by Peter Hendsbee

Created on: April 18, 2009

The choice of whether your one and only computer should be a desktop or a laptop should begin with an evaluation of your current needs, giving consideration to any reasonably predictable needs you may have in the next couple of years. Both desktop and laptop computers have advantages and disadvantages that tilt the scales in favor of one or the other depending on your situation.

Fortunately, the price difference between a laptop and a desktop is no longer a major factor in this decision. It used to be that a laptop was much more expensive. So much so, that it would force you to purchase a desktop computer regardless of your current needs. But, since prices of both laptops and desktops have come down significantly, the difference in price is no longer considered a major decision-making factor.

The important factors that should be considered when deciding between a laptop and a desktop are in the areas of portability, power, and expandability. These are the three areas that set these two types of computers apart.

Laptop computers provide the benefit of portability. Though they vary in size, they are small and light enough to be placed within a carrying case and taken with you virtually anywhere you may go. For the same reason, laptops are battery powered, allowing them to be used for limited periods of time without being plugged into a wall outlet.

Conversely, desktop computers are typically much larger in size, especially given that in most cases, the monitor is a separate, but necessary, component. Their size and weight usually dictate that they will remain in one place for long periods of time. As well, they need to be plugged into an external power source, such as a wall outlet, in order to operate.

However, desktop computers are typically more powerful than laptop computers in that they usually allow more data to be stored internally because they have larger hard drives, and they often facilitate larger memory capacities and faster central processing units, which allow them to operate at higher speeds.

On the other hand, laptops tend to be less powerful because of their smaller size and weight. The space restrictions prevent larger hard drives from being included. Likewise, the small laptop cases restrict the use of more powerful central processing units because they typically require large fans to be included to keep them from overheating. Also, in an effort to extend the amount of time that a laptop can operate on battery power without requiring it to be recharged,

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