PC Hardware → Re: Reddit: The Desktop PC is Ready for a Rebirth

Thats something I never understood. If you get a laptop why turn it into an overly expensive under powered desktop?

People may use smartphones/tablets for normal downtime computing, but it'll be a long time before they can do real work or host servers on them.

Kudos to your sister though, it may only be an all in done desktop made from laptop parts but thats really a good way to go. Phone for mobile desktop for home/when you need more power.

I think we may be looking at this the wrong way.

What drives the advancement in hardware? For a number of years, it seemed that new software application requirements outpaced existing hardware. This is what still drives the graphic card market.

Today, most fairly modern hardware is more than powerful enough to run what people are wishing to run.

Let's use the modem for example. In the late 80's, a 14.4k modem was enough horsepower to connect to the text only BBS. When we decided we wanted to download the racy GIFs (or the latest warez), only a 56K baud modem was the way to go. At the peak of AOL's run, the 1M DSL/cable modem was starting to show its limits. We now have 15M broadband, but are envious of those folks who can afford the 50M Ultimate packages.

For a number of years, one of the "Must Do" things we did when buying new software was to read the "Minimum Requirements" and the "Recommended Requirements" of the software application we were thinking of buying, as we knew the latest software may bring our desktop to its knees. When is the last time you've done that?

So, where did the software development go? It has moved onto other platforms -- The game console, the smart phone, and now, the tablet. That's where many of the top application developers have gone.

Until there is the development of "The Next Big Thing" for the desktop computer, the must have, want to run it, for the desktop, which will require more speed/memory/power for the desktop, there probably won't be much change in the platform.

The question is, what will that be?

Power savings? My desktop PC runs on a 650 watt PSU (not including the monitor) and my laptop runs on a 65watt AC adapter including powering the display. Overly expensive under powered desktop? Well I bought a laptop with a 17.3" display, 750GB HD, 2.50GHz (3.1 turbo boost) Core i5, and 6GB or ram for $418.50 after rebate. I wouldn't necessarily call it overly expensive or really underpowered. Other than gaming at 1080p with all graphics settings maxed, I can do everything else I do on a PC perfectly comfortable on the laptop - even playback of 1080p HD video.