Are Laptop Computers Dying?
12.23.07 - 12:05pm
So I read through my roommate’s article, Are Desktop Computers Dying?, and thought a bit about it. Technology evangelists have been warning of the death of the desktop PC for years but it’s pretty certain that there is still a pretty steady demand for these bulky yet cheap platforms. Desktop sales may not be at the level of their dominance in the 1990’s but I’d say that a balance has been achieved. Those individuals that want a laptop have bought a laptop while those that prefer a desktop or both have purchased their own setups. So where do we stand now? Are laptops really going to replace desktops or is there a greater threat out there?
“HelloMoto”
Desktops and laptops, meet your future masters. The tiny, innocuous cellphone marks the begining of the end for the typical consumer computing devices. Seriously, think about what you use a PC for and tell me if it’s close to the following list. Checking email, instant messaging, surfing the Internet, listening to music, watching movies, looking at pictures. Sure there are other things that people do like edit video and pictures, play video games, and create 2D/3D content but for the most part these tasks are relegated to a small portion of the population. So where does that leave us? Frankly laptops are incredibly overpowered for these tasks, who needs a 2GHz dualcore laptop to check email or surf the web? Okay, so AddictingGames.com might push processors a little bit (Play Boxhead Rooms!) but in all sincerity, laptops are overpowered for the average user.
There are a handful of handheld devices that can complete all the tasks listed above with a fraction of the cost and hardly a dent in regards to power consumption. The Apple iPhone, a device that I have long considered overpriced and underwhelming, does all the tasks listed above with relative ease. Sure you might need a magnifying glass to read this page on an iPhone but it’s legible and that will suffice till you can access a larger screen. Looking at the current trend of advancements and it’s obvious that your portable devices are going to start packing a bigger punch with longer battery lives, higher resolution screens, and more ergonomic interfaces.
Conclusion
So at the end of the day, what does the laptop have to offer over the smartphones and ultra-portables of the future? Computing power? We’ve got desktops and servers to crunch big numbers. Full screens? I’ll take my 22″ screen please. Proper interfaces? I’ll take my Logitech mouse and keyboard over a trackpad and miniaturized keyboard. Live it up laptops, your days are numbered. Unlike PCs which still have the benefit of much higher computing and storage capacities, laptops are stuck in a small chassis with thermal and electrical limitations. So long live the desktops and ultra-portables. Your days are numbered laptops, enjoy the limelight while you’ve got it.
Note:
I own a 1st generation Macbook, which I love dearly, but I realize it’s days are numbered. My desktop has roughly 5 times the processing power of my Macbook, 10 times the storage capacity, double the memory capacity, double the memory bandwidth, and an immeasurable advantage due to it’s discrete GPU. Sure it isn’t mobile, but I can’t utilize all this power without a proper screen and desk, if it was on my lap it’d easily roast my leg.
Speak Your Mind