Laptop and Desktop Setup, thoughts?

grimakis

Estimable
Sep 29, 2015
21
1
4,570
Hi,

I just wanted to get some ideas for my own setup in terms of usefulness. Right now I have a Desktop Gaming PC I built a few months ago, and a MacBook Pro 2011, that I used throughout college.

I've just updated the laptop with an SSD, 16GB of memory, and macOS Sierra. I'm hoping that this will last me a few years more of relevance.

Now that I have a gaming PC, I no longer need bootcamp, Windows, intense games, etc on my laptop. I've cut it back to just the OS, Microsoft Office, and that's it so far.

For those that have a powerful desktop, and a laptop, what do you use the laptop for? What have you found that is convenient about it? I've got my laptop hooked up to VPN so I can VNC into my Desktop from anywhere. I'm just wondering how other people use there laptops to compliment their desktops?
 
Solution
Because I can't take my desktop out of the house (which I do)?

Even at home, I often watch TV on the couch and surf, again, dragging the desktop to the couch a little difficult.

I don't take magazines to the bathroom, I take (not the desktop) and you guessed it... correct!

BUT, if you have no such needs, perhaps bequest your extra to siblings, cousins etc they may have a use for it.

dudeman509

Estimable
Jan 23, 2015
416
1
5,210
I've still got 2 laptops around - my 6-year-old Dell multimedia one that stays on my bedroom table. Battery is pretty much useless, so it can't go far from the charger (1st gen i7, SSD). Used to watch Netflix and poke around the Internet before bed. It's getting slow, but still fine for these things.

4-core i7 2nd gen - this one was given to me, but actually quite powerful. It's my work-from-home laptop with a high-res screen or one to sit in front of the TV with on battery power. Terrible speakers.

Desktop - gaming, browsing when I want to actually sit at a desk. Not even used much these days, but that may change with so many good games coming out in October.
 
I sometime use both my desktop and laptops at the same time side by side. It is kinda convenient when I am playing a game on my desktop and I want to listen to a youtube video / scan through a forum at the same time which would be done on the laptop. That way I do not have to bother with Alt-Tabbing back and forth between the game and browser. My laptop also uses less power than one of my two trusty 26.5" LCD monitors I purchased back in 2007 and 2008.

While I don't really need a laptop (got two of 'em and two desktops), they are nice to have around. Especially if I go away but still wanna play a game from time to time. I am actually interested in the specs for the 2016 model of the Dell XPS 15. It would be nice if it has a GTX 1060, but it will likely run too hot (nearly the same TDP as the GTX 970) so a refresh will likely only have the GTX 1050 which is only marginally more powerful than the GTX 960m.

I don't bother need to bother with VNC since my desktop is primarily for entertainment purposes so there isn't really any crucial data I need access to when I am away from home.
 
Because I can't take my desktop out of the house (which I do)?

Even at home, I often watch TV on the couch and surf, again, dragging the desktop to the couch a little difficult.

I don't take magazines to the bathroom, I take (not the desktop) and you guessed it... correct!

BUT, if you have no such needs, perhaps bequest your extra to siblings, cousins etc they may have a use for it.
 
Solution

grimakis

Estimable
Sep 29, 2015
21
1
4,570


All good answers, but I've already found myself using the laptop downstairs when I want to browse while on the couch.

Also, for the last 2 years, I've been taking my work laptop with me while traveling. However, I'll probably be bringing this one along instead.

Thanks everyone.