Interesting break time discussion

[Faustus]

During a tea break at work today a group of us started discussing upgrading computers (there are about five iMac owners including myself).

I asked one of the guys with a 2009 iMac if he was going to replace his with a 21.5" or the 27" version and was surprised by his reply. He said that this time around he may well look at something else, probably a Windows PC. What did make me sit up and take notice was the other iMac owners saying they might do the same.

There reasoning was this - on aesthetics, build quality and usability the iMac takes some beating. However, things have moved on in the last few years with most people now owning a smartphone and possibly a notebook and/or a tablet as well. Whilst everyone still wanted a Desktop, having an expensive all singing all dancing one didn't matter as much anymore. They argued that with cross compatibility there wasn't much a Windows PC couldn't do that a Mac couldn't and vice-versa. They accepted a Windows PC might not look as good but that you can now buy some very good IPS monitors for not a lot of money and even a cheap Window box will now last you quite some time, at least until upgrade time comes around again.

I think everyone is only too aware of the decline in sales of Windows PC's but if this type of thinking starts to become common with Apple owners then sales of iMacs are also going to decline.

I have to say that the logic of what my colleagues were saying does have merit. I myself spend less time with my iMac since buying a tablet.

What do others think?

 

[Faustus]

If they don't need their desktops as much, why are they upgrading at all?
I think desktops have been fine for the last 5 years or so, really no need to upgrade unless you play games.

I think if you re-read I said next time around, not that all of them were upgrading now. I think many of you have taken a somewhat different tack to what myself and my work colleagues were discussing i.e. replacing a Desktop with a Desktop. None of us wants to replace the Desktop with something like a Notebook, that isn't an option that any of us would contemplate. We were discussing replacing the iMac with Windows machine or perhaps a Mini.

 

[Faustus]

My wife ditched her laptop for an iPad, which was fine due to her usage. She does occasionally use the iMac when she wants to manage her music and photo collection, but the majority of the time the iPad is more than adequate.

If we look at what the masses use desktop/laptops for they can easily do it on a tablet. The most obvious things tablets fall short on are office programs and editing suites. But even those are becoming more powerful on tablets.

Maybe but in truth I wouldn't like to contemplate doing all my office work on a tablet, even with a keyboard.