Just curious if people had heard much...or are seeing a trend? I read an article recently about the latest announcements from Apple...with NO mention of any of their desktop models as far as upgrades or the future of them. It was speculated (not by me) that there is a trend toward "no more desktops" since laptops and tablets have become so popular and the laptops especially, very powerful. I've been considering an iMac for some time...but now I'm not so sure. Maybe the laptops with a large external monitor are the way to go...even for your home computer. Curious on opinions here.
Apple CEO Tim Cook talked about a new Mac Pro desktop (this was after the developers conference when they rolled out the other new products). While laptops and machines like the iMac are becoming more powerful every generation, they still don't have the expandability of a system like a Mac Pro. I hope the desktops continue to be supported. I believe they will, but only time will tell.
I'd guess the market for expandable desktop systems is shrinking as other products get more powerful, but I don't think they are going away. The only desktop that is dying (actually, died recently) is (was) my old 2004 vintage PowerMac G4. I replaced it with a used Intel iMac that let my upgrade to a later Mac OS and although not current is much more powerful than my G4 Tower ever was.
If the current iMacs appeal to you then get one. In the eight years I used the PowerMac I added a second internal hard drive and one board to get more USB ports and that was it.
OK, here we go, this should fire up some spiffy conversation: For any kind of graphic work, a powerhouse desktop with a great monitor will stay right where it is. What's going to die are laptops as we know them. Slate devices are going to get super useful(already are actually) and be the new king of the hill. I sold my 17" laptop and switched to an iPad and will never look back. Why maintain two PCs/Macs? I have my desktop for serious work and all interim work gets done on the iPad... the capability for "instant on" is superb, plus I have all needed files while away from home (or even home) sync'ed to the Cloud with DropBox being my current favorite. I read everything on the Kindle app and have gigabytes of tutorials on board, as well as access to everything else via the web. Being that editing on a laptop is incredibly limiting, there isn't much use for them IMO, especially if you travel. I know, sounds crazy that the laptop will go obsolete, some currently couldn't see living without one, but they said the same thing about there Blackberries just 5 years ago (and does anyone listen to CDs anymore on a consistent basis?). When Microsoft releases its tablet with full Windows 8, USB, built-in case and keyboard which means you can install anything on it that can go onto a PC later this year, that will step up the game for Droid and Apple and before you know it, all slate devices will be spiffier than ever. As far as desktops, they will always have their place in gaming, graphics & business. No small device not a laptop could ever replace the huge $3K editing tower I built, plus the 27" wide-gamut IPS monitor I use for editing, at least not in the next decade. I don't quite see how a laptop will hold its worth, except for the SSD type that are ultra thin with no optical drive. Laptops run hot and therefore have a short life, and the younger generation will find them as foreign as a rotary phone, so without a customer base, the complex beasts won't survive. Touch-editing on a slate will be the on-the-road norm in 5 years, and definitely no moving parts such as hard drives and hinges will be used. Like it or not, the tech environment will change in a big way in a few years... I've worked as a software developer at the same semiconductor mfg firm for the last 17 years, and believe me, Dylan is right when he sang These times they are a changin'... OK, different meaning when he wrote it but still applicable.
BTW, on the Apple side, they truly are pushing for micro devices for all content management. This is why they've ousted their server products and barely speak about the future of their desktops. Unfortunately they've not kept Aperture as an editing leader, LR now rules the roost, and they've totally destroyed Final Cut Pro and turned it into a consumer level beefy version of iMovie. The video editing masses have all sailed over to Adobe Premiere in the last several months. It seems Apple wants out of the bigger unit solution, so, you are actually on the right line of thinking Kate.
Being that editing on a laptop is incredibly limiting, there isn't much use for them IMO, especially if you travel. I know, sounds crazy that the laptop will go obsolete, some currently couldn't see living without one,
Paul - I'm only one data point, but I would never buy a desktop again, and I do all my editing on a laptop. And as for younger people, I'd be willing to bet most of them don't ever want a large, immobile computer either. (And 99.9% of them, including photographers, won't ever need the power/expandibility of a desktop.)
I would guess tablets and laptops will continue to grow their market share, with desktop never going away, but becoming a smaller segment for the few people who really need them. I do think hooking your laptop up to a monitor is a good way to go if you also want some computer portability. One interesting thing to me right now is that the high end Apple laptops are actually more powerful machines than any of their desktops, since the desktop hardware is getting pretty out of date. If there was enough desktop demand, I don't think Apple would have let that happen.
"I would guess tablets and laptops will continue to grow their market share, with desktop never going away, but becoming a smaller segment for the few people who really need them".
I think this is a fair statement. There appears to be a growing segment of folks who are using custom built desktops with dual CPUs, huge amounts of RAM, very high end video cards and exotic cooling systems for gaming and video development. These are machines that cannot, currently, be duplicated in a small form factor.
Personally, I have two desktop PC's that are networked. For me, this setup works nicely. My newer machine is readily expandable in terms of adding more drives, more RAM, and a more powerful video card if I need it. This aspect of easy expandability is not shared by most laptops or tablets.
What's a desktop?
I earn my living on my computer, and need (well, at least want) to be mobile, so I've worked exclusively on a laptop for the last four years. I just bought a lovely ultrabook that has a terabyte of memory, and use Mozy for online backup. It's exciting how powerful these little devices have become. I think that a few generations down the line (technologically speaking), we will be using a tiny device for all data communication and processing, and that perhaps high-res projection technology can be used to solve the need for monitors for graphics. Touchscreen or even motion sensor data processing and voice recognition can eliminate the need for keyboard and mouse. Wouldn't it be amazing? We'd be completely untethered.
Buying a computer is like buying a new digital camera body. There's always something better coming down the line, but if you try to wait for the next big thing you'll never be able to make a purchase. If you calculate the cost of a new computer in terms of the actual value you get out of it, like number of pictures edited, number of emails sent, etc. it's likely that a computer purchase will cost you almost nothing. So if you just get what you need right now, it will probably pay for itself in terms of productivity before it goes obsolete. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn, because I hate making major purchases (or even minor ones) before I hit some arbitrary, near-impossible standard of "really, really needing" it. But I'm learning.
Maybe it's my tired old eyes, but I find editing and processing images on my 27" iMac vastly superior to working on my 13" MacBook Pro. I struggled with the laptop/desktop question before purchasing the iMac including looking carefully at a docking station where I would combine the laptop with a large monitor, keyboard, and mouse. My decision to get the iMac was based on talking with a number of heavy computer users about the reliability of laptops. Both my wife and daughter have had major laptop problems with two year old machines plus several others talked about heating and the potential for heat related problems in laptops that get heavy use. I want a computer to last for about 5 years and it doesn't seem that laptops can provide that consistently. I agree with those who think that the future is with tablets probably linked to large monitors and external storage, etc. for home use and ultra convenience when traveling. In addition, I enjoy images with lots of detail and those must be viewed large to be appreciated.
Haven't touched my desktop since my purchase of a 15" MacBook Pro....Really!
Posted by Roger Rouch on July 26, 2012 at 10:11 PM
The only thing I use my desktop for these days is photo editing. I don't know if I could overcome the ergonomics of a laptop or other device for that, but maybe. I do think that I couldn't do photo editing with the standard smaller consumer grade screen that comes with most low or mid-priced laptops.
I haven't worked in an office climate for a couple of years so am not familiar with trends there, but I would think that desktops will continue to have support from that market. I would think that the ergonomics of the keyboard and mouse and standard desktop sized monitors would be essential for spreadsheet work, engineering applications, graphics, and report writing.
Posted by David Bostedo on July 26, 2012 at 11:14 PM
I want a computer to last for about 5 years and it doesn't seem that laptops can provide that consistently.
I will generally agree Mark that laptops are more likely to have issues due to heat and fragility - and moving them around and banging them around... but often that's because to keep the cost down, the parts and designs are skimped on. Higher end laptops should last very well in general. The last two laptops I've had I've gotten 5 and 6 years out of respectively with no issue; And my current one is on 3 years with no problem. Granted, the first, cheapest one was about $1400, and the next two somewhat more.
Posted by David Taylor on July 27, 2012 at 1:33 AM
I see another possibility growing. I come from the Mac end of the spectrum, but I could see Windows going this route too. I see a surge in mobile everything (I think we can all agree on that). But I also see ultra high-end desktops withering away (possibly...) except for certain uses perhaps. With the development of ultra high speed peripheral connections (via Thunderbolt), and 'breakout boxes' (smaller, separate enclosures devoted to high powered processors), I can see laptops becoming a blending of both worlds. Leave the peripheral accessories at home when you want to travel light, and just bring your laptop/notebook/ultrabook. When you get home, you dock your laptop with the ultra high speed peripherals and a 27" editing monitor. It allows the laptops to drop a bit in price, add power and expansion where you need it, and keep the flexibility/portability of a laptop. These same peripherals could also be added to an all-in-one desktop system, like an iMac. It wouldn't surprise me much to see a new class of iMac be unveiled in the next year or so - the iMac Pro. More expansion, more connectors (Thunderbolt, USB 3, SATA, etc.) and more power.
I'm having a blast using my MacBook Pro with a 27" wide gamut NEC monitor. I get the home editing station I want (with external Thunderbolt drives and a great dual monitor setup), and the portability I need with the laptop. All without investing in two separate systems.
Dave - Theoretically, Thunderbolt could provide all the connectivity of computers in the future as it's spec'ed to have USB3, eSATA, PCIe, or even your basic power connection embedded in it. It is also designed to connect docking stations and external monitors.
While it's not used that way in practice yet, I could see Apple really pushing it and offering just a handful of Thunderbolt ports and nothing else (they came up with the name Thunderbolt, after all, even though it's not their technology).
Discussion
13 repliesIf the current iMacs appeal to you then get one. In the eight years I used the PowerMac I added a second internal hard drive and one board to get more USB ports and that was it.
BTW, on the Apple side, they truly are pushing for micro devices for all content management. This is why they've ousted their server products and barely speak about the future of their desktops. Unfortunately they've not kept Aperture as an editing leader, LR now rules the roost, and they've totally destroyed Final Cut Pro and turned it into a consumer level beefy version of iMovie. The video editing masses have all sailed over to Adobe Premiere in the last several months. It seems Apple wants out of the bigger unit solution, so, you are actually on the right line of thinking Kate.
Paul - I'm only one data point, but I would never buy a desktop again, and I do all my editing on a laptop. And as for younger people, I'd be willing to bet most of them don't ever want a large, immobile computer either. (And 99.9% of them, including photographers, won't ever need the power/expandibility of a desktop.)
I would guess tablets and laptops will continue to grow their market share, with desktop never going away, but becoming a smaller segment for the few people who really need them. I do think hooking your laptop up to a monitor is a good way to go if you also want some computer portability. One interesting thing to me right now is that the high end Apple laptops are actually more powerful machines than any of their desktops, since the desktop hardware is getting pretty out of date. If there was enough desktop demand, I don't think Apple would have let that happen.
I think this is a fair statement. There appears to be a growing segment of folks who are using custom built desktops with dual CPUs, huge amounts of RAM, very high end video cards and exotic cooling systems for gaming and video development. These are machines that cannot, currently, be duplicated in a small form factor.
Personally, I have two desktop PC's that are networked. For me, this setup works nicely. My newer machine is readily expandable in terms of adding more drives, more RAM, and a more powerful video card if I need it. This aspect of easy expandability is not shared by most laptops or tablets.
--P
I earn my living on my computer, and need (well, at least want) to be mobile, so I've worked exclusively on a laptop for the last four years. I just bought a lovely ultrabook that has a terabyte of memory, and use Mozy for online backup. It's exciting how powerful these little devices have become. I think that a few generations down the line (technologically speaking), we will be using a tiny device for all data communication and processing, and that perhaps high-res projection technology can be used to solve the need for monitors for graphics. Touchscreen or even motion sensor data processing and voice recognition can eliminate the need for keyboard and mouse. Wouldn't it be amazing? We'd be completely untethered.
Buying a computer is like buying a new digital camera body. There's always something better coming down the line, but if you try to wait for the next big thing you'll never be able to make a purchase. If you calculate the cost of a new computer in terms of the actual value you get out of it, like number of pictures edited, number of emails sent, etc. it's likely that a computer purchase will cost you almost nothing. So if you just get what you need right now, it will probably pay for itself in terms of productivity before it goes obsolete. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn, because I hate making major purchases (or even minor ones) before I hit some arbitrary, near-impossible standard of "really, really needing" it. But I'm learning.
I haven't worked in an office climate for a couple of years so am not familiar with trends there, but I would think that desktops will continue to have support from that market. I would think that the ergonomics of the keyboard and mouse and standard desktop sized monitors would be essential for spreadsheet work, engineering applications, graphics, and report writing.
I will generally agree Mark that laptops are more likely to have issues due to heat and fragility - and moving them around and banging them around... but often that's because to keep the cost down, the parts and designs are skimped on. Higher end laptops should last very well in general. The last two laptops I've had I've gotten 5 and 6 years out of respectively with no issue; And my current one is on 3 years with no problem. Granted, the first, cheapest one was about $1400, and the next two somewhat more.
I'm having a blast using my MacBook Pro with a 27" wide gamut NEC monitor. I get the home editing station I want (with external Thunderbolt drives and a great dual monitor setup), and the portability I need with the laptop. All without investing in two separate systems.
While it's not used that way in practice yet, I could see Apple really pushing it and offering just a handful of Thunderbolt ports and nothing else (they came up with the name Thunderbolt, after all, even though it's not their technology).