Okay, I’m thinking of getting a laptop for various convenience reasons. Now, I know about computers, but I’ve never delved into the world of laptops ergo I know little about their hardware.
I am a bona-fide computer geek. I’m a very heavy user of computers for gaming/multimedia/programming/websurfing. I’m concerned about the ability to use a laptop for prolonged periods of time, in terms of physical comfort. When using a desktop, I can space out the keyboard and mouse; I sit far back from the large monitor and relax in my chair. I’m worried that with a laptop I’ll have to sit right up close, hunched over, staring at the dimly-lit screen. Can anyone tell me about their experiences with using laptops for long periods of time?
I use my computer extensively for watching downloaded movies, playing DVDs and ESPECIALLY listening to music. What are the sound capabilities in today’s laptops like? Obviously, the dinky speakers they come with aren’t spectacular – I have my own system I can hook up. But what sort of soundcards are typically used? Can I get good sound output? And what about video quality for watching movies?
Upgradability. I was always under the impression that laptops cannot be upgraded, or it is very difficult to do so. Is this still the case with modern laptops? Most I’ve seen (with a reasonable price) have 40GB HDs. This is too small for me . Is my only choice to get an external drive? What about RAM? Is that upgradable?? Can I install additional devices into the laptop, or do I have to use external PCMCIA devices for any addtional devices??
I love my ATI-All-in-Wonder card. This is easily the best piece of equipment I’ve ever picked up for my desktop. Are there similar video cards available for the laptop? And, as noted above, can video cards be replaced?
I’ve heard anectodal stories about cooling problems in laptops due to their small size and lack of fans. I would be using my laptop extensivlely and it would likely be on all the time…is overheating a concern?
General Questions is for questions with factual answers. IMHO is for opinions and polls. While some of your questions have factual answers, you are mostly asking for opinions.
I’m on a laptop now, using a standard keyboard, and a 19" monitor, with a splitter, or USB peripherals, I’d have no trouble using a mouse as well. Unless you’re throwing away your monitor, mouse and keyboard, you can go right ahead and use them with a laptop, keeping your comfort level acceptable.
You might have some trouble with your power using, since laptops can’t really match desktops on performance.
Upgrading laptops is more difficult, I believe the sound card is built into the board, and the video card may be as well. You can upgrade memory and hard drives fairly easily, I doubt much else is easily upgradable. I have no experience with upgrading laptops.
I’ve never had a cooling problem with my laptop (IBM Thinkpad) but they do tend to get pretty hot, I don’t ever try to use it on my lap!
Te problem is I won’t have the peripherals from my current desktop to use with my laptop. At least not the monitor. I do plan on using a normal keyboard and mouse though. (the main point for me getting a laptop is that I have very minimal space to work with).
Ya, the upgrading thing really has me concerned about whether or not its worth it.
Well, I personally ADORE laptops, and will never have anything else as my “main” computer (although, that in NO way means I’m swearing off desktops)
BUT, for you, I’m gonna say a laptop may not be the way to go, and here’s why:
First off, I wouldn’t say to always use a laptop as a laptop. I use mine as a desktop most of the time. I have a PS2 keyboard hooked to it, a USB Optical Mouse, and a 17" SVGA monitor attatched to it. For all that, it’s a desktop. The convenience comes in that I can just unhook everything, grab the PC and walk out the door and have all my files, and can easily transport stuff back and forth from my office. When I veg out, I’m on the same keyboard/mouse/monitor combo I’d be using if I had a desktop. In fact all three USED to be attatched to the old desktop this Laptop replaced.
NOW, as for the Gaming aspect (and more on this later) this is the #1 reason I think you might wanna avoid a laptop. In order to get one that REALLY has the horsepower to play the superest-duperest of games, you’re gonna have to shell out some big bucks. WAY more than you would for a deskop of the same horsepower. And then you’re stuck, your upgrade path is pretty limited. This is also true if you’re editing movies, or doing any heavy-duty Multimedia work. It’s not that a laptop can’t run Premiere…it’s that in 3 years the newest and greatest software might require more horsepower than you can support.
OK honestly, sound on a laptop sucks. Your only options are the dinky onboard speakers, or buying some to plug into the sound-out jack (Which is really designed for driving headphones, but can operate standalone computer speakers fine). But, no 5.1, No super Subwoofers. IIRC, SoundBlaster has a decent sound system you can buy that operates off the USB port…obviously, this could be used in lieu of the dinky onboard…but it’s not a very elegant solution.
Upgradability these days is better, but not great. First, on the Hard-drive side, you’re USUALLY limited to one hard-drive (Maybe two with some systems) and they’re smaller, so they’re not gonna go into the uper reaches of the atmosphere as quickly as your standard sized hard-drives do. The hard-drives, by and large now, are IDE drives, so they’re standard…but note that IDE for Laptop is a different connection than IDE for desktop…it’s just that the “communication protocol” is based on a standard, instead of being proprietary (like Laptop HardDrives once were). Laptop HardDrives are usually listed as being 2.5" drives (size of the bay), and in a quick search of DirtCheapDrives I found an 80 gig one for $336.
External FireWire drives are fast as blue-blazes, and a good “expansion” option, if the internal drive’s aren’t practical for your needs.
RAM is a bit stickier, as it’s not “standardized” BUT, almost all manufacturers sell aftermarket RAM. Usually, though, it’s not like on a PC where you have 4, 6, or 8 RAM slots, and you can keep adding until they’re full. With many laptops there’s only one slot, and to upgrade you gotta replace everything (i.e. throw out 128 megs to upgrade to 256)
Additional devices for Laptops are either going to be USB/FireWire or PCMCIA. that’s about the only options. Desktop users get PCI and AGP card slots. Laptop users only get 2 PCMCIA slots. Them’s the breaks.
Forget it. The video device is hard-wired to the mobo (I don’t know of any exccptions to this) so your best bet is to buy the system with the best onboard video, and hope it stands the test of time (and also, you’re gonna pay a LOT for that)
I run mine all day while I’m at work. Then I run it all night at home. Never any overheating problems…Although that’s not to say it won’t happen. They sell platforms with fans mounted to them that you can set your laptop on if overheating is a problem…but again, I’ve never needed one.
To me, a computer is a tool. I use it to do my work(programming), send my email, and retrieve websites. I don’t need the baddest and the bestest stuff. If it was also my toy (i.e. I was into gaming, or video editing, etc) A laptop wouldn’t fit the bill. For me, though? I wouldn’t ever want my main system to be a Desktop. Deskops are my toys. My laptop is a tool.
I’ve become very comfortable using my laptop. I thought I would hate the keyboard at first, but after getting used to it I actually prefer it’s feel to my desktop’s keyboard. You don’t have to hunch over the monitor to see it – the technology is pretty good. I’m not real fond of the touch-pad mouse thing, but a cheap optical USB mouse solves that.
Can’t really comment much on the sound quality - I use mine for recording so I have a PCMCIA multitrack soundcard - I rarely use the card that came in the laptop, although when I have used it I wasn’t displeased. The video quality is pretty good. I’ve used my laptop to watch DVD’s when out on the road for work, and it suffices. Most laptops have video outs for hooking them up to your TVs, but so far, I haven’t seen that look good at all - the video looks better on the laptop screen.
Memory’s expandable. Some laptops have 2 drive bays (the 2nd usually being taken up by a 3 1/2 drive), so you might be able to add a 2nd drive. Get a laptop with a firewire port and get an external drive. Other than that - there’s not much expansion available.
I’m pretty sure you can’t replace the video card.
Overheating hasn’t been a problem for me, and my computer stays on a lot. Sometimes I use it in my actual lap when feeling lazy at home, and it feels warm, but not uncomfortably so. A warning, though - I used to have a Sony that when you closed the lid and it went into hibernation mode, still generated heat. If I didn’t actually turn it off before putting it in the carrying case - it couldn’t cool inside the case. The time I found that out it came out of the case VERY HOT and wouldn’t turn on for over 2 hours. I thought I was fried.
My big question is do you really need a laptop as oppossed to a desktop? It’s more expensive, and although many people don’t think about this, it’s a lot easier to steal. I’ve never personally known anyone who had a desktop PC stolen, but know 5 people (including me) who have had a laptop stolen, from work, school, and right off the kitchen table. Mine was stolen from work – the desktop PCs in the office were untouched. Think about that when Internet Explorer asks you if you want it to remember your passwords for you.
No, I don’t really need a laptop. I will likely be getting a new computer when I return to Univ. in the fall, and just thought a laptop might be a good idea as room space will be at a minimum.
From reading this it sounds like it won’t meet my needs though. Also, I don’t know why I mentioned gaming - I’m not a heavy gamer at all actually so that’s not a big deal. Mostly just sound quality and video quality (quality as opposed to speed/horsepower) are my concerns.
Oh, and I’m only using a P3 600 right now anyway, so pretty much anything will be faster
How’s about picking up a flat panel monitor? They’re coming down in price and will let you have the upgradability of a desktop but using less space. Some manufacturers also offer small form factor computers, not as upgradable as a full sized tower perhaps, but better than a laptop, and saves space on the desk.
Not to be a commercial or anything (I’m an IBM employee), but IBM has the ThinkCentre and Netvista S, as their space saving computers, and other manufacturers should have their own versions too.
If you need to move your computer around frequently, consider a laptop. Otherwise, stick with a desktop. If space is an issue, get a smaller tower and a flat panel.
I got a high end laptop for my trip to college and I am pretty satisfied with its power. That said, the computer rarely leaves its space on my desk. It doesn’t overheat but the bottom does get hot. Power (as in battery) averages about 2 hours or so which is okay but really not that great. In addition, what you sacrifice for the added power is something that you may not realize. A higher end laptop is heavy. When you get down to actually light and portable laptops, you’re talking about significantly reduced ability as far as gaming and intense applications.
I’m not a geek, but I love my laptop. It is not a replacement for my desktop, but an addition.
What I really like doing is laying in bed surfing the Internet. Get a bed tray, lots of fluffy pillows, and it is pure heaven. It is a little hard to type, so when I am surfing in bed my posts have many (more) typos. A good way to unwind at the end of the day.
Another thing that is fun is watching DVDs in the tub. Our bathroom has a Nakamichi Soundspace stereo in it, we bought a cable and hook that up and it really improves the sound.
I upgraded the RAM on my laptop, I didn’t do it myself but it was cheap.
And when travelling, it really comes in handy for dealing with all the digital photos I take.
Yes, Boscibo made a good point which really makes me like the idea of getting a laptop: Internet surfing from anywhere in the house! We have a wireless router and with a wireless PCMCIA network card, I can just sit in bed, on the couch or wherever and surf the net.
I love my laptop. It lives on the table next to my bed, and it never leaves the house. I do most of my computing (surfing the web, writing papers, IMming my friends, playing lightweight games, watching DVDs with someone snuggleable) in bed. I’m a complete computer addict, so there is nothing like waking up in the morning, and being able to check my email before I’m awake enough to even contemplate standing.
That said, There is a big desktop in the other room that holds all my MP3s, can handle heavy-duty games, and does any actual useful computing I might want to do. Depending on the geekiness of your friends, I think that having a heavy duty desktop and a lightweight laptop for around-the-house surfing is getting to be pretty standard. It certainly is a lot of fun.
My laptop, a Mac PowerBook, goes everywhere I go. My files are where I am, not “at the office” or “at home”.
Meanwhile, as other have reported to be the case with them, I’m typing this on a nice full-sized keyboard; to my right is a real desktop mouse; and the TFT screen of my laptop is off to the side doing duty as an auxiliary screen (extended desktop)–the main display is in front of me, a 20" Sony Trinitron :).
You’ll hear people say “but laptops can’t be upgraded”. Yeah, this is an issue. All I’ve ever added to or upgraded on mine is the CPU, the RAM, added a CDRW drive, added USB, added a Zip drive, swapped out the hard drive for a larger model twice, put the old hard drive in a case that lets me plug it into a slot and use it as well, upgraded the crappy hinge mechanism to an industrial-strength variant, changed the modem, added a low-end video-digitizing card, and added the card that lets me run a second monitor.
Also, if you want to switch-boot multiple operating systems, you might find a laptop to be a limitation. I’ve only got fifteen bootable operating systems on mine, and all but 5 of them only run in emulation, so you might want to think about that.
And they aren’t made as solidly and don’t last as long. Mine’s only 5 years old and I doubt I’ll get more than another year out of it before obsolescence really sets in.
OK, in all seriousness, the video performance is nowhere near Desktop performance levels, even comparing strictly to Desktop systems of equal age. Good laptops have video-out to external monitors and can run them at pretty decent resolutions, but generally not from anything akin to the kind of high-end video cards you can get in Desktop systems. And laptops are more expensive.
But I can’t imagine ever going back to a Desktop machine as my main system. The mobility is too addictive. (And, not being a gamer or a designer of streaming video or commercial spots, I just don’t care about the lower video performance.).
. Is my only choice to get an external drive? What about RAM? Is that upgradable?? Can I install additional devices into the laptop, or do I have to use external PCMCIA devices for any addtional devices??
