I know that you are being facetious, but if I'm so wrong, then why can't I unload the two Lenovo desktop PCs that I got for a song, brand-new? Nobody's buying desktops anymore, sorry to say. Unless they're just clueless, which is what I guess I am too, holding on to my desktops. I'm outdated. I'm a dinosaur. When someone needs a device to access the internet, I think of a desktop PC. But nobody else thinks that way, because they didn't grow up with the PC. Kids these days, want tablets. And if they're into "serious" gaming, they'll get a laptop. They don't even consider desktops these days.
I pointed out the basic point out earlier, but not with as much detail or elegance, so it was not everyone.Everyone in this thread is defending the desktop as a stanchion of gaming. While that's true, there's a far more important user base for the desktop: professionals.
Even though the desktop is waning, there are several usage areas where it won't ever go away.
First example, I do web design/coding/other assorted IT related tasks. Doing my work on a laptop is hilariously inefficient and uncomfortable.
Creative professionals. A photo editor, or a video editor isn't going to switch to a laptop/powerful tablet just because consumers are. There's a reason 1440p displays are becoming mainstream, and its' not just gamers who are bringing it about. A powerful desktop is essential for the workflow of a lot of people.
System administrators, support personal, in general anyone involved in IT at the enterprise level is going to want a desktop; a fast one, with several monitors. Anything less than that is a waste of the employees' time. Also, from a business standpoint, laptops make zero sense, except as secondary devices, or as equipment for mobile workers. For workers who are in-office from 9 to 5, a desktop is cheaper to maintain, easier to upgrade and repair, and more reliable and powerful than a laptop is. That's just good economics, right there.
So while the desktop in the consumer side may be dropping off, on the gaming/business/professional side? No chance. I'm not giving up a mouse, keyboard, and multiple monitors just because the industry journalists want everyone to believe the PC is dying. Is the PC receding? Yes. Is it going to die? Oh hell no.
I pointed out the basic point out earlier, but not with as much detail or elegance, so it was not everyone.
Agreed, I pointed out the same pluses for a desktop in the academic/research area.
The Desktop as we knew it is dead and buried.
Yeah a 5 year gap a decade ago was a bigger leap for sure:
A decade ago:
Early athlons & P4's in the ghz range
vs
Pentium II 450mhz
Huge difference, PII became hopeless pretty quickly, forget the latest games!
Today:
4770k & FX8350
vs
i7 920 & Phenom II X6
Not so huge... That 920 and X6 will be useful for many years to come, they will run the latest games reasonably well.
People confuse dead with dying. Moore's Law, for instance, isn't dead. It's just in a coma right now, at least for everyone but Intel, and maybe Samsung and TSMC.Why do people keep saying that? For all the hoopty-poop everyone cheerleads about tablets, Intel sells a crushing number of desktop CPU's.
Well Bill Gates was right when he said in 99 that connectivity is king in the "PC Plus" era & I'm sure the likes of Intel, AMD, Nvidia can attest to that, likewise the results from Google, Apple, Samsung shows that internet connectivity(on mobile devices) trumps any other feature or performance advantage that traditional PC's have had over the years!
Why do people keep saying that? For all the hoopty-poop everyone cheerleads about tablets, Intel sells a crushing number of desktop CPU's.
Because outside of the enterprise area (which will keep desktops for servicability and updgradability) there is zero reason to buy a desktop unless you are the 1%.
Now i'm not saying the PC is dead, because it's alive and kicking.
PCs now come in very thin for factors (tablet) or Media/Game Boxes (consoles) or Doitall (laptops).
It's the "tower+monitor" that's dead, dont let the sales numbers (which includes Pros) fool you.
My parents bought a new tower to go with their desktop monitor just last year. They also bought a monitor, keyboard and mouse to connect to the laptop that they already had.
If you want to actually sit down and get work done, a PC on a desk is just more practical.
You've got it backwards. The desktop is the baseline. You don't need a desktop because of some reason, you need a laptop or a tablet because of some reason.And why wouldn't you be able to use a laptop at the desk with the old keyboard / monitor? Even the newer Bay Trail tablets can be used as a reasonable desktop for mundane purposes.
The only ones who really need a full on desktop are gamers and certain niche professionals, which is why its a part of the PC industry that's dying. It no longer has mass appeal.
I just spoke to a friend of mine yesterday about this issue, and I'm kind of open mined in a way, in that I think that some people do not need a desktop, and should have a laptop or even a tablet. And he's always had laptops since forever.
And went "I don't think a laptop is really that beneficial. I don't mind sitting at a desk to use a desktop, it's better for your health and your purse."
And I was in awe... But this is just one story. Of course. Anecdotal. But it's not the first time I've seen people who have gone with laptops for a long while and came back to the desktop because...
Well, but it's better.
You've got it backwards. The desktop is the baseline. You don't need a desktop because of some reason, you need a laptop or a tablet because of some reason.
Or, to put it in other words, I might argue the opposite: the only people who need laptops are salespersons and travelers who need a computer for their work. Everyone else uses their PC just at home and at their desk.
This is so off base though...I've worked in a major tech company for the last 6 years and we have always been essentially 100% laptops except certain lab systems. CAD users, project managers, IT, engineers- all laptops. You seem to be assuming that if you have a business laptop that you only work on the laptop keyboard/monitor. At your desk you have a docking station of some kind with 2 huge monitors, keyboard, mouse. A desktop is just so unflexible, a laptop you can carry with you to the conference room to present, to lookup information on the fly to share in the meeting. A laptop you can carry with you to a collaboration area to work together with someone else. A laptop you have access to at home w/ VPN, so you can be responsive and work at odd hours (employers like this). I would be surprised if any major tech company (i.e. google, hp, etc) uses primarily desktops for business.Even though the desktop is waning, there are several usage areas where it won't ever go away.
First example, I do web design/coding/other assorted IT related tasks. Doing my work on a laptop is hilariously inefficient and uncomfortable.
Creative professionals. A photo editor, or a video editor isn't going to switch to a laptop/powerful tablet just because consumers are. There's a reason 1440p displays are becoming mainstream, and its' not just gamers who are bringing it about. A powerful desktop is essential for the workflow of a lot of people.
System administrators, support personal, in general anyone involved in IT at the enterprise level is going to want a desktop; a fast one, with several monitors. Anything less than that is a waste of the employees' time. Also, from a business standpoint, laptops make zero sense, except as secondary devices, or as equipment for mobile workers. For workers who are in-office from 9 to 5, a desktop is cheaper to maintain, easier to upgrade and repair, and more reliable and powerful than a laptop is. That's just good economics, right there.
So while the desktop in the consumer side may be dropping off, on the gaming/business/professional side? No chance. I'm not giving up a mouse, keyboard, and multiple monitors just because the industry journalists want everyone to believe the PC is dying. Is the PC receding? Yes. Is it going to die? Oh hell no.