If the ONLY reason I don't want a laptop is the keyboard, will I eventually just get over it?

[jtur88]

@Trinopus

Isn’t there a setup option to disable it? I agree fully with you on the uselessness of the trackpad, and I’d certainly disable it if that could be done! Otherwise, yeah, physically block the darn thing.

ETA: Here’s some notes on how it might be done. Your Machine May Vary.

The taped piece of paper works perfectly,and it takes one second to pry up the corner if I need to use the trackpad in emergency (as I did when my mouse misbehaved, or which I’d have to do if I ever pried the laptop up off the sticky work station and went mobile). Earlier models of my Latitude included a simple Fn button to disable the trackpad, but the geniuses thought removing that feature was the cats pajamas and are probably still gloating about the miraculous improvement. There is a convoluted way of doing it through the control panel, which I don’t have the patience to explore.

YMWCAV-- Your machine will certainly absolutely vary.

[AHunter3]

If the ONLY reason you don’t want a laptop is the keyboard, attach a freaking external keyboard of your liking to it and use the external keyboard. (Doesn’t everyone, except when they’re, like, on the subway or using it in a coffee shop or something?)

(as others have said)

[Amateur_Barbarian]

@AHunter3

If the ONLY reason you don’t want a laptop is the keyboard, attach a freaking external keyboard of your liking to it and use the external keyboard.

By the time you’ve attached an external keyboard and mouse, and then tried to prop the laptop for something like decent screen viewing, what’s the point of it being a laptop in the first place?

I concede that there is some subset of users who really need a laptop and either put up with the ergonomic and operating limitations, or have some sort of desktop console they can jack into the thing for extended use in one place.

I contend that this set is much, much larger than it should be because too many people have swallowed the argument that laptops are So Much Better, even when they spend their shortened lives on top of one desk.

[scr4]

@Amateur_Barbarian

I contend that this set is much, much larger than it should be because too many people have swallowed the argument that laptops are So Much Better, even when they spend their shortened lives on top of one desk.

Laptops are better in many ways - they take up less desk space, have fewer cables to clutter up your desk, can be moved from room to room, and easily put away when not in use. They generally have a webcam and speakers built in (though most newer monitors have speakers too).

But I got the impression that the OP is not interested in these advantages.

[Paintcharge]

Or just get something like this little micro computer.

[scr4]

@Paintcharge

Or just get something like this little micro computer.

I would advise against an Intel Atom system as a main everyday computer, even the newer ones. The Atom processor is adequate for tablets and special purpose computers (e.g. music streaming), but they are annoyingly slow compared to a decent laptop/desktop processor (say Core-i3 or better).

[AHunter3]

@Amateur_Barbarian

By the time you’ve attached an external keyboard and mouse, and then tried to prop the laptop for something like decent screen viewing, what’s the point of it being a laptop in the first place?.

In 1997, before I owned a laptop, I visited my sister for a month. Took down my Power Mac 7100 and cables to connect a VGA monitor, depending on her to let me scavenge a monitor, an adaptible keyboard, and a mouse.

Even without it being wrapped in bubble wrap and a cardboard box, it was at least four times the height and weight of the “WallStreet” Powerbook laptop I bought in 1998. And it was useless until all the peripherals were hooked up.

In 2000, I visited my parents for a roughly comparable amount of time. By then I had my PowerBook, and at home it was connected to a large external monitor (giving me two screens total), external keyboard, external mouse, an external SCSI hard drive and multiple external removable storage devices (Zip and Jaz and Syquest, remember those?) not to mention an amp and huge external speakers, an inkjet printer, and an ethernet local network and a modem for going online. So, the epitome of “using it like a desktop”, right?

Unplug, unplug, unhook. Toss into computer satchel, out the door. At the airport, I could go online. Use it by itself, no peripherals needed. It’s light. It’s skinny.

I upgraded the hard drive several times and eventually added a second internal hard drive, upgraded the RAM to nearly 4x manufacturer’s max, upgraded the CPU from 300 MHz G3 to 500 MHz G4, and upgraded the screen hinges. Still not quite as innately upgradeable as a desktop but not at all bad for a laptop.

I still own it and it still boots and I make active use of it occasionally. Decently durable investment.

I just don’t see a compelling reason to buy a desktop computer when I can get 90% of what I’d want from one in a laptop along with that degree of portability.

[dracoi]

I’m a little late to the thread, but my solution with my laptops has always been a wireless keyboard and mouse. I only use the built-in keyboard on the laptop when I’m away from my home or office - an airport, Starbucks wifi, outside during nice weather, a relative’s house, etc. Honestly, that’s less than 5% of my total laptop usage.

At both home and office, I have a keyboard tray to adjust the wireless keyboard to an optimal height for working. At home, the laptop sits on the cardboard box it came in, which gives it the extra six or so inches to put the screen at a good height, and there is a second monitor at home with an adjustable arm. At the office, I don’t use the laptop’s screen at all and connect it to two external monitors.

For the purpose of taking the same computer from office to home, a small form factor computer could have fit my needs - I’d have the same keyboard and monitors that I have now. However, it would not have the portability for the 5% of the time I’m not working from my desk, so I think the laptop is the obvious choice.

Thus, I would advise the OP to go ahead and get a laptop, then do what is necessary to get a good keyboard and either a laptop stand or an external monitor. Best of all worlds and not that expensive.

[BigT]

The main reason to get a laptop is if you plan on being at all mobile. Assuming so, you can probably use your existing keyboard/mouse/monitor with it, and only unhook them when you need to be mobile. That is what I do.

If you don’t need mobility at all, then you can get a small desktop (with something more than an Atom) and you don’t need to get anything else. Just hook it all up.

One warning is to make sure your monitor has the right plug, since I don’t know how old your old computer is. That would be a complication if they aren’t the same plug, either on the laptop or the small desktop.

[Lemur866]

You can get a VGA to HDMI adapter for under ten bucks, if your old monitor only takes VGA and the laptop only outputs HDMI.

[bienville]

Thanks, all! Lots of helpful responses!

@Amateur_Barbarian

I think the idea that “no one buys desktops any more” has permeated a large part of the market that it should not have

Yeah, I guess this is me. And buying into the idea that “no one buys desktops any more” fed into the belief that there must be good reason for it and that I should follow suit.

This notion added to the anecdotal reinforcement that everyone who I know personally who is struggling financially, but nevertheless needs a computer, has a laptop gave me the idea that a laptop would be cheaper.

But, learning that…

@Folly

Yes, this is a mistaken assumption. You still get more bang for your buck with desktops assuming portability is not a requirement.

@Amateur_Barbarian

a desktop will be a better, probably cheaper

@Jophiel

All things being equal, laptops are more expensive.

…actually makes the decision that much easier.
All the other advice offered has been informative and helpful but learning that I was just flat out wrong to assume laptops are cheaper has pretty much closed the debate in my mind.

[Lemur866]

Here’s my take on the “they’re struggling but have a laptop instead of a desktop” issue.

If you’re struggling, you’re going to do a lot of moving around. You’re doing a lot of random gigs. You need the flexibility of a laptop because you never know where you’re going to be sitting tomorrow.

[Pabitel]

@bienville

I really don’t need any kind of jumbo superpowered I-Can’t-Allow-You-To-Do-That-Dave computer. My needs are simple: Internet, Word, iTunes. I do a little bit of artwork and photo editing but I’ve only ever used the freebie programs that came installed on my computer when I bought it almost 11 years ago… so, yeah, my needs are pretty damn simple.

I’m sure that I’d be fine with a laptop instead of getting a new desktop but I hate using a laptop for one and only one reason: the keyboard.
It’s not just the keyboard in and of itself, but also because I have to look down at the screen (because the screen is attached to the keyboard).

My wife has been a touch typist for 30+ years. There is no way she is learning a new keyboard layout at this point. She also hates when she gets too near the touch-pad while typing and it changes the focus on her.

We solved this problem by getting her a mid-range all-in-one computer for when she needs to do serious work. We also have a $150 Chromebook that she uses for checking email and browsing online. That way she has the keyboard she needs for serious work and can still lounge around with a laptop.

It helps that she is a Gmail user, which is built right into Chrome.

[Kron]

To this day I hate laptops, and the keyboard is a big part of it. I have never gotten to the point that I was any more than marginally okay with using a laptop, when necessary.

If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive solution, maybe an All-In-One desktop machine? Basically, the computer itself is built into the monitor assembly, giving you somewhat more mobility than a traditional tower setup, but not as much as a laptop.

[Kron]

@jtur88

The taped piece of paper works perfectly,and it takes one second to pry up the corner if I need to use the trackpad in emergency (as I did when my mouse misbehaved, or which I’d have to do if I ever pried the laptop up off the sticky work station and went mobile). Earlier models of my Latitude included a simple Fn button to disable the trackpad, but the geniuses thought removing that feature was the cats pajamas and are probably still gloating about the miraculous improvement. There is a convoluted way of doing it through the control panel, which I don’t have the patience to explore.

YMWCAV-- Your machine will certainly absolutely vary.

Most computers have a softkey disable- usually something like FUNCTION+6 or similar (that’s what my laptop is).

[Nava]

When I use my laptop at a desk, I plop it atop this and attach a keyboard. But my good computer is a desktop.

[septimus]

Include me among those with a laptop and external mouse and keyboard. There are relatively cheap keyboards — and if you get one so cheap that it breaks, you just get another one!

An added benefit is that the laptop’s own keyboard is presumably still functional: I won’t take the external keyboard traveling. Had I been pounding on the laptop’s keys, some would be broken by now! :eek:

[Elemenopy]

I hate laptops. I have a tiny desktop (about $400 from eBay, 2 years ago) that I have permanently plugged into the living room tv, with a Logitech wireless keyboard/touchpad combo. My PC these days is mostly used for entertainment/news, so that makes it much easier to share with the family. BTW, that inexpensive “desktop” runs Fallout 4 just fine, plus Adobe Lightroom, and everything else I’ve thrown at it.
If you prefer a desk setup, get an AIO with touchscreen, and then you can either use it as an upright tablet, or with a cheapo keyboard mouse as your circumstances dictate. Those also are around $3-400 for middling functionality. I just bought a cheap HP one for my gradeschooler for Xmas, and upon testing it, it’s quite nice.