The desktop PC doesn't get a lot of respect these days. Laptops began outselling desktops years ago, and now tablets and smartphones are all the rage.
So what does that make the venerable desktop?
If you answered "A doorstop," you're wrong, oh cynical one. Why? Despite its declining popularity, the desktop computer has many advantages over its clamshell counterpart. Here are ten good reasons to buy (or build) one.
You Get More Bang for Your Buck
Go ahead--compare a desktop and laptop with similar prices. Invariably the desktop will have a faster CPU, better graphics hardware, a larger display, and more storage.
Case in point: Compare Apple's $1500 iMac and the company's $1500 MacBook Pro. The iMac has a 21.5-inch display, a 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, and a 1TB (7200-rpm) hard drive. The MacBook Pro has a 13.3-inch screen, a lesser 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 CPU, and a 500GB (5400-rpm) hard drive.
If you don't need a computer designed for the road, why not grab all the power you can?
Vive la Différence
You'll find more variety among desktop designs, from business-friendly minitowers to slim all-in-ones such as the iMac or the Dell Inspiron One Touch to spooky ET-inspired gaming rigs like the Alienware Aurora-R3. With laptops, your choices are limited to slight variations on the conventional clamshell: compact (netbooks), ultrathin (the MacBook Air and competitors), and the traditional notebook with an optical drive.
More Simple to Troubleshoot
A desktop is a lot easier to repair or upgrade. If something goes wrong, you can quickly use Google (okay, Bing also) to search for the solution, and then pop open the desktop case and investigate. Busted Blu-ray drive? Swap it out. Need a bigger hard drive? Add a second disk to an open bay. Coffee-damaged keyboard? Buy a new one. A laptop repair, in contrast, often means shipping your computer to a service center.
Monster Monitors
A desktop display allows you to go big. Really big. Want an Apple Thunderbolt Display with a 27-inch LED-backlit screen? A 46-inch Samsung SyncMaster? Buy a desktop. Of course, you can use a monster monitor with a laptop, but most people don't need two screens. And in case you're wondering, big-rig laptop displays typically max out at 18 inches or so.
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So what does that make the venerable desktop?
If you answered "A doorstop," you're wrong, oh cynical one. Why? Despite its declining popularity, the desktop computer has many advantages over its clamshell counterpart. Here are ten good reasons to buy (or build) one.
You Get More Bang for Your Buck
Go ahead--compare a desktop and laptop with similar prices. Invariably the desktop will have a faster CPU, better graphics hardware, a larger display, and more storage.
Case in point: Compare Apple's $1500 iMac and the company's $1500 MacBook Pro. The iMac has a 21.5-inch display, a 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, and a 1TB (7200-rpm) hard drive. The MacBook Pro has a 13.3-inch screen, a lesser 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 CPU, and a 500GB (5400-rpm) hard drive.
If you don't need a computer designed for the road, why not grab all the power you can?
Vive la Différence
You'll find more variety among desktop designs, from business-friendly minitowers to slim all-in-ones such as the iMac or the Dell Inspiron One Touch to spooky ET-inspired gaming rigs like the Alienware Aurora-R3. With laptops, your choices are limited to slight variations on the conventional clamshell: compact (netbooks), ultrathin (the MacBook Air and competitors), and the traditional notebook with an optical drive.
More Simple to Troubleshoot
A desktop is a lot easier to repair or upgrade. If something goes wrong, you can quickly use Google (okay, Bing also) to search for the solution, and then pop open the desktop case and investigate. Busted Blu-ray drive? Swap it out. Need a bigger hard drive? Add a second disk to an open bay. Coffee-damaged keyboard? Buy a new one. A laptop repair, in contrast, often means shipping your computer to a service center.
Monster Monitors
A desktop display allows you to go big. Really big. Want an Apple Thunderbolt Display with a 27-inch LED-backlit screen? A 46-inch Samsung SyncMaster? Buy a desktop. Of course, you can use a monster monitor with a laptop, but most people don't need two screens. And in case you're wondering, big-rig laptop displays typically max out at 18 inches or so.
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