Laptop or Desktop computer?

[Mia]

In another post, I mentioned possibly buying an Apple computer. However their are things that need to be done this year, roof etc. So I won't be able to afford an Apple.

I currently have a desktop computer (HP) which is half running.

I like the idea of a laptop being portable around the house. I'm wondering if others find them easy to type on? The reason being the front part/extra piece where the mouse is and the keyboard 'behind' it. With a desktop keyboard, there is not that extra piece, your not stretching your hands out as much?

Some people mention desktops are on their way out. It's better to buy a laptop??

Acer, Asus, HP and Toshiba brands. Yay or nay to any of these?

Thanks!

If you are a student and always have to do some work on computer, then get a laptop. If for home use, and you don't have a good computer then get a desktop PC, and then laptop as a backup.

It's the same as when you're going to buy a car and can't decide which one to buy, nonconvertible, with closed roof or a convertible one. If you already have a great car which you ride finely and want an extra car, then go with convertible and vice versa.

But this is my opinion, and you have to decide which one to choose, which one is more convenient for you.

[chetumal]

its depending what you want men, if you want to play video games and you dont move your computer you need a desktop, but if you need to move it you can choose a laptop, i prefer a laptop, because you can use it like a desktop using two screens to optimizate the normal tasks

[Sean_Anderson]

The new Samsung Ultrabooks are quite amazing. If you're looking for a small, compact, but efficient device to carry around, I'd highly suggest the Microsoft Surface 2.

[Karomar]

The new Samsung Ultrabooks are waaay over priced. ship model: Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus 13.3" Touchscreen Ultrabook - Black (Intel Core i5 4200U/128GB SSD/4GB RAM) - $1599.99

Macbook Pro (Intel Core i5/256GB SSD/8GB RAM) $1549.99 double ram and SSD for $50 less.

If you want to stay windows 8 then the Lenovo Yoga 2 13.3" Touchscreen Ultrabook - Silver (Intel Core i5-4200U/256GB SSD/8GB RAM) is a better price/hardware at $1299.99Samsung is trying, but the price vs hardware isn't right... 4gb Ram with WINDOWS 8 lol

[Karomar]

Oh in regards to the original postings Desktop = typically cheaper, better component vs price, latop = increased costs due to portability / size constrictions

[Johnnyjohnp25]

please ask someone you know and that knows you well that has good knowledge of computers. these are not the people to be asking. nothing against them, but they are looking for good deals, not for what is good for you. by the way when you are typing do you always have at least one hand on the mouse? probably not, you are probably typing with both hands, so the whole issue of stretching your hands is not an issue at all. I think that for you, you will need a very simple computer, but also cost is an issue for you. you can always go with the relatively cheap macbook air, the cheapest one is 999$ at 11 inches and a 128GB hard drive. but also a cheap option for a mac desktop is the Mac Mini. it only costs 599$ but it has no mouse or keyboard, but you can find cheap wireless ones so it shouldn't be an issue, and since it has ports for connecting to several different types of monitors you are ok with even connecting it to your TV's and taking it from room to room when necessary, granted that you have newer televisions. in terms of Windows computers you might do best with a transforming laptop running windows 8. find a cheap one with a built in touch screen and you got yourself a laptop that can convert into a tablet! but those can go for 1000$ or more, even though some lower end ones exist as well.

[tjthemanto]

The issue with laptops is battery..almost all of them the battery goes after a few years or becomes very weak and drains faster, and you need to buy a new one.

[brunt]

One cannot answer this question without knowing how exactly you use the computer.

If you primarily surf and do email, then a Chromebook may be your best option. And you can buy decent ones for under $200 (new) from time to time.

I'm a laptop kinda guy. The prices have come down to the point where the extra portability far outweighs any reduced speed (if any) for me. But your mileage may vary. Don't forget that you can also hook up your laptop to a bigger screen if you don't want to be squinting at the small screen all of the time.

When you have a candidate for your purchase, check out Amazon for reviews on the products. If the model is prone to fail, or the keyboard stinks, or it overheats, chances are pretty good that you will read about it there.

[redhdlois]

I am looking for a new laptop. I currently have a 17" Dell Inspiron that's about 6 years old and appears to be on it's last legs.
I must be getting old as all the technology out there now overwhelms me lol

I haven't decided if I want to get a 17" again or go to a 15". I don't even think I want a touch screen. Pretty much all I use my laptop for is surfing; a few word docs, storing my photos and email, and printing coupons (of course!) so I don't think I need anything very powerful or fancy.
I don't think a want a tablet.

Any input on recommended makes & models would be much appreciated. TIA

[brunt]

I am looking for a new laptop. I currently have a 17" Dell Inspiron that's about 6 years old and appears to be on it's last legs.
I must be getting old as all the technology out there now overwhelms me lol

I am constantly in the market. I write programs that do some pretty intensive work, so any increase in speed is worthwhile to me. I have found little reason to upgrade from about 2 1/2 years ago after the (admittedly amazing) deal I got in late 2012 on a couple of i7's.

Windows 8 is horrid, absolutely putrid. Love or hate Microsoft, they have had a fair bit of success over the years. I think that they seriously underestimated customer reaction to Windows 8. I don't need pretty blocks in primary colours - I'm not two years old.

I don't personally see the big deal with Apple products. You can get far better products for less money - but then you can't impress your friends with the Apple logo.

I haven't decided if I want to get a 17" again or go to a 15".

This is a personal decision.

If you lug your computer around a lot, then that extra two inches can be enough of a bother than it can outweigh any possible gain from the bigger screen. But if it stays put, the extra size doesn't hurt you. If it is half and half, you have the option of getting an external monitor (of whatever size you desire) that you can plug into for at home, but have a small laptop for when you need to lug it around.

Another matter is how good your eyes are. At 50 I'm pretty lucky with my sight. More important than the screen size to me is resolution. I program, and put a lot of information on the screen at a time. This does not work on a 1366x768 screen, but looks great on a 1920x1080 screen. Don't be put off by the numbers, just play with some computers in the store, and see if you like the look of the screen, then find out its resolution. If you can't personally tell the difference between the two resolutions, then you can go with the cheaper 1366x768 screen. Please note that this is somewhat independent of screen size - there are 17" 1366x768 screens and 10" 1920x1080 screens.

I don't even think I want a touch screen.

There are times and places where touch screens make sense. I see it as primarily a gimmick, or for people who type very little on their computers (think watching youtube or (shudder) facebook or (double shudder) twitter). If you type, the quality of the keyboard is of far greater importance.

I own precisely zero touch screens. I don't need them.

Pretty much all I use my laptop for is surfing; a few word docs, storing my photos and email, and printing coupons (of course!) so I don't think I need anything very powerful or fancy.

As far as word documents are concerned, don't forget about LibreOffice - it's free, and it is compatible with Microsoft Word (and Excel, and Powerpoint). I use it exclusively in a professional environment. It hasn't let me down yet.

I don't think a want a tablet.

This can mean that you get a smaller screen - and that could be good or bad. I own one tablet, but only because the bank was giving them out for free for an account that I was opening up anyway. I use it for movies when I am on the road. It does that well.

Any input would be much appreciated. TIA

Any questions, just fire away!

[diggitydog]

I think laptop is better than desktop because it is handy, so you can bring it to anywhere you like. Laptop nowadays is even stronger than desktop.

[redhdlois]

Thanks.......I was wondering if you have any recommendations on makes/models. I tend to steer away from Toshiba. I don't want a cheap one that will break down soon; nor a high end one (as my needs don't warrant it)

[brunt]

Thanks.......I was wondering if you have any recommendations on makes/models. I tend to steer away from Toshiba. I don't want a cheap one that will break down soon; nor a high end one (as my needs don't warrant it)

In my experience, I have seen a wide variance in terms of quality from every maker. I rely a lot on the Amazon reviews for people to point out the problems with individual models.

For what it's worth, I am currently shopping for my wife's grandmother for a computer. I am leaning toward this one: http://www.costco.ca/HP-Pavilion-17-...100121279.html. It's $600, with a 17" screen, 1600x900 resolution, a good sized hard drive, and decently fast. Costco also has a 2 year concierge warranty (http://www.costco.ca/concierge.html) that makes her more comfortable with the purchase. Unfortunately, it comes with Windows 8, but I will be installing Linux Mint on it after we get it.

Sure, you can find some laptops in the under $400 range, but they will be smaller screens, lower resolution, slower processors, and so on. It appears that about $600 is the sweet spot for my wife's grandmother, so that is what is likely to happen.

Now, we haven't pulled the trigger quite yet as I think that we may see a few deals on the Black Friday sales. But if nothing appeals to me there, we will likely go off to Costco. Two years ago, I bought two 17" laptops with i7 (zippy fast), 6 GB RAM, 750 GB hard drive for $600 US each. Unbelievable deal, and you still can't really touch that even now.

[redhdlois]

^ ^ ^

[Marco S.]

where is the best place to get a good price on chromebooks?