QOTD: For Which Apps Do You Need a Desktop?

[ik242]

Yes, laptops are here and maybe not for everyone but for many.
When is Tom's Hardware going to start reviewing/comparing laptops?

 

[Guest]

I use desktops for: 8GB of RAM (cheap DDR2!) for running virtual machines, 4-way RAID-0 drives, and dual monitors. This is both at work and at home. At home I also have a gaming graphics card - 8800GTS-512, but I actually play very infrequently (Witcher, Oblivion), so I might even give up on this altogether. I also prefer sound from Soundblaster Live 24 over typical laptop computers.
I actually have 2 similar desktops, one with Linux as a base system, and VMware Server for virtual machines, other with Windows as a base system and also VMware - this one has good graphics card for gaming. The nice thing about having N desktops are "cyclic" backups - I backup one desktop to another, without using external drive.

 

[yao]

laptop isn't good for any cpu-intensive apps. Constant overheat, reboot, dead batteries. You never know until you actually own one.

 

[brandonvi]

GAMES, right now all i play mostly is world of warcraft but that is only because i am on a 5 coming up on 6 year old computer and i cant really play much else.

I think i read this comment here one time before "Being the fastest laptop is like being the fastest fat kid in a room full pro runers." IE its pointless Laptops are not close to the power of a desktop and Cost MUCH more the current best out there for the laptops is 2 companys making I7 computers which only last like 1-2 hours on the battery and even those computers because of the lower end video cards are still far below what an I7 desktop is powerwise also it costs a LOT more.

 

[MikeJRamsey]

Desktops are easier to cool and harder to steal.

Of course you can buy a lock and a docking station to connect up a real keyboard, mouse, external graphics cards, and 40" HDMI display. But then why pay for the tiny keyboard, mouse touch-pad, integrated graphics, and tiny display as well?

I use my blackberry to check e-mails on the road.

 

[bigbadbrad]

Honestly a better question would be "why do you need a laptop?"

Desktop computers are superior in all areas except portability.

1) desktop PCs are less expensive
2) They have better graphics capability
3) They have faster FSB and CPU speeds
4) they are more expandable
5) its easier to replace components

I'm sure there are more advantages that I can't think of at the moment.

I do own both and I prefer the desktop. I only use the laptop when I'm not at home.

 

[Guest]

When I started this job my boss asked me. You want a laptop or desktop. 2 things popped into my head. I want speed and I do not want to lug around work with me all the time.
Unfortunately I now have both.

 

[jeffeulogy]

the other side of the question is; what do you do that requires mobility? i really don't NEED any sort of mobility so my self-built core 2 quad tower provides all the horsepower i need for all my computing needs. i own a cheap netbook that i probably use more than my main rig just for surfing wirelessly and lounging around.