PC's becoming obsolete?

[Soisoisoi]

Until we can move a mouse or play with our thoughts at a price most gamers can afford (hopefully not too far away), the PC will stay ahead for gaming, and many other things.

Touchpads are just annoying and do not work well with games. Not to mention unless you want to be sat looking at your lap straining your neck you have to be holding the tablets and such as well, with a monitor you don't.

[ImpTaimer]

No.

Smart phones slowly replacing cell phones.

Tablets are slowly replacing laptops

PCs will never be replaced, as they are used for a menagerie of tasks, whereas smart phones and tablets are used as media devices.

[Gothicshark]

No.

Smart phones slowly replacing cell phones.

Tablets are slowly replacing laptops

PCs will never be replaced, as they are used for a menagerie of tasks, whereas smart phones and tablets are used as media devices.

Tablets will replace small laptops such as net-books, but they wont replace full size laptops.

[Kasierith]

Definitely not. In terms of a simple present sure, tablets and laptops have an advantage, but you can't beat the customization potential of a PC. What are you going to do if you want to update your graphics card on a laptop? You can either take it apart and try to find some way to fit a new one in, which is a rather monolithic task, or you can pay what you paid for your last one +100 dollars for a brand new one. Currently technological innovation has been moving away from customization, and towards preset patterns, but I have a feeling that pretty soon a company is going to find a way to capitalize on this and domineer the PC business by renovating how the tower is set up so that said customizations are simpler to perform.

[ImpTaimer]

Tablets will replace small laptops such as net-books, but they wont replace full size laptops.

That's why I said slowly. Full size laptops are just PCs with screens attached to them (and perhaps other peripherals).

[Elaris]

Doubt it'll happen. Many people just want a console cause they can just plug it in and play without having to do any setup.

It's been a generation or more since you've been able to do that with a console. These days you get your console, plug it in, get online, spend a while (can be several hours for something like the Wii U day 1 patch) updating the firmware, then put in the game disc, wait again while it downloads a patch or two, maybe even activate it online...

Consoles are actually copying all the bad things about PCs at the moment, without that advantages of upgradability, mods for games, control options etc etc. :/

[Gothicshark]

Definitely not. In terms of a simple present sure, tablets and laptops have an advantage, but you can't beat the customization potential of a PC. What are you going to do if you want to update your graphics card on a laptop? You can either take it apart and try to find some way to fit a new one in, which is a rather monolithic task, or you can pay what you paid for your last one +100 dollars for a brand new one. Currently technological innovation has been moving away from customization, and towards preset patterns, but I have a feeling that pretty soon a company is going to find a way to capitalize on this and domineer the PC business by renovating how the tower is set up so that said customizations are simpler to perform.

Apple does this already with their "desktops", they have never been popular with serious people.

[Bluesftw]

not if you're a gamer, playing games on laptop is still terrible experience , and its not rly possible on tablet (which i still consider a toy, like smartphones). On the other hand if you are using pc mostly as typewrighter or to read emails/tweets/facebook/whatever sure , tablet or lightweight laptop probably make it more convinient.

[Kasierith]

Apple does this already with their "desktops", they have never been popular with serious people.

In terms of ordering customized desktops, or in being able to fluidly customize them after you've received the PC? There's a pretty big difference between the two.

[Elaris]

Uh...yeah. You can definitely upgrade a console. Sega CD, Sega 32X, Nintendo 64 memory expansion, Super Famicom disc add-on, PS2 HDD...the list goes on.

True, but how many of those add-ons have been successful? the disc upgrades in particular never got a worldwide release, and were hardly supported by any games.

[Gothicshark]

In terms of ordering customized desktops, or in being able to fluidly customize them after you've received the PC? There's a pretty big difference between the two.

they have a limited list of "options" which are easily installed at the apple store.

[Martinussen]

nope. my guess is within the next 20 years most of the people using computers will be using tablets or laptop/taplet hybrids (several exist already)

Gamers like us, will always prefer the power and stability the desktop gives us.

Why chose a laptop much weaker in games, over a desktop that can run 27" 2560x1600 res games on ultra, just because its possible to take it with you, when you arent going to be gaming anywhere else anyway.


80% of the people in my school use computers for things like, school work, facebook and other random websurfing and regular work stuff. Those are the type of people who will be switching to tablets within a few decades, but only when they become stronger (hardware wise), more reliable and able to do more of the things a desktop can do. Things like editing videos and pictures you know? At the moment, mobile devices have weaker GPUs, CPUs and other hardware that makes them the worse option between a laptop/desktop and a tablet/smartphone.


As a gamer, i'll always chose the beautiful beast i got standing on my desk <3

[furydeath]

PC obsolete? I loled.

[King Shark]

Go ahead and try to play a hunter or a warlock on an Xbox. PCs will never die.

[Gothicshark]

If it wasn't for MMOs and services like Steam, I think PC gaming would have died a while ago. It just makes so much more sense for the average (keyword: average...if you're on this website, you're not an average gamer) person to game on a console than a PC. With PCs you're looking at spending a lot more money to actually begin gaming, then you have to deal with optimization issues and maintenance of the PC. With a console, $200 gets you access to a gigantic library of games that look almost as good as PC games on max settings.

Programming, CAD, office work, detail oriented computing. None of these things can be done easily on a Tablet, or even a small laptop. You might get away with a desktop replacement laptop but the full tower desktop is the best option.

[Belize]

eh, I choose portability and power. M18x w/ 32g ram
nom

For all their faults, Alienware DO make decent gaming laptops. Not Desktops though, too overpriced.

[Kasierith]

For all their faults, Alienware DO make decent gaming laptops. Not Desktops though, too overpriced.

A few times I've compared all of the specification of Alienware laptops to custom-built laptops from HP and Dell and such, and the price difference was rather substantial

[Evil Inside]

It's been a generation or more since you've been able to do that with a console. These days you get your console, plug it in, get online, spend a while (can be several hours for something like the Wii U day 1 patch) updating the firmware, then put in the game disc, wait again while it downloads a patch or two, maybe even activate it online...

Consoles are actually copying all the bad things about PCs at the moment, without that advantages of upgradability, mods for games, control options etc etc. :/

Not everyone spends long on the install/download/patch process, and if you do it on day 1 of a console release then its your fault really. It's still easier than using a pc. Get a game, try to install making sure you have the space and specs it requires, make sure your drivers are updated, log in, authenticate, download patches, set appropriate settings(though most do it automatically) and play, if you're having issues you have to diagnose it etc etc.

[Spl4sh3r]

If they make a good creative portable keyboard+mouse combo in some way then I can easily see those tablets or anything take over PC. Without keyboard+mouse there will be nothing that takes over the PC.

[Deleted]

Uh...yeah. You can definitely upgrade a console. Sega CD, Sega 32X, Nintendo 64 memory expansion, Super Famicom disc add-on, PS2 HDD...the list goes on.

I was more referring to the ability to upgrade the processing units, graphic units and so on. Not memory and HDD.