In a general sense, which is better, a desktop or a laptop?

The question is often asked. And no doubt the answer is quite obvious that a desktop computer is better than a laptop. This question is simple and is not very interesting at all. But still it makes some people think more about this. After all, you can have many laptops in your office or home. So why choose between a desktop and a laptop? Most definitely, having both of them will make our lives easier for sure. Let us see how they differ from each other.

Hardware

Desktop computers are generally equipped with high-end hardware. They tend to be large, heavy, bulky, and expensive. These are necessary in order to perform specific jobs. On the other hand, PCs, laptops, notebooks, etc., are comparatively cheap. It can be said that they are portable. That is why we prefer their use in offices. However, the most suitable one depends on the user's needs and budget. Also, the quality of the hardware should be good if we want to enjoy using these devices.

For example, a smartphone with low processing power can't run programs or applications very well. If we install the same apps on an office laptop, the performance would be much better. Therefore, desktops are always preferable for higher performing activities. We can take mobile laptops, laptops, and tablets as the option for work. All types of computers cannot run smoothly without powerful processors, memory, hard drives, and so on. Thus, desktop PCs have more advantages in comparison with laptops. Even though they may be less expensive, they make our daily work much easier with their fast-growing operating systems and plenty of software. For starters, macOS has everything that Windows does but in a lesser way.

Software

Desktop computers are equipped with dedicated software programs. Many of them provide excellent support for Windows OS software. Moreover, you get access to Microsoft Office suite and lots of third-party tools for word processing, spreadsheets, calendars, emails, presentation-making, data management, database creation, audio editing and more. You can find such programs free of charge.

Laptops, on the contrary, are designed for general usage and are often cheaper and lighter in weight. As for software, the number of options is smaller than desktop computers. There are a few packages available that include only basic features, which does not make a difference. Just like any other operating system for PC, Linux, Android, iPhone, Windows Phone also includes additional tools, like Adobe Photoshop, video editing, etc.

In addition, there are a lot of open source software programs that provide almost every feature for PC and even work as antivirus programs. Besides, Linux software has many utilities to help users easily create applications and use common Internet browsers. Apple iOS devices need special programming, while those that are based on Android cannot have anything useful unless custom development teams develop them.

Operating Systems (OS)

Desktop computers are mostly supported by windows 10 operating system (OS). Of course, a variety of similar versions exist as well. The most popular ones are listed above. While the prices for Windows vary depending on its version, there is hardly any advantage of using them compared to Apple’s iOS devices. Both of them work fine, so long as you choose the correct operating system based on your own demands and requirements.

While there is nothing wrong with the idea of using multiple platforms, most of them fail when used for tasks that require intensive CPU usage, graphics-intensive graphic work, complex multimedia operations, and network accessibility. Not all applications can run perfectly under all environments in desktop computers. Hence, although desktop computers are capable of running various kinds of applications, you need to install them through special installations.

Laptops, on the other side, have fewer software issues to worry about. Due to their small size and battery life, they are ideal for general usage. Nevertheless, several problems still exist with commercial vendors' installation. Some developers still forget to remove unnecessary files from previous updates while others don't update their drivers. Because of these problems, you will definitely notice increased loading time when installing new software. In addition, most manufacturers do not offer regular patches on Windows 7 or 8 versions, which means that their laptops won't work properly no matter how old they are.

Security

Desktop computers are highly secured. Their functioning is tightly controlled due to specially built-in firewall or anti-virus software installed on top. On the other hand, laptop computers have little security because of weak passwords due to the lack of encryption and authentication methods. Although their main functions are similar, their operation is somewhat different. Your personal information is stored with special security measures that protect it.

Moreover, some computers have removable storage disks, so it is easy to delete them. In addition, modern smartphones and tablets come with malware protection that prevents viruses and other harmful elements from entering the device. These devices are not meant to replace laptops.

Lifecycle Maintenance

Desktop computers are regularly updated. New versions of Windows OS are released on a yearly basis, and they are frequently upgraded to improve speed, stability, reliability, and usability of the application. To check and ensure that the changes made in one version won't affect another one, many companies regularly upgrade their systems.

On the other hand, laptop computers are rarely updated. According to recent statistics, only 1% of laptops from Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer are covered by OS and security updates. Furthermore, Apple users receive three-year warranty after purchasing their new models.

Overall Impression

There are a few sides to consider before choosing either Windows or Mac OS as your primary computing environment. When it comes down to the bottom line, they both offer great benefits. Especially now, with services like Google Chrome making web browsing more convenient, one may never go back to preferring a traditional desktop computer. Still, both are a worthy investment and are worth considering as alternatives. Having experience working with both types of machines will give you an opportunity to evaluate their pros and cons.