# laptop vs desktop



## millipede (May 28, 2006)

I am considering getting a new computer this year. I want something a little faster, and really want a new monitor... I'm on a 15" screen right now and would like bigger...
anyway... I haven't decided what to get yet.
I've been looking at Dell.... for new prices it seems I can get something better and more affordable at Dell than through even walmart or best buy or anything like that. For what I looked at, buying from Dell seems like a good idea...

anyway... I can't find power consumption info there on their models. I know it will vary from one computer to the next but, roughly what is the difference in power consumption between the two?
I can get a desktop and an lcd/led monitor for about 450-500 and a laptop for right around 500... looking at the lowest prices possible on Dell that is. For that money, you can get more out of a desktop... faster, more ram, etc...
but if the power differences are great enough, I may choose a laptop...
I like desktops because in general, for the price, you get a better machine. Laptops are nice because you can move them...
but I hate laptop keyboards and mice... so I'd probably plug in a mouse and keyboard...

anyway... I'm torn in a way. I'm poor and cheap, don't like to spend much... so I'm going for as little as possible. (oh, and before anyone suggests used, as far as price goes, they're not worth it these days... new prices are down a lot... I've seen used computers selling for more or the same price as new models with the same specs...)
Basically... it seems that if I go with a laptop I'll be trading (because of price) performance for energy savings...... I want the best performance for the little amount of money I plan on spending...... but, if the power consumption difference between the two is great enough... I'll probably get a laptop... energy savings is always a good thing...........

anyway... any thoughts?


Side note... we got our taxes done through the united way this year... the place it was at looked like it also did things like job training or something. There was a row of computers there... They were lap tops... but, they didn't just have a keyboard and a mouse plugged in... each one also had a monitor plugged in... very nice looking equipment... but why would they have monitors plugged in? What would be the benefit to using a monitor separate from the screen the laptop came with?


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

If this is the Dell all in one you are looking at
Inspiron One 2305 All-in-One Desktop $599.
*Power
90 Watts and 130 Watts Power Supply*
To get this power info just click on More Info then click on Specs.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

They were probably on docking stations, that allows you to have a complete normal desktop setup using a laptop. Many people hate laptop keyboards and mice and even many laptop monitors are small, so they have a docking station set up at work, but if necessary can take the laptop with them to meetings, home, etc.
There really is not that much difference between power consumption except for the fact that with a desktop you also have a monitor that uses electricty. Personally unless you are off grid and need ultra low consumption, I'd spend the extra couple bucks a month on electricity and get the more powerful desktop model.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Those "All In Ones" are pretty much the same thing as a IMac, everything is in the Monitor, No separate tower, or box~!


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## smalltime (Jan 26, 2007)

I have a desktop and a Laptop, might have used my desktop twice since I got the new laptop... That being said, I'm a full time student and am on the go more than not, I like being able to just plop down somewhere/anywhere and do my work/pay my bills/check out the new post at HT lol Also because there is so many free wifi places around here I'm thinking of dropping my internet service, that alone would save me over $800 a year!

Bill


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Remember the future too when considering your purchase. When a laptop fails and IF you should decide to replace rather than repair what components can you use again? How about for a PC. You can still use the monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc. 

Personally I believe that PCs are cheaper to own. I'm biased because I am one of those that wants a regular keyboard and mouse, and much larger viewing than many laptops have without considerably more expense. 

If you have high speed Internet a large monitor sure makes viewing streaming video pleasant. I have a 19 inch monitor and will go even larger next time. One really nice thing is that it did away (almost) with side to side scrolling.

To each their own as to which they prefer to use.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Windy in Kansas said:


> Remember the future too when considering your purchase. When a laptop fails and IF you should decide to replace rather than repair what components can you use again? How about for a PC. You can still use the monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.
> 
> Personally I believe that PCs are cheaper to own. I'm biased because I am one of those that wants a regular keyboard and mouse, and much larger viewing than many laptops have without considerably more expense.
> 
> ...


 Don't forget, The All In Ones that are mentioned by OP, are really nothing more then a glorified laptop. Not a PC at all. Everything is inside that Monitor, just like a laptop. You put a CD in the Side of the monitor just like I do on this IMac, Your USB and all other ports are on the Side Of The Monitor~!

When I have trouble with this IMac it IS going to be expensive to get fixed, and then only at a Apple Store, Same thing with that All In One, You can't just open it up like a desktop and put in things yourself, Special tools will be needed I am sure.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

I was looking at the inspiron 560 or 560s (I don't know if there's any difference other than tower size)
I'm seeing that for $299 for the tower you get 2.2ghz, 2gb ram, and 500gb hd
Then I'd probably be looking at the ST2220M 21.5 inch Widescreen LCD Panel Monitor with High Definition LED Display for $139

but I also just noticed that you can get the same tower(560 or 560s) with 3.2ghz, 3gb ram, and 750gb hd, and an 18.5" lcd (no led) monitor for $499.
The 18.5 inch monitor is smaller and even though there's no LED, it uses less electricity.
A bump up in the cpu, ram, and hd would be nice though......
Anyway... I can find power consumption for the monitors but not the towers. I check under tech specs and it just doesn't say anything. I guess I can google it... I'm sure that info is listed somewhere...

For the laptop, the only laptop they have tor $499 is the Inspiron 17R
2ghz, 2gb ram, and 250gb hd
no mention of power use that I could find... but again, I might google them.

The pc I have now is 2.53ghz, 1gb ram, and a 40gb hd. This thing is several years old, not the newest technology for any of it... and I just really want something newer that will work better. This thing has xp on it.

While the luxury of being able to take my computer anywhere I wanted to is nice... I don't go many places... and, there's a part of me that is against being connected at the hip to technology everywhere I go. I don't even own a cell phone... never have and don't plan on getting one any time soon. When I go to the store... or for a walk... or wherever... I like being alone and out of touch. 

Anyway... thanks for the replies... I'll see if I can get some numbers and see what the differences are. It would be interesting to have some idea of what the difference could be in my electric bill each year


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## smalltime (Jan 26, 2007)

arabian knight said:


> Don't forget, The All In Ones that are mentioned by OP, are really nothing more then a glorified laptop. Not a PC at all. Everything is inside that Monitor, just like a laptop. You put a CD in the Side of the monitor just like I do on this IMac, Your USB and all other ports are on the Side Of The Monitor~!
> 
> When I have trouble with this IMac it IS going to be expensive to get fixed, and then only at a Apple Store, *Same thing with that All In One, You can't just open it up like a desktop and put in things yourself, Special tools will be needed I am sure*.


Pc's a Pc, pop it open and walah! Back in the day Mac's and Microsoft used differant componets, not so much these days, for the most part your paying for the OS.. Mac tends to use higher quality componits but u pay out the butt for em...


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

Desktops are much simpler/cheaper to fix. 

As far as energy use, a laptop is basically designed to use as little energy as possible. With a desktop, there really is no incentive to use less energy... aside from the new "green" desktops.

If you don't need portability, then you really have no use for a laptop. 

I'd also disagree about the value in used computers. I've seen very capable (office, internet, web, ect) used IBM T-series laptops for under $200 with warranty. Most of the T-series are built much better/stronger than a new low-end consumer grade laptop. So for folks who don't have intensive needs, and don't want to spend $500, used/off-lease can be a good value.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

> Don't forget, The All In Ones that are mentioned by OP


actually, I didn't mention them...



> I'd also disagree about the value in used computers.


I'm only going on what I've seen... comparing specs and prices... most places I've seen, used just doesn't offer much for the price. Kind of stinks for a seller though too as you cannot get anywhere near what you paid for something when you sell it. 

anyway... so far you all have me leaning towards a desktop... I think I was already leaning that way anyway... 

I'm still going to see if I can find the numbers just for the fun of it... have a sick kid at the moment so I have been distracted...


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

smalltime said:


> Pc's a Pc, pop it open and walah! Back in the day Mac's and Microsoft used different components, not so much these days, for the most part your paying for the OS.. Mac tends to use higher quality components but u pay out the butt for em...


 No you do not "just pop them open"
There is a you tube video on how to Open these IMacs, but they warn it is very difficult. And it looked it also.
These are way different then the Old IMacs with a CRT. Way Different. The ONLY opening in the back you can get at, is one to add more Ram Memory. That is it. Period.
Think it is so easy watch this video,
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQx-kpbL7o"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQx-kpbL7o[/ame]


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Pose this question on your favorite search engine, "how long does the average laptop last".

We all know that PCs tend to last a long time.

Seems to me that it is all about whether you have a NEED for a laptop such as a student, traveler, etc. would. 

I had figured on getting a laptop to use for genealogy until I came across relatively inexpensive hand held scanners that scan to a memory card for later downloading.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Just 5 years ago laptops were being sold for a heavy premium over desktops. Back in those days I had a pretty fast desktop machine that I used most of the time, then a modest laptop to use when I was on the road. The laptop was slow, but entirely satisfactory for email and light browsing research.

Laptops are a lot more affordable today. I have a dual core laptop with a 17" monitor as my primary computer. When I go on the road I now take my primary computer with me.

I've found docking stations to be pricey. Laptops don't have tiny keyboards like they used to have, and everything peripheral runs off of USB ports today. I find that the laptop provides me with a satisfactory human interface, so the docking station isn't really necessary for my needs.

If you are looking to get a new flat panel monitor anyway, you'll find that the laptop may actually be a lot less than the desktop machine.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

The common and not always correct assumption is that a desktop is more reliabe then a laptop. I can tell you from years of professional experience of working with some of the biggest pc and server (IBM, Dell, HP etc) manufacturers that they fail a lot more then you would think. I have seen and worked on multi thousand dollar and also dirt cheap pc's and servers that have utterly failed after only months or maybe a couple years of service. The same can be said about laptops, but whatever the case, it really comes down on how well you maintain them. If the hardware is subject to abuse, temperature extremes, foul environments etc with no regular maintenance such as simple cleaning then don't expect any hardware to last regardless if it is a pc or laptop.

If you have ever visited a professionally run business server room or data center, these places are immaculate and it is often said that you could perform surgery in them. Unfortunately most homes and business don't take these precautions and when I open the case on these pc's, there is usually enough dust bunnnies and other debris to line a small coat. The cpu and case fans are so coated that they often don't spin at their optimuum speed and thusly put heat stress on the hardware which often leads to premature failure.

What it really comes down to is really personal preference and what the intended use is. For those on the go, a laptop is the perfect tool whereas for others who have no need for pc mobility, a desktop is the better fit.

For me, I was at one time, a desktop person but for the last 5 years, I have used a laptop (which has had zero problems) and have now migrated all of my pc's and servers to the cloud...which is another separate topic altogether.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

What Kari said - the ONLY thing I'll add to this is that there ARE statistics and figures out there on customer satisfaction and reliability; but oftentimes it does come down to personal preference.


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## smalltime (Jan 26, 2007)

arabian knight said:


> No you do not "just pop them open"
> There is a you tube video on how to Open these IMacs, but they warn it is very difficult. And it looked it also.
> These are way different then the Old IMacs with a CRT. Way Different. The ONLY opening in the back you can get at, is one to add more Ram Memory. That is it. Period.
> Think it is so easy watch this video,
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQx-kpbL7o


Yea I'm a full time student at ITT... No diferant than any other PC, dude used a screw driver and a suction cup to remove the glass and had the whole thing appart in 6 min LOL looked real dificult :baby04:


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Uh, if you're a full time student at ITT, then you probably learned how to do it. Your standard Joe probably does NOT know how.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Kung said:


> Uh, if you're a full time student at ITT, then you probably learned how to do it. Your standard Joe probably does NOT know how.


 True ,yes to some it may have looked easy, till the guy with two left thumbs and not the most steady in hands starts in.
I guess some should remember the people on here, are not, with the exception of a few, are DIY self type when it comes to computers.
And surly are not ITT students.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

this is the second time I have asked what seemed to be a straightforward question and ended up with an interesting discussion... Not complaining... I just find it interesting what a question can turn into. 

So it seems that whatever I choose... a few people might think I made a bad decision... a few will think I made a good one... and plenty of people could care less. 

At the moment I'm leaning towards the inspiron but upgrading to the 3.2ghz... leaving it at 2gb or ram as that is an easy upgrade if I find I need more later on.
We'll see what happens... still have to get our tax return(in about a week YAY) and go through everything else that we NEED to spend money on first......

Can I get them to leave things out when I order a Dell? I don't want a trial of McAfee for instance. I wouldn't be too fond of uninstalling stuff as soon as I set it up... But, whatever happens I'll deal.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

millipede said:


> Can I get them to leave things out when I order a Dell? I don't want a trial of McAfee for instance. I wouldn't be too fond of uninstalling stuff as soon as I set it up... But, whatever happens I'll deal.


Probably not. They get paid for including trial software. It's a form of advertising. Besides, it comes with their stock install package. Just uninstall it.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

millipede said:


> this is the second time I have asked what seemed to be a straightforward question and ended up with an interesting discussion... Not complaining... I just find it interesting what a question can turn into.
> 
> So it seems that whatever I choose... a few people might think I made a bad decision... a few will think I made a good one... and plenty of people could care less.


I find the many forums on the Internet that I browse to be highly educational. So glad you posed the original question and allowed thread wander. Some people get a little uptight when a thread waders off of the original topic.

I'm for whatever each person thinks or knows what will work best for them.


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## smalltime (Jan 26, 2007)

arabian knight said:


> True ,yes to some it may have looked easy, till the guy with two left thumbs and not the most steady in hands starts in.
> I guess some should remember the people on here, are not, with the exception of a few, are DIY self type when it comes to computers.
> And surly are not ITT students.


Perhaps, just different strokes for different folks... I can do algebra and trig but struggle with couponing


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

millipede said:


> this is the second time I have asked what seemed to be a straightforward question and ended up with an interesting discussion... Not complaining... I just find it interesting what a question can turn into.
> 
> So it seems that whatever I choose... a few people might think I made a bad decision... a few will think I made a good one... and plenty of people could care less.


My friend, you have just described pretty much EVERY thread on EVERY bulletin board on the ENTIRE internet. 

IMHO, it's easier to leave RAM out then it is to leave a higher processor out. If you even THINK you'll want it, add it, especially if you plan on having this computer for a while...because it's one heck of a lot easier to upgrade memory than it is to upgrade RAM.

I can't speak for others, but I work for the federal government as an IT specialist; and have been an IT pro for about 13 years. What I ALWAYS recommend is to find out your specific needs, most of your wants...and then ask what it is in your computer that will fulfill those. I ask myself hard questions - e.g. "Do I NEED this, or do I just want it?"

If you feel you're not getting your questions answered, to be blunt, ask someone who's been in the game a long time, and/or does this specifically for a living. I say this not to dig dirt on others but because when we do it for a living, objectivity MUST be employed. We can't/don't just say "Oh Macs suck and PCs are awesome"...because both sides have their advantages/disadvantages, regardless of what many say. Same goes for Linux. Anyways...



> Can I get them to leave things out when I order a Dell? I don't want a trial of McAfee for instance. I wouldn't be too fond of uninstalling stuff as soon as I set it up... But, whatever happens I'll deal.


Honestly, I'm not sure - that's a good question to ask them. I do know that there's a guy who created what used to be known as the 'Dell De-crapifier" (seriously) and now it's just called "PC De-crapifier." If they won't, try this. 

http://www.yorkspace.com/pc-de-crapifier


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

millipede said:


> Can I get them to leave things out when I order a Dell? I don't want a trial of McAfee for instance. I wouldn't be too fond of uninstalling stuff as soon as I set it up... But, whatever happens I'll deal.


Yes (and no) if you are very persistent with Dell Sales Support, they will send you the pc or laptop with no OS and a recovery DVD. Most times this DVD will have the OS and proper drivers preloaded / configured etc but none of the 3rd party software. That said, it is a crap shoot and depends on who packs the box for shipping as to what DVD they ultimately throw in. If you know someone who is a Dell re-seller, it makes it lot easier as they usually have a direct sales person assigned to them who can override the system so to speak and specify that the OS not be installed.


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## Ashley B. (Aug 20, 2009)

I bought a new 15" Dell laptop earlier this month at Walmart for $435.81 that was with tax.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Just an FYI

I do I.T. for a regional bank (approx 800 computers)
We replace laptops (due to problems) a lot more often than we replace desktops (due to problems).

I'll be the first to admit -- many of our users should never go near a computer..... but it takes all kinds, but laptops in my experience (in the business world) wear out sooner than desktops.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

I'd be curious to see what model desktops and what model laptops you have. Where I work (for the government) we have thousands of laptops and thousands of desktops...and I work on FAR more desktops than laptops. And both are high quality.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

My opinion: the only reason to have a laptop is if you want to be mobile.

I have both and I love my laptop, but the computer that gets used is the desktop, because it is easier and more comfortable to use.

As for power consumption, if you are worried about it, turn the desktop off when you aren't using it. I doubt that it draws much power in sleep mode, but it does have (or at least mine has) peripherals that are also running: printer, scanner, monitor, etc. Also in sleep mode, so probably not drawing much power. You can have a power strip with an off button, so you can turn everything related to the computer off at the touch of one button. 

I know my printer draws a lot of juice, because the lights dim when it fires up. But it stays asleep until I send something to it. It would still be drawing the same power if I had it connected to the laptop, so no power saving on the peripherals, no matter which computer you decide to buy.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

not sure where I'm going to buy from yet... I compare for so long before my brain starts to melt.... I see decent prices at say walmart or office depot... but when I compare specs and quality to price, so far I'm still leaning towards buying right from Dell... 
Although.... Walmart is just a couple miles away and it's tempting to just go in and buy something to have today. 

Chances are we're going to get a laptop and a desktop.
We have only one computer setup right now and there are occasions when my wife and I are fighting to get on... I'll probably get a desktop for myself for right here where I'm sitting and a laptop for her... she sometimes likes to look stuff up while she's in the kitchen and that would be a good option for her I think.

We got our tax money back... but my wife thinks we need to pay for a few more important things first before we buy a computer... Doesn't hurt for one of us to be responsible I guess. 
Even though I'm the one that ones a computer ASAP, I told her we'd probably get a laptop for her first so we can each have our own sooner.
Eh, we'll see what happens.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Millipede - that's why I usually advocate buying right from Dell. That way you can customize it; and when you buy from a place like Best Buy, you're usually limited to their warranty. If you buy it from Dell, however, you usually have a few more options.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

Millipede,

If I were you I'd pop Ubuntu into your old machine and use it as your desktop/storage. Install Samba and share the files with your other computer. Then Install a wireless router and get a laptop. You will have the best of both worlds. You will be able to read and write files from your old computer to the new one. For instance you can put your pictures, Video, and music files on the desktop. Then just access them from anywhere in the whole house on the laptop. It's a nice setup and pretty easy to do. 

If you wish to do this when the time comes and need help just drop me a PM.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

I'm not very good at keeping up with conversations..... 

anyway... We gave in and splurged I guess on Sunday. Bought from a place I didn't plan on buying... the evil empire... We were there... I was looking... and we really wanted something... So, I didn't buy direct from Dell, but we did buy Dells. I got a desktop, the inspiron... 3 Ghz, 4gb ram, 20" widescreen(that's quite different from my old 15")
And we got my wife a laptop... I forget which model... 2. something ghz, 4 gb ram...

Overall, I don't really regret it, I think it was worth it...
BUT... Two things... On 2 or 3 ocassions, just since Sunday, I've had something freeze on me. I believe, if I remember correctly, that it was windows explorer, for example, trying to change something in control panel. It would freeze and I'd have to click "end now"... then I would open it again with no problem...
That to me should NOT happen on something brand new.

The other thing... NO installation or recovery disks... It tells me I have to create my own recovery disks... Oh well...
Things are faster... look better... I can use the media center to watch tv and it works better than winTV was working on my old one... and my wife and I don't have to fight over computer time anymore... So, I'm happy enough.
Bought a wireless router...

Now to motivate myself to do the recovery disks and then start moving files... LOTS of files... ack...


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## Vermonter_Girl (Feb 18, 2011)

I love Walmart. They have something for everyone. My DH is a Computer Tech, and so am I. I built my first PC back in 1997, and it is pretty simple to do if you have a really good instructor, and there are Computer Techs out there, like my Hubby, that love to teach that. However if you do not want to do that, I would suggest to look into the Toshiba Satellite Laptop if you end up getting one. I got mine at Walmart, 3 years ago staying up all night on Black Friday and being first in line. I got it for $365.00 plus tax. That is a phenomenal price for what I got. Intel Duo Core T2450 2.00GHZ, 1 GB Ram, 120 GB hard drive, DVD drive. Darned near indestructible. . . dropped it while drive was spinning and it still works. It came with Vista, but upgraded to Windows 7 easily without issue. Dell's are ok, we use them pretty much exclusively at Kennedy Space Center, but I love my Toshiba. All the other PC's in our house are all home built.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Another vote for Toshiba here. The only thing I do NOT like about Toshibas is that when it comes to loading a version of Linux on it, they're insanely hard to tweak. They use not exactly rare but not common chipsets for a lot of stuff.

For example, as user-friendly as Ubuntu is, Ubuntu 10.10 is the *FIRST* distro release that has flat out worked for me in every aspect - the ONLY thing I had to do was add 'ACPI=OFF' to grub's environment variables. But yet it still took until 10.10 to work correctly.


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