Desktops are dead ?

bontempi · Jul 19, 2012

hi

what's preventing you all to go with the macbook route ?

back in the days, desktop were faster than laptop, but these days they're fast enough to do CPU intensive tasks such as Audio / Video.

i have an old iMac and a 2011 Macbook. i've started working on the macbook and the performance is excellent. i'm thinking of buying a display and saying goodbye to the desktop, which is i think a dying format anyway.

the Thunderbolt Display is too expensive, but these days monitors have HDMI / DISPLAYPORT / USB hubs / built-in speakers / Headphones out ... you can get an excellent 22" for 200$ ... and take your computer with you everywhere.

thoughts ? what's the thing that makes you wait for the iMac ?

SpecAU · Jul 19, 2012

I want to sit at a desk, with a large screen.

Laptops are not as powerful as rear desktops.

Desktops are not dead, Apple is just slow.

Also they will release one when its ready, They don't have to release one every 12 months.

Fattytail · Jul 19, 2012

SpecAU said:
I want to sit at a desk, with a large screen.

Laptops are not as powerful as rear desktops.

Desktops are not dead, Apple is just slow.

Also they will release one when its ready, They don't have to release one every 12 months.

Only for certain very specialized use cases would a MacBook's performance lag. These days, the gap is pretty narrow. And the large screen issue is moot with an external monitor.

I actually have both an iMac and a MacBook Air and have been wondering lately why I even need them both. The answer is that I really don't, but it's nice to have a "base station" of sorts and a separate laptop I can take on the go that's not the same as my primary machine. I could do just as well with just the laptop and an external monitor, but maybe I don't because it's a slightly less elegant solution.

OLDCODGER · Jul 19, 2012

No, they are not dead. You must be young, and not mind staring at a small screen, or two dissimilar screens. I need screen real estate more than raw power, along with a full-size keyboard and multi-button mouse. Therefore, a laptop is useless to me (and the iMac doesn't count).

I use a mini, but would shell out for an xMac in a heartbeat (MP being overkill).

Yeroon · Jul 19, 2012

bontempi said:
the Thunderbolt Display is too expensive, but these days monitors have HDMI / DISPLAYPORT / USB hubs / built-in speakers / Headphones out ... you can get an excellent 22" for 200$ ... and take your computer with you everywhere.

A 22 inch screen for $200 cannot be compared to an iMac screen. For that price you'll have a TN panel, which is inferior to IPS which Apple (and other high-end models) uses, especially when you do photo/video-related stuff.

Broseidon · Jul 19, 2012

MacBook Pro + Thunderbolt display = £2400

iMac 27" = £1400

Simple.

thelookingglass · Jul 19, 2012

Broseidon said:
MacBook Pro + Thunderbolt display = £2400

iMac 27" = £1400

Simple.

Decent IPS displays can be had for much less than the TD. And if I already had a monitor, then all I need is a new MacBook.

Ricky Smith · Jul 19, 2012

Are desktops dead? Nope and that's because the old fossils who use them are still kicking. (Kidding)

Timhet · Jul 19, 2012

I used to think desktops were dead so I bought a laptop that I always leave on my desk.

I think laptops will be dead with tablets getting more powerful and functional.

As it stands currently, I see a place for a desktop and a mobile tablet for a few years to come, while laptops will probably die off a bit...

Who knows what will happen in the near future...it always keeps changing.

bontempi · Jul 19, 2012

I want to sit at a desk, with a large screen.

that's why i said external display

Laptops are not as powerful as rear desktops.

the gap is really narrow today as someone said

You must be young, and not mind staring at a small screen, or two dissimilar screens

again, i spoke about having an external display

A 22 inch screen for $200 cannot be compared to an iMac screen.

there are excellent screens out there

MacBook Pro + Thunderbolt display = £2400

iMac 27" = £1400

Macbook Pro + 22" External Display = 1400$ = £900

so far no really real argument in favor of the iMac, except maybe one : it looks nice. keep em coming

most of us desktop owners also have a laptop. that's two machines to upgrade / backup ... that's also one point that annoys me in my setup

AndyCarolan · Jul 19, 2012

Easier to upgrade

eXan · Jul 19, 2012

Not for me. I have both 2010 MBP and 2011 iMac and I mostly use the iMac not because its faster, but because it has a great screen, feels like a "base station", gets less hot = runs quieter, etc.

Of course having a great LCD alongside a MBP would probably be almost as nice, but I like that I dont need to constantly plug/unplug all my stuff when I want to take my laptop, it also allows me to keep my "main" stuff on the desktop machine so I don't worry about accidents that do happen more often with portables.

Also, my huge Razer mouse pad and Razer mouse are just too good to not use all the time ^_^

themcfly · Jul 19, 2012

bontempi said:
so far no really real argument in favor of the iMac, except maybe one : it looks nice. keep em coming

most of us desktop owners also have a laptop. that's two machines to upgrade / backup ... that's also one point that annoys me in my setup

You are not considering that not anyone is really going to need portability.

iMac runs faster, cooler, has more storage, and a better display. Also you don't have a power unit hanging around on your power cord, and all the cabling needed for an external display, and a spare wireless keyboard to put in front of it. Having a battery that you won't ever use that's going to get ruined. Also, just plugging in an external monitor in a hot summer day gets your MacBook hot as hell, with fans ramping up. iMac is just cooler. And guess what? At the same performance level iMac is 20/30% cheaper.

If you only need a desktop you can never beat that.

bontempi · Jul 19, 2012

funny, my macbook is quieter than my iMac. it rarely gets very hot so the fans keep quiet.

i use a mouse too with it.

i feel it's the "base station" we're used to. i've grown up with desktops as well.

Seamaster · Jul 19, 2012

Laptops are the new desktops.

Tablets are the new laptops.

The sooner everyone accepts this is where Apple is taking us, the better for all concerned.

Gloops · Jul 19, 2012

bontempi said:
Macbook Pro + 22" External Display = 1400$ = £900

The entry level Dual-Core 13" MacBook Pro with integrated graphics is £999. Add, say, a Dell Ultrasharp 24" screen, you're looking at £1,250 or so.

You can get 27" Quad-Core i5 iMac with a dedicated graphics card for £1,399, or a 21.5" for the same price as the laptop.

That's why desktops aren't dead; even though Apple would obviously want you to fork out more cash for something 'mobile' that's less powerful and never going to leave your desk.

d0nK · Jul 19, 2012

bontempi said:
Macbook Pro + 22" External Display = 1400$ = £900

?
The cheapest MBP is £999.

bontempi · Jul 19, 2012

i just translated $ to £, my bad

macbook = 1200$
22" screen = 200$
total = 1400$

GermanyChris · Jul 19, 2012

Depends on the level of desktop we're talking about. There will always be a place for the tower PC be it Mac or Windows 1-4 processors, 1-4 graphics cards, 3-10 HDD's, 1GB to 128+GB RAM, 4-10 expansion lanes etc.

The MBP with display can replace the iMac with out much effort. The iMac has a desktop CPU with mobile graphics and tops out a 32GB RAM and max's at 2 HDD's. the only thing you lose is the desktop CPU and a HDD.

If I were in the market for and AIO I'd just buy a notebook with display.

iSayuSay · Jul 19, 2012

Broseidon said:
MacBook Pro + Thunderbolt display = £2400

iMac 27" = £1400

Simple.

You hit the spot so good.

Plus:
Base 27" iMac perform roughly the same with base 15" MBP, so you get a barely portable and barely powerful notebook when you can go with iMac and the 27" on your desk.

bontempi said:
i just translated $ to £, my bad

macbook = 1200$
22" screen = 200$
total = 1400$

You're not comparing fairly. If you insist to cheap out the display with 22" then iMac could go with 21.5" for $1200. And it's much more powerful than $1200 base MBP. And it has 4 RAM slots.

Simple.

bontempi · Jul 19, 2012

the thunderbolt display is a ripoff

you can find a great 27" monitor for 300$, thus saving 700$

who needs 4 ram slots ? 8 gigs is more than enough

harcosparky · Jul 19, 2012

bontempi said:
i just translated $ to £, my bad

macbook = 1200$
22" screen = 200$
total = 1400$

That is a poor comparison.

Like comparing a Ford Fiesta to a Maserati.

In order to do a fair cost comparison one must match the units specifications.

Same CPU
Same GPU
Same RAM
Same HDD

Oh and thanks for creating another one of these ' desktops are dead ' threads, I have not seen one in like .....minutes!

Icaras · Jul 19, 2012

bontempi said:
the thunderbolt display is a ripoff

you can find a great 27" monitor for 300$, thus saving 700$

who needs 4 ram slots ? 8 gigs is more than enough

No it's not a ripoff. Find an equally comparable display at a similar price point.

A $300 27" is not in the same league as the ACD or ATD. You need to do some research on display tech.

harcosparky · Jul 19, 2012

bontempi said:
you can find a great 27" monitor for 300$, thus saving 700$

no you cannot find a great 27" display for $300, you can find OK ones, but not great ones.

I'm a photographer, and I know what a great monitor is and how much they cost.

Broseidon · Jul 19, 2012

bontempi said:
Macbook Pro + 22" External Display = 1400$ = £900

Get real

A base model 15" Macbook Pro is £1499 in the UK - that's $2,400 ********kng $dollars.

Add to that a high quality, 27" display, which over in the UK would be an absolute minimum £350 - £400. Lets also take into account that that display would inevitably be an ugly, hideous, plastic monstrosity... Then I'd have to buy a keyboard and mouse - if I go for Apple ones, that's another £120.

I'd be looking at paying over £2000 for a laptop and a display - that's over $3250. $3250

$3K+ for a chunky, fat ass laptop to plug into an ugly, black plastic Dell monitor that will just sit on my desk in the office and maybe leave once a month.

Or I could just pay a touch over $2000 for a beautiful, 27" iMac.

Desktops are dead ?

macrumors member

macrumors member

macrumors 6502a

macrumors 6502a

macrumors member

macrumors regular

macrumors 68020

macrumors regular

macrumors newbie

macrumors member

macrumors member

macrumors 601

macrumors regular

macrumors member

macrumors 65816

macrumors member

macrumors 6502

macrumors member

macrumors 601

macrumors 68040

macrumors member

macrumors 68020

macrumors 603

macrumors 68020

macrumors regular

Our Staff