If you’re looking for something you can easily carry to and from work, or bring with you on vacation, then a lightweight laptop could be in order. These weigh just a couple of pounds, have batteries that can last a full workday of more than 8 hours, and have more than enough power to tackle common productivity tasks like browsing the web and editing Microsoft Office documents.
A desktop may be a smarter and more ergonomic pick, however, if you’re setting up a home office and aren’t worried as much about mobility. Staring out into a display puts less strain on your neck than staring down into one as you would with a laptop. You also generally get more power per dollar spent with a desktop than you do with a laptop. Some models come with a built-in display, while with others you’ll have to supply your own.
Laptops
Laptops let you use your computer away from your desk, but you pay for that mobility with keyboards that some consumers may find a little small, especially when it comes to laptops less than 13 inches wide. Laptops are also generally more difficult and expensive to repair than a desktop, in part because of their small size and specialized parts. When it comes to laptops, screen size will be an essential factor in deciding which model is right for you. Nowadays, laptops generally come in a range of size the biggest factor in laptop weight is the physical size of the chassis.
Light laptops also tend to have fewer ports and expansion options than their heavier cousins. The late Apple MacBook, for instance, has a headphone jack and one USB Type-C port—that’s it, that’s all. The Dell XPS 13 does better with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a USB Type-C port, a microSD card slot, and an audio jack, but you’ll still need a dongle (which is included) to connect a USB Type-A device and another (not included) to connect an external monitor.
Desktop Computers
Desktops typically offer a better bang for your buck compared with laptops, delivering more power and performance per dollar spent. You may not need a ton of power if, say, you spend most of the day inside office productivity software, but they often cost less. When it comes to desktop computers either you’re going to have to sacrifice power for size or size for power according to answers.com the weight of an average midsize tower is 20 to 30 pounds. On the other hand if you don’t need a lot of power something like a raspberry pi may suit your needs very well and you would still have access to a full desktop environment and is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. (For more information on raspberry pi please see our article about them).
Your current computer not cutting it and do you need a custom-built one? Call Stacy (941) 246-1048; she can help.
