In the early days of publicly available computers, desktops were the only devices you needed…or could afford. These were less crucial elements in people’s lives and more status symbols. However, as the years passed and technology improved, computers became more powerful and, importantly, smaller. The days when computers needed hard drives the size of a washing machine are over, and one could argue that the days when you need desktop computers are over. If I’m being frank, the average person doesn’t need a desktop computer because most laptops have enough power to perform tasks like web browsing, video streaming, and word processing. Hell, I’m currently writing this article on a Lenovo Legion Pro 7. I could have bought a cheaper laptop without sacrificing the ability to get my work done, but I wanted a compromise between price and playing the latest computer games on the go. Granted, a laptop will never be as powerful as a desktop, but the average user doesn’t need that much power to begin with. Additionally, they can use a laptop dock to add additional monitors and peripherals to improve productivity and ergonomics. Laptops also have another indispensable advantage: portability. These computers are designed to fold and fit into carrying cases so you can take your work anywhere. Do you have an important presentation for your work? You can create the PowerPoint on a desktop, save it to a flash drive, and take the drive with your desktop. But if you have a laptop, you can edit and improve your presentation on the go. Assuming of course that your laptop has a powerful battery. And don’t forget that since laptops take up less space than desktops, you have more space to decorate your workspace. You need even less energy than you think Real People Group/Getty Images We know we just devoted an entire slide to how laptops can do everything desktops do, but that was a bit of a stretch; technology has improved to the point where you don’t even need a laptop anymore. Sort of. Many computer manufacturers offer a special category of laptops called a notebook computer. These devices are even weaker than laptops. So while they may struggle to accomplish many tasks, their batteries last longer since their relatively anemic components require little electricity. Additionally, even though laptops typically have fewer USB ports than standard laptops, you can always purchase a laptop dock for additional connection slots. Granted, laptops aren’t suited to tasks more strenuous than word processing, but this lack of power saves you money (despite the lack of RAM that drives up the prices of laptops and desktops). For everything else, there is cloud computing. You can even stream games to a laptop if you have the right subscription service…and you’re okay with that. Technically speaking, you don’t even need a laptop. Many tasks that once required a desktop computer (and later a laptop or notebook) can now be done on a smartphone. You can’t exactly code programs on Android or iPhone, but that’s more of an interface problem than a processing one. Smartphones have enough power to stream videos, browse the internet, and even play games. But don’t expect the graphical fidelity to come remotely close to the capabilities of even the weakest gaming laptops. Desktops still win when it comes to pure power Throughout this article, we’ve talked about how the power difference between desktops and laptops has narrowed significantly. However, this gap remains and it will probably never completely disappear. Although you can use a laptop to do basic tasks like word processing (or use a phone to browse the Internet), desktop computers still have a huge advantage in resource-intensive tasks. Just look at video games. While many laptops offer solid gaming experiences, desktops generally offer better graphics and higher frame rates, especially when they have the right GPU, CPU, and RAM. The same goes for any job that requires a ton of processing power. If you’re a game developer or create CGI for movies or shows, you probably use (or should use) a desktop computer for these tasks. Desktops also have one final compelling advantage: you can upgrade them more easily. Sure, you can replace some outdated components in laptops, but the most important ones, the CPU and GPU, are often soldered to the motherboard. And that’s assuming you can even open the case. Desktop components, on the other hand, are essentially designed to be removed and replaced, allowing desktops to last longer. In a fragmentary way, Ship of Theseus, at least. Just be sure to transfer your files to new hard drives and/or SSDs when replacing them. Post navigation 3 Disadvantages of Privacy Screen Protectors You Need to Know
In the early days of publicly available computers, desktops were the only devices you needed…or could afford. These were less crucial elements in people’s lives and more status symbols. However, as the years passed and technology improved, computers became more powerful and, importantly, smaller. The days when computers needed hard drives the size of a washing machine are over, and one could argue that the days when you need desktop computers are over. If I’m being frank, the average person doesn’t need a desktop computer because most laptops have enough power to perform tasks like web browsing, video streaming, and word processing. Hell, I’m currently writing this article on a Lenovo Legion Pro 7. I could have bought a cheaper laptop without sacrificing the ability to get my work done, but I wanted a compromise between price and playing the latest computer games on the go. Granted, a laptop will never be as powerful as a desktop, but the average user doesn’t need that much power to begin with. Additionally, they can use a laptop dock to add additional monitors and peripherals to improve productivity and ergonomics. Laptops also have another indispensable advantage: portability. These computers are designed to fold and fit into carrying cases so you can take your work anywhere. Do you have an important presentation for your work? You can create the PowerPoint on a desktop, save it to a flash drive, and take the drive with your desktop. But if you have a laptop, you can edit and improve your presentation on the go. Assuming of course that your laptop has a powerful battery. And don’t forget that since laptops take up less space than desktops, you have more space to decorate your workspace. You need even less energy than you think Real People Group/Getty Images We know we just devoted an entire slide to how laptops can do everything desktops do, but that was a bit of a stretch; technology has improved to the point where you don’t even need a laptop anymore. Sort of. Many computer manufacturers offer a special category of laptops called a notebook computer. These devices are even weaker than laptops. So while they may struggle to accomplish many tasks, their batteries last longer since their relatively anemic components require little electricity. Additionally, even though laptops typically have fewer USB ports than standard laptops, you can always purchase a laptop dock for additional connection slots. Granted, laptops aren’t suited to tasks more strenuous than word processing, but this lack of power saves you money (despite the lack of RAM that drives up the prices of laptops and desktops). For everything else, there is cloud computing. You can even stream games to a laptop if you have the right subscription service…and you’re okay with that. Technically speaking, you don’t even need a laptop. Many tasks that once required a desktop computer (and later a laptop or notebook) can now be done on a smartphone. You can’t exactly code programs on Android or iPhone, but that’s more of an interface problem than a processing one. Smartphones have enough power to stream videos, browse the internet, and even play games. But don’t expect the graphical fidelity to come remotely close to the capabilities of even the weakest gaming laptops. Desktops still win when it comes to pure power Throughout this article, we’ve talked about how the power difference between desktops and laptops has narrowed significantly. However, this gap remains and it will probably never completely disappear. Although you can use a laptop to do basic tasks like word processing (or use a phone to browse the Internet), desktop computers still have a huge advantage in resource-intensive tasks. Just look at video games. While many laptops offer solid gaming experiences, desktops generally offer better graphics and higher frame rates, especially when they have the right GPU, CPU, and RAM. The same goes for any job that requires a ton of processing power. If you’re a game developer or create CGI for movies or shows, you probably use (or should use) a desktop computer for these tasks. Desktops also have one final compelling advantage: you can upgrade them more easily. Sure, you can replace some outdated components in laptops, but the most important ones, the CPU and GPU, are often soldered to the motherboard. And that’s assuming you can even open the case. Desktop components, on the other hand, are essentially designed to be removed and replaced, allowing desktops to last longer. In a fragmentary way, Ship of Theseus, at least. Just be sure to transfer your files to new hard drives and/or SSDs when replacing them.
