Laptop VS Desktop (college?)

[Deathmath]

here is a build I was looking into: http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=11056925

however, as you will notice there are many doubling up of parts, and I'd like somebody to help me choose which ones to get etc. Some are out of stock, and I need alternatives.

 

I'm only tenth year, but my mom said I could get a laptop for college. Not sure how much something like this would cost etc. How much do you need a laptop in college? Netbook? Worth it to get this (comparable) as a desktop or laptop?

[Foooman]

What's your budget on the desktop build, and is that with just the tower, or with a monitor too?

 

My laptop was a godsend during my first two years of college. All those history, writing, and political science courses had lectures which were much easier to take notes in on a Laptop. But that's about it. Now every single class I take is heavily based into math and my laptop really serves no purpose during classes. Most colleges will have multiple computer labs on campus too if you really need to get something done while on campus. Laptop may be better suited for actual school things, but I find myself using my computer for gaming in my little spare time if anything. So my desktop sees much more use.

[Deathmath]

Budget on desktop is about 1k. w/ monitor

 

and what is a tower?

[Mirror]

Tower is the actual computer for a desktop.

 

I personally have a Laptop. My first one I bought under 1,000 and it served me well. It's great for presentations and the like as previously explained above. See, the thing is I am a guy on the go, and need my computer where I go. I need a laptop, not a desktop. You have to think about what you are going to be doing.

 

And if you have a ways to go before you are in college, then wait. Technology is going to change. I bought my old laptop 2 years ago that had 1gb of RAM. I bought my new one for half the price and it came with 3gb of RAM. Oh how technology advances...

[JoeDaStudd]

By just the tower he/she means just the computer. Since 99% of computer cases are in tower format a lot of people refer to them as towers.

 

Netbooks are pretty damn nice its just finding a use for them. I own 2 PC's, a laptop, a iphone and a netbook. I use the netbook the least as my iphone is either enough or I need to use my laptop or desktop.

 

I don't have an account with newegg (I'm from the UK) but heres a list of parts

 

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136168

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009194

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157167

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161310

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220436

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.281855

$946.86 - $35 MIR

 

 

[Nadril]

So you're saying either getting a laptop or a desktop for college?

 

In all honesty if you're going back and forth from the dorms/your apartment to your house a lot than a laptop is actually really nice. Even getting a "desktop replacement" laptop, something like one that is 17", is really useful because you can just throw it in a backpack or something and move it around easy.

 

I used a desktop for the first year or so of college and it was a pain in the [wagon] to have to move back and forth whenever I went home for breaks. Laptop is just so much nicer, and these days you can get a really solid laptop for around $1,000 that can play any game on the market.

[Deathmath]

Thing is is my parents saved a lot of money for me to go to college. I don't spend much money: I have well over 10k in the bank and i'm 15. If i spend some of the money I'll get federal aid for college, so I'm trying to find stuff to spend it on before they tally my finances.

[stevepole]

Your 15 and worry about college? I'd say wait till you go to college before you worry about what to purchase. Get a laptop though, I did and it is really easy travel with like Nadril mentioned.

[Ember]

.

[Laura]

I would wait two years before picking out a computer for college because it is likely that netbooks, notebooks, and desktops will not look the same. But for college, I really would stress a notebook. You can easily pick up a desktop with a powerful CPU/GPU to do most of what you would want to do on a desktop. I personally can't stand netbooks because of their small keyboard and tiny touchpad, not to mention you would have to constantly sync data with your desktop.

[Deathmath]

Thanks guys. I'll try and hold off on a notebook purchase. However I see that a desktop purchase is in the cards. Do you have any changes you would make to the build I posted in the first post?

[np_tyler]

I put an AMD 945 in my computer I built in August, and while it's great, looking back I might have just got this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103680

 

That's a dual-core processor, but can sometimes be unlocked to four cores, like the triple-core you've got on your list. By the way, you probably don't need any Arctic Silver thermal paste.

 

Since you have the 770T-UD3P in your list, I take it you don't plan on putting dual graphics cards in eventually.

 

Besides that, everything looks pretty good. It's very similar to the one I built, actually.

[Deathmath]

I put an AMD 945 in my computer I built in August, and while it's great, looking back I might have just got this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103680

 

That's a dual-core processor, but can sometimes be unlocked to four cores, like the triple-core you've got on your list. By the way, you probably don't need any Arctic Silver thermal paste.

 

Since you have the 770T-UD3P in your list, I take it you don't plan on putting dual graphics cards in eventually.

 

Besides that, everything looks pretty good. It's very similar to the one I built, actually.

 

I'll look into that processor.

 

I need the paste for another reason (mwahaha)

[JoeDaStudd]

I would make the following tweaks

 

This combo (cpu/case)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.281855

Add lights if you need them after

 

This motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157167

Allows for crossfire (3 way in fact) if you ever want to go down that route.

 

This ram

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220436

Works out $15 cheaper when you do the MIR

 

This gpu

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102864

DirectX 11 and lower power consumption.

 

This HDD

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Cheaper and better (not too many reviews out, but I own one and its very nippy).

 

With the rest of your build it works out around $960 with 25 rebates

[Deathmath]

I would make the following tweaks

 

This combo (cpu/case)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.281855

Add lights if you need them after

 

This motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157167

Allows for crossfire (3 way in fact) if you ever want to go down that route.

 

This ram

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220436

Works out $15 cheaper when you do the MIR

 

This gpu

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102864

DirectX 11 and lower power consumption.

 

This HDD

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Cheaper and better (not too many reviews out, but I own one and its very nippy).

 

With the rest of your build it works out around $960 with 25 rebates

 

Thanks a lot. Exactly what I was looking for :)