Fact is laptops can be quite expensive. Or for this comparison, they are more expensive that PCs. The good thing about laptops however is that they consume very little electricity. So you could pay a little more for the laptop but save on electric bills as long as the laptop survives. Would that be a good or bad idea?
No, I don't think they are most cost-efficient long term based on energy usage alone. Yes, laptops do use less energy usually, but they are also more likely to break, harder to upgrade, harder to keep clean, etc, etc, etc. So while a desktop could potentially last you many years and even longer with a few upgrades along the way, a laptop will eventually just reach an end of life for most people. That being said, if a laptop benefits you in other ways, it could still save you money in the long run to have one. For example, if you use a laptop instead of investing in both a PC and a tablet for portability, then that might save you money in the long run. If you are able to travel with your laptop instead of going to internet cafes, etc, then that could be good. If it means you are able to work while you are traveling instead of having to take days off and not get paid for those days, then it's helping with your costs, etc.
What on earth kind of laptops are you buying that they're cheaper than buying a full desktop exactly? I mean, a mid range laptop is going to run you...couple of hundred dollars, maybe up to six hundred before you start reaching the high end stuff, which actually isn't all that worth it. A desktop, even a mid range one, is going to be quite a bit more expensive than that.
I have used a desktop for many years until the cost of upgrade for each part that has been worn out turned to be more costly than just buying a used laptop for my job. I speak from experience when I say that my energy bill was smaller when I started using a laptop. PC hardware components are no long cheap these days. The gaming industry has leveled up immensely that made the cost of computer hardware increase. Being a freelance writer, I have simpler needs that can be met by a laptop with mid -range specs. For me, having a laptop is more cost-efficient. Should it break down in the near future, I'll just buy another one and it will still cost me less than buying a PC.
Well they use significantly less power, and while they are more expensive to do the same thing, people generally only use laptops for simple tasks like word processing and emails. Personally I prefer a Desktop and would rather that than a laptop regardless of price. However if you need to be on the go, a Laptop can serve both functions as a home PC and a work PC.
Because I deal in images for my business, I prefer the use of a desktop. I bought a laptop more than a year ago and now it's beginning to show signs of exhaustion. I clean the drives often and am cautious about downloading content. So I'd say it depends on the brand (I got Asus), the usage and priority.
Really? I find them generally worse in the long run. They have the whole batter thing which dies and you have to recharge it. Eventually it dies and you gotta buy a new one while a power supply lasts much longer. It's also not expandable so -50 points there. Also they charge a bit more since they have to squeeze everything in such a small space.
Desktop systems are much easier to repair on your own, especially if it's not some super compact system with proprietary parts. You can also find replacement parts for them a lot easier, as well as parts to upgrade your computer. In comparison, many of the parts in laptops are proprietary and off the shelf stuff won't fit into your case. It's also easier to salvage some parts from your desktop systems when the time comes for you to buy a new one. You could save the hard drive for example, and install it as a secondary drive on your new system.
I definitely think Laptops are more cost-efficient than desktops are. For the mere reason that you can indeed get some laptops that work well! for far less than the price you would pay for the cheapest desktop. In fact, we should not only look on the cost of both items and the longevity of them, we ought to consider too, the fact that because laptops are so easy to carry around, and we are earning online, it would be wise to purchase a laptop so that you can work on the go, so, not only are the laptops cheaper, they will enable you to earn a few dollars in your spare time; at school, in your car, and even at home, like what your desktop can do. Laptops are cost-efficient and money-friendly!
I think laptops are more convenient either way, they waste less energy and they are portable, they don't have as many equipment, aren't bulky with a bunch of wires and cables and they're just easier to use. I have not had a desktop in a long time, aside from the one I use at work, and I surely do not miss them.
I myself prefer desktops. I know I am in the minority but I work from home and I don't travel a lot. As for electricity. I don't know how much of a difference it is. Most monitors are the ones that eat up most of the electricity and nowadays most come in some sort of power saving mode. For students or businessman or people who are mobile definitely a laptop is the way to go. But a desktop can be repaired if there is a hardware problem and it can be upgraded quite a bit if you build one yourself.
In my experience you can easily pay double for a laptop than a PC of the same performance. Let us assume you payed $1000 for a 60 Watts laptop and you could buy a 100 Watts PC for half the price. If you pay $0.15 kWh and use your laptop eight hours a day it will cost you about $25 per year. The same for your PC is about $45 per year. The difference is therefore $20 per year and would take 25 years before you start to make a saving.
Yes they do consume less electricity but the thing is it's not really cost efficient. You see, laptop's last only about 3-5 years after that your laptop is out dated and you might need to buy a new one on the other hand, PC parts can be upgraded which can be cheaper than having to buy a new laptop every 5 years. Yes you can upgrade your laptop's parts but it's limited only to the hard drive and RAM however the PC parts can be gradually upgraded bit by bit.
I think a good laptop could prove to be more efficient in the long run, but if you get the wrong brand then you might end up regretful. I myself have wasted a good amount of money with subpar laptops, but have since then found out how good Macs really are especially when considering how they will run in a few years. Mine has been getting heavy use for about 4 years now and it still runs great with just a few minor deteriorations such as battery life but apart from that I'd say the extra price I paid at the start is really worth it since it doesn't get me as frustrated due to lagging like other brands.
I gone through maybe 4 laptops in the past 6 years due to overheating and breakage. With my desktop that I built, I have no heating issues and I can always switch out the parts anytime I want.
Yes and no, unfortunately. Laptops can be charged virtually anywhere outside of your home. You can even take them to internet cafes and get free wifi in numerous business locations. In this way, laptops can more cost efficient. However, depending on what you use said laptop for, they can lack the qualities needed that a stationed computer could easily provide. If can afford a laptop that can preform the tasks that you need to be done without causing the system to crash then you're pretty much set. However, many programs and usage time can drain the battery of a laptop very quickly. When I had a laptop I always kept it plugged into a wall in fear of the battery dying while at home and losing all of my work. In short, if you use your laptop on an off-site location where you can charge and use for laptop for free then yes they are indeed more cost efficient. After the initial purchase of said laptop they're essentially free if the case stated in my prior sentence if relevant to you.
This is a great post! I definitely think that, in the long run, the laptop is the far better option, when compared to the purchase and use of a desktop computer. In this day and age, I do firmly believe that the computer has basically become "outdated" for a reason: more and more persons, who are becoming more technologically savvy, and who are also becoming more aware of the efficiency of one technological medium, as opposed to another, are able to detect that the desktop computer is not only cumbersome to deal with, as it is not portable like the laptop, but it in order for it to run in the appropriate and most effective manner, it is required that the desktop computer be plugged in at all times, which means that electric current will always be burnt by the desktop computer, even if it isn't as much as other appliances (and I'm not sure if it could actually be burning more than these other appliances in fact!). On the other hand, with the laptop, you are able to make full use of this device, even after it has been removed from the plugged-in power source, due to it's built-in battery. This will allow you the luxury of being able to use your laptop for a considerable while, even if a power outage has struck, making you able to access all the information, messaging and project-completing facets that the laptop has, either until the power is restored, or until you are able to travel to elsewhere, where the power has not suffered from an outage. Furthermore, I must continue to say that I prefer the laptop, because I have been in a work situation, where because of a lightning storm over the weekend, the breaker into which the desktop computer's plugs were plugged, was hit, thus resulting in ultimate damage to the computer. This would be less likely to occur with a laptop, as you would not leave it plugged in over the weekend where you are not able to access it, thus avoiding the same fate.
I have both and I think it may be best to have both. I don't have an outside job but it is efficient for me to have both a laptop and a desktop. That way I can multi-task easier when trying to make money. Plus you never know when you'll be on the go and need something more than a tablet. The problem is my laptop's a piece of crap so I use it for very few things.
I don't think it's more cost effective to have a laptop at all. Desktops tend to last longer for one thing so if you weren't inclined to upgrade you can usually get more life out of a PC than a laptop which has all of the heat producing components closely jammed into a smaller area. Heat causes your laptop components to break down much more quickly than what you'll see in a desktop (usually). Also, the cost of mobility means that if you're comparing apples to apples, the mobile component is going to cost a lot more up front. You likely won't get this savings back in power consumption.
I haven't owned a PC for almost 8 years now. I travel around a lot, and therefore it is inconvenient for me to have one. I much prefer my laptop and tablet, as I can take them wherever I go. And, as you say, they need less electricity, which I like, as I often stay with friends and don't like to be a burden to them by using up a lot of electricity. I don't think I'll ever be buying a PC again.
