Halp, I'm facing laptop hardware issues

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Right, I'd build a tower for any gaming / processor intensive uses (might have to edit video someday.. not that I want to though) and I in the mean time I'd need a laptop to write up notes and assignements for school and my job. Being able to handle iTunes, YouTube, and any other basic media uses would be the most strain I'd think of using it for. Hence, portability being a selling point.

OK. I like the sound of that.

I'd look into some of the ultra portable laptops. My main laptop has a 13" screen, and I think that's just about a perfect combination of portability and screen size. I'd stay away from the tiny netbooks though. I've never known a single owner of one of those to look back and say "Yeah, that was a quality purchase."

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

OK. I like the sound of that.

I'd look into some of the ultra portable laptops. My main laptop has a 13" screen, and I think that's just about a perfect combination of portability and screen size. I'd stay away from the tiny netbooks though. I've never known a single owner of one of those to look back and say "Yeah, that was a quality purchase."

What about cost, and what are the odds I'll have a Windows OS with at least word included..?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

What about cost, and what are the odds I'll have a Windows OS with at least word included..?

Cost is all variable depending on what components are important to you.

OS and Word depends on your morality. If you prefer to pay, you're looking at probably over $200 for both Windows and Office. Free if you yell YARRRR!

We could suggest some builds for you if you tell us what components you'd prefer.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

Cost is all variable depending on what components are important to you.

OS and Word depends on your morality. If you prefer to pay, you're looking at probably over $200 for both Windows and Office. Free if you yell YARRRR!

We could suggest some builds for you if you tell us what components you'd prefer.

Talked to a professor that pretty much told me to get a gaming system to be able to work professionally in my field, which makes me groan but whatever..

So at this point is it better to get a top end laptop with some durability and eschew the self-built desktop or..

See, as incredibly dumb as I admit it is, I've liked AW's products. I had a 17in laptop and would still be using it had I not ordered it underpowered in processing power, if I could get the LCD screen replaced (lines of pixels purpled-out) and if it wasn't so ****ing big. 2 of the 3 problems were errors on my part.

That being said, I don't know if I can justify making a 3rd AW purchase in under 5 years time. That, and I don't have the cash on hand for such a purchase at this time.

[ModSocks]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

So at this point is it better to get a top end laptop with some durability and eschew the self-built desktop or..

Im not sure that high end laptops and durability are synonymous. I'm not sure this is entirely true, but from my experience and from what i've been told, the higher performance stuff also produces more heat (assuming you're working it hard and taking advantage of the hardware). More heat = higher chance of hardware failure.

It's not because you bought a BAD laptop...it's just something that's inherent in laptops because of the extremely limited space and ventilation.