Desktop or laptop

 I am a desktop lover - I have a laptop but I hate having to use it for long periods. I've added peripherals etc but I would still rather work on a desktop. 

not sure if I was only going to have one that I would only choose a desktop though...................

Another advantage of a desktop is cost - I bought a new one a couple of months ago and for $560 got a very powerful machine. It came with 750GB storage and 6GB ram - I already had another 750GB hard drive and I keep all my files on the separate drive - this way if the drive with the OS gets corrupt my files are fine or in my case I just pulled it from the old machine and placed it in the new one.

I do think that you can spend a ton less than $1200 for a very well spec'd laptop.  I'm a bargain hunter, honestly I wouldn't consider paying more than $700 for a laptop with all that you want.

You can always add an external HD for your files and get a keyboard & mouse to make working on it easier (I set my mom's up for her like this and she loves it)

of course all of the above is JMHO

 I was never a fan of laptops until I got mine. We found a good deal on it and I needed something portable to take with me to work 1 day a week. I figured I would get used to it. I wasn't expecting to love it and now I don't think I would ever go back to a desktop. That said, I don't run games on it so I can't answer any questions about those types of specs you would need. It has plenty of room for pictures and programs for editing photos. I watch movies on it and it runs beautifully for that. I LOVE being able to curl up on the couch with my computer. I don't actually like sitting for extended periods of time, because I haven't found a chair that supports my lower back well enough. I typically do not store music on my computer, but there would be plenty of space for that as well.

We didn't buy through best buy. My SO found a place online with good prices. Including the extended warranty and a separate accidental damage coverage, we spent under 1200 for my laptop (lenovo ideapad y530). I'm sure now, the price on that model is even cheaper. 

Honestly, if gaming is important, look long and hard at the differences in price. Your probably best off with a desktop if you play games that need a good graphics card. Desktops are more modifiable, as well, after purchase. I'm a fairly bare bones user. I browse the web, watch videos online or through Netflix and Hulu, download some music, and store my pictures. That's about it. The only computer games I may play online, are web based and do not require anything fancy to run.

Desktop.

I have both a desktop and a netbook.  Love the netbook but it wouldn't handle what you want it to, well.  I hate cluncky laptops, but anything over a netbook size is clunky to me.  It's almost too cumbrsome to move around, battery power isn't great (netbook I can get 7-9 hrs but old laptop was maybe 2-3), it got hot on my lap.  Love the portability but not the rest.

Desktops are usually cheaper for the same specs in a laptop, too.

I got my mom a Dell Zino last Christmas.  It's a desktop but is only 8"x8" and uses laptop components.  Hers was about $350 without a monitor (my dad's gift was a new monitor).  I got it with a 250GB hard drive (I get the *smallest* HD possible because stuff should really be stored externally), 2GB RAM that I plan to upgrade on my own, a wireless card, CD-RW/DVD-RW drive, and I believe I upgraded the processor.  I'm not sure what OS came on it but I installed Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.

Whatever you get, I would recommend Windows 7 64-bit with 3GB of RAM or more.  For processors I prefer AMD and for graphics I prefer ATI Radeon or sometimes Nvidia as long as it's something better than the basic Intel stuff.

You could get a decent desktop for a nice price (and skip the monitor if you already have one!) and then get a $300 netbook/mini if you want something more portable.  In fact I've seen several package deals.

I DO get warranties, but I put my computers through the wringer and also use the warranty as a selling point if I sell the computer before it's 3 years old.  My current HP laptop is almost 4 years old and through the extended warranty, I've replaced the LCD, optical drive, battery, power cord, bottom of the case, RAM, and hard drive.  That's definitely more than the $150 I paid for the warranty, but like I said I take this machine everywhere and use it almost every waking hour.  It's gone through three different operating systems and is running as well as it ever has, actually better than my newer supposedly demi-God iMac, haha, which now serves no purpose other than displaying pretty background photos and screen savers for ambiance in my cubicle.

Liesje

You could get a decent desktop for a nice price (and skip the monitor if you already have one!) and then get a $300 netbook/mini if you want something more portable.  In fact I've seen several package deals.

I have to say I have had REALLY bad experiences with Dell as far as reliability. Just putting that out there - they have one of the best warranty systems around, but IMO it's not worth it, because their reliability is horrible. I don't think extended warranties are a bad idea, but the idea should still be that you won't *have* to use it! A warranty is not a substitute for a decent machine! (On my Dell/Alienware desktop computer, I have so far had replaced (through warranty) 3 video cards, 2 sticks of RAM, and the main hard disk drive. And that's within 2 years. NOT FUN. But the warranty cost about as much as it would have to replace just 1 of the vid cards, so I guess I got my money's worth.)

Also, you might want to think about getting an external hard drive to hold movies, pictures, etc., and to back up your files.

My preference is a desktop, but just had to say I love the SIMS!!!!! - literally could lose days and weeks playing that game.

Just to add my 2 cents......I have a desk top.......but any time I am on vacation trying to use my friends lap top... I HATE IT!!!   I can't type on it....its WAY too touchy for me!

I agree with Cita about Dell. I've returned two laptops and had to have two others sent back to be repaired (due to faulty RAM and Hardrive dying after a few weeks). They also have horrid customer service and you get sent to like seven different people before one comes to help you and most know nothing about computers which makes it worse. On top of that they tried to take two extra payments from me when I paid off and cancelled the account I had with them and I had to take it to the BBB before they would give me my money back. I would never ever deal with them again.

Also if you want a laptop with that criteria its going to cost alot. My laptop cost me $1800.00 two years ago and it can't play any of the newer games very well-its a Dell Studio 17. When I play Sims 3 on it everything has to be on the lowest setting and it doesn't run Starcraft II well in multiplayer. However I will say its useful for photography. Its nice being able to look at my photos right away when I'm taking pictures for someone.  I also used to have a gaming laptop (I later returned it because Dell's computers like to fall apart) it cost $2800.00 and it did run games very well, when it worked. However with $2800 you could buy an amazing desktop for way less than that lol. But thats close to the cost you'd be looking at in order to comfortably play newer games on a laptop. So my advice would be to get a nice desktop and an external harddrive. At least with a desktop if something dies and needs to be replaced it will cost you alot less, its also easier to upgrade desktop hardware than laptop hardware.

 Surprised people have had so many Dell issues. I believe in surveys it is HP that rates the worst. In a little over a year, I have had nothing major with my Dell. I did go for the full warranty on it include the accidental damage. I destroyed a few AC adaptors, they sent me a new keyboard when mine got too full of hair to work, and it is going out to get fixed because there is a crack in the case. All of these are because I abuse the computer, not because it is bad.

That said, I think the people who said you want a desktop and a netbook might be on to something. I am on my asus eee right now. I like it, but I do have one of the first ones they sold. It's fairly small compared to most of what is out there now. I usually only use it when I will be using it for a short time, like for class, or to take meeting minutes.  I think I would need something a little bigger for regular use.

 i build my own desktop machines. That way I can control what goes in to it and how much money I spend on it. To me, quality is pretty important and by building it myself I know that nothing is skimped on unless I decide to skimp. Honestly, building your own machine is very easy too. There's all kinds of do it yourself guides online if you want to go that route.

 Another option is if you have an university near you. You can get a slightly used machine for crazy cheap then just add on to it as you see fit (memory, etc). I just bought one for my grandma for $60.

I have never purchased a laptop myself but I have to admit they are very handy to have around. They take up no room and you can move them around the house, take them with you with you visit people, go on vacation, whatever. I'm toying with the idea of buying a very small, very portable one eventually.  I can't imagine playing games on a laptop though. That would drive me nuts. And I have to have an external mouse. I had that laptop "mouse pad" thingy. My work computer is a laptop but I have external everything: monitors, keyboard and mouse.

I am a laptop convert.  I used to be a desktop lover all the way, but at home, it is nice to have the portability and especially nice when I travel.  There were a few must haves for me for a laptop though that were purely for my own comfort, the 2 most important being that I wanted a full keyboard with full 10 key, and a large screen which was basically required in order to have a full keybaord.  I have a 17 inch and LOVE IT!  I use a desktop all day at work though and have no issue switching back and forth between the two.  Although, on my desktop, I have a keyboard that mimics a laptop keyboard so that may be part of it.  My husband has a netbook and I HATE using it.  The keyboard is just too small! 

Laptops are more expensive for sure so it may not matter to you.  Our space is limited, and will be more limited when we have another child.  I like being able to set the laptop up at the kitchen counter, or dining room table, or even in the living room and be with my family while I work if I want to be.  Now I don't have to have a designated space for my desktop which is nice for freeing up space.

When judging reliability you have to take into account the components.  Dell and HP make some of the cheapest, lowest end computers available in any market.  When you only pay $500-$700 for a laptop, you can't assume you are not getting the highest end components or the sturdiest form factor.  I've had a Dell laptop come out of the box with an unusable hard drive.

From a support perspective (I fix computers all day and often need to download things from the manufacturer's or get replacement parts from them), Dell and HP are my favorites because it is super simple to replace parts that are warrantied.  I don't even have to own the computer or prove where/when you got it, I can go online, give the rep a service tag for a student's computer, and do the replacement for them without any haggling.  They have all their drivers, diagnostic tools, firmware, etc right on their website.  You can chat for free, don't have to call and wait on hold for 20 minutes and then get someone with English as their fifth language.

 I got a Systemax and I love it.  My IT suggested it based on reliability, price, and the fact that tech support is based in the good ole USA.

spiritdogs

 the fact that tech support is based in the good ole USA.

This is really important to me as well. More and more I will not deal with companies that outsource customer service and tech support to other countries.

I just closed a bank account with a big national bank because their customer service is not in the US. That is unacceptable imo. I understand if I'm buying a good or service that originates from another country, but if the product originates here, the customer services better damn well be here too.