# Oh, you bought a DESKTOP! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 15, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-you-bought-a-desktop/536267 "2010-04-15T22:39:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-you-bought-a-desktop/536267/101 "2010-04-26T17:29:16Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Actually, almost all laptops have a VGA and/or DVI port so you can hook it up to an external monitor. And you can also hook up a USB keyboard. So you can have the laptop off to one side of the desk and just have all your cords going into it from the external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Which proves that the keyboard and monitor that come equiped with the laptop are different than that of a PC - which was the point of this line of discussion. The fact that you can use peripherals simply emphasizes that the core components are different. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-you-bought-a-desktop/536267/102 "2010-04-26T19:40:22Z")
Last time I looked, Desktop computers (with a few exceptions like the iMac) do not “come equipped with” a monitor. Some do not come with a keyboard either, and those that do may not be very good and it is far from unusual for people to buy the keyboard they intend to use as a separate purchase. You can “use peripherals” with either a Desktop or a laptop. (The laptop has its own “mini”/portable versions built in, the Desktop model of course does not). ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-you-bought-a-desktop/536267/103 "2010-04-26T19:57:34Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Last time I looked, Desktop computers (with a few exceptions like the iMac) do not “come equipped with” a monitor. Some do not come with a keyboard either, and those that do may not be very good and it is far from unusual for people to buy the keyboard they intend to use as a separate purchase. You can “use peripherals” with either a Desktop or a laptop. (The laptop has its own “mini”/portable versions built in, the Desktop model of course does not). I have never purchased a desktop that didn’t come with a keyboard and mouse. Even when shopping at local places that custom build it, you had to specifically tell them to exclude the keyboard and mouse. It’s just an assumed part of a PC package. As for monitors, you’re right, they don’t come with a PC. But when shopping at a big box store, it’s very easy to get the monitor for practically nothing when buying a PC & monitor package. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-you-bought-a-desktop/536267/104 "2010-04-26T20:15:58Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Last time I looked, Desktop computers (with a few exceptions like the iMac) do not “come equipped with” a monitor. Some do not come with a keyboard either, and those that do may not be very good and it is far from unusual for people to buy the keyboard they intend to use as a separate purchase. You can “use peripherals” with either a Desktop or a laptop. (The laptop has its own “mini”/portable versions built in, the Desktop model of course does not). What’s your point? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-you-bought-a-desktop/536267.md?page=5)