When choosing a computer, the buyer has a choice: buy a desktop PC or give preference to a laptop. Although they perform the same functions, you can use them to work in different programs, study, surf the Internet or have fun on https://nationalcasino.com/. But these devices are completely different. In this article, we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of laptops compared to desktop PCs: compare them in several parameters and figure out what is better to buy and under what conditions.
What Is the Difference Between a Laptop and a Desktop PC?
Mobile and desktop computers have both strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, in order to make the right choice, you need to know these features. Let’s compare laptops and desktop PCs according to several criteria.
Efficiency
In terms of performance, laptops are losing out to desktop computers. Of course, you can buy a top-end laptop that will be more powerful than a mid-range desktop PC. But if we take into account the maximum power that can only be obtained with modern hardware or compare components of the same class (for example, mobile and desktop RTX 4090), then stationary PCs are far ahead.
Cost
The cost of laptops and desktop PCs varies from several tens to hundreds of thousands of rubles, so you can always find an inexpensive desktop or a fancy laptop. However, all other things being equal, a desktop computer is always more profitable. In any case, you will get more powerful hardware for about the same price or similar performance for less money.
For example, for $ 1300 you can buy an MSI Katana B12VFK laptop with an RTX 4060 graphics card and an Intel Core i5-12450H processor (and this is still a fairly inexpensive option). For comparison: for $ 1000, you can purchase a ready-made MSI MAG Infinite S3 system unit with an RTX 4060 video card (the desktop version is much more powerful) and an Intel Core i5-13400F processor (again, the desktop processor is more powerful, and even a generation higher).
Of course, you will have to buy a keyboard, speakers and a monitor for a desktop PC. But if you assemble a PC yourself, and not take a ready—made one, you can save money – there will be something to buy peripherals for.
Temperatures
The situation is ambiguous in terms of temperatures. In general, laptops are considered to be hotter. But there are nuances. Firstly, laptops with energy-efficient processors (with low TDP) do not emit much heat. Secondly, powerful desktop components easily heat up to 95 degrees, as in gaming laptops.
But still, desktop PCs tend to be colder. Plus, they have a lot more options for reducing temperatures. For example, you can purchase a water cooling system, as well as a spacious and ventilated housing. For laptops, you can only buy a cooling stand (undervolting and replacing the thermal interface is available on both devices).
Noise Level
Some laptops have a passive cooling system (without fans), so they don’t make noise. Gaming laptops, on the contrary, have serious cooling systems, usually with several fans. They are usually quiet when idle or under light load, but if you run a game or a heavy application, the noise will increase significantly.
Desktop PCs are not much different in this regard. Thanks to the flexibility of the platform, it is possible to assemble a silent or almost silent PC. However, powerful game builds are usually noisy (if we are not talking about some expensive or custom solution, but about an average build).
If you need the quietest possible device out of the box, that is, you don’t want to configure and customize something, the easiest way is to buy a laptop like a MacBook Air.
Display
Laptop displays are as good as external monitors in terms of performance. You can choose a model with the desired screen type, color rendering, resolution and refresh rate. The only thing laptop displays lose out on is size.
Even 18 inches cannot compete with desktop models, the diagonal of which reaches 32 inches or more. At the same time, large screens significantly increase the size and weight of laptops, reducing their mobility.
Remember that you can also connect an external monitor to a laptop (although laptops are usually limited in terms of video outputs: not everyone has DisplayPort and Type-C, and HDMI is not always the best choice for connecting a monitor).
What Is the Result?
If mobility and autonomy are important to you (for example, you often travel or work in places without access to an outlet), it’s worth buying a laptop. Please note that gaming laptops, especially budget ones, are usually more bulky and cannot boast of good autonomy. On the other hand, office models with integrated graphics and entry-level processors are not suitable for modern games and professional applications.
If you use your computer mainly at home, you need maximum performance or, conversely, you save every ruble, it’s worth buying a desktop PC. As a compromise solution, you can choose more compact models (compact cases with carrying handles are now on sale), which will be much easier to move to a new location than a bulky and heavy case.