know about it.

 

-unless you want to carry a cable around behind you, you will need to go wireless, which means you now have the issue of signal strength and poorer connections.

 

-everything is so much more compact that it can become annoying at times.

 

-you cant plug as many accessories in unless you want to carry them around with you.

 

 

 

-----------------------------

 

 

 

My summary is:

 

Unless your going to use it in instances where it must be transported around (work/school etc) with you so you can use it during your day, buy a desktop.

 

If you just need it, but don't need it with you all day, a desktop is a much better option.

[sloter]

Desktops

 

 

 

Pros

 

- Powerful

 

- Easier to upgrade

 

- Better gaming experience

 

 

 

Cons

 

- High energy usage

 

- Less Protable

 

- Sometime heavy

 

 

 

-----------------------------

 

 

 

Laptops

 

 

 

Pros

 

- Portable

 

- Low energy usage

 

 

 

Cons

 

- Not as powerful

 

- Get warm

[Makoto_the_Phoenix]

Desktops:

 

 

 

Pros:

 

- Easy to upgrade

 

- Temperature/thermals not much of an issue

 

- Simpler to use for gaming

 

 

 

Cons:

 

- Not portable

 

- Not robust (think "blackout")

 

 

 

Laptops:

 

 

 

Pros:

 

- Lightweight

 

- Easy to travel with

 

- Powerful

 

 

 

Cons:

 

- Not easy at all to upgrade

 

- Will run hot if playing a demanding game (probably between 75-85C)

[Hawks]

Desktops are easy to upgrade, you can add more memory easily, and they're relatively cheap. You do have to buy the monitor, keyboard, speakers, and mouse (usually comes with it though). Unless you're buying a really nice laptop, desktops are generally better for gaming because they are easily upgradeable, you can add a good graphics card/more memory/etc. easily and cheaply. - Also, you usually get one CD/DVD drive, perhaps space for another in addition to a 3.5" drive. Also last much longer, you'll get more bang for your buck- We have a 14-yr-old Win95 that still runs fine (although we've replaced it with a 2000- but also all the accessories still work (probably the monitor's an energy hog though...)) They're generally easier to hook up to printers and routers and such as you don't move them.

 

 

 

Laptops are sort of all-in-one packages... Personally, I prefer the keyboards on laptops, although I could probably find a laptop-style keyboard if I wanted to. They're harder to add memory to, usually that involves plugging in an external hard drive (whereas you can put the hard drive in the desktop). Laptops usually have inane amounts of USB ports, and your average desktop has 2-3, but you can get expanders (? USB docks? idk) for them. You don't need a keyboard/monitor/speakers and you can get a mouse if you want. Laptops usually have one CD/DVD drive and in my experience, no 3.5" drive. They're portable, but if you buy a decent one it usually ends up relatively big. Most have some sort of wireless ability/Bluetooth enablement as well..

 

 

 

Desktops

 

 

 

Pros

 

- Easy to upgrade, cheap to buy.

 

- Perhaps space for additional CD/DVD drive.

 

- Lasts much longer than laptops

 

- Easy to hook up printers and such and leave them there.

 

 

 

Cons

 

- Slightly bigger (most aren't that big anymore, it's just transporting the other crud around)

 

- Must use monitor/keyboard/etc

 

- Can't be moved easily.

 

- Have internal heat regulators that can get loud... Newer models, not so much.

 

 

 

-----------------------------

 

 

 

Laptops

 

 

 

Pros

 

- 'All in one' package, no extras needed

 

- Portable

 

- Usually have some sort of wireless 'enablement'

 

- LOTS OF USB PORTS!

 

 

 

Cons

 

- Near impossible to permently upgrade, options are usually external hard drive

 

- Limited to one internal CD/DVD drive, no 3.5" drive

 

- Do get hot after a while, occasionally fan is annoying.

[BlueLancer]

Pros of laptop:

 

• 
   
  [*:3cujlhbn]
   
  Portability. Adequate for general work purposes

 

Cons of laptop:

 

• 
   
  [*:3cujlhbn]Runs at high temperatures.
   
  [*:3cujlhbn]Unfit for any sort of proper gaming, unless you have an AlienWare rig don't even attempt playing newer games like GTA4, Crysis etc
   
  [*:3cujlhbn]Inadequate support for anything that requires graphic processing power.
   
  [*:3cujlhbn]You can't install a lot of regular hardware components.

 

Pros of desktop:

 

• 
   
  [*:3cujlhbn]Everything. You can install a proper amount of RAM cheaply, buy proper graphics cards, and practically do anything computers are meant to do, both leisure & work.

 

Cons of desktop:

 

• 
   
  [*:3cujlhbn]Nothing, performance wise. You just can't carry it around or use it in a plane, train, etc.

 

 

 

I currently have a laptop, by the way. Desktop's heatsink fan broke months ago, can't really be bothered to buy a new one right now just to play some games.

[stevepole]

Everything is really based of the brand of laptop you get.

 

 

 

Desktops:

 

-pros

 

Generally more powerful

 

cheaper

 

easier to upgrade

 

-cons

 

generally chunkier (bigger, wires, etc.)

 

require more upgrades (graphic cards, ram, etc.)

 

louder

 

 

 

laptops:

 

-pros

 

portable (lightweight, easy to travel, etc)

 

becoming much more powerful

 

-cons

 

costlier (cheaper laptops lack in specs)

 

harder to upgrade

 

 

 

Everything really depends on what you need it for and brands and such. If you need a laptop to run productive apps like the adobe suit for example macbook pros can easily run them, I can run them on mine no problem. But by all means I don't want this to turn into an mac vs. pc thread I'm just saying this from personal experience.

[InkofDeath]

If you're or others, are going to use the computer for:

 

 

 

1. Surfing the web

 

2. Perhaps using Microsoft Office programs & internet-based programs for business/data recording/using for universities...etc.

 

 

 

Then get a >$600 netbook.

 

 

 

Then spend money on a proper, long lasting, performance great desktop.

 

 

 

With todays software & technology, putting information from one HDD to another is so easy, that you won't feel like the two are separate, but much rather bring each other closer together, and you have little to no cons at all, except for maybe spending $2000 for both.

 

 

 

To be honest, anyone who has a job nowadays, needs some form of a portable computer. Netbooks are awesome for business, and online personal use. They're cheap, and do their job well. You can even get ones with webcams now, that are still under 600 dollars. You won't be gaming, or running more than 3 programs at a time, but when you're on the move, you won't need to. The internet + any office program, will get anything done. Getting some media editing software like Flash or PS though is probably doable, but not sure. Then you can go home, take all of the stuff you've done on your netbook, put it onto your PC, or a usb drive. Now you still have space for tomorrow on that netbook.

 

 

 

Then use the PC for gaming, and more luxurious stuff like watching TV/Video, editing larger files ad just getting stuff done faster as well.

 

 

 

Netbooks + PC's are the future.