Why My New Laptop Is a Desktop

Jim replaced his old laptop with a desktop. Should you do the same?

The other day I went into my neighborhood Radio Shack to buy computer speakers. "Did you get a new computer?" the clerk asked, making conversation.

"Yes," I answered. "A desktop."

The clerk paused. "Seems like everyone else is buying laptops these days," he responded.

Indeed: "In the U.S. market, the focus continues to be on the transition from desktops to notebooks," said Bob O'Donnell, an analyst at research firm IDC, in a recent press release announcing a new IDC study. Notebook sales were still on the rise "while desktop shipments continued to decline," O'Donnell added.

So why did I buck this trend and buy a desktop PC instead of replacing my old notebook with a new one? And, more importantly, why should you consider doing the same? Read on.

Though notebook prices continue to decline, you can still get more for your money with a desktop.

Take me, for instance: I bought a Hewlett-Packard Pavilion a1640n Media Center PC at Best Buy for $835. The system features a 1.86-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DDR2 SDRAM memory (expandable to 8GB), a 7200-rpm 250GB SATA hard drive, a dual-layer DVD/CD burner, seven USB 2.0 ports, two FireWire ports, and more. The integrated graphics are no great shakes, but I'm not a serious gamer so they work out fine for me. The computer came with a keyboard and a mouse, but not a monitor. Since I already own a 21-inch Dell widescreen LCD, I don't need another display anyway. If I had wanted an HP 17-inch LCD, I could have bought a vs17e for $260--and there was a mail-in rebate available that would have netted me $50 off.

For comparison's sake, I customized an HP Pavilion dv2000t notebook online with a nearly identical processor and memory. The largest hard drive option was a 120GB SATA drive, which because of its smaller platter size and lower 5400-rpm spin rate is significantly slower than the desktop's hard drive. The notebook has a 14.1-inch screen and also includes integrated graphics. Also included is a slower dual-layer DVD/CD burner than the desktop, three USB 2.0 ports, and one FireWire port. The cost is $1400, though rebates totaling $150 were offered at the time.

The bottom line: Without factoring in the rebate, the notebook would have cost me $560 more than the desktop (since I don't need to buy a monitor). And yet the notebook's memory maxed out at 2GB; the hard drive was slower and had less than half the capacity of the desktop's; there were fewer USB and FireWire ports; and so on. Even if I'd had to spend $260 for a monitor, I'd still be spending less and getting more for my money with the desktop PC.

By now many of you are shaking your heads, thinking, "That's all very nice, but I need a computer I can carry with me." Of course; that's why you're reading this newsletter. But after six years of using a notebook as my primary computer, I reconsidered that strategy because of two recent events.

My notebook developed a serious problem. Apparently I had installed a driver or other piece of software that caused repeated system crashes. Eventually my notebook would no longer boot Windows, and I had no choice but to wipe the hard drive clean and reinstall the operating system and applications. Fortunately, I was able to save all my data files by transferring them onto an external hard drive, but it took several days to fully recover from this problem. And so I was reminded again of my need for a backup PC on which I could work when my main PC was out of commission.

I grew worried about traveling with my only computer. Since the alleged terrorist threat this past summer, I have felt increasingly uneasy about hitting the road with my primary computer in tow.

I'm sure you'll recall the security measures that were suddenly enacted that forced many travelers to pack their laptops in checked suitcases. If you haven't traveled recently, you may not know that those emergency security procedures have since been dropped.

There's so much that can happen to a computer when you travel--theft, damage, loss. So on future trips, I'll now be traveling with my backup PC--my Pavilion notebook--while my main computer, the Pavilion desktop, remains in my office.

So what are the downsides to this strategy? For one, having two computers means having to protect both of them with antivirus and anti-spyware tools, firewalls, and other security measures.

But the biggest potential problem is having to remember which files I need on your notebook before hitting the road. One potential solution to this problem is synchronizing files between your desktop and laptop. With this in mind, I've been testing FolderShare, a free utility from Microsoft. FolderShare is designed to synchronize files and folders between multiple, Internet-connected PCs. I'll tell you about my tests next week and provide other tips for using multiple computers. In the meantime, you can go to the FolderShare site for info, or just download it from us.

Everex Systems is now selling a new energy-efficient notebook for $498 at over 2900 WalMart stores throughout the U.S. According to the vendor, the StepNote NC1500 gives you a 20 percent improvement in battery life over comparable systems.

PC World Plugged In columnist Eric Dahl says he's looking forward to Intel's successor to Centrino, scheduled to launch in the first half of 2007. Code-named Santa Rosa, the platform includes a technology called Robson that will reportedly speed boot and resume times and save power with the help of a large cache of flash memory on the motherboard. Santa Rosa will also include faster wireless networking and other improvements.

Subscribers to a new T-Mobile service, HotSpot@Home, will be able to use one phone to make unlimited U.S. calls over Wi-Fi networks that don't require a password, or over the T-Mobile cellular network. The shift between networks will happen without interrupting a call. The service is currently only available from 24 T-Mobile stores in the Seattle area and costs $20 per month. In addition, a voice plan of $40 per month or higher is required.

Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it. However, I regret that I'm unable to respond to tech-support questions, due to the volume of e-mail I receive.

James A. Martin

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