Laptop sales continue to increase and outstrip desktops, but what advantages does the desktop have over its mobile rival?

With dramatic reductions in price compared to when they first hit the market, laptops are now affordable computers, and offer the obvious advantage of mobility for the users of today who seem forever on the move.

In Japan, laptops have been outselling desktops for years, while portable computers began to outsell desktops in Western Europe last year too, with similar trends predicted in the USA in the not too distant future.

According to analysts IDC, the laptop market will grow by nearly 16 per cent year-on-year until 2011, compared to just 3.8 per cent for desktop PCs.

So is there really any point in opting for a desktop at all?

Well, actually, yes there is. The very fact that laptop's sacrifice almost everything for portability means that they are less durable than a desktop, and therefore more prone to damage.

Laptops, unlike desktops, are easily broken, but no so easily repaired. In a laptop, all the components are packed so tightly together, causing IT technicians more difficulty in repairing and upgrading them.

When using a laptop, battery life has got to be taken into consideration. Although we have come to accept their short lifespan, it is pretty terrible, and is something which does not have to be worried about if using a desktop computer.

There is also the issue of ergonomics. Desktop computers are designed for comfort, with the screen at a decent eye level and the keyboard in a suitable position. Laptops on the other hand can be more physically taxing and uncomfortable to use. The keyboard is often smaller and requires more delicate fingers, while the screen can also never be any larger than the laptop itself, which may at times hinder the visual performance compared to a desktop.

As mentioned previously, the price of laptops has dropped considerably in recent years, but a PC desktop of comparable technology is almost always going to be cheaper in price. Laptops also fall behind when it comes to optimum performance: for example, Apple's top specification desktop will easily out perform Apple's top-spec laptop in terms of technical capabilities.

Because of a laptop's portability, it is more susceptible to theft than a desktop, and difficult to secure when you do not have your eyes watching it. Potential thieves may not even bother trying to steal a desktop - the extra bulk would be a nuisance to carry, and thieves would not be able to get rid of them on the black market so easily.

The choice of whether to purchase a laptop or a desktop really comes down to a choice between portability and capability. The flickering existence consumers seem to lead these days would suggest that the mobility of a laptop is the way to go, but for the technically minded who want the best possible technical output, there are hurdles. For example, large graphics cards don't even fit into laptops, and so their potential performance is hindered.

This highlights the fact that there is still a place for desktop computers in the marketplace, for those that want good, solid reliability, and maximum output.

The article Desktops aren't Dead (yet) originally appeared on 999 Today