What Is a Laptop?

Laptops vs. Desktops

• Size: Size is the biggest difference between laptops and desktops. Aptly named, desktop computers tend to be large units that take up a lot of desk space. Generally speaking, laptops are much smaller than desktops, which makes laptops attractive to people who don’t have a lot of surface space to devote to their computer, as well as to those who need to carry the computer outside of the home.
• Performance: Laptops are smaller than desktops but not necessarily less powerful. Thanks to ever-advancing technology, laptops are now rivaling desktops in terms of speed, storage, memory, and other performance capabilities. That said, the fact remains that the size of a computer is proportionate to its power. Desktops have more room for advanced processing hardware, which improves performance. Likewise, the larger the laptop, the more powerful it tends to be. Desktops also have more room for expansion because of their size. For instance, upgrading a desktop’s optical drive (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.) or hard drive is simply a matter of swapping out the old drive for the new one, but this type of upgrade is harder to do with laptops. Manufacturers recognize this discrepancy and tend to split their laptop lines into different categories (high performance, ultraportable, etc.) for different types of users.
• Price: The portability and convenience of laptops do come at a price. Laptops tend to be more expensive than desktop counterparts with similar specifications, or specs (the internal and external features that can affect performance). For instance, for the amount you’d spend on a 13" MacBook—Apple’s consumer-aimed laptop—you could buy a more powerful 20" iMac, the company’s consumer-aimed desktop.

Laptop Sizes

• Ultraportable laptops: These are for consumers who place a premium on port­ability. In general, ultraportables weigh less than four pounds, and their screen sizes don’t exceed 14". The smallest of the three laptop sizes, ultraportables are the least powerful, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less functional than their larger counterparts. They’re very lightweight, so ultraportables are good if you want to carry the laptop around with you a lot—say, from your home to the office or a coffee shop. But ultraportables may lack some of the features—including ExpressCard slots (for adding peripherals, such as memory-card readers and TV tuners) and larger hard drives (for storing digital media)—that make larger laptops more attractive.
• Midsize laptops: The most popular laptops are 15–16" models, which typically weigh about six pounds. Midsize laptops represent the best all-around value: they’re still relatively small but have larger screens, making them ideal for playing movies and displaying digital photos. And their more powerful specs allow for more advanced functions, such as photo and video editing.
• Desktop replacement laptops: These laptops get their name from their formidable size and weight (by laptop standards). They have screens that are 17" or larger, weigh eight pounds or more, and are more upgradable (meaning that you can install new and more powerful hardware and software) than smaller laptops. Their large size makes moving them around less practical but not impossible. Desktop replacements are ideal for video game buffs who crave the fastest systems and highest-resolution screens but don’t necessarily want desktops.

Laptop Pros and Cons