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1. xcgb - Member

   After moving our desk and clearing out all the dust amongst the spaghetti of wires i thought it might be an idea to buy a laptop and use it as a Pc with the screen and keyboard we already have with the option of using it elsewhere in the house. we have a small gaff and saving space would help

   Any pitfalls i should look out for? Missus gets very frustrated with technology so i dont want to make it harder/slower to use, i will need to occasionally hook up a scanner, but i guess thats just the same

   Is this the way to go nowadays?

   Ta Oracle

   Posted 4 months ago #
2. Mounty_73 - Member

   I work in IT and I tried just using a laptop after getting rid of the PC, it lasted less than 2 months before enough was enough....

   But I guess its horses for courses....I love my desktop and it will never go again!

   Posted 4 months ago #
3. firestarter - Member

   I went from desktop to laptop a couple of years ago and last year went from laptop to phone still no problem

   Posted 4 months ago #
4. kiwijohn - Member

   Never had a desk top, what's the point? A laptop is plenty.

   Posted 4 months ago #
5. Cougar - Member

   I spent months speccing up a top end PC a couple of years ago before thinking "why?!" and buying a decent laptop instead. Never looked back, the old PC is now a media server and the lapdog my main machine.

   Posted 4 months ago #
6. clubber - Member

   If you do a lot of typing and mouse work then you don't really want to be doing that on a laptop. If you're just surfing then it's perfect.

   We have a laptop and a media pc - the laptop gets most direct usage - the media pc is just used for exactly that.

   Posted 4 months ago #
7. xcgb - Member

   Cheers guys I am not that clued up on laptops, I guess they are better than when I last looked 10 years ago!

   I prefer macs but i cant see i'll get the missus to swap!

   Posted 4 months ago #
8. clubber - Member

   Oh, you'll start the geeks fighting with that last comment...

   Posted 4 months ago #
9. jamiep - Member

   I have a tiny media centre PC perminantly connected to my TV, with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

   My laptop and netbook rarely get opened any more - ad hoc browsing is typically done on my phone when the TV is being watched.

   I don't have kids though so there is no TV/computer battle. If so, a laptop would be fine. I've never owned a desktop or felt I needed to

   Posted 4 months ago #
10. mudshark - Member

    Laptops are more expensive than equivalent desktop but I have a pretty powerful biggish screened one from work so use that. Bit heavy for lugging about but rarely have to use it for work so that's nice. They're quiet too.

    Posted 4 months ago #
11. b r - Member

    tbh We got rid of our desktop when it went pop, and had intended to use the laptop connected to the larger screen etc.

    In the end the quality of screen/keyboard means it never happened. Kept the desk with the assorted printer/HD etc but with USB technology you just plug 'n play. WiFi makes it easier, and most of the time the laptop(s) are used in the lounge.

    And £350-400 will get a decent laptop.

    Posted 4 months ago #
12. monkey_boy - Member

    get a docker like this...

    

    laptop clicks onto docker and you plug keyboard and bits in the back.

    trouble is you need ot get a fairly high spec dell to be compatible with a docker.

    Posted 4 months ago #
13. xcgb - Member

    Cheers chaps, some research now methinks!

    Posted 4 months ago #
14. FuzzyWuzzy - Member

    All depends what you're doing, I have a laptop and desktop at home, desktop gets used for gaming and the laptop for everything else. If I was doing work stuff (spreadsheets etc.) I'd def want an external screen, keyboard and mouse to use with the laptop (as I do at my usual work desk, if I'm working out of another office it's a PITA just having the laptop on it's own, once you get used to dual-screens it's hard to go back :p ).

    Posted 4 months ago #
15. Dorset_Knob - Member

    MacBook + Apple Cinema Display = happy.

    Posted 4 months ago #
16. traildog - Member

    I've done this, and like most things there are pluses and negatives. The laptop gets used a lot and you're suddenly not stuck in one room with it. The wife now uses the computer a lot (although her smart phone has since taken over). I still miss a desktop though and you get loads more life out of them. I'll be converting my old desktop to a media server - that thing has really lasted me years and years. I cannot see the laptop lasting even half that time.
    I would say if you use the computer a lot then you need both...ideally..

    Posted 4 months ago #
17. pixelmix - Member

    Laptop FTW. Swapped our iMac for a laptop a few years ago so I could spend more time in the same room as Mrs Pixelmix (who does her work on the sofa, whilst I would be on the iMac in the spare room).

    Haven't missed the desktop at all. If you need a bigger screen, leave a second screen somewhere with wireless keyboard and mouse, and some speakers (I only bother with the speakers, not the rest).

    I haven't felt the need for a mouse as MacBook Pro trackpads are excellent.

    Posted 4 months ago #
18. spooky_b329 - Member

    Just took two old pcs to the tip at the weekend (one broken, one secondhand and unable to get drivers etc) also meant I could dump the two boxes of spare cards and cables etc that I've collected over the years.

    laptops are where its at if you plan to use over with your PC monitor, the one thing to watch is a widescreen laptop looks rubbish on an old 5:4 screen.

    Posted 4 months ago #
19. xiphon - Member

    Laptop + bluetooth/wireless keyboard / mouse (which can be easily stored).

    I use the laptop/desktop 50/50 at home.

    Posted 4 months ago #
20. clubber - Member

    the one thing to watch is a widescreen laptop looks rubbish on an old 5:4 screen.

    You just change the resolution to match (or set it up as dual screen - Windows key + P on W7)

    Posted 4 months ago #
21. sadexpunk - Member

    for those of you using your old desktops as media storage (nas?) could you explain your setups please?

    ta

    Posted 4 months ago #
22. MrSalmon - Member

    I got a laptop when my old desktop died, and TBH I sort of wish I'd got another desktop now. For actually sitting and working at it you can't beat a proper keyboard and a big monitor IMO so that's what it always has plugged into it, and now I've got a smartphone for sofa surfing the laptop spends almost 100% of its time up in the study, effectively as a not-as-good-as-it-could-be desktop.

    Of course YMMV, plenty of people seem to get on fine with laptop monitors and keyboards and also actually need to move it a lot.

    Posted 4 months ago #

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