PC Builders
During the 1990’s, personal computing went from being a largely business occupation to one that was the cause of the machines ending up in nearly every home. The home market penetration went from a very low level at the start of the decade to saturation by the time it ended. Such was the success of PC’s that they kick-started an economic boom in my native Éire that lasted a decade and left a very hefty financial hangover.
In the 1990’s, the main competition between personal computing platforms was between desktop and laptop PC’s. Today, we have smartphones and tablets soaking up the limelight instead. Compared to those more alluring gadgets, it may seem that desktop PC’s don’t have the shine that they once enjoyed, but enthusiasts for the devices remain that ensure a continued consumer market, especially in the world of computer gaming.
The diversification in the personal computing market may feel a little like a throwback to the 1980’s when there was even more of that. It has meant that desktop and laptop PC’s no longer have it all to themselves, and that is causing problems for mainstream manufacturers and software companies. The result is that many UK PC builders offer a choice of both and these are smaller operations than the likes of Dell, which can respond to customer preferences in a more agile way.
Because desktop PC’s aren’t as prominent now, I have decided to start a list of those companies that still make them. A number of these also sell components and peripherals, so could end up on the More Computing Equipment page too. The apparent duplication may not be what I normally would do, but for the need to facilitate those seeking the desktop PC option. So, here are the beginnings of that list that I promised:
Many of what you see above are UK companies, with Dell being an obvious interloper and one of the more established names like Mesh. The churn that there has been with PC-making companies cannot be denied, since there are names that once held sway that no longer are with us. Still, the desktop format is not going anywhere either.