But cost.

Story: Desktop computers changing, not dyingTotal Replies: 3
Author Content
flufferbeer

Sep 02, 2011
12:28 PM EDT
I think ONE of the big factors keeping desktops around IS money. It just costs less and I think WILL cost less for a future while to buy a desktop computer than a handheld. Sure, prices on smaller computing devices are falling over time as competition heats up and cost-conscious people will go get last year's models instead of the latest and most powerful. At the same time, prices ALSO fall on larger used-condition computers. Even comparing desktops, notebooks, and netbooks clearly shows this upward cost-trend as the device gets smaller: I can real easily purchase a used four-year-old desktop with a clunky CRT monitor here in the US for less than $80, a used two-year-old decent laptop for between $80-$150, and a used average-condition netbook for $150 or more. Just goes to show you that you cannot ignore the IT bargain shopper!
mbaehrlxer

Sep 06, 2011
11:46 PM EDT
i used to spend a lot of money on laptops because i don't want to carry more than 1.5Kg around with me and the lightweight options were all expensive. when netbooks came out i realized that i can save quite a sum by buying a decent desktop for the computing power i need and a lightweight netbook for the mobility.

greetings, eMBee.
dinotrac

Sep 07, 2011
3:03 PM EDT
@mbaehrixer --

Sounds very familiar!

I've been building my own desktops for years, which lets me keep running through (somewhat behind the power curve) iterations for relatively little money. I replace monitors when I need/want a new monitor. Cases...pretty much never. Lots of re-use, and daisy-chain upgrades (ie, choose an upgrade strategy that frees up parts, meets multiple needs and lets everybody in the family get a "new" machine).

My netbook was a $38 special. A friend bought it fresh and new, then the hard-drive died. Getting a new hard drive installed, fresh Windows,etc, approached the cost of the netbook itself. For me, however, a quick trip to the TigerDirect outlet and Mint install later, and I've got a dandy $38 netbook.
jdixon

Sep 07, 2011
3:41 PM EDT
> i realized that i can save quite a sum by buying a decent desktop for the computing power i need and a lightweight netbook for the mobility.

Yep. I'm currently running my wife's old full tower AMD Athlon 6000+ machine when we "upgraded" her to a slightly slower small form factor Dell Optiplex purchased from http://www.dfsdirectsales.com, as she really prefers having the small form factor machines. $215 for a 2.5 year old machine which will meet all of her needs, and I get a nice upgrade. Unfortunately, they seem to have pretty much stopped carrying models without Windows. At the time we ordered about a third of their machines did not have Windows installed. We just recently purchased a similar machine with Windows XP installed to replace her older Windows box. That was a $150 Dell Optiplex from http://www.geeks.com.

That frees up a couple of machines for other uses (one of them has already been converted to a file server) or to give away.

And in the meantime we each have netbooks for use when we're traveling. Each of which was in the $200-250 range.

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