Used Computer Deals: Laptop Vs Desktop Computers

It is not air, water or food, it is the computer without which our life will come to stand still. Today almost everything is done on computer and it does not come as a surprise that in the year 2007, computer usage has increased in 26 of the 35 countries surveyed, compared to the year 2002. With better access to e-mail and the Internet, everybody is almost glued to the screen. The computer and the Internet are mostly used at home, at work or educational institutions. The most popular activities using the Internet are reading newspapers, sending and receiving e-mails, Internet banking and finding information about goods or services. Using a search engine to find information, sending e-mails with attached files and using chat-rooms are the most common skilled usage.

Many people have trouble in deciding whether they should go for a laptop or desktop, there are certain characteristics that can help in making that decision. People who are a little light on the wallet and want to buy a used computer have trouble in deciding if it will be a used desktop computer or a used laptop computer. One of the greatest advantages of using a used system, either a desktop or a laptop is that there is a fair chance that you will inherit the operating system along with all the software, applications and utilities installed on it.

Desktop Computers

Let us analyze a desktop computer in general first. Desktops are best suited as the family machine, which can be used for everything from Web surfing to games to photo editing to video. Energy efficiency and portability for desktops are secondary as the main goal is performance. Desktops are easily upgradeable and can be repaired with ease if a certain component fails. They are very sturdy and can sustain the entire family working on it. However, the main shortcoming of a desktop is the fact that it is not portable. Another disadvantage is the fact of not having an inbuilt battery; hence in case of power cut one would lose any unsaved data.

Laptops

Laptops on the other hand are compact and portable such that they are perfect for a first time computer owner. Everyone will agree that laptops prioritize energy efficiency and compactness over absolute performance and it is this quality that makes it so popular. It gives the freedom to move it around with ease, whether one works from home or in an office he/she can use the same laptop and all the files are in one place. A good laptop is considerably cheaper than a desktop as most of the peripherals are included such as screen, keyboard and mouse along with ports for connecting additional hardware. Another major factor that gives the laptop an edge over the desktop is its built-in battery, in case of power cut one would not lose any data. Laptops can run directly from the mains and in the event of a power cut, its inbuilt battery would take over and allows the user to work until that runs out.

I guess the question again boils down to whether you want a laptop or a desktop. In either case, you should get a professional to completely review the computer that you are planning on buying, especially parts like the various ports, life of batteries and all the external drives. In the case of a desktop, you can get a used CPU while buying new accessories that would give your desktop a new look. Unfortunately, the same is not possible with a laptop. At the most, you can give it a nice hard scrub.

If you are on a really tight budget, but want to go all the way then along with a used computer, used computer hardware, used computer memory and used desktop computer furniture are also available. As these are additional peripheries, the fact that they are used does not impact its performance. I personally believe that the best place to look for prices of used computers along with all the other peripheries is the Internet. Obviously, buying over the Internet is not advisable, especially if you do not get to inspect the computer. But you will get a fair idea as to an approximate cost of what you are looking for and will provide you with a baseline with which you can negotiate.

At the end of day, you have to take a call and decide what is best for you. Be patient and wait for a deal that suits your wallet and your purpose.