Using PCs versus laptops when you're mostly in or on your bed

I'm putting this in lifestyle management right now, but I wondered whether it was more general. The issue though is the problem of not being able to sit upright at a desk for any length of time, and therefore using a pc or laptop from bed, and how the former would be rigged up if anyone around here has done that.

I need a gaming pc or laptop for reasons I won't bore you with. It won't be really expensive and my family are footing most of the bill anyway. The problem is a pc technically is way better than a laptop when it comes to upgrades, but I stopped using my old pc when I could no longer sit at a desk. That was when I had anaemia so bad, I was one point short of needing a blood transfusion or something. But I was weakened, and got into the habit of using a laptop after that, while sitting on top the bed, pillows behind me.

I've seen at least one person with a pc rigged up for bed use, because they had some illness or disability, but other than that it seems laptops are the machine of choice. I have been putting off getting a new machine for ages, and it's getting to the stage the current one will have to be replaced. I'd prefer a pc, but the problem is not the pc tower, or even the keyboard and mouse so much, it's the stability of the monitor when using the machine from bed. Or whether the whole thing would just be too messy/cluttered. Also, the keyboard might be too high if I put it on one of those hospital type tables. Higher spec laptops cost a lot though, and you have to replace the whole thing if they go kaput, whereas you can replace the tower alone with a pc.

 

I can think of 2 main ways of doing this.

The first depends on the location of your bed, wall (or otherwise) fitted swing arms are available for monitors with VESA mounting points. The downside is longer ones tend to be quite expensive and not always robust.

The second is to use a large ish flat screen tv as a monitor, this can be positioned on a convenient piece of furniture but because of it's size can be viewed okay. The actual computer can be more or less anywhere in the same room provided you can get a long enough HDMI (video/sound) lead.

You'd use both of these arrangements with a wireless keyboard and mouse, probably on an overbed table.

My main PC uses the second of these methods, is used from the sofa, and works well for me.

 

Did you look at a monitor ceiling mount?
Combined with a wireless keyboard and mouse might be a good solution.

 

Would be fun wiring tho

(a general problem with non desk mounted swing arm solutions)

 

I'd be using it for close up stuff like 3D modelling and other art related stuff, plus writing, so I'd need the screen fairly close.

Right now I'm at the window, which is kind of the best place from a space perspective, but I could move the bed against a solid wall - where it used to be - if I maybe wanted to try one of those wall mounts.

 

@MarcNotMark - I'd never heard of a monitor ceiling mount. My ceiling is probably higher than a lot of modern builds.

 

@Wonko - I think the overbed table might be one of the best options. Though ideally I'd like less rather than more furniture in my room! Fat chance.

 

I guess it partly depends what size screen you want.

I use a chromebook laptop which has very little memory and stores all my documents etc in the cloud. It was remarkably cheap, only about £180 three years ago, but what I do could work with any laptop.

I now spend a lot of time in bed. I'm lying there now with my top half raised on a slope on 2 sloping cushions and a pillow for my head.

I have a hospital type tray with legs on both sides of my single bed with casters that roll easily. The central section of the top can be placed at any angle I like with an easy to operate mechanism, and has a ledge at the bottom so the laptop doesn't slide off.

I can type on the keyboard with my elbows supported at my sides (almost - I need a strong person to adjust the height of the tray). I adjust the screen so I'm looking directly at it without any strain on my neck.

I use it to watch TV by online streaming and to do all the stuff I would do on a desktop computer.

If you need a bigger screen than a loptop can provide, I guess this isn't much use to you, but it might be useful for someone else. And I've just remembered I said all this on another thread. Oops.

 

There is a reason why most use laptops, it's just much less hassle to get something that works, maybe not ideal, but works.

Although higher spec laptops do tend to throw out a fair amount of heat, and need the vents clear, so use on a bed...not ideal, unless used on a tilting overbed table.

edit - I have one of these, expensive, PITA moving from room to room, on the rare occasions that has happened, but big enough to use an external mouse, stable and flexible - with a bit that always remains level for those things you don't feel like wearing if you forget they are there..

okay.. it seems amazon.co.uk links don't do squat on here, not even show up as a normal link

So not a link, you'd have to google if interested

KIST Best Over Bed Table Overbed Adjustable Tilt Table Brown

 

Currently my monitor sits on the (large) tower case in front of the extension on an L-shaped couch where I can sit with my feet up. Sometimes we bump it a bit, but it's pretty stable, though definitely needs to be out of the way of regular traffic. The tower itself is completely stable, so using some two-sided sticky pads might be a good way to make a monitor more secure on top of it.

 

@Wonko - that table looks good.

 

I suppose, technically, you could put a medium sized monitor on the flat, non tilty bit, it's just about big enough for my little 27" to sit on, provided the table isn't up against a wall, so anything smaller would be fine, but I suspect you'd get a bit of a crimped neck after a while constantly looking at something to the side of you.

I have heard, in a review, of someone doing that, but it didn't appeal to me.

 

There are gaming laptops

http://www.bestadvisers.uk/best-gaming-laptops?s=go

The HP Omen one is the best buy in that review.

Or I have an HP Z-book which is their mobile workstation product (as a laptop its quite heavy but the new ones look quite thin and light). But they are not as powerful as the desktop workstations which are often used for CAD tasks and have lots of memory and Xeon processors.

I have a docking station so I plug my laptop into that when at work and it attaches to a monitor and keyboard and mouse. (quite a few people use two monitors).

One thing to watch for when buying modern laptops is the amount of memory and whether it can be extended (if you need that). I've noticed quite a lot of the thin lightweight laptops have memory fixed to the motherboard rather than sockets which means that more memory cannot be added. So if you have high memory requirements watch out for that.

 

Have you considered a projector in place of a monitor? I have not been tempted by these, but it might help if you have a suitable wall, or if you could devise a lightweight screen (lighter than a monitor so it can be picked up and put down, and is purely passive) to take the image.

I split my use, with a desktop PC with a monitor on an arm in front of my sofa, and a tablet in bed, when I mainly read. Not what you want though, I guess.

 

Projectors always used to make a significant amount of noise, so it would depend on sensitivity, and the ambient environment, if this was acceptable. I don't, personally, see how it would be a better solution that a largish flat screen.

 

fwiw i use a laptop with a desk similar to this:
http://tinyurl.com/ydcuh65k
but i use it differently than pictured here. It takes some trial and error to find the optimum position, but once you do, it's a handy item. (I use the bottom curvy lip towards me to hold the computer on the tray at my liedown angle.)

It's a bit of a PITA to take it on and off the bed each day, but overall it's a great way to keep the laptop in the right position
while also keeping the machine from overheating itself or me.

I also have a hospital table for my other items I don't want to move every day, like supps and meds.

 

Hmm, amazon links work for me whether from the USA or UK site. I did a search on the terms you listed and I've included the amazon.co.uk link below:



Is it possible that you have some plug-in (an ad blocker, or privacy badger) that is getting in the way? Or maybe some other browser setting?

Sorry if this is a bit of a tangent.

Back to the original topic, I also can't use a computer at a desk. I lie in the recliner with my feet up while using a laptop on a lap desk (to spare my lap from the heat). I got a lap desk from Ikea that is sort of like this:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20278247/#/10278243

But my computer needs are very minimal, no gaming or anything that requires super powerful computer. So I have no issue with wishing that I had a tower vs. a laptop.

 

Maybe not exactly what you're looking for price wise and, ok, it's not for in bed, but you can still lie down while doing some computer work







.

 

If I had one of those @MarcNotMark I'd be fighting my family to keep them off it

 

The design is fundamentally flawed - unless you like wearing coffee (other beverages/drinks are available), and your lunch (other meals/snacks may be available).