I think the portability of a laptop has to be taken into account as well. Even a large laptop is relatively portable and can easily be moved from room to room in a house. A desktop tower/monitor doesn't really have that capability.
Not even! Notebooks are being taken into account. That's why for when I need portability, I have and use my notebook. But the notebook cannot replace my desktop - unless I carry along my two large monitors, keyboard, mouse, speakers, extra disk space, and my cooling pad - then that defeats the purpose of notebooks - that is, having a "portable" computer I can go and hop on a plane, or take to class or work (if I still worked or went to school). Notebooks clearly come closest to matching the capabilities of a desktop PC. I don't think there is any disagreement there. The issue in this debate is the claim by J_L and others that a smartphone can match the capabilities of desktop. There's just no way. Sure, you can read your email, surf the web, update Facebook, read a book, watch YouTube or a movie. But can you compile a large spreadsheet or database, perform CAD/CAE tasks, "edit" graphics, write a book, cut and paste between multiple Word documents and Excel spreadsheets (while streaming Pandora), play the latest games, etc.? NO! Of course not. Not even with "bluetooth, MHL, etc." Those that claim a smartphone or tablet can replace a PC clearly don't understand the capabilities of a PC. A smartphone may very well meet all their computing needs, but clearly their needs are limited. And that's okay. What is not okay is to believe those limited needs apply to all PC users. That's just a very narrow tunnel vision look at the big picture. One day, in the not too distant future for sure, we will be able to set our smartphones next to some sort of interface/docking station and do everything with equal performance as a PC. But that day is not yet here. ***** Speaking of tunnel vision - here's a view of one tunnel I look through. A smartphone, tablet, or even a notebook will never replace my PC because, as a PC enthusiast, I cherish the "Freedom" I have now to swap out my graphics card, if I want! I can change the case, CPU, RAM or even the whole motherboard if I want! And I can use a MSI card with my Gigabyte motherboard and Corsair RAM with a Samsung SSD and Fractal Design case with an EVGA power supply if I want! Or change my mind and go with an ASUS motherboard if I want! And I can buy those parts from Newegg, Amazon, Jet, or Best Buy and know they will all be compatible. Then I can put Windows or Linux (or both) on it and know it will still work. When those choices are taken away from me and everyone, we (consumers) lose!
Yes exactly, but it's about what you're willing to pay for it. I think a price of 1500 to 2000 bucks is not justified, even for top PC models. I also think some smart phones and the newest OLED tv's are not worth it. It feels like being ripped off.
Well, OLED TVs are still relatively new technologies so the prices are still too high. Another problem with OLED TVs is LG pretty much has a monopoly on the technology because they hold the major patent rights. This is why Samsung is no longer making new OLEDs and is concentrating on Quantum Dots. Limited competition always keeps prices artificially high. And no doubt smartphones cost too much. This is due in part because there are now form factor standards. Plus, people are willing to pay such high prices too. As for $1500 to $2000 for a PC being justified, I guess that's still up to individual opinions. Consider the fact top of the line graphics cards cost 3 times that. Top motherboards can cost $600 or more. You can spend over $2800 on the CPU alone. It all depends on what you need to do, and how much you are willing to spend on it. Note too, in the cost of a PC, you have to factor in (or out) the cost of the monitor(s), keyboard, mouse and speakers too.
I think, at a push, I could swap my present custom build desktop for a large laptop. I would miss the flexibility of being able to change or upgrade any hardware though. I'm seriously considering an iMac for my next desktop, although I'd also have to accept any inevitable consumer lock-in. I was quite surprised that an eighteen centimetre screen on a tablet could be so effective for watching movies. I don't think the desktop PC is going to disappear anytime soon but there is a certain inevitability that its user base will continue to diminish.
Sure it is - if you don't mind holding it 18 inches from your head the entire length of the movie. And for sure, a second viewer will not see an optimal screen display. And what about the sound track? If listening to the tablet's integrated speaker, that sure is not engrossing like a decent set of surround sound computer speakers are, or even a nice 2.1 set of speakers. If you used a head set, well that means you were stuck with a headset on your head or earbuds stuck in your ears the full time. And in that case, you cannot get "discrete" surround sound via headsets. At best, only simulated that will never match discrete. And to that, what about a second listener? Two headsets with a single tablet (or smartphone) while doable (with extra hardware) is not ideal. I don't think anyone is questioning the quality of the display of those tiny screens. The issue remains that they are tiny, and only for one person. Not a problem if reading your emails. But for watching movies? Nope.
Totally agree on everything you said above... there just isn't anything like a good pc with nice speaker system and large hd monitor for watching movies and shows. I have tried doing it on my laptop even and can't stand wearing the headphones and trying to get the angle of the laptop screen right. There's nothing like good hardware....
The sound is very good and I regularly watch movies on my Nexus. Admittedly I have it closer to me than a monitor. As I said, it surprised me.
Well, except a big screen TV and nice AV receiver driving a full spectrum 5.1 (or 7.1) home theater surround sound speaker system. And a comfortable lounge chair, ice cold drink, and fresh buttered popcorn too. I have seen movies on tablets and smartphones and ultra-notebooks. If you think the sound is "very good" and the experience is anything close to a large HD monitor and a nice speaker system, then you clearly don't know what you are missing. There is just no comparison. Does that mean you cannot be entertained? Of course not. A good book can be totally entertaining, if well written. As can a classic B&W Hitchcock movie with monaural sound from a tinny speaker be entertaining. But a modern movie recorded with a great surround sound track cannot be faithfully reproduced on a tablet, and especially not smartphone - regardless the quality of the display or of the headset.
We were discussing hardware, not software, but if you insist... All of the activities you described are doable on a smartphone, other than compiling spreadsheet/database (which I don't know why you would on mobile). Did you know about the new multi-window capabilities of Android? Smartphones aren't as limited as you think. I never said they would replace a PC, but for 90% of the population it is more than a remote possibility. Granted modular phones aren't really out yet, but you can change ROMs (to something as exotic as Firefox OS).
Come on! That's just silly! They go together! You must have both to perform any computing task so of course we are discussing software too. This is about smartphones replacing PCs. That requires the hardware to run software capable of performing the software tasks we need done. That does not mean a smartphone must run "Microsoft Excel" specifically. But it does mean a smartphone must be fully capable of running some compatible spreadsheet program capable of performing the same spreadsheet tasks as Excel. It must run fully capable of running graphics and photo editing software, database management software, business and financial management, payroll management, etc. Not to mention the latest games. As I think? I am fully aware of the capabilities (and limitations) of smartphones. As an IT consultant for the last 20+ years, it has been our business to know what the latest technologies can and can not do. Ha! Remote possibility? Sorry, but that qualifier is just funny. There's a remote possibility we will all be able to visit the moon before we die too. You don't know why? Why not? It illustrates the point that smartphones and tablets do not make "fully capable" desktop replacements. Sure, they can perform many of the functions people use a PC for, but not all. And 90%? NO WAY! You clearly are not a gamer! And the gaming PC market is rapidly growing, not declining. So I am sorry, but you do not have a grasp of the reality here. Oh? Well as you said in post #31, "straight from the horse's mouth" see your post #74 above where you said, BTW, I find it even more telling that you specifically said "workstation" as opposed to PC. I wonder if you know what a workstation is? Did you note the $4359 "workstation" graphics card I linked to above? That's extreme of course and extreme examples don't make the rule. There are many $100 workstation cards too, designed to go into "PCs". I am not criticizing as most normal users don't know the difference as they don't need to. Note the Intel white paper, Workstation Advantage Versus PC: Comparison Brief. I highly recommend reading the whole brief (the meat is just 3 pages). If not, read at least the first 5 or 6 paragraphs and note where it says,
I really don't feel like arguing here, and there's no point needlessly going over every remark, so I'll keep it to one statement: Smartphones are can replace desktops for the average Joe, and they do not need to be "fully" capable to do so.
I guess since you have decided the average Joe only needs (and will be happy with) the limited capabilities of a smartphone for all his or her computing needs, then you are right, no point in continuing. I can only say from my experience (in my personal life, the forums, and my consulting work), the only people agreeing with you are first and foremost, smartphone marketing departments, and folks who only use their smartphone for social media tasks (Facebook, Twitter, email, surf the net), listening to tunes, GPS functions, and minimal movie watching.
