Are desktop computers back and better?

Until the past year, maybe you could get by with an older laptop or a smaller tablet at home because most of your work was done at the office. 

But for many people, working five days a week in an office might be over for good, which means it’s time to rethink the home computer. 

As Consumer Reports explains, the tried and true desktop with a monitor is making a big comeback.

Desktops have a large display and impressive computing power, and they’re more ergonomic than laptops.

Imagine no more hunching over a laptop with a desktop like the new 24-inch all-in-one Apple iMac with an M1 processor for $1,300 ($1,600 in Canada). 

CR’s experts say it did well in performance tests and has an excellent display.

A less-expensive option is the HP Envy TE01-1134 for $870 ($1,100 in Canada).

The full-sized desktop is one of the fastest in CR’s ratings and earned an Excellent for ergonomics.

If you’re tight on space, a compact model, the Asus VivoMini VC66-C2 for $750 ($960 Canada), could be the perfect fit. 

CR’s tests show it has very good processing speeds for office work and well-designed features that make it comfortable and convenient to use.

While you can’t bring your desktop outside or to your local coffee shop, CR says the power and roomy display may be worth the trade-off. 

And desktops usually offer you more bang for your buck compared with laptops, with more power and performance per dollar spent.