Laptop or Desktop for my Situation?

[Jentroz]

Hello,

Recently my 2 year old laptop broke down and I've been in the market for a replacement. I know that desktops are more powerful, but my parents are divorced so I every week I have to travel to their houses. I'm with my mother on the weekdays and my father on the weekends. However, I have a rocky schedule with my parents; sometimes I'm with one for 2 or 3 months while the other is busy. That's why I've been torn between the two choices of a laptop or desktop. My laptop was the only computer that I've ever owned, so I haven't experienced what moving a desktop feels like, but I should be strong enough to (I hope ). So now my problem is, do I stick with a laptop or can I actually use a desktop to travel back and forth?

If I do roll with a desktop, would the Storm Scout case be suitable for my situation? That case has handles and I was thinking it could help a lot and might be able to handle the constant traveling.

Thanks!

EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention that I'll be doing some heavy gaming. WoW, SC2, Diablo3, LoL, HoN. I also have budget of around ~$1000 more or less.

[vesseblah]

If you can afford a $1000-1200 17" laptop (or guilt your parents into paying for it) and external mouse(+keyboard if necessary) it's probably better choice in your current situation. Starting from the simple fact that you can carry laptop on your own in a bagpack, whole desktop computer with monitor and stuff will always require about one person's space in a car. Keyboard is also something you can just leave into both places without needing to carry around if you get two identical relatively cheap ones.

[n0cturnal]

Are you traveling by car all the time? If that is the case I would recommend you build yourself a desktop with a BitFenix Prodigy or something of that size. You could go even smaller with a Silverstone SG08.

[Grraarrgghh]

http://store.antec.com/Product/LanBo...5-15003-3.aspx

Build a desktop with something like this, couple it with an LED monitor, and boom, highly portable.

[vesseblah]

http://store.antec.com/Product/LanBo...5-15003-3.aspx

Build a desktop with something like this, couple it with an LED monitor, and boom, highly portable.

mATX or even smaller cases makes better portable computers, not some silly handles.

[Grraarrgghh]

mATX or even smaller cases makes better portable computers, not some silly handles.

For size sure, but if you have a car who cares if the case is 2 lbs lighter and a cubic foot smaller?

You sacrifice upgradeability as well with a mATX

[Jentroz]

Yea, I have a car driving me, so I guess I'll stick with a desktop then. Are there any cheaper cases out there though? Something similar in the price range of the Storm Scout? Thanks for the replies

[coldfiredragon]

Laptop if you can afford it.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-M17x-r4/pd.aspx

That would be my pic with the GTX 680M

[Grraarrgghh]

Yea, I have a car driving me, so I guess I'll stick with a desktop then. Are there any cheaper cases out there though? Something similar in the price range of the Storm Scout? Thanks for the replies

Plenty, if you don't want handles or whatnot on the case itself.

Most cheap cases clock it at under 8kg, just check www.newegg.com or www.tigerdirect.com for sub 100$ cases that weight under 8kg.

[n0cturnal]

Yea, I have a car driving me, so I guess I'll stick with a desktop then. Are there any cheaper cases out there though? Something similar in the price range of the Storm Scout? Thanks for the replies

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811345016

[Grraarrgghh]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811345016

Mini-ITX systems sacrifice even more power/upgradability than mATX.

[n0cturnal]

Mini-ITX systems sacrifice even more power/upgradability than mATX.

i7 and a 6990 enough power for ya? http://www.sweclockers.com/galleri/9...onas-och-emils
Perhaps a i5 cooled by a h100 and a 680 is better? http://www.sweclockers.com/galleri/9...digy-lan-dator
Maybe this article where they run a 3770k@4.6GHZ and a GTX690 in a even smaller case will do? http://translate.google.com/translat...itx-format%2F1

[Grraarrgghh]

i7 and a 6990 enough power for ya? http://www.sweclockers.com/galleri/9...onas-och-emils
Perhaps a i5 cooled by a h100 and a 680 is better? http://www.sweclockers.com/galleri/9...digy-lan-dator
Maybe this article where they run a 3770k@4.6GHZ and a GTX690 in a even smaller case will do? http://translate.google.com/translat...itx-format%2F1

Whoa there sparky, simmah dahn nah.

I'm speaking as more of an SLI enthusiast when I talk of upgradability, though I've been doing the PhysX second card thing since my second 285 died last year...

And on a personal note, when hardware shit needs to be buggered with, I hate faffing about in small cases.

EDIT: Okay I think an edit apology is in order. This case/portable setup looks awesome, I'm pricing out a LAN system on memex as we speak.

Guess I'm behind the times on what Mini-ITX is capable of.