What do you use a computer for?

That's the most major question that will determine what you need. While there are practical and spatial things (i.e. size of your apartment, amount of time you travel, etc) that will go into the determination, whether or not you need a desktop or can get by with a laptop (or even get by with a tablet) is primarily based on what do you use a computer for?

If your primary usages is consumption--reading emails, browsing the web, listening to music, i.e. consuming digital content of others, than a laptop is just fine.

If your primary usage is creation--making videos, recording music, writing long documents, coding or more advanced or proprietary software functions (i.e. a company VPN or secure communication network setup) than a desktop might be better suited for your needs.

Laptop. I have a computer screen and docking station when i want to sit at desk and view from bigger screen.

No desktop. Laptop for better function than a Chromebook - word processing, do your taxes, etc

I use my computer in all different chairs, at the table, and sometimes in front of TV just to hang out while the rest are watching something. Get a laptop.

Chromebooks have limited functionality. Get a laptop - it doesn't seem like you'll use it for much of anything so that's good enough and its easily portable from room-to-room or to take on vacation for homework/school reports et al.

We have a desktop PC that we rarely turn on, other than to upload photos. But it’s so old it barely starts up. We have a laptop that we use, but it’s also on its last leg. Time for something new. Is a desktop PC even necessary anymore? If we got another laptop, we could upload photos to an external HD. Our kids use Chromebooks at school, as well as PCs in the LMC.

So what should we do? Do we need a desktop?

Should we get a laptop and a chromebook? A desktop and a chrome book?