Better to capture video, laptop or desktop PC?

[vikinagy97]

Both laptops and PCs can have a powerful CPU and plenty of space on the hard disk, or it is not true? I know that on a laptop, only USB capture cards can be used, but are these worse than tuner cards/PCI cards?

You can also write anything that is good to know when selecting and buying a computer/laptop for digitizing VHS. (E.g. Windows versions older than 10 - how can I get, for example, an XP? Because I've read that it's better for capture than Win10.)

[javidial]

I have the same question. I'm going to buy an old second hand laptop or desktop, so it'd be good to know the pros and cos of each. Also, since I'm getting it from craiglist, should I get XP, Vista or 7? I think Vista would be good enough for my Tevion USB card that I just got from lordsmuf.

I tried to install Windows 7 in my main desktop (AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper), and it's impossible to install anything older than 10.

[Bogilein]

Depends on your capture card and your capture workflow.

I would always prefer a desktop pc. Especially because every USB capture card I know of has flaws, whether it's a Pinnacle, ATI USB, Tevion or Diamond, Terratec, Hauppauge.... and I've had them all here for testing.

[lordsmurf]

Specs matter.

Do not use a shiny screen for video capture. The laptop either needs an matte IPS screen, or to be used only with external IPS monitor.

Laptop is USB cards. XP laptops are too old to be feasible, heavy dropped framse. Powerful Win7 laptops were really the earliest capturing equipped. But it needs to be powerful for the time, not budget.

Desktop or laptop, capture to 2nd SATA drive.

@javi, yes, Vista fine for that exact Tevion.

Desktops are almost always better. But again, specs matter. There are certain Dell laptops that are amazing capture machines, better than quite a few desktop options.