Desktop Or Laptop? The Five Factors To Consider When Making The Choice

The choice between models of home computer is so large its bewildering

. In the past few years, the gap in capabilities and productivity between desktop and laptop computers has narrowed, which has made the choice potentially even more difficult.

So bearing in mind the following five considerations will greatly help to focus on the main distinctions, and to make a choice based on the needs of the people who will use the computer most.

1. Price

Because of the higher cost of components and of assembling them, a smaller laptop computer will be more expensive than a desktop model with the same specification. If it is only required for basic tasks such as word processing and surfing the internet, a laptop could be the right choice. But for playing games, or a project such as video editing or desktop publishing which requires more memory, a desktop model will have the expansion space capable of accommodating it.

2. Space

It may seem a contradiction, but while desktop computers are getting smaller, laptops are going in the other direction, because of the greater number of functions they are being asked to perform.

But a laptop is still more easily stored out of the way than a desktop, so is the obvious choice if space is severely limited.

The question to ask is whether the space which the computer will occupy can be permanently sacrificed for housing it.

3. Portability

Theres only one winner here, so it should be asked whether a computer is likely to get the most use if it is placed in one spot, or can be moved around for use in different rooms. If it is unlikely to ever be moved, a desktop is the better-value solution.

4. Ergonomics

Can the existing area where a laptop will be used be made comfortable if someone wants to spend an extended time using it? This can be a vital consideration in the choice between a laptop and desktop model. Their very lightness and portability work against people adopting a suitable posture when using a laptop, while even the name suggests they are more suited to being used sitting anywhere other than at a desk, which is not true. A bad case of hand, wrist, back, neck or eye strain is too high a price to pay for portability and style.

5. Upgrade and/or repair cost

Laptops are less robust and more difficult to upgrade than their desktop equivalents, although with their cost coming down, this might not be a vital consideration. More important is that damage to a laptop keyboard or screen, for example, will be much more serious than to a desktop because the vital working and moving parts have far less protection.

by: Jamie Francis

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