PC is going to die?

[aba]

Besides pc gamers, what else is keeping the PC from becoming obsolete. (to tablets, phones etc)

[extremescouter]

Realistically, any productivity people or those who sit down at a computer all day for work. Anything, programming, Microsoft office, photography or video editors are keeping the PC from being obsolete. While tablets will increasingly become a part of our lives, I seriously doubt they will be able to take over the full PC experience. 

[PuNkPoEtS]

well for most things tablets and the rest are still inferior to the pc 

[Guerrero]

It's power.

[TheDigitalRealm]

Offices, people working in media, families (as a home pc). There are certain things that can just be done more efficiently on a PC that can't on other things in my opinion. It will always be the most powerful form of consumer computing vs. tablets,notebooks or phones, it's physics. You can fit more stuff in them. :) Desktop buying is on the relative decline, but I think it will always be there...maybe it will move from a desktop to being integrated into one's home in the future?  

[SirReallySam]

There will always be that power user that needs a full fledged PC like the CAD designer or the Video Editor to keep PC alive :D

[calebp123]

Another point why pc can't die is because without pc how are the phones/tablets supposed to have an operating system. All the coding is done on a pc.

[MzCatieB]

as long as gamers exist there will always be a need for desktop computing.

try developing a AAA title using a latop/ notebook/ tablet/ mobile, its not impossible but it is ALLOT more difficult.

Desktops = POWER

Mobile devices = mobility

AAA Game titles need Power to produce not mobility

 

another thing is somewhere in the world where all the cloud storage goes there is a need for a desktop to see whats going on, also social networks need the same thing

[brownninja97]

hey guys im off to buy battlefield 6 on my ipad 9. Anyways as people have seen you get less profit from tablets because some twat out there set the bar for buying a game so low on tablets and phones. 69p is nothing when its like £10 on a playstation.

[Rhotis]

I think we are within 5 years of devices we may even call a PC but will be more like tablets or NUCs will take over the general consumer market.  There will still be traditional desktops but the market is going to shrink and shrink hard as these companies are able to do more in smaller packages.  

 

The average consumer really does not use their computer very hard.  Frankly an i3 3220 with no discrete card and 6 gigs of memory is well more than the average person utilizes.  

 

What I see happening is Apple iOS and Android devices as they become more and more able to do general productivity tasks will become the "PC" for the average person.  They will either have something small like the NUC (prolly an apple device though) connected to a monitor or they will have their iPhone, iPad or android phone or tablet that they can carry around and have as their portable computer.  When they are at home they plut it into a small dock type system that will give them a keyboard and monitor giving their eyes some relief from the small screen.  

 

It really is only a matter of time before this happens.  I think it will be within the 5 year mark that we see this transition be taken seriously.  I think the biggest question going forward is going to be can Microsoft get into this market with any relevance.  They have not been able to figure these markets out as of yet and Apple and Android devices have a marathon of distance between them and MSFT.  We very much could be on the edge of Microsofts relevancy as a company.  That seems hard to fathom but they have a lot of serious work to do ahead of them.  My guess is they will transition to productivity products made for android and or apple devices as well as server products but will have to abandon the "desktop" market.  

 

It is going to be an interesting road going forward that is for sure.  

[Irontheater]

OP, Tell me one thing, where is the Comp scene? On what device?

 

Where do you play LoL? DotA? Starcraft 2? WoW?

 

On the PC? Right.

 

For something as huge as these, and with the comp scene becoming bigger by the day, I doubt the PC would ever die. It's the only Professional gaming machine.

 

Xbox is seemingly coming to an end. Atari was the first victim in this. Then Sega. Nintendo isn't doing too well either.

Consoles, phones and tablets might die, but not the PC. And with technology like Google Glass being right around the corner, I think we are pretty close. Give it 5 years.

(and that's from a pure gaming view, then you have productivity, horsepower, intensive applications, video editing, doing actual work... etc. Nothing beats a keyboard and a mouse.)

 

 

But, if you are talking about PC as in Windows not becoming the norm, this is possible, though it's a bit far off.

If Valve played their cards correctly they might (in the long run) make Windows obsolete in the gaming industry by moving to Linux, and since most business grade programs are already on Linux, this won't be too hard. I wouldn't imagine a normal user would install Linux before ~5years, mainly because it's not too "noob friendly", though it seems like Ubuntu is getting there, which is a good thing for non-enthusiasts. 

[EChondo]

Uh, what do companies use for their employees? Tablets? No. Phones? No. Computers? YES.

 

You're not going to see huge corporations like Cisco, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Irvine Company, LinusMediaGroup, etc. use anything BUT computers to do their everyday work.

[Rhotis]

Uh, what do companies use for their employees? Tablets? No. Phones? No. Computers? YES.

 

You're not going to see huge corporations like Cisco, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Irvine Company, LinusMediaGroup, etc. use anything BUT computers to do their everyday work.

 

You understand a smart phone is a computer right?  

 

You have to not define what a computer is so narrowly as a big box sitting on your desk.  The market absolutely moving away from that.  

[EChondo]

You understand a smart phone is a computer right?  

 

You have to not define what a computer is so narrowly as a big box sitting on your desk.  The market absolutely moving away from that.  

Wait, so I say "PHONE" and then you think "OMG HE SAID COMPUTER, IT MUST BE MY PHONE"?

 

We all know what a COMPUTER IS AND WHAT I'M REFERRING TO. Stop being a smart ass.

 

The market isn't moving away from computers. Everybody has a computer that needs one that does what they need it to do. People bought tablets to be fun for their kids or to use on the toilet easier, also they probably already have a computer and laptop. More and more kids are growing up wanting phones, so what are their parents going to buy them? A computer? NO. They are going to buy them a PHONE.

 

Not everybody needs phones, tablets or computers. But they most likely don't want five computers for everyone in the household when they could have one computer and five phones.

[Rhotis]

Wait, so I say "PHONE" and then you think "OMG HE SAID COMPUTER, IT MUST BE MY PHONE"?

 

We all know what a COMPUTER IS AND WHAT I'M REFERRING TO. Stop being a smart ass.

 

The market isn't moving away from computers. Everybody has a computer that needs one that does what they need it to do. People bought tablets to be fun for their kids or to use on the toilet easier, also they probably already have a computer and laptop. More and more kids are growing up wanting phones, so what are their parents going to buy them? A computer? NO. They are going to buy them a PHONE.

 

Not everybody needs phones, tablets or computers. But they most likely don't want five computers for everyone in the household when they could have one computer and five phones.

 

You are still misunderstanding the concept of the technology.  As these companies can shrink their products and offer more and more computing power within these small form factors we will see the end of the traditional desktop computer.  

 

The first step of that will be going from desktops to your phone being the computer that you plug into a dock.  Why would you buy 5 phones for your family that have the capacity to do all their computing needs (for average people) PLUS buy what we traditionally call a computer?  This will happen.  The market is already heading there.  The masses are already showing they want this.  More and more young people that are not tech enthusiasts are opting to have a phone and maybe tablet and opting out of a regular computer.  

 

The key thing to remember is you and I are not indicative of the overall market trend.  We utilize our rigs in ways the extreme majority of the population do not.  In the grand scheme of the overall market direction you and I and the people that watch LTT are pretty irrelevant.  We are niche players.  

[MzCatieB]

You are still misunderstanding the concept of the technology.  As these companies can shrink their products and offer more and more computing power within these small form factors we will see the end of the traditional desktop computer.  

 

The first step of that will be going from desktops to your phone being the computer that you plug into a dock.  Why would you buy 5 phones for your family that have the capacity to do all their computing needs (for average people) PLUS buy what we traditionally call a computer?  This will happen.  The market is already heading there.  The masses are already showing they want this.  More and more young people that are not tech enthusiasts are opting to have a phone and maybe tablet and opting out of a regular computer.  

 

The key thing to remember is you and I are not indicative of the overall market trend.  We utilize our rigs in ways the extreme majority of the population do not.  In the grand scheme of the overall market direction you and I and the people that watch LTT are pretty irrelevant.  We are niche players.  

 

[S2000Gan]

I think as far as the Mass Consumer Market is concerned its all about Tablets, Laptop and Ultrabooks.
Desktops will (and have pretty much already) become a thing only used by professionals and gamers.

[Rhotis]

 

Huh?  Why is someone a troll because they understand tech enthusiasts are not who the major companies market too.  Most people spend 400 dollars on their computer while those of us here often spend 2000 or more.  We are a niche within the tech industry.  

[EChondo]

You are still misunderstanding the concept of the technology.  As these companies can shrink their products and offer more and more computing power within these small form factors we will see the end of the traditional desktop computer.  

 

The first step of that will be going from desktops to your phone being the computer that you plug into a dock.  Why would you buy 5 phones for your family that have the capacity to do all their computing needs (for average people) PLUS buy what we traditionally call a computer?  This will happen.  The market is already heading there.  The masses are already showing they want this.  More and more young people that are not tech enthusiasts are opting to have a phone and maybe tablet and opting out of a regular computer.  

 

The key thing to remember is you and I are not indicative of the overall market trend.  We utilize our rigs in ways the extreme majority of the population do not.  In the grand scheme of the overall market direction you and I and the people that watch LTT are pretty irrelevant.  We are niche players.  

 

 

Huh?  Why is someone a troll because they understand tech enthusiasts are not who the major companies market too.  Most people spend 400 dollars on their computer while those of us here often spend 2000 or more.  We are a niche within the tech industry.  

Phones and tablets still aren't able to be productive enough even to do Microsoft Office type of work or even surf the Internet. Do you prefer looking at your 4" phone screen all day reading articles or do you prefer your 15" laptop or 24" monitor?

 

It doesn't matter if we are tech enthusiasts or not. Go to a friend's house, you'll easily see that they have a desktop or laptop computer AND a phone. This is for ease of use, comfortability and usability as well as OPTIONS.

 

I have a desktop computer, I love it to death and use it for everything, but if I had the choice to get a cheap laptop to do word processing and surfing the Internet I would EASILY buy one(I am soon actually), because I like being portable in my house or even when I go to a friend's house. I refuse to use the Internet on my phone unless it's my last option, it's inferior and not practical. Sure it's an option, but I bet a lot of people would rather use a laptop or desktop computer to surf the web and interact with friends and family on the Internet.

[Puppet]

I think mobile devices will be powerful enough to do most of the tasks mentioned in this thread soon enough, the real limitation I see is I/O.

 

That is unless you want to walk around clutching a tablet with a printer duct taped to your back :huh:

[MzCatieB]

Huh?  Why is someone a troll because they understand tech enthusiasts are not who the major companies market too.  Most people spend 400 dollars on their computer while those of us here often spend 2000 or more.  We are a niche within the tech industry.  

as enthusiast we know this, why do you insist on repeating it every comment you make.

when someone says computer they think "Desktop / Laptop / Netbook" when you say Tablet or smart phone they think "Iphone/Ipad/Nexus 7/HTC and Black berry".

remember most users of computers are stupid and generalize everything by brand.

This thread is about desktop computing not everything that relates to a computer

[Rhotis]

Phones and tablets still aren't able to be productive enough even to do Microsoft Office type of work or even surf the Internet. Do you prefer looking at your 4" phone screen all day reading articles or do you prefer your 15" laptop or 24" monitor?

 

It doesn't matter if we are tech enthusiasts or not. Go to a friend's house, you'll easily see that they have a desktop or laptop computer AND a phone. This is for ease of use, comfortability and usability as well as OPTIONS.

 

I have a desktop computer, I love it to death and use it for everything, but if I had the choice to get a cheap laptop to do word processing and surfing the Internet I would EASILY buy one(I am soon actually), because I like being portable in my house or even when I go to a friend's house. I refuse to use the Internet on my phone unless it's my last option, it's inferior and not practical. Sure it's an option, but I bet a lot of people would rather use a laptop or desktop computer to surf the web and interact with friends and family on the Internet.

 

You cannot use what is the thing today to explain what the thing will be tomorrow.  Five years ago smart phones were a novelty and tablets were hardly even considered usable by anyone.  

 

You have to look carefully what I said and not react with emotion.  No one is saying people are going to be glued to 4 inch screens for their internet needs.  When the tech is advanced enough to put the processing power in the device as small as the phone you will have docks for your phone to connect to a full size keyboard and a monitor (maybe a mouse but the monitors will likely be touch screen so I imagine both will be utilized by different people).  

[Rhotis]

as enthusiast we know this, why do you insist on repeating it every comment you make.

when someone says computer they think "Desktop / Laptop / Netbook" when you say Tablet or smart phone they think "Iphone/Ipad/Nexus 7/HTC and Black berry".

remember most users of computers are stupid and generalize everything by brand.

This thread is about desktop computing not everything that relates to a computer

 

This thread is about the future of desktop computing.  I say the future for the mass consumers is portable devices as small as current phones and most likely being used as both. 

 

You are separating something that does not have to be separated.  Intel and Samsung and Apple and Dell and all the major tech companies do not separate them.  

[Lukiose]

Nope, don't think PC will be going anywhere anytime soon, this is because people who use PC for their tasks are doing so because only the PC has the ability to provide such performance. While tablets are a hit right now, like Liinus said: it's just riding on a wave of 'new tech gadget' popularity. My own take is that tablets will die out within a few years, and ultrabooks will take over mobile computing; with desktop PCs still holding the big guns

[Deus Ragno]

It's simple physics. Bigger case/screen/keyboard/speakers/mouse etc. = more room for better hardware quantitatively and qualitatively.