PC or laptop?

as a counterpoint, a laptop:

is compact and takes up less room than a desktop
is typically quieter and consumes less power
can be cheaper than a desktop if the monitor is factored in

the cheapest intel dual core at circuit city is $500 after rebate and has 1gb of ram, basic video, dvd burner, and 250gb hard drive. the cheapest dual core laptop is $650 after rebate and has 1gb of ram, basic video, dvd burner, and 120gb hard drive. but the laptop's core duo cpu is a bit faster than the desktop's pentium-d and the monitor is included.

add a usb hub for your keyboard, printer, external drive, etc. and a laptop can match the typical user's desktop.

on the downside, laptop's aren't that great for gaming. as for repairs, an extended warranty can cover all types of repairs including those caused by drops and spills for about the same money as an extended desktop warranty.

Thank you all so much!!! This is such fantastic information. It really helps me to make the right decision for me. I really wish I could get both a laptop and a desktop but for now I will have to choose but at least I will do so with the background information I need. This is such a great site!

Thanks again.

K

I'd just like to reply that even though at first laptop keyboards can throw you with their different shape and size, you can just as easily get completely used to a laptop keyboard. I, for one, find myself slipping up on regular desktop sized keyboards because I'm so well adjusted to my Inspiron 9300s keyboard size.

Good to know since I'm leaning towards a laptop. Thank you!

(and yes, I am an old dog ), but despite rather heavy use of my Inspiron the last two or three years, I still make more typos than I like. Although the key spacing is the same, the shape of the Inspiron keys seems to reduces the effective inter-key gap, and I get too many double strikes.

First for me was the typewriter (and mechanical calculator); in the sixties were the 029 keypunch and Teletype console/terminal; in the late seventies came the VT100 terminal (WOW! video and 9600 bps rather than 110); the eighties brought the IBM-PC style keyboard, which is still common for desktops. Those adaptions were rather easy -- but those keyboards were quite similar, and I was younger. Use of keyboards such as those must be deeply ingrained in my motor responses, and adaption is now harder. Even worse than the laptop keyboard is, for me, the Microsoft angled, "ergomatic" keyboard.

Critz is no doubt right, and adaption is easy for many -- and especially for young dogs (from my point of reference anymore, anyone under about 35 is a pup, and anyone under 65 is a young dog ). And, as I indicated in my original post, despite this little problem I probably would get a laptop if it were to be my only system.

Frank

I have decided to get a laptop and the keyboard is probably the thing that worries me the most. I'm not a young pup either. I hope I can adjust. I've tried the ergonomic keyboard and hated it beyond description. Can't imagine anyone getting used to that. Anyway, thanks again for your input.