Desktop vs Laptop = Value proposition

[Fizzical]

So I just bought a gaming laptop. Out of childhood reminiscing, I decided to compare between these two; on an almost apple to apple comparison.

I have decided to use PC Themes price as a guide since I used to buy from them. My consideration is the cheapest price possible while not sacrificing on power supply quality.

Current laptop (ASUS FX504GM) specs:

a) I7-8750H with WIFI (2x2 MU-MIMO)

b) 16gb DDR 4 2666mhz ram

c) 120gb (pci-e) + 1tb (firecuda)

d) Nvidia GTX1060

e) 15.4 inch (120hz) monitor

Priced at $1856

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Proposed specs:

a) I7-8700 with ASUS TUF B360-PRO GAMING/WIFI (2 x 2 MU-MIMO) - $726

b) Klevv 8gb x 2 - $230

c) WD Green 120GB + Western D Blue 1TB- $110

d) Galax GTX 1060 - $389

e) Seasonic M12II - $99

f) CM 110 M-ITX - $60

g) Coolermaster 212 CPU Cooler Fan - $39

h) Windows 10 Home Edition - $159 (granted you can buy somewhere cheaper or do some magic)

i) LG 21.5" monitor (cheapest) - $139

j) Webcam, keyboard, mouse, laptop bag (This will not be considered)

Total price: $1951

My question is, is it still cost and time effective to build your own computer? Lets bear in mind the following:

Laptop
1) Portability
2) Ease of warranty (Piece by piece RMA vs on-site servicing)

Desktop
3) Upgrade flexibility
4) General speed (Desktop vs Laptop architecture)

 

[Nelia8686]

Just a rough build compile together to fight with the laptop.

ASUS Prime h310M-a + i5 8400 = $370
Crucial 2666mhz CL16 8gb x 2 = $239
Zotac GTX 1060 3Gb = $319
Seasonic S12II-non modular 520W = $89
Tecware nexus = $59
Toshiba 1TB = $53
Kingston A400 128Gb SSD = $38
Dell SE2717H = $210
tecware phantom rgb kb = $48
logitech G102 Gaming Mouse = $26

$1451 = A system that performs better and has a bigger 27inch screen estate for entertainment rather then the small 15.4inch screen on laptop with inferior gaming performance at higher prices. Also includes monitor,kb and mouse also so as to match laptop apple to apple.

Or

ASUS Prime h310M-a + i5 8400 = $370
Crucial 2666mhz CL16 8gb x 2 = $239
Zotac GTX 1060 3Gb = $319
Seasonic S12II-non modular 520W = $89
Tecware nexus = $59
Toshiba 1TB = $53
Kingston A400 128Gb SSD = $38
Dell SE2417HG = $155
tecware phantom rgb kb = $48
logitech G102 Gaming Mouse = $26


$1396 = Lower screen size to 24inch still bigger then 15 inch screen and alot cheaper now.


I5 8400 outperforms the i7 8750H with i5 8400 having 5-20 more FPS then the i7 8750H reason being that the i5 8400 have a higher per core clock speed which gaming favors more.

Gaming benchmark for i5 8400 desktop vs i7 8750H
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_WVUVOkgiQ



Laptop
1) Portability - Yes for this if you need it go for laptop but if no need then desktop still a better choice for value per dollar.

2) Ease of warranty (Piece by piece RMA vs on-site servicing) - If you really need easy RMA can go for boutique pc build like aftershock or dreamcore,typhoon system etc.



Desktop
3) Upgrade flexibility - Yes can upgrade easily parts by parts. If one part spoilt just replace and will work again. For laptop parts spoilt very troublesome if laptop no more warranty. Repair cost can be very expensive if screen crack or what not. Just imagine if laptop mobo spoilt or gpu dead is not as easy as just buying parts and replace like desktop can if the laptop is out of warranty.

4) General speed (Desktop vs Laptop architecture) - Yes General speed desktop is faster.


At the end of the day if portabilty is important to me I would buy a laptop no question about that. But if it is not, desktop will always be my choice. Much more flexible in terms of parts replacement, bigger screen, better price to performance ratio then laptop. Until a time when laptop can match desktop in terms of price/performance or it comes with foldable large 27inch or 32inch display and can replace parts and find parts as easy as desktop can then I think I will ditch my desktop and buy a laptop anytime of the day. No reason to buy desktop anymore unless you really like desktop for whatever reason. Peace.

 

[Phen8210]

well, ur spending extra bucks that you dont require for the desktop.. so its not a fair comparison

 

[Fizzical]

well, ur spending extra bucks that you dont require for the desktop.. so its not a fair comparison

What is the extra bucks that is not require for the desktop?

 

[Fizzical]

Just a rough build compile together to fight with the laptop.

ASUS Prime h310M-a + i5 8400 = $370
Crucial 2666mhz CL16 8gb x 2 = $239
Zotac GTX 1060 3Gb = $319
Seasonic S12II-non modular 520W = $89
Tecware nexus = $59
Toshiba 1TB = $53
Kingston A400 128Gb SSD = $38
Dell SE2717H = $210
tecware phantom rgb kb = $48
logitech G102 Gaming Mouse = $26

$1451 = A system that performs better and has a bigger 27inch screen estate for entertainment rather then the small 15.4inch screen on laptop with inferior gaming performance at higher prices. Also includes monitor,kb and mouse also so as to match laptop apple to apple.

Or

ASUS Prime h310M-a + i5 8400 = $370
Crucial 2666mhz CL16 8gb x 2 = $239
Zotac GTX 1060 3Gb = $319
Seasonic S12II-non modular 520W = $89
Tecware nexus = $59
Toshiba 1TB = $53
Kingston A400 128Gb SSD = $38
Dell SE2417HG = $155
tecware phantom rgb kb = $48
logitech G102 Gaming Mouse = $26


$1396 = Lower screen size to 24inch still bigger then 15 inch screen and alot cheaper now.


I5 8400 outperforms the i7 8750H with i5 8400 having 5-20 more FPS then the i7 8750H reason being that the i5 8400 have a higher per core clock speed which gaming favors more.

Gaming benchmark for i5 8400 desktop vs i7 8750H
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_WVUVOkgiQ



Laptop
1) Portability - Yes for this if you need it go for laptop but if no need then desktop still a better choice for value per dollar.

2) Ease of warranty (Piece by piece RMA vs on-site servicing) - If you really need easy RMA can go for boutique pc build like aftershock or dreamcore,typhoon system etc.



Desktop
3) Upgrade flexibility - Yes can upgrade easily parts by parts. If one part spoilt just replace and will work again. For laptop parts spoilt very troublesome if laptop no more warranty. Repair cost can be very expensive if screen crack or what not. Just imagine if laptop mobo spoilt or gpu dead is not as easy as just buying parts and replace like desktop can if the laptop is out of warranty.

4) General speed (Desktop vs Laptop architecture) - Yes General speed desktop is faster.


At the end of the day if portabilty is important to me I would buy a laptop no question about that. But if it is not, desktop will always be my choice. Much more flexible in terms of parts replacement, bigger screen, better price to performance ratio then laptop. Until a time when laptop can match desktop in terms of price/performance or it comes with foldable large 27inch or 32inch display and can replace parts and find parts as easy as desktop can then I think I will ditch my desktop and buy a laptop anytime of the day. No reason to buy desktop anymore unless you really like desktop for whatever reason. Peace.

Thanks for the perspective. The youtube video is referring to I7-8350H and 8300H if you look carefully at the bars.

In addition, no windows price is added.

 

[wwenze]

Laptop value comes from cheaper whole-system price

Desktop value comes from component reusability over time

Same can be said for lots of things... NUC vs ITX, gaming console vs gaming PC... smartphone/tablet vs PC...

 

[Phen8210]

What is the extra bucks that is not require for the desktop?

Means the pricing and parts you selected aren't the best for your wallet.

In any case the performance difference is way too big.

I am more efficient working on desktop than laptop simply because of the speed, keyboard and monitor size.. it's also more value for money.

Btw do take note used laptop value drops very quickly and the parts degragade very fast due to heat

When buying laptop its more than just the specs and appearance.. the interior cooling design is very important.

Anything with a 2.5" slot or ODD probably either sacrifice battery life or cooling. I will never buy a laptop with ODD or 2.5" slot.

 

[Nelia8686]

Thanks for the perspective. The youtube video is referring to I7-8350H and 8300H if you look carefully at the bars.

In addition, no windows price is added.

Emm nope its just a video typo. Read the video comments. There is not such thing as a I7-8350H it is a typo. The video creator mean it to be the I7-8750H.

At that price of that laptop I can get a desktop equivalent of something like a I5 8400 + Gtx 1080TI. Even way better.

Yeah and nowadays nobody pays $150 for windows anyway. Unless your gonna use it for business or corporate usage. For home usage most people just buy cheap $10-$20 keys anyway.

And to add to that laptop basically is using energy efficient low power parts. Their mobile variant of their intel processor are usually lower powered energy efficient parts so as to use less power to achieve longer battery life. And there are instances where they could not cool well enough due to being super compact and thin in size that they result in severe thermal throttle resulting in lower cpu performance overall. I remember a particular apple laptop was having this thermal throttle problem and they have to fix it afterwards.

 

[Phen8210]

Emm nope its just a video typo. Read the video comments. There is not such thing as a I7-8350H it is a typo. The video creator mean it to be the I7-8750H.

At that price of that laptop I can get a desktop equivalent of something like a I5 8400 + Gtx 1080TI. Even way better.

Yeah and nowadays nobody pays $150 for windows anyway. Unless your gonna use it for business or corporate usage. For home usage most people just buy cheap $10-$20 keys anyway.

And to add to that laptop basically is using energy efficient low power parts. Their mobile variant of their intel processor are usually lower powered energy efficient parts so as to use less power to achieve longer battery life. And there are instances where they could not cool well enough due to being super compact and thin in size that they result in severe thermal throttle resulting in lower cpu performance overall. I remember a particular apple laptop was having this thermal throttle problem and they have to fix it afterwards.

Thermal throttle is normal for laptops, the problem with the i9 macbook is that it thermal throttles to the point that it performs way worse than the lower end models which is not acceptable.

 

[Red_herring]

Proposed specs:

a) I7-8700 with ASUS TUF B360-PRO GAMING/WIFI (2 x 2 MU-MIMO) - $726
i7-8700 with msi b360i - $622

b) Klevv 8gb x 2 - $230

c) WD Green 120GB + Western D Blue 1TB- $110
Retain SSD + Firecuda 1tb (dynacore) - $133

d) Galax GTX 1060 - $389

e) Seasonic M12II - $99

f) CM 110 M-ITX - $60

g) Coolermaster 212 CPU Cooler Fan - $39
Not needed, just use stock cooler

h) Windows 10 Home Edition - $159 (granted you can buy somewhere cheaper or do some magic)
$139 - based on Dynacore

i) LG 21.5" monitor (cheapest) - $139
Dell S2417h - $139 Dynacore

j) Webcam, keyboard, mouse, laptop bag (This will not be considered)
logitech g100s combo - $79 you gotta at least have a keyboard & mouse. I chose something slightly better.

Total price: $1951
$1830

Win10, Firecuda (to keep it as close to your laptop) & Monitor price are based on Dynacore pricelist.

Personally, I would rather have an i5 + gtx 1070 than an i7 + gtx 1060 and I would go for at least 240gb ssd + any 1tb hdd.

Desktop over laptop is that it gives me a better flexibility to build it for my usage

 

[NoRightOrWrong]

Don't forget the speaker

 

[Fizzical]

My DIY build PC lasted close to 2 years before it starts doing weird **** like no display. Sick of it, I jumped to asus gaming laptop and it has been serving me for more than 5 years. I guess about time to upgrade.

 

[HolyInnocents]

My DIY build PC lasted close to 2 years before it starts doing weird **** like no display. Sick of it, I jumped to asus gaming laptop and it has been serving me for more than 5 years. I guess about time to upgrade.

TS you sound like you're seeking reassurance that you made the right choice about buying the Asus laptop as I see that you've been rather defensive about other people's comments.

Whether it's 2 years or 5 years ultimately depends on the user, the maintenance and occasionally luck. There are laptops that spoil within the first year, desktops that last >5 years and vice-versa.

 

[Phen8210]

My DIY build PC lasted close to 2 years before it starts doing weird **** like no display. Sick of it, I jumped to asus gaming laptop and it has been serving me for more than 5 years. I guess about time to upgrade.

If you do not know how to trouble should then AIO solution is the best for you.

 

[Rogue]

The component equivalence is wrong. Mobile chips are slower(significantly at times due to throttling) than discrete chips, as laptops are severely restricted in power draw and heat. They are deliberately set to lower clockspeed/boost speed even when they have same prefix model number.

There's also Nvidia Max-Q on some laptop models which further gimp performance but you get slimmer chassis...

E.g 1060 laptop is about 10~15% slower than a 1060 desktop... Laptop cpu is also about 20% slower than the equivalent desktop cpu (similar model number). After hard throttling due to heat, most modern 3D games will be unplayable.

Should set the class of component to be 1 or 2 tier below for performance. E.g 8500 instead of 8700 for desktop.

For mobility laptop wins, but desktop gets easy upgrades and 3rd party replacements where you can have larger screen, better sound, microphone, camera, etc.

 

[Fizzical]

TS you sound like you're seeking reassurance that you made the right choice about buying the Asus laptop as I see that you've been rather defensive about other people's comments.

Whether it's 2 years or 5 years ultimately depends on the user, the maintenance and occasionally luck. There are laptops that spoil within the first year, desktops that last >5 years and vice-versa.

Defensive? I made my choice and at peace with it. I am merely speaking of experiences. I love assembling and troubleshooting PCs but eventually it has to end. The only way I may decide to get back to it is if the value proposition is significantly higher in desktop. Hence this thread to get more perspective. I hope you are able to discern intent with your own personal feelings.

 

[Fizzical]

Emm nope its just a video typo. Read the video comments. There is not such thing as a I7-8350H it is a typo. The video creator mean it to be the I7-8750H.

At that price of that laptop I can get a desktop equivalent of something like a I5 8400 + Gtx 1080TI. Even way better.

Yeah and nowadays nobody pays $150 for windows anyway. Unless your gonna use it for business or corporate usage. For home usage most people just buy cheap $10-$20 keys anyway.

And to add to that laptop basically is using energy efficient low power parts. Their mobile variant of their intel processor are usually lower powered energy efficient parts so as to use less power to achieve longer battery life. And there are instances where they could not cool well enough due to being super compact and thin in size that they result in severe thermal throttle resulting in lower cpu performance overall. I remember a particular apple laptop was having this thermal throttle problem and they have to fix it afterwards.

Ahh noted. Thanks for the perspective. This shows cannot rely on Intel numberings. Haha..

 

[Fizzical]

The component equivalence is wrong. Mobile chips are slower(significantly at times due to throttling) than discrete chips, as laptops are severely restricted in power draw and heat. They are deliberately set to lower clockspeed/boost speed even when they have same prefix model number.

There's also Nvidia Max-Q on some laptop models which further gimp performance but you get slimmer chassis...

E.g 1060 laptop is about 10~15% slower than a 1060 desktop... Laptop cpu is also about 20% slower than the equivalent desktop cpu (similar model number). After hard throttling due to heat, most modern 3D games will be unplayable.

Should set the class of component to be 1 or 2 tier below for performance. E.g 8500 instead of 8700 for desktop.

For mobility laptop wins, but desktop gets easy upgrades and 3rd party replacements where you can have larger screen, better sound, microphone, camera, etc.

Thanks for the factual input! Things to consider for my next upgrade.

 

[CrispyPeddler]

ONLY go for laptop if you wan portability. Thats all.

#desktopmasterrace

 

[feralslash]

Other than portability, there is also the factor of table space. haha. Currently I have no space for a table solely for a desktop (monitor + keyboard), hence I have been holding back buying a pc. The only deskarea I have at the moment is too small for me to put a 27" monitor and keyboard, and be able to enjoy the 27". My eyes will be too near. So I am currently using my 3 year old 15" laptop on the dining table. Which makes my gf complain about it all the time. Then I tell her about my need for a table. then the argument starts. haiiih...