So you are looking to get yourself a new computer. You know the specifications that you want, you know the brand, and you even know the color you would like. But one of the biggest questions is still unanswered: which form factor are you looking for? Laptops have all but taken over as the more popular style of PC, but desktops and all-in-ones have their place in the world too, certainly. Depending on your particular needs, one of these styles might be a better fit for you than the others. Here are some of the positives and negatives to each, use them to help you decide on the right computer for you!
A desktop PC is one of those things that you might not appreciate until you have one. Sure, you have to buy a tower, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and probably speakers for it, but once you have all of it set up, it creates a comfortable and capable workstation or gaming corner. The overall productivity that can be achieved with a full-sized monitor and keyboard is hard to replicate with a laptop. A tower is the best way to get yourself better specs as well, whether it is more RAM slots or the ability to throw a nice GPU in there. Office environments and professional settings practically beg for the utility of a desktop PC. Also, computer repair shops love working on desktops, as the components are usually much bigger and easier to work with that those of an AIO or laptop. If you are looking for overall performance, nothing beats a desktop, though you obviously sacrifice on portability and ease-of-setup compared to the other two types of computer on this list.
Ah yes, laptops: the portable, lightweight, do-it-all machines that so many people use on a daily basis. More often than not, if someone is simply looking for something to browse the internet with as they sit at a book store, or they want to have something to use to watch YouTube videos, they are looking for a laptop. The portability aspect is what really sets them apart from the desk-bound choices, and in this day and age people are constantly on the go. Having a screen, mouse, keyboard. speakers, and Wi-Fi all built in to a portable machine seems too good to pass up. However, there are a few downsides. Laptops generally do not have the power and stability of a desktop, nor do they have screens that will match the size of a typical monitor. Also, running out of juice is a real concern thanks to the batteries laptops have. If you aren’t near an outlet and your battery is running low, you have no choice but to shut down and wait until you can plug it in. Computer repair shops will absolutely help you with your keyboard that goes bad, your drive that fails, or whatever issue you may be experiencing. However the cost of repairs on laptops is often higher than it is with desktops. So, before you assume everything about a laptop is better, consider some of this, and choose wisely.
An all-in-one, or AIO, is a desktop computer built with the screen and speakers included, as well as on-board Wi-Fi more often than not. Essentially it is a tower that sits on your desk and has an LCD you can look at rather than you needing to purchase a separate monitor. This type of PC is often forgotten about, but they can be a good fit for certain situations. They generally lack the power of a desktop and the portability of a laptop, but they excel at being a sort of hybrid of the two. All you will need is a mouse and keyboard, you do not have to worry about small screen size or touch-pads, and the AIO will take up less space than most desk setups. Also, they are generally nice to look at. Sure they are a bit niche and computer repair shops generally have a bit higher costs for repairing them due to the difficulty of dealing with the screen, but depending on what you are looking for, an AIO might get the job done. Have a few desks in your office e with limited space? Throw an AIO on there and get to work. Need a makeshift workstation for a seminar? AIO. Just remember the limitations and overall particular use cases for the AIO, and you will be fine.
Focusing on the goal of a computer is a good place to start when going to purchase one. Remember the limitations of each time, and their strengths, and make sure they align with what you need. Feel free to visit a computer shop and ask questions about which machine will fit you best. Remember: a computer is an important device. Treat the buying decision with care, and you will find what you are looking for!