incrediBILL - 11:12 pm on Oct 25, 2012 (gmt 0)

Everyone keeps saying desktop computers are dead but friends at lunch today brought up this topic again and said the same thing I've been saying: We don't need to upgrade. Just because we aren't buying desktops doesn't mean we aren't using desktops. It just means the hardware has finally outpaced software which was, until recently, a frequently occurring leapfrog event requiring updates of hardware to keep pace.

The fact that my current computer is an 8GB quad core and under a decent load barely touches 20% of the CPU on Win 7 should give you a clue why I, and many others, aren't buying new desktop machines.

Sure I'm buying new phones and tablets because my previous phone and tablet, like my previous computer, was slower than hell. However, my current 4-5 year old desktop still seems just as fast as the day I bought it.

More likely than replacing the PC will be an upgrade of an SSD (solid state disk) to make it go much faster than this old HDD can spin and that alone could make it last another 3-4 years. I might also add a 3rd and possibly 4th monitor, but that again won't help lagging desktop sales.

PC makers simply need to face the hard truth that they're now delivering product that has a purchase cycle more like a car than the rapid computer sales cycles of yesteryear and adjust accordingly before they find themselves in dire financial straits.