1.  I salvage the parts that still work in my desktop computer and try and fix it.

2. Order completely new parts and essentially build a new, faster, and better PC.

3. Let my desktop live out the rest of its life, and get a new laptop.

First of all, I need to spell out that I am the kind of person that needs a laptop and a desktop. No getting around it, that is simply how it has to be. So the reason why this debate has come about in the first place goes something like this:

About three weeks ago I started to get random blue screens and crashes on my desktop PC. I built the desktop about 2 summers ago, but almost all of the parts are no longer compatible with the stuff available now. With this in mind, I reformatted the drive and hoped for the best. While some of the crashing has been alleviated, the speed and graphic performance are not what they used to be. The parts are probably just getting outdated for today’s programs, but I partially blame my hardware.

I am almost 100% positive my mainboard is the issue, and this wouldn’t be the first time I have had an issue with it. In any case, I can’t simply replace the mobo and be done with it, because my cpu wont work with the new motherboards out (and they don’t sell the old 939 socket anymore). Plus I would need a new power supply, memory, and likely a video card as well. So with that, I might as well have bought a whole new computer.

In addition to these desktop troubles, I recently reformatted my four year old Acer laptop to hopefully get a little more preformance out of it. Dissapointingly, the battery life simply sucks, and it is just too slow. In laptop years, it is probably 80+ years old, I think it is just setting up for a stroke.

So I am essentially dealing with an ER patient and an old man in hospice care.

I only have money for one computer, and the laptop is definitely going to be the more expensive, but more useful choice. I can either shell out around $800 for parts,  or get this. I have been wanting a Mac for awhile, and while I will never want to use one exclusively, I think it makes a lot of sense to have a mac laptop because they are easier to use, and more reliable.

I do somewhat regret jumping on the “students with macs” bandwagon mainly because so many mac users are really smug jerks, and I’d rather not be lumped in that category. (The South Park episode about hybrid cars comes to mind)

I also really resent how much money they are charging for their computers. I suppose you do pay for reliability, but the rest of your money pays for a backlit fruit.

I am waiting for them to announce the new Macbooks in October, because they are rumored to be a little cheaper, have alumnium cases, and include the fancy new two finger touchpads currently in Macbook Pros.

We’ll see what happens in October, I just hope my current setup will last until then.