United3dArtists Archive

Just bought a new HP laptop for a bargain price (PC World misprice got it for £239 rather than £499):

http://www.laptopreviews.org.uk/hp-lapt ... sa-laptop/"

I now find myself looking at my desktop in the (very) cold conservatory and it hasn't been used for months (too cold). Like the laptop it has an AMD dual core, 4GB Ram (rather than 3 on laptop) and a 9800GT (laptop has 512mb dedicated ATi 4530).
Now aside from the 20" Dell widescreen I am finding the laptop just as capable for 3D stuff (and a few games) and, while I know the laptop can't compete for raw horsepower (though it is well powered) I wouldn't mind making some space (and some cash) in the conservatory and stop it looking like an office.

So, should I get rid of the desktop and trust in the laptop for my work? Probably bung in some extra Ram (it takes 8GB). I could get around £350 for the full dual monitor setup and £100 for my Wacom Intuos (would keep the speakers setup to use with my keyboard).

Can't make my mind up so would appreciate your thoughts...

Sell your desktop while its still worth something if you have no use for it. In a few years it will be too obsolete to get any decent money for. But if you want a new desktop down the road, they are getting incredibly powerful at very good prices. My opinion.

Cheers Mr Frog; I do like working on a larger screen but all my gear takes up a lot of room and (given how cold the UK is) I use the dektop probably less than half of the year.
The spec is as follows if anyone near me in UK is interested:

AMD X2 6000+
Antec Smartpower 500W modular
Generic DVD DL R/RW
WD 500GB Sata drive
Asus M3N78-VM
4gb OCZ in dual channel mode
Asus wireless card
XfX Geforce 9800GT XXX edition
Acer case with 5 in 1 card reader.
Dell 2008WFP monitor
V7 19" monitor
Microsoft Ergonomic (7000) wireless keyboard/mouse set
Logitech 6.1 speakers
Wacom Intuos tablet
Space Navigator

I am selling the tablet but would keep the speakers and Space navigator.

If anyone is interested let me know! I already had interest but they wnat shipping which might be a lot. Buyer will also get an L shaped glass desk thrown in.

Merry Christmas to all

For me, laptops are great for portable computing, but not a substitute for a desktop workstation. Few laptops are upgradable, so they become obsolete very fast (in a year perhaps?). The screens are relatively small and the ergonomics are terrible for prolonged usage.



That said, your specs beat my current desktop.

Model on, dude.

Laptops are more for mobility as Moonman said, and you pay for this (they are more expensive than Desktops) so if you will use this in trips, work, street, several locations of your home, etc. Then a laptopts is the best option, I had a laptop some years ago, I just practicably never changed his position. And a desktop can be much more powerful and upgradeable as Moonman said. So Moonman just explained evrything and I'm plagiarizing.

Cya

I'll echo what others have said, less upgradable and obsolete very quickly

Other issue going from experience is the power supply, or where it plugs into, my wife's Acer developed a fault on the actual socket and eventually wouldn't charge at all, sitting with them plugged in watching telling isn't a good idea unless its on a flat surface.. I know other couch potatoes have similar problems.
the scope for f*** up is a lot greater, a wayward fizzy drink is gonna kill it, the family dog dragging it across the room by its wire won't do it much good either

but then again least with a laptop you can be sociable again rather than tucked away in some dark corner, my wife likes the me tucked away more though so is why I have the desktop and she has a laptop lol

I think i got it. Wifey wants to convert the conservatory so i have to go so i sold the pc but might keep the dell monitor for when i need dual screens. I have a wacom bamboo so won't miss the intuos. I get around 400 pounds cash n i upgraded the lappy to 4gb. I ran the two machines on a similar scene and there was little in it. Final clincher for me was the fact that nearly eveything on Buddy world this year was done on a lower specced laptop. Out with the old then... Cheers for your input guys.
Now, anyone looking for a Wacom Intuous A5 less than £100??

leonregis wrote:So Moonman just explained evrything and I'm plagiarizing.

Anyway, my daughter pointed out a few things about "today's" laptops.

• - They make stands to put the screen in the right position.

• - Some laptops have quite large screens.

• - One can plug an actual keyboard and mouse into the machine.

• - Upgrading a laptop is easier than it was a few years ago.

• - A docking station can give you the best of both worlds, a desktop setup and portability.

Bottom line, keep the wife happy.

Things to consider about laptops. They are absolutely cool. They do not give you the power per buck that a desktop model does. Laptops are a series of compromises.
As a full time college student, I have learned my lesson the hard way,
a full keyboard was important for me:
the monitor size,
the size of the keyboard and the type of keys you get,
the strength of the batteries and the length of charge they give you.
Also, the integrated video is in most cases far less than you will want to run graphic games and 3D applications....
An external graphics card is important for me,
a decent sized monitor is important to me.
Next level of importance: weight of the laptop (I carry this thing with me everywhere I go, some think my system is too big and clumsy, I find it only slightly annoying).
The battery only last 1:30 hours, so I need to be around electric where ever I am.
Touch pad, these things are very important if you plan to move around with your laptop a lot. If it stays in the house, than it may not be as important to you.
Wireless and Ethernet are a must!

If you want to use an external monitor, HDMI is a great way to go, most new TV's and computer monitors come with it, if your laptop does you are all set.

Otherwise, whatever Moonman mentioned in his post.

HTH

Rich

I just realised I have a fully specced Samsung TV upstairs that has all sorts of inputs including HDMI and DVI so I think I will also sell the Dell monitor.
Loving reading your inputs guys but the desktop is sold now and I am enjoying working on the laptop in the warm!