Is my XPS Ultrabook powerful enough to use as a desktop computer?

[Lunachyld]

Hello,

I have a Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook: Intel Core i7 - 4500 CPU @ 1.80GHz 2.40 Ghz, 8.00 GM RAM, 64-bit Operating System, x64-based processor, Windows 8.1

I'm saving up for a desktop computer but I was wondering if in the mean time I could just buy a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and some kind of docking station(?) and use my laptop as a desktop computer until I can afford a tower.

I want to do this so that I can watch media on a bigger screen, so that I can better use Photoshop (and hopefully premiere? I haven't tried that on this laptop yet), and so that I can play games like Portal 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. I already use it to play small indie games with no trouble but I don't know how it would go with the other games I listed. I'm pretty sure they still count as "light gaming", I don't play WOW or Skyrim or any First Person Shooters. I have a 4TB external harddrive that I store pretty much all of my things on and plug it into my laptop when I want to access them.

So I'm wondering a few things:
1. Is my laptop powerful enough to do this or should I just wait to buy all of the peripherals when I can afford a tower to go with them?
2. If my laptop is powerful enough will any equipment work (like second hand monitors on e-bay and a cheap usb keyboard/ mouse) or should I aim for specific things? Should I also add a cooling pad?
3. Docking stations seem to range from $10 to $300, can someone please recommend an appropriate one to buy?

Thank you for any help/ advice offered!!!

Luna

 

[Entomber]

1. Playing graphically intense games on high resolutions on that laptop's integrated GPU (no dedicated GPU) is not going to give you very good performance.
2. Any cheapo peripherals will work, but may not be to your satisfaction.
3. you cannot traditionally dock that laptop, you have to buy a port replicator for it. For casual home use I wouldn't recommend the investment.

For watching media and doing Photoshop editing, you could simply buy a larger external monitor, and use the existing keyboard, maybe buy another mouse for the time being. When/if you get a desktop you can simply move the peripherals to your desktop with no problems

 

[Lunachyld]

Thank you!