Desktop vs Laptop

Many wonder which option is best for them. Each have their advantages and disadvantages and these should be considered before making a purchase. Some try to make this a complex matter but each option actually breaks down to a few simple advantages each.

Laptop Portable Space-saving

Desktops Cheaper More powerful Upgradeable More durable

With this in mind the choice becomes clearer. Obviously you should never buy something that you can't afford. Laptops are generally twice as expensive as similarly powered desktops (especially if you already own a monitor to hook the desktop computer up to). So if you can't afford a laptop, don't buy one - stick with the desktop option. Keep in mind you can finance or lease a laptop at places like www.dell.ca or Future Shop.

On the other hand, if you can afford a laptop you will want to analyze how you'll use its features. If you don't have a desk or don't like working at your desk, a laptop is the choice for you. With a laptop you can work in the quiet of your den, in your pajamas in bed or even while watching television (guess what I am doing right now… although I'd warn that watching TV while working generally reduces productivity).

Similarly, if you need to bring your computer to work or use it to work with clients in locations other than your home, a laptop is your choice. Owning a laptop is an extremely freeing experience and many owners refuse to ever return to the confined life of a desktop owner. Yet, be careful, especially for those with children. Laptops are much easier to accidentally destroy than their sturdier desktop counterparts. Dropping your computer and cracking its case is bad, but spilling orange juice all over it and shorting out its circuits is far worse.

On the other hand, even for those able to afford laptops, desktops can still be a good investment choice depending on your needs. Due to their size, laptops have trouble fitting the best components into their cases. Desktops can include larger and faster hard drives, more powerful video cards and chips that can run hotter and faster since more cooling fans can be installed and power consumption is less of an issue. For hard-core gamers and others that need top of the line features, a desktop is a great option.

Plus, desktops are far easier to buy new components for so as to upgrade them. This gives you greater flexibility; for example, after downloading all the photos from your digital camera you realize that you are running out of room on your hard drive, purchasing and installing (or having installed) a new larger drive is fairly simple. Yet, do not think that you can buy one desktop and upgrade it for the rest of eternity. Not only do chips get faster and drives larger, so do the parts of the desktop that allow them to communicate with each other (like the motherboard). While upgrading your computer can extend its life for a short time, you will eventually need to buy a new computer anyway.

So when purchasing your next computer, keep the above advantages in mind and make the decision that best fits your needs.