kind of having second thoughts...

i pre-ordered the np8660 from xotic about two weeks ago, but am currently having some second thoughts.

ideally, i would want to get a cheap laptop and a good desktop. however, i am going to school in chicago next year but live in new york. because i am going to be flying to and from school a decent amount, i thought it impractical to get a desktop.

now, i am thinking that it might be a decent idea to get an np2096 for around $1200 (or even a dv5z for $900!) and get a $1400 desktop in about a year and use that as my primary system. i have also ordered the dell ultrasharp 24" monitor and will use that no matter what.

my question is whether or not the idea mentioned above ^^ is at all feasible. does anyone have any experience flying with desktops as carry-on? also, if i'm being kind of crazy, just tell me....thanks

 

Flying with your desktop is crazy , even if you pack it since its pretty big its bound to get damaged in some way or another. Not to mention if it gets lost which isn't unheard of in an airport.

 

If you absolutely need to play every single game on maximum settings, then yes you should get a desktop. However, if you are not a serious gamer, then I think a np8660 should be enough to satisfy you for a couple years.

 

^--^ Agreed

You can obviously get more power in a desktop, but do you really need more power (more than you can get in the 8660)? The 8660 is more powerful than most desktops, except for extreme gaming rigs. If you REALLY need all the power of an extreme gaming desktop, then you probably don't want to travel with it anyway (or, at least - you're freakin' CRAZY if you do!) Trying to pack a desktop system for carry-on is absolutly nuts, in my opinion. I'd bet my paycheck that you'd do it once, and never EVER try to do it again. And checking it on is way too dangerous. Also, I think that a desktop in the class of more power than the 8660 (serious gaming rig) is going to cost you more than $1200-$1400 anyway.

My vote - for a similar price as your laptop+desktop scenario, is to get a powerful laptop (the 8660 certainly qualifies) that will do almost everything (probably everything) that you want. Hook up your external monitor, keyboard and mouse - and you can't tell it's not a desktop. This is what I did with my 5793, and I'll never go back to a desktop. I can take it wherever I want to go, and at the office it's hooked up to the monitor and USB keyboard/mouse, and it outperforms any of my co-workers' desktop systems.

If you REALLY want portable power on a desktop scale, then look into the 9262. It's bigger and heavier than the 8660, but smaller and lighter than a desktop - and similarly powered (as a desktop). It's got desktop grade components inside, and is the most powerful portable on the planet right now. More expensive than the 8660, for sure - but maybe it gets you the best of both worlds.

 

friar tuck: monitor aside, a desktop with crossfire 3850s (which together are MUCH more powerful than the 9800m gt) only costs around 1100

 

I say, if possible, get a 9262 and skip the laptop/desktop combo. You have it all in one there. A desktop processor and top of the line mobile graphics cards. It's a bit heavier than a 15" laptop but it's still portable enough to take back and forth.

 

Point taken. Still - I'd vote for a poweful laptop over the combo any day. Check out the 9262 - I think it'll be offered with the 9800 GTX in SLi soon. That should be plenty of power, and a nice compromise on the size and weight between a laptop and desktop.

 

definitely not getting the 9262 for two reasons:
1)its far beyond the budget that i have....and that budget is for TWO computers

2) not very portable, so not a single solution

 

Then get the Gateway P fx for ~1200-1400 with the 8800M GTS and a good desktop.

 

Portable Laptop/Gaming Desktop is the smarter option. You already have a 24" Dell monitor, so I see where your coming from.

But the way I see it, I'll likely purchase the NP8660 for college, because my its 24 hrs away, and I don't want to deal with transporting a desktop around every 8 months, that could be time consuming and expensive. (Or having it protected when I come home...)

I think the 9800M offers a lot convenience for gamers that are on the move. I think you'll enjoy it.

The way I see it is I might go with the NP8660 for a long while (2-3 years), and put together a serious gaming rig after that. This will be the first & last gaming laptop I buy, because the pricing/performance compared to what I get from a desktop is so much better.

For example, I put an ATI X1950 GT ($129.99 Canadian) in my 2 year old $700 desktop 7 months ago, it scores 4300-5000 3D Marks 06', depending on the number of processes running in the backround/overclock etc... How many $1400 Laptops score 4300-5000 3d marks? Maybe the Gateway p-fx, but that's about it, that's discouraging.

But all in all, I think you will really enjoy it, I think its reasonable to have second thoughts after making a major purchase, it means you like to know where your money is going. When you fire the thing up & get used to it, your second thoughts will be irrelevant.

 

If you're getting a gaming desktop, dont get a gaming laptop. You can get plenty of cheap yet reliable 13-14in laptops, saving you even more money while adding a lot of portability

 

I'm not sure what countries everyone lives in, but for those in the US, can we even carry on a desktop computer? Security is so heavy these days; what would they say about that much electronics?

 

yeah, i'm thinking along the lines of aRom
i'll get the np8660 for my first 2-3 yrs of college and then build myself a desktop when i'm more settled

 

Well, you can totally configure a 9262 for under $2600 (which was what you stated your 2-computer budget was).

At Xotic:

- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel Core 2 QUAD Q6600 2.4GHz w/ 8MB L2 Cache - 1066MHz FSB
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- ~ 4,096MB DDR2 800 (2 SODIMMS) Dual Channel Memory (Requires Vista 64-Bit to recognize Full 4GB)
- Standard Finish
- ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Softwares
- ~ 320GB 5400RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 8MB Cache)
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/g/n
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
- ~Windows Vista Ultimate 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's

Price = $2,549


And you can upgrade the snot out of it later.

And how do you figure it isn't very portable when you're contemplating carrying a DESKTOP onto an airplane?!

 

first of all, that config of the np9262 isnt that much better than my np8660

second, when i'm talking about portability, i mean the ease with which i can carry the notebook around during the day

 

With the Prices for flying going wild due to gas prices. Go for a laptop. Once your done with school get a desktop. Buy a laptop that sits you needs.

 

~Intel Core 2 QUAD Q6600 2.4GHz w/ 8MB L2 Cache - 1066MHz FSB

That processor is alot more powerful than what the np8660 is sporting. You can always get the cheaper config and upgrade later.

 

I have a high $$ gaming desktop and a reasonable laptop (Dell XPS 1710). I have already decided that I will never again buy a desktop as everything I want to do, I can do just as easily on the laptop. Now with 320g storage available, at 7200rpm, there is really no reason NOT to go solely with a laptop. I realize the Dell is somewhat big for your needs, but at the time I bought it, you couldn't get a lot of graphics and storage in a 15.4" notebook.

I am just awaiting the reviews to start hitting and then I'll be upgrading to a new 15.4". And once I do, I'll hardly ever touch the desktop again (not that I do very much now).

BTW, the second laptop in my signature is my wife's, so I don't use it...

 

well i own both a really high end desktop and high end laptop as well as a more base model.. imo there still are things that a desktop can do that a laptop will not. i have always lots of trouble with the dvd burners in laptops burning nearly as well as desktop ones.. etc.. most are trivial to most people though.

i dont think i will build another high dollar desktop though its just not worth it imo. i have a e8500 running at a stable 4.28 with 4gb ram dual 4850's dfi mobo etc etc.. i do find some things can be done better on a desktop though but overall a laptop will do 98% of what the desktop will do..

what dod you need this for overall what will you be doing with it??

 

No you are not crazy. A lot of people out there have both a great desktop system as well as a killer gaming notebook. Obviously if you had the dough, you would spend about $3-4k and buy both. But if you didn't then IMO I would get the gaming laptop first, perhaps a 8660 (if you used the 24" with it) or the 5796 (if you didn't have a ext monitor) and then get the desktop system (with a Nvidia 280) when you had the money.

I myself game on my desktop when I'm at home (Q6600/8800GTS), but when I'm at work, I game using my Core2duo T7200 Dell with a Go 7900gs. Wait, did I just say that??? Unfortunately my 7900gs just fried so that's why I'm looking to get a new Sager as a replacement.

Also, I wouldn't recommend flying with the desktop as carryon. Does anybody out there do that? I think that is why they created laptops in the first place.

 

That's my opinion too. I'm thinking my quad core desktop "should" last me at least another 2-3 years. Until the next gen O/S requires an upgrade. D*mn those PC and O/S companies. It's a conspiracy I tell ya!

 

Stick with just the laptop. I had the same dilemma. I have to travel to and from school 2.5 hours away when I go to college this Fall. At first I was thinking I could just use a desktop and transfer it to/from school but I realized i'm not up for that. First off, it takes too much time to pack all that crap (monitor, big computer, accessories). Also, I wouldn't want it to break. Plus, I would probably leave it at school for the short leaves I take to go home. Also, can't use it on vacations and such.

I am happy I bought the Sager NP5796 and didn't build a desktop.

 

go for a sager 2096. it will prob be enough power for you for a long time. then you could either buy a new laptop in teh same price range that can play the new games or buy a desktop.