Comments on: Can You Use A Laptop As A Desktop?

By: Cookinalong

Cookinalong — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 08:19:00 +0000

I have aSony vaio nr-220e laptop running as a desktop.I have a 4 port usb hub with a jump drive for pic/1g and a jump drive for documents/512mb. I’m using a micro inventions wireless mouse and keyboard with a 18″ compaq flatscreen monitor,dell all in one prenter scanner, Altec Lansing amplified sub/speakers I have hooked up remote power to the laptop and a aux 12volt fan running sidways across the heat sinks. Ihav also downloaded Speed fan so i can monitor the tempature and i have increaced the sonys fan with it. It satys at a nice coll 120F. I have all of it all installed in a roll away metal tool cart.

By: Sawatzky

Sawatzky — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:09:00 +0000

Super easy… just go to logmein.com on the computer you want to control remotely, sign up for a free account and install the client software. Then you can log in to logmein.com from anywhere in the world, on any machine, and see/control your desktop remotely.

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:39:58 +0000

I have worked in Iraq as a corporate contractor for the past 5 years. While using a laptop as a desktop is not the optimal experience. It does have it’s uses. 1000′s of corporate users do this in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, ect…

We use the port replicators too, they are the life saver in these conditions. Extreme heat, I seen a week of 150 degree days. And biblical dust storms that last for hours.

The replicator allowed me to unplug the PC in a moment, never turn it off. Then drive across base to conference room and plug it in to a projector to teach classes or brief superiors.

It would be impossible to load a desktop onto a Blackhawk chopper twice a week while conducting audits or site visits.

My outlook was the first thing I opened and the last thing I turned off. And only stopped Outlook when I was actually traveling. I left everything open moving between my office, classroom, or living quaters (even internet, webpages rarely stumbled). I ran multiple excel spreadsheet and multiple pivot tables, 40,000+ rows & 40+ columns.

We used HP business 6910 series, not the top of the line fully loaded laptop. My personal Toshiba can eat it’s lunch, but the HP was fully functional with multple databases, excel sheets, outlook, power point apps open.

The key was to MAX out the RAM.

By no means is this the ideal HOME solution, but it does have its niche.

By: Gene

Gene — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:16:04 +0000

I was wondering if there’s any way that I can access my desktop screen through the internet or local network.

What I was thinking of doing is buying a laptop and a desktop. The laptop would be a slow $300 or so type (perhaps even a netbook) and then I would use the rest of the money to buy the fastest desktop I could afford.

I would leave my desktop upstairs on and use my netbook or laptop. Even though the laptop would be slow it would seem to be fast because I am really using my desktop but seeing it through my laptop.

Anyway that’s the idea. Is that even possible?

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:53:19 +0000

I bought a new macbook in January and I use that as my everday laptop. I have a 4 year old Dell laptop that I now use as a desktop. I have a monitor, speakers, mouse and keyboard, and printer all plugged into my laptop which is on the desktop closed next to my monitor. I need to get a cooling fan for it tho. I saw some at Best Buy for about 25 bucks. I’m sure they are well worth it. But I can testify that it is very easy to forget that it is a laptop. Often, I think I’m working with a desktop myself and leave it on for a couple of days. Not very good. But it does what I need to do.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:57:42 +0000

You certainly *can* use your laptop as a desktop replacement providing you purchase a laptop which is designed to do so. I purchased an HP nw9440 workstation class laptop a couple of years back and I leave it on 24 hours a day, several days in a row. I run it mostly plugged into its HP Advanced docking station, which sits on an HP adjustable laptop tilt table setup. I plan to attach an external PCI/PCIe 1x chassis to my setup to give me 2 x PCI and 2 x PCIe lanes for desktop plugging cards. I use my laptop for mission critical broadcast video editing and it has never let me down once. It all depends on the grade of laptop you are using.

By: Synapse Syndrome

Synapse Syndrome — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:50:41 +0000

Yeah, I had several ThinkPads with Ultrabays, Media Slices or Port Replicators. They are best used in combination with KVMs. But I do not bother with docks anymore, now that wi-fi is so fast. I just Remote Desktop into the laptop now, and with domain accunts, there is no problem is accessing any files I need.

By: Adrian

Adrian — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:47:04 +0000

Every 3 or 4 years when my company upgrades my ThinkPad, I go out to eBay and buy 2 port replicators, 1 for work and 1 for home. I have a desktop style keyboard, mouse, and monitor plugged into each replicator. This makes setup at home & office quicker and more convenient, and I’m told it puts much less mechanical strain on the connectors, reducing service costs.

With WinXP, I do use the external monitor to extend the screen, and each LCD (laptop & external) is set at it’s best resolution – the 19″ external screen runs 1440 X 900, and the laptop is set at 1024 X 768. This mode is called dualview by MicroSoft:
(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/hwandprograms/monitors.mspx#3)

Currently I’m running a ThinkPad T42 and I’m expecting an upgrade soon. With this upgrade, I probably won’t buy any port replicators as I can now work at home full time. I will however continue to use an external keyboard for comfort, along with the external mouse and 2nd monitor.

My personal (not work) laptop is almost never used with a port replicator, because it is almost always used on a lap or out and about. If we’re at home, we have desktops PCs setup with big displays and ergonomic desks for more comfort. I have considered getting laptops to replace desktops a t home as an energy saving measure, but for now turning the systems off when not in use is serving us well.

By: Jonas J.

Jonas J. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:05:02 +0000

About the topic on slower. Not all laptops are slow. My Compaq Presario laptop is actually way faster than my desktop even running on vista, and when I used to have XP. I also have had several applications open while I’m playing some of my favorite games with high end graphics. Ever since I had this notebook last year. I do not recall any slow activities. So I’m sorry to say that I do not agree with that topic.

By: David K.

David K. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:36:08 +0000

Ergonomics. At least if you’re taller (I’m 6’2″). My stand brings the laptop display up higher, which means the keyboard is on an incline and hard for me to use. The Bluetooth keyboard stores on a keyboard trey where I’m in a more natural position. Either that, or I will sometimes pull the keyboard off into my lap, when “kicking back”. And I can then push the laptop back farther on the desk.

Never mind the fact that I hate laptop keyboards. They are compressed, and the Insert/Delete/Home, etc keys are in odd places. I can go much faster on a standard keyboard.