I am about to replace an old desktop PC. Is there a good reason to buy another desktop rather than a notebook? Michael Patten
Buying a desktop PC will usually get you a faster computer with a bigger hard drive and better graphics, keyboard, screen and speakers, and far better cursor control (via a mouse) for less money than a notebook PC. It will also be more expandable, which could be useful if you need to add more disk drives or upgrade the graphics card.
However, the price and performance gaps have narrowed a lot in the past couple of years, thanks to the arrival of cheap (but not very portable) "desktop replacement" notebooks, and the switch to using more expensive flat screens with desktop PCs instead of bulky monitors.
But I would still recommend a desktop PC for serious use because notebooks have poor ergonomics. After I switched to using notebooks instead of desktops last year, I became unable to raise my right arm and needed physiotherapy at a significant cost. You can develop arm and back problems using a desktop PC, too, of course, but notebooks encourage bad posture and your health may suffer.
Update: Ralph Averbuch has made a very good point by email: Michael can buy a notebook PC and use it with his existing desktop keyboard, screen and mouse, as well as on the move. This provides the best of both worlds. I wonder how many people actually do this...
