I want fewer computers

I only want to have three computers. Two would be even better. Desktop computer, laptop, tablet, mini tablet, smartphone. There are too many devices. It is expensive to have everything, but it is also hard to keep them updated.

Money and time

To have more than three computers is expensive. You have to buy them and then renew them. Technology changes fast. In a few years, they become obsolete, slow, and unable to communicate with new devices.

They all need time. You have to update the software and organize your data. If you do not use one of them for several weeks or even just a few days, many things will cease to work. You could have your information in the cloud, but there is always something missing. It could be a software incompatibility or something you forgot.

Even with no economic limitations, less is better.

The combination of devices needed depends on each person’s job and preferences.

A device for each moment

Each computer is suitable for a different occasion.

For hard work, the desktop is the best option, by far. The big screen and the full keyboard make the difference.

When you need more mobility, you sacrifice performance. So, for a few day’s travel, the laptop is perfect. It is also necessary if you do not work all day in the office. For a day out, a big tablet is ok. In some cases, a mini tablet is even better. For extreme mobility, the smartphone is essential.

There is a perfect device for each occasion. But, as I said, it is too expensive and complicated to have everything. So, we have to choose.

Laptop, screen, and phone

When mobility is a priority, the laptop is the best option. It can do almost the same things as a desktop computer. It is flexible, and it can adapt to many places and circumstances.

If you connect the laptop to an external monitor, you can have a complete workplace. In some jobs and some tasks, this is essential to making the laptop a possible alternative for a full desktop.

On the other side, that option is much more expensive than a desktop computer. For the same characteristics, you have to pay much more. You will also need more cables and more space.

Desktop and tablet

Tablets are improving. They can do some of the things that only laptops could do. However, for many people, they have too many limitations to be their only computer.

With a desktop computer and a tablet, you can take advantage of the specialization. The desktop has a big screen, a full keyboard, and more internal disk space. It could also have many peripherals connected and can run any software. Meanwhile, the tablet is better than the laptop for mobility purposes. That combination is not more expensive than a laptop and an external monitor.

A desktop and a tablet is a good option, but the problem is that many people also need or want a phone.

The phone as a computer

Every year phones have better processors, bigger screens, and smaller bezels. They begin to compete with the tablet or even the laptop in some tasks.

A big phone and a laptop is the most common computer combination. For other people, a phone and a desktop computer are the priorities.

If they need something in between, they could use a laptop or a tablet. In that last case, the tablet can be an old model or a device you share with other family members. The tablet became the third option for rare occasions.

The future of many devices

It would be good to have only one device and a different screen for each case. The screen and the keyboard are the main constraints when mobility is a priority.

We are getting closer to that ideal. Storage space in the cloud let us access the same information on any device. On the other side, the operating systems of phones, tablets, and computers are getting closer. It is easy to image a future with only one way to do things but different screen sizes.

Virtual reality could be the answer. It will be one computer, one screen. That option, though is too far in the future.

Conclusion

We have too many devices. Desktop computer, laptop, tablet, and phone. Each one is better for a different task. To have them all is too complicated. It is not just a matter of money.

We need only one computer and different screens. Technology cannot solve that problem yet. We have to choose two devices.

Phones are evolving faster and gaining ground on the others. Phones are a priority for most consumers. Some people combine them with a laptop, others with a desktop computer. It all depends on the type of job they have and their personal preferences.

Tablets are in the middle. They are useful but, if we have to choose, they are the first that many discard.