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Should I trade my Desktop for a Lappy?

A

Athlon4all

Diamond Member
First here's my system specs:

Shuttle AK31A
256Megs DDR266
Duron 1GHz with AS3, SVC GC68 HSF
WD 30Gig 7200RPM HD
ATi Radeon 7500 with DVI-VGA Adapter
On-Board AC'97
56k WinModem
Linksys 10/100 NIC
Creative 52X CD
Floppy
Antec SX630 Case
17" Monitor and 13" Monitor using HydraVision

The idea of trading this system for a lappy is really tempting me because I am finding more and more often me wishing that I could have the portability. I really don't do many demanding apps (a few games, but not demanding (ie ST: Armada 2, NHL 2002) but the majority of the time I've surfing, and word processing while listening to music, etc. I know this isn't a top of the line system but what do you guys think I could get in terms of a laptop for a direct trade? K6-2+ 400-500? 13" Screen? Or maybe Celeron 700-800? Would you guys trade this system for a lappy? Thanks for the input guys!

EDIT: Oh and I'd prolly keep the 17" Monitor for when the system is at home
 
i did that and now i'm a slave to portability. i'd like a butt kickin' desktop now but i can't get away from having all my stuff with me all the time and sync'ing the two is too much work. so if you make the jump, be prepared to not be able to turn back!!!

~erik
 
a 1ghz desktop system is fast. much faster than a 1ghz laptop system, i think due to hard drive speed. if you switch that system for a laptop of the same value, it may be sooooo slow, probably 800x600 res, i don't think you'd be happy with it. if you would be happier with a laptop, put over an extra few hundred $$ to get a somewhat modern one

edit: last summer i got a toshiba laptop w/ geforce2 go ($2300) for graduation. later in the summer i built my own PC for $300 and it blew the laptop away in every performance category. so you're lookin at like a P166 there 😉
 
i'd stick with the comp

but if u move around a lot and don't play much games

then a laptop would be fine.


just my opinion


Ken
 
trade.

i've got a toshiba 700mhz celeron. and even though my desktop is more than twice as fast, i still use it about 90% of the time.
 
go for it, laptops are freakin cheap right now. and get the Compaq 2800T, it definately has the best value for the dollar. got mine at an unbelievable price:

1.5ghz p4m
128 ram (later upgrated to 384)
20gig hd
radeon 32mb 7500
15" svga+
cd rom, etc..

for 1300$ 😀😀
 
I just purchased a dell 8200 and I can assure you, do not forsake your desktop for a laptop. they are not substitutes for each other. a laptop is a tool. A mobile device. It was never designed to replace a desktop. I have the best made,and it is slower and more cumbersome to use than my desktop, from the keyboard to the mouse, to the screenm resolution. (My laptap LCD screen loves nothing less than 1400x1050.that screws up my vision looking at webpages so small, and other windows. Enlarging the resolution does not make the LCD screen look any better,it makes it way worse!)

If you need a laptop or just desire one to be cool and mobile, just keep that in mind.


I liken it to old people retiring in a motorhome and selling there brick and morter house to pay for it. After the novelty wears off, they can't wait to sell it to buy a home on terra firma. Then they are stuck with less than what they would have had if they had prepaired for the mobile home in advance,and are forced to settle for less home because of the devaluation of the used motorhome.

The HDDs onlaptops run slower than HDDs in your PC even if they claim 7200 rpm. And all other drives are noticably slower. I still like my Dell, but you will suresee the diff. (BTW, my dell runs a moblie P4 1.6 Gig with 256 DDR. I can really tell that there is a major diff from desktops I build with those specs.)
 
I hate my lappy. (paid $1300, 1Ghz, 256K, 40G hard drive)

I only use it for long road trips so I can play DVD's in the background so I have something to listen to. Much better than those $25 books on tape.

The first useful thing I have done with it so far is set it up as a AA server, tonight as a matter of fact.







I hate laptop keyboards, too used to the ergo boards I guess.
 
Originally posted by: 911paramedic



I hate laptop keyboards, too used to the ergo boards I guess.
Click to expand...

its something that you get used to with time. when i first got my laptop i used it some becuase i took it to work with me.. never used it when i was at home though. now, a year later i use my laptop all the time and havent even touched my desktop in over a week..
 
Gotta agree with Tripleshot (*gasp* again). 🙂

I have the best of both worlds - BOTH. There is no substitute if you NEED portability. In fact, I use my laptop for web surfing and am typing this on my Dell Inspiron 4100 - the TFT is very easy on the eyes. Also, there is no way I could have brought my desktop to Hawaii for 3 months this past Winter.

HOWEVER, I am looking forward to new games (not just the old ones that play @800x600 like Max Payne, RtCW and Serious Sam SE on my notebook. So, I am upgrading my current 1.2Ghz desktop to a P4 system and a next gen videocard.

There is just something about graphics and game play on a 19" CRT that no notebook display can touch. (Deus Ex is on "pause" in the other room.) 🙂


For you . . . your choice. Look at needs, not wants.
 
For a direct trade...

...you might be kicking yourself with what you can only get. Even for light gaming.

Though, if you can stand the quality of gaming on a notebook for a trade of such a calibur, then I'd do it. I too want a portable because I find myself gaming more on a console and simply doing what you mentioned.

You can't beat portability, especially when you really want/need it.

Have a nice day 🙂

Darien
 
I got given an older laptop recently and I think it's great...being able to sit anywhere in the house and surf the net...I even wired in a network socket downstairs for this purpose. At the time I really really wanted a brand new lappy, and I too was considering selling one of if not all of my desktops thinking that I could live with just one, cool, powerful laptop. But then the novelty wore off 🙂 I have now decided that eventually when I can afford I will just buy a nice laptop to COMPLIMENT my desktop system(s). I suppose in a way I *do* already have a laptop but that's not the point.

You could always pick up a cheap 2nd hand one and see how you go with that one for a while before committing lots of money + your desktop!
 
Originally posted by: MCS
I got given an older laptop recently and I think it's great...being able to sit anywhere in the house and surf the net...I even wired in a network socket downstairs for this purpose. At the time I really really wanted a brand new lappy, and I too was considering selling one of if not all of my desktops thinking that I could live with just one, cool, powerful laptop. But then the novelty wore off 🙂 I have now decided that eventually when I can afford I will just buy a nice laptop to COMPLIMENT my desktop system(s). I suppose in a way I *do* already have a laptop but that's not the point.

You could always pick up a cheap 2nd hand one and see how you go with that one for a while before committing lots of money + your desktop!
Click to expand...


Ditto.

If you can save up and get laptop also.
 
I just want to be reiinforce, I would not be getting this lappy for gaming. The gaming I do I can do on my family's other PC, and I do realize (sadly) that I would not get equal performance from a lappy due to the slow HD, one of these dAys there will be 7200rpm Laptop HD's.

YUea I realize U will be kicking myslef by doing a direct trade, so I'll have to save up some money maybe.

Actually I did kind of have a test run with a lappy if u can call a 386SX, 8MB, Monochrome scrreen a test run. .lol Its power supply or something releated went and that was that. Not a bad deal for $15+shipping here on the forums🙂 Any more input? just trying toi get as much info as possible.
 
I wouldn't recommend migrating to laptop computing only, if you don't travel really much and never live a long time in one place. But if you're just an ordinary man like you and me who has a home than why would you want to have only a laptop? They have their downsides, too. Probably, I think it would be pretty crappy if I had only a laptopn on my desk. It would suck for me. Of course, it can be good for you, who knows.
 
Try the laptop life before you make the change. I have both but only use the laptop when I am on the road. I find compared to the laptop the desktop's ergonomics to be easier and more comfortable to use. When I am at home, the laptop stays in its case unless I am syching it with the desktop or performing other house keeping chores.
 
Good luck if you are gonna try to trade a desktop for a laptop here.

I have a nice AMD rig here that I have been trying to trade but so far I haven't
had any decent offers for a trade. Not even a P266.

Best of luck,
Jeff
 
Originally posted by: Athlon4all
I just want to be reiinforce, I would not be getting this lappy for gaming. The gaming I do I can do on my family's other PC, and I do realize (sadly) that I would not get equal performance from a lappy due to the slow HD, one of these dAys there will be 7200rpm Laptop HD's.

YUea I realize U will be kicking myslef by doing a direct trade, so I'll have to save up some money maybe.

Actually I did kind of have a test run with a lappy if u can call a 386SX, 8MB, Monochrome scrreen a test run. .lol Its power supply or something releated went and that was that. Not a bad deal for $15+shipping here on the forums🙂 Any more input? just trying toi get as much info as possible.
Click to expand...


I have noticed that Notebook computers are "IN". When I visited Hawaii this Winter, it was the new status symbol among my friends going to college (I even helped a friend purchase his). Why would someone pay $600 for a portable DVD player with LCD when for a few bucks more you can get a fairly powerful computer?

Like anything else that is "in", the novelty fades.

Unless you NEED portability, there is NO advantage whatsoever to a laptop (not even a cramped room is reason enough - buy a TFT monitor). And IF you DO need portability, there is no reason to delay getting one.

I certainly wouldn't TRADE a desktop for a notebook. Sell your desktop first and then buy what you need - and don't forget, if you plan to do ANY gaming on the notebook, absolutely NO integrated graphics - the ATI 16MB DDR Mobility Radeon is the minimum.
 
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