Do people on here still use PC's?

It seems many on here if they are serious gamers look to the latest console technology rather than computer technology for their fix. Many people have used their pc's primarily for web surfing but figures show that more and more people are now using mobile phones or tablets to access the web.

So is the pc still relevant to most users on this board? Do you still use one but envisage not replacing it once it has finally died?

For myself, i am in the position of holding out to later in the year to replace my long dead pc. I have been using a laptop set up to work as a desktop with a normal keyboard, mouse and seperate monitor for ages now. The PC is not dead for myself and for the first time in a while the technology hitting the next generation of computers is actually exciting and makes waiting for it not just worthwhile but sensible.

Haswell chips should not only bring vastly increased battery life for mobile devices but an 'active idle' state which has the potential to put them on a par with phones and laptops for a virtual always on state.

The low power consumption and high performance of the chips could actually see a huge growth in tablets running Windows 8 too and presumably a corresponding explosion in the number of apps available on this platform providing a third major player alongside Apple and Android devices. That is a different story though and my own focus is likely to remain on the pc market for the time being.

Advanced claims are one thing though and the reality can often be quite different. The Haswell chip officially launches a week today and i guess computer manufacturers will not be far behind in launching their first wave of pc's running them. It is rumoured that the mid range to budget end of the market will not really benefit until near the end of the year but the intervening months will be interesting to see if the chip can live up to it's hype and give a flagging pc market a much needed shot in the arm.

I know next to nothing about the technical side of things, but working from home for years, I have always needed a reliable computer.

Until New Year, I had always had a desk top PC in my home office. A variety of technicians over the years have upgraded the machine, so it ended up like Trigger's broom..........18 new heads and 10 handles, but still as good as the day in came out of the showroom!

Anyway, the PC finally gave up the ghost at New Year, so my son persuaded me to invest in a laptop, which does everything the PC did and a whole lot more.

Only mistake was having W8 operating system, which is a nightmare if you haven't got a touchscreen.......

Haven't owned a desktop PC for years. I use laptops mainly because I need to take work with me. Interesting to read about the Haswell chips though.

i have used a lap-top for about four years. load less clutter in the room

You just never see them on the beat, these days. They closed down our local police station a few years ago, as well. They've been getting younger for so long now they're probably not yet out of nappies.

The Tonker wrote:You just never see them on the beat, these days. They closed down our local police station a few years ago, as well. They've been getting younger for so long now they're probably not yet out of nappies.

Well deserved flair....nothing to do with the post, but for having survived the dry sherry and The Great Gatsby!

TDA wrote:

The Tonker wrote:You just never see them on the beat, these days. They closed down our local police station a few years ago, as well. They've been getting younger for so long now they're probably not yet out of nappies.

Well deserved flair....nothing to do with the post, but for having survived the dry sherry and The Great Gatsby!

The Gatsby did have the saving grace of having Carey Mulligan in it.....I could watch her reading the telephone directory. In fairness, Di Caprio's performance was excellent, and it was visually stunning as well. And, as it turned out, probably better to watch than the football. Nice to see the return of Mr Cox, TDA!

i use a pc which i run through my tv via hdmi, big fan of tv shows and films so i watch everything online which is great to run through a 32" led. i only really use it for pleasure mind so it doesn't need to be portable or set up in a particular way. i also spend all of my time in my room watching things etc so it makes sense.

i always planned on buying a pc, they are far more robust and powerful to my knowledge, plus upgrading them is really easy. for instance in the future i plan on doubling my ram to 8gb and fitting a new graphics card so i can play games on it.

DrewBlue wrote:i use a pc which i run through my tv via hdmi, big fan of tv shows and films so i watch everything online which is great to run through a 32" led. i only really use it for pleasure mind so it doesn't need to be portable or set up in a particular way. i also spend all of my time in my room watching things etc so it makes sense.

i always planned on buying a pc, they are far more robust and powerful to my knowledge, plus upgrading them is really easy. for instance in the future i plan on doubling my ram to 8gb and fitting a new graphics card so i can play games on it.

I agree that desktops are better value for money especially if you don't need or want portability. I hate laptops as far as the keyboards and track pads are concerned so the one i have (bought second hand from my sister) hardly got any use until my desktop died and it took over the role of being my desktop PC. It never gets moved or unplugged so is just providing processing power.

The sensible choice i suppose would be to buy another desktop but i want to see if the 'instant on' benefits which will find it's way into laptops and ultrabooks is utilised on desktops too. If not then a decent ultrabook with long battery life, improved graphics, instant on technology and a touchscreen could be the way to go. I would still hook it up to a wireless keyboard and mouse and large monitor for day to day use but have the option to have it as a portable i might actually use (the touchscreen should hopefully remove a lot of the irritations i have with keyboards and trackpads).

If you want the ability to upgrade though then desktops are still the way to go for the moment.

I'm a keen gamer as some of you know and I probably use my desktop more than anything else still ( aside from my tablet).

In fact, since I have had my Google nexus 7, I barely ever turn on my laptop.