<p>Hey, I'm a high school senior. I got my current computer (it's an HP desktop) a few months after my Bar Mitzvah, so it's just about 5 years old now. I've been thinking about building a new one now and then getting a cheap laptop in the fall and bringing them both to college. Does anyone have any suggestions or opinions as to whether or not I should do this? If it helps, I'm going to be studying engineering and I've been accepted ED to Tufts.</p>
<p>building is great you get get the most preformance for the best price</p>
<p>Building your own desktop is usually cheaper than buying a pre-built one (for the same hardware) - plus you won't have all that junk preloaded software. If you've never done it before, it might take you awhile to figure out how, but once you got all the parts you should be able to do it really fast.</p>
<p>Building a computer is not difficult at all. I suggest starting off with a barebones package that you can get at your local computer shop or newegg.com That way you don't have to worry about the processor and motherboard being compatible. Make sure you buy the right RAM and that your mother board supports the graphics card and hard drive you're buying and you're basically good to go. Just make sure you're grounded and plug the wires in where they fit. Or you can read the manual, if you aren't as adventurous.</p>
<p>Building a computer is generally worth it if you know what you are doing and you want a semi-powerful pc. Trying to build a very cheap pc often ends up costing more than simply buying one from a store, but as the price goes up, the larger percent you generally save.</p>
<p>Remember to factor in the OS to the cost, as that adds another $100-250. And barebone kits can help you save a bit more money plus guarantee compatibility.</p>
<p>I've built a few desktops myself, but honestly, unless you are doing it for the fun of it, buying might be better. (I typically build mine because I have odd setups like low cpu, lots of ram, 4 monitors)</p>
<p>I hugely recommend splurging on dual monitors, the bigger the better. Bringing a laptop along also isn't necessarily a bad idea, but getting everything to sync between computers can sometimes be a pain to get set up.</p>
<p>Yeah, I built my brother's computer about 2 years ago (he ordered the parts but I did most of the construction). He's helping me select parts and I've already ordered a case and a hard drive off of newegg. One of my friends might be able to get me a free processor, so I'm holding off on the processor, motherboard, and ram until I know for sure from him.
I was just wondering what you all would think about having a desktop and a laptop and how necessary a laptop is.</p>
<p>You could probably get by with either a laptop or a desktop, but if your campus has good wifi, a laptop becomes a lot more sensible. From what I hear, not many people take laptops to class, so it's not really a requirement. It'd just be nice to be able to have a small, cheap laptop to take somewhere and type a paper, surf, IM, etc.</p>
<p>I plan on just taking my current (will be 2 yrs old when I start college) laptop, and my ghetto desktop that has the 4 monitors (I plan on making it just a 2-3 monitor system)</p>
<p>If you don't want multiple monitors, however, I don't see why you'd want a desktop, except for price.</p>
<p>Well, if I can afford to buy them, I would certainly like multiple monitors. However, there are a few reasons I want a good desktop. One certainly is price (a desktop with the amount memory, HD space, CPU power, etc that I would like is a lot cheaper than a comparable laptop). I want to be able to play pretty good games on my desktop as well as do things like image editing.</p>
<p>Yes, this is a good idea. I miss having a desktop and building your own is cheap and efficient.</p>
<p>I know at least 5 boys who do what you are asking us.</p>
<p>The only side effect is the desktop pretty much takes over your desk. If you were planning on using the desk in your room to do work, think again. However, these boys don't and even though I do not have a desktop, I rarely do work at my desk (but it is nice to have the few times that I do). So check the desk size of your university and check if they have the cool draw out thing. Some people have desks that you can pull out more desk room, so having a desktop computer that takes up the actual desk isn't even a problem anymore.</p>
<p>Oddly enough, I think the biggest thing I'm going to miss from home is my giant 72x72" corner desk and four monitors. Words cannot describe how much easier it makes working and studying.</p>
<p>Hmm, maybe I'll go grab some cinder blocks and a sheet of wood and make a ghetto take-apart desk to put under the loft bed.</p>
<p>Think about building a MicroATX system in a breadbox sized case. You'll need to plan carefully, and it's a bit tight, but having a small case is really nice for a cramped environment (like a dorm).</p>
<p>a micro atx has crappy cooling and limited adaptability....</p>
<p>i don't think desk space is much of an issue since LCDs have become the norm, although if you do serious image editing you'll still need a CRT or a really expensive LCD. i don't really believe in huge screens either...19" is big enough for me, once it's gets larger than 21" it just gets annoying. i also prefer normal ratios to widescreens..... your desk will probably have the tray to keep a keyboard on.</p>
<p>as for space under the desk, it won't be much of a problem unless you're a big person or you have a monster subwoofer like i do.</p>
<p>a laptop gives you a little more freedom when it comes to working. doesn't matter if you take it to class or not, it's nice to be able to study outside of your room. if it's not too bulky you can carry it around during the day and burn time between classes, too.</p>
<p>MicroATX isn't that bad. The one I just purchased has 6 SATA ports, 2 PCI, 1 PCI express x16, a ton of firewire + usb (both external and internal mobo pins), and a PCI express x4. While you have to worry about the number of expansion slots, you can have a fairly featured system.</p>
<p>Admittedly, airflow is a big concern in MicroATX cases, but if you shop right, you can get a great case that combines good airflow + size + performance.</p>
<p>Of course, there's limitations...you won't be running an SLI/dual CPU setup on a MicroATX...but for a low to mid-high range PC (vs. high or enthusiast), MicroATX is great.</p>
<p>I have a friend who has both a custom desktop and a laptop at school. I don't know how he does it.. his room must be bigger than mine. His desktop is huge and even with an LCD his computer would take up my entire desk. Plus he has his laptop still and don't forget the printer. My roommates both have desktops and they pretty well consume their desks. </p>
<p>I like my laptop both so that I can take it with me and it gives me more desk space. I could still use a bigger desk though.</p>
<p>Our school doesn't have pull-out shelves for a keyboard..</p>
<p>Does anybody have any suggestions for a processor I should get? I'm currently thinking some type of Core 2 duo, but I'm not sure. I want something with a decent amount of power that will last a while, but still fairly cheap ($100-$150). I don't need a top-of-the-line model.</p>
<p>i would recommend either the E6320 (it's out of your range at $178) or the E6400 (at $145):
Newegg.com</a> - Intel Core 2 Duo E6320 Conroe 1.86GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
or
Newegg.com</a> - Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 Allendale 2.4GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail</p>
<p>i'm assuming your motherboard has a lga775 socket.</p>
<p>I wound up getting the E6550 Newegg.com</a> - Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 Conroe 2.33GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail</p>
<p>If this thread were from 2000 or so, I would agree with the rest of you and say that self building is the best way to go, but now I think you can actually save money by getting a pre-built computer if you buy at the right time. Wait for some special promotion or deal where you can get steep discounts, up to hundreds of dollars. When I bought my Dell, I paid $1000 for it, but it had a $500 discount taken off the original price of $1500.</p>
<p>They can get the parts much cheaper than you, and they get paid by software makers to load up the computer with crapware, so really your best option is to buy a pre-built computer, and then give it a clean format right out of the box.</p>
<p>PhatAlbert is right for lower end PCs... in that range the price difference between building your own and buying a pre-built is very small. However, once you get into mid-range PCs or high-end systems you can still save a lot of money building it yourself. A friend of mine recently built a top of the line system for just over half of what pre-built systems were selling for elsewhere. </p>
<p>If in doubt, find a system you like and the price up the parts on a site like newegg.com to see if there is much difference.</p>
<p>I only suggest building/getting a desktop if you're looking for gaming performance... otherwise I'd just suggest getting a nice laptop. See from your CPU question... if you're not looking for a lot of power (something a desktop can offer while a not-hugely overpriced laptop can't) just go with a nice laptop.</p>