Will Your Next Computer Be Your Last?

[ArtOfWarfare]

I have a sense that I'm going to buy a new iMac sometime within the next two years, and then I think that's going to be my final computer. It seems to me that one of two things are going to occur:

1 - iOS devices are going to catch up to personal computers, feature/performance wise
2 - We're going to reach a limit for what a person needs to do with their personal computer.

I'm not saying we won't keep making faster processors and stuff. I expect that Moore's law is going to apply for quite a while. What I'm saying is that most people just won't need the faster chips and stuff anymore. It seems to me that the most demanding kind of thing a consumer does on their computer is play video games, and I believe we have reached the peak for what can be done in video games, graphically. To make games look any better would require video game companies to spend unearthly amount of money on artists - consumers wouldn't ever be willing to pay enough to make the budgets work out.

I'm curious what other people think.

Note: I understand many people own multiple computers concurrently for whatever reason (they run an organization, they have one for home, one for travel, etc... whatever the reason... that's why I have the (s)s in the poll options that might seem nonsensical. I guess the best way to think of it might be how many times are you going to buy a computer to replace the one you're reading this question on?

 

[Ademordna]

You're missing out a massive segment of users like graphic/digital artists, video artists, etc. It isn't just gamers who require more power from their system. As a digital illustrator I can't currently foresee when I will be able to stop purchasing desktops - but I'm open to new ideas when and if they arrive!

 

[MJL]

Cannot see that happening - Programming, word processing, spreadsheets etc. are not iOS strongest points. If you really look at it imho iOS' focus is reading (social networking and browsing), looking at pictures etc.

What I expect to see is a widening gap between "consumer" and "business" computers. Just like at the moment most "consumer" laptops have a glossy screen and most "business" laptops have a matte screen.

 

[r.j.s]

I think everything you've said has been said before, and we'll just keep finding new uses.

Today, we can do things on computers that were unimaginable a few decades ago, so who knows what we will be doing in the future.

 

[Fantola]

-.-'

No one knows! .... Simple answer!

 

[blevins321]

As a government tax software developer, the loss of large dual monitors, fully featured including Macro'd Excel, and a suite of database server and programming tools would be unlivable.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Computers will change form as they have in the past... Compare ENIAC with the IBM PC. Compare DOS with Mac OS 6 or 6 with 10.8.

But tablets have a long way to go to completely replacing traditional Macs & PC.

 

[Steeley]

I think there'll always be a need somewhere for more power, so my next computer is unlikely to be my last. It may just be my last Mac though if they keep moving towards soldering everything on and removing upgradability. In that instance I'd build a hack.

 

[12dylan34]

As great as iPads are, they will never be sufficient for what I need to do with them, which involves a lot of 3D rendering. Yes, maybe they'll have the power of a 16 core HP Z820 in less than 10-15 years, but computers will always be ahead of tablets on the performance scale, unless companies stop making them.

The death of the large, non-portable computer also spells the death of the Film, videogame, television, and many other industries for this reason. If I can get a future computer that can render a building collapsing with millions of dust particles, billions of polygons, full global illumination and 20K textures in realtime, then why would I settle for an iPad that can only do it in a day?

I think that there will always be a disparity between what can be shoved in a large black box and what can be shoved into a razor thin tablet, regardless of how fast the tablet is.

 

[iMcLovin]

I'm a digital artist. Computer power is finally getting to the point were its not completely annoying to work but its still far from reached a peak. Ill continue getting faster machines every second year or so as long as I live or companies still makes them

 

[MacFoodPoisoner]

To me the major driving force for my future computer purchases will be screen tech and ergonomics. The major breakthrough to me will be non emissive screen tech that functions as well as lcd's, sadly experiments such as mirasol haven't so far gone as planned. And to a much lesser respect interfaces. In terms of processing power I am in that category where I pretty much have all I need even right now, other users of course such as gamers (though I never understood why they 'd need more and more horsepower...for the obvious reasons that the last game I played was 10 years ago, lol) we 'll continue to need more, gamers, designers, academics who rely on cpu cycles for their experimental work, etc.

 

[JoeG4]

I really dislike tablets.

I think that there will always be a disparity between what can be shoved in a large black box and what can be shoved into a razor thin tablet, regardless of how fast the tablet is.

Unfortunately, Apple seems to really care about how thin their desktops are. xD

Really though, everything that makes tablets thinner, faster, and lighter also makes MacBook Airs thinner, lighter, and faster. However, they can still run a full operating system with proper windowed multitasking and file system management. I can back my stuff up locally and switch between multiple machines without a hitch, instead of having to rely on slow internet connections and sketchy "cloud" remote backup services.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I will say this... Since the iPad was introduced I sold one of my 2 MBPs & now have one laptop and one desktop, a 10" iPad & a 7". I often travel w/ just the 10" iPad.

But some tasks are not conducive to touch or need HP and storage of a traditional computer.

 

[mrmarts]

if anything i use both a iMac and a macbook retina i might update the imac a final time and than go with the macbook only however living on a ipad is not going to happen for

storage i buy alot of movies and tv shows on iTunes my iPad couldn't fit them all
no usb to connect external storage devices

 

[Siderz]

I will not live on this planet if iOS devices take over.

Don't worry guys! Computers will stay dominant! I'll be sure of that!

 

[JustMartin]

Thomas Watson said that he saw the need for about 5 computers in the US. I'm old enough now to not know everything. So, I reckon there will still be computers for all of us in the foreseeable future.

 

[Ademordna]

Thomas Watson said that he saw the need for about 5 computers in the US. I'm old enough now to not know everything. So, I reckon there will still be computers for all of have in the foreseeable future.

Love this sentence

 

[MacWanter]

Phones, Tablets, iPods, and other devices are all computers. My Desktop or other devices will not be leaving my services.

 

[Rgladman]

Could be my last computer

I am close to retiring and find I use my iPad and iPhone 5 more than my current 24" iMac.

My first computer was an Apple IIc that I bought as a family Christmas present in 1984. I do believe the 27" I have on order for my Christmas present will have more thn enough processing power for my needs after I retire.

I sometimes miss those 5 1/4" floppies though.

 

[CrAkD]

I Didn't think outside the box before clicking on this thread....I thought the OP was very old and looking to see who else here was really old haha.

 

[Johnf1285]

As a government tax software developer, the loss of large dual monitors, fully featured including Macro'd Excel, and a suite of database server and programming tools would be unlivable.

I work as an SEO and web designer and not having dual monitors and a somewhat powerful computer is a huge negative. I am unsure if any idevice will ever offer the multi tasking of two 20" + sized monitors at a decent resolution.

Yes computers will reach a plateau, but they won't be going anywhere for awhile. They'll continue to evolve just like all other technologies (phones, TVs, etc.)

 

[gertruded]

As I am 75 now, my next computer will likely be my last.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I work as an SEO and web designer and not having dual monitors and a somewhat powerful computer is a huge negative. I am unsure if any idevice will ever offer the multi tasking of two 20" + sized monitors at a decent resolution.

Yes computers will reach a plateau, but they won't be going anywhere for awhile. They'll continue to evolve just like all other technologies (phones, TVs, etc.)

About the dual monitors - iOS devices do have support for multiple screens.

About phones - an increasing number of people don't own landlines anymore and smart phones are changing pretty quickly.

TVs - it's expected that those will start changing as quickly as smart phones soon... Namely as soon as Apple makes a move.

 

[RoastingPig]

the facebook youtube exclusive crowd have no need for computers except to download things and my prehistoric hp desktop can do all that perfectly i only continue to buy imac and macbooks because i like the shiniest newest things from apple..i work at the apple store in the grove in Los angeles and i see teenage punks and old people all day buying macs who are either are too stupid to know how to use em or even utilize them and buy more for the looks of the machine thats why apple is a marketing genius because thats the crowd that brings in the bucks and not the graphic designer and dumb hippie photographers who on one to ones make me wanna blow my brains out....business and enterprise buy a whole bunch loads too as well.

 

[iBookG4user]

I see no need for me to get an iPad at all. I will buy a Mac laptop as long as Apple makes a laptop that I can upgrade myself. And I will buy desktops as long as they make them. I am a power user, thus iPads are probably never going to be something that I will use.