Notebook + desktop combo

[Soundaholic92]

Not sure if I should post this in this or the Notebook section, but here goes.

I'm in uni and I've wanted to do away with laptops for good and get a new desktop system instead. I had in mind a roughly 2.5k build around an OC'ed 4770k and the GTX770. However I realised I still need a laptop I can bring to school to do work on (mostly coding) so I need to split the budget for a both a laptop and a desktop. I also need to render photos and videos occasionally. Right now what I have in mind are:
1. Spend more an ultrabook to get something that can actually handle newer games decently and get a very basic desktop with the intention of upgrading it later
2. Get one of those thin and light netbooks purely for work (meaning it most probably can't handle games or render videos) to spend more on the desktop (something with i7-4770/i5-4570 and gtx760/770)
How do you guys think I should split the 2.5k? I'm quite open to suggestions right now. Thanks and cheers

 

[zero0orez]

Personal opinion: Go for #2. I feel that ultrabooks aren't suited for gaming, and it helps (?) you to stay focused instead of getting distracted to play games while in school.

 

[royfrosty]

No point spending a lot on laptops.

Get a ultrabook and only use it for school purposes. And get a desktop for home use.

If occasionally use of render photos or videos you might not need till an i7 overclocked. You will spend unecessary money on mobo and additional cost of a cooler.

2.5k after buying an ultrabook MAY not land you an overclocking rig.

 

[haylui]

get a sub 1k laptop, the iGPU can game but don't expect miracles...
put more resources on desktop where you can rely it to render videos and gaming. (you can always let your desktop on and remote control to do some work or retrieve results....)

 

[twasken]

A desktop is worth investing in. When I'm home I work on my desktop because the larger screen is so much easier on the eyes.

I lug my 2.2kg 3 year old Nehalem Core i5 laptop to school. Swapped out the HDD for SSD and it's zippy enough. Gaming on a 14 incher is bleagh so gaming is just done at home and I can focus on doing real work when in school

 

[Jian19]

Split 1.5k desktop , 1k laptop

1.5k ~

i5-4570 + Asrock b85 killer ~ $357
Crucial 8gb ddr3 ~ $90
Wd blue 1tb ~ $74
Msi 280x gaming ~ $470
Seasonic g550 ~ $108
Samsung oem drive ~ $21
Corsair Carbide Spec-02 ~ $84
Win7 64 oem ~ $115
Dell s2340l ~ $220

$1539 buy and DIY @ tradepac ask for discount. Can bring to gs shop ask him help u assemble @ a fee if u Duno how to DIY. Next time got $ just add a ssd in will do.

 

[atlantane]

So just my two cents:

I would go with option 2, and have each system specialise in its primary purpose. This will probably give you the most bang for your buck.

For the desktop system, I would recommend a gpu, based on the monitor resolution and graphic detail you would like to play at. Based on your gtx 770/760 you indicated, I am guessing you want to play games at 1080p on high graphic details at 60+fps. To get more value for your money, I would suggest a r9 280x or even the gtx 680 instead. The extra fps you would get out of the 770 isn't going to change your gaming experience in anyway.

I reckon as you are only doing occasional video and image editing, you probably could get away with a core i5-4440, instead of the pricier i7-4770, and put the cash to better use in getting an SSD.

I have selected 2x4GB ripjaws 1866 ram due to haswell's favourable scaling with higher mhz ram, and light video/image editing you will be doing.

SSD's are well worth the investment and Crucial M500's 240GB offer one of the best $/GB on the market right now. Also picked up a 3TB seagate as you data drive for all the videos you would have, again best $/GB. You could get a different combination of ssd/hdd sizing based on your storage requirements. If you already have a mass storage NAS for instance, I would recommend the Crucial M500 480GB $379, for even better value.

For the PSU, i find the FSP hexa 500W really value for money. It's basically an "80+" psu but doesn't get the certification because it is only designed for 240V input voltage. That's not a problem though, unless you are like living in the US where the use 120V mains.

The case although pricier, is a personal favourite and offers a really good cooling performance and noise profile. You could potentially go for something alot cheaper like a fractal core 1000 for like $59

prices of items taken from cybermind and PC themes price lists:

i5-4440 + Asrock b85 hds - $ 339
2x4GB GSkill RipJawsX 1866 cl9 - $ 115
Palit gtx 680 / Powercolor r9 280x - $ 419
Crucial M500 240GB - $ 189
Seagate 3TB HDD - $ 145
FSP 500W Hexa - $ 68
Silverstone TJ08-e - $ 149

Total $1424

For the ultraportable, just make sure it runs a haswell chip maybe a i5-4200U, has an SSD, and comes with a 1080p screen resolution. Though you may have to take away some of the desktop budget to get all these three points. You could potentially cut down on the case, storage, and ram budget to get another ~$200 to the laptop.

Ok hope this helps

 

[fleas1]

you should really just get a light laptop for school usage and desktop for heavy performance(rendering/gaming...etc).

If you really want just a laptop, you can consider aftershock. Can customise and stuff. But will cost more than what forumers are quoting for you(go for higher spec) and quite bulky.

www.aftershockpc.com <-- go for 15/17inch 16GB RAM ...etc