Notebook Vs. Laptop

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Not quite aware of the difference between notebooks and laptops, many people use these terms interchangeably for these two types of portable computers. Though this difference has been reduced by a great extent as of today, one cannot deny the fact that it does exist.

As we cruise along the highway of technology, leaving behind one milestone after another, our gadgets are becoming smaller and smaller. Introduction of laptops and notebooks, the improvised versions of the traditional desktop computers, is by far the best example of this. Even though there does exist a significant difference between notebooks and laptops, people invariably tend to get confused when trying to differentiate between them - and end up buying the wrong machine. Even some manufacturers use these two terms interchangeably nowadays, and that has just added to the confusion.

Laptop

The term 'laptop' is used to refer to a small portable computer, which is almost as good as the desktop PC in terms of performance, but runs on battery, and hence has a shorter life. Its small size means you can carry it along with ease. In fact, the name ...
... laptop in itself is derived from the fact that it is so small that you can easily place it on your lap and use it. Being compact, laptop computers are relatively expensive compared to desktop computers.

Notebook

The term 'notebook', on the other hand, refers to a portable computer, even smaller than the laptop in terms of size, but having a greater battery life compared to it. They are also referred to as notebook PCs, owing to the fact that they are as small as actual notebooks. Being small acts as an advantage as they can be conveniently carried along anywhere. More importantly, they are relatively cheaper than the laptops, as they have lesser features compared to the latter.

Notebook Vs. Laptop

In 1983, Gavilan Computer Corp. introduced a portable computer named Gavilan SC, with MS-DOS Os and 5-MHz Intel 8088 CPU on board. It was the first ever portable computer which was marketed as a 'laptop'. In contrast, a relatively new term, 'notebook' was introduced towards the late 1980s with the advent of smaller portable computers, like the NEC UltraLite. Those machines which were considered notebooks sported a screen which was usually the size of an A4 sized paper, and hence they were named so.

In terms of size, notebooks have a slight edge over laptops as they are much smaller, and hence can be easily carried along. Even though it is not a hard and fast rule, but portable computers with a screen size of 14-17 inches qualify as laptops, and those with a screen size of 14 inches or below are considered notebooks. Both are portable computers and hence can be carried along, but when it comes to convenience notebooks do score some extra points over their counterparts.

While the size comparison gives notebook computers an edge in terms of portability, it also acts as a deterrent when it comes to performance. The cooling system used in laptops is far better than the one used in notebooks. There is not much of difference between the cooling system used in desktops and laptops, other than the fact that the one which is used in laptop computers is slightly tweaked to fit it in the portable case.

When it comes to processing, laptops again have an edge, with far more powerful CPUs on board - and this indirectly contributes to the performance of the other units - including the cooling system. (Some of the recently introduced notebook models do come with a powerful CPU, but then they also adjust in terms of size; and then the notebook just doesn't feel like a notebook.)

Being small and having relatively less components, notebooks require less power to operate compared to laptops. While the battery life of a laptop ranges between 2-3 hours depending on your use, the same in notebook ranges between 4-6 hours. In addition, some of the most basic features such as a large full-featured keyboard or a graphic processing unit are usually left out in notebooks.

Laptops are more compatible to hardware change and add-on compared to notebooks. In case of notebooks, hardware replacement is bound by manufacturers compatibilities. The laptops, on the other hand, are highly compatible to a range of hardware owing to their bigger size. Similarly, various drives are integrated into a laptop in most of the cases, which is not the case in notebooks, wherein you do have the option of attaching these drives externally, but that is not as convenient as integrated system.

Which is Better?

At the end of the day, the compact size of notebooks acts as a boon as well as a curse. Being small in size means you can easily carry them around, much more conveniently than you can carry laptops, but this small size also means you have to compromise on several features which laptops and desktop PCs offer. In such a scenario, you should make a list of the features that you need in you computer, and depending on it opt for a laptop or a notebook. If it is size or mobility for you notebooks are fine, but if faster processor and more storage is what you vie for, then you should go for laptops.

Over the period, the notebook-laptop comparison has lost its importance as the difference between the two has reduced by a great extent. While laptops have become considerably small, notebooks are no more restricted to A4 size as late 80s and early 90s. Overall, the laptop may have a slight edge, but that is negligible. In fact, you are more likely to come across sources which say that both are same, and using the terms interchangeably is perfectly normal.

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