Do You Still Have A 'Desktop' PC/Mac @ Home ?

[Cobra9777]

I prefer desktops for most serious computing tasks (spreadsheets, word documents, online financial stuff, photo/video editing, music composition). I do regular maintenance, so it's extremely clean and runs fast. I build a new desktop every 3 or 4 years and will continue doing so. Latest build is in the office with studio monitor speakers and three 22" monitors (I like lots of visual real estate for multi-tasking). For casual computing tasks (email, web surfing) when I'm not in the office, I primarily use my Android phone. We have an old laptop that we use when traveling. But otherwise, it's stashed under the main TV running Kodi. DW uses her iPhone exclusively. I'll probably get a Chromebook at some point.

 

[explanade]

Have 27 inch iMac (2013), MacBook Pro Retina (2014), iPad mini 2, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S Plus and iPhone 5S.

Also an HP laptop with Win 10.

Have over 700 GB of RAWs in my Aperture library plus older iPhoto libraries.

I use the mobile devices every day as well as the iMac.

As long as I maintain a photo library, I'll always upgrade the computers.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I've got a desktop that still runs XP, no plans to upgrade...

 

[ziggy29]

Yes. Tablets are cool for being light and on the go, but it will never fully replace a large display and a full-sized keyboard for me.

For me the only real "need" for a desktop any more is for serious gaming. Apart from that a relatively middling laptop and docking station to a full size keyboard, mouse and display would be more than enough.

 

[NW-Bound]

I still have 6 desktops in the house, with 3 being headless (no CRT or keyboards) and remotely accessed via another desktop console. Yes, I do turn them on occasionally, and use them for different things (two are file servers). They are distributed through the home, and I can turn them on/off remotely.

However, my everyday-use machine is a laptop. My wife uses one of the above desktops, plus her Android tablet, plus 2 PC netbooks (laptops without DVD drive). We do not use our smartphones much when we are at home.

And besides these machines, I have two NAS drives, but only one is on 24/7.

 

[Big_Hitter]

For me the only real "need" for a desktop any more is for serious gaming.

agreed - ever since I got a ps4 I rarely turn on my desktop

 

[Alan]

I have an iMac and MacBook. But I could see surviving on only a MacBook if I had a big monitor.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

When I bought my MacBook Air in January I also bought a Belkin Thunderbolt 2 dock which is permanently connected to my big monitor, ethernet cable to the router plus 4 USB devices. This means I only have 1 cable plus power to attach to turn it into a desktop look-alike. (I also have a full size keyboard and mouse at my computer desk)

I haven't had a desktop for at least 8 years.

I also have a 3.5 year old iPad and an iPhone. The new MacBook is so light and just as fast waking up or booting from scratch as the iPad that I don't see me replacing the iPad. (The MacBook has an SSD instead of an HDD hence the speed waking up and booting)

A good test will be over the next 6 months when I plan on traveling only with the iPhone and MacBook.

 

[RobbieB]

When I hit the road I take my Chrome Book and the smart phone. Chrome is wifi only but smart phone will wifi the book if the hotel craps out which it sometime does.

I absolutely positively hate surfing on a 6 inch screen.

 

[calico1597]

I have my old tower ready to recycle, the monitor quit several years ago. We each have laptops for surfing in the evenings, I have an Ipad for travel and am finding that I use my smart phone more all the time.

 

[Marita40]

I was an early adopter of a laptop--when the most basic model was really expensive--and never looked back. I haven't had a desk top in at least 15 years (I can't even remember what it was when I had one). I use the laptop all over the house, sitting up in bed, etc. The only thing that drives me crazy is the relatively short battery life.
I use an Ipad Mini for reading books and for travel.

 

[Ronstar]

When I bought my MacBook Air in January I also bought a Belkin Thunderbolt 2 dock which is permanently connected to my big monitor, ethernet cable to the router plus 4 USB devices. This means I only have 1 cable plus power to attach to turn it into a desktop look-alike. (I also have a full size keyboard and mouse at my computer desk)

I haven't had a desktop for at least 8 years.

I also have a 3.5 year old iPad and an iPhone. The new MacBook is so light and just as fast waking up or booting from scratch as the iPad that I don't see me replacing the iPad. (The MacBook has an SSD instead of an HDD hence the speed waking up and booting)

A good test will be over the next 6 months when I plan on traveling only with the iPhone and MacBook.

Your dock/monitor/keyboard/mouse setup does make a desktop unnecessary. Traveling with only your phone and Macbook shouldn't be too bad. You'll probably miss the big monitor though.

I usually bring my phone, iPad, and Macbook when we travel. But Dw says I can only take the iPad or laptop on our next 2 trips. I may try to do them with only phone and iPad. Hopefully I can survive with an iPad and no computer for a couple of weeks here and there. Or maybe Macbook and no iPad.

In your experience, would England/Ireland be better with an iPad or laptop? Or no difference?

 

[Aerides]

Yes, because video games.

 

[Alan]

Your dock/monitor/keyboard/mouse setup does make a desktop unnecessary. Traveling with only your phone and Macbook shouldn't be too bad. You'll probably miss the big monitor though.

I usually bring my phone, iPad, and Macbook when we travel. But Dw says I can only take the iPad or laptop on our next 2 trips. I may try to do them with only phone and iPad. Hopefully I can survive with an iPad and no computer for a couple of weeks here and there. Or maybe Macbook and no iPad.

In your experience, would England/Ireland be better with an iPad or laptop? Or no difference?

I don't think you'll find a difffernce if you are not looking to use spreadsheets and such. The reason I want to take the laptop this time is because it is 6 months and I really want to use spreadsheets. I have a spreadsheet app for the iPad and have done long trips twice with it but it is very limiting. By long trips I mean 5 months or more. DW takes her laptop on these trips for when I've needed the extra functionality.

I carry a thunderbolt to HDMI cable so can use a TV as a monitor which is my plan for the coming 6 months in the house we are renting in England.

 

[target2019]

This thread sounds very familiar.

In my home office there are four desktops. There are two large monitors - 25 and 26. Also, two notebooks, one 10" nexus tablet, android phone, iphone.

 

[explanade]

Your dock/monitor/keyboard/mouse setup does make a desktop unnecessary. Traveling with only your phone and Macbook shouldn't be too bad. You'll probably miss the big monitor though.

I usually bring my phone, iPad, and Macbook when we travel. But Dw says I can only take the iPad or laptop on our next 2 trips. I may try to do them with only phone and iPad. Hopefully I can survive with an iPad and no computer for a couple of weeks here and there. Or maybe Macbook and no iPad.

In your experience, would England/Ireland be better with an iPad or laptop? Or no difference?

What do you do with your photos? Both your permanent library at home and backing up the photos you take during a trip?

 

[jim584672]

I built my own a few years ago.
Intel i5 2500K 4 core, 8GB DDR3, 250 SSD (Ubuntu 14.04 LTS), 120 SSD (Win 10), 120 SSD (Win XP), Nvidia 460 graphics. I use a Sony 40" TV for the monitor.

I love a speedy Desktop, can't stand tablets/phones.

 

[Ronstar]

What do you do with your photos? Both your permanent library at home and backing up the photos you take during a trip?

I keep them on an external drive that I access from both laptop and desktop. And I take the external drive on trips where I take the laptop. For laptop free trips, I just stockpile the photos on memory cards until I get home. My camera has dual card slots, and I have one card as a copy of the other for backup.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Fedup]

I still have 2 desktops, my husband uses my daughter's old laptop, I have an iPad. I will always have one desktop because it's a lot cheaper. I'm thinking of a new iPad, but no laptop for me.


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[explanade]

I keep them on an external drive that I access from both laptop and desktop. And I take the external drive on trips where I take the laptop. For laptop free trips, I just stockpile the photos on memory cards until I get home. My camera has dual card slots, and I have one card as a copy of the other for backup.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

That's a good setup but I have an SSD on my laptop and a fusion drive on my desktop and an external drive would be noticeably slower for loading photos, editing them.

I could probably get used to it but I'm already juggling 3 externals for backups.

 

[ownyourfuture]

This thread sounds very familiar.

In my home office there are four desktops. There are two large monitors - 25 and 26. Also, two notebooks, one 10" nexus tablet, android phone, iphone.

Was there a similar thread recently ?

 

[ownyourfuture]

I built my own a few years ago.
Intel i5 2500K 4 core, 8GB DDR3, 250 SSD (Ubuntu 14.04 LTS), 120 SSD (Win 10), 120 SSD (Win XP), Nvidia 460 graphics. I use a Sony 40" TV for the monitor.

I love a speedy Desktop, can't stand tablets/phones.

Nice!
Nothing against tablets/phones, but I waste enough time on the Internet with my desktop. No need for it in the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, garage, etc.

 

[Retch The Grate]

If so, do you plan to buy another one when that one goes kaput ?
If not, do you ever plan to purchase one ?

I'll be honest, I'm trying to get my arms around the home desktop market.
I own Intel stock, & the slowdown in this segment has held it back for the last 4 or 5 years.

Yes I own a desktop and yes I will replace it in a few years when upgrading it is less worthwhile. It will be getting a new high end graphics card in a month or two when my HTC Vive shows up.

 

[niven]

Yep, Grandpa loves his Grandpa Box:

Show me someone who can do all their work on phones and tablets and I'll show you someone who can probably be let go.

 

[ownyourfuture]

Show me someone who can do all their work on phones and tablets and I'll show you someone who can probably be let go.

Nice!

 

[Katsmeow]

Yes, I have a desktop. Yes, I will get another one. Part of it is that I like using dual monitors and I like having the power you can have with a desktop. I did recently replace my SSD drive for one that was larger.

That said, yes, I agree that many people don't use desktop computers or even laptops. I do have an iPad Pro and use it quite a bit for casual stuff online but don't use it for higher productivity stuff. It is fine for web surfing.

I have a blog and I look at the traffic to my blog. Currently, about half my traffic is mobile (I can't imagine reading a blog on a phone, but obviously people do), 1/3 is desktop and the remainder is tablet.