Smaller Desktop Designs to Dominate

Smaller Desktop Designs to Dominate
The minitower, the most common type of desktop PC seen today, is a dying breed, researchers say.

After several fits and starts in the past, the minitower is expected to cede its most favored status to small PCs during this decade, based on changes in technology as well as buyers' tastes as the PC market matures.

In the first major shift since minitowers themselves came to dominate the desktop space, the less obtrusive small form factor desktop is expected to gain the upper hand in as soon as three years in some markets, said a recent forecast by researcher IDC.

Small form factor machines will gain favor with corporations, and consumers to a lesser extent, according to IDC, as, in addition to taking up less space, they generally produce less heat and noise than minitowers, in part by using more power-efficient processors.