Every one of us has different perceptions when it comes to working from home or doing remote work. Would it be wise to spend a lot to establish a work from home setup? Would your workstation be one that can be carried wherever and whenever you go? Would your PC be one that is based on performance over quality? To put it simply, for most of us, the question always stems out of whether to buy a desktop or a laptop.

To help you decide, given below are criteria to take into consideration when setting up your home office, which will also differentiate a desktop from a laptop consequently:

Budget-friendliness. A desktop’s price comes in as cheaper option compared to that of a laptop. Laptops cost more to manufacture, produce, and incorporate. Simply imagine the already medium-sized computer parts being assembled into an even smaller and more compact portable device.

Portability. The very design of a laptop screams and oozes portability. On the other hand, desktop can also be moved from one place to another (apparently requiring your cardio and strength conditioning), but is generally designed to be in one location. If you are a digital nomad, it is undeniable that you would opt for a laptop. In contrary, being a stay-at-home freelancer may make desktop more suitable for you.

Upgradability. Normally, laptops are boxed components that are not 100% upgradable. You are fortunate if you could upgrade both the storage and its random-access memory (RAM). But then, desktop components can be upgraded if so pleased and can go with the flow of the ever-moving technological advancements.  If you know how to tinker with a desktop, you can technically change all its components.

Power Consumption. A desktop needs more power to operate as its unit and monitor display need separate power supplies. Alternatively, a laptop, which has an independent power in a form of a battery pack, can go hours without being plugged into a power source. Power fluctuations will render the desktop vulnerable as unsaved work will be lost.

Performance and Repair. Due to the nature of a laptop being a minimized version of a desktop, the desktop processors tend to be more powerful than that of a laptop. Although there is no science to explain it, laptops tend to slow down over time compared to a desktop. Also, laptops have a limited space in its bezel, so adding another internal drive is not possible. However, one can completely replace the internal drive with one that has more storage. Laptops are also difficult to open if it needs servicing compared to a desktop that has its components easily accessible.

Bear in mind that the given points are simply guidelines. Every remote worker has his or her own preference in terms of budget, convenience, efficiency, and maintenance relative to their workstation. Make a decision by considering your current situation, what you mostly need with your remote work, and the future issues that you may encounter regardless of the unit you decide to buy.