People often ask me about their new computer purchases, and one question I hear a lot is whether they should buy a laptop or a desktop machine. Because of improvements in laptop technology, you can get laptop computers that are at least as powerful as desktop machines. Yet as with so many things, the answer to the question of which one you should buy is: it depends.
Size is the most obvious consideration. Desktop computers aren’t designed to be carted around. On the other hand, a laptop (or notebook) computer is small and portable with all the parts integrated into one easy-to-carry unit. If you are buying a computer for your daughter who is heading off to college in the fall, portability may be important. At many colleges, students often use computers outside of their dorm room and many even bring them to classes.
If size isn’t much of a factor, you may want to consider price. Years ago, laptop computers were dramatically more expensive than desktop computers. There’s still a disparity, but it’s not as great. You do get more computer for your money if you buy a desktop machine, however. Plus, if you want a really screaming graphics card and other high-end hardware, you may want to opt for a desktop. Desktop machines are also much easier to expand, repair, and upgrade. So serious gamers and computer hobbyists probably won’t be content with a laptop in the long run.
However, with that said, you also can take a middle of the road approach and plug an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse into your laptop while you are at home. If you travel and just use your computer for basic tasks like word processing and email, it’s a great compromise.