The roles of desktops and laptops in my work and life

A friend recently shared on Facebook about applying for work computer equipment at his company. The company’s management encourages the use of laptops for remote work flexibility, likely influenced by COVID-19. However, as a software engineer, he discovered that desktop computers are still better for development work. He mentioned that he works with both a desktop and a laptop simultaneously, which he finds super efficient, leading him to choose a desktop for his purchase.

The friend also shared an article discussing the pros and cons of desktops and laptops. To summarize the main points of the article:

Laptop advantages:

• Portable and space-saving
• Flexible, as they can be used as a desktop when connected to a monitor, mouse, and keyboard

Desktop advantages:

• Better specifications for the same price
• Superior cooling (no keyboard heat, making it comfortable to use)
• More durable

As a software engineer and an avid PC gamer, I know that the pursuit of graphics card performance in gaming is endless. Therefore, the “price-to-performance ratio” (i.e., getting higher performance at a relatively lower price) is my top priority when purchasing computers. When buying a computer, I prefer to invest more in a desktop rather than a laptop.

I have two desktop computers, one at home and one at my office. Both PCs are rarely turned off, only restarting briefly for system maintenance and updates. The computer at my residence has better specs, capable of smoothly running most AAA games (referring to high-budget, popular video games) in Full HD (1920×1080 resolution), and has 64 GB of memory for running multiple virtual machines (VMs) for testing and developing distributed systems. The office computer, while not as powerful as my home PC, still has decent specifications for work-related tasks.

Despite the advantages of desktop computers, as a self-employed software engineer, I still need a laptop for situations where I have to work outside the office. My Dell Inspiron 5593 laptop, while having a great design, being lightweight, and affordable, which made me quite satisfied when I first bought it, is now in poor condition. Within half a year of purchase, the keyboard developed serious issues with several keys failing, including the essential ENTER key, which nearly paralyzed the computer. Many people reported similar problems, suggesting a manufacturing defect. Due to the hassle involved in sending it for repair, I resorted to using a small Bluetooth keyboard instead, and this “crippled” laptop is still in service.

In summary, despite its issues, I still need the laptop for occasional remote work. The laptop’s low usage makes its issues tolerable. For me, the laptop’s portability is its greatest value; it doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be functional.

I have maintained the habit of keeping my desktop PC always on since university. As I primarily work from home and heavily rely on my computer, this habit provides several advantages. I extensively use Windows 10’s “Task View” feature, which allows me to switch between multiple virtual desktops. This enables me to keep numerous work-related documents and applications open across different desktops. As a result, I can seamlessly transition between various tasks whenever needed.

As I spend at least one day a week working at my office (studio), file synchronization between my home and office computers is essential for seamless work transitions. I currently rely heavily on BLOON for file syncing, as my total file size exceeds 1TB (around 80,000 files), far surpassing the free 2GB quota offered by my previous solution, Dropbox. Before considering a paid Dropbox plan (2TB for the starter plan), I had already started using BLOON. Eventually, I fully migrated my data to BLOON for management and sync. BLOON has no limits on the number or size of files for synchronization, so as long as my hard drive has sufficient space, syncing my entire set of files is not a problem.

BLOON’s biggest limitation is the lack of cloud storage, which may not be practical for laptop users who are constantly on the move and would benefit more from cloud storage. However, this is not a drawback because BLOON is essentially a file management tool that helps you sync files, not a cloud storage service. In my situation:

1. I have two desktop computers that need complete file synchronization.
2. The desktop computers are never turned off.
3. I have a laptop that needs to conveniently access and sync files from the desktop computers while on the go.
4. However, the laptop has limited hard drive space, so I don’t want to sync all files completely.

BLOON perfectly suits my needs, as if it were tailor-made for my situation, and I am highly satisfied with its performance. In my context, it can be imagined as:

1. My home and office computers basically act as my own “central servers.” They’re like having a private file server, personal cloud storage, or a NAS server (without actually needing to buy a separate NAS device).
2. The home computer and office computer achieve real-time “off-site backup”.
3. The laptop acts as a “satellite” or a terminal for retrieving files.

If I weren’t using BLOON, it would be challenging to meet all those requirements simultaneously without significant costs or time investment in researching and setting up various DIY solutions. Regular NAS servers let you browse and download files stored on the NAS using a browser on your device (provided that you have set up a fixed IP or DDNS, enabling you to find and connect to this NAS from outside). BLOON also provides a web interface that allows you to browse and download files from your computer using any browser on any device, as long as your home computer is turned on.

Having the BLOON desktop application installed on my laptop makes it even more convenient. I can specify files to sync conditionally without syncing everything. This eliminates the need to open a browser, select files, download them, or constantly check for updated versions of remote files that need to be downloaded again. The BLOON application automatically syncs and updates the files I choose, and I don’t have to worry about syncing everything, which would inevitably lead to my laptop’s small hard drive running out of space. Moreover, BLOON allows me to satisfy all these requirements without the need for complex network settings, such as setting up a static IP or DDNS.

In summary, I consider my desktop computer to be the center of my work and entertainment, much like a “mothership” that serves as the main hub for all my activities. In contrast, my laptop is more like a “carrier-based aircraft,” which is essential for mobility but depends on the mothership for support. As a result, my primary purchases and investments are focused on my desktop. The portability of a laptop is also indispensable, but its main purpose is to simply provide the capability to work on the go.