Laptop sales have been soaring as the laptop has emerged as the top PC choice for many people to the point that it has overtaken the place of the desktop in terms of demand. However, you may be wondering if getting a laptop is for you especially if you are looking for a good computer to use for work or leisure. That said, let’s look at the pros and cons of a laptop.
Pros of a laptop
Mobility
The first and most important selling point of a laptop is its mobility. It is the very fact that a laptop is so mobile in the sense that you can take it anywhere and use it like any other computer that makes it the best choice for many people out there.
With how fast-paced the world is becoming, it is important to have a computer that is mobile and portable. Traveling for business or leisure and working remotely has never been so easy with the help of a good laptop.
As such, being portable enough that you can carry it anywhere allows a laptop to be the special machine that it is. As lightweight as a laptop is, it can do just as much as a desktop computer can do in terms of its basic functions and capabilities.
Versatility
We did say that a laptop is mobile and portable but there are now tablets and other mobile devices that are smaller, lighter, and easier to carry compared to a laptop. Then again, it is the versatility of a laptop that allows it to stay on top of the computer world as the number one choice for almost everyone out there.
What we mean by a laptop’s versatility is that it has all of the capabilities of a desktop computer without having its bulk. This isn’t something you could say about a tablet or a smartphone because there are a lot of things that these devices cannot do but are very much doable for a laptop.
For example, things such as programming, video editing, and advanced gaming are activities that you can do on a laptop and desktop. However, these aren’t always available for tablet users out there. Also, there are plenty of programs that are available on laptops but are not available on tablets or smartphones.
Consumer convenience
The advantage of buying a laptop is that they are ready to use out of the box. It might be true that there are some upgraded external parts that you might want to purchase such as a mouse, keyboard, or monitor to be more productive, but these are not necessary to start using a laptop.
This isn’t something that you can say about desktop computers that still demand that you buy separate components. For example, if you buy a desktop computer, you would have to purchase a monitor, keyboard, and mouse because desktop computers are not all-in-one machines.
As such, consumer convenience is at its height when you are talking about laptops because you no longer have to purchase certain parts. All you need to do is to buy the laptop and then boot it up for you to use it.
Internet on the go
Another thing that makes the laptop special is that you can basically use it on the go when you want to connect to the internet and perform basic functions that require internet connectivity. That’s because laptops can be brought anywhere and can connect to the internet as long as the place you are at has a wireless internet connection.
Even though desktop computers do have wireless internet capabilities, they can only connect with your home or office network precisely because you can’t carry them around wherever you want to go. The fact that the laptop can connect to the internet almost anywhere is what makes it a good choice for those who want to work while they are on the go.
No need for a separate power source
In line with how a laptop is a complete machine on its own, it also comes with its own source of power in the form of its battery. The laptop’s battery is what powers it and allows it to perform its basic functions while you are on the go.
The only time you need to connect your laptop to an external source of power is when you need to recharge its battery. However, other than that, you are basically using a machine that no longer needs to stay connected to an external power source throughout its entire lifetime.
Therefore, in case the power goes out, you can still use your laptop as it can run on its own battery as long as it has charge. This isn’t the case for desktops, which are limited by their need to stay connected to an external power source the entire time.
Cons of a laptop
Power limitations
The same small and portable size of a laptop is what gives it its limitations in terms of its power and capabilities. And what we mean by power is in terms of its specs as laptops are not known to be as powerful as desktop computers. Due to the compact size of a laptop that parts that go in them are also limited in what they can do compared to a desktop PC that can handle more parts and a better cooling system for those parts.
As such, you won’t always be able to perform advanced functions on a laptop such as playing top-of-the-line games and rendering power-intensive activities primarily because not all laptops are made to be quite powerful. Unless you are willing to spend a premium price on an expensive laptop with the best specs, you won’t be able to do certain functions that desktops can.
Stagnancy
A laptop stays stagnant in the sense that it will never grow or improve. In most cases, it will only continue to deteriorate from the moment you first used it. That’s because most of the components of a laptop can not be replaced or upgraded.
While there are some laptops that are probably upgradable depending on how they are constructed, most laptops don’t have the same upgradability that a desktop comes with. This is due to the fact that laptop motherboards cannot be replaced and that most of the important components of a laptop already come soldered to the motherboard. You’d have to buy an entirely different laptop if you want an upgrade.
Damage-prone
Even though we have gone a long way from the older laptops that tend to have a flimsy build or construction, laptops are still prone to damages. You would be surprised to know how many people end up damaging their laptops by accidentally dropping them or spilling water on them.
Damaging a laptop can have a lot of different consequences. In most cases, people who end up damaging their laptops replace the entire machine altogether because it was already damaged beyond repair. And even if you can have your laptop repaired, you will be shocked by how expensive laptop repairs can be.
Expensive
While some of you don’t realize it because there are very cheap entry-level laptops, the fact of the matter is that laptops are generally expensive. That’s because the smaller laptop components are much more expensive for manufacturers to build.
For you to realize how expensive a laptop is, you would have to compare it to a desktop computer with the same total price tag. A $1,000 laptop will surely have inferior specs compared to a $1,000 desktop.
Limited lifespan
Finally, you have to understand that laptops do have limited lifespans. The fact that laptops cannot be upgraded or improved is what keeps their lifespan limited to five or so years, give or take. You would be lucky to get six or more years out of your laptop if you take care of it properly but you will end up getting frustrated by how slow and obsolete it has become.
A laptop is only as good as its components, and that means that, when some of its components finally die off, the laptop is already as good as dead. You would have to pay for expensive repairs or even a replacement once a laptop has become too old and worn out by wear and tear.