CNET: The Future of the Tablet is the PC

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by HarryT

A laptop with a decent video chipset will drive an external monitor at its full native resolution; it won't simply replicate the laptop's internal screen resolution on the external monitor.

Even ATOM netbooks can do that.
Pretty much everything PC can drive a TV at 1080p, independently of its own screen, even the stick PCs.

[Cinisajoy]

Now if you guys want to see something really bad, try watching "Terror in a Tiny Town" streamed to a big flat screen LCD TV. I guarantee you will see every artifact from the original film.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by HarryT

A good compromise is a laptop with an external monitor. Certainly it'll cost more than a desktop, but less than buying both a desktop and a laptop.

Or a Surface Pro 3 with a docking station.

[dickloraine]

I play games, so I need a solid graphic card. Things change of course, but price is a factor (and upgradability). And of course use scenarios. But a desktop has many advantages above a laptop concerning price, performance and upgradabilitie. Since I can use a desktop for serious use and only need basic things while mobile, I get much more value by using a desktop at home and a tablet mobile. The combination is much cheaper then a laptop which would be equivalent performance wise to my desktop and while underway, a tablet is easier to use, hold and transport.

[Cinisajoy]

Hey gang,
I think we have come to the ultimate conclusion on laptop/desktop/tablet/phone debate.

The conclusion everyone has different needs and favorites.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by HarryT

A laptop with a decent video chipset will drive an external monitor at its full native resolution; it won't simply replicate the laptop's internal screen resolution on the external monitor.

In theory correct, but not completely accurate. The resolution can depend on a lot of things including driver, the connection type and the laptop's internals. Some chipsets support a higher resolution than the laptop's built in graphics system will support. Example, a laptop using the integrated graphics in a Sandybring cpu will only support 1920 x 1200, even if you have a chipset such as the HD Graphics 3000 that supports up to 2500 x 1600. You need a dedicated graphics card to get the full resolution of the chipset. Laptop makers frequently are willing to make trade offs like that. On my work laptop, the external resolution in the docking station is better than the external resolution plugging the monitor directly into the laptop. That's because the only video connection on the laptop is a VGA connector. There are a lot of little gotchas in the fine print.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

For streaming videos, we find an HDMI cable hooked up to the TV and the laptop works great.
Hubby has his laptop hooked up to an HD monitor. I forget whether it is a 24 or 26 inch.

An actual cable, how barbaric

Gone WIDI for hooking up to the TV (admittedly mostly because one of the dogs sees any cable strung across the room as some kind of challenge to be overcome).

[murg]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Hey gang,
I think we have come to the ultimate conclusion on laptop/desktop/tablet/phone debate.

The conclusion everyone has different needs and favorites.

I completely disagree with you.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

An actual cable, how barbaric

Gone WIDI for hooking up to the TV (admittedly mostly because one of the dogs sees any cable strung across the room as some kind of challenge to be overcome).

Well now, it is not my fault you had to buy a smart TV for the dogs. The cable runs behind the tv ( actually the receiver to the surround sound) and then behind the desk to the laptop.

Side note: We had to buy a camper for our dog. He learned to escape from tents.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Well now, it is not my fault you had to buy a smart TV for the dogs. The cable runs behind the tv ( actually the receiver to the surround sound) and then behind the desk to the laptop.

Side note: We had to buy a camper for our dog. He learned to escape from tents.

Didn't get a smart TV, just got a £20 dongle that plugged in one of the HDMI sockets.

I can't get a smart TV, if the sod figures out he can change channel by waving a paw at it I'll never be able to watch anything again (We're already banned from watching any dog training programs by the simple expedient of loud barking until the dog disappears from the tv - whichever idiot came up with the idea that dog's can't see tv pictures was dead wrong)

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Didn't get a smart TV, just got a £20 dongle that plugged in one of the HDMI sockets.

I can't get a smart TV, if the sod figures out he can change channel by waving a paw at it I'll never be able to watch anything again (We're already banned from watching any dog training programs by the simple expedient of loud barking until the dog disappears from the tv - whichever idiot came up with the idea that dog's can't see tv pictures was dead wrong)

I got a go to hell look from my dog the other day. He was laying in the recliner watching TV and a d o g food commercial came on. I told him that was what he needed to be eating. He turned and gave me a go to hell look. 2 minutes later, he looked at me like did you really just suggest I eat dog food.
Note: he will eat some dog treats. He prefers chicken, roast, Pork chops. He will eat sausage but only if it is with cheese and bread.

Thanks for the suggestion on the dongle.

[wodin]

Hmm, both of mine prefer cheese puffs.