Laptops vs desktops: 5 reasons why I still prefer a desktop in 2018

Even when laptops and desktops are evenly matched in performance, desktops tend to be significantly less expensive.

Dell/BestBuy

Let’s compare a desktop and a laptop from Dell, both with Core i5 8400 processors that perform pretty similarly, according to benchmarks.

The Dell laptop costs $1,300. The Dell desktop with similar specs costs $500. You would need to factor the cost of a monitor for the desktop if you don’t already have one. Inexpensive 24-inch monitors that get the job done can be as cheap as $150. 

For reference, here are the specs for both computers:

Laptop:

• Intel Core i5 8400H (high-performance series)
• 8GB RAM
• 500GB hard drive

Desktop:

• Intel Core i5 8400
• 8GB Ram
• 1 terabyte hard drive

For most laptops, you’re stuck with their specs until it’s time to upgrade to a new model. Desktops can be upgraded pretty easily.

Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider

You can upgrade several parts in a desktop that you can’t always upgrade in a laptop, which means you can buy individual parts for a desktop to match your needs instead of buying a whole new laptop.

For example, if you’re finding that your web browser tabs are taking up all your desktop’s RAM, you have the option to add more RAM on a desktop. Some laptops let you upgrade parts like RAM, but not all of them. 

Or, say you want to add a graphics card for visual work or playing games. You can get a graphics card for a desktop. Usually, laptops don’t let you upgrade the graphics chip. 

The same thing goes for storage. I can add several extra hard drives or SSDs in a desktop, when laptops usually only let you upgrade the single hard drive or SSD they come with. 

It looks daunting, but it’s surprisingly easy, and there are several YouTube videos that show you exactly how to upgrade parts in a desktop (and laptops, for that matter). 

You can buy a great secondary laptop or tablet for times when you need to be mobile with the money you’d be saving by buying a desktop.

GaudiLab/Shutterstock.com

As you’d expect, using a desktop means staying at a desk. But you’re not limited to a single computer if you want a desktop. You can always get an inexpensive laptop for those times when you need the mobility. If you need to go mobile, you can use the money you save from buying a desktop for a portable laptop or tablet. 

Desktops are usually associated with being big, bulky, and heavy, but some desktops aren’t big at all, or they come with built-in screens.

Lenovo

There are some pretty slim and small desktops you buy or build yourself that can fit around your work area without taking up too much space. 

Most computer companies, including Apple, sell all-in-one desktops where the entire computer is built into the screen enclosure. These are great if you want to avoid messy wires everywhere and want a neat package.