Laptop or desktop?
 

Just curious, I am thinking about getting a new computer and wondering if a laptop would work out for me and thinking a desktop might be best due to the overheating issues laptops have that a desktop is still the way to go. What are the pros and cons as you see them? :)

I prefer a desktop just because I build my own systems and I can easily upgrade or change out internals if there is a problem with something.

And I am more comfortable using my own chosen, monitor, mouse & keyboard.
And being able to adjust everything for my ergonomic comfort.
I have a chronic RSI type condition.
We do have a laptop also but I just can't use it for extended times, mainly dd uses it for classes.

But a laptop is handy if you like to move around in the house or outside:)or for traveling.
they do make special fan /platforms that you can buy :rolleyes: for the overheating issues

I don't know if certain brands/designs have more problems with that or not.

Laptop, for me, affords far more flexibility. I used to be "sold" on having a Desktop, and still have one, but it's too physically uncomfortable to use. I've barely touched a Desktop in the past 6 years.

As far as overheating? I've encountered that with my Desktop, but not my laptop (and I'm on my second). My first laptop? The hinges - computer-to-monitor - cracked.

I luv, luv, luv my current laptop! It was a gift. It's a HP special edition, VISTA. Not had any major prob. with it from the day I booted the first time in December, I think it was.

Hi Pam
 

I agree with Bobbie,and have the same computer,love it,no problems. If I could build them like Jo and my brother,ahh well never going to happen,so
laptop..:) Sue

Well I might be going back to school so I think I want a dell laptop, gonna get a extended service plan on it too so that I can count on it being fixed if it has issues. I have seen a cooling pad for laptops so I think I would pick one of those up too while I was at it. Thanks for posting Bibbi! :D

I like the big keyboard of the desktop. But if you need portability, you might prefer the laptop. If I ever get another laptop (I had one once)... I'm going to get a lighter weight one. Mine weighed 8 lbs. plus a leather case. I didn't like to take it out. It was one they refer to as a desktop replacement.

Pamster,

With the extended warranty: Also check the store's or the warranty from the place of original purchase. Several services were automatically included with mine - and at no cost to the purchaser/gift giver or to me. Those services proved to be far more useful than going direct through the manufacturer. For instance, the laser precision mouse was frozen after about 2 months. The place where purchased personnel got it replaced in like... wham! consider it done! :) (And, as it turned out, I made the boo-boo. I had inadvertently placed the battery the wrong direction :(.)


I have a cooling pad, for my older laptop, and one thing that helps keep it functioning well, too: Using the compressed air for cleaning it, along with the computer's keyboard, etc.


Sue: Don'tcha just love the "feel" of the computer? Its surface and touchpad-surround? I've never felt anything so smooth.

One thing I meant to mention is I will get one of these things:

http://www.protectcovers.com/

Check it out, under twenty bucks and keeps out grime of all kinds from getting in between the keys. I am going to get one for the Yahoo multimedia keyboard I share with jackie because he regularly spills drinks around here. BUt I will get one of those protectors for the laptop for sure. And I want to get the lojack locator anti-theft thing too, I think it will be a great system, but I worry about things breaking like hinges or the screen/monitor. How well do they wear?

Thanks for posting again Bobbi and you too Wiz! :D

Huh???
 

I'm planning (yeah .. shur .. you betcha' )Well, I WAS planning on buying a laptop this week and know nothing :o Now I hear about heating :confused:
I really think I belong back with smoke signals.

Pam,

I've not met anyone personally who's ever had the hinges crack as mine did. I use my laptop a lot... just as I wore out a word processing machine and flew through keyboards on my spiff'd up typewriters. (The county was using the same word processing machines, and no one had heard of anyone wearing one out :eek:.) I have read, online, about a few people that had the same happen to theirs, but it's not a "common" prob. that I know of.

I'd suggest looking at how hard drive is housed, and the casing. And, it leads me to also state this:

Wren,

There are several people here (at NT) who know a lot about computers. Please don't feel that you can't ask questions. Every Q. is a valid one, and it's very likely someone will be able to offer ideas, info., etc., that can potentially help in your search and beyond.


One thing to keep in mind with the cooling pads is: If one is purchased, and of course it's seated beneath the laptop when in use, be sure that laptop and the cooling pad have their respective fans working the same direction. Otherwise, they're in opposition and not nearly as effective.

Often, too, it's possible to discern when a pad needs replacing. An indicator is, i.e., a clicking sound. It could either need a good cleaning or possible replacement.

When looking at a computer, look at its configuration: How many and where the fans are located. If the fans are on the bottom of a laptop, it stands to reason that it is more prone to run "hotter" because it's running surface to surface - which blocks air-flow.

BTW: Desktops can also overheat, depending on a room's temp., proximity to a wall, etc. A Desktop and a laptop can also run "hot" based on the amt. of internal resources being used, such as the CPU.

:)

Want to hear my thoughts on laptops and desktops??

I don't have any because I don't know what having a laptop is like. I do know desktops. I've had computers for over 25 years. My company sent me to IBM school when my company got the first computer and dot matrix printer.

I'll never forget that. Then I bought my own system for my house (Cost me over $3500) and that was 25 years ago. Good grief!!!!

Want to know what I really wish??

That Bobbi and Jo lived next door so I could LEARN LEARN LEARN!!!

lol lol lol lol lol

I want to be across the street !!

Want?? I NEED to be across the street.

( :o How do you make it impossible for people to move?)

What would strike me as humorous is if someone asks about the Adam computer, Melody :D. Do you - or anyone - remember those? It was the computer that actually wasn't. It didn't fare well after introduction into mainstream. Someone had bought me one; it was supposed to be my first ever computer. Nothing worked as it should. Then, again, it was bought at a (major) toy store. I still have the monitor (portable/rabbit-ear) TV and it works beautifully :wink:.


With my first real computer (a Mac), I realized, the things are put together pretty well. As long as someone has the O/S, drivers, vital apps., and important data either on installation CDs or backed up, a computer really cannot be hurt in a way that can't be fixed.

Whether the "vitals" come as a "bundle" (as in Mac) or as individual installation CDs, I "play" with everything on a drive - to see how things work, how to do things myself, and what not to do again :).

In deciding on Desktop v. PC, it really depends on how it will be used, such as if portability, as someone mentioned, is a factor, preference, and other things.

I'd go to more than one place and look at several. I'd also go to places where the computers are booted early (in the day) and running for duration. I'd feel the keyboard/touchpad. (If it's running hotter than would seem ideal, that may not change when it's "home.")

:hug:

Laptops
 

If you have a laptop you want one with the newer processors (ie dual core). You definitely do not want one with an intel celeron. They use a lot of energy and get hot especially when the room is hot and the CPU is running at max like doing a scan or using your scanner/printer to make copies, etc. If all you do is surf the Internet and send emails they are fine (the celeron).


My laptop is off the surface. It has little spacers underneath to let the air flow better. However, I am having a problem now with the hot weather (I have a celeron). My husband's Dell laptop has a Pentium M sentrino processor and it runs really cool. When I get another laptop it will be similar to my husband's.

I've checked out the external fans and they raise my computer up too high to be comfortable the way I sit and where I have the computer. So no to that for me.

I'll never go back to a desktop. We had that years ago and laptops are the way to go for us. We don't have any problem with the keyboards on the laptops. Really easy to take along when you travel. In the end, it's whatever a person wants.

what about the commador? it was the same type of thing. lol. i had one.

gosh yes my boys got started with a brand new Commodore 64 1987 I think it was.
then an Amiga 128 {used}
then garage sales to find pc's that they could build and rebuild and spare parts too.. OMG so many parts -it was a real big thing to go to G sales on fridays...
but we all learned a lot that way.

oops sorry to get side tracked:o

Over 26 years ago we got our first computer (desktop) and with the programs and such it cost over $5,500.00. We got it for our business. It was an Apple 2 Plus. Worked great. Then we replaced it with an Apple 2 E. Great computer again for it's time. It got stolen and the thief was caught and we bought it back from the insurance company. He always wanted his own computer and liked ours as that's what he had used in prison prior to this incident:rolleyes:

Our first laptop we bought in about 1995. It was an AST. It cost about $1,600.00. It had no CD Rom and only a .5 gig hard drive. It had Windows 95 OS. What a step up:D

Aside from a publisher or professional animator, I cannot begin to imagine why anyone would ever want a desktop again.

I have a peripheral keyboard at my work station along with an elevator for the laptop so it sits at an appropriate height. I have a mouse, printers, scanner, and an external harddrive for it too. When I want it to act like a desktop, it does. When I want to take it with me, I do.

When it's hot outdoors and I'm using it as a laptop, I have a very thick corkpad from the kitchen department that works beautifully and does not block the vents.

If you get a desktop, that's all you have and you're stuck. If you get a laptop, you can have the best of both worlds. No contest!

I use a desktop. I on the computer quite a few hours a day. I like a DT, because I can change things, monitor keyboard, or mouse.

One of the incredible members here has been trying to help me ... sending me great emails about laptops that would probably be right for me. Bless his big heart. Too big I have very little understanding. Bless my little brain.
A bit ago I had an epiphany ..........................
I need someone to say, "This is the computer you need....You need #pmq8910xyz from Harry's Hairy Brain Shop. Order it now and tell him you also want an open desk anti-flopper in the medium size. Get the dark green striped blanket to avoid mice. Don't forget to order before dawn"

Anyone want to help?

Go to Apple.com, get a MacBook 2.4 ghz 13.1" with a 120gig hard drive and 2gig RAM, from the refurbished Mac section. It comes ready to use and with a full warranty. Be sure to take the $100 printer rebate option and get yourself that awesome Canon all-in-one for $20. Shipping is free. You'll never look back.

There, easy enough?

for my lower back issues, sitting fully upright at a desk works best.

feet propped up on a footrest alleviates my foot and leg spasms, and the desk and chair arms support my weak arms and hands.

I've really tried to use laptops, and cannot manage the small keyboards (loss of fine motor skills) and those teensy rolling ball mouses, fuggeddaboutit !!

there, did that help your imagination, AMN ?

:p

I hope that you're not offended, Wren; I mean this in a positive way. The innocence in your message is just so sweet. :)

The reason I don't flat out suggest a type of computer for people (even people I know offline): It truly is an item - a big ticket one at that - that is personal; the ultimate decision has to be based on someone's needs, ideas for use, and so on.

Take the O/S or Operating System, for instance. Most PCs are now sold with XP or VISTA as the O/S. I really couldn't say which is better for someone who is new to making a computer purchase since there are pros and cons either way.


Pamster, whatever you decide on (Desktop or Laptop), I hope you'll let us know (down the road a bit what you think of your new 'puter).

Not really, Kay, because as I mentioned above, I have the same issues more or less but still have all the advantages of a desktop with the added advantage of being able to move it or take it easily for a change of scenery— to my laz-y-boy as an example.

A laptop just makes more sense to me because there are many days now when I literally can't move and being able to take it onto my bed is a big bonus. MacBooks have a full-sized keyboard, just not with a dedicated 10-key to the side.

Do they even still make those little trackballs? It seems like they all have the trackpad now. :p

First of all, I have never heard of an ADAM computer. I must go and look that up.

When I was in my early 30's I worked for a Non-Profit organization. They got the very first computer system. Since I was an executive secretary, they installed something called Multimate Advantage (this was way before Word Perfect).

I was sent to IBM school to learn about computers. The only reason they chose me was I typed 145 words per minute. On a Selectric no less (god knows how fast I was on the computer keyboard, people would stand behind my desk one day and applaud me because I drove my boss nuts with my typing. I'll never forget that day.

So they sent me to computer school. After my first lesson, I typed five lines on the computer, printed it out (dot matrix), bought it back to my company, showed the head person and she went 'oh, that's glorious"

Never forgot that either.

So they install my computer. It was an IBM and guess how big the hard drive was??

THE WHOLE HARDDRIVE WAS 20 MGS.

I will never forget that because when I quit and bought my own, I bought the exact same system and it cost over $3500 from IBM.

Good Lord, this was 25 or so years ago.

No color monitor. I remember everything on the screen was green.

The printer had this noise cancelling hood on it because all the printing would drive everybody crazy.

So guess what happened after I got the only computer in the company?

None of the other secretaries gave me the time of day. They refused to acknowledge me in the lunch room, etc. I asked someone about this once and they said "this happens all the time, they were jealous". YA THINK?????

So one year later, they installed an IBM computer at every secretary's workplace.

So guess who they called up for advice? I would get calls ALL DAY LONG.

I would be asked 'melody what does the F10 key do, how do I save this document, how do I paginate, how do I get the printer to print all the pages, how do I do this?? that??

My immediate supervisor got so mad she said "do not go to the other floors". I said "but they don't know how to use the computer".

It's amazing how popular I got after one year of no one talking to me.

FOR ONE YEAR, NO ONE SAID A WORD TO ME.

I will never forget that as long as I live.

I was never that kind of person to be jealous of another secretary. Besides IBM school, they also sent me to some kind of business course and it was at the same time.

That's where I asked the question of the person giving the course. I told them what was happening on my job and she said "right now, because you were chosen to go to IBM school, well they are all jealous". "Some day, this will all blow over".

She was right.

Good old Multimate Advantage software. I'll never forget this. Spell Checking and everything.

lol

well, hopefully nobody will think I am hijacking this post. LOL

I think desktops and laptops both have their pros and cons.

Laptops are actually built different from a desktop. It costs more for that reason.

If one wants a long life, desktop usually lasts longer than laptops.

If one needs mobility, laptops, of course.

I think the factors to think about is:

will I mostly use this puter in one place, or will I be dragging it all over the place.

If one uses it in one place all the time, a desktop might be a better choice.

If one have to move around all the time or travels a lot, a laptop might be a better choice.

With that said. There are things to soup up a laptop

an external keyboard and an external monitor can help alleviate some of the problems associated with a small keyboard on the laptop and the smaller monitors.
of course, that's extra price. Most external keyboards are USB 2.0 capable so it is great for those that don't like the laptop keyboards.

Using a nice ERGO cooling pad for the laptop, the ones that elevates and keep the heat from killing the laptops will also be a good modification. The ergo ones are on sale all the time at Amazon.com

hooking up an external monitor is a pain in the butt but if one travels some, then it might be worth it to get the laptop and getting the extras.

Of course, it all goes back to budget, budget, budget.

we have three puters at home and two of them laptops. The second laptop is set up with the external monitor(to our TV) and an external keyboard and it sits on an ergo cooling pad. We use that in our family room upstairs

Our desktop sits on the first floor in our main office

my laptop for work travels with moi everywhere...and when I want to work at home, I either work on it or I use my usb stick to move the files from one to the other.

:)

I definitely wanted replies like yours who moi, so thank you for taking time to type it all out. I am wondering which would be best, and as I am thinking of going back to college I am thinking about a laptop. I am thinking of going back to school for either medical coding and billing or computer specialist. So part of me thinks buying a cheap one off ebay might be best and then saving up to get a better one later after I get a new car. :)

Thanks everyone for the great replies! :D

I never in my life thought you could hook up an external keyboard to a laptop.

Does this mean that the keyboard I am using right now, (it's a big Microsoft keyboard with the keys separated in the middle (I love this keyboard!!!). I could hook up this keyboard to a laptop that I might buy? This keyboard is connected to the back of my computer via (I think it's called a PS2 thing). It's round, with pins in it.

Do laptops come with ports like PS 2's or are they all USBs???

Thanks much.

Melody

Mel, you can get a little connection converter that will make it able to plug into usb port.

So when this computer dies, or I ever decide to buy a laptop, I buy a little converter thing, and it will convert my PS2 into a USB thing and VOILA, I can use my Microsoft keyboard?

Isn't life sweet!!!!!! lol lol lol

I have both, in case I go somewhere and a psp that I must learn how to use the wifi:)

Yup! You surely can Mel! :D Life is sweet I agree, and you can get laptops cheap on ebay, refurbished but then electronics are like cars they depreciate instantly...I am thinking of buying a used one FIRST to determine that I will like using one...LOL! :D

An advantage of a laptop, if taking classes: In-class notes (taking or making).

Also, laptop can be used on train and, depending on the model, it can also be used in a vehicle. Never thought that would be important, until I was on a lengthy car trip, bored outta my mind, and used the adapter and wireless broadband and I was online :).

If buying a used computer, I'd ponder: Why is it being sold? Does it have a warranty (transferrable) or other service/protection plan?


This might be helpful; it condenses:

Buying A New Computer: Laptop Versus Desktop
May 5th, 2008
http://blogs.tech-recipes.com/davak/...ersus-desktop/

Thanks for the link Bobby, I think it's a refurbished computer and no warranty as you might expect for four hundred dollars, but hopefully it would determine if I want a laptop or not. :)

AMN,

My dear sis just ordered her first Mac, a refurbished one. :) I think she'll like it because her son-in-law has one already and she's used his before.

I like the way you have your computer set up. That might be the way I'll go next time around, with the docking station, extra keyboard and monitor so I can just unhook the laptop and take it on the road with me. :)

It will be awhile though, my desktop is only about a year old now and it's a souped up V8. :D Maybe DH can have this one if his dies prematurely.

Laptop all the way, baby!! DH has a desk top in the family room.


PSSSSST~ AMN sleeps w/her MAC.

Laptop + Fan
 

I pd 399.00 for a refurbished one & I wish we would have went ahead and spent another 100.00 for a brand new low end one with warranty and such.

if you can get a used or refurbished one for 250-300 then it might be a deal - but most likely $$ to have it repaired if it has a problem.

lol, same here... had a used Commodore for the kids, back in the early 80s.

we all had so much fun with it, that next Christmas, there was an Apple IIe under the tree.

hmmmm, I think that was 1983.

:D

never had anything but Apple Macs ever since.

25 years, I guess that makes me a dedicated Mac Girl, eh?

:cool:

My DD is a true Mac convert! She has a desktop and a laptop, both Macs and would never consider anything else.

I tried to drop hints that she could pass the ones she has now down to me when she upgrades, but it seems her father beat me to it! Drat!

Maybe next year.........