My mother-in-law is a complete neophyte when it comes to computers. She is thinking of purchasing a computer. I urge most people to purchase laptops, but what do you think? Do you think a novice should own a desktop or a laptop? I personally have had both and I much, much prefer a laptop.
I actually prefer a laptop because it takes up less space. I have a laptop hooked up to a big screen monitor with a wireless mouse and keyboard. In this day and age laptops can do anything a desktop pc can do.
I prefer a desktop, that said is she going to want to deal with heating issues or have a need for upgrades? Does she understand security risks or need to be constantly mobile? Like these are the questions you need to ask yourself as well as her. Personally I'd just let her get a nice desktop if for no other reason then the fact they are generally cheaper then laptops. I mean she can get a very nice one for the price she might pay for a basic run of the mill laptop.
I divide my time between two countries, so a laptop is the most sensible option for me. It's easily portable, so I can work wherever I happen to be. I'm a freelance writer, so I need to access the Internet regularly, wherever I happen to be. Desktops take up too much space, and they're not portable. Laptops are much more suitable for my lifestyle.
If she's not going to use it for anything heavy-duty, I'd suggest the laptop. It'd be easier to carry around at home and out of it and does take up less space.
For a novice who only used the internet to browse websites, type emails, go on Facebook, or get on Skype, I'd say it'd be a lot better if she got a laptop. I see desktops only for those who need the resources to run multiple programs at once or the heavy duty ones like Photoshop or Steam games.
If she’s a complete novice, then she probably wouldn’t notice any issues with speed, so get her the laptop. Just make sure that it is a full keyboard as she would notice that over time. If possible, do all the upgrades you feel that she should have from the beginning, so she won’t have to deal with you making incremental changes that she won’t want because she is used to and happy with what she currently has.
I would prefer desktop because it is easy to fix when one of its parts break down. Also it is easy to upgrade desktop and I can upgrade it myself because it is just simply replacing the damage parts. For me, the only advantage of laptops is that they are portable and you can carry them with you when you travel.
It depends mainly on her main needs. The big benefits of a laptop is that it uses much less electricity than a desktop, it is really awesome for mobility...she can move it from place to place...whereas with the desktop, she has to stay where she is or moving it will be more of a challenge. A laptop takes less space...Again, I would choose the laptop, but I am not her, so it is ultimately what she chooses after you point out the pros and cons to her, I reckon? All the best! (-:
It depends what I am doing. When I am working on my freelance articles, I prefer my desktop. It is just easier and faster to navigate, plus the hard drive is much larger, so even the hundreds of articles I have already written and saved, do not eat up much of my hard drive. Laptops themselves I do not really like any more. When I am on the go, I actually prefer to use my Tablet. It takes up less space, and is much lighter than a laptop. For me being a mother of 2 with 4 future stepchildren, anything with less weight is great!
I have two laptops that I use for my work. They are ThinkPads so they have a full size keys on the keyboard. But I do miss working on a desktop. I miss the large monitor and the speed of a desktop. I love the mobility of my laptop and it's not really heavy. It fits in my big purse. I'm conflicted. How's your mother-in-law's eyesight? Will she have problems with a smaller screen? If not, then a laptop should suffice.
Laptop..... I don't like being locked down in one place. I like the freedom of working where ever I wish.
^ Ditto! I use my laptop all around my house, just so I don't have to be in my bedroom all day long, while I'm using it. This way I still keep in touch with things (and people) around me
IT depends how she is going to use it. A desktop can be easier because its go the mouse and the keyboard that can be moved a little to make you more comfortable. And older people tend to use a computer for 'work-like' things and prefer to be at a desk. I prefer a laptop myself because I like to lounge in my recliner and surf the net.
i prefer laptop than a desktop because its more convenient for me using it and i ccan carry my laptop anywhere i want without hassle on my part..
I couldn't even imagine going back to a big old clunky desktop now. I have an external flat monitor, keyboard and mouse if I ever want to set up my laptop as desktop.
I have a laptop but I use it like a desktop. I have attached a 20-inch monitor to it plus an external mouse and an external keyboard. I do that for a few reasons. The main one is that the 15-inch screen that came with my laptop is just not big enough for me. Other than that I type a lot faster with a full-sized keyboard.
I have both and prefer using my desktop when I am chatting or blogging. However when I am checking a recipe while cooking dinner Its easier to use the laptop. I guess its primarily a portability issue since you can do just about anything on either.
I prefer my laptop but I use it mainly for work. My husband is big on desktops because they offer more performance for him. He's a huge gamer so he needs something that can handle his games and graphics.
If she's going to be using it for everyday things like emails, Facebook, and such, and any kind of work-related thing like Word, Excel, and such then I would say go ahead with the laptop. A desktop really has not much of an advantage in terms of performance other than cooling systems, and are only really great when you're computer-savvy and can upgrade it and install new things to the hardware.
