Miscellaneous laptop discussions forum: 2nd Laptop (desktop replacement) OR dekstop&netbook solution

Hi!
I've got two laptops computers. One of them is a portable netbook (Asus eee 1015ped) which I carry in my backpack everyday and use mostly for school related purposes. The other is a 15inch laptop (old dell vostro1000) which I use at home 90% of the time.
Well recently the big laptop has crashed, and since it's pretty old I decided to get a new machine: a desktop replacement 15 or 17 inch laptop (probably a dell xps 15 or 17 with intel i7 processor (cost $800-$1000)).

However I realized that maybe I it would be smarter to get a desktop for about the same amount of money, since I already have a notebook that is super portable. A desktop should offer a better performance for the same amount of money and it could last a little longer than any laptop.

You should know that I usually do not play games on PCs (I've got a PS3 for that). The most intensive task that I could throw at the computer is watching a full hd movie or shortening a full hd video that i captured using my camera (but definitely no hardcore video editing).

So my question is: would the 2012 Dell XPS laptop with core i7 processor, 8 GB of RAM and 1GB of graphical memory, fulfil my needs for the 'stronger computer' ???

Overall I find the "desktop replacement solution" more convenient, because maybe at some point I may need to use a more powerful pc in class; but then again, I already know that it will sit on my desk at home 95% of the time, so maybe a desktop would be a smarter, 'better value' solution.

I know its sort of a laptops vs desktops (apples and oranges) thing, but keep in mind that I lean towards the laptop idea, because I find laptops overall much more convenient.

What would you do, if you were me? I'm a student who needs two computers, one portable, one more powerful. I do not play games on any of them, so no need for a gaming desktop, but I still want to know if the desktop replacement will be good enough for my needs for at least 3 years.

thanks!