Desktop+Netbook or Powerful Lappy?

[Bobrobyn]

I've been using an HP Pavilion zv6000 series laptop for a while now -- almost 4 years -- as my main computer. It's starting to die. One fan died...this monster has two. Now it overheats whenever I use too much CPU power...and the computer shuts down randomly (I think it has power or motherboard issues -- they're not uncommon for this model of notebook). Yay!

I've got a decision to make. I can afford to buy a really nice laptop and use it as my main computer...this would create really nice portable workstation. The other option is buying a desktop, and then using my eeepc for all portable computing needs -- I will need to replace it soon, and newer netbooks are a lot nicer. Netbooks are getting easier to code and write on, is it even worth buying a REAL laptop these days? Then again, having a powerful portable workstation is nice too, for those days of longer work with a larger screen.

What do you guys think? I love my eeepc for portability, but I never code on it for extended periods. I love "Brick" (my HP laptop is called "The Brick" cause it's so thick and heavy) to bits for coding and working for longer time periods -- I've sorta been using it as a portable desktop. Tough decision, I know.

Anyone have any arguments/preferences? This decision is daunting me

Edit: Macs are nice and all, but they're not really my thing. They're overpriced, and I prefer Linux anyways. I'm not a PC gamer either, so something with an amazing video card isn't a must...it'd be a plus, of course. Whatever I get, I'd use Ubuntu as my main OS, and if it comes with Windows, I'd dual boot. I've been considering Dell and System76 so far. What do you guys think?

[Tony]

What's your use-case for the setup? That is, where do you plan on using your system(s) the most and how do you travel around?

[Bobrobyn]

I'm going into 4th year compsci, and I use a bus to get to and from campus -- sometimes I walk. I would use a netbook/notebook on campus while in class to take notes/surf the web/do homework. I loved using my eeepc for that purpose...it's when it comes time to sit down in the library, lab, or whereever, to do extended periods of coding or writing that becomes a problem. Netbooks just aren't great for extended use -- although that may have changed now.

I currently use my big laptop as a desktop most of the time, but whenever I predict spending longer than an hour or so on campus coding or writing, I bring my big laptop -- but that's largely because the eeepc is one of the smaller and harder to use of netbooks.

Laptops are also great portable workspaces. I go home for a weekend once or twice a semester, and bringing my big laptop to do work on is convenient. But a desktop is a better investiment...so it's a tough decision.

[md]

Why not get a smaller laptop? Like, one that is actually designed to be taken with you; a T400 comes to mind

[wtd]

md @ Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:53 am wrote:

Why not get a smaller laptop? Like, one that is actually designed to be taken with you; a T400 comes to mind

Or, you know... a 13.3" MacBook Pro. Seriously, you may not like Macs, but 4.5 pounds, 2.26GHz, upt to 8GB of RAM and 500GB HDD, and it's durable as heck? Hard to turn that down.

[BigBear]

wtd @ Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:47 pm wrote:

md @ Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:53 am wrote:

Why not get a smaller laptop? Like, one that is actually designed to be taken with you; a T400 comes to mind

Or, you know... a 13.3" MacBook Pro. Seriously, you may not like Macs, but 4.5 pounds, 2.26GHz, upt to 8GB of RAM and 500GB HDD, and it's durable as heck? Hard to turn that down.

Also the price, you can get a higher end laptop open box from Future Shop or Best Buy for around $400

[jernst]

BigBear @ Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:44 pm wrote:

Also the price, you can get a higher end laptop open box from Future Shop or Best Buy for around $400

thats what i did when i got my last laptop. Sadly its the only one I've had that has lasted longer than a few months. I always break the expensive ones This one has even survived in the UK where I used a power adaptor incorrectly. The adaptor lit on fire and melted but the laptop miraculously still works lol

[md]

The new 13" Macbook Pro is also definitely in contention with the T400. I had a hard enough time deciding with the old Macbook; but with the price cut and the extended battery life; I'd go with the Macbook now.

[wtd]

BigBear @ Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:44 am wrote:

wtd @ Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:47 pm wrote:

md @ Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:53 am wrote:

Why not get a smaller laptop? Like, one that is actually designed to be taken with you; a T400 comes to mind

Or, you know... a 13.3" MacBook Pro. Seriously, you may not like Macs, but 4.5 pounds, 2.26GHz, upt to 8GB of RAM and 500GB HDD, and it's durable as heck? Hard to turn that down.

Also the price, you can get a higher end laptop open box from Future Shop or Best Buy for around $400

That weighs 4.5 pounds (portable), is fast (high-end Core 2 Duo with a fast FSB and low thermal output, paired with matching RAM and "integrated" graphics that match mid-range dedicated in performance), has a backlit keyboard and automatically adjusting screen brightness (ergonomics), and is built to last (aluminum unibody construction)?

Maybe you can get something faster, maybe you can get something cheaper, maybe you can get something more portable in such a deal, but it won't be more durable (or even as durable), and it won't be a combination of the other three.

And all that without bringing software into the mix.

[octopi]

Powerful Laptop, take it everywhere.

[andrew.]

If you're getting a laptop, listen to wtd. A MacBook is the way to go.

[wtd]

jernst @ Wed Jun 10, 2009 3:28 am wrote:

BigBear @ Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:44 pm wrote:

Also the price, you can get a higher end laptop open box from Future Shop or Best Buy for around $400

thats what i did when i got my last laptop. Sadly its the only one I've had that has lasted longer than a few months. I always break the expensive ones This one has even survived in the UK where I used a power adaptor incorrectly. The adaptor lit on fire and melted but the laptop miraculously still works lol

Even the expensive PC laptops you can buy at Future Shop or Best Buy are not built to last.

[jernst]

lol no i wouldn't expect they would be. Does anyone make anything to last anymore?

[ecookman]

you can get some pretty amazing laptops now for around 700 bucks

one i say in a flyer had:

15" screen
4gig ram
2.4 ghz processor
320 gb HDD


plus with a lappy you aren't chained to a desk

[md]

You don't get quality for that $700 however. If you *lucky* it'll last a year. And you'll suffer from aweful drivers and the cheapest components you can find.

With a Thinkpad or a Macbook you get extremely well engineered hardware that *will* last. My previous thinkpad was 5 years old, and it's still going strong. I know people who have equally old Macs and they have no problems at all. The extra time spend properly engineering the hardware makes a huge difference.

Also, if you've ever actually carried a laptop around you'll find that like a cheap Dell (their business laptops are better) feels cheap and flimsy. You worry about breaking it with the slightest bump. Macbooks and Thinkpads are nigh on indestructible. Hell; my first thinkpad had been dropped from 6 feet; the damage? None. And those were the days before aluminum and carbon fiber roll cages.