Is The Desktop Really Dying? - Comments Page 1

I have never found a laptop to be as easy to use as my desktops. Forget about tablets and large-screen phones. I can see a use for some tablets and phones but not for generation of work that I do nor even for doing serious online research.

I like a full size keyboard with number pad and a very large screen. When I used a laptop I had to plug these into it, so shifting back to a tower made sense. My tablet is mostly used for audible books and playing Suduku.

I would imagine that with the population now aging very fast the size of desktops will outstrip the usability of laptops and tablets.

Hooray for common sense. I thought it was only Luddites like myself persisting with desktops and am glad that the sthortcomings of laptops (and particularly tablets) have been recognised. The only value of desktop alternatives is portability - and you can get that with most smartphones (although I don't have one!)

My HP desktop was happily running Windows 7. I decided to upgrade to Windows 10. It worked OK for a half-hour. Skipping hideous details, my computer became unable to boot, not even POST. I cannot imagine how the OS could do that. Repair cost at least $365. I am going to replace the machine with another desktop. I need the two 24" displays, real keyboard, real speakers. Right now I'm using my laptop. I can't stand the pain.

I'd be interested in your opinion on the best desktop on the market right now.

I have a desktop, laptop, phablet and a tablet. In order of importance:
1. Desktop
2. Phablet (Samsung Note III)
3. Laptop-mainly for use on the road
4. Tablet

I doubt I'll ever give up my PC. The large screen (22") and the power & convenience of accessing all my data would make it hard to live without.
My cell phone is my "first responder" for important emails, but I don't like to type lenghtly responses and usually have to refer to the PC or laptop for supporting files.
Even though I listed a tablet, I hardly ever use it and consider it a novelty, not really an essential part of my tech gear.
BTW, I'm 74 and still work about 30-40 hours per week and travel about 20 weeks a year.

I'm 65 years old and my eyes are the same age. I have a Nexus 6 smartphone because I can barely read the text on my iPhone 5S. I'll be happy to switch to a tablet when it's as big as my 24-inch desktop monitor.

Oh, the tablet will also need to be able to run World of Warcraft.....

Just my take: I used to work for the county - they came in and removed my desktop computer, replacing with a laptop in dock with full-sized keyboard, mouse, and monitor, so there was not much pain, regarding the transition. if I had the kind of job where I take work home, they would give you another dock, so you could access the county's mainframe, etc. I wish people wouldn't always agitate for something different!

I don't feel the need to have a computer or a telephone with me wherever I go. At some point, I might consider a phone for emergencies, but the desktop serves all me needs and doesn't distract me while driving.

I am reading another of your wonderful, informative emails on my PC. In a pinch, I could read it on my smart phone, but I'd rather not. When I think of laptops, computers don't really come to mind. Thanx for all you do, Bob.

The tech junkies can walk into traffic all they want while texting and spend hundreds on their phones and other toys but a desktop isn't a toy. It would be very hard to replace. And.. (no one ever got run over by using a desktop). Grin.

My main go-to computer is my desktop, with it's multiple monitors. With prime 32" monitor. I am retired so I am at home most of the time and do not need or want to be constantly online where ever I am. But I do have a lap top to take with me on my travels, whether that be city or camping in the bush. And I can "type" properly therefore requiring a full sized key board.

I would be lost without my desktop. I collect and utilize thousands of very large graphic files. I have 5 external hard drives, the contents of which I need access to several times each day. Not having to plug in and unplug them every time I need to use them is essential to my work. They are all connected to my desktop via USB ports and I use my networked laptop to access and save to them. Even if a laptop had enough USB ports, connecting the EHDs to it would completely negate the portability I enjoy by using it.

I prefer my desktop. But it is kind of large to carry around. When I use a laptop, I typically remote login to my home desktop. That way I have everything where I want it, all my files, programs, etc. I can also do that from my smartphone but the screen is kind of small and awkward for that purpose. I only do that when I am desperate for something.

One of these days I will buy a large tablet (10" or larger) for convenience. But I will still most of time (if I am not just web surfing) remote connect to my home PC.

No surprise, the satisfaction with desktops came when Windows 8 was showing up. Expect it to go up again with Win 10.

A big question with stats like the overall industry number is "is it weighted to the numbers of units in use?"

In this case, there may be different answers by the type of use. As indicated in Tim Cook's quote, it may depend on the level of work being done on the computers. I have considered suggesting tablets for people doing mainly email with some surfing.
In my own case, I am finding that I no longer use my 7" tablet for much since I have a 5" phone.

I've used a keyboard starting on an Underwood typewriter over 50 years ago. Since I switched to computers I used a keyboard, first with a wire and then wireless. If I need to travel I use laptop but the keyboard is the same, in my case, a Logitech K550. It can take a pounding. If I spilled something on it I could replace it easily without worrying about the computer.

I SEE A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE MASSIVE MISTAKE OF MICROSOFT WINDOWS 8 AND THE DECLINE OF PC USAGE!
THEN the cpu manufactures touting quad layer cpu's clocked at 1980 speeds or even slower. It makes an uninformed novice buying crap and getting stuck with it. No surprise there is a decline. A tiny phone is replacing the PC & the tablet too! It is almost impossible to get the cpu speed when shopping for a laptop.

The best desktop on the market?

Look at the ratings: Desktop = 81 Apple = 84
Buy a 20.5" iMac. You won't be sorry.
My wife is on her second one, after 6 trouble-free years with the first one.

My company, with about a couple thousand employees, has had everyone on a lap top for the past few years, but everyone also uses a docking station, large monitor and keyboard in the office. The lap top lets you take your work home, and the docking station lets you get the functionality of the full keyboard and larger monitor, in addition to the dual monitor of the laptop.