[Michael Chandra]

A Cyberdeck is a centuple-core tablet using a massively-optimized memory structure.

[CanRay]

Cultural views of what Cyberspurs are, combined with concealed weapons laws, and just laws in general.  Don't forget that Shadowrun even admits some laws are insane, such as External Smartgun Links being legal in Quebec, but Integrated ones aren't.

I can go with insane laws. I had tried to rationalize it similar to how switch-blades are illegal in a lot of places because they're perceived as the weapons of lower-class folks and ne'er-do-wells, but then cyberspurs cost more than the vast majority of cyberguns, so that didn't really fly given the cost.

How about the concept of the person being the weapon instead of just wielding one, combined with concealed carry laws?

And Cyberspurs are seen as a "Gang Weapon" as well.  As well as a "Shadowrunner" one, which pushes the "Terrorist" buttons.

[JackVII]

How about the concept of the person being the weapon instead of just wielding one, combined with concealed carry laws?

And Cyberspurs are seen as a "Gang Weapon" as well.  As well as a "Shadowrunner" one, which pushes the "Terrorist" buttons.

I was comparing it to cyberguns which seem like they would also be a case of someone being the weapon and also run into concealed carry laws, yet they are merely restricted. As far as a gang weapon, I get the impression, but given the cost of cyberspurs versus a cybergun, it seems like anyone who was cost-conscious would opt for the latter over the former.

Maybe it's just me, but I definitely see a gun hidden in a cyberarm as being seen as a decidedly "assassin" kind of weapon.

[SlowDeck]

I think the main advantages of cyberspurs is that they're easily concealed, they don't need reloading, and they can be used for stealth kills. If you're going to devote essence or cyberarm space to get an implanted weapon, you might as well get one where you don't have to worry about the damage from a misfire taking out your arm.

[RHat]

I don't understand what you were wanting.  Decks are highly illegal, about the size of a tablet, but they work completely differently from the way a commlink works.  A commlink can be really tiny, but generally you won't find them too much smaller than the smallest of our modern-day cell phones.  A commlink is only for interfacing with the Matrix in a legal fashion, whereas a cyberdeck is almost exclusively built for illegal operations.  There's a lot more differences than just size and hardware, so comparing them with iPads and iPods isn't really accurate except where size is concerned.

What I was wanting was to know whether the difference between them was like that between say a mobile phone and a desktop computer (memory, processing power cooling but otherwise same concept, components etc) or if there was some other fundamenetal difference (say like comparing a computer to an X-Ray machine in that it posseses other components that allow it to do functions a comlink simply can't do even if you got the top end model in components) if you see what I mean?

Decks have Matrix Attributes commlinks don't, and thus can be used to undertake actions commlinks cannot, no matter how top of the line.  What the blend of hardware and software that makes that work IS, and precisely how different they are because of that, is extremely difficult to say without Data Trails.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

I don't understand what you were wanting.  Decks are highly illegal, about the size of a tablet, but they work completely differently from the way a commlink works.  A commlink can be really tiny, but generally you won't find them too much smaller than the smallest of our modern-day cell phones.  A commlink is only for interfacing with the Matrix in a legal fashion, whereas a cyberdeck is almost exclusively built for illegal operations.  There's a lot more differences than just size and hardware, so comparing them with iPads and iPods isn't really accurate except where size is concerned.

What I was wanting was to know whether the difference between them was like that between say a mobile phone and a desktop computer (memory, processing power cooling but otherwise same concept, components etc) or if there was some other fundamenetal difference (say like comparing a computer to an X-Ray machine in that it posseses other components that allow it to do functions a comlink simply can't do even if you got the top end model in components) if you see what I mean?

Decks have Matrix Attributes commlinks don't, and thus can be used to undertake actions commlinks cannot, no matter how top of the line.  What the blend of hardware and software that makes that work IS, and precisely how different they are because of that, is extremely difficult to say without Data Trails.

Not ... really.  One (again) just has to look at the way it's been handled previously.  Commlinks are back to being the famous Pocket Secretary (as they always should have remained, but hey); they compare to a modern smartphone, and can do lots of stuff, but they simply haven't the computing power to spare to deal with the increased security issues that the upgraded Matrix 2.1 now possesses.

Cyberdecks (are back, yay!!) are more like a laptop computer; even a tablet computer really doesn't have the necessary room for the hefty amount of computing power and specialized hardware needed to load you up and deal with the upgraded security.  Compare the programs you can run on a top-of-the-line smartphone and those you can run on a top-of-the-line laptop; the latter really do leave the former coughing in the starting-line dust.

In addition, while we may have to wait for specifics, past editions have made it possible that yeah, Senko, there are pieces of hardware (more than just a bigger/more processors, more memory, more disk space, etc.) that commlinks don't have that decks do.  Evasion - for dodging attacks - used to be hardcoded chips that 'civilian' decks didn't have; 'Masking' - baseline concealment - was something that even security decks didn't have (though obviously they had Evasion).  Hard-wired sleaze chips for keeping your profile low was something as well.

All in all, it simply makes sense that no matter how powerful a hand-sized gizmo gets, the larger-yet-still-portable 'laptop' sized version is going to remain straight-out better.

[Xenon]

Decks are highly illegal

Decks were highly illegal in SR3
(just possessing one was as illegal as possessing military grade forbidden weaponry!).

In SR5 a Deck is no more illegal or harder to buy than say a non-lethal Flash-Bang Grenade....

edit: slipped by JackVII it seems

[RHat]

Not ... really.  One (again) just has to look at the way it's been handled previously.  Commlinks are back to being the famous Pocket Secretary (as they always should have remained, but hey); they compare to a modern smartphone, and can do lots of stuff, but they simply haven't the computing power to spare to deal with the increased security issues that the upgraded Matrix 2.1 now possesses.

This...  Doesn't seem sufficient.  Commlinks, after all, can be used for each and every Matrix action that doesn't depend on Attack or Sleaze.  I don't think the past is really going to yield answers on that one.  We're dealing with a radically different environment.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

IMO, the only reason we haven't been able to draw greater parallels between commlinks and the famous PocSec is because before 4e, they weren't sufficiently explored.  Remember that SR tech parallels RL tech, only 'upgraded'.  Sure, with a commlink you can get or change a file, link to a camera to see who's at the front door, tell your car to start up, make dinner reservations, etc. etc.; you probably could have done all that with a pocket secretary (and some of those you could explicitly do so).  These days, you can even have a telepresence in the 'trix with a pocket secretary commlink, something that admittedly required a deck in previous editions.  But the only functional difference between the two - or rather, between a humdrum standard-issue workaday wageslave 'deck, a corporate security deck, and a highly-modified just-as-highly-illegal cyberdeck used by criminals everywhere is that the latter two get into cybercombat and have some expectation to win - and the latter wants to be completely invisible if they can manage it.

Combat is, let's face it, a complex thing.  The difference between a Ford F-150 and an APC - or better yet, a Hummer 3 and a  military HMMWV - is really relatively slight, and yet taking a Hummer 3 into a combat zone is frickin' suicidal, while the more combat-built HMMWV is going to greatly increase your chance of surviving the hour.  It has a few specialized design specifics that make it liable to survive combat, and while both the HMMWV and the Hummer 3 can get you to the store, pick up a big load of plywood and nails, and get both you and the stuff out into BFE to build you a shack, it's the HMMWV that's going to get you into and out of contact without going literally to pieces.

From a metagame standpoint, it's my assertion that 4e going to commlinks lost an essential piece of flavor in the Shadowrun world, and though you can still run around and browse and the like on your cute little commlink, 5e has brought back the necessity of a serious, dedicated platform to slice into a place.  Sure, with a commlink you can do everything that's legal for you to do.  No problem; makes sense to me.  But once you get into the realm of needing to go into combat - or wanting to do some serious coding, y'know, where the cops can't raid your code - then you need to pull out the 'deck.

Enh.  YMMV.