Desktop, Laptop or Tablet: Which Should You Buy This Christmas?
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Christmas is as good an excuse as any to invest in a new PC
and, whether you’re treating yourself or somebody else, it pays to properly
consider your options. The choice is no longer as simple as choosing an
appropriately-spec’d desktop PC, with contemporary computing now offering a
variety of other, more portable options such as laptops and tablets. UK-based
computer manufacturer Novatech is all
too aware of the shifting needs of consumers as they transition from desktop
computing to something more portable.
So what type of PC should you request from Santa this year?
Here are a few things about each for you to consider:
Desktop
Pros
·
Often more powerful than its portable
counterparts for less
·
Cheap, barebones systems are incredibly
affordable
·
Easier to replace parts for upgrades and similar
– desktop PC parts tend to be cheaper than those designed for laptops, and
tablets almost always have to be sent away to be fixed
Cons:
·
While dedicated gamers will lug their rigs to
LAN parties time and time again, for the most part desktop PCs are not very
portable
·
Can be rather noisy if you don’t have a decent
case/fans
·
Desktop PCs and their peripherals can take up a
lot of space
Laptop
Pros
·
Very portable – laptops can perform all the
functions of a desktop PC on the go
·
Great for taking work to and from the
office/university/etc.
·
Excellent for portable entertainment, especially
as most have CD/DVD drives (indeed, some of the more upmarket models do
Blu-ray)
Cons:
·
The sound quality provided by integrated
speakers rarely comes to close to that of purpose-made peripherals
·
While perhaps not so easily lost as a tablet,
laptops are a frequent target for thieves
·
Can be prone to overheating if not given
sufficient ventilation space
Tablet
Pros:
·
Highly portable, tablets take up less space, and
are often significantly lighter than laptops
·
Tablets’ touchscreen interfaces make them
incredibly easy to use, even for those who might not been particularly good
with technology (e.g. children and the elderly)
·
Incredibly well optimised, often making them
generally more reliable than other types of PC
Cons:
·
Soft keyboards can be a pain to type on for
extended periods of time
·
If something goes wrong, tablets usually have to
be sent away to be fixed (and often at significant expense unless you have
insurance)
·
Quite easily lost or stolen due to their compact
size and, in the wrong hands, easily dropped
