to Desktop or to Laptop?

<p>I just wanted to ask which would be more convenient if i was going to stay in a college dormitary. Im somewhat of a gamer, so i was thinking a desktop would be more suitable. However, most of my friends says that a laptop would be a better choice, why?</p>

<p>I’ve never seen anyone bring a desktop before, haha. A laptop is convenient as you can bring it to class and the library/etc. Not so much with a PC.</p>

<p>You can game on your laptop too.</p>

<p>absolutely a laptop. #1, sometimes you bring your computer to class (either to take notes on, look up interesting facts for class, or to procrastinate/get through a long, boring class). #2, desktops aren’t portable (same reason as #1, except that you might need to go to the library or meet somewhere other than your room for a study group or something of the sort,and a computer would be a very nice addition. Also, if you want to take your computer from home to school, a laptop is definitely the better option). #3, there are laptops that can perform some awesome gamer functions (not quite as good as a desktop, but my gamer friends have some laptops with sweet capabilities as well…they just might be a bit more expensive). #4, laptops are just more practical in general. Smaller, takes up less space…especially in tiny cramped dorms. Easier to fix because its portable (just in case).</p>

<p>I say all of this in mind as one of my best friends has a desktop instead of a laptop (and what a pain in the butt it is for him).</p>

<p>As someone who has watched others dissolve into an absolute panic because a catastrophe happened to their laptop: my vote is both.</p>

<p>I have both a laptop and a desktop. I use the desktop as my workhorse and my laptop for note-taking and the occasional study session outside in the redwood forest. Or if I’m feeling ill, it’s nice to be able to lie in bed with my laptop and still complete my homework.</p>

<p>The reason I say both, however, is when something goes wrong, you have a backup that is readily available to you at any hour (unless you’re lucky enough to have public access to a campus computer 24/7). I have no worries about sending my laptop in for repairs under its complete care program because I know I still have my own computer to work on. If something is wrong with the desktop, I fix it myself (I did build it so I would hope I could repair it ;)).</p>

<p>It’ll seem like overkill to many people… until they lose access to their laptop and suddenly need to borrow your “spare” computer.</p>

<p>Laptops are much more portable and they have come down significantly in price over the years. A decent gaming one will cost you a shiny penny, though. Far cheaper to just buy the parts yourself for a desktop and build a monster (or almost monster) gaming machine and then buy a low-priced laptop (with decent coverage, though) to give you portability should you choose to work outside your dorm.</p>

<p>But that’s just my opinion. I live in a very tiny single room (about 10x8.5), but I happily give up the extra space to my beast on wheels (I use a full-size tower) because I prefer the peace of mind. I make up for it by having a TV that doubles as my monitor. If it wasn’t for the note-taking, I’d say I use my desktop more than my laptop.</p>

<p>desktops in college dorms is suicide
however, i know someone who was crazy enough to actually buy a desktop while in college (the dude doesn’t even live in this country) but he still has a laptop to travel with</p>

<p>if it’s either one or the other, go laptop. but if you’re serious about gaming in college, go desktop…</p>

<p>laptop for sure</p>

<p>This is something I’ve been considering also.</p>

<p>I make videos as a hobby, and need a powerful PC so I can have speedy render times.</p>

<p>I’m thinking of buying a powerful PC, and then a cheap Netbook or just a cheap laptop to take to class for notes/internet browsing.</p>

<p>Laptop definitely. I have yet to see/hear of someone I know personally with a desktop in college.</p>

<p>Man, what a generational gap. I was in undergrad just a few years ago and very few of us had laptops as our primary computer.</p>

<p>I still hate laptops for doing actual work and would much rather be sitting at my desk with full sized keyboard (with numpad), external mouse, and dual monitors.</p>

<p>Also, with things like Dropbox out there and the insanely low price of USB flash drives doing work in your room and then bringing it to/from lab has become really easy.</p>

<p>^^ Yup, I pretty much “live on the cloud” now. Google docs, gmail, calendar, all synced with my computer, google chrome, and my android phone.</p>

<p>I have a desktop. I have no need for portability, as there are plenty of computers available on campus, and the vast majority of my work doesn’t involve a computer anyway.</p>

<p>To laptop always beats to desktop, except for the performance/price ratio ofc. But honestly, you need portability in college. Unless of course you don’t mind bringing your desktop to lectures…</p>

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<p>Your location says (???) '15. So how do you know?</p>

<p>Silly question. Get a powerful 13inch laptop and a 32inch flat screen TV that you can use as an external monitor. And you’re set.</p>

<p>@ThisCouldBeHeavn: It should be obvious. Read the sentence after the one you quoted and concentrate on the word “lectures”…</p>

<p>I suppose if you have to choose between one or another, get a laptop. Having said that, I’ve had every kind of laptop except for recent ultra-portables. (That is, I once had an “ultra portable” 2" thick 486 Thinkpad… but it weighed just 5lbs!!)</p>

<p>I’m writing this at a desktop, and love my desk machines. They’re big, hold many hard drives with little drama, and have tons of room for whatever it is I want in a computer. Long hours gaming or working on stuff won’t fry my wrists/other assorted body parts, and I can type on a comfortable surface. Yea, you can obviously get a monitor + keyboard + mouse + whatever else and have a nice “desktop” where you plug your laptop in every night… if that’s your thing… </p>

<p>I like to have a little redundancy in my life though - I do work on both, and my stuff is on one machine if the other fails. Desktops are especially handy for servers ;)</p>

<p>Come to think of it, I saw a dorm room pic on macrumors a few weeks ago where this dude had about a half dozen desktops on his desk - but it was a single person dorm lol.</p>

<p>Oh yea, and here’s the other thing: What class are you actually going to use a laptop in? Programming class? It’s going to be a distraction unless it’s lab time. Math class? You’d need a tablet at the least. English class? I’ve met too many nutty English teachers that banned laptops because the students got too distracted. History? Maybe. I used to use my laptop for taking notes in history… sorta. Usually I brought it along and ended up not taking any notes anyway. (And I was smart enough to turn my wifi off >>)</p>

<p>I love my computers and like to bring my laptop but I don’t really see the point unless I need it XD</p>

<p>This too - I have 2 desktops and 2 laptops. I just bring whatever laptop I’m in the mood for bringing. Right now I kinda wish I had a macbook air to add to my arsenal though.</p>

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<p>But that sentence was just so full of stoopid.</p>