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Portability, accessories factor in when buying a computer
Ryan Dostalek
Issue date: 10/1/07 Section: Money/Health
Taking a stroll through Davies Center, or any part of campus for that matter, a common sight is the number of students typing away at papers and homework or taking a break from coursework to play video games and chat with friends at different schools.
The tool behind making it possible for students to continue working on their school projects and de-stress between the day's list of classes is the increasingly popular laptop computer.
Sophomore Zach Boerner recently traded in his desktop computer for a new laptop earlier this month.
Boerner, who said he had a desktop for approximately five years as a hand-me-down from his brother, acknowledged he switched styles of machines because of mobility issues.
"The only place my desktop would go was to and from home at the end of each semester," he said. "Now I can take my computer to the study lounge, to a friend's room or down the hill."
The physical comparison
Campus experts at Learning and Technology Services said there are a handful of things that are different from a desktop computer compared to a laptop computer.
But Carol Accola, manager of computing assistance and training at LTS, hones in on one difference in particular - portability.
"Mobility is the only big difference with a (laptop)," she said. "It's just a computer that you can take with you. It's the only advantage, but a big advantage," noting that she too recently switched to a laptop to make herself more mobile with her computer.
Accola said that because of the portability of a laptop, many features of a desktop are either scaled down or lost completely.
She pointed out the viewing screen of a laptop is smaller than most desktop computers, which can have monitors as large as 23 inches. Also, she said laptops do not come equipped with a full-size keyboard like a desktop does, which includes the numeric pad.
Larger speakers are another item that enhance a desktop computer, she said, noting sound quality is reduced on a laptop because of the smaller speakers.
But, she said companies are starting to come out with "cool accessories" for laptops, including portable speakers, similar to those an iPod might have.
Accola said hardware differences can also be noted between a laptop and a desktop.
"The largest hard drives, the fastest processors always come out on a desktop first," she said. "But people seldom need that kind of cutting edge technology."
Because of the portable nature of the laptop, Accola said, their life span is much less than that of a desktop, attributing this to the amount of abuse laptops can suffer.
Rob Benson, sales associate at the Eau Claire Best Buy, 4090 Commonwealth Ave., said another difference between the two is the battery associated with the laptop.
The price comparison
Accola said between the two types of machines, laptops are generally more expensive than desktops, but noted that the price has come down making affordability less of an issue.
Benson said his store prices vary significantly, but the overall trend is desktops being cheaper. He said their cheapest laptop costs approximately $350 where their high-end laptop runs roughly $2,000. As for desktops, Benson said their cheapest is approximately $350 and the top-of-the-line one costs about $1,800.
Benson said desktops are also less expensive to maintain.
"Buying a new monitor or new keyboard for your laptop is very expensive," Benson said. "Quite simply, what you buy is what you get."
He added it is the opposite for a desktop, which he said are more easily expanded and cost less to do so.
Accola said there are student discounts available through both Dell and Apple. She also noted that LTS sells laptops and desktops at their semester computer sales.
Boerner said choosing a non-name brand computer, such as his Toshiba over a more popular brand such as Dell, also saves money.
The final decision
When making the final choice between purchasing either a laptop or a desktop, Benson, Accola and Boerner all agree that the way a student plans to use their computer is the biggest factor that needs to be taken into consideration.
"Consider what you're using it for," Boerner said. "If you want portability, go with the laptop, otherwise you could get away with a desktop."
Accola noted that among the uses, students should consider whether they will be using their machines for gaming, graphic-intensive programs and even consider programs needed for their major.
Before stepping into the store or logging on to the Internet, Benson said students should prepare before shelling out the money.
"A lot of students come in here with no clue," he said. "If students do some research, they have the tools necessary to make purchasing a computer smoother."
The tool behind making it possible for students to continue working on their school projects and de-stress between the day's list of classes is the increasingly popular laptop computer.
Sophomore Zach Boerner recently traded in his desktop computer for a new laptop earlier this month.
Boerner, who said he had a desktop for approximately five years as a hand-me-down from his brother, acknowledged he switched styles of machines because of mobility issues.
"The only place my desktop would go was to and from home at the end of each semester," he said. "Now I can take my computer to the study lounge, to a friend's room or down the hill."
The physical comparison
Campus experts at Learning and Technology Services said there are a handful of things that are different from a desktop computer compared to a laptop computer.
But Carol Accola, manager of computing assistance and training at LTS, hones in on one difference in particular - portability.
"Mobility is the only big difference with a (laptop)," she said. "It's just a computer that you can take with you. It's the only advantage, but a big advantage," noting that she too recently switched to a laptop to make herself more mobile with her computer.
Accola said that because of the portability of a laptop, many features of a desktop are either scaled down or lost completely.
She pointed out the viewing screen of a laptop is smaller than most desktop computers, which can have monitors as large as 23 inches. Also, she said laptops do not come equipped with a full-size keyboard like a desktop does, which includes the numeric pad.
Larger speakers are another item that enhance a desktop computer, she said, noting sound quality is reduced on a laptop because of the smaller speakers.
But, she said companies are starting to come out with "cool accessories" for laptops, including portable speakers, similar to those an iPod might have.
Accola said hardware differences can also be noted between a laptop and a desktop.
"The largest hard drives, the fastest processors always come out on a desktop first," she said. "But people seldom need that kind of cutting edge technology."
Because of the portable nature of the laptop, Accola said, their life span is much less than that of a desktop, attributing this to the amount of abuse laptops can suffer.
Rob Benson, sales associate at the Eau Claire Best Buy, 4090 Commonwealth Ave., said another difference between the two is the battery associated with the laptop.
The price comparison
Accola said between the two types of machines, laptops are generally more expensive than desktops, but noted that the price has come down making affordability less of an issue.
Benson said his store prices vary significantly, but the overall trend is desktops being cheaper. He said their cheapest laptop costs approximately $350 where their high-end laptop runs roughly $2,000. As for desktops, Benson said their cheapest is approximately $350 and the top-of-the-line one costs about $1,800.
Benson said desktops are also less expensive to maintain.
"Buying a new monitor or new keyboard for your laptop is very expensive," Benson said. "Quite simply, what you buy is what you get."
He added it is the opposite for a desktop, which he said are more easily expanded and cost less to do so.
Accola said there are student discounts available through both Dell and Apple. She also noted that LTS sells laptops and desktops at their semester computer sales.
Boerner said choosing a non-name brand computer, such as his Toshiba over a more popular brand such as Dell, also saves money.
The final decision
When making the final choice between purchasing either a laptop or a desktop, Benson, Accola and Boerner all agree that the way a student plans to use their computer is the biggest factor that needs to be taken into consideration.
"Consider what you're using it for," Boerner said. "If you want portability, go with the laptop, otherwise you could get away with a desktop."
Accola noted that among the uses, students should consider whether they will be using their machines for gaming, graphic-intensive programs and even consider programs needed for their major.
Before stepping into the store or logging on to the Internet, Benson said students should prepare before shelling out the money.
"A lot of students come in here with no clue," he said. "If students do some research, they have the tools necessary to make purchasing a computer smoother."
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