The five forms

Five ways to own a computer

What each form is good at, what it gives up, and who it tends to suit. General traits, not promises about any one model: always check the model in front of you.

Carry

Laptop

One machine that goes everywhere, battery included.

Good at: Goes anywhere; battery, screen, keyboard, camera and microphone in one.
Gives up: A small screen and keyboard for long sessions; memory is often soldered; heavy work runs hot.
Often suits: Students, travellers, anyone without a fixed desk.
Check: Battery life measured by independent tests, weight with the charger, the number of ports.

Carry

Laptop + desk setup

A laptop that plugs into a monitor, keyboard and mouse at the desk.

Good at: One computer and one set of files, comfortable at a desk and portable away from it.
Gives up: You buy a monitor, keyboard and dock as well as the laptop; more cables to manage.
Often suits: Hybrid workers with two desks, students who also study at home.
Check: How many external displays the laptop supports, and whether its USB-C port carries video and charging.

Stay

All-in-one

Screen and computer in one body: one cable, small footprint, no battery.

Good at: One cable, a big screen, a camera usually built in, a tidy desk.
Gives up: No battery; the screen and computer age together; few parts can be upgraded.
Often suits: A shared family computer in the kitchen or living room, a tight desk corner.
Check: Whether the screen can work as a monitor for another computer, and the memory you will need later.

Stay

Mini PC

A small box behind the monitor you already own (or buy).

Good at: Small and quiet, reuses the monitor and keyboard you own, often cheaper than a laptop of the same speed.
Gives up: No battery, no screen, usually no camera; limited graphics.
Often suits: Anyone with a good monitor already, a tight desk, a second computer for the home.
Check: Video outputs for your monitor(s), a free memory slot, Wi-Fi included.

Stay

Desktop tower

The full-size case: most cooling, most room to upgrade and repair.

Good at: The most cooling, room for full-size graphics cards, parts you can replace one at a time.
Gives up: Takes floor or desk room; does not travel; needs a monitor, keyboard and webcam.
Often suits: Gamers, video editors, anyone who wants to upgrade for years.
Check: Power supply capacity, case room for future parts, wired Ethernet.

Find yours: 11 questions