Environmental and Economic Assessment of Desktop vs. Laptop Computers: A Life Cycle Approach

Miguel Ferreira, Idalina Domingos, Lenise Santos, Anna Barreto and José Ferreira ()
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Miguel Ferreira: IT Department, Technology and Management School, Polytechnic University of Viseu, Av. Cor. José Maria Vale de Andrade, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
Idalina Domingos: Centre for Natural Resources, Environment, and Society-CERNAS-IPV, Technology and Management School, Polytechnic University of Viseu, Av. Cor. José Maria Vale de Andrade, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
Lenise Santos: Technology and Management School, Polytechnic University of Viseu, Av. Cor. José Maria Vale de Andrade, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
Anna Barreto: Technology and Management School, Polytechnic University of Viseu, Av. Cor. José Maria Vale de Andrade, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
José Ferreira: Centre for Natural Resources, Environment, and Society-CERNAS-IPV, Technology and Management School, Polytechnic University of Viseu, Av. Cor. José Maria Vale de Andrade, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: This study evaluates and compares the environmental and economic implications of desktop and laptop computer systems throughout their life cycles using screening life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) methodologies. The functional unit was defined as the use of one computer system for fundamental home and small-business productivity tasks for over four years. The analysis considered the production, use, and end-of-life phases. The results showed the desktop system had a higher overall carbon footprint (679.1 kg CO 2eq ) compared to the laptop (286.1 kg CO 2eq ). For both systems, manufacturing contributed the largest share of the emissions, followed by use. Desktops exhibited significantly higher use phase emissions, due to greater energy consumption. Life cycle cost analysis revealed that laptops had slightly lower total costs (EUR 593.88) than desktops (EUR 608.40) over the 4-year period, despite higher initial investment costs. Sensitivity analysis examining different geographical scenarios highlighted the importance of considering regional factors in the LCA. Manufacturer-provided data generally showed lower carbon footprint values than the modeled scenarios. This study emphasizes the need for updated life cycle inventory data and energy efficiency improvements to reduce the environmental impacts of computer systems. Overall, laptops demonstrated environmental and economic advantages over desktops in the defined usage cases.

Keywords: computers; computer devices; desktop; laptop; LCA; LCC (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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