Will personal computer desktops make a comeback or finally meet its untimely demise? After years of consumers shafting the desktop in favor of laptops and tablets, some tech analysts are suggesting that consumers may be heading back to the conventional desktop.
According to a new report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), consumer satisfaction with computers in general fell last year, but the biggest finding from the survey was the fact that consumers were more satisfied with desktops than laptops and tablets.
The report discovered that the satisfaction score for desktops was 81 out of 100, three percent higher than a year ago. Meanwhile, satisfaction with laptops dropped four percent to 76, and tablet satisfaction declined one percent to a score of 80.
“Slower growth and declining satisfaction with tablets suggest that manufacturers have not kept up with consumer expectations regarding innovation and improvement,” the report stated.
When it comes to the brand name, Apple still remains supreme – for the 10th year in a row – with an overall satisfaction score of 84. However, other companies that have a smaller market share, such as Asus, Lenovo and Samsung, are closing in on Apple with a score of 82.
David VanAmburg, managing director of the ACSI, told Modern Readers that prior to the introduction of tablets, laptop scores were honing on desktops because the laptop was the tablet back in the day. Now, however, the laptop is stationed in between the tablet and the computer. In other words, it’s all about being mobile.
In addition, one of the reasons why the PC has already received lower scores is because of complexity.
“One of the reasons why the PC industry had always scored lower than other durable products is the complexity involved in the PC,” said VanAmburg. “There’s a certain simplicity to running a dishwasher versus the kinds of things that go wrong with a PC.”