Laptop or desktop?

[Calaber]

Since joining this forum, I have converted from a desktop pc to a laptop (actually, 3 laptops, because they have been so bloody unreliable), so I was wondering - do other members prefer to use laptops or desktops and have you found them to be unreliable or reliable? Also, what brands have you used and would you recommend them?

Two of the laptops have been ASUS. One is now used for spares to keep this one alive. Since 2007, I have managed to kill two hard-drives and one motherboard. Both laptops were brand new when purchased. My experience tells me that ASUS will not be on my shopping list next time.

Oh, derrrr....could a mod please shift this post to the LAN lounge?

[levymetal]

i prefer desktops, cheaper, easier to fix, faster. i have an eeepc which i take to uni and that's pretty useful. my mate swears by his macbook, he just whips it out anywhere and has all the same stuff he has at home. sometimes i might be sitting there and i'll say "damn nah i can't show you that because it's at home" but for the most part i still prefer having a dedicated pc and laptop for occasional use outside of home.

[NickVR]

I went from a desktop to laptop. Mine is a Toshiba, and has been pretty good so far. I have only had it about 3 months though. I never really upgraded my desktops when I had them so went for a laptop. Plus I can still use my 21inch screen and use it like a desktop if I want to.

[2DIE]

Ive had 1 desktop that lasted me for about 7 years, after that bit the dust Ive been through 3 lap tops in 3 years. Nearly every time the warranty runs out they die and are cheaper to replace than fix.

Next time I will be getting another desktop for use 90% of the time and a laptop just because of its portability.

[Super_Low 91]

i had one of those ASUS Eeepc's an yea same deal bout a year after i brought the hard drive went, my desktop is a Acer its reliable lacks a lil power sometimes but does what i need,, still deciding on weather to get the ASUS fixed of just buy a new laptop.

[D3CID3R]

I went from laptop to desktop, The laptop was an a 101a, which had a dedicated 512mb card in it, and used it to play v8 supercars 3, but after a while of racing during the night it tended to overheat.. and basically gave up and build up my own desktop

[cdtoaster]

i prefer desktop fo shooooooooooooo. i go to uni and i dont even have a laptop. id only ever buy a laptop to supplement my desktops but never as my main usage device. laptops are slower, more expensive and harder to maintain plus the battery life of modern laptops are shit. the batteries in my old laptop lasted weeks current ones only last for a few hours.

[ClairBear]

I have both. The laptop is used mainly when travelling, however on the odd occasion I will use it at home.

[Reaper]

I have run laptops for 7 or 8 years and can't see me swapping back to desktops for a long time. My current computer is a Toshiba but previously had Asus, Compaq/HP and IBM. All have been very reliable and all except the IBM are still running (I dropped the ibm).

Reaper

[vy_storm]

Both here as well, laptop was a salary sacrifice as I use for work travel as well. Mainly use my laptop as a backup for all my mp3's and if I want to sit up at night in bed to watch a movie or check up on forums. Am really only a fan of laptops with higher res screens though as I am spoilt by having 2 x 22" screens on my desktop.

Having said all of that, have just ordered a new i7 930 cpu, MB and RAM to upgrade my core2 desktop.

External hard drives just make things alot easier as well these days, and the excuse to not back things up is a thing of the past. Storage is cheap!

[dijm8]

well i own two hp desktops, 1 hp lappy dv7 and a sony vaio lappy too.. now also in the process of building a desktop with the new i7 930 aswell,

comes down to whats gonna suit you best really

[Calaber]

Actually, after looking through the replies to this thread, some of you guys have got me thinking along a different line. I had been looking at eventually replacing this laptop with a better one, but desktops are much cheaper, have more features and power for the same buck and are easier to upgrade or repair.

Hmmm, perhaps a desktop next time?

[vy_storm]

Another idea to think about these days is a decent desktop and then a netbook (10" or so screen) as a compromise. Plenty of sub $500 netbooks doing the rounds at the moment and they do most things a decent laptop can do, just on a smaller screen.

[JAKUL8]

I have 2 laptops a dv6 and a dv7 both hp, I got 3 desktops being a compaq pen 4 2.4 i bought 8-9 years ago Another pen 4 i was given and a brand new hp i think it is will check when i get home but i like both desktops for when at home laptops for on the move and exturnal harddrives for anywhere One desktop runs to my 40inch hdtv and another one runs to the new 24inch monitor

[stocky]

I use both. Laptop at uni, out somewhere doing work and when I'm doing work in bed or on the couch. There are many things I prefer the desktop for. Easier to work with dual monitors, and to do development work on the desktop.

[MasterOfReality]

I use both at work. When I need big computing power for a mining design software package, I use one of our desktops that have twin dual core Xeon ecu's in it.

Everything else gets done on my work laptop.

I have a personal laptop, which is a Toshiba that I have had for nearly 3 years. It has been faultless and been dragged overseas a few times. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one if I had to.

My work laptop is a Dell, and a lot of people pay them out, but mine cops a hiding with dust and heat out on mine sites and it has never stuffed up.

Edit - both my work and personal laptops have been left running for more than 2 weeks at a time, crunching away at numerical modelling programs.

[TVR-190]

ive owned 3 laptops, none have lasted more than 2 years each. I play games and stuff though, laptops all seem to cook themselves and die.

<3 my desktop with many fans.

[danja]

If you don't use or care for the portability of a laptop, a desktop is a much more sensible option, both for price, performance, and reliability. If you really want or need the mobility however, well you don't have much option.

My opinion to anyone who isn't sure if they need a laptop, is that the very fact you aren't sure tells me you don't.