Computers: Notebook Or Desktop?

[Kyuuketsuki]

So reading the editorial in this month's PC Pro and finding I agreed with the editor on his apparent preference for desktop systems I thought I'd ask what you preferred to use, not in terms of OS but in terms of form factor.

I've had many desktops and notebooks over the years ... my first PC was an Amstrad PC1512 which I upgraded, then an adapted Compaq (it was adapted because Compaq did what I've seen so many vendors do since, changed things so you were tied into their brand), went through 386SX's, 486DX's, Pentium I, II's, III's, 4's (along with various AMD's [SPIT]) to my current systems (an IBM x206 central server soon to be replaced by a Xeon 771 dual core/dual processor DELL workstation which will virtualise the server function and a series of socket 775 dual core/core-2-duo based full & mini-towers). I also have an inherited laptop (AMD [SPIT) and my work laptop ... the whole is configured for single central logon (Windows AD domain) and documents, media streaming & printing are all hosted centrally.

Anyway my notebooks and servers are all purchased (I seem to recall physically building one of my first servers, Samba to begin with but NT4 later but since then all bought though usually upgraded) but my desktop/towers all built/upgraded over the years and that has been a conscious decision on my part because I genuinely don't believe that a laptop can be as good as a desktop without paying at least twice as much to gain the same capability (and some desktop capability can never be realistically achieved by a notebook). So, whilst I see the value of laptops, I tend to be ambivalent about them and rarely, if ever, bother reading about them in PC magazines but (sad and geeky though it may be) I get excited about a new piece of desktop kit (graphics card, CPU, memory, hard disks, array cards whatever) so yeah ... very much a desktop person and very much a home builder and upgrader (even if first power up gives me the screaming meamy's).

So what do you prefer?

Kyu

[Darwinian]

I toyed with the idea of getting a laptop but soon dismissed it when I realised that I wouldn't be able to fill it full of all my graphics cards, video capture devices, hard discs etc.

I now have an Acer Aspire M7200 with an AMD Phenom II X4 805 running XP Pro and Vista 64 bit. I wouldn't bother with XP if it wasn't for the fact that most of my programming tools either refuse to work or complain bitterly about Vista64. Which is odd, because anything I create works perfectly on both.

Anyway, desktops for me all the way.

[leo-rcc]

It depends on what I need to do. At home I only do my regular stuff on my laptop, the HP zd8303. When I travel I have a 5 year old Dell D410, because it is very light and most tasks I do with RDP or I use Citrix.

On my desk in the main office I have a desktop and dual screen so I can do remote logins and suport in one screen and keep track of email/browse the internet on the other.

I do have a desktop at home, but in the 1,5 years that I have it, I think I used it maybe 6 times. Most of the time as an mp3 player.

[fr0d0]

As has already been said, the purpose of use is the deciding factor. Convenience seems to be the next one. I use my work lappy for everything, way under specced for what I really need - a few virtual machines at hand.
My wife now uses a netbook in favour of the desktop I had to set up in the living room for her, and my home built 2 year old AMD downstairs is hardly touched, although the intention is always there. There's a second PC downstairs too for the kids.

Likewise drooling over specific hardware has lost it's shine over the years. I'm more into software I suppose. I'm too mean coz I'd love a server setup.. maybe that old AMD will get a makeover soon. Then again I begrudge the power usage too.