Decisions, Decisions.

[Toffer]

Right. I'm looking for some outside opinion.

As most of you will be aware my Uncle recently passed away after losing a battle with Dementia. While this was expected what I didn't expect was the following: My parents telling me he left me £1000 in his will. That's more or less what's happened. (It's slightly more complicated then that but come January 2012 I'm being given a grand)

This came to my attention today when my Mum dragged me into an Apple store and asked me what kind of ipad 2 I wanted...which was kind of strange having never asked for one before (she saw me using my Uncles a while back)

After a slight chat on the side and apologises given to the eager looking employee who could smell a sale we left. She thought I might want one because I don't have a laptop and generally just have my PC. So basically what I need from you guys is some input. I've got this money and while I don't need to spend it per say there are a couple of things I wanted to do. So basically:

1. Is an ipad a decent replacement for a laptop?
2. Is it even worth getting a laptop these days?
3. Do I even need an ipad? (I think if I'm asking that question that I know the answer tbh)
4. Considering buying a new PC Rig but can I get a new rig, an extra monitor AND a new desk for £1000 / £1100?

Thoughts? Cheers all x

[The Author]

In my opinion, the money should be saved... But thats just me needing to move out.

1. Yes and no. The iPad runs apps. It's not as "free" as a laptop.
2. If I didn't get myself a PC, I would have gotten a laptop, so I think it's worth it.
3. No! Nuh uh! Nope!
4. I don't think that's a question.

[Toffer]

Author believe me mate if I was you I'd save the money to and in all honesty part of me thinks I should be saving it. I may still do that. At the end of the day the money is mine but my future is with Jules. So I'll make sure there's nothing we want to put down for and then re-assess perhaps

[The Author]

Dood, if you were me, you wouldn't be saving it. I am the single worse person with money. I know I should be saving, but I can't stop spending.

[Blucey]

I have an iPad 2. It's nice but....


1. Is an ipad a decent replacement for a laptop?

nah man. Not really. Unless all you use a laptop for is browsing. iOS is, at heart, a phone interface at best. It's good for certain things though. Browsing on the couch/bed. Googling something in a hurry. You can be anywhere on the internet in seconds from turning it on. Laptops aren't that good unless it has a SSD drive.

Forget about doing web design, graphics shit or even word processing on it though. It can do it, but it's gash.


2. Is it even worth getting a laptop these days?

If you want to do everything you do on a PC but on the move, then yep.


3. Do I even need an ipad? (I think if I'm asking that question that I know the answer tbh)

nope. But you want one. What time do you wake up for work? I get up at 6.45am. If I'm getting up at shit o clock then frankly I'm buying myself toys.


4. Considering buying a new PC Rig but can I get a new rig, an extra monitor AND a new desk for £1000 / £1100?

Ask Assassin Systems!

[Jokesound]

Well, if you decide to go with a new gaming rig, I'm currently looking into an Assassin System
Otherwise, my mum got an iPad instead of another laptop, and while I think she's finding it slightly easier, it's because all she ever did was use it for sending emails, and she likes the apps and stuff. Seeing as you already have a PC, an iPad might be a decent alternative to a laptop, but you're better off asking someone like Lee about that.

[Bear1970]

I don't think Lee has touched his iPad since getting his MacBook lol

[Rynstex]

New iPad rumoured to be coming out in 4months, if you can wait that it is. £1000 for a new rig? More than enough.

[Toffer]

New iPad rumoured to be coming out in 4months, if you can wait that it is. £1000 for a new rig? More than enough.

True. Thing is I don't know if it's worth updating my current rig or if that's just a waste and should be getting a new one.
Do I want matching screens or different ones because I don't know If I could find my screen again?
Do I have to plug anything extra into the actual monitors if there's a duel setup? Because I've buggered one of the ports on my current monitor!
#other confusing questions

[MarkuzR]

Not got time to go into detail mate, sorry Long story short...

iPad 2 would be great for just arsing around and not doing anything too memory intensive. Like Rich says, it's a glorified 'phone although probably still better than a netbook these days.

Laptops are expensive if you want one for gaming. My Qosmio X500 was £1645 and it's now a year old, and the top of the range Qosmio today (as mine was at the time) is now £1800... but DAMN it's an amazing piece of kit. If I hadn't already had to replace my old Qosmio with my current one on the insurance, I'd be doing it now for the new one!

Gaming rigs are great but only if you're a PC gamer as I've found that most people who buy PCs for gaming tend to stick to consoles because they're used to them. If you're already a PC gamer, which is how I've found myself recently, then a rig is obviously a good idea. The important question though is "would I be playing the latest games?" because if you're not then there's not really any point in getting a new rig if your old one does the job. I'm playing Skyrim with everything ramped up to Ultra on the Qosmio and I get some serious lag in certain caves when there's a lot of Mages (their magic slows it down) along with waterfalls and crap like that. For regular gameplay though, it's fine, so even my one year old machine struggles with Skyrim on the highest settings... ok, it's only a 480M video card rather than a 570 or equivalent but still... it's only a year old!

Dual monitors is basically two monitors plugged into a card with two DVI/HDMI ports or one monitor plugged in to each of two cards. My work PC has two video cards with three monitors but each of the cards has two ports so I would only need one card had I wanted to use just two monitors. Most modern cards have two ports as standard.

I need to split now, got more work to do!