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Do you need a laptop computer?
Andréa Coutu
Office gadgets
2008-03-24 00:15:48
I'm a computer junkie. I've had a computer since I was about eight years old. Before that, I used to stand in the computer section of Sears, pining for the chance to play the Pac-Man clone. However, as much as I love computers, I held out a long time before moving up to a laptop.
In fact, even though I was consulting in the 90s and early 2000s, I stuck with a desktop. I did all my work from home and rarely had a need to bring a computer anywhere. But, a few years ago, I decided it might be nice to be able to take a laptop computer to the library, hotels, vacation destinations and even my parents' house.
Still, most of the time, I find packing up my computer is a big effort. So I usually leave it at home. But, when I do want to tote it along, at least I have the option. A desktop computer isn't portable at all, unless you're comparing it to an old mainframe!
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In fact, even though I was consulting in the 90s and early 2000s, I stuck with a desktop. I did all my work from home and rarely had a need to bring a computer anywhere. But, a few years ago, I decided it might be nice to be able to take a laptop computer to the library, hotels, vacation destinations and even my parents' house.
Still, most of the time, I find packing up my computer is a big effort. So I usually leave it at home. But, when I do want to tote it along, at least I have the option. A desktop computer isn't portable at all, unless you're comparing it to an old mainframe!
Comments
Thanks for your comment, Brian. Why do you say a laptop is less hassle? I can see it's more portable, but do you see other benefits?
— Andrea
Many of the arguments for desktops just don't hold true anymore, or are irrelevant. Upgradeability is not an issue, since laptops pretty much come with whatever you need, and provide USB ports for the few things you might. Hardly anyone upgrades a desktop, except for the RAM or hard disk, which are just as easily upgradeable on a laptop.
Laptop performance is high enough now that only high-end gamers will be missing out. Likewise, disk space is so cheap, even on laptops, that it's no longer an issue.
The amount of physical space you need to dedicate to a desktop is also an issue, as well as all the wires you need to deal with. Laptops give you an all-in-one solution with much fewer wires, and it takes up much less physical space. Laptops also use less electricity, and are easily portable, and even if you only need that portability once in a while, it will be well worth it (like when taking the laptop down to a coffee shop for a change of scenery)
If one has a desktop and a laptop, keeping the data on both in sync is a nightmare. I'm a hard-core IT guy and I tried for months to keep 2 systems in sync until I finally gave up on that battle. Syncing to a sufficient level is simply not possible.
Overall, laptops really bring some very nice benefits, and have very little drawback. Even only a couple of years ago this was not true, but today, it is.
— brian
Thanks. I guess it's just a matter of whether the extra cost for portability is important to you, then.
— brian