Laptop vs Desktop

R

Rydawg5143

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Messages
6,781
SO my friend is trying to find a laptop that he can use for school and general stuff like web and downloading. For school he uses CS 3 and 3d Max. I don't knw much about laptops but I've tried to convince him he can get a better desktop for his budget ( ie. me build it) of 700 bucks than he would get in a laptop. What do you guys think?

I've never used CS3 or max 3d but he assures me they are pretty intense. WOuld he be better with a quad? I'm sure i can get stuff to fit in a micro case and his monitor can sit on top, just a matter of me getting unlazy. Quad or not ?
 
Quad, yes; laptop, no. Your friend mentioned to you two of the programs that would justify the use of a quad - Photoshop (is that what you meant?) and 3D graphics editing.

To get a laptop with similar specs as a $700 desktop would probably cost almost twice of that amount. If you look around, you could get a deal on a Dell desktop system, with a quad-core, at least 2GB of RAM, and a 250GB (or larger) hard drive for around $500. You could use the remaining costs for a larger capacity hard drive (like the WD640AAKS) and/or a midrange video card (IIRC, Dell PSUs can handle a 9600GT) to make a decent system for under/around $700.

Do you have parts already that you could contribute to this build? Do you really want a SFF/microATX build or just a mini-tower ATX build? (The added costs of "quality" microATX motherboards and cases make the ATX build a bit cheaper.)
 
I'd go with a desktop. You can buy powerful laptops with Quad cores - but you will have to pay a lot of money for it. Not too mention, these desktop replacements are rather heavy and don't have much battery life.
I'd check into a micro-atx if your friend is after something smaller. If you really need a laptop, the $700 will likely not get him what he wants. He may need to make concessions.
 
Build him a nice desktop, then tell him to buy an ultraportable like the Asus EEE for his mobile needs.
 
Mr. Wolf said:
Build him a nice desktop, then tell him to buy an ultraportable like the Asus EEE for his mobile needs.
Click to expand...
. You would be looking at $1500 + for a laptop that could run 3dmax super smoothly. Build a kick arse dekstop, and like Mr. Wolf said, get an ultraportable.
 
Here is a sample ~$700 build (all parts are from NewEgg):

$100 - Antec Sonata III case with Earthwatts 500W PSU
$84 - MSI P43 Neo3-F ($10 mail-in rebate)
$195 - Intel Q6600 (free shipping)
$75 - A-DATA 2x2GB DDR2 800 kit (free shipping)
$85 - Western Digital 640GB SATA HDD (free shipping)
$25 - Samsung SH-S223F (free shipping)
$105 - PNY 9600GT (free shipping & $10 mail-in rebate)
=====
$669 - Subtotal (not including shipping, taxes, or rebates)

This is only one of many options you could take with a desktop build. Depending on the software you use, as well as the monitor/resolution you're working on, you may want to change the video card to something else.
 
he bought a dell laptop, didnt get the full specs but had ati 256 vid card and an intell dual core @ 2.16ghz.
 
At least he got an ATI card, lol, so he can avoid any problems NVIDIA was having. How much was it?

My coworker just got an inspiron 1525? 2.4Ghz Penryn?, 2GB RAM, 120GB HDD, GMA3100, 15.4" @ 1680x1050, BT + wifi-G, vista home premium... $680. Wish I'd gotten one, too. :( my excuse is the vidcard. :p
 
a laptop sometimes is the only option...graphics people usually are out and about and need to work from where they are at NOW. A desktop is nice to have due to upgradablity, but he thing I tell my clients is if you buy something to do what you need done now, it will always be able to do so.

If something new comes down the pipe...then you have to decide whether you *need* it if your current rig can't handle it.

What I see many doing is buying more CPU than they need and less GPU than they anticipated.
 
alkemyst said:
if you buy something to do what you need done now, it will always be able to do so.
Click to expand...

The question wasn't whether or not the laptop could actually run things like 3dsmax and cs3. I'm sure it can. It's not about upgradability either. The question is, what's the price to performance ratio between that laptop and an equally priced desktop, and which will serve him better?

And who exactly says that designers are always out and about and require mobility? None of the designers I've worked with work remotely, and I can't imagine needing to unless you're a photographer and require instant photo transfer and adjustment.
 
iJeff said:
The question wasn't whether or not the laptop could actually run things like 3dsmax and cs3. I'm sure it can. It's not about upgradability either. The question is, what's the price to performance ratio between that laptop and an equally priced desktop, and which will serve him better?

And who exactly says that designers are always out and about and require mobility? None of the designers I've worked with work remotely, and I can't imagine needing to unless you're a photographer and require instant photo transfer and adjustment.
Click to expand...

That's not what I implied. I said for some a laptop is the only option though. There are plenty of non-photographers that require a laptop everywhere they go.

My reply was dead on as the OP was assuming the friend's criteria. I was simply adding the fact that sometimes a desktop is not even an option.

Regardless if price was the main concern there is no way any laptop would ever be a better value than a desktop for most people out there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top