Will Working From Home Make the PC Obsolete?

PC sales have been declining for a while, but remote working due to the pandemic prompted a sudden upsurge in demand, which couldn’t be met. China’s PC factories closed in January because of the coronavirus, causing attorneys and other professionals in the West to learn how to use other devices — Raspberry Pis, Linux laptops, Chromebooks, etc. One consequence seems to be an increased interest in PC alternatives as go-to tools, not only because of lack of supply, but because businesses and consumers are responding to changing circumstances with limited budgets. The Raspberry Pi Foundation says that sales have rocketed, mostly due to people buying the tiny computers to end battles over the single home PC. The most advanced Raspberry Pi is tiny, but powerful enough to function as a budget computer if it has to. Chromebooks, which are easier to use, are selling well too. Another innovation that has become popular: Installing Linux on an old laptop and sending them out as work from home tools. The PC is still the business workhorse, but more and more users are getting used to the idea that there are other options, and even after the pandemic passes remote working is likely to be a big part of how business is conducted. The expectation is for further declines in PCs sales as companies focus on saving money.