Help me decide what PC upgrade to get next!

[Namuna]

Help me choose which way to go! Out of the 2 choices, which should I upgrade first?

1. Video Card for Desktop?
At home I'm running a dual-monitor setup with an NVidia Quadro 280 card...Only problem is it can't handle some of the higher end games (like Prince of Persia). With the prices of Geforce/Radeon cards coming down, the higher end models (I'd need a card with 2 vid-outs) are looking quite attractive.

2. Hard Drive for Laptop?
I've got an Ultraportable (Fujitsu P5020) and I LOVE this little thing! Easily as fast as my desktop (Athlon XP1800) and about the size of an average 350page 'For Dummies' book. Hitachi makes a 60GB, 7200rpm hard drive that's supposed to be INSANELY fast (for a Laptop drive) and this upgrade would make this Ultraportable also Ultra badass.

This is a tough choice because I put in roughly equivalent time on either PCs, so I can't make a choice based on which it would be more used on.

Yes, I could EVENTUALLY get both, but not at the same time.

What do you guys think? Am I missing anything that would lean my decision one way or another?

Thanks.

 

[Sluggo]

Does the laptop drive create lots of heat or effect the battery life substantially? That could kill the ultra-portable feature of it if you have to plug it in all the time.

 

[Palek]

First, this probably should have been posted in general hardware. The really knowledgeable folks hang out there. OT is full of neffers.

Second, you really don't need a high-end video card for dual monitor output these days, even a lower mid-range card comes with a DVI and D-SUB port, and most cards give you a DVI to D-SUB converter so that you can use 2 CRT's or analog LCD's.

As for the laptop hard drive, you might want to spend some time looking into the thermal characteristics of the hard drive you currently use in your notebook, and compare it to the new Hitachi drive. Ultraportable notebooks are designed with very strict thermal specifications, so adding a higher speed drive (which almost always generates more heat) might cause overheating and completely mess up your laptop. Just be careful. Also, make sure that the size of the new drive is the same as the old one. Although most recent laptop hard drives are 9.5 mm thick, you could run into problems.

 

[flxnimprtmscl]

Knowing how big your current hdd is would help. Also why do you want a bigger drive? Do you need it or do you just want the speed?

 

[Corporate Thug]

i would do video card

 

[Tetsuo]

I'd just wait and buy an entirely new desktop when Prescott launches

 

[GhettoFob]

video card

 

[SSibalNom]

Originally posted by: GhettoFob
video card

 

[HonkeyDonk]

Originally posted by: Palek
First, this probably should have been posted in general hardware. The really knowledgeable folks hang out there. OT is full of neffers.

Second, you really don't need a high-end video card for dual monitor output these days, even a lower mid-range card comes with a DVI and D-SUB port, and most cards give you a DVI to D-SUB converter so that you can use 2 CRT's or analog LCD's.

As for the laptop hard drive, you might want to spend some time looking into the thermal characteristics of the hard drive you currently use in your notebook, and compare it to the new Hitachi drive. Ultraportable notebooks are designed with very strict thermal specifications, so adding a higher speed drive (which almost always generates more heat) might cause overheating and completely mess up your laptop. Just be careful. Also, make sure that the size of the new drive is the same as the old one. Although most recent laptop hard drives are 9.5 mm thick, you could run into problems.

did you bother to read the post in detail? the OP needs to upgrade his vid card so that he can play games better, but the vid card has to have dual support also.

 

[Palek]

Originally posted by: HonkeyDonk

Originally posted by: Palek
First, this probably should have been posted in general hardware. The really knowledgeable folks hang out there. OT is full of neffers.

Second, you really don't need a high-end video card for dual monitor output these days, even a lower mid-range card comes with a DVI and D-SUB port, and most cards give you a DVI to D-SUB converter so that you can use 2 CRT's or analog LCD's.

As for the laptop hard drive, you might want to spend some time looking into the thermal characteristics of the hard drive you currently use in your notebook, and compare it to the new Hitachi drive. Ultraportable notebooks are designed with very strict thermal specifications, so adding a higher speed drive (which almost always generates more heat) might cause overheating and completely mess up your laptop. Just be careful. Also, make sure that the size of the new drive is the same as the old one. Although most recent laptop hard drives are 9.5 mm thick, you could run into problems.

did you bother to read the post in detail? the OP needs to upgrade his vid card so that he can play games better, but the vid card has to have dual support also.

Yes, and if you read his post again, you will notice that he mentioned 2 vid-outs after "higher end models", from which it is not unreasonable to come to the conclusion that he thinks only higher end cards come with dual outputs. As for games, well, even a mid-range card can pump out very decent frame rates on Prince of Persia and other recent games. My 9500 Pro bears witness to that.

 

[styrafoam]

Be more selective with the variety of smut you put on your laptop and enjoy games as they were meant to be played with a new video card.

 

[sparkyclarky]

I'd go for a laptop HD, just because that drive is badass (I might pick one up myself). It doesn't generate much heat and power usage should remain within +/- 10 minutes or so.

 

[Namuna]

Wow, overwhelming votes toward the Vid Card upgrade.

Yes, I could've posted this in the General Hardware forum, but I'm not looking for tech help (I already have a pretty solid idea of the tech details of both items) I'm just looking for which way people in general would go (The Off-Topic forum, I think, is pretty good for 'people in geneal' stuff. )

Yes, I had thought I'd have to go with a higher-end card to be able to get the Dual-Monitor capability, but if I can still get dual-monitor with a mid-level card? Then that sounds like a plan! I'll have to keep checking out what's available.

I think I'm going to buy based on the current market trends; Supposedly new graphics technology is around the corner (which explains the current price drop trends lately) but the Laptop HD market has been holding pretty steady. I'll save up and get the Laptop HD first, then sell off the replaced HD and by the time I've saved up enough for the Vid Card, prices will have come down even more and I should be able to get a nice card.

Thanks for all the replies.