For gamers, a seemingly age-old question has always been part of the process for a new gaming setup. Desktop or laptop? Both these options have their own sets of benefits and drawbacks depending on your precise needs. These qualities have also changed quite a bit in recent years as technology has improved.
At Xidax, we’re proud to offer a massive selection of both custom gaming desktops and gaming laptops, plus all the expertise you need to help make your selection between these for your next gaming build. So what are the top elements to consider while making this choice? How has this picture changed in the recent past? Here are some crucial factors to think about.
While it remains true that the very best gaming desktops are still superior to their laptop counterparts when it comes to overall performance. The gap here has shrunk considerably in recent years. This is due to several factors, but the most important is the simple improvements in technology for laptop setups.
While laptops a decade ago could generally house far less power and be expected to last far less long than a basic desktop. This is simply no longer the case. Instead, the best modern laptops can house incredibly powerful components, and their internal power supplies can even be swapped out or upgraded for additional performance bumps.
For this reason, while performance is obviously still a factor, you should be closely considering. It’s often less of a determining factor between desktops and laptops than it used to be.
One area where laptops tend to hold a significant advantage, especially for gamers, is in their portability. Laptops are independent setups that can be moved from place to place at will. While desktop gaming rigs need to remain more stationary. This factor becomes increasingly important if you have multiple people using your home theater setup or different spaces where you’d like to play games.
On the other hand, this portability factor likely won’t mean much if your entire setup needs to stay in a single place. In this case, you should carefully consider how often you need to move around with your gaming machine. Whether the extra cost of a laptop would be worth the premium for its portability.
Those who prefer the portability of a laptop may be sacrificing just a bit in terms of available customization. As a laptop is a more independent setup. This means you’ll have less ability to customize it or upgrade its parts once you buy it.
On the other hand, desktop gaming rigs offer a greater degree of flexibility and upgradeability thanks to their open setups. For instance, they typically come with a far greater number of ports for further peripheral connection and customization than laptops, and you’ll even be able to upgrade major components such as the CPU or graphics card if needed.
Again, we should note that the gaps between desktops and laptops in these areas are shrinking. For instance, many of today’s best laptops come with several USB ports. You can also use advanced external GPU solutions to provide even more customization options for laptops.
One area where desktops hold a big edge over laptops is your ability to add new hardware after you’ve bought your device. Also, as part of the larger DIY philosophy, desktops are much more open because you can shift major components around or even change them out entirely.
This is a factor that’s especially important to consider if you’re currently in the market for a new gaming rig, as modern CPUs and graphics cards are scheduled to be replaced very soon. On the other hand, if you’re looking at a desktop build right now, this might not matter much in terms of which you should choose. As it’ll likely have a very similar lifespan either way.
On the other hand, laptops are more closed setups that can’t be upgraded nearly as easily or extensively after purchase. This means you’ll need to be very careful about which laptop you choose. If a new upgrade comes out within a year or two of your purchase.
Another part of this conversation has changed over time, and that’s price. A decade ago, the very best desktops were far more expensive than the very best laptops. Making it a relatively easy choice. Today, however, high-quality desktops have become considerably more affordable. While laptops have become more expensive, primarily due to their significant increases in power and performance.
For this reason, your costs can vary significantly in either of these realms. Many desktop setups can be built for relatively affordable dollar figures. On the flip side, if you have the financial ability, you can go absolutely nuts with your desktop build. Allowing you to include elements like multiple 144Hz IPS monitors that are impossible with laptops.
The price ranges for laptops are nearly as wide-ranging today, too. The top options, which have incredible amounts of power we couldn’t have even imagined a few years ago, can be outrageously expensive. However, even mid-range options are often well over $1,000, easily putting them in the same price range as many high-quality desktops.
These modern machines have come a long way, no matter which option you prefer for your gaming needs. Your personal preferences will largely dictate whether you should choose a laptop or desktop — and if you’re uncertain about any part of this equation, the team at Xidax is standing by to help. Contact us today to learn more about any of our gaming laptops or desktops to choose from.
