Is desktop replacement a reality for laptop?

[Beas]

I keep going back and forth on this issue. I'm about to spend some hard earned cash on a new laptop, and depending on how it is used, I'll either spend as little as I can or significantly more.

Meaning, if it is an *additional* machine to be used strictly for mobility, I will spend as little as I can get away with. But if it can be used to replace my aging desktop, I will spend more and feel much better about doing it.

I'm in this quandary mostly because I'm broke, but also because I have this sneaking suspicion that my new laptop with SSD is going to blow away my old desktop in performance. The desktop needs a major upgrade, but I require mobility right now even more...and no cash for both! :[

Seems like a cheaper way to go by using only one computer, but am I going to kill a laptop by using it 12 hours a day as I do my current desktop???

[DragonRider862]

If you're worried about a laptop arbitrarily dying on you under heavy use just because it's a laptop, you probably shouldn't be. I've used my current laptop heavily as a desktop replacement for four years without any major problems developing. Honestly, I think it's pretty typical for people to use laptops as their primary computers these days.

Of course, if you want specific advice, you'll need to explain how much you would have expected of the hypothetical desktop you'd be replacing. There's a big difference in cost efficiency between a laptop intended to play graphics-intensive games at high settings and a laptop intended to surf the web and watch movies.

[Beas]

If you're worried about a laptop arbitrarily dying on you under heavy use just because it's a laptop, you probably shouldn't be. I've used my current laptop heavily as a desktop replacement for four years without any major problems developing. Honestly, I think it's pretty typical for people to use laptops as their primary computers these days.

Of course, if you want specific advice, you'll need to explain how much you would have expected of the hypothetical desktop you'd be replacing. There's a big difference in cost efficiency between a laptop intended to play graphics-intensive games at high settings and a laptop intended to surf the web and watch movies.

My reluctance is probably due to an outdated perception of a laptop as a light-duty device. That and the small space the components are crammed into vs a desktop... Would I not run into overheating issues by using it heavily 12 hours a day?

Also just to give you a frame of reference: The 2 machines I'm weighing are a lower-end Lenovo T530 vs either a higher-end T530 or even a W530. Compare that to my current desktop: 2.4 GHz Pentium 4 6600 with 2 GB RAM and 7200 HD. Am I wrong in thinking the laptops I referenced would outperform the desktop? Usage is 2D graphic design, Adobe CS6 products, production environment.

FWIW, I've never had a desktop die. But I have heard of laptops "dying" unexpectedly...

[Beas]

Also, what about the battery? Would you take it out when not mobile?

[jrfox87]

You certainly do not need to take the battery out when the machine is plugged in, once the battery is full power will stop being sent to it anyway so it won't overcharge or harm it in any way.

I think it is pretty safe to say that the Thinkpads you mentioned would blow away your current desktop in performance pretty easily. Thinkpads are a business class laptop line and as such they are build to last a good amount of years, they are very durable and reliable, in fact they about the more durable and reliable laptops you can buy on the market today.

[nissangtr786]

My reluctance is probably due to an outdated perception of a laptop as a light-duty device. That and the small space the components are crammed into vs a desktop... Would I not run into overheating issues by using it heavily 12 hours a day?

Also just to give you a frame of reference: The 2 machines I'm weighing are a lower-end Lenovo T530 vs either a higher-end T530 or even a W530. Compare that to my current desktop: 2.4 GHz Pentium 4 6600 with 2 GB RAM and 7200 HD. Am I wrong in thinking the laptops I referenced would outperform the desktop? Usage is 2D graphic design, Adobe CS6 products, production environment.

FWIW, I've never had a desktop die. But I have heard of laptops "dying" unexpectedly...

I had to my lmao off there not literally but seeing your question before and then the spec of your pc. Heck a 2006 laptop with a core 2 duo and go 7600 would leave your desktop to shreds.

Heck most netbooks are powerful then the desktop you are using. You should notice at least 10-30 time improvement in any rendering and if you get a laptop with a k2000m graphics card you should notice at least 10 time improvement in gaming, and lets say you get an i5 3210m dual core fthen you should notice around 20x the speed on rendering or an i7 3610m then around 35x the speed of your current p4. Most tasks should be around 5-10x faster but but rendring p4's are to slow. Also best of all the new laptop should take similar power consumption to your desktop now so you get that performance without your electricity bill going up, heck it should be less as the new laptop should take around 90w less on idle.

So to answer your question desktop replacement a reality for a laptop compared to the one you posted a netbook would be a big upgrde in efficiency to your current desktop let alone any main laptops.

Also most laptops are very reliable, you just need to get a decent quality one.

[Beas]

I had to my lmao off there not literally but seeing your question before and then the spec of your pc. Heck a 2006 laptop with a core 2 duo and go 7600 would leave your desktop to shreds.

I love it!

Heck most netbooks are powerful then the desktop you are using. You should notice at least 10-30 time improvement in any rendering and if you get a laptop with a k2000m graphics card you should notice at least 10 time improvement in gaming, and lets say you get an i5 3210m dual core fthen you should notice around 20x the speed on rendering or an i7 3610m then around 35x the speed of your current p4. Most tasks should be around 5-10x faster but but rendring p4's are to slow. Also best of all the new laptop should take similar power consumption to your desktop now so you get that performance without your electricity bill going up, heck it should be less as the new laptop should take around 90w less on idle.

So to answer your question desktop replacement a reality for a laptop compared to the one you posted a netbook would be a big upgrde in efficiency to your current desktop let alone any main laptops.

Also most laptops are very reliable, you just need to get a decent quality one.

Ok, I get your point, but you missed the nature of my question...the very age of my desktop tells the story. That the laptop will be more powerful was never in question, though I might have understated it a bit... The real question was can a modern laptop stand up to the daily grind that the desktop has for the past 8-9 years, without any sign of giving up the ghost?

It is a moot point now, however, because I have come to a simple resolution: Replace the desktop with a new laptop for 1-2 years while my business absorbs the expenditure, then upgrade the desktop. If it seems like I'm agonizing over an obvious decision it is only because I'm in the unfortunate position of pinching pennies.

If you really want a laugh, consider the fact that I have on a shelf in my office: An unopened i7-920 Bloomfield processor still in the box, 6GB Triple Channel RAM in unopened original packaging, and an Antec P183 case unopened , still in the original box. This is the system I started assembling 3 years ago, right before my business hit the skids in an alarming way...

[nipsen]

heheh..

If you choose well, then yes. You can still buy laptops that eventually overheat if they run on full load all day, though. Lots and lots of (popular) systems that aren't really designed for that..

Anyway. If you're not going to play games very much, take a look at the Trinity systems coming out now with larger screens. Will be a quad-core with pretty high performance, running at 25-35w on load, including dx11 compatible graphics card. So no overheat, basically no matter what. One less problem to worry about.

[nissangtr786]

Most laptops are very reliable. I have a d820 still with a t7600 cpu 1920x1200 screen and its used for playing dvd's on the go and that is 5-6 years old.

I can grind on my laptop video encoding fraps, playing games to the limit and my laptop is going fine.

A t530 should last 5 years no probs as it is designed for heavy work as it is a business grade t series laptop so has strong build quality.