P_C or Laptop

For the same performance, a desktop will be cheaper. But most people don't need high performance, so the portability of a notebook is great. In fact, most people would probably be happier with a Chromebook, external hard drive, and maybe a second screen.

robsouth wrote:
Get a good notebook (used to be called laptops, but are not really designed to be used in a lap)

But don't try writing on it like a real notebook...lol

Laptops, notebooks, netbooks and tablets are all different. Slight differences from one to another, but a lot of difference from a laptop to a tablet.


Notebooks are generally smaller and offer less functionality than laptops...though most people will not recognize much on the functionality...

tpi wrote:
Call me old fashioned but I still have a big ol tower PC desktop at home, and an Apple laptop for travel. Love the desktop w/ generic parts, solid state system drive, and my giant obsolete IBM clicky keyboard. The whole thing w/ large LED monitor is computer heaven!

Once consideration the Macbook Air draws only about 10-15 watts. This big unit is drawing 90 right now and hardly doing anything.

Why be old fashioned when it serves no purpose?

You can get all those things with a lapop. At the office, slip the laptop into a docking station and have twin 20" screens, an old clicky keyboard. Functionally, you can't tell the difference other than you don't have a big box under the desk.

I'm in engineering and most people have transitioned to laptops. The exception is for people who run data intensive programs, a high end Desktop (a laptop is a PC) can still outperform a high end laptop (but the gap has closed dramatically, I do a fair bit of modeling and I'm fine with a laptop).

For your average user, you can buy a cheap laptop that will do internet and email for around $250-300. The only downside is by the time they get 3-4yrs old the batteries don't hold much charge (of course, most desktops don't hold any charge from day 1 so comparatively, the laptop is still better).

I am running an older $250 Lenovo 15 inch laptop with Windows 8 we bought at best buy a few years ago. It powers three external monitors for my work when I need to be productive. 1 through the HDMI port, 1 through a VGA connection, and one through an external video card that is VGA to USB Yes that's a grand total of 4 screens. I need more ram as I am currently maxing out the 4 GB pretty quickly. I don't render video or create music so my relatively low power Laptop does pretty well for me. I am an analyst so I need space for my spreadsheets, databases, and word documents.... So I use every square inch of my screen space.

For on the road a 15 inch laptop can get you by, a cheap 19 inch widescreen monitor is light and easy to store and a snap to set up on the road if you need the screen space. Of course bring at least a wireless mouse... Makes things easier. We also have a 13 inch MacBook Pro in the house that my wife primarily uses for her business. I really like the MacBook too, nothing wrong with either system.

My 13 year old has a ChromeBook.... Believe it or not... That is a super platform. There is a small learning curve for offline use... It can run an external monitor, but for the money and for the right person a ChromeBook could be the answer... It's so much more than just email and Facebook.

I would not and have not used a tower in over a decade, I just don't need that kind of system.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

For your home, it depends upon what you want to do with the computer. First decide what programs you want to run and then decide what is best to run them.

For the a average person a laptop is sufficient. You can add monitor and keyboard if you wish.

But, and it's a big but, if you want to do something like post processing of photos you will want a large monitor, colour calibrated, large hard drives, solid state boot hard drive, possibly dual monitors, graphics video card. This is easier in a desktop unit.

Longevity, they are similar before processor and OS will drive you nuts.

Apple or PC, again look at what programs you want to run and what it will cost you for the hardware.

For the average person doing email and Web surging a five year old computer will be fine if it has the drivers you need. For all others think of what you will be doing. That is why there is such a variety out there.

For my main computer I use a tower with good graphics card, ssd, dual hdd, dual monitors for serious work, multiple USB 3 ports. However, 80% of the time, I use a seven inch Android tablet that is over three years old.

What may work for one will not necessarily be good for someone else.

I would get a laptop. At home, you can connect it to a large monitor, an external keyboard and mouse. On the road, you can use the built in components. I have only used a laptop for many years. I have traveled many miles on aircraft with my work laptop without any problem.

Call me old fashioned but I still have a big ol tower PC desktop at home, and an Apple laptop for travel. Love the desktop w/ generic parts, solid state system drive, and my giant obsolete IBM clicky keyboard. The whole thing w/ large LED monitor is computer heaven!

Once consideration the Macbook Air draws only about 10-15 watts. This big unit is drawing 90 right now and hardly doing anything.

I use a combo of PC and tablet. Laptops were a necessity when I was working but they never lasted long. The PC is durable, easy to upgrade/fix, and is more suitable for gaming etc ... tablet seems to work fine for traveling. Just another alternative.

It all depends on what you are doing with it. I couldn't imagine bringing a desktop into a RV. We usually travel with just 2 laptops, but when we are at our seasonal site, we all bring a laptop.

Desktop's still have their place in our house, but most of us use laptops. I am an independent web site developer. I have a high-end 17" gaming laptop with 2 24" 1080p HD monitors and I use the 17" screen for a total of 3 displays. When we travel, I take one of the monitors with me. We love to have them both, but there just isn't that much room in our MH.

And yes, I use my 17" laptop on my lap when I'm not working and connected to the 2 monitors.

-Michael

I am working on a laptop right now but I have a custom desktop that is infinitely faster more easily repaired and does not contain propitiatory parts. It will be good for ten years or better with a potential for upgrades or repairs.