Mom2boys Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 We are going to buy a second computer, and I am on the fence as to whether we should get a desktop or laptop. We have a desktop already, and that will be for the kids to use for school and gaming. The new computer will be all mine. :D So, can you give me some good reasons I should get a laptop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I like being able to put my laptop away, where toddlers can't get to it. I like being able to take my laptop outside while the kids run around. I like taking my laptop to bed to watch movies. I love that I don't have to give up desk space. I love that I could take my laptop anywhere, if I ever went anywhere. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I love that my laptop is so portable and can go where I go. I'm out of town right now at my sister's house - I couldn't have taken a desktop with me. I also spend a lot of time at gymnastics and the dance studio. I can take my laptop with me. I can put it away when I want and the kids don't have access to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I love being able to take my laptop outside while the kids are playing or if it's just a nice day. I like to be able to sit at the kitchen table with it. I love being able to take it to the library when I'm doing lesson plans and being able to access the internet wirelessly there. I love being able to take it to the big lib. book sale so I can look up the books I have already so I don't buy duplicates. (Of course a palm would be even easier....) If you already have a desktop machine, why would you not get a laptop? What would the advantage of another desktop be? yvonne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 If you do not plan on using it outside the home.....I would get a desktop. I feel I use my computer PLENTY at home.....I wouldn't want to take it with me anywhere, LOL. I never could get used to the 'smallness' of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 We only have one computer and it's a laptop. I NEVER want to switch back to a desktop again! I love all the space the laptop saves, and I love that I can transport it anywhere easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbows Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I LOVE my laptop. I tend to use it all over the house more than taking it out with me, but love the portability of it. I even sit out in my yard with it sometimes lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I've had laptops for twenty years now. I forget what its like to have a desktop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I like being able to put my laptop away, where toddlers can't get to it. I like being able to take my laptop outside while the kids run around. I like taking my laptop to bed to watch movies. I love that I don't have to give up desk space. I love that I could take my laptop anywhere, if I ever went anywhere. ;) :iagree: Also, it's small, doesn't take up so much space. I use it mostly at the kitchen/dining table. Dh takes it to his fantasy baseball draft because he set up a chart/system for picking his players does everything I need it to do (I'll never get another desktop again) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I like that I can take my laptop and sit on the couch and work on lesson plans, and possibly take it out of the home with me if the need ever arises (which it hasn't yet). However, I like the desktop computer because it costs less to purchase and is easier and less expensive to upgrade as necessary. If you damage a laptop (like the lcd panel) it's insanely expensive to replace. You can fry your laptop with a spilled drink (I know from experience!). I guess you really need to decide on what your needs are. My husband is a computer geek and put together 3 desktop computers for less than the cost of one really good laptop. I currently have one older and outdated laptop for myself that I basically just use as a word processor. We have a desktop computer that my husband and I share, and the two older children (6 & 8) both have a desktops (not as fast & new as the main one). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 My favorite part of a laptop is not having to have a desk for it! I don't want any more furniture in my house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I haven't read all the replies so please excuse me if I repeat. *It goes anywhere. *we can have school at the cafe or library (but you have to find a cafe with wifi) *I can leave my beloved family at home on a saturday morning and take my laptop for "planning period" w/o interuption! *portable dvd player *I can download a netflix, pause it, and take it with me to something (the only time I've done that is when my daughter was in a play and had rehearsal every night. I did it a couple of times and was glad to have it). *it comes to me, i dont' have to go to it I can't imagine I'll every buy another desktop again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I'll add another: I can put it on the kitchen island, open to a recipe I'm trying, but don't want to write down (until I know if it's a success!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I greatly prefer a laptop to a desktop. It's much nicer to not be chained to my desk when I need to work. Our neighborhood loses power occasionally for several days at a time, and our house isn't air conditioned, so it's VERY helpful to be able to grab my laptop and head to the library or Panera :lol: and still get work done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2boys Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 If you already have a desktop machine, why would you not get a laptop? What would the advantage of another desktop be? yvonne Well, I don't really like the laptop keyboards and the flat panel "mouse". I know you can buy a wireless mouse and keyboard to use with a laptop, but I wouldn't want to haul an extra mouse and keyboard with me out of the house. And, as another poster mentioned, laptops are expensive to repair. We currently have two computer desks, so adding another piece of furniture is not an issue for us. We already have the space for a desktop. What I am really trying to figure out is if the portability factor outweighs the cons. And, if there are other pluses I hadn't thought of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E_Edgerton Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 (edited) I have a laptop and love it. However it NEVER leaves my desk station! Yes, I do have the option of mobility but I rarely utilize it. You can definitely get so much more computer for your money if you get a desktop, so with that in mind only get the laptop if you REALLY need to compute on the go. Good luck.:) Edited July 12, 2009 by E_Edgerton spelling error Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2boys Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 Thanks for all the great replies! I had not thought about how handy a laptop would be during a power outage, or when traveling, or for trying out recipes in the kitchen. We looked at some laptops this afternoon, and I saw some reasonably priced Compaqs that did not have tiny keyboards. Maybe if I got a larger laptop and a wireless mouse, I could adjust. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2boys Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 I have a laptop and love it. However it NEVER leaves my desk station! Yes, I do have the option of mobility but I rarely utilize it. You can definitely get so much more computer for your money if you get a desktop, so with that in mind only get the laptop if you REALLY need to compute on the go. Good luck.:) When we were shopping this afternoon, dh was drooling over some desktops with tons of memory and hard drive space, plus giant monitors. The desktops had so much more than the laptops, for just a little bit more money. I definitely want to make sure that I would not just leave my laptop on my desk 98% of the time. Hearing how other homeschool moms use their laptops is really helpful in that regard. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 (edited) Well, I don't really like the laptop keyboards and the flat panel "mouse". I know you can buy a wireless mouse and keyboard to use with a laptop, but I wouldn't want to haul an extra mouse and keyboard with me out of the house. I don't use the flat panel mouse on my laptop much, I use a wired mouse. I actually can't use a wireless mouse on my laptop, because my laptop is too old for the USB port to supply enough power, so we got this mouse: http://www.trust.com/products/product.aspx?artnr=15488. We actually got it for our girls to use, as it's a little on the small side, but now I use it all the time. Dh kept taking my mouse for his computer, because his mice kept dying. This one has a very thin, retractable cord, so it's not so much hassle if you need to store it in a computer bag. Wait a minute...I linked to an optical mouse. That's not the one. I'll find the right one and fix it in a minute... Nevermind. It is optical (optical vs. trackball). I was thinking optical=wireless. My duh. :-) And I'm not sure I'd agree with previous posters who said that if you don't plan on taking your computer anywhere, you should get a desktop. I hardly move my laptop, but I love that it hardly takes up any space. I use it mostly on the end of the dining room table. Edited July 15, 2009 by gardening momma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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