Change laptop or build a PC?

[Jorg]

Hi, I'm thinking of changing my current laptop or build a desktop. As some of you may remember I'm an electronic engineering student and even when some of my interests are computers I really don't know what exactly do in this situation.

My current laptop is from 2012 and has the following specs:
-> Dell Inspiron 15R 5520
->CPU: Intel Core i7-3632QM (3rd generation)
-> 8GB RAM
-> GPU: intel hd4000
-> HDD: 1TB @5400rpm
-> Windows 8.1

I must say this laptop has been incredibly strong with use, I've been able to play a lot of games (most of them in low-medium settings), also some 3ds max rendering and circuit simulation software) but as anything in technology is starting to get behind and I've been thinking of a newone.

An option I've been analyzing is the Dell Inspiron 7000 gaming series, they're affordable, and with great specs including a discrete GPU from Nvidia.

On the other hand I was thinking in build a desktop, I could build a nice performance pc with the same budget I would spent in a laptop (I'm around US$1000-1200 budget). I could use the desktop for heavy use, design, simulation gaming, etc and use my current laptop for college works and presentations, light use.

BUT, I'm worried about the re-selling price from my current laptop, it decreases each year and if I keep it longer I would probably never sell it. Besides If I plan to sell it when I change it (maybe next year depending of my savings) I need to make some maintenance to it, changing the keyboard (the original doesn't work completely), change the cpu fan, etc.

So, what do you think?

 

[Mia]

Hum-mm conundrum. If you're not really busy at school, and you have the time and access to a parts store or online, I would build. You'll get more for your money and a better system, which you will be quite familiar with, you'll know the hardware. I've built two PC systems for myself early on. The first one sat on an entire small table and had no tower, (they didn't exist) and I used to cover it with a cloth and a piece of plastic every night
Not the one I have now, which I had built. Couldn't be without a system for very long at the time, as it meant I wouldn't be able to work. As for the laptop, if you need it for school, I would keep it for those reasons.

 

[Alaska]

Can you manage the time to build and sell extra desktops and use the money to buy a better laptop?

 

[Full Steam]

I would consider IT kit to be money blown personally. If you get anything for it great, but it all depreciates very quickly.

The only PCs that hold their value well are Apple as lots of people want one but can't afford new. I'd never buy one personally.

I always recommend people buy ex lease business machines from Ebay. You can get a Lenovo, HP or Dell Workstation PC, and then stick a gaming graphic card in and you're away. Your budget would get you a monster.

Workstations are desktops with server quality components and are the best computers available at any price.

I only deal in Lenovo personally.

Maybe Lenovo p300
HP Z
Dell T5500.

I have a Lenovo workstation laptop - i7 4 core with hyperthreading. Go for a W510, W520, W530. They changed for the W540 and I don't like them as much.

I'd only build if it's what you want to do & not worth the hassle IMO.

 

[Bolletje]

I would build a PC

 

[toothless]

being a gamer,your better off with a PC,at least you can change the graphics card to keep up with the development of gaming,plus you could also get yourself water cooling to keep it working at a premium while gaming.