Desktops forum: Buying advice for my final computer: laptop, all-in-one desktop, or what?

You must not have seen the gentleman's $2000 budget. A MacPro would be nice, but way overkill at an exhorbitant price .

Probably hit or miss as far as price of what Apple happens to have on hand. No Refurb Pros at the moment for under $2120, + tax, which is close to his budget but still over for a machine that's probably unnecessary in his case. It really is too bad Apple refuses to make a true desktop for a more reasonable price than the Pro, or I would have bought one a couple years ago. I believe like Brian, that AIOs like the iMac are an expensive compromise where you're stuck with the screen for the life of the computer, for better or worse. Instead, I'll keep shopping for a Windows desktop myself

My small advice is to buy as much computer as you can comfortably afford that's hopefully in the top 15% as far as power goes today and then hopefully you'll get 3 years of really great service out of your investment. As far as buying one last computer, I don't see how that's possible anymore thanks to the ever expanding computer market and components hitting the market each month. I always look for a machine today that will do everything I want today, but that will hopefully allow me even more growth tomorrow. Meanwhile, enjoy the ride as we keep expanding our tech lives and just keep adding to your piggy bank for your next great purchase you'll be looking at in 2 or 3 years.

Thanks a lot. The variety of responses has amazed me. I need to be more flexible and not think of this as my final computer. I will be borrowing your phrase when talking to others...'I am a work in progress..', I like it. Brian

made on the 9th of October. A whole week ago exactly as I type this one.

Once again, good work with this post of yours.

Poor Brian opens the box of Pandora which is everyone's different idea of what is best- for THEM.
As a few said, Brian, don't assume this will be your LAST computer, while it's true my ~10 year old Dell Dimension 2350 gets me on the internet just fine, stores all my digital photos and will probably do so 5 years from now, there are things it cannot and will not ever do that I need to be "in the loop" of technology for.
If you aren't concerned with portability I would stick to the desktop format simply because the reliability is much better than laptops (especially by beefing up the factory's measly cooling system, I can't emphasize this enough, they put just enough cooling to allow it to work until the warranty's over or you let it get dirty- first step is to add a blower- not a fan, but a blower which can develop pressure- to the case for exhaust- and if you can add another intake fan to the case with a filter to keep it clean-make sure your airflow upgrades are not fighting the factory's airflow scheme, but augmenting it) AND keep that case clean. You have options for upgrades that laptops don't have.
Someone said that if laptops had issues with components overheating they wouldn't be sold. I say if laptops didn't have issues with components overheating, they'd almost all still be working today (at least the ones that didn't get dropped or have beer spilled on them) and you wouldn't see dozens of laptop coolers on the market!
In the end we have over a hundred posts of people arguing over what works best for them. They are all right, they know the answer to that.
Only you really know the answer to your question, I'm sure you will find it after gleaning the information in all these posts.

The Answer for you is desktop as laptops are great but are not as functional as a desktop is in the upgrade and connectivity department so for you and most a desktop is the best answer for a single computer solution for function and price in fact the only reason a laptop is best for single computer is when the need for mobility is high but with mobility also come the high risk of data loss due to damage.
About the cords issue with a tower that will not be a issue as with video editing and picture taking you need a ton of hard drive space which with a tower can be put internal however with a one in all and laptops the need for extra external drives thus creating the cable mess you trying to avoid and even more desktop space required as well as slower access to data also with a laptop you graphics are severely limited and up grades imposable

and my budget was ~ $2000.00 here's what I'd do.

I'd buy a desktop first because I have experienced that an all-in-one with the touch screen feature can actually be a negative while editing pictures (and as one grows older, a tap by mistake can always happen and can have disastrous results). But since you are inclined to go in for an all-in-one, then look that way (does not necessarily have to be a big brand and the specs can be applied to both a desktop or an all-in-one); with an i7 processor if you are a professional or an i5 processor if a semi-pro or a serious amateur, with an exclusive graphics handling capacity of at least 1GB, at least a 500GB hard drive, and additionally go in for a portable laptop and also a 1TB external harddrive (which costs less than a $100 now-a-days) and network all of them and set all the three to synchronize data at the end of the day when you place the laptop on the docking station / the network and be happy with the arrangement. I haven't talked about the Operating system since, I have always felt that it is a personal choice of convenience. I am sure that you can do all these in about $2000.

S

Exactly! I figure it's why Apple will never bring back the mid-price Tower that might be just what this gentleman could use... reasonably priced PCs would be too comparable and the overcharging would stick out too easily. High margin MacPro sales would take a big hit too;-)

I am sorry to kick in so late on this thread but I did not receive last week?s newsletter so I was unaware of the question until now. If you are looking for the best value for your money and portability is NOT an issue than the Desktop computer is your best bet. I find it unlikely that this will be your last computer unless you are planning an early exodus, but with a $2000 budget you should be just fine because you do not need to spend nearly that much to get a great computer now that will last you 6 or more years and you will have plenty of money left over to purchase a new tower later if you want. If you replace the hard drive as a part of a routine maintenance program, then there is really no reason it can not last even longer.

Standard Desktop computers (Separate Tower and Monitor) are a much better value than All-In-One computers or Laptops. You have the ability to upgrade things like video cards, memory, processors, or even add new features like USB 3.0 or USB 4.0 when it arrives. When they do break, which is pretty unusual these days, desktop computers are much easier and cheaper to fix than their smaller counterparts. The added bonus of this configuration is that if you purchase a relatively decent monitor now, then there is a good chance that you will be able to keep that and simply replace the tower next time for even less money. There is no reason to spend more than $1000 unless you are huge gamer or starting a business in Video Editing. Don?t bother with external hard drives and flash drives for backup, simply sign up for online backup with Carbonite or Mozy for a complete set-it and forget approach to backing up your precious photos. Make DVD backups if you really feel the need to have additional backups.

Computers are like automobiles, you can spend as much as you want if you are into bragging rights and the Wow factor but it is not necessary to spend a lot to get an excellent system that will last you many years and will perform all the tasks that you are asking of it. There will always be a faster computer and technology advancements will forever continue to render yours obsolete the week after you buy it.

For the general business and recreational computer user, which most of us are, you do not need an i7 processor with 12GB of ram. If you have money to burn, then fine, go for it. Here is what I would recommend:

PROCESSOR - An Intel i5 or even an i3 processor is just fine. I prefer Intel over AMD but that is just my personal preference. Most people are perfectly happy with anything dual core or better.

MEMORY ? 4GB of Memory will be plenty. If you are really unsure, you can always increase it later.

VIDEO - You definitely want a discrete video card but you do not need to spend $400 for one. There are plenty of Video cards for under $150 that will do the job. Dual video outputs and HDMI are great extras if you should ever decide to add a second monitor or connect your computer up to you large screen TV. Keep in mind that with the Desktop Tower, this is something that can be upgraded later if your needs change drastically.

HARD DRIVE ? Hard drives keep getting bigger and it is not unusual to find 1 terabyte drives and larger as the standard now. For the average user, anything over 250GB is usually plenty but this it totally dependent on how much data you have or plan to store. Again this is something that is fairly easy to upgrade should you require more storage down the road.

TOWER FORM FACTOR ? I recommend a full size tower or Mid/Mini tower but stay away from slim line or small form factor machines. Upgrading is more difficult, replacement parts scarce and more expensive and they tend not to cool as well as the full size towers.

OPTICAL DRIVES ? Unless this is going to be your primary video watching entertainment center, you do not need a Blue-Ray drive. A regular DVD RW drive will be fine and will allow you to read and write both DVD?s and CD?s. Two separate drives is nice is you plan to do a lot of disk copying.

SOUND/AUDIO ? Most computers come with int
egrated audio and unless you have some specific audio needs beyond most users there is no need to upgrade to a separate sound card.

MEDIA READER ? This is typically a $20-$30 option that I find worthwhile especially if you are into photography and allows you to read camera memory card directly into your computer.

MONITOR ? This is where you want to spend a little extra. Most people keep a monitor for a longer period of time than the computer tower itself and tend to reuse it on either future computers or pass it down to family members. For aging eyes, like myself, I would recommend a 23? or larger display. And if you really want a treat there is nothing better than running Dual Displays. It can make your life a little easier especially when it comes to working with photos. You can have your editing tools or your photo collection on one screen and your working area on the other. Or maybe working on a photo slide show on one screen while reading your email or surfing the internet on the other. Dragging photos, clipart or video from one screen to another, I can think of only a few upgrades that are more productive than dual displays.

EXTENDED WARRANTIES ? Service Contracts and Extended Warranties are really a personal choice but I usually do not see the real value in most of them for Desktop computers and/or low end laptops. However, there are many situations where I these programs have their value. For example: I would consider the extended plan if you are a real road warrior and you have a high end laptop. Laptop repairs can be very expensive and a single repair can cost $300 or more. If you are purchasing a Mac, then you pretty much need to purchase the Apple Care program. If you do purchase one of these plans, pay very close attention to what is actually covered. Does it cover only manufacturer?s defects? What happens if you drop it? Does it cover software problems or Virus infections? What happens when I need service? Is it in-home service or does the computer have to be shipped back to the factory or to some service center? How long will you be without the computer? Many clients find that when they do finally have a problem and need service it either was not covered or it was going to take 2-3 weeks to get it back. Most plans do not cover your data so if your computer needs to go back for service you often are told to take it to a local shop to have them backup your hard drive before sending the computer back for service. They are not responsible for your data and will often wipe out your data and reinstall Windows as a part of the repair service. HP and as well as other are notorious for this.

How you spend your money is up to you, but if you play your cards right you could easily get a nice desktop and a laptop for well under $2000 or put the extra money aside to pay for online backup and upgrade your tower in a few years.

Good Luck and Happy Computing

Dana
Wayland Computer

My two cents and recommendation is to buy both a laptop and desktop. I am a headhunter working from home my computer setup which allows me to comfortably use all my resources. With my Dell laptop I access my Gateway Desktop using Microsoft Remote Desktop software which is already included in your operating system. What you see on your laptop is exactly what you see on your desktop. You access the internet, email and all of your files that reside on your desktop using your laptop.
With my laptop I work from any room including bathroom, deck and kitchen. My network configuration is a Desktop, Laptop, high speed connection, wireless modem and printer/scanner.
The Desktop, located in my home office, is always on; all programs, databases, peripherals and data on the desktop are available via the laptop and automatically backed up.
With this setup you do not need duplicate programs on the laptop, everything is on the desktop; even all email is on the desktop (it?s your own server). Remember you are actually working on your desktop using your laptop like a dumb terminal; no need for duplication. As time goes on you will fully appreciate the value of having two computers.
I can even work from bed on Saturday morning using my laptop. Picture this; I am sitting on my deck, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, having lunch, a client calls; the phone number appears on my laptop. I put down my fork and answer the phone. I cannot enjoy that same freedom with my desktop. Desktops are great but they are anchored into a permanent spot and I?m not. Buy two. harry@andex.com

Even though you do not wish to have loads of wires, I would strongly suggest a desktop pc.

The processor is likely to run smoother with a desktop than laptop and video cards are interchangable on desktop motherboards as opposecd to laptop motherboards. For video editing, you will need a high-end graphics card.

You will also need a high amount of RAM to cope with video editing. 4096MB (4GB) would suffice. Make sure your to check what RAM technology your motherboard supports however (DDR2/DDR3

For the operating system, I would advise windows 7 ultimate. This operating systtem is very good at handling vide and film editing.

You will also want a large Hard drive (maybe even more than 1) It should be around 2TB.

As for your CD/DVD I would advise getting two Blu-ray +/- RW Recordable drives so you can watch HD movies and also perform disk-to-disk copies easily

The power supply rating should be about 900W for powering many different devices easily

The motherboard should also have onboard SATAv2 ports and PCI Express slots. for expansion.

Many thanks, I like your lateral thinking and now I am thinking too! Brian

Thanks for the practical advice. I am learning from everybody's answers and leaning towards a desktop with large screen. I appreciate the advice about i7 and graphic cards. I thought I needed a top graphic card but your info re editing video etc has helped me. I appreciate your comments. Brian

Thanks indeed. I appreciate the practical and specific advice and especially the advice about Windows 7 limitations. I now have lots of good advice from many members and am leaning towards the tower with large screen.

Reality check: I don't know who is better off. My wife wouldn't accept any recommendation from me because of my lack of technical expertise. I did want to buy her a nice machine but she trusts her own judgement better and is opting for a Netbook for around $300. I know from experience that there is no point in trying to change her opinion!! Brian