Laptop or desktop?

[Pamster]

Just curious what you use for your computing. I am thinking about laptops more seriously as my next purchase. I am thinking about spending a good amount on one too since I might be going back to school for something and think that a new laptop would be of great use in classes. So up to this point I have only had desktops. What do you prefr to use and what are the pros and cons as you see them?

[Matt A]

Laptop or desktop? We have both, bought them at the same time. 3ghz dual core 300mb HD machines. The desktop is mine, the laptop is my wife's.

Neither one of really go anywhere, we're both retired now so portability isn't much of an issue with us.

She loves her laptop because it doesn't take up all that much space on her desk in her craft room where she "lives". It's limited by how much hardware you can physically install into it and plug into it because of it's size. It came with one combo CD burner/DVD player but is upgradeable. For what she needs it's perfect. On-line banking, scrapbooking and web surfing. She has only one printer plugged into it due to limited USB ports but she has network access to 5 other printers when the family shows up to scrapbook. Laptops all pretty much have built in wireless cards now, so online research while in school is a breeze.

I have the "big boy" in my play room. With a desktop there's almost unlimited configurations to choose from. With 4 built-in USB ports on the back of the computer PLUS 2 PCI plug in cards in back each with an additional 5 USB ports I have 14 USB ports total, and that's not counting the 2 "easy access" ones on the front of this HP. That's enough to handle the 5 printers, 2 scanners, 1 video capture device, 1 external floppy disc drive, 2 extra external 3oomb hard drives and my Timex Ironman w/Datalink programmable watch. The desktop also has twin combo burners that will write to just about anything you can stuff into them including RAM discs.

It's hard to take a desktop to school with you. You'll need to decide for yourself if you'll be using it mostly for school or at home. The last time I was in school my personal computer consisted of a Radio Shack calculator, a pencil and a piece of notebook paper with 3 holes down the left side. My word processor was carried between my ears!!

[Mike Weins]

Well I don't need a laptop for anything and haven't actually used one for more than an hour or so.

Desktops are the way to go if you aren't going anywhere with them USB drives can take whatever data you need between computers.

[pennzoil34]

Well, I prefer a laptop, since my job had to deal with testing customers network systems, since I get service call here & there, saying thet copier wont print. I can use the USB, but only for service manuals if the customer allows me to use their PC, so I prefer the laptop over the desktop. I just purchased a new laptop, but I had to goto Windows Vista(yuk) rather have XP anyday

[jess2002]

Well I have both but I hate my laptop dunno why but give me just a normal computer over it anyday lol. Jess

[Pamster]

Great replies everyone, thank you! I am going to get a laptop and keep the desktop, most likely getting XP on the laptop since you CAN still buy one with XP if you take advantage of the downgraded license of Vista so you have as much time as you need to get ready to make the switchover to Vista. That is what I really like about the Dell setup, get one for small business and you CAN still get XP on it. I am nervous about getting a laptop, but excited at the same time. It should be exciting to be able to write creatively on one I can take anywhere. That is what I am looking forward to the most.

[JanM]

I have both. I prefer the desktop because I can read the text better. I bought the laptop for when we go to WI in the summer -takes up less room in the trunk. (Yes I took my computer on vacation.) Well we didn't go to WI this year, but I take it to the hospital and play games or work on graphics projects while working in the gift shop - I volunteer and there is not to much activity in the gift ship. It keeps me from falling asleep. No internet at the hospital though. I have a router at home and sit in the den while watching TV with my husband (he watches, I compute), and my hubby doesn't think he's alone. I have a jump drive so any "work" I do on th LT can be transferred to the DT and printer. Works for me. I can't tell you how many cans I had to pick up to buy it

[lisa_d2]

I have a 17" laptop (its my second 17" laptop, my 5th laptop overall). I've also got a desktop.

For what I do (horse events, portraits etc) I'm on the road a fair bit, and require the portability. But for most of my editing - its done on the desktop.

[markm]

Hi Pamster,

Unless you're into serious gaming, Computer aided drawing, or MIDI related music composition, then I don't see how you can go past a laptop. Assuming you buy one with decent graphics, there's very little you can't do on it that you can't do on a desktop. And they are just so much more convenient.

Regards,
Mark M

[greycat]

Laptop. At one point I was uing both, and switching from one to the other for comfort reasons (just so I could sit differently!).
Then my desktop died and husband (18 months later) hasn't got round to fixing it.
I guess I've got used to the laptop now; and with peripheral vision loss on the left the compact keyboard is useful!