[Squibbles]

Well, I'm off to College in September. Currently, I've decided to get a Desktop [AMD 64 3500+ , 19" LCD , 250 GB Hard Drive , 1 GB Ram] and an Ultra Portable Laptop [10" - 12" Screen]. The desktop will be used for more intensive applications and games while the ultra portable will be taken to class and the library, etc.

Would you guys think that's a good idea? Or should I just get a full size 14" - 15" laptop?

Thanks.

 

[jagorev]

Dragging a desktop computer from home to college and back is a real pain.

Almost everyone I know at college has a normal sized (14-15") laptop.

 

[XxATOLxX]

If you put your money together for both rigs, you can put together an excellent laptop that can perform nearly just as well a a desktop.

Keep a lookout for the barebones MSI-1039 AMD Turion notebook with the Radeon X1600 built in. It starts at $925 and you can choose the parts to put in the laptop such as the CPU, RAM, and the hard drive to fit your needs.

 

[Squibbles]

Oh man, I didn't think about moving to and fro.

I've decided to scrap the idea of both a desktop and laptop.

What's a good laptop for school under $1500? I rarely play games. And if I do it's a popcap game or age of empires II. Mostly, the laptop will be used to watch videos, listen to music, take notes, word processing, internet, etc etc.

Thanks.

 

[granodemostasa]

Hi, i like my solution: a 14 inch 4.7 pound laptop that's large enought to type with, and powerful enought for work: the IBM T42. The new T43 should be able to easily handle games and such.
actually, there have been at least 3-5 threads like this since decemeber...try to see how they ended up...
Also try the T60, it has a duocore processor and 666mhz memory!

 

[CMacDaddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squibbles Well, I'm off to College in September. Currently, I've decided to get a Desktop [AMD 64 3500+ , 19" LCD , 250 GB Hard Drive , 1 GB Ram] and an Ultra Portable Laptop [10" - 12" Screen]. The desktop will be used for more intensive applications and games while the ultra portable will be taken to class and the library, etc. Would you guys think that's a good idea? Or should I just get a full size 14" - 15" laptop? Thanks.

I would still consider going with both.

You will enjoy having a desktop when you want to watch movies on something besides a 14" screen. The laptop's that perform as well as the desktops are too heavy to be carry around much, and don't have good enough battery life. I'd go with a desktop thats not very fancy (new Mobo, smallish HDD, good Ram, not top of the line Processor), so you can upgrade the processor/ram/HDD in 2 years and have a up-to-date computer again. If you dont game, then the this should keep you happy for all four years.

The laptop is useful for projects/studying anywhere outside of your dorm room, but you probably won't need much power. A $600-700 laptop should keep you satisfied for four years (Don't add much on except maybe extra RAM).

I had a laptop for 2 years and recently got a desktop, so now I have both, and its working well for me. Maybe thats an option for you too?

 

[trains are bad]

I have a 15.4" laptop (Acer 8104 2GHz Pentium M 1GB ram 100GB HDD) and a small form factor Desktop (AMD 3700, 1GB, 600GB HDD) which I have networked in my apartment.

I never take class notes so the laptop rarely goes anywhere, it mostly just sits next to my bed plugged into my Total Bithead so I can spend untold hours lying here in my bed listening to music or surfing the web. When I feel like I take it to the living room and plug it into my Sony HDTV via DVI and watch content stored on my desktop.

I used to use the laptop for class notes before I got heavy into physics, and to be honest I'd rather carry around this laptop (~6lb) than an ultraportable because this is very comfortable to type on. Plus it's easier on the eyes than an ultraportable.

 

[grandenigma1]

desktop for me! I cant stand laptops... they are too small and cramped. Get a real mans computer

 

[Squibbles]

.. haha, ok. maybe i will be getting both.

 

[roastpuff]

Wait for the new Apple 12" MacBook or MacBook Pro. I'm really excited over it, and it'll be pretty much a desktop replacement, considering it has the X1600, dual-core processor, etc. The educational discount can be a large amount as well.

As well, now you can run Windows on it! Which is a major plus. Networking with a Mac is always the most hassle-free experience you'll ever get too.

 

[marvin]

Just get a Dell XPS M170 notebook. Near top of the line desktop performance with portability. It's obviously not the most fashionable choice, hey, can't have everything.

 

[Squibbles]

I was planning to get the new MacBook, but after some thinking and testing, I've decided that I will never be able to get used to an Apple. At least not now. So I'm sticking with Windows. Even with Bootcamp, it still doesn't give 100% compatibility.

 

[roastpuff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squibbles I was planning to get the new MacBook, but after some thinking and testing, I've decided that I will never be able to get used to an Apple. At least not now. So I'm sticking with Windows. Even with Bootcamp, it still doesn't give 100% compatibility.

How does it not? It's the actual Windows OS, no emulation or anything. Any Windows program will work on it. And Macs can use 2-button mice, or right-click.

 

[Aman]

I had a similar problem. I live in a very small apartment in the Village and am going to NYU, so I needed something both very powerful and very portable. I got a MacBook Pro and it solved all my problems. I was running an AMD64 Gentoo workstation previous to that, and had an iBook for taking notes on. I got the MacBook and basically got the portability of the iBook and the power of the workstation in one. I'm happy with my decision.

 

[Squibbles]

Wait. I've been thinking that bootcamp was just emulation.. ? My main reason for still wanting Windows is for Age of Empires II, Rise of Nations, and Popcap Games. Haha! Will bootcamp run those?