Why Laptops are Still Important

In the ever changing, ever advancing world of technology it seems that various devices become outdated faster and faster. Smartphones are now owned by a majority of cell phone users, tablets are growing at an explosive rate, and many TVs are now basically computers. With the rapid change that has hit the technological world, one question has begun to emerge. Is a laptop still important?

This may seem like a dumb question, but there is a feeling that we are entering into what one tech giant has called the "Post-PC Era". With the rise in popular mobile computing platforms such as smartphones and tablets, the question as to whether or not traditional computers, such as the laptop, are still important remains to be seen. I, however, believe that the answer to this question is a resounding yes. Here are a few reasons why.

# 1: Laptops are more powerful.
While new and more powerful tablets are being released almost daily, the iPad mini and 4th generation iPad announced yesterday for example, they cannot yet compare to the power and performance a laptop can produce. This is particularly evident in applications that use a lot of processing power such as video production, photo editing, audio engineering, and so forth. Laptops also run full fledged operating systems such as Windows 7 and Mac OS X that allow people to do so much more than simply using the interface provided by an "app". While the applications on tablets are improving and are continually growing, they are still not "up to par" with a full-fledged computer.

# 2: Laptops have a physical keyboard and trackpad.
Yes, touch screens are great and are the way of the future, but there is something to be said for a traditional keyboard and the use of a trackpad to interact with a computer. Both are interfaces that have been around for years and are continually improving. Typing on a keyboard is much easier than trying to type on a full-sized tablet touchscreen, and will also keep the display clean of fingerprints. A trackpad also allows for a precise selection on the screen, more so than even a finger can provide.

# 3: Laptops are still a better value.
While tablets are starting to split into many different categories ranging from 7-inch $200 tablets to 10-inch $800 tablets, they are still not the same "bang for your buck" as a laptop. There are many laptops that can be found for half  the price of a top of the line tablet that do twice as much. Laptops not only allow you to browse the web, the main activity on a tablet, but they also allow you to use programs not available on a tablet, at least not yet. Programs such as Microsoft Office, Apple's Aperture, and many other advanced programs are made for a traditional computer.

In the end, it remains to be seen if the world continues to use laptops like they have in the past, or if tablets will become the dominant mobile product. While I believe that laptops are still a vital necessity, the ever advancing technology in tablets could shift the scales toward this relatively new, and very exciting product category.

Regardless of your preference for laptops or tablets, you can rent both at rentacomputer.com.

Find out what is going on in the Tech Army World.

What are the Top 10 Money Making Missions?
What other companies have joined and what do they do?
How do I join the Tech Army Organization ?