Giving a Percentage to the Laptop/Desktop Power Comparison

[DyersEve0666]

Curious what you guys thought when comparing a laptop to desktop as to how strong one is to the other.

$ 1,000
$ 1,500
$ 2,000

Debating in my head whether to build another desktop and pickup a tablet/cheap laptop for my every day needs or just go all out with a laptop. I know there isnt much comparison in terms of power but giving me a number to work with goes a long way.

Appreciate the help as always!

 

[mastrom101]

It really depends on what your looking to do. Gaming? Rendering? It's hard for me to compare at each pricepoint because it depends on countless factors. Some laptops have better CPUs, others better screens.

What I can tell you is that at $1500 and especially at $2000, you would be better off with a low end laptop/tablet and a desktop. At $1k I would suggest a solid laptop.

 

[Eduello]

Generally a $1000 self-built PC is on par with a $1500-$2000 laptop. One thing is for sure, always go for a desktop if you're not looking for mobility.

 

[volcanoscout]

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I agree with mastrom101 and Eduello. Additionally, you need to assess how much you would use one over the other. If you travel a lot or just spend a lot of time out of the house and you need to have access to capability beyond email and websurfing, then a high-speed laptop might be your answer. Otherwise, you're going to get a lot more bang for your buck with a desktop, with a cheap laptop or tablet as your secondary.

The best match-ups, IMO, are a desktop and tablet, or a laptop and a good, large-screen smartphone. Or if you work on-the-go like I do, you can get all four and mix and match as the situation dictates

You might try setting up your own value comparison table. Use three columns, one each for desktop, laptop, and tablet. Then add rows listing, in order of your personal priorities, your computing requirements. Assign an arbitrary value to each requirement (e.g. top priority is worth 10 pts, second 9 pts, etc), then run down each column and check which requirements each platform meets. Whichever platform gets the highest total should be your primary and should get the lion's share of your budget. Then you can choose between 2nd and 3rd place for your secondary based on cost.

The table can be expanded to include as much detail as you want, and once you've decided on platform types, you can use the same technique to evaluate within the types. In other words, if you decide a laptop is going to be your primary, you can use a similar chart to help you decide which laptop will best suit your needs.