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Why is there no $2000 phone that replaces my laptop?

2 points by kewin87 ↗ HN
Just curious, but after the whole '$3000 macbook' discussion going on the internet, it made me wonder.

With Windows continuum and Ubuntu, that can both transform a phone to a desktop, why is there no octa-core 8GB 6-inch phone of lets say $2000-$3000?

Lot of developers would love to only bring a phone to work and than connect to screen/keyboard and you are ready :)

This way you only buy 1 device instead of 2, for the same money (or less)

9 comments

[ 4.0 ms ] story [ 24.8 ms ] thread
zubairq
It's a good idea. You should build one.
kewin87
Up for a kickstarter anyone? :p
zubairq
the great thing about kickstarter is that you can start it on your own. Once you have made the kickstarter campaign then you can invite others and see if there is interest to pay for the actual product
greenyoda
One reason may be that a high-performance computer (with a fast CPU and GPU) would generate more heat than can be dissipated in a box the size of a phone.
kewin87
True, but to be honest I wouldn't mind having a slightly thicker 'heavy duty' phone to add proper cooling.. Phones are ridicules thin as they are already
ugexe
"Why aren't laptops smaller?"
kewin87
Cause of 13/15" screens with a full qwerty keyboard and touchpad and bigger speakers, etc etc :)
LordWinstanley
Because every time they make the processors faster and add more RAM to mobile phones, they add more pointless bloat to the operating system, so you need faster processors and more RAM, just to run the OS smoothly.

On paper, the phones of today are as good (spec wise) as the desktop computers of only a few years ago. But we never seem to reach the goal of the truly capable pocket computer.

kewin87
But even then it would still be attractive.. Just flash the rom and put linux on it.

Maybe its because most general heavy-duty 'laptop' work, requires an x86 cpu? Just a guess