Editing Desktop computer (section)

==History==
===Origins===
[[File:Apple II IMG 4212.jpg|right|thumb|[[Apple II]] computer]]
Prior to the widespread use of [[Microprocessor|microprocessors]], a computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small; the type of computers most commonly used were [[minicomputer]]s, which, despite the name, were rather large and were "mini" only compared to the so-called "[[Mainframe computer|big iron]]". Early computers, and later the general purpose high throughput "[[Mainframe computer|mainframes]]", took up the space of a whole room. [[Minicomputer|Minicomputers]], on the contrary, generally fit into one or a few refrigerator-sized racks, or, for the few smaller ones, ''built into'' a fairly large desk, not put ''on top'' of it.

It was not until the 1970s when fully programmable computers appeared that could fit entirely on top of a desk. 1970 saw the introduction of the [[Datapoint 2200]], a "smart" [[computer terminal]] complete with keyboard and monitor, was designed to connect with a [[mainframe computer]] but that did not stop owners from using its built-in computational abilities as a stand-alone desktop computer.<ref name="wood">Lamont Wood, [http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=printArticleBasic&articleId=9111341 "Forgotten PC history: The true origins of the personal computer"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814215757/http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=printArticleBasic&articleId=9111341 |date=2008-08-14 }}, ''Computerworld'', 8 August 2008</ref> The [[HP 9800 series]], which started out as programmable calculators in 1971 but was programmable in [[BASIC]] by 1972, used a smaller version of a [[minicomputer]] design based on ROM memory and had small one-line LED alphanumeric displays and displayed graphics with a plotter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hewlett Packard 9830A – Complete History of the HP9830A |url=https://history-computer.com/ModernComputer/Personal/HP9830A.html |website=history-computer.com|date=4 January 2021 }}</ref> The [[Wang 2200]] of 1973 had a full-size [[cathode-ray tube]] (CRT) and cassette tape storage. The [[IBM 5100]] in 1975 had a small CRT display and could be programmed in BASIC and [[APL (programming language)|APL]]. These were generally expensive specialized computers sold for business or scientific uses.<ref name="Timeline of Computer History">{{Cite web |title=Timeline of Computer History |url=http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/?category=cmptr |access-date=May 7, 2014 |publisher=Computer History Museum}}</ref>

===Growth and development===
{{See also|Keyboard computer}}
[[Apple II]], [[TRS-80]] and [[Commodore PET]] were first generation personal [[home computer]]s launched in 1977, which were aimed at the consumer market – rather than businessmen or computer hobbyists. [[Byte (magazine)|''Byte'' magazine]] referred to these three as the "1977 Trinity" of personal computing.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 1995 |title=Most Important Companies |url=http://www.byte.com/art/9509/sec7/art15.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618072507/http://www.byte.com/art/9509/sec7/art15.htm |archive-date=2008-06-18 |access-date=2008-06-10 |website=[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]]}}</ref> Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, desktop computers became the predominant type, the most popular being the [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]] and its [[IBM PC compatible|clones]], followed by the [[Mac (computer)|Apple Macintosh]],<ref name="Thirty years of Mac">{{Cite web |title=Thirty years of Mac: 1984 – The Macintosh |url=https://www.apple.com/30-years/1984/ |access-date=8 May 2014 |publisher=Apple}}</ref> with the third-placed [[Commodore International|Commodore]] [[Amiga]] having some success in the mid-1980s but declining by the early 1990s.

[[File:Ibm pc 5150.jpg|right|thumb|[[IBM 5150]] Personal Computer]]
[[File:Man with computer, controlling a hydroelectric power plant.JPG|thumb|A person working on a 2004 tower PC computer with a Dell monitor]]
Early [[Personal computer|personal computers]], like the original [[IBM Personal Computer]], were enclosed in a "''desktop case''", horizontally oriented to have the display screen placed on top, thus saving space on the user's actual desk, although these cases had to be sturdy enough to support the weight of [[Cathode-ray tube|CRT displays]] that were widespread at the time. Over the course of the 1990s, desktop cases gradually became less common than the more-accessible [[Computer tower|tower cases]] that may be located on the floor under or beside a desk rather than on a desk. Not only do these tower cases have more room for expansion, they have also freed up desk space for monitors which were becoming larger every year. Desktop cases, particularly the compact form factors, remain popular for corporate computing environments and kiosks. Some computer cases can be interchangeably positioned either horizontally (desktop) or upright (mini-tower).

Influential games such as ''[[Doom (franchise)|Doom]]'' and ''[[Quake (series)|Quake]]'' during the 1990s had pushed [[Gaming computer|gamers]] and [[Gaming computer|enthusiasts]] to frequently upgrade to the latest CPUs and [[graphics card]]s ([[3dfx]], [[ATI Technologies|ATI]], and [[Nvidia]]) for their desktops (usually a tower case) in order to run these applications, though this has slowed since the late 2000s as the growing popularity of Intel integrated graphics forced game developers to scale back. [[Creative Technology]]'s [[Sound Blaster]] series were a ''[[de facto]]'' standard for sound cards in desktop PCs during the 1990s until the early 2000s, when they were reduced to a niche product, as OEM desktop PCs came with sound boards integrated directly onto the motherboard.

===Decline===
[[File:Laptops in store 20170514.jpg|thumb|Laptops in store]]
While desktops have long been the most common configuration for PCs,<ref name="extremetech.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/145465-pc-sales-are-in-decline-and-in-an-alarming-way-for-the-first-time|title=PC sales are in decline, and in an alarming way for the first time|work=ExtremeTech|date=January 11, 2013 |last1=Plafke |first1=James }}</ref> by the mid-2000s the growth shifted from desktops to laptops.<ref name="nytimes2006">{{cite news|last=Darlin |first=Damon |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/15/technology/15dell.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all& |title=Falling Short of A+ – New York Times |work=The New York Times |date=2006-06-15 |access-date=2012-10-30}}</ref> Laptops had long been produced by [[contract manufacturer]]s based in Asia, such as [[Foxconn]], and this shift led to the closure of the many desktop assembly plants in the United States by 2010. Another trend around this time was the increasing proportion of inexpensive base-configuration desktops being sold, hurting PC manufacturers such as [[Dell]] whose build-to-order customization of desktops relied on upselling added features to buyers.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1014_3-6155185.html |title=Michael Dell back as CEO; Rollins resigns – CNET News |website=CNET |date=2007-01-31 |access-date=2012-10-30}}</ref>

Battery-powered portable computers had just a 2% worldwide market share in 1986.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=la&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF513A9C40DA46F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-access=registration|title=Lap-top computers gain stature as power grows|work=Daily News of Los Angeles (CA)|date=12 April 1987|access-date=September 30, 2016|via=Newslibrary.com}}</ref> However, laptops have become increasingly popular, both for business and personal use.<ref name="Computer Economics, Inc">{{cite web | url=http://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1084 | title=The Falling Costs of Mobile Computing | publisher=Computer Economics, Inc. | work=Falling Costs of Mobile Computing Drive Corporate Adoption | date=December 2005 | access-date=September 30, 2016 | archive-date=February 24, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224213138/https://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1084 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
Around 109 million notebook PCs shipped worldwide in 2007, a growth of 33% compared to 2006.<ref name="ssev2011-09-12">[http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20080131PD209.html Worldwide notebook shipments grow 33% on year in 2007, says IDC], 31 January 2008, Yen Ting Chen, DigiTimes, retrieved at 12 September 2011</ref>
In 2008, it was estimated that 145.9 million notebooks were sold and that the number would grow in 2009 to 177.7 million.<ref name="ee2009-01-10">[http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=YN1M2POYEMEN0QSNDLSCKHA?articleID=212701251 Analysis: Did Intel underestimate netbook success?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510095105/http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=YN1M2POYEMEN0QSNDLSCKHA?articleID=212701251 |date=2013-05-10 }}, Accessed at 10 January 2009</ref> The third quarter of 2008 was the first time when worldwide [[notebook PC]] shipments exceeded desktops, with 38.6 million units versus 38.5 million units.<ref name="Computer Economics, Inc"/><ref name="is2009-01-13">[http://www.isuppli.com/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=19823 Notebook PC Shipments Exceed Desktops for First Time in Q3], isuppli.com, accessed at 13 January 2009</ref><ref name="NYT09">{{cite news | title = The PC Doesn't Have to Be an Anchor | work = [[The New York Times]]| author = Randall Stross | date = 18 April 2008 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/business/19digi.html?_r=1&ref=technology| access-date = 20 April 2009}}
</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/17/intel_laptop_desktop_crossover/ |title=Intel: laptop/desktop crossover coming sooner than expected |work=The Register, UK |access-date=10 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007091449/http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/17/intel_laptop_desktop_crossover/ |archive-date=7 October 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The sales breakdown of the [[Mac (computer)|Apple Macintosh]] has seen sales of desktop Macs staying mostly constant while being surpassed by that of Mac notebooks whose sales rate has grown considerably; seven out of ten Macs sold were laptops in 2009, a ratio projected to rise to three out of four by 2010. The change in sales of form factors is due to the desktop iMac moving from affordable [[iMac G3|G3]] to upscale [[iMac G4|G4]] model and subsequent releases are considered premium all-in-ones. By contrast, the MSRP of the MacBook laptop lines have dropped through successive generations such that the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro constitute the lowest price of entry to a Mac, with the exception of the even more inexpensive Mac Mini (albeit without a monitor and keyboard), and the MacBooks are the top-selling form factors of the Macintosh platform today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gigaom.com/2010/01/25/decline-of-the-desktop-mac/|title=Decline of the Desktop Mac|author=Charles Jade|work=gigaom.com|date=2010-01-25}}</ref>

The decades of development mean that most people already own desktop computers that meet their needs and have no need of buying a new one merely to keep pace with advancing technology. Notably, the successive release of new versions of [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (Windows 95, 98, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 and so on) had been drivers for the replacement of PCs in the 1990s, but this slowed in the 2000s due to the poor reception of Windows Vista over Windows XP. IDC analyst Jay Chou suggested that [[Windows 8]] actually hurt sales of PCs in 2012, as businesses decided to stick with [[Windows 7]] rather than upgrade.<ref name="online.wsj.com"/> Some suggested that Microsoft had acknowledged "implicitly ringing the desktop PC death knell" as Windows 8 offered little upgrade in desktop PC functionality over Windows 7; instead, Windows 8's innovations were mostly on the mobile side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/115003-microsoft-quietly-kills-off-the-desktop-pc|title=Microsoft quietly kills off the desktop PC | work=ExtremeTech|date=January 23, 2012 |last1=Anthony |first1=Sebastian }}</ref>

The [[post-PC era|post-PC trend]] saw a decline in the sales of desktop and laptop PCs.<ref name="online.wsj.com">{{cite news| url=https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324695104578414973888155516 |title=Computer Sales in Free Fall|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>2013 PC Sales [https://web.archive.org/web/20131010005854/http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2604616 Decline]</ref> The decline was attributed to increased power and applications of alternative computing devices, namely smartphones and tablet computers.<ref>Why sales declined in [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-10/pc-shipments-shrank-11-percent-in-second-quarter-gartner-says.html 2013]</ref> Although most people exclusively use their smartphones and tablets for more basic tasks such as [[social media]] and [[casual gaming]], these devices have in many instances replaced a second or third PC in the household that would have performed these tasks, though most families still retain a powerful PC for serious work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/can-a-50-mini-pc-replace-your-desktop/|title=Can a $50 mini PC replace your desktop?|quote=Yes, the hardware is technically much slower than anything in a modern Windows desktop, but it didn’t feel that way. Instead, the interface was snappy, Web browsing was smooth, and load times were short.|date=2013-03-20}}</ref>

Among PC form factors, desktops remain a staple in the enterprise market but lost popularity among home buyers. PC makers and electronics retailers responded by investing their engineering and marketing resources towards laptops (initially [[netbook]]s in the late 2000s, and then the higher-performance [[Ultrabook]]s from 2011 onwards), which manufacturers believed had more potential to revive the PC market<ref name="extremetech.com" /> than desktops.

In April 2017, StatCounter declared a "Milestone in technology history and end of an era" with the mobile [[Android (operating system)|Android operating system]] becoming more popular than Windows (the operating system that made desktops dominant over [[mainframe computer]]s).<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://gs.statcounter.com/press/android-overtakes-windows-for-first-time |title=Android overtakes Windows for first time: "Milestone in technology history and end of an era" as Microsoft no longer owns dominant OS}}</ref> [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] is still most popular on desktops (and laptops), while smartphones (and tablets) use Android or [[iOS]].

===Resurgence===
[[File:MSI-Gaming-PC 2024-09-30.png|thumb|An [[Micro-Star International|MSI]] [[Gaming computer|gaming desktop]] computer from the 2020s]]
Towards the middle of the 2010s, media sources began to question the existence of the post-PC trend, at least as conventionally defined, stating that the so-called post-PC devices are just other portable forms of PCs joining traditional desktop PCs which still have their own operation areas and evolve.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/8/9/9115503/post-pc-is-just-pc|title=There's no such thing as post-PC|author=tomwarren|publisher=Vox Media|work=The Verge|date=August 9, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/so-whatever-happened-to-post-pc-1612947222|title=So What Ever Happened to Post-PC?|author=Darren Orf|publisher=Gawker Media|work=Gizmodo|date=August 11, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The 'Post-PC Era' Never Really Happened…and Likely Won't|url=https://techpinions.com/the-post-pc-era-never-really-happened-and-likely-wont/53610|access-date=2020-10-02|website=Tech.pinions|language=en-US|archive-date=October 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005161036/https://techpinions.com/the-post-pc-era-never-really-happened-and-likely-wont/53610|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Epps|first=Sarah Rotman|date=|title=The Post-PC Era: It's Real, But It Doesn't Mean What You Think|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forrester/2011/05/17/the-post-pc-era-its-real-but-it-doesnt-mean-what-you-think-it-does/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810232601/https://www.forbes.com/sites/forrester/2011/05/17/the-post-pc-era-its-real-but-it-doesnt-mean-what-you-think-it-does/?sh=2203319a19a5 |archive-date=Aug 10, 2021 |access-date=2020-10-02|website=[[Forbes]]|language=en}}</ref>

Although for casual use traditional desktops and laptops have seen a decline in sales, in 2018, global PC sales experienced a resurgence, driven by the business market.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://bgr.com/2018/07/13/pc-sales-growth-numbers-show-first-rise-in-six-years/|title=PC sales show first rise in six years|date=2018-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/13/17567760/pc-sales-growth-idc-gartner-july-2018|title=PC sales are growing for the first time in six years|date=2018-07-13}}</ref> Desktops remain a solid fixture in the commercial and educational sectors.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.eweek.com/pc-hardware/why-the-much-hyped-post-pc-era-never-arrived|title=Why the Much-Hyped Post-PC Era Never Arrived|date=10 January 2015}}</ref> In 2019 the global PC market recorded its first full year of growth in eight years. Inclusive of desktops, notebooks and workstations, 268.1 million units were shipped, up 2.7% on 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://canalys.com/newsroom/canalys-global-pc-market-q4-2019-full-year-2019|title=Global PC market share Q4 2019 and full year 2019|website=canalysis|date=17 January 2020}}</ref> According to the [[International Data Group|International Data Corporation (IDC)]], PC sales shot up 14.8% between 2020 and 2021 and desktop market grew faster than the laptop market in the second quarter of 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48069721|title=PC Demand Remained Strong in the Second Quarter Amid Early Signs That Market Conditions May Be Cooling, According to IDC|website=idc.com|date=12 July 2021|access-date=February 2, 2023|archive-date=February 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202181924/https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48069721|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48770422|title=Growth Streak for Traditional PCs Continues During Holiday Quarter of 2021, According to IDC|website=idc.com|date=12 January 2022|access-date=February 2, 2023|archive-date=February 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202181934/https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48770422|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/the-desktop-pc-is-making-a-comeback-heres-why|title=The desktop PC is making a comeback – here's why|website=[[TechRadar]]|date= 13 July 2021}}</ref> Total PC shipments during 2021 reached 348.8 million units, up 14.8% from 2020. This represents the highest level of shipments the PC market has seen since 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestreet.com/technology/pcs-make-their-comeback-as-pandemic-changes-how-we-work|title=PCs Make Their Comeback as Pandemic Changes How We Work|website=[[TheStreet.com]]|date=12 January 2022}}</ref> In addition, [[gaming computer|gaming desktops]] have seen a global revenue increase of 54% annually.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.gfk.com/insights/press-release/pc-gaming-still-on-the-rise/|title= PC Gaming Still On the Rise}}</ref> For gaming the global market of gaming desktops, laptops, and monitors was expected to grow to 61.1 million shipments by the end of 2023, up from 42.1 million, with desktops growing from 15.1 million shipments to 19 million.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS44999019| title=Shipments of Personal Computing Devices for Gaming Forecast to Deliver Solid Growth, According to IDC| access-date=2019-05-16| archive-date=2020-10-03| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003082901/https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS44999019| url-status=dead}}</ref> [[PC game|PC gaming]] as a whole accounts for 28% of the total gaming market as of 2017.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.pcgamesn.com/pc-game-sales-numbers-market-share-2017 |title=PC accounted for 28% of the game market in 2017|date=December 20, 2017 }}</ref> This is partially due to the increasing affordability of desktop PCs.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/10/18176297/pc-gaming-most-exciting-radical-experiments-future-products-ces-2019|title=Gaming is driving the wildest PC experiments|date=2019-01-10}}</ref> In 2024 255.5 million PCs (including desktops and laptops) were shipped, up from 246 million in 2023 - a 3.8% year-over-year growth with [[Lenovo]] maintaining the largest market share.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/pc-sales-are-rising-once-again-and-its-probably-no-surprise-who-is-leading-the-way|title=PC sales are rising once again, and it's probably no surprise who is leading the way|website=[[TechRadar]]|date= 14 January 2025}}</ref>