Increase Your Productivity – Are Laptops Really Necessary?
Perhaps you already have a laptop, or are thinking about
purchasing a laptop, but are not sure if it is really worth getting. Are laptops
really necessary, and do they help increase your productivity? There are a
number of advantages and disadvantages to owning a laptop, which may help you
to decide whether owning one is a good idea or not. Here are some points that
can help you to decide whether being more mobile is a good idea:
Advantages
There are definitely a number of advantages to owning a laptop,
most of which are concerned with its size and design. The most important
advantages of owning a laptop are:
·
Portability
·
Size and weight
·
Image
Portability
Obviously,
the main reason to buy a laptop is that it is portable and mobile. You can take
it with you wherever you go, and so you can use your computer on the move. This
can help you to become more productive by giving you the opportunity to work
during normally unproductive times, like travelling to and from locations. If
you travel a lot, then having a laptop could be beneficial.
Size and Weight
Even if
you are not on the move all the time, a laptop obviously takes up less space
than a regular desktop computer, and can be more easily moved around. If you
live in a small house or apartment, then a laptop can save you quite a lot of
space, and can be put away when not being used.
Image
Another
reason to get a laptop is for the image. Obviously this should not be the only
reason to get a laptop, but they do look much better than most desktop
computers. If image is important to you, then a laptop is the better choice of
computer system.
Disadvantages
Obviously, there are some disadvantages to owning a laptop, and you should consider these
carefully before buying. The main disadvantages are:
·
Technology problems
·
Comfort
·
Upgrading
Technology
One of
the biggest problems with laptops is that the same amount of features that are
in a desktop are trying to be crammed into a smaller space. This means that laptops
are usually a step behind desktops in terms of efficiency, and are often much
slower. They are also more prone to problems and malfunction than desktops and
can be harder to repair.
Comfort
If you
want decent sound, and the comfort of a nice keyboard and a mouse, then a laptop
is probably not for you. Laptops maybe mobile, but you lose out on the comfort
side. If you want something comfortable to use at home, then a desktop is
definitely a better option.
Upgrading
Another
big problem with laptops is that they are very hard to upgrade. If you buy a laptop
hoping that you can easily upgrade in the future, then you are going to have
problems. Even adding more RAM can be tricky, and usually involves shipping the
item back to the manufacturers. This obviously means your laptop will have a
shorter life span than a desktop, because you cannot simply upgrade the
components to extend its useful life. If you are someone who likes to upgrade
their computer to stay with the current trends, then buy a desktop.
Image
Although
image can be an advantage, it is also a disadvantage. It is likely at some
point you have been irritated by someone typing away on their laptop on a
train. People may see you as a workaholic, and this may not be the image you
want to portray. A laptop may be
mobile and can be used anywhere, but it may not be convenient or polite to use
it in every place.
But can laptops really increase productivity?
Whether
or not laptops can increase your productivity is debatable. Obviously, they
give you the ability to work wherever you are and at any time, even when on the
move. However, whether you really need to do this is another matter. For some
people, the idea of being able to work all the time will give them too much
stress. However, the biggest bonus of having a laptop is that you can be more
flexible about when you work, which may help to improve the quality of your
personal life and leisure time. Whether a laptop will be productive for you
really depends on the career that you are pursuing, and whether or not you
really need to be constantly mobile.