Consumer Survey 2009: Computer Choice

[Buffalobiian]

I'm bored, thought I'd get something off my mind.

What kind of computer(s) do you regularly use?

Neither's clearly superior, but there are definite pros and cons to both. Tell us what you've got, how you came to the decision, and how happy or dissatisfied you are with it. Would you choose to do something different in the future? What sort of trends do you think computing will take in the near future?

As for myself:

I've got a laptop and desktop.

I bought my desktop first, and was quite happy to it. Main reason is that performance/cost ratio is better. In other words, cheaper.

It didn't necessarily turn out to be the case since I've had to go out for various silencing parts.

Then I bought a laptop this year because of mobility. Basically I got tired of fighting over computers at Uni, so I got a decent second-hand one for $300. I never really expected my laptop to take over my desktop as my primary computer, and I can't see it happening in the near future.

As for me, I can say I'll always get a desktop, and a laptop if mobility is of importance.
However, laptops are a LOT more energy efficient. It might just be a significant enough factor when I start paying the bills.

As for the general trend, I do think more and more people are buying laptops as their primary computer these days as they're getting better budget wise.

(lol, I just realised I voted the wrong one. oh well.)

[Animeniax]

I'm on a laptop right now, waiting for my parts to arrive to put my desktop together again. Since there aren't a lot of great PC games out, I'm wondering if it's even necessary to have a desktop PC, as the laptop I use handles everything I need a PC for. But I'll always be a desktop guy, I need the power and robustness only a large humming box can provide.

[Nadouku]

I only have a desktop, and a largely crappy one to boot. :(

I'm quite happy with it, but in the future, I might swap it for a superior one.

[TwisT]

Desktop. I watch all anime/tv shows/movies on it so i need a screen that you get a good picture on and not a crappy laptop screen (have not to this day encountered a good laptop screen. Also i play alot of games so i need the power i get from a desktop. And i download alot so i need the harddrive space (and i'm no fan of external HDDs.

My setup so far

ASUS P5K PRO Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz
4x CORSAIR 1GB DDR2 PC5400 XMS2 XTREME HEATZINK
Geforce 8800GT 512mb

2x Seagate Barracuda 250gb hdd's
2x Seagate Barracuda 320gb hdd's
1x Western Digital Caviar Green 1tb hdd

And a 26 inch widescreen tft screen

I'm close to upgrading the CPU and GPU. Start to feel newer games starting to go slower and slower on this old piece of junk.

I would never trade in my desktop for a laptop.

[darkshadow]

Well I have a desktop and I build it to be pretty beastly ( its 2 years old now and still kicks ass at anything ).
specs:
3GHZ Core 2 Quad, 4GB DDR2 ram, hd4870, Audigy 2zs, DFI mobo 1x 320gb - 1x 200gb - 1x 150gb raptor, a dual screen setup( 1lcd and 1crt for color proofing) and z5500d speakers.

I build it like this cause I needed something that could function like a workstation, since I do a lot of 3d/2d work and rendering, this ofcourse had the side effect of it being terrific at everything else aswell, by the time I upgrade this the next "i7" will be out already.

I've also got a laptop, but since I only wanted one to be mobile, I just got a second hand one from a friend for 280€, but the actual laptop was more like 40€, since he also gave me a 9-cell battery, a pretty sweet bag and some other shit.
Overall the laptop is pretty good, but def not meant for gaming, though it manages to play CNC3.
specs:
14.1" screen, 1.8ghz Core 2 Duo
1gb ram ( need to upgrade this badly)
intel gma 350, 200gb hdd, dvd burner

So yeah it keeps me mobile, is able to handle 3d and 2d work, handles 1080p like its nothing and does a tiny bit of gaming.

But if I have to choose, definitly the desktop, build it and love it.

[Ryllharu]

I have a desktop for gaming, watching HD video, and general use. 2.66 GHz Core 2 Quad with 6 gigs of RAM (64bit vista), GeForce 9600, average sound card. 22 inch LCD monitor that I bought for the price rather than the resolution (clarity is great, it just can't get past 1680x1050).

I also have an ultraportable laptop. ThinkPad (because I loathe trackpads and it only has the nub) with a 2.20 Core 2 Duo, no optical drives, and an integrated video card, and a 12.1" screen. I works, it could use another stick of RAM (bought it with one DIMM, forgot to get another gig stick). Battery life is pretty good, and I'll probably upgrade to Windows 7 using an external drive when that comes out (currently has XP).

[Marik]

Desktop only. I'd probably drop and break a laptop if I had one.

Dell 435T

Intel Core i7-920 2.66GHz
6GB DDR3 1066MHz
750GB Serial ATA 2 Hard Drive 7200 RPM
1GB ATI Radeon HD 4870 GDDR5
Dell S2409W 24 inch HD Monitor

Running Windows 7 RC1 64-bit for now.

[Lucifus]

Desktop

AMD X2 3800+ OCed 2.81
6GB DDR3 1066 MHz
500GB SATA HD 7200 RPM. 250GB SATA HD 7200 RPM. 80GB HD 7200 RPM
GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB DDR3 (Pending update)
Dell e228wfp 22 inch monitor. (Pending update)

And atm my brothers old toshiba cracking windows 7. Gotta have portability.

[Board of Command]

Desktop 1 (main)
Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 4.1 GHz
Asus P5K-E
2x2GB G.Skill DDR2-1000
Radeon 4890 @ 930/1150
X-Fi XtremeMusic
Dell 2209WA (IPS for the win)

Desktop 2 (remote video encoding/file share)
Phenom II X4 920
ASRock AOD790GX/128M
4x512MB Generic DDR2-800
No keyboard/mouse/monitor/sound/discrete graphics

Desktop 3 (bedroom school work system)
Athlon X2 5200+
Asus M2A-VM
2x1GB OCZ DDR2-800
Radeon 4670
Dell E2009W

Laptop (Dell Inspiron 640m)
Core 2 Duo T5600
2x1GB DDR2-667
250GB Hitachi hard drive
14.1" 1440x900 screen

Desktop 4 (trying to sell this one)
Core 2 Duo E6750
Asus P5KPL-VM
2x1GB OCZ DDR2-800
Radeon 3870X2