A laptop is a portable computer that can be easily carried around. It's a device designed for personal use and can perform various functions such as browsing the internet, creating documents, playing games, etc. Laptops are generally smaller in size than desktop computers and are battery powered.
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Laptops and desktops differ in their portability, power consumption, and upgradability. laptops are portable and consume less power compared to desktops. However, they lack upgradability as most of their components are soldered onto the motherboard.
When buying a laptop, you should consider its purpose, budget, specifications such as processor speed, RAM capacity, storage space, screen size and resolution, battery life and weight.
The battery life of laptops depends on various factors such as the type of processor used, screen size and resolution, battery capacity and efficiency of other components. A laptop with low-power consuming components will have longer battery life than one with high-power consuming components.
RAM (Random Access Memory) is an essential component of a computer or laptop that stores data temporarily while it's being processed by the CPU (Central Processing Unit). The larger the RAM capacity of your laptop, the more applications you can run simultaneously without experiencing any lagging.
The amount of RAM you need for your laptop depends on what tasks you want to perform. For basic tasks like browsing the internet or creating documents 4GB to 8GB RAM will suffice while for heavy tasks like video editing or gaming 16GB RAM or more would be ideal.
Processor speed refers to how quickly your computer's CPU (Central Processing Unit) can process information. It's measured in GHz (Gigahertz). A higher processor speed means your laptop can handle complex tasks faster.
If you plan on using your laptop for basic tasks like browsing the web or streaming videos, then you don't need an extremely fast processor. However, if you plan on doing heavy-duty work like video editing or gaming then investing in a faster processor would be worth it.
SSD (Solid State Drive) storage uses flash memory to store data instead of spinning disks used by traditional HDDs (Hard Disk Drives). SSDs offer faster read/write speeds resulting in faster boot times and application launch times compared to HDDs.
SSDs provide faster read/write speeds which results in quicker boot times and application launch times compared to HDDs. They also consume less power which leads to better battery life for laptops.
It depends on the make and model of your laptop, but most modern laptops come with user-upgradable storage options either through an M.2 slot or by replacing the existing drive with a new one.
A graphics card (also known as GPU - Graphics Processing Unit) is an essential component that processes visual data from your computer's CPU and displays it on your screen. It's responsible for rendering images or videos or games etc., providing smoother frame rates during gameplay.
If you're planning on using your laptop mainly for basic tasks like browsing the web or watching videos, then integrated graphics will suffice. However, if you're planning on doing heavy-duty work like video editing or gaming then investing in a dedicated graphics card would be worth it.
Your choice of ports depends on what devices you plan on connecting to your laptop. Some essential ports include USB-A or USB-C ports for external hard drives or flash drives or mouse or keyboards etc., HDMI or DisplayPort or VGA ports for connecting external displays/projectors etc., Ethernet port for wired network connectivity etc.
The cost of laptops varies depending on several factors such as brand reputation, design, build quality, components used, warranty period, customer support provided etc., Even though two laptops may have similar specs they may differ significantly in terms of build quality/customer support provided which affects their price point.
An extended warranty offers additional protection against defects or damage beyond what's offered by the manufacturer's warranty. It can be beneficial if you plan on keeping your device beyond its initial warranty period, but it comes at an additional cost which may not always be worth it depending on how long you plan on keeping your device or use case scenario etc.
A 2-in-1 laptop can function both as a traditional laptop and a tablet. It's designed with a detachable keyboard or a rotating hinge that allows you to use it in different modes. This type of laptop is ideal for users who need the flexibility of both a tablet and laptop.
Touchscreen laptops provide an intuitive way of interacting with your computer by using touch gestures like tapping or scrolling or pinching etc., They offer better control over certain applications like drawing or graphics design, video editing, etc., and are also more convenient for browsing the web, scrolling through documents or media content.
The ideal weight for a laptop depends on how portable you want it to be. If you plan on carrying your laptop around frequently, then a lightweight model would be ideal. Generally, laptops weighing between 2-4 pounds are considered lightweight.
Wi-Fi allows you to access the internet wirelessly which means you can work from anywhere within range of your Wi-Fi network. It's also more convenient than having to connect your laptop physically via ethernet cable.
Bluetooth allows you to connect your laptop wirelessly to other compatible devices such as speakers, headphones, mouse and keyboards etc., making it easier to use them without any wires getting in the way.
Yes, most laptops can be used while charging without any issues. However, if you're experiencing overheating issues or slow performance then unplugging your charger may help improve performance.
The battery life of your laptop depends on various factors such as its capacity, usage pattern (heavy vs light), screen brightness settings etc. Typically, most laptops offer around 4-6 hours of battery life under normal usage conditions, but this can vary depending on make or model/specs.
It's always recommended that you shut down your laptop when not in use as it helps prolong its lifespan by reducing wear and tear on internal components. Additionally shutting down your device helps free up resources allowing it to perform better when you start it up again later.
"Notebook computer" redirects here. For the specific size class of laptop, see Notebook form factor
A laptop computer or notebook computer, also known as a laptop or notebook, is a small, portable personal computer (PC). Laptops typically have a clamshell form factor with a flat-panel screen on the inside of the upper lid and an alphanumeric keyboard and pointing device on the inside of the lower lid.[1][2] Most of the computer's internal hardware is fitted inside the lower lid enclosure under the keyboard, although many modern laptops have a built-in webcam at the top of the screen, and some even feature a touchscreen display. In most cases, unlike tablet computers which run on mobile operating systems, laptops tend to run on desktop operating systems, which were originally developed for desktop computers.
Laptops can run on both AC power and rechargable battery packs and can be folded shut for convenient storage and transportation, making them suitable for mobile use.[3] Laptops are used in a variety of settings, such as at work (especially on business trips), in education, for playing games, web browsing, for personal multimedia, and for general home computer use.
The word laptop, modeled after the term desktop (as in desktop computer), refers to the fact that the computer can be practically placed on the user's lap; while the word notebook refers to most laptops sharing a form factor with paper notebooks. As of , in American English, the terms laptop and notebook are used interchangeably;[4] in other dialects of English, one or the other may be preferred.[5] The term notebook originally referred to a type of portable computer that was smaller and lighter than mainstream laptops of the time, but has since come to mean the same thing and no longer refers to any specific size.
Laptops combine many of the input/output components and capabilities of a desktop computer into a single unit, including a display screen (usually 11'17 in or 280'430 mm in diagonal size), small speakers, a keyboard, and a pointing device (namely compact ones such as touchpads or pointing sticks). Most modern laptops include a built-in webcam and microphone, and many also have touchscreens. Hardware specifications may vary significantly between different types, models, and price points.
Design elements, form factors, and construction can also vary significantly between models depending on the intended use. Examples of specialized models of laptops include 2-in-1 laptops, with keyboards that either be detached or pivoted out of view from the display (often marketed having a "laptop mode"); rugged laptops, for use in construction or military applications; and low-production-cost laptops such as those from the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) organization, which incorporate features like solar charging and semi-flexible components not found on most laptop computers. Portable computers, which later developed into modern laptops, were originally considered to be a small niche market, mostly for specialized field applications, such as in the military, for accountants, or traveling sales representatives. As portable computers evolved into modern laptops, they became widely used for a variety of purposes.[6]
The history of the laptop follows closely behind the development of the personal computer itself. A "personal, portable information manipulator" was imagined by Alan Kay at Xerox PARC in ,[7] and described in his paper as the "Dynabook".[8] The IBM Special Computer APL Machine Portable (SCAMP) was demonstrated in .[9] This prototype was based on the IBM PALM processor.[10] The IBM , the first commercially available portable computer, appeared in September , and was based on the SCAMP prototype.[11]
As 8-bit CPU machines became widely accepted, the number of portables increased rapidly. The first "laptop-sized notebook computer" was the Epson HX-20,[12][13] invented (patented) by Suwa Seikosha's Yukio Yokozawa in July ,[14] introduced at the COMDEX computer show in Las Vegas by Japanese company Seiko Epson in ,[15][13] and released in July .[13][16] It had an LCD screen, a rechargeable battery, and a calculator-size printer, in a 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) chassis, the size of an A4 notebook.[13] It was described as a "laptop" and "notebook" computer in its patent.[14]
The Epson HX-20, the first "notebook computer", was invented in and introduced in .Both Tandy/RadioShack and Hewlett-Packard (HP) also produced portable computers of varying designs during this period.[17][18] The first laptops using the flip form factor appeared in the early s. The Dulmont Magnum was released in Australia in '82, but was not marketed internationally until '85. The US$8,150 (equivalent to $25,730 in ) GRiD Compass , released in , was used at NASA and by the military, among others. The Sharp PC-,[19] the Ampere WS-1,[20] and Gavilan SC were released between and .[21][20][22] The Toshiba T won acceptance by PC experts and the mass market as a way to have PC portability.[23]
From onward, several new input techniques were developed and included in laptops, including the touch pad (Gavilan SC, ), the pointing stick (IBM ThinkPad 700, ), and handwriting recognition (Linus Write-Top,[24] ). Some CPUs, such as the Intel i386SL, were designed to use minimum power to increase battery life of portable computers and were supported by dynamic power management features such as Intel SpeedStep and AMD PowerNow! in some designs.
Some laptops in the s using red plasma displays could only be used when connected to AC power, and had a built in power supply.[25]
The development of memory cards was driven in the s by the need for a floppy-disk-drive alternative, having lower power consumption, less weight, and reduced volume in laptops. The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) was an industry association created in to promote a standard for memory cards in PCs. The specification for PCMCIA type I cards, later renamed PC Cards, was first released in .[26][27]
A Zenith SupersPort laptop, released inDisplays reached 640x480 (VGA) resolution by (Compaq SLT/286), and color screens started becoming a common upgrade in ,[28] with increases in resolution and screen size occurring frequently until the introduction of 17" screen laptops in . Hard drives started to be used in portables, encouraged by the introduction of 3.5" drives in the late s, and became common in laptops starting with the introduction of 2.5" and smaller drives around ; capacities have typically lagged behind those of physically larger desktop drives.
Resolutions of laptop webcams are 720p (HD), or 480p in lower-end laptops.[29] The earliest-known laptops with p (Full HD) webcams like the Samsung 700G7C were released in the early s.[30]
Optical disc drives became common in full-size laptops around : initially CD-ROM drives, supplanted by CD-R, then DVD, then Blu-ray drives with writing capability. Starting around , the trend shifted against internal optical drives, and as of , they have largely disappeared, though are still readily available as external peripherals.
The terms laptop and notebook both trace their origins to the early s, coined to describe portable computers in a size class smaller than the contemporary mainstream units (so-called "luggables") but larger than pocket computers.[31][32] The etymologist William Safire traced the origin of laptop to some time before ;[33] the earliest attestation of laptop found by the Oxford English Dictionary dates to .[34] The word is modeled after the term desktop, as in desktop computer.[33] Notebook, meanwhile, emerged earlier in [35] to describe Epson's HX-20 portable, whose dimensions roughly correspond to a letter-sized pad of paper.[32][36]:'9'[37] Notebooks emerged as their own separate market from laptops with the release of the NEC UltraLite in .[38]:'16' Notebooks and laptops continued to occupy distinct market segments into the mid-s,[39] but ergonomic considerations and customer preference for larger screens soon led to notebooks converging with laptops in the late s.[40] Today, the terms laptop and notebook are synonymous, with laptop being the more common term in most English-speaking territories.[40][5]
Since the s introduction of portable computers, their forms have changed significantly, spawning a variety of visually and technologically differing subclasses. Excepting distinct legal trademark around terms (notably Ultrabook), hard distinctions between these classes were rare, and their usage has varied over time and between sources. Since the late s, more specific terms have become less commonly used, with sizes distinguished largely by the size of the screen.
There were in the past a number of marketing categories for smaller and larger laptop computers; these included "notebook" and "subnotebook" models, low cost "netbooks", and "ultra-mobile PCs" where the size class overlapped with devices like smartphone and handheld tablets, and "Desktop replacement" laptops for machines notably larger and heavier than typical to operate more powerful processors or graphics hardware.[41] All of these terms have fallen out of favor as the size of mainstream laptops has gone down and their capabilities have gone up; except for niche models, laptop sizes tend to be distinguished by the size of the screen, and for more powerful models, by any specialized purpose the machine is intended for, such as a "gaming laptop" or a "mobile workstation" for professional use.
Convertible, hybrid, 2-in-1
The latest trend of technological convergence in the portable computer industry spawned a broad range of devices, which combined features of several previously separate device types. The hybrids, convertibles, and 2-in-1s emerged as crossover devices, which share traits of both tablets and laptops. All such devices have a touchscreen display designed to allow users to work in a tablet mode, using either multi-touch gestures or a stylus/digital pen.
Convertibles are devices with the ability to conceal a hardware keyboard. Keyboards on such devices can be flipped, rotated, or slid behind the back of the chassis, thus transforming from a laptop into a tablet. Hybrids have a keyboard detachment mechanism, and due to this feature, all critical components are situated in the part with the display. 2-in-1s can have a hybrid or a convertible form, often dubbed 2-in-1 detachable and 2-in-1 convertibles respectively, but are distinguished by the ability to run a desktop OS, such as Windows 10. 2-in-1s are often marketed as laptop replacement tablets.[42]
2-in-1s are often very thin, around 10 millimetres (0.39 in), and light devices with a long battery life. 2-in-1s are distinguished from mainstream tablets as they feature an x86-architecture CPU (typically a low- or ultra-low-voltage model), such as the Intel Core i5, run a full-featured desktop OS like Windows 10, and have a number of typical laptop I/O ports, such as USB 3 and Mini DisplayPort.
2-in-1s are designed to be used not only as a media consumption device but also as valid desktop or laptop replacements, due to their ability to run desktop applications, such as Adobe Photoshop. It is possible to connect multiple peripheral devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, and several external displays to a modern 2-in-1.
Microsoft Surface Pro-series devices and Surface Book are examples of modern 2-in-1 detachable, whereas Lenovo Yoga-series computers are a variant of 2-in-1 convertibles. While the older Surface RT and Surface 2 have the same chassis design as the Surface Pro, their use of ARM processors and Windows RT do not classify them as 2-in-1s, but as hybrid tablets.[43] Similarly, a number of hybrid laptops run a mobile operating system, such as Android. These include Asus's Transformer Pad devices, examples of hybrids with a detachable keyboard design, which do not fall in the category of 2-in-1s.
A rugged laptop is designed to reliably operate in harsh usage conditions such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures, and wet or dusty environments. Rugged laptops are bulkier, heavier, and much more expensive than regular laptops,[44] and thus are seldom seen in regular consumer use.
The basic components of laptops function identically to their desktop counterparts. Traditionally they were miniaturized and adapted to mobile use, The design restrictions on power, size, and cooling of laptops limit the maximum performance of laptop parts compared to that of desktop components, although that difference has increasingly narrowed.[45]
In general, laptop components are not intended to be replaceable or upgradable by the end-user, except for components that can be detached; in the past, batteries and optical drives were commonly exchangeable. Some laptops feature socketed processors with sockets such as the Socket G2, but many laptops use processors that are soldered to the motherboard. Many laptops come with RAM and storage that is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be easily replaced. This restriction is one of the major differences between laptops and desktop computers, because the large "tower" cases used in desktop computers are designed so that new motherboards, hard disks, sound cards, RAM, and other components can be added. Memory and storage can often be upgraded with some disassembly, but with the most compact laptops, there may be no upgradeable components at all.[46]
The following sections summarizes the differences and distinguishing features of laptop components in comparison to desktop personal computer parts.[47]
The typical laptop has a screen that, when unfolded, is upright to the user.
Laptop screens most commonly employ liquid-crystal display (LCD) technology, although use of OLED panels has risen substantially since .[citation needed] The display interfaces with the motherboard using the Low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS) or embedded DisplayPort protocol.
Externally, it can be a glossy or a matte (anti-glare) screen.
In the past, there was a broader range of marketing terms (both formal and informal) to distinguish between different sizes of laptops. These included Netbooks, subnotebooks, Ultra-mobile PC, and Desktop replacement computers; these are sometimes still used informally, although they are essentially dead in terms of manufacturer marketing.
As of , mainstream consumer laptops tend to come with 11", 13" or 15"-16" screens; 14" models are more popular among business machines. Larger and smaller models are available, but less common ' there is no clear dividing line in minimum or maximum size. Machines small enough to be handheld (screens in the 6'8" range) can be marketed either as very small laptops or "handheld PCs", while the distinction between the largest laptops and "All-in-One" desktops is whether they fold for travel.
Having a higher resolution display allows more items to fit onscreen at a time, improving the user's ability to multitask, although at the higher resolutions on smaller screens, the resolution may only serve to display sharper graphics and text rather than increasing the usable area. Since the introduction of the MacBook Pro with Retina display in , there has been an increase in the availability of "HiDPI" (or high Pixel density) displays; as of , this is generally considered to be anything higher than pixels wide. This has increasingly converged around 4K (-pixel-wide) resolutions.
External displays can be connected to most laptops, with most models supporting at least one.[48] The use of technology such as USB4 (section Alternate Mode partner specifications). DisplayPort Alt Mode has been utilized to charge a laptop and provide display output over one USB-C Cable.[49]
Most laptop displays have a maximum refresh rate of 60 Hz. The Dell M17x and Samsung 700G7A, both released in , were among the first laptops to feature a 120 Hz refresh rate,[50][51] and more such laptops have appeared in the years since.
Central processing unit (CPU)A laptop's CPU has advanced power-saving features and produces less heat than one intended purely for desktop use. Mainstream laptop CPUs made after have at least two processor cores, often four cores, and sometimes more, with 6 and 8 cores becoming more common.
For the low price and mainstream performance, there is no longer a significant performance difference between laptop and desktop CPUs, but at the high end, the fastest desktop CPUs still substantially outperform the fastest laptop processors, at the expense of massively higher power consumption and heat generation; the fastest laptop processors top out at 56 watts of heat, while the fastest desktop processors top out at 150 watts (and often need water cooling).
There has been a wide range of CPUs designed for laptops available from both Intel, AMD, and other manufacturers. On non-x86 architectures, Motorola and IBM produced the chips for the former PowerPC-based Apple laptops (iBook and PowerBook). Between around to , most full-size laptops had socketed, replaceable CPUs; on thinner models, the CPU was soldered on the motherboard and was not replaceable or upgradable without replacing the motherboard. Since , Intel has not offered new laptop CPU models with pins to be interchangeable, preferring ball grid array chip packages which have to be soldered;[52] and as of , only a few rare models using desktop parts.
In the past, some laptops have used a desktop processor instead of the laptop version and have had high-performance gains at the cost of greater weight, heat, and limited battery life; this is not unknown as of , but since around , the practice has been restricted to small-volume gaming models. Laptop CPUs are rarely able to be overclocked; most use locked processors. Even on gaming models where unlocked processors are available, the cooling system in most laptops is often very close to its limits and there is rarely headroom for an overclocking'related operating temperature increase.
Graphics processing unit (GPU)On most laptops, the GPU is integrated into the CPU to conserve power and space. This was introduced by Intel with the Core i-series of mobile processors in , followed by similar AMD APU processors in January .
Before that, lower-end machines tended to use graphics processors integrated into the system chipset, while higher-end machines had a separate graphics processor. In the past, laptops lacking a separate graphics processor were limited in their utility for gaming and professional applications involving 3D graphics, but the capabilities of CPU-integrated graphics have converged with the low-end of dedicated graphics processors since the mid-s. For laptops possessing limited onboard graphics capability but sufficient I/O throughput, an external GPU (eGPU) can provide additional graphics power at the cost of physical space and portability.
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Higher-end laptops intended for gaming or professional 3D work still come with dedicated (and in some cases even dual) graphics processors on the motherboard or as an internal expansion card. Since , these almost always involve switchable graphics so that when there is no demand for the higher performance dedicated graphics processor, the more power-efficient integrated graphics processor will be used. Nvidia Optimus and AMD Hybrid Graphics are examples of this sort of system of switchable graphics.
Traditionally, the system RAM on laptops (as well as on desktop computers) was physically separate from the graphics memory used by the GPU. Apple's M series SoCs feature a unified pool of memory for both the system and the GPU; this approach can produce substantial efficiency gains for some applications but comes at the cost of eGPU support.
Since around the year , most laptops have used SO-DIMM slots in which RAM is mounted,[47] although, as of , an increasing number of models use memory soldered to the motherboard, either alongside SO-DIMM slots or without any slots and soldering all memory to the motherboard. Before , most laptops used proprietary memory modules if their memory was upgradable.
In the early s, high end laptops such as the Samsung 700G7A have passed the 10 GB RAM barrier, featuring 16 GB of RAM.[53]
When upgradeable, memory slots are sometimes accessible from the bottom of the laptop for ease of upgrading; in other cases, accessing them requires significant disassembly. Most laptops have two memory slots, although some will have only one, either for cost savings or because some amount of memory is soldered. Some high-end models have four slots; these are usually mobile engineering workstations, although a few high-end models intended for gaming do as well.
As of , 8 GB RAM is most common, with lower-end models occasionally having 4 GB. Higher-end laptops may come with 16 GB of RAM or more.
The earliest laptops most often used floppy disk for storage, although a few used either RAM disk or tape, by the late s hard disk drives had become the standard form of storage.
Between and , almost all laptops typically had a hard disk drive (HDD) for storage; since then, solid-state drives (SSD) have gradually come to supplant hard drives in all but some inexpensive consumer models. Solid-state drives are faster and more power-efficient, as well as eliminating the hazard of drive and data corruption caused by a laptop's physical impacts, as they use no mechanical parts such as a rotational platter.[54] In many cases, they are more compact as well. Initially, in the late s, SSDs were substantially more expensive than HDDs, but as of prices on smaller capacity (under 1 terabyte) drives have converged; larger capacity drives remain more expensive than comparable-sized HDDs.
Since around , where a hard drive is present it will typically be a 2.5-inch drive; some very compact laptops support even smaller 1.8-inch HDDs, and a very small number used 1" Microdrives. Some SSDs are built to match the size/shape of a laptop hard drive, but increasingly they have been replaced with smaller mSATA or M.2 cards. SSDs using the newer and much faster NVM Express standard for connecting are only available as cards.
As of , many laptops no longer contain space for a 2.5" drive, accepting only M.2 cards; a few of the smallest have storage soldered to the motherboard. For those that can, they can typically contain a single 2.5-inch drive, but a small number of laptops with a screen wider than 15 inches can house two drives.
A variety of external HDDs or NAS data storage servers with support of RAID technology can be attached to virtually any laptop over such interfaces as USB, FireWire, eSATA, or Thunderbolt, or over a wired or wireless network to further increase space for the storage of data. Many laptops also incorporate a SD or microSD card slot. This enables users to download digital pictures from an SD card onto a laptop, thus enabling them to delete the SD card's contents to free up space for taking new pictures.
Optical disc drives capable of playing CD-ROMs, compact discs (CD), DVDs, and in some cases, Blu-ray discs (BD), were nearly universal on full-sized models between the mid-s and the early s. As of , drives are uncommon in compact or premium laptops; they remain available in some bulkier models, but the trend towards thinner and lighter machines is gradually eliminating these drives and players ' when needed they can be connected via USB instead.
Laptops are usually have built-in speakers and built-in microphones. However, integrated speakers may be small and of restricted sound quality to conserve space.
An alphanumeric keyboard is used to enter text, data, and other commands (e.g., function keys). A touchpad (also called a trackpad), a pointing stick, or both, are used to control the position of the cursor on the screen, and an integrated keyboard[55] is used for typing. Some touchpads have buttons separate from the touch surface, while others share the surface. A quick double-tap is typically registered as a click, and operating systems may recognize multi-finger touch gestures.
An external keyboard and mouse may be connected using a USB port or wirelessly, via Bluetooth or similar technology. Some laptops have multitouch touchscreen displays, either available as an option or standard. Most laptops have webcams and microphones, which can be used to communicate with other people with both moving images and sound, via web conferencing or video-calling software.
Laptops typically have USB ports and a combined headphone/microphone jack, for use with headphones, a combined headset, or an external mic. Many laptops have a card reader for reading digital camera SD cards.
Input/output (I/O) portsOn a typical laptop there are several USB ports; if they use only the older USB connectors instead of USB-C, they will typically have an external monitor port (VGA, DVI, HDMI or Mini DisplayPort or occasionally more than one), an audio in/out port (often in form of a single socket) is common. It is possible to connect up to three external displays to a -era laptop via a single Mini DisplayPort, using multi-stream transport technology.[48]
Apple, in a version of its MacBook, transitioned from a number of different I/O ports to a single USB-C port.[56] This port can be used both for charging and connecting a variety of devices through the use of aftermarket adapters. Apple has since transitioned back to using a number of different ports. Google, with its updated version of Chromebook Pixel, shows a similar transition trend towards USB-C, although keeping older USB Type-A ports for a better compatibility with older devices.[57] Although being common until the end of the s decade, Ethernet network port are rarely found on modern laptops, due to widespread use of wireless networking, such as Wi-Fi. Legacy ports such as a PS/2 keyboard/mouse port, serial port, parallel port, or FireWire are provided on some models, but they are increasingly rare. On Apple's systems, and on a handful of other laptops, there are also Thunderbolt ports, but Thunderbolt 3 uses USB-C. Laptops typically have a headphone jack, so that the user can connect headphones or amplified speaker systems for listening to music or other audio.
In the past, a PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) or ExpressCard slot for expansion was often present on laptops to allow adding and removing functionality, even when the laptop is powered on; these are becoming increasingly rare since the introduction of USB 3.0. Some internal subsystems such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or a wireless cellular modem can be implemented as replaceable internal expansion cards, usually accessible under an access cover on the bottom of the laptop. The standard for such cards is PCI Express, which comes in both mini and even smaller M.2 sizes. In newer laptops, it is not uncommon to also see Micro SATA (mSATA) functionality on PCI Express Mini or M.2 card slots allowing the use of those slots for SATA-based solid-state drives.[58]
Mobile PCI Express Module (MXM) is a type of expansion card that is used for graphics cards.[59]
Since the late s, laptops have typically used lithium ion or lithium polymer batteries, These replaced the older nickel metal-hydride typically used in the s, and nickel'cadmium batteries used in most of the earliest laptops. A few of the oldest laptops used non-rechargeable batteries, or lead'acid batteries.
Battery life is highly variable by model and workload and can range from one hour to nearly a day. A battery's performance gradually decreases over time; a noticeable reduction in capacity is typically evident after two to three years of regular use, depending on the charging and discharging pattern and the design of the battery. Innovations in laptops and batteries have seen situations in which the battery can provide up to 24 hours of continued operation, assuming average power consumption levels. An example is the HP EliteBook p when used with its ultra-capacity battery.[60]
Laptops with removable batteries may support larger replacement batteries with extended capacity.
A laptop's battery is charged using an external power supply, which is plugged into a wall outlet. The power supply outputs a DC voltage typically in the range of 7.2'24 volts. The power supply is usually external and connected to the laptop through a DC connector cable. In most cases, it can charge the battery and power the laptop simultaneously. When the battery is fully charged, the laptop continues to run on power supplied by the external power supply, avoiding battery use. If the used power supply is not strong enough to power computing components and charge the battery simultaneously, the battery may charge in a shorter period of time if the laptop is turned off or sleeping. The charger typically adds about 400 grams (0.88 lb) to the overall transporting weight of a laptop, although some models are substantially heavier or lighter. Most -era laptops use a smart battery, a rechargeable battery pack with a built-in battery management system (BMS). The smart battery can internally measure voltage and current, and deduce charge level and State of Health (SoH) parameters, indicating the state of the cells.[citation needed]
Historically, DC connectors, typically cylindrical/barrel-shaped coaxial power connectors have been used in laptops. Some vendors such as Lenovo made intermittent use of a rectangular connector.
Some connector heads feature a center pin to allow the end device to determine the power supply type by measuring the resistance between it and the connector's negative pole (outer surface). Vendors may block charging if a power supply is not recognized as original part, which could deny the legitimate use of universal third-party chargers.[61]
With the advent of USB-C, portable electronics made increasing use of it for both power delivery and data transfer. Its support for 20 V (common laptop power supply voltage) and 5 A typically suffices for low to mid-end laptops, but some with higher power demands such as gaming laptops depend on dedicated DC connectors to handle currents beyond 5 A without risking overheating, some even above 10 A. Additionally, dedicated DC connectors are more durable and less prone to wear and tear from frequent reconnection, as their design is less delicate.[62]
Waste heat from the operation is difficult to remove in the compact internal space of a laptop. The earliest laptops used passive cooling; this gave way to heat sinks placed directly on the components to be cooled, but when these hot components are deep inside the device, a large space-wasting air duct is needed to exhaust the heat. Modern laptops instead rely on heat pipes to rapidly move waste heat towards the edges of the device, to allow for a much smaller and compact fan and heat sink cooling system. Waste heat is usually exhausted away from the device operator towards the rear or sides of the device. Multiple air intake paths are used since some intakes can be blocked, such as when the device is placed on a soft conforming surface like a chair cushion. Secondary device temperature monitoring may reduce performance or trigger an emergency shutdown if it is unable to dissipate heat, such as if the laptop were to be left running and placed inside a carrying case. Aftermarket cooling pads with external fans can be used with laptops to reduce operating temperatures.
A docking station (sometimes referred to simply as a dock) is a laptop accessory that contains multiple ports and in some cases expansion slots or bays for fixed or removable drives. A laptop connects and disconnects to a docking station, typically through a single large proprietary connector. A docking station is an especially popular laptop accessory in a corporate computing environment, due to a possibility of a docking station transforming a laptop into a full-featured desktop replacement, yet allowing for its easy release. This ability can be advantageous to "road warrior" employees who have to travel frequently for work, and yet who also come into the office. If more ports are needed, or their position on a laptop is inconvenient, one can use a cheaper passive device known as a port replicator. These devices mate to the connectors on the laptop, such as through USB or FireWire.
Laptop charging trolleys, also known as laptop trolleys or laptop carts, are mobile storage containers to charge multiple laptops, netbooks, and tablet computers at the same time. The trolleys are used in schools that have replaced their traditional static computer labs[63] suites of desktop equipped with "tower" computers, but do not have enough plug sockets in an individual classroom to charge all of the devices. The trolleys can be wheeled between rooms and classrooms so that all students and teachers in a particular building can access fully charged IT equipment.[64]
Laptop charging trolleys are also used to deter and protect against opportunistic and organized theft. Schools, especially those with open plan designs, are often prime targets for thieves who steal high-value items. Laptops, netbooks, and tablets are among the highest'value portable items in a school. Moreover, laptops can easily be concealed under clothing and stolen from buildings. Many types of laptop'charging trolleys are designed and constructed to protect against theft. They are generally made out of steel, and the laptops remain locked up while not in use. Although the trolleys can be moved between areas from one classroom to another, they can often be mounted or locked to the floor, support pillars, or walls to prevent thieves from stealing the laptops, especially overnight.[63]
In some laptops, solar panels are able to generate enough solar power for the laptop to operate.[65] The One Laptop Per Child Initiative released the OLPC XO-1 laptop which was tested and successfully operated by use of solar panels.[66] Presently, they are designing an OLPC XO-3 laptop with these features. The OLPC XO-3 can operate with 2 watts of electricity because its renewable energy resources generate a total of 4 watts.[67][68] Samsung has also designed the NC215S solar'powered notebook that will be sold commercially in the U.S. market.[69]
A common accessory for laptops is a laptop sleeve, laptop skin, or laptop case, which provides a degree of protection from scratches. Sleeves, which are distinguished by being relatively thin and flexible, are most commonly made of neoprene, with sturdier ones made of low-resilience polyurethane. Some laptop sleeves are wrapped in ballistic nylon to provide some measure of waterproofing. Bulkier and sturdier cases can be made of metal with polyurethane padding inside and may have locks for added security. Metal, padded cases also offer protection against impacts and drops. Another common accessory is a laptop cooler, a device that helps lower the internal temperature of the laptop either actively or passively. A common active method involves using electric fans to draw heat away from the laptop, while a passive method might involve propping the laptop up on some type of pad so it can receive more airflow. Some stores sell laptop pads that enable a reclining person on a bed to use a laptop.
Some of the components of earlier models of laptops can easily be replaced without opening completely its bottom part, such as keyboard, battery, hard disk, memory modules, CPU cooling fan, etc.
Some of the components of recent models of laptops reside inside. Replacing most of its components, such as keyboard, battery, hard disk, memory modules, CPU cooling fan, etc., requires removal of its either top or bottom part, removal of the motherboard, and returning them.
In some types, solder and glue are used to mount components such as RAM, storage, and batteries, making repairs additionally difficult.[70][71]
Features that certain early models of laptops used to have that are not available in most current laptops include:
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Physical portability allows a laptop to be used in many places'not only at home and the office but also during commuting and flights, in coffee shops, in lecture halls and libraries, at clients' locations or a meeting room, etc. Within a home, portability enables laptop users to move their devices from room to room. Portability offers several distinct advantages:[
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Other advantages of laptops:
Compared to desktop PCs, laptops have disadvantages in the following areas:
There are many laptop brands and manufacturers. Several major brands that offer notebooks in various classes are listed in the adjacent box. The major brands usually offer good service and support, including well-executed documentation and driver downloads that remain available for many years after a particular laptop model is no longer produced. Capitalizing on service, support, and brand image, laptops from major brands are more expensive than laptops by smaller brands and ODMs. Some brands specialize in a particular class of laptops, such as gaming laptops (Alienware), high-performance laptops (HP Envy), netbooks (EeePC) and laptops for children (OLPC).
Many brands, including the major ones, do not design and do not manufacture their laptops. Instead, a small number of Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) design new models of laptops, and the brands choose the models to be included in their lineup. In , 7 major ODMs manufactured 7 of every 10 laptops in the world, with the largest one (Quanta Computer) having 30% of the world market share.[95] Therefore, identical models are available both from a major label and from a low-profile ODM in-house brand.
Battery-powered portable computers had just 2% worldwide market share in .[96] However, laptops have become increasingly popular, both for business and personal use.[97] Around 109 million notebook PCs shipped worldwide in , a growth of 33% compared to .[98] In it was estimated that 145.9 million notebooks were sold, and that the number would grow in to 177.7 million.[99] The third quarter of was the first time when worldwide notebook PC shipments exceeded desktops, with 38.6 million units versus 38.5 million units.[97][100][101][102] Due to the advent of tablets and affordable laptops, many computer users now have laptops due to the convenience offered by the device.
Before , laptops were very expensive. In May , the average notebook sold for $1,131 while desktops sold for an average of $696.[103] Around , however, prices of laptops decreased substantially due to low-cost netbooks, drawing an average US$689 at U.S. retail stores in August . Starting with the s, laptops have decreased substantially in price at the low end due to inexpensive and low power Arm processors, less demanding operating systems such as ChromeOS, and SoC's. As of , a new laptop can be obtained for $299.[104]
The list of materials that go into a laptop computer is long, and many of the substances used, such as beryllium, lead, chromium, and mercury compounds, are toxic or carcinogenic to humans. Although these toxins are relatively harmless when the laptop is in use, concerns that discarded laptops cause a serious health and environmental risks when improperly discarded have arisen. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) in Europe specified that all laptop computers must be recycled by law. Similarly, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has outlawed landfill dumping or the incinerating of discarded laptop computers.
Most laptop computers begin the recycling process with a method known as Demanufacturing, this involves the physical separation of the components of the laptop.[105] These components are then either grouped into materials (e.g. plastic, metal and glass) for recycling or more complex items that require more advanced materials separation (e.g.) circuit boards, hard drives and batteries.
Corporate laptop recycling can require an additional process known as data destruction. The data destruction process ensures that all information or data that has been stored on a laptop hard drive can never be retrieved again. Below is an overview of some of the data protection and environmental laws and regulations applicable for laptop recycling data destruction:
The ruggedized Grid Compass computer was used since the early days of the Space Shuttle program. The first commercial laptop used in space was a Macintosh portable in on Space Shuttle mission STS-41 and again in aboard STS-43.[108][109][110][111] Apple and other laptop computers continue to be flown aboard crewed spaceflights, though the only long-duration flight certified computer for the International Space Station is the ThinkPad.[112] As of , over 100 ThinkPads were aboard the ISS. Laptops used aboard the International Space Station and other spaceflights are generally the same ones that can be purchased by the general public but needed modifications are made to allow them to be used safely and effectively in a weightless environment such as updating the cooling systems to function without relying on hot air rising and accommodation for the lower cabin air pressure.[113] Laptops operating in harsh usage environments and conditions, such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures, and wet or dusty conditions differ from those used in space in that they are custom designed for the task and do not use commercial off-the-shelf hardware.
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