Unless my phone can be a PC, I don't want to keep paying for extra performance
Smartphones are now powerful enough that many users question why they’re paying for ever-faster chips instead of features like better batteries, flat designs without camera bumps, or the ability to double as a full desktop PC. Commenters point to efforts such as Samsung DeX, Windows Phone Continuum and Linux phones as proof that “phone as PC” is technically feasible, yet note that poor software, thermal limits, weak demand and vendor lock-in have kept these ideas niche while camera quality and status signaling continue to drive premium sales. Underneath this runs a broader tension between those who want open, multi-purpose, long-lived devices they fully control and those who prefer locked-down, appliance‑like phones that “just work,” even if that means frequent upgrades and limited flexibility.
Camera Bumps, Thickness, and Batteries
- Many want flat phones, even at the cost of camera quality; some would accept a thicker phone if it removed the bump and added battery.
- Others insist better cameras are the main (or only) reason to upgrade; premium buyers and selfie-heavy users value camera improvements highly.
- Counterpoint: if you don’t care about cameras, you can keep or buy older or budget phones, though OS support and security updates become concerns.
Phone Performance vs Software Bloat
- Broad agreement that modern mid/high-end phones are “fast enough” for typical use; slowdowns are often blamed on bloated or unoptimized apps, storage wear, or OS cruft.
- Some users report very old hardware still usable except for battery; others see phones becoming unusably slow after a few years (especially low-RAM / cheap Android models).
- Disagreement on how critical OS-level security updates are versus app-level threats.
Phone-as-PC / Convergence
- Technically, this already exists: Samsung DeX, Motorola Ready For, Windows Phone Continuum, Atrix, Librem 5, Pinephone, tablet “desktop modes,” lapdocks, VR/XR displays, etc.
- Many argue demand is niche: most people either do everything on the phone already or want a separate, more comfortable laptop/desktop with big screens and keyboards.
- Obstacles cited:
- Thermal throttling and continuous-load performance.
- Phone OS UX tuned for touch and small screens, not multi-window desktop work.
- Risk and inconvenience of losing a device that holds both “PC” and phone.
- Device makers’ incentives to sell multiple products, though some dispute this.
Lockdown, Ownership, and Ports
- Some see smartphones as locked-down appliances (or even “ad/distribution devices”), not true personal computers; they want root, alternative OSes, and no store lock-in.
- Others explicitly prefer the “appliance” model: managed updates, constrained app ecosystems, less tinkering.
- A niche group wants instrumentation‑friendly phones (multiple USB ports, general-purpose ADC/DAC, modular sensor bays). Most responses say that market is too small and better served by external dongles and Bluetooth peripherals.
Upgrade Cycles, Cost, and Status
- Several commenters keep phones 4–8+ years with battery replacements, citing environmental and cost reasons.
- Others upgrade more frequently for camera and responsiveness gains, or due to app/OS/banking requirements.
- Multiple comments frame high-end phones as status or luxury goods, especially for teens and non-technical users, independent of raw performance needs.