@TheCPUWizard said:
@intertravel said:
In general, the only parts of laptops that add any significant cost over a PC are the battery and chassis.
There is one more differential in cost...Desktops are quite often "repairable" where laptops are not. From a pricing standpoint I always calculate that the laptop will be worth $0.00 the day after the warrenty expire.
Right now I have 5 different laptops that are all of sufficient capabilities to be useful for many things. But each one of them has a "broken part", and not one of these parts are available from the vendorss (three different brands). Occasionally I will see on eBay/CraigsList/etc. a broken machine where the broken part is different, and the price is near zero, this is about the only way to "repair" one of these machines.
If they were desktops, replacing a component is typically much easier. Even if the MoBo dies, a new Mobo will often fit, and cost about $60.
Yes and no. There's also the factor of upgradeability. For most people, though, neither of these are considerations - particularly if in a non-work context, where I know I'll be the one to end up fixing it if it breaks. It's an advantage to me if a) they can bring the computer to me and b) I can tell them 'sorry, nothing I can do' :)
Seriously, though, I haven't had any trouble getting replacement parts for laptops. It's rare that the manufacturer's rip-off spares are worth the money, so generally people make do without, but you can get any part off a decent mainstream laptop (by definition of decent).
Really, though, it's about how people use PCs these days. I move my laptop from one room to another all the time - if I had a desktop I'd have to pick one spot and keep it there (most of the time). Mobility is a real asset for most users, and one that they'll notice far more than slightly faster loading times.