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Laptops Outsell Desktops

Posted by Zonk on from the on-the-move dept.

wintermute1974 writes "According to a new report by Current Analysis, laptops have overtaken sales of desktops for the first time in computing, ever. Figures are for the U.S. market, but presumably this is part of a world-wide trend." From the article: "Notebook prices fell 17 percent during the past year while desktop prices dipped only 4 percent. Some of the features common in most notebooks are longer-lasting batteries, CD burners and wireless capability."

7 of 414 comments (clear)

  1. This is in units sold by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    They overtook desktops in revenue in 2003.

  2. So? by kc32 · · Score: 5, Funny

    My tower has a handle on it. And it weighs in at an incredibly portable 42 pounds.

  3. They left out the killer feature by El+Cubano · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Some of the features common in most notebooks are longer-lasting batteries, CD burners and wireless capability.

    Yeah. They left out the inability to easily upgrade components. In the last 10 years i have owned +/- 6 computers. One was a laptop that I purchased new. The others were all custom rigs that got upgraded expansion cards, peripherals, memory, etc. when needed. Thus they didn't show up as desktop sales. I am willing to bet that as building machines from components has gotten easier, lots more people have been doing it to get more bang for the buck.

    Thing is, with a laptop, upgrading the monitor is impossible and upgrading pretty much anything else is a royal pain and/or too expensive. Thus, laptop users can't take advantage of individual components on the same scale as desktop owners.

  4. popularity vs. durability by Schlemphfer · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Back in the day, laptops cost more than $1000 more than comparable desktops. Now, you can get a pretty decent laptop for $700. So it's not surprising that as the price difference between desktops and laptops has eroded, so too has the market share of desktops.

    The question that interests me is: are laptops becoming any more durable? One of my main reasons that I bought an eMac instead of an iBook is that the eMac is probably Apple's most durable computer. And I know that laptops tend to be much more prone to failure.

    It wasn't so long ago that if you bought a laptop, you could pretty much count on some kind of major failure within three years. I'm wondering if any good research has been done to show whether laptops are closing the gap with desktops in terms of reliability. If they are, I'm pretty sure my next computer will be a laptop.

    --
    I'm generally "Interesting," "Insightful," and even "Funny" here. What the hell happens to me at parties?
  5. Re:Funny by null+etc. · · Score: 5, Funny
    Sorry, I just found it funny.

    At least it didn't end with a stupid question, like "Is this the end of desktops as we know it?"

  6. Price or Wireless Revolution? by Mulletproof · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But this is not just a "desktop replacement" trend. Sure, you can emulate nearly every function on a laptop that you could get in a desktop, but that was true back when too. Sure, the price has gone down, but what's really changed?

    I don't think the wireless explosion is getting nearly enough credit here. Now your truly portable PC can take advantage of the most influential and pervasive phenomenon of the 21st century anywhere and everywhere. Coffee shops. Parks. The back yard. The laptops utility has been magnified 100 fold just by the wireless networking trend alone. It's so much more than a portable document holder now. You now have access to real time information anywhere, an unparalleled knowledge base at your fingertips on the go, keep in contact with people friends, family and partners instantly, etc etc etc. Wireless LAN? Standard equipment on nearly every machine now.

    I have no doubt the price drop has helped, but the utility and popularity of the laptop has absolutely exploded because of the wireless revolution that is still evolving at this very moment.

    --
    You need a FREE iPod Nano
  7. Re:useable laptops? - thank Apple by skingers6894 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Check out these

    http://www.notesys.com/Copies/CNET%207Sep00%20IBM% 20Dell%20Wireless.htm

    Dell and IBM were duking it out for for honors of first Windows laptop with wireless a year after Apple had already offered it.

    I'm not sure whether Apple make their own firewire controllers but they DID invent the technology:

    http://news.com.com/2100-1040-271986.html?legacy=c net

    Finally it is clear to people who have been around for a while that Apple created the template from which almost all laptops are cut today. Check out this article that names the Powerbook 100 as the top gadget of all time.

    http://www.mobilemagazine.com/archives/2005/03/the _top_100_gad_1.html

    Admittedly blind fanboyism is not very informative but neither is denying credit where it is due.