4 ms·

I find any computer without at least a 20" screen unusable, so no notebook as a desktop replacement for me. My custom-built desktop is also about 1.5-2x faster

I find any computer without at least a 20" screen unusable, so no notebook as a desktop replacement for me. My custom-built desktop is also about 1.5-2x faster than any laptop currently made, so also no thanks in that respect.

gravitycop 18y ago
I find any computer without at least a 20" screen unusable The new 18.4" (though widescreen, which is not as large as squarescreen) laptops get close. http://news.google.com/news?q=18.4+laptop http://news.google.com/news?q=18.4+laptop
- cubicle67 18y ago
  There really has to be some sort of phallic thing going on for someone to decide to get something that big.
  - PieSquared 18y ago
    They're just portable desktops, no surprise that they're huge.
pclark 18y ago
maybe so, but a new 15" MacBook Pro should be plenty fast enough to do whatever you do. MacBook Pro + 24" LCD = no wonder desktops arent selling as much
cubicle67 18y ago
Interestingly, I just purchased a new MacBook, and I find myself using it in place of the 20" screen. Not sure why. Speed is not the issue I thought it might be, and I love the multi-tough thingy; exposé and app switching via touchpad is brilliant.
raamdev 18y ago
When I got a 15" MacBook Pro (2.4ghz, 4GB RAM, 320GB HD, Glossy LED screen), I quickly discovered my desktop became obsolete and I unexpectedly stopped using it. It's not that it became obsolete tech-wise; there was just no reason to continue using it. My MBP has enough power to run OS X + two VMs (Debian and WinXP) so everything I could ever need to do, I can do on my MBP. (For gaming, I installed Win XP on a second partition and boot to that when I need to get some FPS in.) And since I bring it to work and use it there too, it's basically the only computer I use from day to day. (Of course, the downside to this is that it's also a single point of failure. Just yesterday I got to work and discovered my laptop's screen was blank. It turned out to be the infamous NVidia defect that created much commotion last year. But, even though I was 6 months past the warranty, Apple is fixing it free of charge: http://tinyurl.com/ctz3h9 http://tinyurl.com/ctz3h9. Luckily, I also create bootable backups on a fairly regular basis.) On the big screen issue, I've found it has less to do with the physical size of the screen as it does the screen resolution and your multi-tasking habits. If you really need more screen real estate, use the Unix screen utility or some form of desktop switching with keyboard shortcuts.
- quoderat 18y ago
  I tried switching to a laptop-only existence several years ago. Didn't work for me. I have an Apple 23" Cinema Display as my primary monitor, and a 19" Hyundai as my second monitor. I'd be lost and be much less productive without this screen real estate. And ever tried watching movies on a laptop? It sucks. But my Cinema Display handles this beautifully. Glad it works for you. Won't work for me, however.
  - raamdev 18y ago
    I frequently watch full-screen movies on my 15" MBP while laying on the couch 7ft away. In fact, I don't watch (or have) a TV, so it's really my only option. Then again, I have really good eyesight and I grew up without a TV in the house, so maybe that's why. :)

gravitycop 18y ago

I find any computer without at least a 20" screen unusable The new 18.4" (though widescreen, which is not as large as squarescreen) laptops get close. http://news.google.com/news?q=18.4+laptop http://news.google.com/news?q=18.4+laptop

cubicle67 18y ago
There really has to be some sort of phallic thing going on for someone to decide to get something that big.
- PieSquared 18y ago
  They're just portable desktops, no surprise that they're huge.

pclark 18y ago

maybe so, but a new 15" MacBook Pro should be plenty fast enough to do whatever you do. MacBook Pro + 24" LCD = no wonder desktops arent selling as much

cubicle67 18y ago

Interestingly, I just purchased a new MacBook, and I find myself using it in place of the 20" screen. Not sure why. Speed is not the issue I thought it might be, and I love the multi-tough thingy; exposé and app switching via touchpad is brilliant.

raamdev 18y ago

When I got a 15" MacBook Pro (2.4ghz, 4GB RAM, 320GB HD, Glossy LED screen), I quickly discovered my desktop became obsolete and I unexpectedly stopped using it. It's not that it became obsolete tech-wise; there was just no reason to continue using it. My MBP has enough power to run OS X + two VMs (Debian and WinXP) so everything I could ever need to do, I can do on my MBP. (For gaming, I installed Win XP on a second partition and boot to that when I need to get some FPS in.) And since I bring it to work and use it there too, it's basically the only computer I use from day to day. (Of course, the downside to this is that it's also a single point of failure. Just yesterday I got to work and discovered my laptop's screen was blank. It turned out to be the infamous NVidia defect that created much commotion last year. But, even though I was 6 months past the warranty, Apple is fixing it free of charge: http://tinyurl.com/ctz3h9 http://tinyurl.com/ctz3h9. Luckily, I also create bootable backups on a fairly regular basis.) On the big screen issue, I've found it has less to do with the physical size of the screen as it does the screen resolution and your multi-tasking habits. If you really need more screen real estate, use the Unix screen utility or some form of desktop switching with keyboard shortcuts.

quoderat 18y ago
I tried switching to a laptop-only existence several years ago. Didn't work for me. I have an Apple 23" Cinema Display as my primary monitor, and a 19" Hyundai as my second monitor. I'd be lost and be much less productive without this screen real estate. And ever tried watching movies on a laptop? It sucks. But my Cinema Display handles this beautifully. Glad it works for you. Won't work for me, however.
- raamdev 18y ago
  I frequently watch full-screen movies on my 15" MBP while laying on the couch 7ft away. In fact, I don't watch (or have) a TV, so it's really my only option. Then again, I have really good eyesight and I grew up without a TV in the house, so maybe that's why. :)