Thread: How much time should elapse between computer purchases?

Originally Posted by drewmandan

Laptops aren't very portable either, unless you have a really small one. If you try to carry a large laptop around all day, you will break your back. So you might as well get the desktop and save a third of the price.

I fly a lot, desktops unfortunately aren't as easy to take around with you when flying. Right now I have some problems with my charger which makes it hard to use which is the main reason I'm even thinking about getting a new computer.

But I figure as long as I decide to leave my desktop in one State I shouldn't have to worry about flight that much.

Also, if you have a laptop already and can afford a new computer without trading yours in, just get a desktop and keep the laptop for travel/goofing off in class.

I don't know about a large laptop breaking your back. Mine is huge (Dell D820), but ever since I started working out my back hasn't been bothering me anymore.... haha

From what you're saying now I dunno, seems like maybe you should be getting a new one. I would wait a bit, though, until you start school. Spend the time until then saving up money, doing some more research, narrowing down your choices. Plus, once you get to college, you may find that you are gonna be going in a different direction than you thought you were. And even if it isn't a 180, maybe a slight change of plans that might mean all the money could have been better spent. If there's no current rush to buy a new computer, I'd put it off for a while. But I'm also the kind of person who doesn't rush into thing. Eh

I have a dell M1730, which cost an awful lot (as it was the highest spec), and I have to tell you, it's damn heavy!

I use it a desktop replacement that I can take to and from work, as that only involves a bit of movement each day, but it's certainly not cut out for being on the go, weighing a lot, being massive (17" screen) and having very poor battery life. It does nicely double as a heater in cold rooms though!

If you want decent graphics at a reasonable price, laptops are not a good bet. Cheap ones have integrated, non-upgradeable cards that are useless at 3D graphics, and you have to pay a large premium for high quality cards, such as a SLI setup (which also means you are likely to have to use hacked drivers if you want to upgrade, when on a laptop).

If you don't need any portability, get a desktop, which will have the best performance/price ratio.

If you need a bit of portability, such as being able to move a computer relatively easy from one static location to another, a desktop-replacement laptop is good. You can get similar performance to desktop machines, but at a heavy premium.

If you need lots of portability then forget high performance, as high performance demands a lot of cooling, large amounts of power, and will require bulky machines and eat through battery life.

Originally Posted by Photolysis

but it's certainly not cut out for being on the go, weighing a lot, being massive (17" screen) and having very poor battery life. It does nicely double as a heater in cold rooms though!

That about sums up mine as well. Huge, pretty klunky, but I don't mind that much. What really irks me is the shit battery life, the ridiculously expensive batteries, and bullshit one year warranty that expires just before your battery does... Mine died over the summer and I've just been using a power cord everywhere I go, which can be a huge pain in the ass when you want to move like 20 feet away and have to shut down But you're right, when I have to walk home from the library in the cold it is a nice warm weight against my back in my backpack

Macbook Air if you want a light computer.

Macbook Air if you're tired of having money.

And if you want to carry around a DVD drive.