Is a Laptop or Desktop Computer Better for Gaming?

As technology gets more advanced smaller computers continue to gain popularity. Most computer users are looking for a computer that is convenient and hassle free and will look for a laptop or even an iPad. What about computer gamers though? Is a laptop a good choice for gaming or is the desktop still the best way to enjoy video games?

Desktop Gaming vs. Laptop Gaming: Portability
Obviously portability is a notch in the win column for the laptop. A laptop can be carried on a trip easily so that the owner of the laptop or their children can easily enjoy video games on vacation or a business trip. With wireless Internet becoming more common even online games can be enjoyed anywhere with a laptop. The user does not even need to go out of town to enjoy the portability of a laptop computer. If the gamer simply wants to sit in a comfortable chair instead of at a desk then that is another advantage of a gaming laptop.

Desktop Gaming vs. Laptop Gaming: Price
Don't think that because a laptop computer is smaller than a desktop computer that it is going to be cheaper. When it comes to electronics the consumer will have to pay extra for convenience. The smaller an item is the more expensive it will be and a good gaming desktop computer can be built for $500 less than a gaming laptop computer.

Desktop Gaming vs. Laptop Gaming: Upgrades
Laptops are very difficult to upgrade. In most cases buying a laptop computer means that when the computer is out of date the owner will have to buy a completely new laptop. With a gaming desktop computer the gamer can simply upgrade the individual part they need to improve without buying a completely new computer.

Desktop Gaming vs. Laptop Gaming: Accessories
Any gamer that likes the use of a mouse is better off with a gaming desktop computer. A mouse is a lot easier to manipulate than the track pad on a laptop computer. Laptops do have a USB slot so that a mouse can be attached but in doing so the user is minimizing the portability advantage since a flat surface is best for operating a mouse.

Desktop Gaming vs. Laptop Gaming: Power
Serious gamers will play a video game for hours. Not all gaming laptop computers will have a battery life that is long enough to endure long video game sessions. The gamer could resort to plugging the laptop in but again this limits the portability advantage.

Desktop Gaming vs. Laptop Gaming: Conclusion
If the user only cares about portability, is a casual gamer that won't have very long video game sessions and can afford buying a completely new gaming laptop when it is no longer up to date then a laptop is a good choice. Most consumers looking to purchase a gaming computer are going to find a desktop computer to be the better option for one of the reasons stated above though.

For more by this author, read Do Video Gamers Prefer Hard Copies or Digital Copies?, Upcoming Comic Book Movie Adaptations that Should Be Video Games Instead, and Nintendo's 10 Worst Mario Video Games of All-time.

Sources:
Codrut Nistor, Laptop vs. Desktop, PC Tips 3000
Desktop or Laptop?, Intel.com