Quick RAM Question (Computers)

[BP-Revo]

My desktop is about 2 and a half years old right now and runs plenty fast for everything I generally do on it. It has a lot less usage now since I only use it on the weekends when I'm home. I use my laptop when I am up at school.

My desktop wasn't cheap when I built it, though. It was my first desktop (always had laptops before that). I spent about 2700 bucks out the door (I bought from Newegg - and I had to pay tax since they are in CA too). I did, however, have to buy a monitor, mouse, keyboard, mousepad, case, DVD drive - the whole 9 yards...

Unless I buy some of the newest games and want to run them at full settings, my computer is more than powerful enough.

The last computer I had before my desktop my old laptop. It was a Dell Inspiron 8600. Had it for about 4 years before getting it replaced. Still runs now (hard drive died and I replaced it, but that's about it) and I still use it since it gets great battery life.

My new laptop (Dell Inspiron XPS M1730) gets TERRIBLE battery life. 50 minutes browsing the web on a full charge. It does, however, have 2 video cards, 2 hard drives, a BluRay player and a 17" 1920x1200 screen as well as a backlit keyboard and "effect lights" so there IS a lot of power draw. My power brick for it is 1.3lbs and is nearly 300 watts.

I more or less consider this a portable desktop and all the movement it sees is getting transported up and down from my aunt/uncles house every week. I bring it up and set it up Sunday night and put it away and take it home Friday in case I need it to do homework.

If you couldn't figure it out, my concept with computers is buy a very very powerful (albeit expensive) computer and keep it for a longer period of time (minimum 4 years). I may still pay slightly more in the long run but I'll have a powerful computer and I don't need to worry about transferring my old files all the time.

Same goes for my laptop. I plan on using this through all of college at the very least, so that'll be at least 5 years.