Is This The End of the Desktop and Laptop?

Is the end of desktop computing approaching? No I don’t think so!

If like me you have had a look at the latest operating system from Microsoft (Windows 8) you will be forgiven for thinking things are looking very different for Windows users. Windows 8 uses the Metro interface which makes your desktop computer look more like a tablet than a desktop machine.

This has brought many to debate whether we are seeing the end of desktop computing as we know it. Luckily I don’t think that is the case and it may be more a case of Microsoft trying to get a piece of the tablet market that is dominated by Apple, Google and Samsung. My prediction is that it will not work out too well for Microsoft and hopefully will push them back to what they have always done, desktop and laptop operating systems. Here are a few reasons I don’t think we have seen the end of the Desktop or Laptop computers.

[Read also: Is It Time to Say Goodbye to the Computer Mouse?]

the end for the laptop
Are we really “there” already? (Image by Flickr user : Ant McNeill)

Tablet limitations

Though many will claim it is only a matter of time before tablets will be as easy to use as desktops, I still prefer my desktop or laptop when I am writing articles, letters and other wordy tasks. Tablets are great for emails, browsing the net, social media but when it comes to doing something productive I find this is where tablets are a big let down as it is frustratingly slow to type on a touch screen.

Some may say you can get keyboards for tablets but if that’s the case, do tablets then not become a little pointless if they have lots of peripherals that need to be attached to make them usable on a daily basis for all tasks?

Gaming

While there is no doubt that console gaming is the market leader there is a reason they still make the latest games for the PC and that is because they still sell reasonably well (Although obviously not as well as console games). I own an Xbox and a PS3 and still personally prefer to play my games on my desktop. There will always be those hardcore gamers that prefer a desktop or high powered laptop to a console.

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Ability to upgrade

This is where I think things like tablets and even console are a let down. You are limited in the amount of upgrades you can do (Practically none on a tablet and very few on a console).

What this means is constantly buying new if you want to stay in trend. Laptops can be upgraded easily, although not much is upgradable (only the memory and hard drive), but this is not the same for a desktop computer. Pretty much any part of a desktop can be upgraded.

Size

The final reason desktops in particular won’t die off is because of the size of their competition. For all there portability and light weight they do come with one big downside and that is the size of the screen on tablets and smartphones. For example look at traders with dual monitors, can you ever see that being done on a tiny screen?

Conclusion

I don’t think we have seen the end of the desktop or the laptop and I think they will be with us for a number of years. I think it will be more a case of people using different devices for different tasks in the future.

This article may come across as a bit of a tablet and smartphone hater but I am not. I have my iPad and my smartphone both of which I use a lot. My point is that we now have the technology to choose different devices for different situations and just because the uptake in mobile devices is astonishing does not mean the death of the trusted desktop and laptop.

[Read also: Mac vs PC – Which Is Better?]

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