Are You a Desktop or a Laptop?

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Del
_{Ok I use a desktop}

I switched to laptops when I went to college and haven't looked back. The flexibility of being work anywhere in the house and take my own computer with me when I travel, which used to be pretty often, is great. To combat the lack of storage I use several external hard drives to store my thousands of photos and other media as well as big programs like photo and video editing software. My laptop becomes a desktop when I work with these programs because of the hard drive I happen to have them stored on, but it's not a big deal.

The iPad is something I haven't tried but I doubt I will switch to a tablet. Sometimes my laptop's screen is too small and I'm grateful to have a big monitor on my desk to plug into for detail work (or to use as a second screen).

"There are two types of people in this world: desktop people and laptop people."

I don't know about that. I'm both a laptop and a desktop person. I user my laptop most of the time these days, but that's just because my wife has usurped my desktop and I let it happen because it really needs an upgrade anyway.

My desktop has historically been my first choice for gaming, but my laptop is great for taking to class as well as doing stuff while watching television on the couch.

I had both until 2 years back when thieves stole my laptop.

Haven't bought another as I prefer the desktop anyway.

Years back when I constantly traveled a laptop was a must but no longer! Freedom!

I'm 100% desktop because I do CAD.

I'm a laptop person now, but I've never had anything against desktops. I bought a laptop in college because I wanted something portable. Even now, I like move around my apartment and work wherever I want. I recently got a good-sized portable hard drive to store a lot of my pictures and documents, so that I can keep my computer's hard drive pretty open.

As for tablets, I personally don't have any desire for one. While they're even more portable than laptops, I don't always need or want to be connected to the Web in the kind of way tablets allow.

I like both or I am both, I think I resemble a laptop lately. I bought a new desktop about 6 months ago, mainly because I could get a larger monitor. I find myself using my husbands laptop a lot though, as I like to move around and work in different places and the laptop allows me that freedom. If fact, I am thinking of replacing my desktop with another lap top and using an external hard drive for storage and keeping the larger monitor. I really don't think the desktop is dead. It is still used in many offices and has features that the laptop still can't duplicate.

I don't think I would purchase an iPad. Too large to carry around and not enough features to justify the cost. If I am home, I use my computer for the internet. Games are still fine on my iPhone.

[ X ] Desktop...BIG screen = GOOD

[ ] Laptop.....little screen = BAD

I prefer a lap top Because you can travel with it desktop you Can't....

I have both, My desktop for CAD and "serious" work. My laptop is for "entertainment", forums and "research".

Curiously my new laptop has 2.6 GHz duo core processor, 4 Gb ram and 1/2Tb drive where as my desktop has a 3GHz pentium with (Mobo maxed out) 2Gb of ram and a 120Gb hard drive. Effectively my laptop is "gruntier' than my desktop, but then I don't engage in "gaming", no not even on facebook.

Horses for courses, each has their place. I use the laptop most of the time and being on my wireless router allows me the opportunity to be "online" anywhere in the comfort of my home or as has happened to me on more than one occasion, when I've been banished to the garage. Just the thing for diagnosing that issue with the car/mower/ anti gravity machine/ free energy entropy generator...

I use both, and actually have no preference one way or the other. Desktops are only marginally less expensive than laptops, unless one insists on the "latest and greatest". One thing that is much easier to do with the desktop is data acquisition- newer laptops lack the RS232 and Centronics interfaces I depend on. I use either the laptop or the desktop for CAD, FEA, etc.- but the touch pad on the laptop is totally useless for serious graphics work. My desktop is mounted on a wheeled cart so it is semi-portable about the lab, while my laptop sits on it's own wheeled cart, which makes it about as semi-portable about the lab as the desktop. Since I prefer an external mouse to the touch pad, I need a work surface next to the laptop, so I generally never use it on my lap. It is easier to transport the laptop to field locations, however...

It will be a long time before I look at tablets, because their processors just don't have the power I am looking for.

Storage capacity is a non-issue for me. That hasn't always been the case, but such is the current case, with both newer and older computers. But, then, I don't do a lot with videos or music with my computers.

Both my laptop and my principal desktop dual boot into different operating systems for different types of work. This is important. The desktop also is bilingual (when the wife logs on, it speaks Spanish, when I log on, it speaks English). I could set the laptop up for this as well, but the wife isn't interested- she's happy with the desktop (unless I happen to be running one of my long-winded analyses that can take hours to complete).

I have both. I am more prone too the desktop, as it has the big screen. I will go out and buy the next biggest monitor that becomes available. The reason, is eye sight. I wear bifocals for driving and most reading. There is a certain distance range that makes reading/ viewing a problem. In close, glasses off, With a laptop I remove my glasses and lean into the screen. I need a laptop in order to access building automation systems, Yet, I would rather live off of my desktop. The other thing is that I despise the touch pad. I can not master it (As my Son's have informed me: I am a fossil). I use a wireless mouse instead. Because of the overall advantage's that Laptops have, except for battery life and screen size, which will eventually eventually be resolved, Laptops will be the way go.

I prefer the desktop because it is more reliable than the laptop. Laptops seem to die sooner. My desktops usually outlive their usefulness while the laptops crap out before their technology is eclipsed. Heat is a problem with laptops and flimsy connections, especially the power connector onto the motherboard is particularly problematic.

I've used both...

but for home use.. I have a desk top.. a 42" monitor.. and a floor to ceiling wall to wall desk I built for it all.. (with a window ac unit for summer cooling)

Chris.

Did you do the renderings on the laptop or the desktop? And, WHERE ARE THE BOOKS????

I'm uh in between cleanings right now...

there are 3 bookshelf units in my other room.. and 4000 books in a storage unit back in ontario... don't know how to transport them to alberta... $$$

did I mention how the design was all modular.. (so I can get it out of the room when I move) and has lots of holes all over for routing wires and airflow etc. I regularly stand up on the desks... very sturdy 5/8" plywood. (haven't got round to finishing them yet.. will probably just sand and paint cream color) I think dark colors will be wrong... (see blue stain below) the whole desk probably cost me 1000$ to build... but hey, I'm old enough..and have wanted a desk like this for years...

most all the laptops I have used were owned by my employers... had to give em back.

Chris

Chris,

Nice setup you have there, you must be very proud of your workspace that you built yourself and ergonomically it looks much better than most offices that simply provide a small desk and a few sockets for the equipment.

With a 42" screen do you use 64bit processor computers to generate your graphics to their full potential, or are you still using 32bit technology because of the lack of support from the likes of Microsoft, etc.. on the higher system currently?

Great stuff, I am genuinely impressed.

Regards,

Apexmaster

apexmaster-

If one really wants to take advantage of 64-bit technology, one should try Linux. Both my laptop and my desktop use 64-bit...some of the software I use in Linux REQUIRES 64 bit...

ya no... i'm still using an old computer...

i would have to get a job to have more money to get a better computer... and that will have to be soon anyway. otherwise I'll start to lose weight...

Chris288,

What's your engineering background?

Send your reply via enquires@apexappliedexperience.co.uk if you do not wish it to be put on the forum.

Regards,

apexmaster

I sent you my resume. thanks.

Hi there,

Guess I was on the road during the conversation. Desktop.

I've an idea of a recliner and a retractable backlit keyboard and a short throw projector would round it out nicely too.

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Terrorism is a very lucrative business. Not quite as good as banking, but better than vaccines. The latest business is noted below:

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Desktop for sure! Hot graphics card, TV card, Smart card reader, dual monitors (large) Etc. All are inexpensive and easy to install, try that with a laptop and look at the costs.

Desktop definately. My main use for the home machine is gaming so I need the huge screen and top end graphics card.

Hard to say for me. I have a high powered desktop hooked up to my HD flatscreen in the living room for movies/TV/games etc. I have a laptop on the coffee table for basic computing functions, cruising the web, word processing etc. At work I use a brand new extremely high powered quad core desktop with a massive video card for creating Solid models, and running photoshop etc. At home I use both simultaneously... watch a movie (desktop) while working on a spreadsheet (laptop)... At work I primarily use my desktop, but will grab the laptop to do presentations to customers, or work in the field. a tossup really. In reality, I would have no problem at all reverting back to a pencil and paper, reading books, hunting, and growing all my own food... Please?

I used to have a family desktop, then I bought my own laptop. My brother took the desktop when he moved, and I did not find it necessary to buy a new one. So now I have one personal laptop and a company laptop. So a 100% laptop person currently :) The only complaint is that the screen is usually too small for truly portable machines, being a lady that I am, unless you have a high-end one e.g. Fujitsu (which I am eyeing for my next replacement).

We use a laptop here in Spain, as a desktop machine ie it sits on the desktop .

This avoids the use of an UPS that we would need with a desktop running on Spanish come and go electricity.

spanish computers use more electricity? huh?

The 'free' UPS in a laptop is good point - and has saved much lost work drama in many places.

It's the same difference between having a Desk Typewriter, or a Portable typewriter really.

I've enjoyed this tread for getting to see or read of my friends work spaces. Chris's work area, and CW's lab story were of particular interest since I've known them for so long.

I'm inspired to take a picture of my desk and office and post it here, or in the new thread about pictures of your desk...

Anyway in an ideal world one would have both, and both would be as powerful. Savvy Exacta seems to have a good system.

There will probably eventually be a nice small hardware where you can stick the laptop in the desktop, and pull out the laptop when you need to go out. This would be space saving for some. No doubt about it that for soldiers and students, journalists, filmmakers a laptop is indispensible. (Is there a laptop with a fast printer to paper?") -You guys would be amazed at some of the trips I made with typewriters in a duffle bag, and a bus trip with the Smith Corona 9050. It is a good thing I have paper copies of work done on machines and in programs on discs or in whatever, that are long gone.

It makes sense that towers will be outsold by laptops since all students and youth internationally need and want computers, but are often forced to move around, or simply move and smaller lighter and good enough push that trend.

P.S. Plywood a saw, and a screw gun will allow you to throw things together right fast, that apart fast too. Folding furniture is desirable in my life. The band U2 owns a steel stage of genus as far as engineering and design are concerned. That stage uses wedges and slots and tubes of steel that can be put together in many configurations depending on the space, and the dramatic design desired.

There will probably eventually be a nice small hardware where you can stick the laptop in the desktop, and pull out the laptop when you need to go out.

I call' em port replicators.

The egg nog is very good this year or could be the Captain too

They used to be called "docking stations" when laptops first came out...

Missed that.

port replicators

I prefer the desktop.

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