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RSS FeedIf you only have one computer, should you choose a desktop or a laptop?
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| Desktop | 41% | 502 votes | Total: 1217 votes | |
| Laptop | 59% | 715 votes |
Desktop
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Add to FavoritesThe question depends more than anything on how you plan to use your computer. While I chose the desktop side of this debate, I will say up front that anyone who has a very mobile lifestyle and wants to easily take their computer with them is better off with a laptop. But a majority of computer users are not traveling business people or college students who go home every weekend but rather regular home users who would be better suited by a stationary desktop unit, and hence my choice of side in the debate.
The first reason why is cost. You can get more powerful technology at a lower price in a desktop than in a laptop. There are also a great deal more components on the market for desktops and therefore a wider range of prices and options. Also, if you're looking to build your own system then it will most definitely be a desktop because not many people would have the money - let alone the expertise or resources - to assemble a laptop computer themselves.
The second reason was alluded to somewhat in the first: modular parts. Let's say a couple years down the road you decide you want more powerful graphics for your system. For a desktop it is not so hard to buy and install a better graphics card for your system, but try that with a laptop. Even the hardest and most costly upgrade for a computer - a processor upgrade - is doable with a desktop but not so much so with a laptop. This bodes well for desktops as future-compatible machines since they are easily upgraded with more current hardware to a certain degree, but the options for upgrading a laptop are sparse if existent.
A third reason is risk of theft. You are must less likely to have your desktop stolen than your laptop. Not only are laptops more portable and thereby easier to snatch, but also laptops are more often seen out in public where an opportunistic thief is likely to strike.
A fourth reason is maintenance and cleaning. With a desktop, you can open up the case and blast away with a can of compressed air to help get rid of dust buildup. But if you get dust buildup in your laptop, that's a bit harder to remove. Furthermore, if you spill a soda on your desktop keyboard, you've probably only ruined the keyboard which is easily and inexpensively replaceable. Do the same with your laptop and you may ruin the entire machine!
A final reason is the aspect of cooling. A desktop typically has a mid-tower case though which air flows and helps cool the components inside the computer. The aforementioned fact that desktops are easier to un-dust also helps keep them cool. Laptops do have internal fans and air vents, but there's no open space inside. Everything in a laptop is very closely packed together to fit in that small space. Furthermore, laptops tend to sit on laps, which are typically warmer and less friendly to air circulation than sitting on the floor or a desk as desktops tend to do. The hotter a computer runs, the more risk there is of the hardware malfunctioning and even dying prematurely, so the cooler your computer the better.
Laptops have their own advantages and I'm definitely a fan of them as well (in fact, I'm using one to type this very article right now!); but for the average computer user a desktop is the better choice.
Learn more about this author, Jeremy Jameson.
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Laptop
Up until recently the question of desktop versus laptop was really more about power and price than anything else. Traditionally you could get much more power out of a desktop computer than a laptop computer. To even approach desktop power in a laptop you had to pay a very hefty price, one that made most laptop options prohibitively expensive. Today the playing field is much more level.
For the most part you can still get more power in a desktop than a laptop of the same price. However, the price of powerful laptops have finally reached affordable range for most Americans. Of course you can go with a less powerful desktop for significantly less money, but given the advancement in computer operating systems and other applications that put a constantly increasing strain on computer resources, why chance paying a few hundred dollars today for a model that will very likely be outdated in a year or so?
The question really boils down to convenience, or rather need for convenience. Since you can purchase affordable laptops that serve as desktop replacements, you need to determine how convenient you want your computer to be. Will you need to be upgrading it in the near future with new hard drives, video cards or other peripherals that need to be mounted internally? You'll find that most things that you'll add to your computer will function perfectly fine through the USB interface. Hard drives, scanners, printers, TV Tuners, media readers and most other common add-ons can be connected via the USB port so you never have to open your computer, making the need for a desktop PC even less critical.
Laptops offer several conveniences that are appealing to the average user. Their small footprint makes furniture requirements much more forgiving. Gone are the days of the huge computer desks to house the massive desktop or tower unit and its companion CRT monitor with the mouse and keyboard. With today's laptops you don't even need a desk to get all of your computing needs done, a TV tray table can serve most of your purposes. This compactness also lends to the flexibility of location. No longer are you chained to a bulky desk in the study. With the battery life, small size of laptops and current wireless networking technology you can be as productive sitting in a lounge chair by the pool as you can be at your desk. Too warm by the pool or perhaps some ominous clouds rolling in? No problem, fold up your laptop and relocate to some place equally as comfortable, and in a few minutes you're back in business.
There are other practical conveniences that laptops offer. They have their own built in battery backup so you never have to lose your work as a result of an unexpected power outage. They generally come built to order so you never have to worry about fiddling around with delicate computer parts. Having your monitor, keyboard, pointing device and everything in one package makes setup a breeze. You are no longer burdened with figuring out the complexities of the snaking forest of wires that most desktop computers thrust on their users. Laptops are also great for the digital photographer on vacation. Instead of carrying dozens of memory cards so you can capture your vacation in pictures, you only need enough to get through one day. When you get back to your hotel room you can conveniently dump the days catch down to your laptop then review and edit them immediately.
Having been a diehard desktop user for years I can understand the appeal of having a box that I can tinker with and upgrade as needed. However, having switched over to a laptop full time about four years ago I also can understand the appeal and advantages of working on a laptop. For me the laptop wins hands down. My current laptop which I purchased recently is a total power house and real desktop replacement, all for under $1,400. We still have several traditional desktop computers around the house, mostly for specialty purposes where laptops are less suited. One is a home media center PC, another a file server and a third is a desktop computer for my wife. For me though, I find a laptop to be the best of both worlds. I get the power and convenience I need to do the work I do, play the games I play and get all the things done that I need to, all in one infinitely convenient package.
Learn more about this author, Joseph Whalen.
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