Owning a Laptop: The Pros and Cons

Hidden costs are everywhere these days. Whether it be getting stuck in a long-term contract or getting a new set of tires, the advertised price rarely reflects the final bill. Consumers need to be on their toes every step of the way — and buying a new computer is no exception. The most important decision you have to make when purchasing a new computer is between a desktop and a laptop computer.  For many, the choice is obvious, but choosing a laptop over a desktop computer is a costly mistake for many consumers. 

Here are a few things you should know about the hidden costs of laptop computers:

There is only one advantage...

There is really only one advantage to purchasing a laptop computer, and that is portability. The average business traveller would be lost without that portability.  However, with the flood of smartphones hitting the market, many users will find that the laptop is no longer the most convenient means of staying connected on the go.

That higher price tag doesn't end at the checkout...

The price difference between comparable desktop and laptop computers has withered away to as low as 15% for some manufacturers. It isn't surprising to see many desktops being replaced with laptops when you consider that they no longer cost twice as much. Keep in mind that you'll have that laptop for awhile.  Upgrades and repair parts are more expensive for a laptop because of a lack of standardization across models. While your local computer guy should have just about everything for a desktop sitting on the shelf, the massive number of unique parts means that not only are repairs more expensive, they often take longer. 

The usable life of a laptop is significantly less...

Technology has allowed us to cram all of the usual desktop components into a tiny, portable package. All of those components are much closer together in a laptop, and they are still generating heat, vibrating, and bombarding each other with radio frequency energy. All of these things can reduce the life of the individual components. Every hour your laptop is powered on, and every time you move it, you risk damaging something that just isn't worth the money to repair.

After about six to eight years, desktop computers are generally not worth the effort to repair. This figure drops to three to five for your average laptop. The worst part of this whole equation is that Consumer Reports isn't out there reviewing three- to five-year-old laptops, so the quality of construction and attention to longevity have been slowly disappearing. The unfortunate result of this is that you just can't run a laptop as if it were a desktop, at least not for long.

Limited Space Means Limited Features...

There's only so much real estate you can find on a laptop to plug something in, so you will find that older ports dissapear much more quickly on laptops.  In addition, newer ports take a little longer to find their way onto the market. It can leave you in a predicament when trying to plan for the future needs of a laptop. If you get the fancy new one, it won't hook up to your older printer, but if you stick with the sensible alternative, it might not be able to use the latest gadgets next year. 

Now, I don't want to come off as anti-laptop. They are useful and necessary tools.  Due to the hidden costs, however, it is important to know not only if you need that portability, but also what you give up for it. All too often, those laptops find themselves sitting on the same desk, powered up almost constantly, for about a year. Then I get to deal with them.

Chris Buckley is one of the owners of Buds & Bytes, a computer repair and event floral business with locations in Burnsville and Farmington, MN.  If you have any questions, ideas for technology topics, or other feedback, you can contact him at: patchblog@budsandbytes.com or leave them in the comments below.