Generally speaking, PC computers are any computing device that is used on an individual basis, whether for personal or business reasons. These personal computers, or PCs for short, can take many forms depending on the desired function. Although personal computers have been around since the 1960′s, it is only in the past twenty years that they have become commonplace items in the home and business.

Until the 1980′s, the majority of computers were run and used by university personnel on a shared time basis, with a computer operator overseeing all use of the computer. As technology advanced and computers became cheaper to produce, it became economically viable for users to purchase their own computer and use it for their own purposes. These purposes have since expanded to create a demand for specialized computers, some for such specific purposes as playing games or tracking statistical weather data. The dominance of IBM in the early years of the personal computer has led to the disappearance of many other types of computer models, with only Apple computers remaining as a distinct option from the PC. Since the early 1980′s there has been a constant growth in the number of computers purchased for personal use, from mobile phones that only have limited functions to desktop systems that can easily perform many different types of tasks.

The most common forms of a personal computer are as PC desktop computers. These devices are mostly stationary and designed for use in one location. In terms of computing power, these PC desktop computers usually have the highest performance levels and are used for a wide assortment of tasks. However, PC computer laptop sales have surpassed desktop sales in recent years and it is expected that PC computer laptop models will soon be the most common type of computers that are used by the average consumer. Other types of computers that have enjoyed an increase in popularity are tablet PCs and smaller versions, such as the iPhone, which can be easily carried due to its small size. As technology becomes more advanced, smaller computers will begin to have the same computing power, making them useful for the same purposes as their full-size counterparts.

The future of computers is wide open and consumers could see a radical shift in how standard computers are constructed. The models of today assume a need for wires, transistors, and electricity, but future models may have a quite different structure. At the forefront of computer technology is the idea of quantum computing. This futuristic technology is based on the idea that a particle’s quantum properties can be harnessed to structure and represent data, operating on a qubit level instead of today’s bit level limitations. If this idea is proven to be correct, it would mean that size will no longer be an issue as all PC computers will have nearly infinite computing power in a very tiny space.