Laptop vs Desktop: Which Should You Buy?

Updated On: 11/11/2021
Saltmoney.org is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.

In today’s extraordinarily dependent technological world, it seems a pretty normal phenomenon for a human being to be engrossed in the midst of the heavy techno-advanced world, where not even a second goes by where you are not away from the Artificial intelligence that surrounds you from dawn until the moment where you finally retire for the day.

From the Alexa in your living room briefing you with the day’s headlines to the navigation maps in your automobiles to help you reach your destination safely, we see that these machines constantly surround us. Well, and why not? After all, we live in the modern age, the 21st century, the period termed as the greatest surge in human civilization development. Better off as the AI age, where machine speaks more work than humans.

We need the help of machines for every little mundane thing in our lives. To mention a few, the most basic invention, the calculator. Huh! Right! Makes all the heavy load of a number sum up in just a fraction of a second.

So well, you cannot loathe them, after all, they are the creation of man, and they get really well with our daily lives, so that’s a plus! Also, to add on, they make our lives so very much easier; II means the hard chores are done with just the switching on of the button. But I must say, they are no free gifts. Oh, they come in with a heavy tag! After greasing much with your elbow. So there go all the twinkles!

But if you know which one is the ideal for you and also goes well with the hard-earned savings! Then I must say these machines can save your days in the long run. For instance, let’s talk about the most frequently used tool of the 21st century…..drums rolls!! THE COMPUTER!

Yes, you probably guessed it right. The computer is really an essential thing nowadays as it has a full load of tricks upon its sleeves to help you around. And guess what it comes in all shapes and sizes to be your knight in shining armor. I mean common, you can obviously carry it around in your pockets, or place it as a handy tool in your office or can probably place it in your lap and watch Netflix on it.

I mean, you name it, and boom, there goes your order coming right up. It definitely works in a similar manner as that of a genie, but in a more sophisticated and fancy manner if you put it that way. I mean, you really do have to tap in some buttons for the computer to understand you!

But let’s forget about that and focus more on which one of the computers is ideal for you. More which is better a laptop or a desktop. I mean both of them to have different qualities which obviously differentiates them. But in this article, we will have a clear and crisp discussion on the terms that differentiate the two of them. At the end of the article, you will have a bigger picture on which fits your description of an ideal buddy ready to mingled up with you to cater to your work needs and obviously which has the best deals at the best purchase.

So without any further delay into the subject matter, let's jump right into the overwhelming discussion of choosing the correct, ideal computer which is a better fit for you.

Recently Reviewed Articles:

Laptop vs Desktop: Which Should You Buy?

The Laptop

Just as the name suggests, we get to know that a Laptop is specifically a computer device that is often used on the comfort of a person’s lap. It falls under the category of a personal computer, often abbreviated to the term as a PC, used by users to experience a very own space of hassle-free work environment condition where they can use the device for their personal as well as professional usage. A laptop can be said to be a smaller or a micro version of a Desktop with screen size inching to not more than 17”.

Laptops are easily portable and have an opening mechanism which is similar to that of opening a briefcase minus the switches on them or even that of a lady's purse. For a more natural reference, you can just imagine the openings of a clamshell. But out of all these things, the most benevolent perk of a laptop, according to, me is that you don’t have to connect it with any power outlet every time you want to boost it up. Just a light tap on the on/off switch is what it takes to start up its mojo.

The race to conquering the crown of the most efficient computer is still on. So no,w let us look into some of the pros and cons that each of these computers posses to make it an epic debate between the two settling pirates at play.

Some of the significant pros of laptops include

Pros

  1. Portability - One of the best things about this is that you can carry your personal champ anywhere and everyone you go. This little buddy will tag along with you alright, and you don’t even have to miss your important emergency works on your cruise days.
  2. Assembling the bad boys- Okay, so this might be the most interesting and easy part of the laptop version of the computer after you get your pack of happiness just delivered to you. The amazing thing, you don’t have to worry about assembling this, unlike the computers. In here, just open your brown bok, take out the laptop and put it on the charge alongside, and press the start button located above the keyboard. Within minutes your bad boy is all set to initiate your first execution of work.
  3. Consumption of power - Because it has a little structure to it and all the components situated inside it are also little in comparison with the desktop, henceforth the power usage of laptops is relatively lower than that of the desktop version of computers.
  4. External storage - Laptops can connect to multiple drives for the import of information from other external sources.
  5. Flexibility -  Due to its similarities with the camp shell mechanism, the laptop computers are extraordinarily flexible with their screens with features such as detachable touch screens. The screen can be bend over to about 360-degree flip fold design,s thus making it sustainable for its portability.

Some of the significant cons of laptops include

Cons

  1. Though limited in components, a bit heavier on the expense, but even then, we see that laptops tend to be more expensive than desktops, which can be purchased at about a little about four hundred dollars. Therefore, if you are searching for a good, powerful laptop that can cope with you for a good 3-4 years, you should be prepared for the budget.
  2. Poor battery life - One such con of a laptop is its relatively lesser battery life, which can be a factor to hinder your workflow. Therefore, though it is portable well enough, you should be prepared to give it a full charge before you take it along with you where it is away for the time being from its charging outlet.
  3. Internal storage capacity - The laptop's internal storage capacity seems to be another such hindrance to its amazing performance. Due to its micro size compared to a desktop, therefore it manages to have only one inbuilt internal hard drive to store. For added assistance, more hard drives should be included for convenience.
  4. Screens and keyboards - Compared to a desktop, the screens of a laptop are relatively smaller,i.e.e, less than 17”. Having a screen smaller than 17 inches often seems to incorporate a keyboard, which obsoletes the need to have a number keypad. This is done to keep in mind that the device's portability as anything extra can make the device heavier and more vast, and less convenient for portable means.
  5. Upgrading process - The upgrading process of a laptop is trickier than desktops as in this case, only the memory and hard drive are the only upgradable components here. Anything other than these, if needed to be upgraded,d then you should probably purchase a new one because you might end up using up all your savings in these.
  6. Repairing process - Laptops repairing process is often confusing, and it requires paying attention to so many minute details that you might find it better to find assistance from a professional or end up surfing the online sites for the lost parts, which is again the case of you ending up using up your money.

The Desktop

Not the OG computer types in regards to the size, but we can relate it to be one of its relatives( far away probably). The desktop computers, which are also categorized as personal computers, can be said to be the macro versions of the laptops.

They are often seen to be decorated in the desks of your rooms or in the offices.  Unlike laptops, desktops are seen to be less convenient to move around from place to place as they are specifically placed in a location that despises less movement since they are attached to a power outlet permanently.

They have a screen wider than 19’’, enabling a 4k display of the screen and to top it off a well-structured keyboard relatively accumulating all the essential plus add on keys, some of which might be inevident in a laptop keyboard. Moreover, Desktops are often said to be of having more hardware power and extra speed that gets pumped up as a matter of fact being directly connected to an AC powerline.

Moreover, being a massive device, it got a giant hole to store all its hardware compared to a laptop, which comes in petite form with the capacity of harnessing only one internal storage drive.

Having given the introduction of desktops now let us dive into the pros and cons attributed by this type of the computers.

Some of the significant pros of desktops include

Pros

  1. Cost - Although a bit surprising as it may seem, but the cost of a normal, decent desktop is actually a lot cheaper than a laptop. A desktop can come in way cheaper than a few couple hundred dollars, also bearing with it the varied amount of components powerful enough to save your days for more than a couple of years.
  2. Upgradable capacity - Since they are giants regarding laptops, they make a lot easier of a function to remove or add-in components to upgrade to a higher level as they are big.
  3. Processor -  Desktop processors are larger in size, thus making them more powerful than laptop processors to add the fact that it has more fans to create a cooling effect than laptops which got only one.
  4. High performance - Due to its bigger size and greater upgrading capacity than laptops, it makes the performance of the desktop to the next level.
  5. Speed - Since the power of a desktop is supplied by the power outlet, it is very much efficient in speed—the AC powerline gives every component of the computer enough juice to power up.

Some of the significant cons of desktops include

Cons

  1. Consumption of space -  One con of desktop includes the consumption space. Since it is big and massive, hence all the space gets occupied in assembling this computer.
  2. Portable quality -  Because of its massive size, desktops are not convenient to be a light traveler, and hence they are mostly preferred to be situated at one place for its efficient work of the function.
  3. Power difficulties -  Since desktop requires the need to be connected to a powerline to be needed to start-up hence it gets very difficult if for any reason the powerline is disrupted or faces a power shortage, which may result in the unexpected shutdown of our computers also may sometimes result in the possible loss of our work.
  4.  Power usage - Desktops tend to require the need to use more power than the laptop and hence we may witness a slight rise in the electricity bills
  5. Assembling troubles - Since they have all different parts, setting up a desktop for the first time may be a tiresome job as different wires needed to be attached to certain places. Henceforth is the case with the components.

Conclusion

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!!

Now, that all is laid down in front of you, I will leave it in your trust to disclose the winner of your choice. But honestly, I feel the pros and cons are just like the perception of a certain user. Whatever you may feel is useful may be utterly useless for the person beside you and vice versa.

Now that you acknowledge all the perks and the little downsides of the computers mentioned above, you may now come to terms with a clearer view on what goes with your personality well or which buddy might come in handy with your job to define. The choice is yours!

For me, they both work fabulously, I say, in their own suitable runs, and I bet neither of them will disappoint you if you know what you want and how shall either of them get the work done for you properly.

Michael Restiano

I lead product content strategy for SaltMoney. Additionally, I’m helping our broader team of 4 evolve into a mature content strategy practice with the right documentation and processes to deliver quality work. Prior to Instacart, I was a content strategy lead at Uber Eats and Facebook. Before that, I was a content strategist at SapientNitro, helping major Fortune 500 brands create better, more useful digital content.

Leave a Reply

cross