which is best laptop or desktop?

[Abigail]

Hello

I want to purchase computer I am not aware what type of system is required for nowadays? which is the best one to purchase.whether laptop or desktop pc.what is cost for getting these. i need the latest system,lcd,which is the best company to get or to assemble?

[DrP]

Laptop Vs Desktop? What are you needing it for - do you need it to be portable or will you only use it in your room at the desk? If you need portablility then get the laptop. If you don't need it and you are happy to work at a desk then get the desktop as you will get more for your money in terms of power, storage etc..

[CaptainPanic]

Yup.

If you want to leave it on the desk - get a desktop.

If you want to use it in more than 1 place, get a laptop.

 

In a comparison (taking a desktop and a laptop of the same price) desktops are more generally powerful than laptops... but laptops are more mobile.

[Phi for All]

I was a desktop junkie until I had a motherboard fry the week after the warranty was up. Since then I've just unintentionally gravitated to laptops, and I really do appreciate the mobility to get out of my home office when I want.

 

I have a Dell Latitude D830 that I got several upgrades on. It's two years old and cost about US$1500 with all the extras I got (9 cell battery, better processor, more RAM, bigger hard drive, Windows XP instead of Vista, etc). I've had no problems with it and I'd buy another Dell.

 

So I think the answer is to go with the mobility if you have the money to buy more power in a laptop. Otherwise, you'll get a better computer for less with the desktop, but you'll be tied to wherever you place it.

[A Tripolation]

Well, I've had some real bad experiences with Dell, and good ones with HP, so I'd recommend going with them on your next computer purchase. Of course, the incidents that happened to me may be completely isolated, but I'd still recommend HP.

 

 

And, to reiterate what everyone has told you, desktops are more powerful than laptops of the same price, but you are confined to a single place.

But laptop keyboards feel really good to type on

[Phi for All]

Well, I've had some real bad experiences with Dell, and good ones with HP, so I'd recommend going with them on your next computer purchase. Of course, the incidents that happened to me may be completely isolated, but I'd still recommend HP.

That's funny, it was an HP desktop that fried on me right after the warranty expired. I think the good and bad stories apply to every manufacturer. If a company has only bad stuff they go out of business, and if they had only good, they'd outsell everyone else and dominate the market.

[A Tripolation]

That's funny, it was an HP desktop that fried on me right after the warranty expired. I think the good and bad stories apply to every manufacturer. If a company has only bad stuff they go out of business, and if they had only good, they'd outsell everyone else and dominate the market.

 

 

That is funny. I suppose it was just my bias talking.

Or...the more logical conclusion...

You're secretly an advertising agent for Dell, here to shill your crappy products...yeah...makes a lot more sense

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

But laptop keyboards feel really good to type on

My mother is a professional translator whose job involves typing several thousand words a day. She finds the only good keyboard to be the IBM Model M -- so her keyboard is about fifteen years old right now and still going strong.

 

On the other hand, I love the keyboard on this MacBook. So it all depends on what you're used to.

[A Tripolation]

On the other hand, I love the keyboard on this MacBook.

 

This is my response to you Cap'n.

 

Enjoy

[Dudde]

Actually Tripolation sir, it's me that works for Dell> Although I only work with enterprise stuff, so I can't say about the consumer stuff =\

 

Personally I would suggest doing some studying online if you were going for a desktop, I may work for Dell, but for personal references I still encourage people to build their own! Although if you don't have the patience to learn and troubleshoot the system, you would definitely end up going OEM, simply so you could in the least call and get a little troubleshooting over the phone.

This is my response to you Cap'n.

 

Enjoy

 

That link is fantastic

[Mr Skeptic]

My mother is a professional translator whose job involves typing several thousand words a day. She finds the only good keyboard to be the IBM Model M -- so her keyboard is about fifteen years old right now and still going strong.

 

Agreed. That is an awesome keyboard.

 

----

 

Anyhow, as others have said, a desktop is better if it will stay in one place. Not just for the additional computing power, but also because you can get a bigger screen, nicer keyboard, etc. Also, a desktop is easier to upgrade since there is much more room inside it. On the other hand, a laptop can be taken places, and can also be folded up and put away so it doesn't have to hog a whole desk. Also, a laptop has batteries so is mostly immune to power outages (though your internet connection may not be), but on the other hand batteries wear out. Finally, if you have a fancy phone, you can use it as an even smaller version of a laptop (a palmtop?). I think laptops also use less electricity than a desktop.

 

If money is an issue, you can buy a refurbished comp which in my experience are as good as new but cheaper. However, I wouldn't buy a used computer for your first one, and if you get a used laptop you can expect the batteries to be at half strength or so.

 

I've bought computers and components from tigerdirect and newegg. I prefer buying stuff online as many brick and mortar stores will badly overcharge you.

[Phi for All]

You're secretly an advertising agent for Dell, here to shill your crappy products...yeah...makes a lot more sense

Five and a half years as a sleeper agent for Dell, I finally get a chance to do some real marketing and I get found out after my second post.

 

Abigail, if you're not setting us up for a sock puppet to join and start spouting on about a certain computer maker, can you tell us what kind of money you have to spend, and whether mobility is an issue for you? That would help narrow down the advice you get and make it more meaningful to you.