Is this the end of the desktop PC?

Computers are getting smaller, faster and more power efficient. The computing power of our devices is starting to reach the limits of what is possible. Over the last twenty years we have seen enormous leaps in processing power.
 
For a long time the classic desktop computer was the pinnacle of home and office computing. In the beginning they were the only option. They offered the most processing power. They became customisable and upgradeable.

In households across the planet as the internet revolution exploded a lot of us had a computer tucked away in the corner of a room, the family computer. A large 14” CRT display providing us with access to the world wide web.
 
Portable computing has been around for a long time, since the 1980’s, but they were luggable rather than portable, and were often woefully under powered. They offered a way to use a computer on the go, but the cost and and poor performance meant that they were no match for a desktop.
 
Laptops really come into their own in the 1990’s and towards the the end of the decade “desktop replacement” was a term used often used for the laptop form factor we are now familiar with.
 
Nowadays power, performance, weight and slimline designs are paramount. The portable machines of today offer everything a desktop can in terms of processing power.

It has even progressed so far that the average smart phone can be as powerful as a desktop or laptop that was released five or ten years ago.
 
Tablet computing has flourished and are replacing laptops, they seem to offer the perfect level of connectivity and productivity for the majority of consumers.
 
Computing has been transformed and miniaturised.

Similar to the consumer audio industry, our living spaces that were once occupied with black, beige and silver boxes have faded away and replaced by a sole Bluetooth speaker.
 
The sense of occasion has gone. We can compute on the go, whenever and wherever we want. We can do it while sat on the toilet!
 
The newest edition to the desktop killer line of products are mini PC’s. Tiny devices that can fit in your hand. The specifications are impressive and the latest generation of these little boxes can put a lot of devices to shame.
 
So this must be the end of the desktop PC. They are inconvenient, large and static.

So why do I have a desktop PC? It is not the family computer, it is mine. It has a large 34” ultra wide curved display. I don’t actually have a desktop, I have a tower PC, it’s huge, one of the biggest you can get.
 
I spent quite of money and time on it. I built it myself, bought the parts and assembled it accordingly. It takes up a lot of space.
 
Why?
 
I enjoy building it. I like the option to upgrade certain elements. I designed it to be completely silent and cool 95% of the time. It doesn’t have flashing RGB. It is exactly the way I want it to be. Tailored to me. That is the point of a desktop. Total freedom.

I have been really tempted by the Mini PC, researching these I have discovered that they are capable devices and would indeed be a worthy contender to push out my tower rig.
 
As I mentioned, I have an large curved display, so it seems silly to me to have something so large powered by a tiny little box or laptop. I appreciate if space is an absolute premium then the smaller the better, but I do believe it will come at a compromise.
 
PC building is a hobby for me. I enjoy all the aspects involved. The desktop PC is an enthusiasts market.

I understand that a lot of people just don’t care about this sort of thing, so it’s not important to them.
 
Our electronics have been converging and when that happens we lose the ability to customise and ultimately lose our choice about what is important to us. Instead of having something tailored made we have generic devices with features that the manufacturer decides are important. We are essentially being told what we are having. The removal of the headphone jack on smart phones is a classic example of this.
 
The faithful desktop is not being intentionally assassinated by laptops, mini PC’s, tablets or phones, this is just the march of progress. Consumers want convenience and portability and will pay handsomely for that, even if it means they fundamentally get less.
 
I’m not entirely sure desktop PC’s will be completely eliminated quite yet. The majority of the world doesn’t want a big box, but some of us still like the idea that we can have something that feels like it was made for us.