Re: Cheap computer deal through 8/08 <- date chang
They definitely both have a range of uses. And I use both!
From a pricing perspective, quality for quality and performance for performance you're looking at a 2.5 to 4:1 price difference, laptop to desktop. When you pay more for a laptop, you're usually getting slimness, lighter weight and better battery life. For a non-travelling user, theres not a lot of reason to pay more than $600-700 for a laptop. This Dell is a 'better' quality desktop construction...the ECS walmart notebook isnt bad for a low cost machine, but it doesnt have the processing power or the expandability/connectivity of a desktop and its from a less well known maker of motherboards.
As Cut-Throat mentions, I have mine hooked to much stuff...a very good 2.1 speaker system on the desk and a 5.1 system via an optical 5.1 add-in card. The secondary video output goes to my Infocus home theater projector. I have a scanner and two printers (laser and photo), plus a wireless keyboard and a range of pointing devices I change between to reduce repetitive stress problems.
I'd also be observant of heat problems on laptops with the faster CPU's. There are enough issues with desktop cooling to make the chip makers rethink their future product lines with regards to speed.
I do see pretty good deals on lappies every once in a while, usually in the $500-600 range for toshiba's, Dell's and occasionally IBM's. I am very disappointed in the build quality of HP/Compaq laptops lately. I 'retired' two Dell, two toshiba, and one IBM notebook with just one hard drive replaced in the IBM and no other repairs. Thats when I was travelling and beating the units up pretty good.
I've found with a lappie that I usually go through a hard drive every year, probably from movement/shock while using it. The HP I bought a year and a half ago at a screaming bargain price has been back in to HP twice now for disk drive, cd drive, motherboard, video card and mouse repairs. As it stands right now its barely out of warranty, the mouse doesnt work again, the secondary video out has ALWAYS been squirrely, and I'm getting some clicking from the hard drive again.
Usage models and ergonomics are also worth considering. When I was using a laptop 100% of the time I often ended up lying on a couch, flopped down in a chair outside or even sprawled out in bed on a rainy morning. Lets set aside the laziness factor, the ergonomics are terrible. Standard laptop keyboards and mice are also prone to creating RSI due to limited size and proximity of the pointing device.
But theres nothing better (uhh...from a computing perspective) than enjoying a nice morning outside with a cup of coffee and your laptop.
I would suggest a nice solid desktop in conjunction with "last years model" laptop, with the laptop having a slower cpu, less memory (and overall less heat production) destined for mobile browsing and email. My most used laptop is a 3 year old toshiba with a celeron 700 and 256MB of memory, with a cisco wireless card. Its plenty fast enough for browsing/email, cool on the lap, and hasnt given me any problems.
For about $900, which was a bargain for a good desktop machine a few years ago, you can have the best of both worlds!
By the way, Dell appears to be offering a full 2 year warranty on this box, which is excellent. Unless you're operating it in a hot environment, or like to kick the system unit or shake it around when its in use, if it makes it through a full two years its likely to continue clunking along for a long time.
