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OK peeps, need a bit of help on this one!
Not in a massive rush just yet, 'coz won't be off to uni (hopefully) till next September. However, I'm currently viewing my options with regards to a computer system to take.
Now, I've applied to do computer science, and am an avid gamer, so the machine needs to be something of a brute. My budget will be around £2000, so this shouldn't be a problem. There appears to be two possible options:
1) Get a laptop
2) Buy the parts and build a PC
Now, I've just totted up a few figures, and at this moment in time a P4 3.2 with 1024mb DDR400 RAM, Radeon 9800 XT 256Mb, 160gig SATA HDD, 17inch TFT with all the trimmings will set me back about £1500.
A P4 3.2gig laptop with 1024mb DDR333 RAM, 9600 128mb, 80gig HDD and 17" widescreen will cost me closer to £2000. So, the advantages of building a PC are obvious - get a lot more for a lot less.
However, a few concerns with building a PC:
1)Transferring data to and from home won't be as simple as taking a laptop home.
2)Security. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable leaving the PC at uni when I pop home for weekends or whatever. I could ofcourse bring it home with me, but then that'll mean unplugging it, sticking it in the car etc...
Grr...decisions, decisions! To most, this would probably be a trivial matter and I expect getting a laptop would be the more popular choice. But the prospect of having so much more grunt, which is future-proof also is oh-so tempting...
Any words of wisdom? :)
Not in a massive rush just yet, 'coz won't be off to uni (hopefully) till next September. However, I'm currently viewing my options with regards to a computer system to take.
Now, I've applied to do computer science, and am an avid gamer, so the machine needs to be something of a brute. My budget will be around £2000, so this shouldn't be a problem. There appears to be two possible options:
1) Get a laptop
2) Buy the parts and build a PC
Now, I've just totted up a few figures, and at this moment in time a P4 3.2 with 1024mb DDR400 RAM, Radeon 9800 XT 256Mb, 160gig SATA HDD, 17inch TFT with all the trimmings will set me back about £1500.
A P4 3.2gig laptop with 1024mb DDR333 RAM, 9600 128mb, 80gig HDD and 17" widescreen will cost me closer to £2000. So, the advantages of building a PC are obvious - get a lot more for a lot less.
However, a few concerns with building a PC:
1)Transferring data to and from home won't be as simple as taking a laptop home.
2)Security. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable leaving the PC at uni when I pop home for weekends or whatever. I could ofcourse bring it home with me, but then that'll mean unplugging it, sticking it in the car etc...
Grr...decisions, decisions! To most, this would probably be a trivial matter and I expect getting a laptop would be the more popular choice. But the prospect of having so much more grunt, which is future-proof also is oh-so tempting...
Any words of wisdom? :)
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If I was going to University (which I am, in fact) I would get a laptop without question (which I will, in fact).
The DFI Lanparty Nforce 2 Ultra 400 Rev B comes with a PC carrying strap...
The choice boils down to this, would you rather have a computer which you can take almost anywhere which is almost impossible to give a proper upgrade. Or would you rather have a w00t! w00t! hardcore gaming rig that you cant take home at the weekends. I wouldnt worry about the security issue too much, my friends have never had anything stolen from their rooms, but i guess that will depend on which uni you attend.
I would go for the self build.
The choice boils down to this, would you rather have a computer which you can take almost anywhere which is almost impossible to give a proper upgrade. Or would you rather have a w00t! w00t! hardcore gaming rig that you cant take home at the weekends. I wouldnt worry about the security issue too much, my friends have never had anything stolen from their rooms, but i guess that will depend on which uni you attend.
I would go for the self build.
I would vote go the way of the midi tower PC, - they are more realible and come with no compromises (e.g the cut down graphics processors found in Laptops), Over the years I have extensivensely used various laptops and have seen many come and go... believe me the day you wake up to a dead harddisk is indeed a day of horrors. (more than one occurence)
Those flimsy screens dont half cost a fortune to replace (those conductors at the hinged joints take a real hammering over time), and as a gamer if you plan to use a Laptop for games well then you're ok for the next 9 months before your kit becomes obsolete, and you can forget upgrading graphics or processors, RAM is just about upgradeable (at a horrendous cost)
Onto the proper PC...
Well you can pretty much mix and match as your budget and requirements dictate, and over time you can go through several diffrent configurations whilst keeping the core components the same... Keeping you at the top of those benchmarks but also saving you that all important cash...
Those flimsy screens dont half cost a fortune to replace (those conductors at the hinged joints take a real hammering over time), and as a gamer if you plan to use a Laptop for games well then you're ok for the next 9 months before your kit becomes obsolete, and you can forget upgrading graphics or processors, RAM is just about upgradeable (at a horrendous cost)
Onto the proper PC...
Well you can pretty much mix and match as your budget and requirements dictate, and over time you can go through several diffrent configurations whilst keeping the core components the same... Keeping you at the top of those benchmarks but also saving you that all important cash...
We all want faster systems. When I boot up with 1.7ghz by accident (instead of 2.2) I really notice the difference. I just guess you want something you can live with.
Uncle Albert wrote:
> Hmm, maybe. Mind you, I'm using an Xp2800, with 1024mb DDR and a 9800
> pro at the mo, and that still isn't fast enough for me.
Thats a top system right there. I have the same and dont find it a problem. Chuck anything at it and it runs. A 9800XT is slightly faster than the 9800 Pro, in tests it shows you may be able to get another 1 fps at 1600x1200.
If this system is for uni then think about portability. If your going to be coming home at weekends then packing up a PC is not ideal. A laptop could mean you can work in the library and use it else where. I go to Uni and my friend has a laptop and we have started to take the laptop into Uni with us as we need it sometimes to do work. Transporting a PC around would get tiresome especially if your coming up every other weekend and need to bring it.
I think for Uni a laptop could be better as its easy to transport, can use it around Uni rather than just in your room. Nice a small so it doesnt take up too much space.
My friend down at Portsmouth Uni has a laptop and he is glad he got it. First year rooms are tiny. Basically you have enough space to sleep and thats it. Think of your bed room now and your probably going to be in the same sort of space, depending on your bedroom size currently. I go to the local Uni so live at home and travel in when needed, so dont really need a laptop.
> Hmm, maybe. Mind you, I'm using an Xp2800, with 1024mb DDR and a 9800
> pro at the mo, and that still isn't fast enough for me.
Thats a top system right there. I have the same and dont find it a problem. Chuck anything at it and it runs. A 9800XT is slightly faster than the 9800 Pro, in tests it shows you may be able to get another 1 fps at 1600x1200.
If this system is for uni then think about portability. If your going to be coming home at weekends then packing up a PC is not ideal. A laptop could mean you can work in the library and use it else where. I go to Uni and my friend has a laptop and we have started to take the laptop into Uni with us as we need it sometimes to do work. Transporting a PC around would get tiresome especially if your coming up every other weekend and need to bring it.
I think for Uni a laptop could be better as its easy to transport, can use it around Uni rather than just in your room. Nice a small so it doesnt take up too much space.
My friend down at Portsmouth Uni has a laptop and he is glad he got it. First year rooms are tiny. Basically you have enough space to sleep and thats it. Think of your bed room now and your probably going to be in the same sort of space, depending on your bedroom size currently. I go to the local Uni so live at home and travel in when needed, so dont really need a laptop.
How about aiming cheaper?
You could build a pretty decent system out of £500 (excluding monitor).
You could build a pretty decent system out of £500 (excluding monitor).
Icarus wrote:
> Finally, the laptop you mentioned has more than enough grunt.
Hmm, maybe. Mind you, I'm using an Xp2800, with 1024mb DDR and a 9800 pro at the mo, and that still isn't fast enough for me.
Another point that my mum(!) has just made is lack of room in university room to have a PC. She might have a point there...
Thanks for the input Icarus.
> Finally, the laptop you mentioned has more than enough grunt.
Hmm, maybe. Mind you, I'm using an Xp2800, with 1024mb DDR and a 9800 pro at the mo, and that still isn't fast enough for me.
Another point that my mum(!) has just made is lack of room in university room to have a PC. She might have a point there...
Thanks for the input Icarus.
Uncle Albert wrote:
> Now, I've applied to do computer science, and am an avid gamer, so
> the machine needs to be something of a brute.
People automatically assume that because you're taking a computer orientated course, the specs for your computer have to be high, or at the very least, above average. This is not true - maybe for 3D work and animation, but as you'll be doing programming for much of the course, a processor around 1GHz would do. But then you said games, so obviously the specs will go up.
My budget will be
> around £2000, so this shouldn't be a problem. There appears to
> be two possible options:
>
> 1) Get a laptop
> 2) Buy the parts and build a PC
>
Well this is really up to you. You've mentioned the points that could affect your decision, now you have to see whether the premium in the laptop price is enough to justify the cost. If possible, get a laptop with upgradeable graphics.
One point: it's probably more unsafe to carry your £2000 laptop around (especially opn your own) then leave it safely locked in your uni room, providing it's out of sight.
Finally, the laptop you mentioned has more than enough grunt.
> Now, I've applied to do computer science, and am an avid gamer, so
> the machine needs to be something of a brute.
People automatically assume that because you're taking a computer orientated course, the specs for your computer have to be high, or at the very least, above average. This is not true - maybe for 3D work and animation, but as you'll be doing programming for much of the course, a processor around 1GHz would do. But then you said games, so obviously the specs will go up.
My budget will be
> around £2000, so this shouldn't be a problem. There appears to
> be two possible options:
>
> 1) Get a laptop
> 2) Buy the parts and build a PC
>
Well this is really up to you. You've mentioned the points that could affect your decision, now you have to see whether the premium in the laptop price is enough to justify the cost. If possible, get a laptop with upgradeable graphics.
One point: it's probably more unsafe to carry your £2000 laptop around (especially opn your own) then leave it safely locked in your uni room, providing it's out of sight.
Finally, the laptop you mentioned has more than enough grunt.
OK peeps, need a bit of help on this one!
Not in a massive rush just yet, 'coz won't be off to uni (hopefully) till next September. However, I'm currently viewing my options with regards to a computer system to take.
Now, I've applied to do computer science, and am an avid gamer, so the machine needs to be something of a brute. My budget will be around £2000, so this shouldn't be a problem. There appears to be two possible options:
1) Get a laptop
2) Buy the parts and build a PC
Now, I've just totted up a few figures, and at this moment in time a P4 3.2 with 1024mb DDR400 RAM, Radeon 9800 XT 256Mb, 160gig SATA HDD, 17inch TFT with all the trimmings will set me back about £1500.
A P4 3.2gig laptop with 1024mb DDR333 RAM, 9600 128mb, 80gig HDD and 17" widescreen will cost me closer to £2000. So, the advantages of building a PC are obvious - get a lot more for a lot less.
However, a few concerns with building a PC:
1)Transferring data to and from home won't be as simple as taking a laptop home.
2)Security. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable leaving the PC at uni when I pop home for weekends or whatever. I could ofcourse bring it home with me, but then that'll mean unplugging it, sticking it in the car etc...
Grr...decisions, decisions! To most, this would probably be a trivial matter and I expect getting a laptop would be the more popular choice. But the prospect of having so much more grunt, which is future-proof also is oh-so tempting...
Any words of wisdom? :)
Not in a massive rush just yet, 'coz won't be off to uni (hopefully) till next September. However, I'm currently viewing my options with regards to a computer system to take.
Now, I've applied to do computer science, and am an avid gamer, so the machine needs to be something of a brute. My budget will be around £2000, so this shouldn't be a problem. There appears to be two possible options:
1) Get a laptop
2) Buy the parts and build a PC
Now, I've just totted up a few figures, and at this moment in time a P4 3.2 with 1024mb DDR400 RAM, Radeon 9800 XT 256Mb, 160gig SATA HDD, 17inch TFT with all the trimmings will set me back about £1500.
A P4 3.2gig laptop with 1024mb DDR333 RAM, 9600 128mb, 80gig HDD and 17" widescreen will cost me closer to £2000. So, the advantages of building a PC are obvious - get a lot more for a lot less.
However, a few concerns with building a PC:
1)Transferring data to and from home won't be as simple as taking a laptop home.
2)Security. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable leaving the PC at uni when I pop home for weekends or whatever. I could ofcourse bring it home with me, but then that'll mean unplugging it, sticking it in the car etc...
Grr...decisions, decisions! To most, this would probably be a trivial matter and I expect getting a laptop would be the more popular choice. But the prospect of having so much more grunt, which is future-proof also is oh-so tempting...
Any words of wisdom? :)
Page: