Should I get a netbook or desktop?

[gymophett]

I have a laptop already, and I was thinking about getting a netbook. I was gonna just use it kinda like a desktop and hook a keyboard and monitor to it. But then I kinda wanted to do some gaming, and I realized the netbook only had 256mb of dedicated graphics memory.
Should I get a desktop? I'm online homeschooled also, would that be better for me right now?
I can always get a netbook later since I have a job now.

[LowSky]

What kind of gaming?
I've personally Always like desktops better. More storage space, faster processors and easier to fix. Also I can build my own..

[gymophett]

What kind of gaming?
I've personally Always like desktops better. More storage space, faster processors and easier to fix. Also I can build my own..

Pretty heavy gaming. Like Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age Origins, Resident Evil 5, etc.

[SemiBuz]

Why buy netbook if you already have a laptop ?
I would definitely go for the desktop one - as previously mentioned, more storage space, more speed, more horsepower ;)

[FuturePilot]

Sounds like you'd be better off with a desktop.

[audiomick]

Desktop.
If it is only ever being used at home, your battery wont have much of a lifespan.
If you are into gaming, on a desktop you can easily upgrade the video card in a couple of years, and the RAM, and the HD, and the CPU. On a netbook, you get what you get and that is pretty much that.

[Cabs21]

Desktop. netbooks are good for mobility not much else. imagine playing Mass Effect 2 on a 10" screen. Even with a dedicated monitor you are crippled by the light weight (and usually single core) processor. Get a desktop with some beef behind it that can be upgraded in the future.

[gymophett]

Nvm. I'm getting the netbook.
I just found out my laptop had up to 1024mb graphics memory (shared)
How do I set it to that? Or is it dynamic?

[LowSky]

Nvm. I'm getting the netbook.
I just found out my laptop had up to 1024mb graphics memory (shared)
How do I set it to that? Or is it dynamic?

You normally set the mount shared from BIOS....

But 1024MB means nothing... a Graphics card from 5 years ago can have 1GB of RAM and be by comparison horrible to a newer low-end card with only 512MB.

And laptops that have "shared" memory borrow from the computer's RAM. Its not the greatest of ideas to give away that much system RAM for not much actually change in graphical effect.

[gymophett]

You normally set the mount shared from BIOS....

But 1024MB means nothing... a Graphics card from 5 years ago can have 1GB of RAM and be by comparison horrible to a newer low-end card with only 512MB.

And laptops that have "shared" memory borrow from the computer's RAM. Its not the greatest of ideas to give away that much system RAM for not much actually change in graphical effect.

Hmm. Maybe I'll get a desktop now. xD

[LowSky]

Hmm. Maybe I'll get a desktop now. xD

I think you need to learn about computer equipment a bit more., especially graphics card. Too many people these days will go out and buy a new PC thinking it will run everything they throw at it, the quickly learn that newer PC games need video cards that are often not installed on $400 Best Buy PCs.

If you want to learn and to build it for cheaper, building it your self is a great idea. places like newegg.com can help you pick good decent parts based on users reviews.

[nothingspecial]

I`d get a desktop.

However my "desktop" is actually headless, in a cupboard in the garage.

I use it through my netbook.

My desktop does everything, stores everything, downloads anything big, torrents, backsup, encodes media etc etc etc.

But I make it do all that with my netbook.

I`d get one of each.

I also have a frankenetbook that is used as a tv in the bedroom. It`s keyboard and screen are broken but it`s processor and sockets are fine. So I`ve plugged in an old monitor and use it to ripped dvds, watch bbc iPlayer etc etc etc

[pwnst*r]

Desktop. You don't game on a netbook. Well, not real gaming.

[ve4cib]

Deciding between a netbook and a desktop is kind of like choosing between an Mini Cooper and a minivan; they're pretty much complete opposites of each other and are designed for completely different purposes.

Netbooks, as have been mentioned, excel as thin-clients and high-portability computers. They're great for taking notes on, doing presentations, and pretty much anything done in a browser. Light image manipulation, some basic document work, etc... is also possible, but netbooks were never designed to be someone's primary computer.

Desktops on the other hand are workhorse computers. You can spam them with heavy-duty applications (video editing, photo editing, high-end gaming, etc...) and they won't blink. Or they shouldn't blink anyway.

If you've got a desktop at home you can synch your important data with your netbook, carry the netbook to/from work/school/wherever, and re-synch when you get home.

The fact that you want to do any kind of gaming pretty much necessitates either a high-performance (and thus very expensive and heavy) laptop, or a desktop. The fact that you would even consider a netbook for the kind of gaming you want to do is laughable.

[Changturkey]

Desktop, and you'll need a decent graphics card. A high end laptop might do it as well, but it'll probably cost 2x as much as the desktop.

[audiomick]

Desktop, and you'll need a decent graphics card. A high end laptop might do it as well, but it'll probably cost 2x as much as the desktop.

True.
One brand that I am aware of that can more or less keep up with a desktop is Alienware. Go look at their prices....:eek::shock:

[TheNessus]

Get both. A desktop and a netbook is as much costly as a notebook. A netbook to get your things on the road when your desky is at your home.

By the way, there are netbooks with pretty good graphics card and dual-core CPUs... and they're making better netbooks all the time.

[gymophett]

I think you need to learn about computer equipment a bit more., especially graphics card. Too many people these days will go out and buy a new PC thinking it will run everything they throw at it, the quickly learn that newer PC games need video cards that are often not installed on $400 Best Buy PCs.

If you want to learn and to build it for cheaper, building it your self is a great idea. places like newegg.com can help you pick good decent parts based on users reviews.

No. I understand computer hardware.
It's just. I was skeptical because I didn't know if I wanted gaming or portability.
I'm building my own desktop with 1GB graphics memory, not sure which card yet though. I'll probably go for ATI.

[Warpnow]

You can build a very nice dual/quad core pc with 2-4gbs of ram for the price of a netbook. Netbooks are still nice. I absolutely adore mine...but even the simplest games will not run on it.

[gymophett]

You can build a very nice dual/quad core pc with 2-4gbs of ram for the price of a netbook. Netbooks are still nice. I absolutely adore mine...but even the simplest games will not run on it.

I was planning on probably going all out on this desktop. I have the cash. Why not?
I'm gonna order all my parts from newegg since they have nice stuff for a good price.

[audiomick]

I was planning on probably going all out on this desktop. I have the cash. Why not?
I'm gonna order all my parts from newegg since they have nice stuff for a good price.
Just a suggestion: bear in mind that the "bang for your buck" curve is logarithmic, i.e. towards the upper end of the price scale, that performance increase that you get for more money is less and less. Rule of thumb (at least a couple of years ago...) was that the "diminishing returns" effect starts somewhere around the top third of the price range.
Also, a component that is brand new on the market might give you driver grief on a Linux system. Look for high end gear that has been around for a few months.

[spupy]

A friend of mine is getting a laptop (macbook I think). For the same money I'm getting a 23" LG monitor, an ASUS netbook, and a desktop PC with cheap, but new and good components (i3, ddr3 ram, 1GB geforce 9400GT, fast disk, good psu). The netbook is more mobile than the a laptop, has monstrous battery life (8-11h); the desktop is easily upgradeable and somewhat more powerful.

[scouser73]

I have a laptop already, and I was thinking about getting a netbook. I was gonna just use it kinda like a desktop and hook a keyboard and monitor to it. But then I kinda wanted to do some gaming, and I realized the netbook only had 256mb of dedicated graphics memory.
Should I get a desktop? I'm online homeschooled also, would that be better for me right now?
I can always get a netbook later since I have a job now.

My opinion = Desktop

[wojox]

Definitely a desktop.

[Changturkey]

Go ATI/AMD for a cheaper gaming rig, Intel/NVIDIA or ATI for high performance.

[pwnst*r]

If you really want to game on ubuntu and have good support, go Nvidia, not ATI.