According to consumer groups charting recent purchasing trends, apparently more and more users/consumers are replacing their home computer desk top systems with laptop computers.
I probably won't,though, and this is for two reasons; heat output and keyboard usage. Laptops put out waaaaay too much heat for me to trust leaving them on all day long like I do my desk top PC. I don't like laptop keyboards period, and I spend a vast amount of time pounding on the ol' keyboard keys.
There's a third reason, too, now that I think about it. I want a larger screen than are generally available with laptops.
So for the DrunkDuckers in a position to purchase - or influence the purchase of - the home computer, will you altogether switch over from a desk top PC in favor of a laptop and why or why not?
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Comic Talk and General Discussion *
Are You Ready to Give Up Your Desktop PC?
I used to have a laptop. It was OK, but sucked for what I used it for: artwork and video games. (MMORPGs are the bane of laptops. I would crash every fifteen minutes or so, regardless of my video card.) …Then, five years after I bought it, the AC port crapped out on me, and I couldn't even charge it anymore. 24 hours later, after the rest of its battery power ran out, it was basically dead. I had to get a friend to rip out the motherboard and retrieve my info, and put it on an external hard drive. Needless to say, I have more faith in desktop computers than laptops now. They have more power & room for the video games I use them for. I also agree with you concerning laptop heat output, which could have been one of the reasons my video games crashed so much. If I had my laptop on–well, my lap, I could almost burn myself after fifteen minutes, it would get so hot. Even those little cooling systems you can put under the laptops don't do much good; I've tried them.
I've been using a laptop in place of a desktop since I got this one for Christmas about three years ago. I like it, it's easy to adjust the screen, there's no tower taking up all the space under my desk (also saves me room on top, because I don't have to put it there instead). I like laptop keyboards, they're easier to use (that could just be because I've been using it for so long though), and again, it saves space, I don't have to move it about all the time either. It's portable as well, if it gets too load up in the dorm rooms, I can just pull the plug out and take it downstairs, or even take it around in my rucksack, I get a lot more work done in the campus cafe than I do in my room (mostly because there's no internet connection in there so I don't have owt to distract me). I don't like the touchpad much, but that's easily solved because my tablet has a mouse.
I will never go back to using a desktop. Ever.
Yeah, I had a laptop years ago… An IBM Thinkpad. The portability and small amount of space they take up is fantastic! I also loved the small, flat keyboard and the little toggle in the middle of the keyboard that acted as a secondary mouse -these days they use touchpads, but they suck compared to the might of the toggle! :)
But it did get warm… You couldn't upgrade them very far… Fixing it was extremely expensive…
Since then I've had desktops and they've been much better for artwork, you can easily give them all the power they need. You're stuck in one place with them, but the power trade-off is worth it and it really isn't a good thing to be able to work anywhere, because then you think you SHOULD be working anywhere… Heh, with desktops you have the freedom of being able to get away from your work! ^_^
I just bought a new one the other day… I set the old one up in my bedroom. The LCD monitor is now on a hinged arm attached to my bookcase so it can swing over my bed. heh, I can work or game from there if I'm tired or ill with all the power of a desktop, but a lot more safety for the system which is well out of harm's way- I used to worry like hell about my laptop when it was actually ON my laptop.
I've never owned a laptop, although I've considered getting one. All my computers (and from where I'm sitting I count three) are desktops sitting in my "office" room. (Okay, I play games 90% of the time, but if it has more than one computer it's an office, right?)
I write a lot and feel that having a portable PC would be a great boon when it came down to it 'cause when I get a good idea I'm rarely in range of my computers or any of my notebooks.
Still, though I'd like one I don't think I could ever let a laptop replace my primary machine. There's something more comfortable and permanent to me about a desktop; not sure why.
I use a laptop for work and it's perfect really, I don't use anything too processor-intensive and they've set me up with docking stations, kb and mouse, and monitor at home and at work.
For my own usage though I prefer a desktop (although I don't have one right now… just a work laptop and my own laptop). It's all right for most things but it just isn't sufficient for a lot of things. I can't justify buying a new computer until the old one breaks though. It works fine, but older laptops aren't worth anything and getting a new one would be wasteful :)
For work, a laptop would be much more convenient - and obviously, space-wise, the laptop is superior. Plus, it's better for bludgeoning!
For play, though…nah. I heart my bulky old desktop - I've been souping "Spike" up since '01, and I couldn't bring myself to leave him behind for some strumpet laptop.
I use my desktop (in my basement office)for all my heavy applications. Photoshop, skype, goldwave, etc. The laptop I only use upstairs for light stuff, cruising the web, or "in a pinch" situations when I travel.
I did the last couple of pages and the DD news on my laptop recently. It takes longer, the touch pad is annoying, the screen is smaller. So, no. Not ready to give up my desktop. I have a feeling that most people that do any visual or audio productions aren't. So you'll probably get a pretty slanted view here. ;)
For the majority of people who will only need it for internet and work laptops are great. They are nearly as powerful as their desktop counterparts now and they come in all sizes. I've seen some portable units with a 20-inch screen, and full size desktop components worked into it.
Still for the enthusiast, gamer, or high-drain app I would go with a desktop.
i wont ever buy a laptop unless there are no desktops anymore. the main reason is the propriatary nature of laptops. if a laptop breaks it usually costs 2-4 times more to fix than a desktop and that's just for parts. i also hate batteries which is why i dont use wireless mice and keyboards. the only benefit is that the keyboards radiate heat with would help my cold hands in the winter. :)
The old games are the best games.
I think that the analysts that insist people are turning away from desktop PCs in favor of laptops are failing to consider that people are instead purchasing laptops in addition to the desktops that they already have.
Anyway the reason I brought up this issue is actually a practical one for me. My old desktop is giving indications that it's considering cratering on me after four years of hard use. This is despite my having pampered it no end, mind you.
Anyway, for once, I intend to be proactive in this field rather than reactive. I'm going to replace the thing as soon as possible before it can burn me.
My wife suggested switching over exclusively to a laptop. I don't want to for the reasons issued in the top post. Now after reading all the responses I really, really don't want to give up the comfort and convenience and stability of a desktop unit.
Sigh, now I just have to convince her that I know what I am talking about.
I recently replaced my laptop with a desktop. I used to take my laptop to school, and I'm clumsy, so it got pretty smashed up over time. Then, one of my pet rats stole a couple keys off of it and hid them, so I had to find them and put them back. The little attachment things for the keys were fragile and bent/broke.
I like that I can take my desktop apart, add stuff to it, customize it, etc. I can replace the monitor or keyboard or whatever as needed… But I do miss portability. I miss taking my laptop with me on vacation and being on the wireless internet in hotels.
I think I'd get another laptop as the technology improves. If I can afford a really durable one and be able to customize them more, that would be great.
Yeah, I had a laptop years ago… An IBM Thinkpad. The portability and small amount of space they take up is fantastic! I also loved the small, flat keyboard and the little toggle in the middle of the keyboard that acted as a secondary mouse -these days they use touchpads, but they suck compared to the might of the toggle! :)The "clitoggle" as my friends call it.
As for laptops or desktop pc's, one is good for some things and the other is good for others.
I don't care as long as they do what i need them to do, and right now my laptop is my choice.
Now, if i ever need to fix this thing, i'm fucked.
laptops can make you impotent
http://ezinearticles.com/?Bad-Effects-on-Having-Laptop-on-Your-Lap&id=402338
I love my laptop.
The only problem with it is that it needs an external hard drive before I can even think about storing the amount of pages that I want to on it. Right now it's being slow with me and I don't want to erase anything on it.
As long as it's on a flat surface, it doesn't overheat.
I like desktops. My brother was using the laptop as a desktop so I give him my old one and got a new one for myself. I figure if I want a desktop then I should get a desktop and not have a laptop be one instead.
I'm a bit traditional in this way I guess. I'm one of those people who also want my cell phone to be a cell phone and not a cell phone-MP3 player-camera-recorder-internet browser-land line phone.
The nice thing about desktops is that if I want to add things to it or upgrade it, I can. I don't need to charge its batteries and if I want to leave it on, I could. I don't have to worry about how far I can be before the Internet connection craps out either.
The only thing my laptop has over my desktop is portability. I've taken it to work a few times and it came in really handy for me back then.
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