MSNBC: Are desktop PCs headed for extinction?

by Wilson Rothman

When I woke up this morning, for one second, I wanted an iMac. The new ones, announced today, have smokin' quad-core chips, gigabyte ATI graphics cards, terabyte internal drives and other equally impressive-sounding jargon. But then I remembered they can't go anywhere. Laptops rule, right?

It's true that 75 to 80 percent of computer sales these days are laptops. But nearly 90 percent of American homes still have a trusty desktop PC, compared to just 50 percent with laptops, says sales-tracking firm NPD. How can that be?

Most households treat a desktop computer like they treat a big-screen TV, says NPD tech-industry analyst Stephen Baker. It's up for grabs, and everyone shares it.

The desktop is where the family photos are kept, where music lives. It's more comfortable for older buyers who prefer larger screens and full-size keyboards. Parents like being able to keep tabs on the online activities of young kids. And enthusiasts who edit video or play games get more power per dollar in a desktop.

Desktops are far easier to repair and upgrade than laptops and have better cooling systems. Most laptops have a fan in them the size or an eraser head and if it fails, the laptop is toast. Many laptops have to be repaired by specialists or sent to the manufacturer for repair.


Laptops come in array of sizes: net books, notebooks, laptops and heavy desktop replacements. Laptops are selling well because you can buy them for less than $500 today. The latest Acer special at Wal-Mart was $299.


Some people in Microsoft thought the desktop PC might be replaced with a desktop home server. Rightardia thinks that idea makes sense and perhaps one day it will catch on. There is a steep learning curve for servers, however.

source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38437158/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

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