PC or Laptop?

[BullChip]

Say I got $1000 to burn on either of these two. My main purpose for either is:

1) school (papers, email, etc)
2) poker (multi table a plus, say up to 4 tables)
3) media (d/l CDs, movies)
4) games (not too high on my list cuz I don't play many but I've heard the new Warcraft has gamers hooked like crack pheens, so... I guess I'll try? /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Also, the $1000 is the max I'm willing to spend. PC must include the monitor, perhaps a cheap CRV or bottom of the food chain flat screen. The only plus I see for purchasing a laptop would be the comfort of carrying this 'friend' wherever I go. Downside is no upgrade capabilities. And laptops seem to lose its value as soon as the techies say so. At least w/ PC's you can upgrade...

Hmmm, I think I'm already leaning on one side but would like to hear opinions/comments from people w/ similar situations/experiences and their advice?

[ThaSaltCracka]

for 1k you can't get chit for a laptop, go with a PC.

[stabn]

Salts right. 1k laptops suck balls. They'll have things like embedded intel exteme graphics, crap ram, shitty lcd's, small hd's, and celeron chips. You can do much much better with 1k for a PC, and you'll be able to upgrade the graphics/soundcard/cd or dvd etc at a later date if you choose to.

[BusterStacks]

25% off Dell today only...

[ThaSaltCracka]

yeah, I bought a laptop, but that was because of various reasons and rebates/financing, I like mine a lot, but it costs me close to 1600, but there were also rebates. If you really want a nice laptop, go look at the various electronic stores after Christmas. they usually have a lot of zero % financing, and lots of rebates. You could conceivably find a nice laptop for around 1200-1400.

[junkmail3]

I got this (http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Toshiba-Satellite--Notebook-PC--M35-XS309-/sem/rpsm/oid/109214/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do) laptop for $799 (after sales and rebates)

I got 512mb ram for $60 (also at circuit city/also on sale+rebates)

For what it's worth.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I bought mine from CC too.

But I bought a compaq.

[stabn]

[ QUOTE ]

Graphics and sound: Built-in stereo speakers, Realtek ALC250 software sound, and Intel® 855GME graphics make all of your programs look and sound great.

The basics: Intel® Pentium® M processor 710 (1.4GHz), 256MB RAM, 60GB hard drive.


[/ QUOTE ]

Have fun playing warcraft or any other reasonable game on that POS though.

[BusterStacks]

[ QUOTE ]
I bought mine from CC too.

But I bought a compaq.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ugh, please tell me you did not buy their protection plan. I worked there up until 2 months ago.

[heavybody]

Get a laptop! They do everything a pc will do and you can take it with you. All computers lose value once they leave the store. I have a Sony PCGFXa-47 and I have never regretted buying it(1,200.00) in May 2002. How often will you have to upgrade with a modern computer anyways? Get a Centrino if you want lots of battery life, I get about 2-21/2 hours on my battery(I have 2 batteries though so I can get close to 5 hours) when surfing the net with my wifi card or playing Pokerstars freerolls.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I bought mine from CC too.

But I bought a compaq.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ugh, please tell me you did not buy their protection plan. I worked there up until 2 months ago.

[/ QUOTE ]as sad as it may sound, yes I did. I never buy them though, but since it was a laptop I did. It was weird, I actually knew a guy that worked there and he said he would only buy one on a laptop, and I agree with that. I use to work at Office Depot and we had the same thing. The battery and the ac power adapter went out on me and month or two ago, so I am glad I have it. Buying them on things like TV's or DVD players are a total rip off though. Usually if they are going to break down, it happens within the first year, so they are always covered by the manufacturer. Believe me man, I know these things.

[stabn]

I'm sure he didn't...

My girlfriend bought her new laptop at compusa about a month ago. She almost agreed to one of those plans without realizing it. The guy had one of those sales pitches where it seems like he's just talking to you instead of selling you something. He kept talking and she kept listening until i whispered in her ear "just say no thanks at any point".

The guys pitch was pretty funny though. He told us how a laptop of his recently had a fan go out and maybe something else and the repair bill was about $200, but he had the plan so he didn't pay anything. The plan of course, was like $230. Hmm i love paying for something that i'll never need, and even if i do, odds are the repair will be less than the plan...neat.

[junkmail3]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Graphics and sound: Built-in stereo speakers, Realtek ALC250 software sound, and Intel® 855GME graphics make all of your programs look and sound great.

The basics: Intel® Pentium® M processor 710 (1.4GHz), 256MB RAM, 60GB hard drive.


[/ QUOTE ]

Have fun playing warcraft or any other reasonable game on that POS though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Eh, I got it for my wife, who needs it for word processing between work and home. It should be fine for her. Neither of us are big 'gamers', and I can use it for recreational poker when she doesn't need it.

I don't know/care much about graphics cards/speakers/low ram (I got 512 more ... not great but good)

For what the poster wanted, this would be fine, which is why I suggested it. (Aside from Warcraft aparently, which was only a plus for him)

[stabn]

Four tabling would be easier on a PC as well, since he can get a bigger monitor. Also, if he decides he wants to 8 table instead of 4 at a later date he can add another card and a second monitor.

[junkmail3]

They tried to get me to buy one also. But it was $384. The computer was $800, the plan lasted for four years.

I hope I don't still have the computer in four years.

[junkmail3]

[ QUOTE ]
Four tabling would be easier on a PC as well, since he can get a bigger monitor. Also, if he decides he wants to 8 table instead of 4 at a later date he can add another card and a second monitor.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is true. I think with the available resolution on that laptop you can only two table (with some overlap).

[BusterStacks]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I bought mine from CC too.

But I bought a compaq.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ugh, please tell me you did not buy their protection plan. I worked there up until 2 months ago.

[/ QUOTE ]as sad as it may sound, yes I did. I never buy them though, but since it was a laptop I did. It was weird, I actually knew a guy that worked there and he said he would only buy one on a laptop, and I agree with that. I use to work at Office Depot and we had the same thing. The battery and the ac power adapter went out on me and month or two ago, so I am glad I have it. Buying them on things like TV's or DVD players are a total rip off though. Usually if they are going to break down, it happens within the first year, so they are always covered by the manufacturer. Believe me man, I know these things.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do ya?

The waranty you bought with CC, does NOT cover you during the manufacturers coverage. So that 4-year you bought, is really 3 years starting after the first year. Second, up until August, we didn't cover the battery, and power adapter. Furthermore, you can only get your laptop fixed once, regardless of the problem, and you don't even get warranty help with it in store (like you do at Best Buy). We are instructed that these warranties are 85% profit, and we will bend the financing terms to allow you to include it in your purchase. Trust me, these things are a HUGE scam, and although the laptop is truly the only thing I could justify getting one for, it's still bad.

[stabn]

Yah i don't remember the exact prices, i just remember laughing that he was pimping it as a good deal when he would have saved himself some money if he just skipped the deal and paid for the repairs himself.

[ThaSaltCracka]

yeah, I know it starts once the manufacturers warranty ends. Thats fine, I really just didn't want to take the chance. Once something breaks on a laptop, its basically done, so for me, it was worth it. I had like $450 dollars worth of mail in rebates, plus zero percent for a year, so I figured it was worth it. There is not a single electronic device I would buy one for though, other than this.

[Wayfare]

Desktop.

If you are going to be playing games and can only spend $1000, it's not even close.

Go to www.hardocp.com (http://www.hardocp.com) and look up their buyer's guide for barebones system. That should fit your needs well provided you can follow instructions to put it together yourself.