PC Sales decline
Discussion
Windows 8 doesn't appear to have kick started the market etc and the move towards tablets is gaining
Should we really be surprised though ? I'm old fashioned have a desktop pc upstairs and use a laptop for work/ browsing but I readily accept that having a PC and monitor set up is old hat now
Should we really be surprised though ? I'm old fashioned have a desktop pc upstairs and use a laptop for work/ browsing but I readily accept that having a PC and monitor set up is old hat now
Many years ago I switched to laptops. They had reached a point where the performance compromises were no longer an issue for me. I didn't need six USB ports, 2x CD drives and a 'proper' graphics card to post on the internet and make websites.
A lot of people who primarily use their laptops as content consumption devices have reached that point with tablets and phones. You don't need a 15.4in screen and a fast Intel processor for reading email, flicking through a friend's photos or watching a YouTube video on the settee.
This isn't a great development for Microsoft, who have let iOS and Android completely dominate the tablet and phone market. That's going to be a tricky one to claw back now that those two are established with enormous app stores.
A lot of people who primarily use their laptops as content consumption devices have reached that point with tablets and phones. You don't need a 15.4in screen and a fast Intel processor for reading email, flicking through a friend's photos or watching a YouTube video on the settee.
This isn't a great development for Microsoft, who have let iOS and Android completely dominate the tablet and phone market. That's going to be a tricky one to claw back now that those two are established with enormous app stores.
I bought a laptop with Windows 8.
It would be fair to say that with the benefits of hindsight I would have purchased one of the last Windows 7 machines to avoid the nightmare that Windows 8 is.
Operating Windows 8 is a thoroughly miserable experience - I need to investigate the Mac alternative for next time.
It would be fair to say that with the benefits of hindsight I would have purchased one of the last Windows 7 machines to avoid the nightmare that Windows 8 is.
Operating Windows 8 is a thoroughly miserable experience - I need to investigate the Mac alternative for next time.
daveydave7 said:
Windows 8 doesn't appear to have kick started the market etc
I don't see why Windows 8 would kick start the market for PC's, as it is far worse than Windows 7 on anything other than a tablet computer.If I could have paid extra to have my new PC with Windows 7 I would have done.
I work from home and could not do my job without a desktop.
I have two screens - an essential for me - and three HDD of 1TB. Further, I'm a touch typist and need a decent keyboard. I've yet to find a laptop that comes anywhere near. I have external keyboards for my laptop but that just adds to the bulk when moving it about. Portability is an essential for a laptop.
I edit photographs and have a Bamboo tablet, plus a mouse for 'normal' stuff. Looking around by desk I can see two external HDDs. There's no way a laptop could provide the functions I need.
The thing with desktops is the ease with which they can be updated. There has been a continuation in my desktop since my first PC. It was only a couple of years ago that I dumped my floppy drive that I had used on my first PC and that was only because I'd bought a new case and could see no reason for putting it in.
I also have a laptop of course. It is nearly three years old a getting on a bit now. If it was my desktop I'd probably be looking for a new motherboard and processor by now but it means a replacement after donating my old one to one of my kids. I will go for something smaller but not as far down as a pad. I might try a netbook, I don't know at the moment.
I take my laptop to meetings or when I want to display something but other than that I just use it for the internet. I store nothing on it. I used to use it when taking photographs, downloading then to free up memory, but of course nowadays there is no need. I've got two 32bg and two 16gb memory cards. I've yet to fill half that space on a shoot.
After the speed of my desktop I do become a little irritated with how slow my laptop is.
That said, most of those I know have no desktops but for me laptops will have to come a long way before they'd be any use.
I have two screens - an essential for me - and three HDD of 1TB. Further, I'm a touch typist and need a decent keyboard. I've yet to find a laptop that comes anywhere near. I have external keyboards for my laptop but that just adds to the bulk when moving it about. Portability is an essential for a laptop.
I edit photographs and have a Bamboo tablet, plus a mouse for 'normal' stuff. Looking around by desk I can see two external HDDs. There's no way a laptop could provide the functions I need.
The thing with desktops is the ease with which they can be updated. There has been a continuation in my desktop since my first PC. It was only a couple of years ago that I dumped my floppy drive that I had used on my first PC and that was only because I'd bought a new case and could see no reason for putting it in.
I also have a laptop of course. It is nearly three years old a getting on a bit now. If it was my desktop I'd probably be looking for a new motherboard and processor by now but it means a replacement after donating my old one to one of my kids. I will go for something smaller but not as far down as a pad. I might try a netbook, I don't know at the moment.
I take my laptop to meetings or when I want to display something but other than that I just use it for the internet. I store nothing on it. I used to use it when taking photographs, downloading then to free up memory, but of course nowadays there is no need. I've got two 32bg and two 16gb memory cards. I've yet to fill half that space on a shoot.
After the speed of my desktop I do become a little irritated with how slow my laptop is.
That said, most of those I know have no desktops but for me laptops will have to come a long way before they'd be any use.
I've got desktops, a laptop, a netbook and a tablet. The only computer I could use for work is the desktop, the laptop doesn't get used at all, the netbook is great for evening web surfing and PH as it has a proper keyboard, the tablet only gets used for checking the news in bed in the morning, no keyboard on the tablet is very restrictive for me. I can't envisage a time when I don't have a desktop at home and at work, there's no substitute for a proper keyboard imo, and as Derek points out, the ability to swap out components and upgrade as required is invaluable.
I've got a Mac, bought it 2 years ago.. Only really use it for downloading music/syncing my iPhone, and playing music.
Mostly all of my browsing is done on my iPhone.
Was tempted by an iPad but can't bring myself to buy one just yet, as if something is too big to do on my iPhone I'll just do it on the Mac instead.
Mostly all of my browsing is done on my iPhone.
Was tempted by an iPad but can't bring myself to buy one just yet, as if something is too big to do on my iPhone I'll just do it on the Mac instead.
I would love to have just a laptop with a docking station, but I fear I would fry the laptop quite quickly with the memory intensive workload and needing at least dual monitors.
I have seen a few companies that have developers working with laptops and docking stations and it was like watching paint dry with regards to compilation speed, having more than 2 IDEs open, etc...
Plus I know how much my workstation cost so I would need to double or triple it for that to be incased in a laptop.
I have seen a few companies that have developers working with laptops and docking stations and it was like watching paint dry with regards to compilation speed, having more than 2 IDEs open, etc...
Plus I know how much my workstation cost so I would need to double or triple it for that to be incased in a laptop.
GavinPearson said:
I bought a laptop with Windows 8.
It would be fair to say that with the benefits of hindsight I would have purchased one of the last Windows 7 machines to avoid the nightmare that Windows 8 is.
I'm very happy with my W7 lappie, does what it says on the tin. Was going to buy Dad a W8 lappie/switch over Tab but it just isn't good/smart enough for an 80 year old. May get him an i-Pad as it's more simple for what most people need these days.It would be fair to say that with the benefits of hindsight I would have purchased one of the last Windows 7 machines to avoid the nightmare that Windows 8 is.
We ditched our windows based PC piece of s
te, spent more time fixing the bloated thing than actually using it. Never ever again will we have a windows PC in the house or at work.
We have gone Android mobile based with Motorola Atrix's running their docking stations, lapdocks, & cardocks. Utterly brilliant concept that never got developed past the Atrix. We are thinking of getting a Tablet but the Lapdocks work fine for now.
te, spent more time fixing the bloated thing than actually using it. Never ever again will we have a windows PC in the house or at work. We have gone Android mobile based with Motorola Atrix's running their docking stations, lapdocks, & cardocks. Utterly brilliant concept that never got developed past the Atrix. We are thinking of getting a Tablet but the Lapdocks work fine for now.
Du1point8 said:
I would love to have just a laptop with a docking station, but I fear I would fry the laptop quite quickly with the memory intensive workload and needing at least dual monitors.
I run a laptop with dual 21" screens (plus the laptop LCD) for proper engineering. And I don't have a docking station.It works. My only gripes are the slow HD (which an ssd would solve).
At home we have:
2 well-specced desktops that we use for gaming - Win7.
An i7 Vaio laptop we use for media streaming in the lounge and when we travel - Win7.
A PS3.
A tablet - Asus infinity
2 Samsung SIIs
2 Kindles
Also have 2 iPod touch that don't get used now we use the phones for MP3s.
There's no way I'd go without my PC among all that tech - it's still the easiest to use and most responsive and most comfortable for longer periods of use.
2 well-specced desktops that we use for gaming - Win7.
An i7 Vaio laptop we use for media streaming in the lounge and when we travel - Win7.
A PS3.
A tablet - Asus infinity
2 Samsung SIIs
2 Kindles
Also have 2 iPod touch that don't get used now we use the phones for MP3s.
There's no way I'd go without my PC among all that tech - it's still the easiest to use and most responsive and most comfortable for longer periods of use.
Mr E said:
Du1point8 said:
I would love to have just a laptop with a docking station, but I fear I would fry the laptop quite quickly with the memory intensive workload and needing at least dual monitors.
I run a laptop with dual 21" screens (plus the laptop LCD) for proper engineering. And I don't have a docking station.It works. My only gripes are the slow HD (which an ssd would solve).
Plus SSD for OS and huge HD for data?
Cost much does it?
More than £1k perhaps?
I would say there is a big shift from domestic laptops / desktops to tablets, judging based on friends and family.
Combine this with corporate customers buying less PCs (a 3 year old Windows desktop is more than capable of handling most tasks)
Power users are (and have always been) a tiny fraction of PC sales.
Combine this with corporate customers buying less PCs (a 3 year old Windows desktop is more than capable of handling most tasks)
Power users are (and have always been) a tiny fraction of PC sales.
When i first saw windows 8 i couldn't get on with it, im used to a standard desktop machine, my brother on the other hand who is well versed in xbox and what not, got on with it terribly well. After i stopped treating the whole thing like a standard computer and like some pick up and play console it became easy to use.
I prefer a PC if i want high end gaming, but with the more sociable side of xbox live nowadays where i can mess around on a game and talk to 4 friends at the same time, sort of trumps any graphical superiority of a PC.
I prefer a PC if i want high end gaming, but with the more sociable side of xbox live nowadays where i can mess around on a game and talk to 4 friends at the same time, sort of trumps any graphical superiority of a PC.
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff