Just something to ponder on a sunny Friday afternoon :)

My current desktop is:

i7-870 @ 2.93GHz
16GB Ram
128GB SSD
HD6450 connected to three 24" Dell 1080 monitors. Only one is HDMI, the others are using Display Port to VGA adapters.

90% of my work is WordPress. I will have 4-6 Chrome browsers open with 4-12 tabs in each (just how I work). Filezilla connected to a couple of different servers and Editplus with maybe 8-12 tabs on it (again connected to multiple servers). A little photo slicing with Paint.net, some Excel, some Word and I'll be streaming Spotify all day. So nothing I would consider intensive. I do the odd Excel/VB project, but nothing serious. I use Google Apps for Work so that's all in one of the Chrome windows. I've never got around to Office for anything I do.

My portable is an Acer Chromebook 13 with the Tegra K1. I like it's size, it's lightness and it's battery life. It can do most things when I am out and about but the 2GB RAM is restrictive if I need multiple tabs open. I stream Netflix and Amazon on it from time to time but have an AppleTV4 to do the daily stuff on our TV.

What got me thinking was a Dell Chromebook on TM recently. i5, 8GB, pretty much new. But at $700 it wasn't far off a Surface Pro 3. So I started to think about replacing everything instead and moving to a single device.

What I'd like is the ability to access everything I need to work, no matter where I am. I sometimes work at client sites and every now and then I need to do something which is just easier to do with the software on my desktop. Maybe I just haven't found the right tools for the Chromebook to replace filezilla/editplus and paint.net. But the 2GB is still restrictive.

I considered a beefier Chromebook but my understanding is it can only run two external screens. So I'm thinking a Surface Pro 3 with a dock, and either sell the desktop or use it to replace my old C2D server and remote onto that if I have anything taxing.

Will a 4GB Pro 3 will do the job or should I look for an 8GB version ? Noel Leemings have 48 months interest free right now which means very little initial outlay for a Pro 4 but it's still twice the price of a used pro 3.

Can I drive three screens easily enough with an offical dock ? Do I need the official one or are there cheaper/better alternatives ?

I want to just be able to sit at my desk, stick the device in a dock, have it fire up to three screens and then be able to pick it up and walk out and have everything available when I go out.

Should I consider a laptop ? I've done the monster 17" desktop replacement before and that's not what I want this time. Should I even bother ? Will I find a Pro 3 a poor substitute for my current desktop ?

Anyone have any thoughts ?