You can trace every modern smart and portable computing device back to the desktop computer, introduced to the general public in the 80s. Due to the rise of popularity in smartphones, gaming consoles, and portable devices over the last decade, desktops saw a dip in popularity.
But in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns, desktops have suddenly seen a resurgence in popularity due to the remote work movement. If you’re mulling over buying a desktop but can’t decide because you think desktops have become obsolete, there are a couple of things to think over.
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Desktop Versus Laptop
Despite the ease with which you can carry your laptop around, desktops are literal powerhouses compared to laptops. They have more durable parts compared to laptops and last for decades. In fact, instances of PC breaking down beyond use or repair in terms of hardware are very few and far between. Most PC users just replace their old hardware, which isn’t possible on laptops.
The bigger PC parts mean that you can do any task on a PC faster than any laptop. You can also run multiple applications on a PC with ease which often pushes laptop processors to their limits, making it highly inadvisable. Most importantly, desktop usage isn’t limited by any battery. As long as a desktop is connected to electricity, it can keep running as long as you want it to.
Watching movies or playing games on desktops are also much better than the same experience on a laptop. Desktops allow for bigger screens and high-level graphical fidelity. Graphics cards (GPUs) and monitors (laptop screens) are downsized versions of desktop hardware, so no matter how cutting-edge your laptop is, it will still lose out to a desktop with the same hardware specs.
With the lockdown keeping everyone indoors, more and more people are becoming aware of the limitations of laptops and starting to move towards desktops. If you’re looking to buy one, search ‘find a computer shop near me’ on Google or any other search engine to find one closest to you or shop online.
Why Desktop Isn’t Obsolete
No matter how you look at it, desktops have always remained popular and continue to remain popular even in the future. Now that you have a clear idea about the main differences between desktops and laptops, there are several significant reasons why desktops aren’t obsolete in 2021, including:
- Desktops Are More Specialized– The main advantage of desktops is that you can specialize them any way you want. Whether you want a desktop that is good for multimedia work, gaming, work, studies, podcasting, etc., you can build it any way you want. This allows for a degree of customization that is not possible on laptops.
Tasks such as record management, documentation, audio, video production, etc., are much easier on desktops because the specialized software used for them requires the extra processing power that only a desktop can provide. It can be confidently said that desktops are the most versatile and multifunctional computers in existence even today.
- Easy To Upgrade–Desktops are very easy to upgrade compared to laptops. If you buy a laptop, it has to be for one particular purpose like work, gaming, etc. The slots for the processor, RAM, and other hardware are only customized for that model, making it impossible to upgrade. On the other hand, desktops have much more flexible slots and ports that can support a wide variety of hardware.
This is one department where laptops cannot compete. If you buy a laptop, you’re stuck with it for life. But if you opt for a desktop, you can easily upgrade it over the years as you see fit, which eases a lot of pressure on your wallet as you can improve your desktop incrementally.
- Value and Performance– Desktops take the crown over laptops when it comes to providing a bang for your buck. They are a more reliable budget option compared to laptops and can easily keep up with the latest technology without breaking your wallet. In this regard, desktops will always stay relevant no matter how far we advance in the future.
Desktops Still Serve a Purpose
Using a desktop is not only more comfortable and relaxing than a laptop, but it also has better performance. They are useful for a home office or those interested in gaming. Just make sure you do enough research so you can get the best configuration in your budget.
