Advice for a new computer

[Ritsuki]

Hi tempers,

So my dear laptop broke, and I want to replace him with another computer. Here is the thin : I'm hesitating between a desktop computer and a new laptop. I rarely move my computer from my room (only when I'm on vacation) and I still have my school laptop (HP Pavillon dv6) who's still working (but makes A LOT of noise, and 2 keys of my keyboard are gone). I want something very resistant and "future-proof". I don't know much about laptops and which brand is better/more resistant than others, so please enlight me

For the desktop pc, I was thinking about the Tier 4 Gaming pc from Hardware-Revolution with the NZXT Phantom case. I'll also add a ACER C20 projector to use my computer in my bed even if it's not a laptop.

So what should I do ?

Thanks for your advices.

 

[Rydian]

Laptops are rarely future-proof. If you want something that will last a long time, get full-size desktop so you can upgrade it bit by bit as time goes on. I'm assuming this PC will be for gaming?

And here's my copy-paste on computer brands.

Brand doesn't matter as much as people want you to think it does.

People generally blame brand for three things.

[*]How well the computer runs.

Dell and HP and Apple and other companies don't "build" machines, they "assemble" them. They take core parts (like the processor / ram / graphics card / harddrive) from other companies that make them, put it all together (with their own cases and accessories) and sell the completed package to you. If you ever take a computer apart, you'll notice that the company names on the parts vary widely. There's a few companies that make ram, a few that make processors, a few that make harddrives, and so on and so forth.

So, for example, there's nothing that makes an HP processor better than a Dell processor... because there's no such thing. Dell and HP can both be using the same processors in their machines. So you can buy a Dell that kicks an HP's ass, and then turn around and buy an HP better than that Dell.

A big part of how well a computer runs is the software installed on it (specifically the drivers and programs like that). Most computer issues are software, have nothing to do with the brand itself, and can be permanently fixed with a little bit of effort.
General Computer Speedup/Maintenance.
That guide will show you how to properly fix most common computer issues, including slowdown, for free.

So if you want a faster computer, you should make sure to pick one with the right parts, and maintain it properly.
[*]How well the computer is physically built.

You get what you pay for. If you buy a company's lowest-end model and find that the case is made out of cheap plastic, it's because you paid for cheap plastic. If you buy a higher-end model and get a sturdy metal case, that's because some of the extra price went towards a metal case. You'll pay more for a computer that's built with better parts and more care, because it costs more for the better parts, and it costs more to have workers spend more time on it. Every computer manufacturer makes multiple lines of computers, and generally the "it fell apart" complaints are from people that bought the cheapest one.

So if you want a more sturdy computer, don't buy the cheapest models.
[*]Tech support.

As said above, you get what you pay for. The standard tech support is the foreign people because they are cheap. If you buy the better warranty/support package, then you're paying for the better support people. You have a better chance of getting somebody that knows what they're talking about and who can speak english (or your native language), because they cost more to hire.

So if you want better tech support, you should get the upgraded warranty/support.

 

[Wizerzak]

I agree with Rydian. Laptops are a lot harder to upgrade than desktops. And, although tech is getting smaller, new things that are big (such as motherboards, processors that take up more room) tend to be better than small compact editions for laptops. A fine example of this is the Intel Atom or i7 mobile for laptops and compare it to the i7 for desktops and you'll see the difference...

 

[Rydian]

A big point on desktops versus laptops is that desktops have internal slots to add/replace cards that laptops don't have. I'm not talking just video cards, but stuff like capture cards, additional drives, and replacing the processor for one a line up (as well as a higher max RAM capacity on full-size motherboards).