Laptop or Desktop? The Pros and Cons of Buying a Laptop of Desktop Computer
You've decided to buy a computer.  Do you want a desktop or a laptop? Until fairly recently price was a major factor in the decision. Laptops were considerably more expensive than desktops (Pcs or personal computers). But in the last couple of years prices have dropped considerably.   A laptop now costs pretty much the same as a desktop. So how will you decide which to buy? Below are what I think are the main pros and cons.  In the end, only you can decide which is the best option for your needs. Pros of buying a laptop: a) It is easily portable and you can usually buy a briefcase style case for carrying. b) In general it will do everything a desktop does, unless you need serious graphics capability for online gaming. c) You can use it almost anywhere, running on battery if there is no mains supply available. d) You can take it with you if you are visiting clients, attending lectures, giving a presentation or showing your digital photos to friends. Cons of buying a latop: a) The screen will be smaller - this is a major consideration if you have sight difficulties. b) The keyboard is usually smaller and may seem strange if you are a touch typist You can plug in an external screen and external keyboard, but this makes your laptop much less portable. c) The screen and keyboard are fixed together.  You might find yourself hunched over the laptop and develop back and neckache if you spend a lot of time working on it.
Pros of buying a desktop  a) The computer stays in one place! A serious consideration if your children are the sort who will pick up a laptop and leave it anywhere in the house. b) You can use any size screen you want to suit your needs. c) You will get a full size keyboard. c) The screen and keyboard are separate and you can position the screen at the correct height and distance to avoid neck and eye strain.   Cons of buying a desktop a) It is permanently on display. You will need to have a dedicated space for it.  If you live in a small house or flat it might be more conveneint to be able to store the computer in a cupboard when you are not using it.  b) You will finish up with lot of wires to connect the screen, keyboard, mouse and speakers - these are all built into a laptop so there are no wires unless you use an external mouse. What do I have? Both. When I'm doing serious work I use the PC. It has a proper office chair with it, the keyboard is at the right height and the monitor is at the right height and distance. If I am surfing the net and checking emails, or want to use the computer in bed or sitting on the sofa then I use the laptop.  Of course the laptop is the one I take with me when I am visiting clients or running classes.
article written 8 June 08