Seeking advice on Desktop vs Laptop

Asulc · Post by **Asulc** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 2:04 pm

I am a senior in high school and will be attending Oregon State University next year starting in the fall term of 2010. I will be required to have a laptop for the program that I will be entering, Computer/Electrical Engineering.
My question to silentpcreview is this: Should I use only a laptop and spend the extra $$ to have a faster one with more storage? Or should I use the money that I would be spending to buy a small and quiet desktop computer?

This is the laptop I have been looking at, a Dell Studio XPS 16. The minimum specs that I will have are as follows:

Code: Select all

Processor:        Intel T9600 (6MB Cache, 2.8GHz, 1066MHz FSB)
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Display:          Full HD Widescreen 15.6 inch RGBLED LCD (1920x1080) W/2.0 MP
Memory:           4GB DDR3 at 1067MHz
Hard Drive:       500GB 7200rpm Sata Drive
Optical Drive:    Slot Load Blu-ray Disc (BD) Combo
Graphics:         ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670 1GB
Wireless Card:    Intel 5300 Ultimate-N Half Mini Card (3x3) with MyWiFi
Battery:          84 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

TOTAL PRICE:      $1614

NOTE: I did not pay any to have Microsoft Office or an Internet Security installed because I will be able to get both of these for a reduced price through Oregon State University as a student.

Upgrades that I would consider if I did not have a fast desktop to compliment my laptop:

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Processor:         Intel T9900 (6MB Cache/3.06GHz/1066Mhz FSB) [color=darkred]Adds $275[/color]
Memory:            6GB DDR3 at 1067MHz [color=darkred]Adds $165[/color]
Hard Drive:        256GB Solid State Drive [color=darkred]Adds $445[/color]

This upgrade money could go towards a desktop computer. I already have a 22" monitor with 1680x1050 resolution, and a 500GB external Hard Drive. I am asking whether I should add any of these upgrades or buy a desktop for less than $900.

If I did buy a desktop, these are my goals in order of importance:

1) Silent/Extremely quiet
2) Small in size (ie mATX or mITX)
3) Fast
4) Long lasting (ie won't be completely obsolete within a year or two)

I would be interested in what silentpcreview can come up with as a solution to this problem I am having.

NOTE: If silentpcreview thinks that any of the upgrades for the laptop should be added, be aware that this money comes out of what could be put into a desktop computer.

NOTE: Total amount of money I am willing to spend on this project is $2500.

I will listen to any advice that is given and consider other opinions. I will not be buying until the summer, but I want to have an idea on what kind of options I should be looking at. So don't just tell me that I should wait until it is closer before I think about buying. This will help me keep thinking about what I should be working towards buying.

Thank you again for all your help. I have learned so much from this website and it has completely changed my idea of what computing should be.

PS: I forgot to say what I will be using the desktop and/or the laptop for. I will only be using them for school work, web browsing, and watching movies. If I do any gaming at all it will be very light gaming like Diablo 3 when that comes out. I do not see any problem with a graphics card such as a 4670 running that game.

swivelguy2 · Post by **swivelguy2** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 4:43 pm

Do you have to run any demanding software for CompE/EE? If not, you can get away with a cheap netbook in class (or good old dead trees) and a desktop at home, which gets you less noise than a full-fledged laptop.

If you're going to be living in any sort of undergraduate dorm, however, you generally won't be able to hear a computer over the din of your peers.

ilovejedd · Post by **ilovejedd** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:39 pm

Are there minimum system requirements for your course? Suggested systems? Sometimes, departments have recommended configurations (usually business class Latitudes and Vostros available at a student discount).

Personally, I wouldn't want to lug around something as heavy as that to class, but my normal recommendation of thin and light ultraportables likely wouldn't make the cut. I seem to recall wishing for a faster computer to do compiling and PCB prototyping. Would've been useful for the AutoCAD class, too. Sure, a netbook is faster than the computer I used at the time, but I'm guessing the programs have been updated, too.

I don't think the upgrades you're looking at are worth the cash. Iirc, Anandtech's article mentioned solid state drives used by OEM's use Samsung controllers and weren't very high performing. You're better off buying your own SSD with the $445 and replacing the drive yourself. I don't think the 7% CPU boost is worth $275 either. If I were you, I'd actually save the $900 for a newer, faster laptop maybe two years down the line.

If you have to spend the $900, now, then it should possible to build an LGA1156-based quiet PC well within your budget.

hybrid2d4x4 · Post by **hybrid2d4x4** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:04 pm

ilovejedd wrote: I don't think the upgrades you're looking at are worth the cash. Iirc, Anandtech's article mentioned solid state drives used by OEM's use Samsung controllers and weren't very high performing. You're better off buying your own SSD with the $445 and replacing the drive yourself. I don't think the 7% CPU boost is worth $275 either. If I were you, I'd actually save the $900 for a newer, faster laptop maybe two years down the line.

If you have to spend the $900, now, then it should possible to build an LGA1156-based quiet PC well within your budget.

+1

I'd even go a bit further and suggest scaling back on the CPU to get a P series (ie: P8700, P8800) as they run a lower voltage IIRC. Unless you're doing encoding, or gaming, you would never notice the difference except for a bit of battery life advantage in the P series. And if you're thinking of gaming, don't even bother with a laptop IMO.

Asulc · Post by **Asulc** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 7:07 pm

What SSD would be a good one to buy to put into the laptop and that I could be sure would be compatible? Is this a hard process to replace the hard drive?

RoGuE · Post by **RoGuE** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 8:25 pm

dont buy a desktop. build one. you will save a TON of money, and you get to pick actual nice components..not budget ones that dell, hp, apple toss in their rigs.

its very easy..just takes a little time reading online.

to answer your ultimate question: yes, buy a desktop and skimp on the laptop. As an engineering student, your school will probably have many computer labs (like mine) where you can do on-campus computing work. When your at your dorm/appt, thats where you want a desktop. I hate laptops.

hybrid2d4x4 · Post by **hybrid2d4x4** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 5:59 pm

Asulc wrote:What SSD would be a good one to buy to put into the laptop and that I could be sure would be compatible? Is this a hard process to replace the hard drive?

The 2nd gen Intel drives (part #: Intel X25-M SSDSA2MHxxxG2yyy, where xxx is the capacity and yyy is the revision), the OCZ Agility & Vertex lines, Patriot Torqx, G.Skill Falcon, Super Talent Ultradrive ME. Also, the Kingston SSDNow V 40GB (only the 40GB!, the rest of the line isn't worth looking at) is derived from the intel with half the channels of the 80GB, and has good random speeds, but not so much continuous. I may have missed one or 2 series, so someone may fill those in.

As for whether it is hard to replace, it depends on the laptop. Some have a cover on the bottom for easy access to the HDD (5min job), and others force you to remove the keyboard and work your way down (30-60mins).

bonestonne · Post by **bonestonne** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:03 pm

I worked at a PC richards for a few weeks (only a few weeks), and one time one woman came in with her husband i guess, and they had a printout of an i7 based laptop, and an i7 based desktop, and wanted to know which was better.

aside from neither setup being any decent (bottlenecked somewhere), i asked them what they needed the quad core laptop for (a justifiable question, considering i didn't have the companies money-grubbing interesets in mind) and they couldn't. for itunes, and web surfing, save the $1500 and buy a cheaper laptop (i prefer taking notes by hand though) and buy a faster tower that you're actually going to sit down and use. in college, a laptop can be nice, some time to mess around between classes, watch movies, etc, but when it comes down to it, you're there for learning, and if you're going into an engineering degree, don't get a laptop that's going to have a problem doing CAD work, get a desktop that can do CAD work, and then some on the side, because it'll make a difference for your work.

with that being said, don't buy the cheapest POS netbook either (having used many, i suggest avoiding them like the plague). a netbook in college is like going out and buying a 486DX today, and using it as your workstation because it still works. sure, it still works, but it's still a piece of crap!

netbooks screens are too small, they cut off edges of some windows (which may or may not have a button you need to click on), they feel extremely cheap, and almost all of them ship exclusively with the 3 cell battery, getting that 6 cell you want is tacked on top of the price, it's not an option to upgrade for less money.

buy a decent, but cheap (maybe something used) laptop, and build yourself a real computer. and be sure to get a few kensington lock sets, because dorms are a warzone, and your computer is worth good money, and it's important to keep it as safe as you can (ie, not the flashiest case because you can show it off, or fool people about needing a nightlight, but having a glowing computer by your bed), just build it to work and work well.

especially with the current economy! get your money's worth of whatever you choose to do.

pixelfairy · Post by **pixelfairy** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:46 pm

unless you really need the 1gig graphics card youll be better off with a dell precision mobile M2400. lugging around that extra pound and the bulk will get tiresome quickly. get the higher res display. it makes a big difference.

if you dont care for heavy 3d, lenovos T and X series are really nice.

either way, you can plug it into your monitor and keyboard in your dorm room and have dual monitor. but youll probably find that you dont need it.

dorm rooms are small. if your not a gamer, desktop is just more worry about and take care of. save the money, if the need comes up you can worry about it then when you know more about what you would need.

psiu · Post by **psiu** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:25 am

You should maybe look at the Acer Timeline series. The 3810/4810/5810 series look pretty sweet, and bonus is very (like 8 hours) long battery life. Most have a dual core option as well. I think some models have discrete graphics but most have the Intel 4500MHD (good enough for movies though gaming is probably a stretch).

Generally running around 550-800 depending on model and features. You could easily build a pretty sweet gaming rig with the leftover cash.

pixelfairy · Post by **pixelfairy** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:53 am

just cause your a cs / ee major, avoid atoms and similar processors, they take forever to compile. for example, the linux kernel

netbook almost a day (didnt time it)
laptop 2 hours
desktop 16 minutes

but if you are stuck with one, or for large compiles in general, distcc off your schools servers

RBBOT · Post by **RBBOT** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:45 am

I can't see an argument for buying a desktop these days unless you want to play games, have specialist requirements for storage/memory, or, like many here, enjoy building computers as a hobby - a mid-range laptop suffices for anything else.

As others have said, don't buy an SSD from dell. I was also looking at buying the XPS 16 and confirmed with them their sales guys that they fit samsung drives which score worst in anands comparisons. The Intel drives are much better.

If you are using it for programming work, I would suggest possibly looking at putting as much memory in as you can as it comes in handy to run multiple virtual machines simultaneously, but again look at whether its cheaper to buy with 2gb from the manufacturer and fit more RAM yourself.

flyingsherpa · Post by **flyingsherpa** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:51 am

RBBOT wrote:I can't see an argument for buying a desktop these days unless you want to play games, have specialist requirements for storage/memory, or, like many here, enjoy building computers as a hobby - a mid-range laptop suffices for anything else.

What about noise? This is SPCR after all. I love the size and power of a modern mid-range laptop, but I really doubt I'd find one quiet enough for me. And if it's not quiet, there's not much you can do beyond stick a SSD drive in there... you won't be able to do much to the fan(s). But back to the parent's question...

My $.02 as someone who has been through engineering school (albeit a few years ago): Your first two years you'll probably prefer a laptop. MUCH easier to fit into a dorm room and you won't be doing much intensive work in your first few semesters. If you need power, I imagine a school that size has ample engineering PC labs. All of our CAD was done on Unix machines anyway, so having a powerful machine at home wasn't that useful. But maybe things have changed or maybe your school is different. Best to get advice from upper-classmen there if you can.

I wouldn't even get a super-powerful laptop. Don't spend more than $1000, it'll just be a target for thieves. Then when you're a junior, you'll have a better idea of your home-computing needs and you can get another machine then if you need it.

I had a laptop my first two years and it was great. Then it got hit by lightning and I replaced it with a desktop. At the time it was the best option because laptops just weren't nearly as powerful (this was pentium II days), but today I'd just keep a laptop all 4 years. And make sure it's not too heavy if you plan on toting it around campus.

RoGuE · Post by **RoGuE** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 1:08 pm

OP, let me ask you something...

Are you a "desk" person? or are you a couch/bed person?

That is, when you're surfin the web, checkin email, etc...do you prefer to hang out on a couch or sit in a comfy chair at a desk.

I am BY FAR a desk person..I just fit better in a desk chair. When my laptop was my primary computer, I would just keep it at my desk 24/7. I am a senior in mechanical engineering, and even my first two years I found it completely unnessiary to bring a laptop to class. If you need a computer on campus, you got the computer labs that I'm assuming your school will have as well.

Back at the dorm, I would jsut leave my laptop all set up on my desk..then I realized that I had no need for a laptop, and built my current rig. Its 1000x more powerful, quiet, and I can do some serious gaming on it.

you shoudl deffinately consider if you are a "desk" person, or a "couch" person.