Is a Laptop worth it?

HomicideHomicide
edited February 2007 in Hardware
I'm currently browsing around for a nice little laptop. I want one that can burn CD's and DVD's and has enough memory to be able to play some games on it and some wireless internet capabilities. Currently I have been stumped by prices being in the 1k range and I don't have that much to spend. So I was thinking....are they even worth it? I know they are cool and all and you can take them anywhere, but are they even worth all that money?

I need help deciding on whether or not I should buy one and possibly some tips on what to look for in a good Laptop so if you would be so kind to help me out I would appreciate it a whole lot.

Also about upgrading one. Could you do it yourself, or do you have to take it to a "professional" to do?

Comments

  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited January 2007
    when i got mine, i browsed slickdeals.net and found an awesome deal on a gaming capable laptop from Dell an Inspiron E1505 to me exact. after configuring it i bought a 30% off cupon from ebay for like $4. all in all the laptop costed me about $750. it has an 80gig sata hard drive, a gig of ram, a cd/dvd bruner, and a nvidia 7300GO, i can play BF2142 on it, half life 2, you name it, you just can crank up the grafics to 100%


    dell + ebay for a cupon = the win,, its definitly worth checking out.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited January 2007
    Laptops are expensive. There is a lot of custom built compact stuff inside them.
    As for the $1k, well below that you are not going to get much in either a laptop or a tower, if you are looking to game. The real difference is that you have so many more options with a ATX machine.
    Do you really need to have the portability? If not then don't bother.
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    Armo wrote:
    when i got mine, i browsed slickdeals.net and found an awesome deal on a gaming capable laptop from Dell an Inspiron E1505 to me exact. after configuring it i bought a 30% off cupon from ebay for like $4. all in all the laptop costed me about $750. it has an 80gig sata hard drive, a gig of ram, a cd/dvd bruner, and a nvidia 7300GO, i can play BF2142 on it, half life 2, you name it, you just can crank up the grafics to 100%...dell + ebay for a cupon = the win,, its definitly worth checking out.
    Great lead, Armo! I didn't know about SLICKDEALS. And I didn't know you could buy coupons off of eBay. What a great idea! :bigggrin: I've been wanting a new laptop, too but, like Homicide, don't have the $1k+ to shell out for one either.

    Edcentric's right, Homicide. What you're paying for in a laptop is the portability. If you don't need that then put the money into a new desktop system. You'll get a whole lot more for the same $ in a desktop computer than a laptop.

    EDIT://
    Laptops, w/ respect to their hardware, are highly proprietary, too. You'll have a lot more flexibility when it comes to repairs and upgrades w/ a (non-proprietary) desktop computer than with a laptop.
  • MadballMadball Fort Benton, MT
    edited January 2007
    I use my laptop quite a bit, but not to game. I didn't want to spend the extra money to get a gaming laptop, when I already have a desktop machine that does that. I mostly wanted a laptop for portable internet access. I bought if for myself, but my wife uses it much more that I do.
  • Mal51Mal51
    edited February 2007
    I guess it would depend on your situation. For me, it's nice to have something in reserve if my tower goes down (which it has frequently, in the last month) and it's easier to write notes from my professors. It's also a boredom killer at Hotels.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited February 2007
    nice to have something in reserve if my tower goes down (which it has frequently, in the last month) and it's easier to write notes from my professors. It's also a boredom killer at Hotels.
    - hang with us, and we'll get your desktop computer working reliably

    - boredom killer at hotels -- no argument there, that's the truth!
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited February 2007
    After buying my laptop my desktop became a paper weight and I just sold it off after a year of inactivity. I got a 17" screen, it's a DTR(Desktop Replacement) so battery like is max 3hrs. But I love it, I take it everywhere. I sit on my couch with friends and play games instead of being stuck in my room sectioned off. I doubt I'll ever buy a desktop again because the laptop is saving me money. I am such a upgrade freak when it came to my desktop I was ending up spending a ton of money on it anyways. So I vowed to not upgrade the desktop for a year, about 4 months later bought the laptop(haha) and haven't looked back.

    On the bright side I didn't break my vow.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited February 2007
    So I vowed to not upgrade the desktop for a year, about 4 months later bought the laptop(haha) and haven't looked back.
    Ohh, that's right! You used to have the statement in your signature with your vow not to upgrade for a year. I thought you had busted that promise, hence the removal of the words in your signature.
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