Desktop computer: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively ← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisual WikitextInline

Revision as of 23:34, 5 April 2014 edit99.238.175.149 (talk)No edit summary← Previous edit		Latest revision as of 17:46, 18 December 2024 edit undoTriforce of Courage 77 (talk \| contribs)14 editsm Added linksTags: Visual edit Newcomer task Newcomer task: references
(895 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1:		Line 1:
			{{short description\|Computer designed to be used at a fixed location}}
	] of a tower ]]]
			{{use mdy dates\|date=January 2023}}
			]
			]

			A '''desktop computer''', often abbreviated as '''desktop''',<ref>{{Cite web \|title=desktop \|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/desktop \|access-date=December 10, 2022 \|website=Collins Dictionary}}</ref> is a ] designed for regular use at a stationary location on or near a ] (as opposed to a ]) due to its size and power requirements. The most common configuration has a ] that houses the ], ] (a ] with a ] as the ], ], ], certain ]s and other electronic components), ] (usually one or more ]s, ]s, ]s, and in early models ]s); a ] and ] for ]; and a ], ], and, often, a ] for output. The case may be oriented horizontally or vertically and placed either underneath, beside, or on top of a desk.
	A '''desktop computer''' is a ] in a form intended for regular use at a single location desk/table due to its size and ], as opposed to a ] whose rechargeable battery and compact dimensions allow it to be regularly carried and used in different locations. The most common configuration is a ], keyboard and mouse, and a case that houses the main components of the PC, namely the power supply, motherboard, hard drive, optical drive, and previously the floppy drive. The form factor of the case is typically an upright tower or (horizontal) desktop. ''All-in-one'' computers, that integrate the monitor and main PC components in one unit, are often categorized under the desktop computer umbrella, particularly if they require an external power source and separate keyboard/mouse. The desktop category has also encompassed '']'' and '']s''.

			Desktop ] with their cases oriented vertically are referred to as ]. As the majority of cases offered since the mid 1990s are in this form factor, the term ''desktop'' has been retronymically used to refer to modern cases offered in the traditional horizontal orientation.<ref>{{cite journal \| last=Dennen \| first=Ed \| date=July 18, 1994 \| url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A15582553/GPS?sid=wikipedia \| title=How can it be a desktop if it isn't on top of the desk? \| journal=PC Week \| publisher=Ziff-Davis \| volume=11 \| issue=28 \| page=69 \| via=Gale}}</ref><ref name=Prowse2015>{{cite book \| last=Prowse \| first=David \| date=2015 \| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a5tNCwAAQBAJ \| title=CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Exam Cram \| publisher=Pearson Education \| page=201 \| isbn=9780134391496 \| via=Google Books}}</ref>
	== History ==

	==~~= Origins =~~==		==History==
			===Origins===
	] desktop computers was actually an early desktop computer with printer.]]
			] computer]]
	Prior to the widespread use of microprocessors, a computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small; the type of computers most commonly used were ], which were themselves desk-sized. Early computers took up the space of a whole room. Minicomputers generally fit into one or a few refrigerator-sized racks.
			Prior to the widespread use of ], a computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small; the type of computers most commonly used were ]s, which, despite the name, were rather large and were "mini" only compared to the so-called "]". Early computers, and later the general purpose high throughput "]", took up the space of a whole room. ], on the contrary, generally fit into one or a few refrigerator-sized racks, or, for the few smaller ones, ''built into'' a fairly large desk, not put ''on top'' of it.

			It was not until the 1970s when fully programmable computers appeared that could fit entirely on top of a desk. 1970 saw the introduction of the ], a "smart" ] complete with keyboard and monitor, was designed to connect with a ] but that did not stop owners from using its built-in computational abilities as a stand-alone desktop computer.<ref name="wood">Lamont Wood, {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814215757/http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=printArticleBasic&articleId=9111341 \|date=2008-08-14 }}, ''Computerworld'', 8 August 2008</ref> The ], which started out as programmable calculators in 1971 but was programmable in ] by 1972, used a smaller version of a ] design based on ROM memory and had small one-line LED alphanumeric displays and displayed graphics with a plotter.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Hewlett Packard 9830A – Complete History of the HP9830A \|url=https://history-computer.com/ModernComputer/Personal/HP9830A.html \|website=history-computer.com\|date=4 January 2021 }}</ref> The ] of 1973 had a full-size ] (CRT) and cassette tape storage. The ] in 1975 had a small CRT display and could be programmed in BASIC and ]. These were generally expensive specialized computers sold for business or scientific uses.<ref name="Timeline of Computer History">{{Cite web \|title=Timeline of Computer History \|url=http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/?category=cmptr \|access-date=May 7, 2014 \|publisher=Computer History Museum}}</ref>
	The very first "programmable calculator/computer" was marketed in the second half of the 1960s starting with the ] machinery ] (1965) computer is typewriter size.<ref name="Pingdom">{{cite web\|title=The incredible story of the first PC, from 1965\|url=http://royal.pingdom.com/2012/08/28/the-first-pc-from-1965/\|publisher=Pingdom\|accessdate=August 28, 2012}}</ref> More desktop models were introduced in 1971, leading to a model programmable in ] in 1972. This one used a smaller version of a ] design based on ] (ROM) and had small one-line LED alphanumeric displays. They could draw computer graphics with a plotter.

	===Growth and development===		===Growth and development===
			{{See also\|Keyboard computer}}
	Throughout the 1980s and 1990s desktop computers became the predominant type, the most popular being the ] and its ], followed by the ], with the third-placed ] ] having some success in the mid-1980s but declining by the early 1990s.
			], ] and ] were first generation personal ]s launched in 1977, which were aimed at the consumer market – rather than businessmen or computer hobbyists. ] referred to these three as the "1977 Trinity" of personal computing.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=September 1995 \|title=Most Important Companies \|url=http://www.byte.com/art/9509/sec7/art15.htm \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618072507/http://www.byte.com/art/9509/sec7/art15.htm \|archive-date=2008-06-18 \|access-date=2008-06-10 \|website=]}}</ref> Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, desktop computers became the predominant type, the most popular being the ] and its ], followed by the ],<ref name="Thirty years of Mac">{{Cite web \|title=Thirty years of Mac: 1984 – The Macintosh \|url=https://www.apple.com/30-years/1984/ \|access-date=8 May 2014 \|publisher=Apple}}</ref> with the third-placed ] ] having some success in the mid-1980s but declining by the early 1990s.

			] Personal Computer]]
	Early personal computers, like the original ], were enclosed in a "desktop case", horizontally oriented to have the display screen placed on top, thus saving space on the user's actual desk, although these cases had to be sturdy enough to support the weight of CRT displays that were widespread at the time. Over the course of the 1990s, desktop cases gradually became less common than the more-accessible ]s that may be located on the floor under or beside a desk rather than on a desk, as these tower cases had more room for expansion, and as this freed up desk space for monitors which were becoming larger every year. Desktop cases, particularly the compact form factors, remain popular for corporate computing environments and kiosks. Some computer cases can be interchangeable positioned either horizontally (desktop) or upright (mini-tower), such as the ].
			]
			Early ], like the original ], were enclosed in a "''desktop case''", horizontally oriented to have the display screen placed on top, thus saving space on the user's actual desk, although these cases had to be sturdy enough to support the weight of ] that were widespread at the time. Over the course of the 1990s, desktop cases gradually became less common than the more-accessible ] that may be located on the floor under or beside a desk rather than on a desk. Not only do these tower cases have more room for expansion, they have also freed up desk space for monitors which were becoming larger every year. Desktop cases, particularly the compact form factors, remain popular for corporate computing environments and kiosks. Some computer cases can be interchangeably positioned either horizontally (desktop) or upright (mini-tower).

	Influential games such as ] and ] during the 1990s had pushed ] and ] to frequently upgrade to the latest CPUs and graphics ~~cards~~ (3dfx, ATI, and Nvidia) for their desktops (usually a tower case) in order to run these applications, though this has slowed since the late 2000s as the growing popularity of Intel integrated graphics forced game developers to scale back. ]'s ] series were a de facto standard for sound cards in desktop PCs during the 1990s until the early 2000s, when they were reduced to a niche product, as OEM desktop PCs came with sound boards integrated directly onto the motherboard.		Influential games such as '']'' and '']'' during the 1990s had pushed ] and ] to frequently upgrade to the latest CPUs and ]s (], ], and ]) for their desktops (usually a tower case) in order to run these applications, though this has slowed since the late 2000s as the growing popularity of Intel integrated graphics forced game developers to scale back. ]'s ] series were a '']'' standard for sound cards in desktop PCs during the 1990s until the early 2000s, when they were reduced to a niche product, as OEM desktop PCs came with sound boards integrated directly onto the motherboard.

	===Decline===		===Decline===
			]
			While desktops have long been the most common configuration for PCs,<ref name="extremetech.com">{{cite news\|url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/145465-pc-sales-are-in-decline-and-in-an-alarming-way-for-the-first-time\|title=PC sales are in decline, and in an alarming way for the first time\|work=ExtremeTech\|date=January 11, 2013 \|last1=Plafke \|first1=James }}</ref> by the mid-2000s the growth shifted from desktops to laptops.<ref name="nytimes2006">{{cite news\|last=Darlin \|first=Damon \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/15/technology/15dell.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all& \|title=Falling Short of A+ – New York Times \|work=The New York Times \|date=2006-06-15 \|access-date=2012-10-30}}</ref> Notably, while desktops were mainly produced in the United States, laptops had long been produced by ]s based in Asia, such as ]. This shift led to the closure of the many desktop assembly plants in the United States by 2010. Another trend around this time was the increasing proportion of inexpensive base-configuration desktops being sold, hurting PC manufacturers such as ] whose build-to-order customization of desktops relied on upselling added features to buyers.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web\|url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1014_3-6155185.html \|title=Michael Dell back as CEO; Rollins resigns – CNET News \|website=CNET \|date=2007-01-31 \|access-date=2012-10-30}}</ref>

			Battery-powered portable computers had just a 2% worldwide market share in 1986.<ref>{{cite news\|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=la&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF513A9C40DA46F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM\|url-access=registration\|title=Lap-top computers gain stature as power grows\|work=Daily News of Los Angeles (CA)\|date=12 April 1987\|access-date=September 30, 2016\|via=Newslibrary.com}}</ref> However, laptops have become increasingly popular, both for business and personal use.<ref name="Computer Economics, Inc">{{cite web \| url=http://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1084 \| title=The Falling Costs of Mobile Computing \| publisher=Computer Economics, Inc. \| work=Falling Costs of Mobile Computing Drive Corporate Adoption \| date=December 2005 \| access-date=September 30, 2016 \| archive-date=February 24, 2021 \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224213138/https://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1084 \| url-status=dead }}</ref>
	While desktops have long been the most common configuration for PCs,<ref name="extremetech.com"></ref><ref></ref> by the mid-2000s the growth shifted from desktops to laptops.<ref name="nytimes2006">{{cite news\|last=Darlin \|first=Damon \|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/15/technology/15dell.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all& \|title=Falling Short of A+ - New York Times \|work=The New York Times \|date=2006-06-15 \|accessdate=2012-10-30}}</ref> Notably while desktops were produced in the United States, laptops had long been produced by contract manufacturers based in China, and the shift saw many desktop manufacturing plants in the United States closed by 2010. Another trend around this time was the increasing proportion of inexpensive base-configuration desktops being sold, hurting PC manufacturers such as ] whose build-to-order customization of desktops relied on upselling added features to buyers.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web\|url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1014_3-6155185.html \|title=Michael Dell back as CEO; Rollins resigns - CNET News \|publisher=CNET \|date=2007-01-31 \|accessdate=2012-10-30}}</ref>

	Battery-powered portable computers had just 2% worldwide market share in 1986.<ref>
	{{cite news
	\| title = Lap-top computers gain stature as power grows
	\| work = Daily News of Los Angeles (CA)
	\| date = 12 April 1987
	\| url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=la&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF513A9C40DA46F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
	\| accessdate =2001-01-01/2008 }}
	</ref> However, laptops have become increasingly popular, both for business and personal use.<ref name="Computer Economics, Inc">{{cite web
	\| title = The Falling Costs of Mobile Computing
	\| work = Falling Costs of Mobile Computing Drive Corporate Adoption
	\| publisher = Computer Economics, Inc.
	\|date=December 2005
	\| url = http://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1084
	\| accessdate =2001-01-01/2008 }}
	</ref>
	Around 109 million notebook PCs shipped worldwide in 2007, a growth of 33% compared to 2006.<ref name="ssev2011-09-12">, 31 January 2008, Yen Ting Chen, DigiTimes, retrieved at 12 September 2011</ref>		Around 109 million notebook PCs shipped worldwide in 2007, a growth of 33% compared to 2006.<ref name="ssev2011-09-12">, 31 January 2008, Yen Ting Chen, DigiTimes, retrieved at 12 September 2011</ref>
	In 2008 it was estimated that 145.9 million notebooks were sold, and that the number would grow in 2009 to 177.7 million.<ref name="ee2009-01-10">, Accessed at 10 January 2009</ref> The third quarter of 2008 was the first time when worldwide notebook PC shipments exceeded desktops, with 38.6 million units versus 38.5 million units.<ref name="Computer Economics, Inc"/><ref name="is2009-01-13">, isuppli.com, accessed at 13 January 2009</ref><ref name="NYT09">{{cite news		In 2008, it was estimated that 145.9 million notebooks were sold and that the number would grow in 2009 to 177.7 million.<ref name="ee2009-01-10"> {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510095105/http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=YN1M2POYEMEN0QSNDLSCKHA?articleID=212701251 \|date=2013-05-10 }}, Accessed at 10 January 2009</ref> The third quarter of 2008 was the first time when worldwide ] shipments exceeded desktops, with 38.6 million units versus 38.5 million units.<ref name="Computer Economics, Inc"/><ref name="is2009-01-13">, isuppli.com, accessed at 13 January 2009</ref><ref name="NYT09">{{cite news \| title = The PC Doesn't Have to Be an Anchor \| work = ]\| author = Randall Stross \| date = 18 April 2008 \| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/business/19digi.html?_r=1&ref=technology\| access-date = 20 April 2009}}
			</ref><ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/17/intel_laptop_desktop_crossover/ \|title=Intel: laptop/desktop crossover coming sooner than expected \|work=The Register, UK \|access-date=10 October 2008 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007091449/http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/17/intel_laptop_desktop_crossover/ \|archive-date=7 October 2008 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>
	\| title =The PC Doesn’t Have to Be an Anchor
	\|work=New York Times
	\|author= Randall Stross
	\| date =18 April 2008
	\| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/business/19digi.html?_r=1&ref=technology
	\| accessdate =20 April 2009 }}
	</ref><ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/17/intel_laptop_desktop_crossover/ \|title=Intel: laptop/desktop crossover coming sooner than expected \|work=The Register, UK \|accessdate=10 October 2008}}</ref>

	The sales breakdown of the ] ~~have~~ seen sales of desktop Macs ~~stayed~~ mostly constant while being surpassed by that of Mac notebooks whose sales rate has grown considerably; seven out of ten Macs sold were laptops in 2009, a ratio projected to rise to three out of four by 2010. The change in sales of form factors is due to the desktop iMac moving from affordable (]) to upscale (]) and subsequent releases are considered premium all-in-ones. By contrast the MSRP of the MacBook laptop lines have dropped through successive generations such that the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro constitute the lowest price of entry to a Mac, with the exception of the even more inexpensive Mac Mini (~~the only sub-$1000 offering from Apple,~~ albeit without a monitor and keyboard), ~~not surprisingly~~ the MacBooks are the top-selling form factors of the Macintosh platform today.<ref></ref>		The sales breakdown of the ] has seen sales of desktop Macs staying mostly constant while being surpassed by that of Mac notebooks whose sales rate has grown considerably; seven out of ten Macs sold were laptops in 2009, a ratio projected to rise to three out of four by 2010. The change in sales of form factors is due to the desktop iMac moving from affordable ] to upscale ] model and subsequent releases are considered premium all-in-ones. By contrast, the MSRP of the MacBook laptop lines have dropped through successive generations such that the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro constitute the lowest price of entry to a Mac, with the exception of the even more inexpensive Mac Mini (albeit without a monitor and keyboard), and the MacBooks are the top-selling form factors of the Macintosh platform today.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://gigaom.com/2010/01/25/decline-of-the-desktop-mac/\|title=Decline of the Desktop Mac\|author=Charles Jade\|work=gigaom.com\|date=2010-01-25}}</ref>

	The decades of development ~~means~~ that most people already own desktop computers that meet their needs and have no need of buying a new one merely to keep pace with advancing technology. Notably the successive release of new versions of ] (Windows ~~3.1~~, ~~Windows~~ 95, ~~Windows~~ 98, and ~~Windows~~ XP) had been drivers for the replacement of PCs in the 1990s but this ~~has~~ slowed ~~down~~ in the 2000s due to the ~~gap~~ ~~between~~ Windows XP ~~and~~ Windows ~~Vista~~. ~~Recently,~~ ~~some~~ ~~analysts~~ ~~have~~ suggested that ] ~~has~~ actually hurt sales of PCs in 2012, as ~~CTOs of major companies have~~ decided to stick with ] rather than upgrade.<ref name="online.wsj.com"/> Some suggested that Microsoft ~~has~~ acknowledged "implicitly ringing the desktop PC death knell" as Windows 8 ~~offers~~ little upgrade in desktop PC functionality over ]; instead Windows 8's innovations ~~are~~ mostly on the mobile side.<ref></ref>		The decades of development mean that most people already own desktop computers that meet their needs and have no need of buying a new one merely to keep pace with advancing technology. Notably, the successive release of new versions of ] (Windows 95, 98, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 and so on) had been drivers for the replacement of PCs in the 1990s, but this slowed in the 2000s due to the poor reception of Windows Vista over Windows XP. IDC analyst Jay Chou suggested that ] actually hurt sales of PCs in 2012, as businesses decided to stick with ] rather than upgrade.<ref name="online.wsj.com"/> Some suggested that Microsoft had acknowledged "implicitly ringing the desktop PC death knell" as Windows 8 offered little upgrade in desktop PC functionality over Windows 7; instead, Windows 8's innovations were mostly on the mobile side.<ref>{{cite news\|url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/115003-microsoft-quietly-kills-off-the-desktop-pc\|title=Microsoft quietly kills off the desktop PC \| work=ExtremeTech\|date=January 23, 2012 \|last1=Anthony \|first1=Sebastian }}</ref>

	The ] ~~has seen~~ a decline in the sales of desktop and laptop PCs.<ref>~~2013~~ PC ~~Sales~~ </ref><ref ~~name="online~~.~~wsj~~.com"></ref> The decline ~~has been~~ attributed to increased power and applications of alternative computing devices, namely smartphones and tablet computers.<ref>Why sales declined in </ref> Although most people exclusively use their smartphones and tablets for more basic tasks such as ] and ], these devices have in many instances replaced a second or third PC in the household that would have performed these tasks, though most families still retain a powerful PC ~~(typically a desktop)~~ for serious work.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/can-a-50-mini-pc-replace-your-desktop/\|title=Can a $50 mini PC replace your desktop?\|quote=Yes, the hardware is technically much slower than anything in a modern Windows desktop, but it didn’t feel that way. Instead, the interface was snappy, Web browsing was smooth, and load times were short.}}</ref>		The ] saw a decline in the sales of desktop and laptop PCs.<ref name="online.wsj.com">{{cite news\| url=https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324695104578414973888155516 \|title=Computer Sales in Free Fall\|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>2013 PC Sales </ref> The decline was attributed to increased power and applications of alternative computing devices, namely smartphones and tablet computers.<ref>Why sales declined in </ref> Although most people exclusively use their smartphones and tablets for more basic tasks such as ] and ], these devices have in many instances replaced a second or third PC in the household that would have performed these tasks, though most families still retain a powerful PC for serious work.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/can-a-50-mini-pc-replace-your-desktop/\|title=Can a $50 mini PC replace your desktop?\|quote=Yes, the hardware is technically much slower than anything in a modern Windows desktop, but it didn’t feel that way. Instead, the interface was snappy, Web browsing was smooth, and load times were short.\|date=2013-03-20}}</ref>

	Among PC form factors, desktops remain a staple in the enterprise market but ~~have~~ lost ~~the most~~ popularity among home buyers. PC makers and electronics retailers ~~have~~ responded by investing their engineering and marketing resources towards laptops (initially ]s in the late 2000s, and then the higher-performance ]s from 2011 onwards), which manufacturers ~~believe~~ ~~may~~ revive the PC market<ref name="extremetech.com"/>~~) rather~~ than desktops.		Among PC form factors, desktops remain a staple in the enterprise market but lost popularity among home buyers. PC makers and electronics retailers responded by investing their engineering and marketing resources towards laptops (initially ]s in the late 2000s, and then the higher-performance ]s from 2011 onwards), which manufacturers believed had more potential to revive the PC market<ref name="extremetech.com" /> than desktops.

			In April 2017, StatCounter declared a "Milestone in technology history and end of an era" with the mobile ] becoming more popular than Windows (the operating system that made desktops dominant over ]s).<ref>{{cite press release \| url=http://gs.statcounter.com/press/android-overtakes-windows-for-first-time \|title=Android overtakes Windows for first time: "Milestone in technology history and end of an era" as Microsoft no longer owns dominant OS}}</ref> ] is still most popular on desktops (and laptops), while smartphones (and tablets) use Android or ].
	== All-in-one ==
	] One all-in-one desktop]]
	An ''all-in-one'' desktop computer integrates the system's internal components into the same case as the display, eliminating some connecting cables and allowing for a smaller footprint, sometimes giving a degree of ], compared to the standard desktop configuration of the separate display monitor and computer system case. However the all-in-one form factor still requires an external power supply and must be deployed on a table or desk to use the (still separate) keyboard and mouse, making them less mobile than a laptop which can rely on power supplied by a rechargeable battery and provides a built-in keyboard plus pointing device for its user.

			===Resurgence===
	The all-in-one form factor was popular during the early 1980s for computers intended for professional use such as the ], ], ] and ]. Many manufacturers of ]s like ] and ] included the computer's motherboard into the same enclosure as the keyboard; these systems were most often connected to a ] set for display. Apple has manufactured several popular examples of all-in-one computers, such as the ] of the mid-1980s and the ] of the late 1990s and 2000s. By the early 2000s, many all-in-one designs were using ]s, and by late 2012 some all-in-one models also included ] displays to accommodate ].
			] setup from the 2010s]]
			Towards the middle of the 2010s, media sources began to question the existence of the post-PC trend, at least as conventionally defined, stating that the so-called post-PC devices are just other portable forms of PCs joining traditional desktop PCs which still have their own operation areas and evolve.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/8/9/9115503/post-pc-is-just-pc\|title=There's no such thing as post-PC\|author=tomwarren\|publisher=Vox Media\|work=The Verge\|date=August 9, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=https://gizmodo.com/so-whatever-happened-to-post-pc-1612947222\|title=So What Ever Happened to Post-PC?\|author=Darren Orf\|publisher=Gawker Media\|work=Gizmodo\|date=August 11, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|title=The 'Post-PC Era' Never Really Happened…and Likely Won't\|url=https://techpinions.com/the-post-pc-era-never-really-happened-and-likely-wont/53610\|access-date=2020-10-02\|website=Tech.pinions\|language=en-US\|archive-date=October 5, 2022\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005161036/https://techpinions.com/the-post-pc-era-never-really-happened-and-likely-wont/53610\|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|last=Epps\|first=Sarah Rotman\|date=\|title=The Post-PC Era: It's Real, But It Doesn't Mean What You Think\|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forrester/2011/05/17/the-post-pc-era-its-real-but-it-doesnt-mean-what-you-think-it-does/\|url-status=live\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810232601/https://www.forbes.com/sites/forrester/2011/05/17/the-post-pc-era-its-real-but-it-doesnt-mean-what-you-think-it-does/?sh=2203319a19a5 \|archive-date=Aug 10, 2021 \|access-date=2020-10-02\|website=]\|language=en}}</ref>

			Although for casual use traditional desktops and laptops have seen a decline in sales, in 2018, global PC sales experienced a resurgence, driven by the business market.<ref>{{cite web \| url = https://bgr.com/2018/07/13/pc-sales-growth-numbers-show-first-rise-in-six-years/\|title=PC sales show first rise in six years\|date=2018-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/13/17567760/pc-sales-growth-idc-gartner-july-2018\|title=PC sales are growing for the first time in six years\|date=2018-07-13}}</ref> Desktops remain a solid fixture in the commercial and educational sectors.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.eweek.com/pc-hardware/why-the-much-hyped-post-pc-era-never-arrived\|title=Why the Much-Hyped Post-PC Era Never Arrived\|date=10 January 2015}}</ref> According to the ], PC sales shot up 14.8% between 2020 and 2021 and desktop market grew faster than the laptop market in the second quarter of 2021.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48069721\|title=PC Demand Remained Strong in the Second Quarter Amid Early Signs That Market Conditions May Be Cooling, According to IDC\|website=idc.com\|date=12 July 2021\|access-date=February 2, 2023\|archive-date=February 2, 2023\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202181924/https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48069721\|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48770422\|title=Growth Streak for Traditional PCs Continues During Holiday Quarter of 2021, According to IDC\|website=idc.com\|date=12 January 2022\|access-date=February 2, 2023\|archive-date=February 2, 2023\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202181934/https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48770422\|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/the-desktop-pc-is-making-a-comeback-heres-why\|title=The desktop PC is making a comeback – here's why\|website=]\|date= 13 July 2021}}</ref> Total PC shipments during 2021 reached 348.8 million units, up 14.8% from 2020. This represents the highest level of shipments the PC market has seen since 2012.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.thestreet.com/technology/pcs-make-their-comeback-as-pandemic-changes-how-we-work\|title=PCs Make Their Comeback as Pandemic Changes How We Work\|website=]\|date=12 January 2022}}</ref> In addition, ] have seen a global revenue increase of 54% annually.<ref>{{cite press release \| url=https://www.gfk.com/insights/press-release/pc-gaming-still-on-the-rise/\|title= PC Gaming Still On the Rise}}</ref> For gaming the global market of gaming desktops, laptops, and monitors is expected to grow to 61.1 million shipments by the end of 2023, up from 42.1 million, with desktops growing from 15.1 million shipments to 19 million.<ref>{{cite web\| url=https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS44999019\| title=Shipments of Personal Computing Devices for Gaming Forecast to Deliver Solid Growth, According to IDC\| access-date=2019-05-16\| archive-date=2020-10-03\| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003082901/https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS44999019\| url-status=dead}}</ref> ] as a whole accounts for 28% of the total gaming market as of 2017.<ref>{{cite web \| url= https://www.pcgamesn.com/pc-game-sales-numbers-market-share-2017 \|title=PC accounted for 28% of the game market in 2017\|date=December 20, 2017 }}</ref> This is partially due to the increasing affordability of desktop PCs.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/10/18176297/pc-gaming-most-exciting-radical-experiments-future-products-ces-2019\|title=Gaming is driving the wildest PC experiments\|date=2019-01-10}}</ref>
	Some all-in-one desktops such as the ] have used laptop components in order to reduce the size of the system case.<ref>http://www.betanews.com/article/1037064105</ref> Like laptops, some all-in-one desktop computers are characterized by an inability to customize or upgrade internal components, as the systems' cases do not provide easy access except through panels which only expose connectors for RAM or storage device upgrades. However, newer models of all-in-one computers have changed their approach to this issue. Many of the current manufacturers are using standard off-the-shelf components and are designing upgrade convenience into their products.<ref>All-in-one PC model </ref>

			==Types==
	==Comparison with laptops==
			===By size===
	{{main\|Laptop#Disadvantages}}
			{{Multiple image
	Desktops have the advantage over ]s, as the spare parts and extensions tend to be standardized, resulting in lower prices and greater availability. For example, the size and mounting of the ] is standardized into ], ], ] or other ]s. Desktops have several standardized ]s, like ] or ], while laptops only tend to have one ] slot and one ] slot (or ] slot). Procedures for (dis-)assembly of desktops tend to be simple and standardized as well. This tends not to be the case for laptops, though adding or replacing some parts, like the ], ], or adding an extra ] is often quite simple. This means that a desktop computer configuration, usually a ], can be customized and upgraded to a greater extent than laptops. This customization has kept tower cases popular among ] and ].
			\| image1 = HP-HP9000-C110-Workstation 10.jpg
			\| image2 = HP-HP9000-C110-Workstation 21.jpg
			\| total_width = 350
			\| footer = An ] workstation oriented as both a desktop ''(left)'' and as a ] ''(both)''. Optional plastic feet ''(pictured bottom right)'' allow the workstation to be held sturdily upright in the tower configuration.
			}}

			====Full-size====
			Full-sized desktops are characterized by separate display and processing components. These components are connected to each other by cables or ]. They often come in a ] form factor. These computers are easy to customize and upgrade per user requirements, e.g. by ].

			Early extended-size (significantly larger than mainstream ] case) tower computers sometimes were labeled as "]s",<ref>{{Cite web\|title=SGI Onyx2 Deskside - VAXBARN\|url=https://www.vaxbarn.com/index.php/collection/8-collection/88%20-sgi-onyx2\|access-date=2021-05-23\|website=www.vaxbarn.com\|archive-date=2021-05-23\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523211648/https://www.vaxbarn.com/index.php/collection/8-collection/88%20-sgi-onyx2\|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|date=2016-06-07\|title=7028-6E1 IBM eServer pSeries 610 Deskside Server Model 6E1\|url=https://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?infotype=dd&subtype=sm&appname=pseries&htmlfid=897/ENUS7028-6E1\|access-date=2021-05-24\|website=www-01.ibm.com\|language=en-US}}</ref> but currently this naming is quite rare.<ref>{{Cite web\|title=Cray CX1 Deskside Supercomputer\|url=http://blog.davidboucher.com/2009/11/cray-cx1-deskside-supercomputer.html\|access-date=2021-05-23}}</ref>

			====Compact====
			]
			{{Main\|Small form factor (desktop and motherboard)\|Nettop}}
			Compact desktops are reduced in physical proportions compared to full-sized desktops. They are typically small-sized, inexpensive, low-power computers designed for basic tasks such as ], accessing ], document processing, and audio/video playback.<ref>http://techreport.com/articles.x/21556 Zotac's Zbox Nano AD10 Plus nettop - Zacate in the palm of your hand</ref> Hardware specifications and processing power are usually reduced<ref>{{Cite web\|last1=Santo-Domingo\|first1=Joel\|title=Is A Nettop Right for You?\|url=https://www.pcmag.com/commentary/237102/is-a-nettop-right-for-you\|website=PCMAG}}</ref> and hence make them less appropriate for running complex or resource-intensive ]s. A ] is a notable example of a compact desktop. A laptop without a screen can functionally be used as a compact desktop, sometimes called a "slabtop".<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Shakir \|first=Umar \|date=2022-03-26 \|title=Honey, I decapitated the MacBook \|url=https://www.theverge.com/22965732/macbook-decapitation-slabtop-mod-mac-studio-event-rumor-keyboard-computer-diy \|access-date=2022-03-30 \|website=The Verge \|language=en}}</ref>

			===Form factor===
			{{See also\|Mini PC\|Keyboard computer}}

			====All-in-one====
			{{Main\|All-in-one computer}}
			] One 23 Touch as an example of an AIO desktop PC]]
			An ''all-in-one'' (AIO) desktop computer integrates the system's internal components into the same case as the display, thus occupying a smaller footprint (with fewer cables) than desktops that incorporate a tower.<ref name=pcmag-howtoaio>{{cite web\|title=How to Buy an All-in-One PC\|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2409554,00.asp\|website=PC Magazine\|access-date=18 October 2015}}</ref> The All-in-one systems are rarely labeled as desktop computers.

			====Tower====
			{{Main\|Computer tower}}
			]
			In ], a ] is a ] of desktop ] whose height is much greater than its width, thus having the appearance of an upstanding ].<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-a-computer-tower.htm \| title=What is a Computer Tower? }}</ref>

			====Pizza box form factor====
			{{Main\|Pizza box form factor}}
			{{Unreferenced section\|date=October 2024}}
			In ], a ] ] is a design for desktop computers. Pizza box cases tend to be wide and flat, resembling ] and thus the name.
			] ]]]

			====Cube====
			] had a cube ].]]
			Cube ]s have a cube case ] to house the ], ] expansion cards, ], ], ] ] slots, ] equipment, ]s, ]/] ports, ]s, and ]s.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.overclockers.co.uk/blog/pc-case-form-factors-explained-everything-you-need-to-know/ \| title=PC Case Form Factors Explained \| date=May 17, 2022 }}</ref>
			{{multiple image
			\| align = center
			\| total_width = 410

			\| image1 = Workstation cube.webp
			\| caption1 = 3D sketch of a half cube workstation

			\| image2 = Workstation cube lid off.webp
			\| caption2 = Case enclosure holds a ], ] ], ] ] sticks, and ] ] on the ]
			}}

			=== By usage ===
			==== Gaming computer ====
			{{Main\|Gaming computer}}
			Gaming computers are desktop computers with high performance ], ], and ] optimized for playing video games at high resolution and ]. Gaming computer peripheries usually include ] for faster response time,<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Laura \|first=Bremner \|date=12 January 2020 \|title=Why are mechanical keyboards better \|url=https://pcsite.co.uk/why-mechanical-keyboards-are-becoming-more-popular-among-techies/ \|website=PcSite.co.uk}}</ref> and a gaming ] which can track higher dots per inch movement.<ref>{{Cite web\|website=spacehop.com\|title=Gaming mice\|date=13 January 2021\|url=https://spacehop.com/gaming-mouse-vs-normal-mouse/}}</ref>

			==== Home theater ====
			{{Main\|Home theater PC}}
			These desktops are connected to home entertainment systems and typically used for amusement purpose. They come with high definition display, video graphics, surround sound and TV tuner systems to complement typical PC features.

			==== Thin client / Internet appliance ====
			{{Main\|Thin client\|Internet appliance}}
			Over time some traditional desktop computers have been replaced with thin clients utilizing off-site computing solutions like the cloud.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Bleicher \|first1=Paul \|title=The Evolution of the Desktop Computer \|journal=Applied Clinical Trials \|location=Monmouth Junction \|volume=17 \|issue=6 \|date=June 2008 \|pages=44, 46, 48 \|url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/95c886d489223ac95e1014b588abe231/1 }}</ref> As more services and applications are served over the internet from off-site servers, local computing needs decrease, this drives desktop computers to be smaller, cheaper, and need less powerful hardware. More applications and in some cases entire virtual desktops are moved off-site and the desktop computer runs only an operating system or a shell application while the actual content is served from a server. Thin client computers may do almost all of their computing on a virtual machine in another site. Internal, hosted virtual desktops can offer users a completely consistent experience from anywhere.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Fata \|first1=Matt \|title=Corp to Cloud: Google's Virtual Desktops \|publisher=Communications of the ACM \|doi=10.1145/3233233 \|s2cid=53112965 }}</ref>

			==== Workstation ====
			{{Multiple image
			\| image1 = HP-Integrity-RX2600 09.jpg
			\| caption1 = ] server with rack-mountable and desktop variants
			\| image2 = HP-HP9000-ZX6000-Itanium2-Workstation 11.jpg
			\| caption2 = ] workstation, based on an Integrity desktop server
			\| total_width = 350
			}}

			{{Main\|Workstation}}
			Workstations are advanced class of personal computers designed for a user and more powerful than a regular PC but less powerful than a server in regular computing. They are capable of high-resolution and three-dimensional interfaces, and typically used to perform scientific and engineering work.<ref>{{Cite web\|title=Workstation Definition & Facts\|url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/workstation\|access-date=2021-05-25\|website=Encyclopedia Britannica\|language=en}}</ref> Like server computers, they are often connected with other workstations.<ref>{{Cite web\|title=Workstation Definition\|url=https://techterms.com/definition/workstation\|access-date=2021-05-27\|website=techterms.com}}</ref> The main form-factor for this class is a Tower case, but most vendors produce compact or all-in-one low-end workstations. Most tower workstations can be converted to a ] version.

			==== Desktop server ====
			Oriented for ] class of servers; typically entry-level server machines, with similar to workstation/gaming PC computing powers and with some mainstream servers features, but with only basic graphic abilities; and some desktop servers can be converted to workstations.

			== Comparison with laptops ==
			{{See also\|Laptop#Disadvantages}}
			Desktops have an advantage over ]s in that the spare parts and extensions tend to be standardized, resulting in lower prices and greater availability. For example, the size and mounting of the ] are standardized into ], ], ] or other ]s. Desktops have several standardized ]s, like ] or ], while laptops tend to have only one ] slot and one ] slot (or ] slot). Procedures for assembly and disassembly of desktops tend to be simple and standardized as well. This tends not to be the case for laptops, though adding or replacing some parts, like the ], ], or adding an extra ] is often quite simple. This means that a desktop computer configuration, usually a ], can be customized and upgraded to a greater extent than laptops. This customization has kept tower cases popular among ] and ].

	Another advantage of the desktop is that (apart from ]) ] is not as critical as in laptop computers because the desktop is exclusively powered from the wall socket. Desktop computers also provide more space for cooling fans and vents to dissipate heat, allowing enthusiasts to overclock with less risk. The two large microprocessor manufacturers, ] and ], have developed ] that consume ] and lower heat, but with lower performance levels.		Another advantage of the desktop is that (apart from ]) ] is not as critical as in laptop computers because the desktop is exclusively powered from the wall socket. Desktop computers also provide more space for cooling fans and vents to dissipate heat, allowing enthusiasts to overclock with less risk. The two large microprocessor manufacturers, ] and ], have developed ] that consume ] and lower heat, but with lower performance levels.

	Laptop computers, conversely, offer portability that desktop systems (including small form factor and all-in-one desktops) ~~can not~~ due to their compact size and clamshell design. The laptop's all-in-one design provides a built-in keyboard ~~plus~~ pointing device for its user, and can ~~drawn~~ on power supplied by a rechargeable battery.		Laptop computers, conversely, offer portability that desktop systems (including small form factor and all-in-one desktops) cannot due to their compact size and ]. The laptop's all-in-one design provides a built-in keyboard and a pointing device (such as a ]) for its user and can draw on power supplied by a rechargeable battery. Laptops also commonly integrate wireless technologies like ], ], and ], giving them a broader range of options for connecting to the internet, though this trend is changing as newer desktop computers come integrated with one or more of these technologies.

			A desktop computer needs a ] to handle electrical disturbances like short interruptions, blackouts, and spikes; achieving an on-battery time of more than 20–30 minutes for a desktop PC requires a large and expensive UPS.<ref> Specs</ref><ref>Cost of APC </ref> A laptop with a sufficiently charged battery can continue to be used for hours in case of a power outage and is not affected by short power interruptions and blackouts.
	Laptops also commonly integrate wireless technologies like ], ] and ], giving them a broader range of options for connecting to the internet, though this trend is changing as more desktop computers come integrated with one or more of these technologies.

			A desktop computer often has the advantage over a comparable ] in computational capacity. Overclocking is often more feasible on a desktop than on a laptop; similarly, hardware add-ons such as discrete graphics co-processors may be possible to install only in a desktop.<ref name="Comptolaptop">{{cite document\|title=Laptops vs desktops. Personal Computer World\|publisher=Incisive Media Limited\|author= Cliff, J.\|id={{ProQuest\|213495868}}}}</ref>
	A desktop computer needs a ] to handle electrical disturbances like short interruptions, blackouts and spikes; achieving an on-battery time of more than 20–30 minutes for a desktop PC requires a large and expensive UPS.<ref> Specs</ref><ref>Cost of APC </ref> A laptop with sufficiently charged battery can continue to be used for hours in case of a power outage and is not affected by short power interruptions and blackouts.

	==See also==		==See also==
			{{div col\|colwidth=27em}}
	*]
	*]		* ]
	*]		* ]
	*]		* ]
	*]		* ]s
	*]		* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ] and ], the most common architecture in desktop computers, the latter has mostly taken over
			{{div col end}}

	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist\|30em}}		{{reflist\|30em}}

	== External links ==		==External links==
			{{Commons category}}
	{{wikibooks\|How To Assemble A Desktop PC}}
			{{Wikibooks\|How To Assemble A Desktop PC}}
	*

	*
			* {{snd}}of major components of a desktop computers at HowStuffWorks
	*

	{{Computer sizes}}		{{Computer sizes}}
			{{Authority control}}

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Desktop Computer}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Desktop Computer}}
	]		]
	]		]
	]		]

Latest revision as of 17:46, 18 December 2024

Computer designed to be used at a fixed location

A desktop computer, often abbreviated as desktop, is a personal computer designed for regular use at a stationary location on or near a desk (as opposed to a portable computer) due to its size and power requirements. The most common configuration has a case that houses the power supply, motherboard (a printed circuit board with a microprocessor as the central processing unit, memory, bus, certain peripherals and other electronic components), disk storage (usually one or more hard disk drives, solid-state drives, optical disc drives, and in early models floppy disk drives); a keyboard and mouse for input; and a monitor, speakers, and, often, a printer for output. The case may be oriented horizontally or vertically and placed either underneath, beside, or on top of a desk.

Desktop computers with their cases oriented vertically are referred to as towers. As the majority of cases offered since the mid 1990s are in this form factor, the term desktop has been retronymically used to refer to modern cases offered in the traditional horizontal orientation.

History

Origins

Prior to the widespread use of microprocessors, a computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small; the type of computers most commonly used were minicomputers, which, despite the name, were rather large and were "mini" only compared to the so-called "big iron". Early computers, and later the general purpose high throughput "mainframes", took up the space of a whole room. Minicomputers, on the contrary, generally fit into one or a few refrigerator-sized racks, or, for the few smaller ones, built into a fairly large desk, not put on top of it.

It was not until the 1970s when fully programmable computers appeared that could fit entirely on top of a desk. 1970 saw the introduction of the Datapoint 2200, a "smart" computer terminal complete with keyboard and monitor, was designed to connect with a mainframe computer but that did not stop owners from using its built-in computational abilities as a stand-alone desktop computer. The HP 9800 series, which started out as programmable calculators in 1971 but was programmable in BASIC by 1972, used a smaller version of a minicomputer design based on ROM memory and had small one-line LED alphanumeric displays and displayed graphics with a plotter. The Wang 2200 of 1973 had a full-size cathode-ray tube (CRT) and cassette tape storage. The IBM 5100 in 1975 had a small CRT display and could be programmed in BASIC and APL. These were generally expensive specialized computers sold for business or scientific uses.

Growth and development

Decline

While desktops have long been the most common configuration for PCs, by the mid-2000s the growth shifted from desktops to laptops. Notably, while desktops were mainly produced in the United States, laptops had long been produced by contract manufacturers based in Asia, such as Foxconn. This shift led to the closure of the many desktop assembly plants in the United States by 2010. Another trend around this time was the increasing proportion of inexpensive base-configuration desktops being sold, hurting PC manufacturers such as Dell whose build-to-order customization of desktops relied on upselling added features to buyers.

Battery-powered portable computers had just a 2% worldwide market share in 1986. However, laptops have become increasingly popular, both for business and personal use. Around 109 million notebook PCs shipped worldwide in 2007, a growth of 33% compared to 2006. In 2008, it was estimated that 145.9 million notebooks were sold and that the number would grow in 2009 to 177.7 million. The third quarter of 2008 was the first time when worldwide notebook PC shipments exceeded desktops, with 38.6 million units versus 38.5 million units.

The sales breakdown of the Apple Macintosh has seen sales of desktop Macs staying mostly constant while being surpassed by that of Mac notebooks whose sales rate has grown considerably; seven out of ten Macs sold were laptops in 2009, a ratio projected to rise to three out of four by 2010. The change in sales of form factors is due to the desktop iMac moving from affordable G3 to upscale G4 model and subsequent releases are considered premium all-in-ones. By contrast, the MSRP of the MacBook laptop lines have dropped through successive generations such that the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro constitute the lowest price of entry to a Mac, with the exception of the even more inexpensive Mac Mini (albeit without a monitor and keyboard), and the MacBooks are the top-selling form factors of the Macintosh platform today.

The decades of development mean that most people already own desktop computers that meet their needs and have no need of buying a new one merely to keep pace with advancing technology. Notably, the successive release of new versions of Windows (Windows 95, 98, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 and so on) had been drivers for the replacement of PCs in the 1990s, but this slowed in the 2000s due to the poor reception of Windows Vista over Windows XP. IDC analyst Jay Chou suggested that Windows 8 actually hurt sales of PCs in 2012, as businesses decided to stick with Windows 7 rather than upgrade. Some suggested that Microsoft had acknowledged "implicitly ringing the desktop PC death knell" as Windows 8 offered little upgrade in desktop PC functionality over Windows 7; instead, Windows 8's innovations were mostly on the mobile side.

The post-PC trend saw a decline in the sales of desktop and laptop PCs. The decline was attributed to increased power and applications of alternative computing devices, namely smartphones and tablet computers. Although most people exclusively use their smartphones and tablets for more basic tasks such as social media and casual gaming, these devices have in many instances replaced a second or third PC in the household that would have performed these tasks, though most families still retain a powerful PC for serious work.

Among PC form factors, desktops remain a staple in the enterprise market but lost popularity among home buyers. PC makers and electronics retailers responded by investing their engineering and marketing resources towards laptops (initially netbooks in the late 2000s, and then the higher-performance Ultrabooks from 2011 onwards), which manufacturers believed had more potential to revive the PC market than desktops.

In April 2017, StatCounter declared a "Milestone in technology history and end of an era" with the mobile Android operating system becoming more popular than Windows (the operating system that made desktops dominant over mainframe computers). Windows is still most popular on desktops (and laptops), while smartphones (and tablets) use Android or iOS.

Resurgence

Towards the middle of the 2010s, media sources began to question the existence of the post-PC trend, at least as conventionally defined, stating that the so-called post-PC devices are just other portable forms of PCs joining traditional desktop PCs which still have their own operation areas and evolve.

Although for casual use traditional desktops and laptops have seen a decline in sales, in 2018, global PC sales experienced a resurgence, driven by the business market. Desktops remain a solid fixture in the commercial and educational sectors. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), PC sales shot up 14.8% between 2020 and 2021 and desktop market grew faster than the laptop market in the second quarter of 2021. Total PC shipments during 2021 reached 348.8 million units, up 14.8% from 2020. This represents the highest level of shipments the PC market has seen since 2012. In addition, gaming desktops have seen a global revenue increase of 54% annually. For gaming the global market of gaming desktops, laptops, and monitors is expected to grow to 61.1 million shipments by the end of 2023, up from 42.1 million, with desktops growing from 15.1 million shipments to 19 million. PC gaming as a whole accounts for 28% of the total gaming market as of 2017. This is partially due to the increasing affordability of desktop PCs.

Types

By size

An HP 9000 workstation oriented as both a desktop (left) and as a tower (both). Optional plastic feet (pictured bottom right) allow the workstation to be held sturdily upright in the tower configuration.

Full-size

Full-sized desktops are characterized by separate display and processing components. These components are connected to each other by cables or wireless connections. They often come in a tower form factor. These computers are easy to customize and upgrade per user requirements, e.g. by expansion card.

Early extended-size (significantly larger than mainstream ATX case) tower computers sometimes were labeled as "deskside computers", but currently this naming is quite rare.

Compact

Main articles: Small form factor (desktop and motherboard) and Nettop

Compact desktops are reduced in physical proportions compared to full-sized desktops. They are typically small-sized, inexpensive, low-power computers designed for basic tasks such as web browsing, accessing web-based applications, document processing, and audio/video playback. Hardware specifications and processing power are usually reduced and hence make them less appropriate for running complex or resource-intensive applications. A nettop is a notable example of a compact desktop. A laptop without a screen can functionally be used as a compact desktop, sometimes called a "slabtop".

Form factor

All-in-one

Main article: All-in-one computer

An all-in-one (AIO) desktop computer integrates the system's internal components into the same case as the display, thus occupying a smaller footprint (with fewer cables) than desktops that incorporate a tower. The All-in-one systems are rarely labeled as desktop computers.

Tower

Main article: Computer tower

In personal computing, a tower is a form factor of desktop computer case whose height is much greater than its width, thus having the appearance of an upstanding tower block.

Pizza box form factor

Main article: Pizza box form factor

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

In computing, a pizza box enclosure is a design for desktop computers. Pizza box cases tend to be wide and flat, resembling pizza delivery boxes and thus the name.

Cube

Cube Workstations have a cube case enclosure to house the motherboard, PCI-E expansion cards, GPU, CPU, DRAM DIMM slots, computer cooling equipment, chipsets, I/O ports, hard disk drives, and solid-state drives.

3D sketch of a half cube workstation

Case enclosure holds a GPU, PCI-E SSD, DRAM DIMM sticks, and air cooling heat sink on the CPU

By usage

Gaming computer

Main article: Gaming computer

Gaming computers are desktop computers with high performance CPU, GPU, and RAM optimized for playing video games at high resolution and frame rates. Gaming computer peripheries usually include mechanical keyboards for faster response time, and a gaming computer mouse which can track higher dots per inch movement.

Home theater

Main article: Home theater PC

These desktops are connected to home entertainment systems and typically used for amusement purpose. They come with high definition display, video graphics, surround sound and TV tuner systems to complement typical PC features.

Thin client / Internet appliance

Main articles: Thin client and Internet appliance

Over time some traditional desktop computers have been replaced with thin clients utilizing off-site computing solutions like the cloud. As more services and applications are served over the internet from off-site servers, local computing needs decrease, this drives desktop computers to be smaller, cheaper, and need less powerful hardware. More applications and in some cases entire virtual desktops are moved off-site and the desktop computer runs only an operating system or a shell application while the actual content is served from a server. Thin client computers may do almost all of their computing on a virtual machine in another site. Internal, hosted virtual desktops can offer users a completely consistent experience from anywhere.

Workstation

HP Integrity server with rack-mountable and desktop variants

HP9000 workstation, based on an Integrity desktop server Main article: Workstation

Workstations are advanced class of personal computers designed for a user and more powerful than a regular PC but less powerful than a server in regular computing. They are capable of high-resolution and three-dimensional interfaces, and typically used to perform scientific and engineering work. Like server computers, they are often connected with other workstations. The main form-factor for this class is a Tower case, but most vendors produce compact or all-in-one low-end workstations. Most tower workstations can be converted to a rack-mount version.

Desktop server

Oriented for small business class of servers; typically entry-level server machines, with similar to workstation/gaming PC computing powers and with some mainstream servers features, but with only basic graphic abilities; and some desktop servers can be converted to workstations.

Comparison with laptops

References

"desktop". Collins Dictionary. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
Dennen, Ed (July 18, 1994). "How can it be a desktop if it isn't on top of the desk?". PC Week. 11 (28). Ziff-Davis: 69 – via Gale.
Prowse, David (2015). CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Exam Cram. Pearson Education. p. 201. ISBN 9780134391496 – via Google Books.
Lamont Wood, "Forgotten PC history: The true origins of the personal computer" Archived 2008-08-14 at the Wayback Machine, Computerworld, 8 August 2008
"Hewlett Packard 9830A – Complete History of the HP9830A". history-computer.com. January 4, 2021.
"Timeline of Computer History". Computer History Museum. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
"Most Important Companies". Byte. September 1995. Archived from the original on June 18, 2008. Retrieved June 10, 2008.
"Thirty years of Mac: 1984 – The Macintosh". Apple. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
^ Plafke, James (January 11, 2013). "PC sales are in decline, and in an alarming way for the first time". ExtremeTech.
Darlin, Damon (June 15, 2006). "Falling Short of A+ – New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
"Michael Dell back as CEO; Rollins resigns – CNET News". CNET. January 31, 2007. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
"Lap-top computers gain stature as power grows". Daily News of Los Angeles (CA). April 12, 1987. Retrieved September 30, 2016 – via Newslibrary.com.
^ "The Falling Costs of Mobile Computing". Falling Costs of Mobile Computing Drive Corporate Adoption. Computer Economics, Inc. December 2005. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
Worldwide notebook shipments grow 33% on year in 2007, says IDC, 31 January 2008, Yen Ting Chen, DigiTimes, retrieved at 12 September 2011
Analysis: Did Intel underestimate netbook success? Archived 2013-05-10 at the Wayback Machine, Accessed at 10 January 2009
Notebook PC Shipments Exceed Desktops for First Time in Q3, isuppli.com, accessed at 13 January 2009
Randall Stross (April 18, 2008). "The PC Doesn't Have to Be an Anchor". The New York Times. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
"Intel: laptop/desktop crossover coming sooner than expected". The Register, UK. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
Charles Jade (January 25, 2010). "Decline of the Desktop Mac". gigaom.com.
^ "Computer Sales in Free Fall". The Wall Street Journal.
Anthony, Sebastian (January 23, 2012). "Microsoft quietly kills off the desktop PC". ExtremeTech.
2013 PC Sales Decline
Why sales declined in 2013
"Can a $50 mini PC replace your desktop?". March 20, 2013. Yes, the hardware is technically much slower than anything in a modern Windows desktop, but it didn't feel that way. Instead, the interface was snappy, Web browsing was smooth, and load times were short.
"Android overtakes Windows for first time: "Milestone in technology history and end of an era" as Microsoft no longer owns dominant OS" (Press release).
tomwarren (August 9, 2015). "There's no such thing as post-PC". The Verge. Vox Media.
Darren Orf (August 11, 2014). "So What Ever Happened to Post-PC?". Gizmodo. Gawker Media.
"The 'Post-PC Era' Never Really Happened…and Likely Won't". Tech.pinions. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
Epps, Sarah Rotman. "The Post-PC Era: It's Real, But It Doesn't Mean What You Think". Forbes. Archived from the original on August 10, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
"PC sales show first rise in six years". July 14, 2018.
"PC sales are growing for the first time in six years". July 13, 2018.
"Why the Much-Hyped Post-PC Era Never Arrived". January 10, 2015.
"PC Demand Remained Strong in the Second Quarter Amid Early Signs That Market Conditions May Be Cooling, According to IDC". idc.com. July 12, 2021. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
"Growth Streak for Traditional PCs Continues During Holiday Quarter of 2021, According to IDC". idc.com. January 12, 2022. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
"The desktop PC is making a comeback – here's why". TechRadar. July 13, 2021.
"PCs Make Their Comeback as Pandemic Changes How We Work". TheStreet.com. January 12, 2022.
"PC Gaming Still On the Rise" (Press release).
"Shipments of Personal Computing Devices for Gaming Forecast to Deliver Solid Growth, According to IDC". Archived from the original on October 3, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
"PC accounted for 28% of the game market in 2017". December 20, 2017.
"Gaming is driving the wildest PC experiments". January 10, 2019.
"SGI Onyx2 Deskside - VAXBARN". www.vaxbarn.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
"7028-6E1 IBM eServer pSeries 610 Deskside Server Model 6E1". www-01.ibm.com. June 7, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
"Cray CX1 Deskside Supercomputer". Retrieved May 23, 2021.
http://techreport.com/articles.x/21556 Zotac's Zbox Nano AD10 Plus nettop - Zacate in the palm of your hand
Santo-Domingo, Joel. "Is A Nettop Right for You?". PCMAG.
Shakir, Umar (March 26, 2022). "Honey, I decapitated the MacBook". The Verge. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
"How to Buy an All-in-One PC". PC Magazine. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
"What is a Computer Tower?".
"PC Case Form Factors Explained". May 17, 2022.
Laura, Bremner (January 12, 2020). "Why are mechanical keyboards better". PcSite.co.uk.
"Gaming mice". spacehop.com. January 13, 2021.
Bleicher, Paul (June 2008). "The Evolution of the Desktop Computer". Applied Clinical Trials. 17 (6). Monmouth Junction: 44, 46, 48.
Fata, Matt. "Corp to Cloud: Google's Virtual Desktops". Communications of the ACM. doi:10.1145/3233233. S2CID 53112965. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
"Workstation Definition & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
"Workstation Definition". techterms.com. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
APC BackUPs UPS Specs
Cost of APC Back-ups-1500VA-230V
Cliff, J. "Laptops vs desktops. Personal Computer World" (Document). Incisive Media Limited. ProQuest 213495868.

External links

Computer Tour – of major components of a desktop computers at HowStuffWorks

Computer sizes and classes

Micro

Static

Appliances

Computers

By use	Gaming Home Industrial Personal Personal super Public Server Home server Workstation
By size	All-in-one Panel Tabletop Surface Desktop Deskside Pizza box Tower Portable Small form factor Mini PC Plug Stick PC Rack Blade server Blade PC

Mobile

Laptop	2-in-1 Convertible Cloudbook Mobile workstation Notebook Subnotebook Netbook Smartbook
Tablet	Detachable Phablet
Handheld	Electronic organizer E-reader Handheld game console Handheld PC Mobile data terminal Mobile phone Camera Feature Smartphone Foldable Palmtop PC Personal digital assistant Pocket Portable data terminal Portable media player Siftable Ultra-mobile PC
Calculator	Graphing Programmable Scientific
Wearable	Fitness tracker Smart band Digital wristwatch Calculator watch Smartwatch Sportwatch Smartglasses Smart ring

Midrange

Large

Others

Category

Categories: