Desktop Vs Laptop. Which should I buy?

Most of you might have come across the dilemma, should I buy a desktop or a laptop?

It is not an easy question to answer, considering the amount of money at stake. A laptop can cost from a mere SGD$700 to SGD$4,000, while a desktop could be worth about SGD$400 to SGD$3,000. One might immediately notice a vast difference in the price, and would find the answer to the question rather straightforward, but one also has to take into account not only the price factor, but mobility and portability of the chosen system as well.

First thing's first, portability. A laptop is easy to move from one place to another as it is relatively light (I've seen a 5kg laptop before) and compact. As compared to a desktop which comprises of several significant parts such as the keyboard, mouse, display, speakers and CPU set, a laptop is usually a single piece. Might not be true to some laptops that might come with external CD readers, webcams, etc etc, but you get the general idea. A laptop is easy to move around making it mobile.

Secondly, performance. A high-end laptop will never be as powerful as a high-end desktop. This is true as of now (perhaps in the near future, it might not be applicable). Try comparing the specifications of a desktop to a laptop and you'll see the difference. A faster processor, more ram, bigger hard disk, bigger display, bigger everything, all on a desktop. So yeah, a laptop isn't as powerful as a desktop.

Thirdly, price. For similar specifications, laptops are expensive. Desktops are cheap. Period.

Fourth, looks. A desktop can appear to be cumbersome and so unsexy (is there such a word?). Even the sleekest desktop appear to be boxy pieces of electronics, and comes with an all too familiar obiang keyboard. Look at the current laptops in the market such as the Mac, the Portege M800, fujitsus, and you'll see something different.

Fifth, Mr Wise Guy can't fix laptops. So if you got a hardware problem with your motherboard or sound card or whatever in your laptop, I can't fix it! So, get a desktop, and I could fix your comp in no time! haha. Yeap, frankly speaking, desktop parts are cheaper and easier to replace than laptops. Desktops are easier to upgrade too! Let's say you're pissed off with your graphics card, and decide to change it, you could do it anytime. But with a laptop, there's more to it than buying a card from Sim Lim Square.

So, it all depends on your needs to answer this question, Desktop or a Laptop? Which one should I buy?

I'd recommend a laptop if you need it to do work at the workplace (though it might not be necessary for offices with computers), school lectures (tablet pcs are cool and handy to take down notes), impress people (perhaps meeting a client?) or if you need to be connected to the internet all the time. Otherwise, a desktop will suffice like me!

Have a good time shopping! And COMEX 2008 is COMING!!!