The Notebook is a very touching movie. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a love story that takes many twists and turns, finally ending in a way that makes you think it was sponsored by Kleenex. If you guessed, “I bet Justin didn’t choose that movie”, you’d be right! More in my wheelhouse, though, is the notebook computer. I’ve gotten a lot of questions recently about the difference between a laptop computer and a notebook. Let’s end the mystery today, so the next time you’re computer shopping, you’ll be armed with all of the information you need to make an informed decision.
A laptop, is a laptop, is a laptop. Basically, any portable computer on the market today is technically considered a laptop. Think of “laptop” as the heading that encompasses all mobile computers. Laptops, of course, come in a variety of sizes, and include any number of options and components. As you’ve noticed, the price differences vary as well! Most laptops weigh anywhere from 4-8 pounds depending on screen sizes (anywhere from 10-20 inches), and the internal hardware that comprises the computer. Manufactures include: Alienware, Apple, Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Sony, Samsung, and Toshiba. Many, (but not all) laptops come with an optical (DVD/CD) drive right onboard.
A notebook’s primary purpose is to be a mobile computer. It’s smaller than a traditional laptop, and is roughly the size of a (drumroll please) notebook. Hence, it’s not just a clever name. Notebooks are designed to fit into a briefcase or backpack, and weigh less than five pounds. Most notebooks are less than three inches thick, so it stands to reason that there won’t usually be an internal optical drive. External USB optical drives are readily available though so don’t let that scare you away. Because of the size restrictions, notebooks aren’t typically as powerful as regular laptops, since there isn’t room to include all of the fans and circuitry necessary to support the power and cooling needs that faster components require. Apple, Dell, HP, Sony, Samsung, and Toshiba are the major players on the notebook side of the laptop game.
Hopefully after today’s Finish Line Blog, the only tears you’ll shed over notebooks will be from the movie, The Notebook! Marketers often muddy the waters by using the terms notebook and laptop interchangeably, but we won’t fall for the hype. It’s always important to make an informed decision and know exactly what you’re buying. “Knowledge is power” as they say.