What to Choose: a Laptop or a Desktop

Although the cost of computing has decreased considerably in recent years, buying a new computer is still a serious investment, and therefore careful consideration needs to made in regards to not only the brand of computer that you might opt for, but also the kind of computer, and in particular should you choose a laptop or a desktop?

The most obvious difference between laptops and desktops is a matter of portability, and if you want the versatility of being able to compute wherever in your home (and beyond) you want, then a laptop or netbook is the only way to go. In fact, even when laptops are connected to their laptop chargers they are still much more portable than their larger counterparts, and can be relocated room to room very easily.

Traditionally, by opting for a portable computer over a desktop you would be making compromises in terms of performance. Nowadays, however, things are not quite as black or white, and laptops are available that can give you the kind of performance you’d usually expect from a desktop, perfect for gaming.

Unfortunately, it is still the case that the more powerful your laptop a) the more expensive it will be and b) the less portable it is likely to be. If you are prepared to use your laptop most often whilst it is connected to its laptop charger, i.e. in the home, then this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, however if you want to use your device as a portable computer then powerful computing may not be viable.

There are also some less obvious issues that might affect your decision, for example, particular components of a laptop, for example the laptop charger or laptop power supplies can be prone to go wrong if mishandled, and despite their smaller size laptops can be more expensive to get repaired than desktop computers.

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