Laptops, Desktops - Questions of Quality and Bang for Buck

[::::BASSIST::::]

Let me start by saying I am not an computer expert in the least. My knowledge might be about average.

I was in a local big box store the other day looking at laptops. The one I was looking at was an HP which had 3 or 4 gb of RAM and a dual core processor etc. It had what I wanted for about what I was willing to pay ($450cdn). However, upon further inquire the sales guy was pretty honest with me and said that basically the newer made in China laptops are built poorly. He said they usually last two to three years before something major breaks and they are toast. I have to say I agree as a couple years ago I bought a brand new Dell and within two years something to do with the fan broke (unrepairable... or at least not worth the price). Thus I am hesitant to spend $400 - $600 on a laptop just to have it break within 2 or 3 years. Is that just the status quo that I have to accept?

Currently I have an IBM T30 laptop built in 2003 and its still going strong, but I am finding it limited with its 1 gb of RAM. However, it seems to be much better quality than the current stuff.

I was thinking of just getting a desktop, that way if something goes I can just replace whatever is broken/obsolete in the tower and still keep my monitor etc. Is this a realistic expectation? Is a desktop a better value than a laptop? Is it likely to be more of a quality build?

Keep in mind and I am not willing to spend $1000s of dollars. I know the desktop might be more expensive than a laptop but since I'll have the monitor etc for a long time I don't mind. All I use my comp for is surfing, movies and music... no gaming etc. My basic requirements are 3 or 4 gigs or RAM and 200 or so gb harddrive.

[Selta]

How much mobility do you want/require? That would be key between laptop and desktop, IMO.

As far as break/fix... laptops are generally more limited in this regard. However, the most common components to break (hard drives and RAM) are easily replaceable. Outside of that, you can have motherboard/fan/keyboard failures which are a bit more tricky to DIY fix (and, needless to say, can be expensive).
However, the past few Dell laptops I've had have been pretty stout. Even so far as taking sips of tea or some other beverage and being OK, sans sticky keys.

Desktops are generally easier to work on (IMO), but the components that can break are essentially the same. If the motherboard for some reason dies in your desktop, you're going to be out just about as much as if it does in your laptop. When it comes to upgrades, it's generally easier (again, IMO) and cheaper (IME) to upgrade a desktop rather than a laptop.

[IconBasser]

desktops are never more expensive than laptops. For the same capabilities in a $500 desktop, you'd have to spend about $1000 on a laptop. If you feel like learning how to put one together yourself, you can get an essentially top of the line system for about 600 bucks just by ordering the parts separately (unless you want some crazy thing with 6 cores and over 4 ghz of processing power, then you'll be up into the thousands)

[elgecko]

If you didn't need so much RAM a netbook would be right up your alley. They're lighter, more quiet, run cooler, and they're way cheaper.

[Unrepresented]

Pretty much what everyone else said.

If portability is your priority then clearly the laptop's got much better bang for the buck.

If processing power and a more flexible modular design at a lower price is your priority then a desktop is better bang for the buck.

It's sorta like asking whether a sports car or a station wagon is better.

[DigMe]

The statistics support the salesman's assessment. On average about 20% of laptops require major repairs within the first two years. That's a horrible rate of failure for an electronic device. I prefer to work on a desktop but I use my laptop quite a bit. You're right in that both up front and over the long run a desktop will be cheaper. However if you need mobile then you need mobile so I guess you just need to figure out if you really need mobility in your computer. You might consider buying a desktop and then seeing what happens in the tablet/pad scene. There are over 30 different tablet devices set to come out over the next year or so and no doubt some of them will be very good and very capable. Some will be cheaper than the iPad. Maybe one of those will be able to meet your mobile needs.

bc

[Absentia]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

desktops are never more expensive than laptops. For the same capabilities in a $500 desktop, you'd have to spend about $1000 on a laptop. If you feel like learning how to put one together yourself, you can get an essentially top of the line system for about 600 bucks just by ordering the parts separately (unless you want some crazy thing with 6 cores and over 4 ghz of processing power, then you'll be up into the thousands)

I don;t understand why so many people are afraid to do this, if you've used a Nintendo... you can build a computer.

[joshmat]

I'd have to agree that the largest driver would be how portable you want it to be. As mentioned above, the main components that tend to go kaput are actually pretty easy to replace on laptops these days (Hard Drive, RAM, LCD screen, Keyboard). Other than that I'd say the biggest reason for needing repairs is all virtual... Basically, viruses, malware and the like, which can be cleaned and or prevented with some minor computer knowledge and some google searching. Also, if you're a little more savvy, 150 bucks on a large external hard drive will allow you to back the system up well enough that restoring it would be a snap if it did encounter a problem.

If it's an option, regardless of Desktop vs Laptop, I would HIGHLY recommend that if you go with a major manufacturer (Dell/HP/etc), pick up something from the business line vs the consumer line. A comparison would be if you had an IBM ThinkPad vs the model you have now, the components are just better in the business grade machines and don't fail as often or as quickly. A typical retirement schedule for a machine running in a corporate type office can be as far out as 5 years if the equipment is maintained and the user's work doesn't require high end computing (read AutoCAD, Engineering, Computation, Graphics Design).

I've been a SysAdmin for many years, and the consumer grade equipment is always below par compared to the business level stuff. Also, many employers who use Dell/HP/etc at the office will have an employee purchase program that will allow you access to the business grade equipment as well as provide a minor discount (typically 8-10%).

Lastly, investing a little in a good machine will ensure that the system lasts a while. I've been running the same little laptop (entry level MacBook) for email, internet and minor personal things since 2004 and still haven't outgrown it from a computing perspective. I know Mac vs PC is as much of a debate as Maple vs Rosewood or rounds vs flats, so let's not go there. You could definitely get the same life out of a well maintained PC. Trick is that you have to spend a little time and money on running regular maintenance routines. Currently, Macs are a little less susceptible to viral issues due to them not being as widely used (another debate for another forum). Also, keep in mind that there is about to be a 64-bit revolution in computing and nearly all 32-bit hardware will start to become outdated soon. So you may end up with a new 32-bit system that you have trouble loading apps on a couple years down the line.

Another easy one would be to upgrade the RAM in your current machine. Depending on which version of windows you're running (assuming it's a windows box), you could easily go to 2-3GB on a WinXP machine and can go further with Win7 (I wouldn't suggest vista). This would cost you at most $200, depending on where you got the RAM from.

Fee free to PM if you find something specific that you want some feedback on.