Desktops still most popular client device for business

IDC study finds desktops are still king among business users thanks to their longer lifespan and cheaper prices

Despite the surge of portable devices, desktop PCs are still the most popular client device for businesses, according to IDC.

The analyst surveyed 600 execs at SMBs and enterprises in Germany, France and the UK, and found 84 per cent of respondents said they would consider buying desktop PCs for their company.

The respondents cited better durability, longer lifespan, cheaper prices and higher performance as reasons for buying desktop PCs.

Maciek Gornicki, research manager for EMEA personal computing at IDC, said desktops are an attractive option in terms of affordability.

"The survey confirmed that the average lifetime of a desktop is one year longer than that of a laptop, reducing total cost of ownership for the company," he said.

"As a result, lower price and better resilience definitely make desktops the best choice for companies that have limited budgets and that require solutions for non-mobile office employees. On the other hand, desktops' higher security will benefit businesses that operate in industries such as insurance, finance, and banking, as well as government agencies."

Windows 10 - which was launched by Microsoft in July - is set to be widely adopted by businesses, with 40 per cent of respondents indicating they will upgrade to the OS in the next 12 months, IDC said.

But Gornicki claimed the arrival of Windows 10 will have a mixed reception on the desktop market.

"The majority of companies are expected to roll out the new operating system without purchasing new hardware initially, especially as a large proportion of desktops in the commercial PC installed base should fit the requirements of Windows 10," he said.

But he indicated that the launch of Intel's Skylake platform will have a positive effect on the space.

"Some companies are likely, however, to consider rolling out new hardware at the same time due to the new Intel Skylake platform coming into the market, as it is expected to bring manageability and security benefits, as well as enhance efficiency compared with older platforms," he said. "Together with Windows 10, this may be enough to trigger a moderate renewal wave at the beginning of 2016."