Notebook or laptop is a small mobile PC used to perform similar tasks done by PCs. A laptop has all the necessary parts of a general personal computer, the monitor, keyboard, CPU, etc. but compact in a much smaller space, done by using a lot of microchips. Since it can be used while on the move; hence, it has got a rechargeable battery inside it. Generally it has a thickness of 1.7 to 4 cm.



The first portable computer, Osborne 1 came in the market in the year 1981.With a small 5`` CRT screen. It was a massive device as compared to the present day laptop. GRiD Compass 1100, was the first laptop which used the clamshell design, produced in 1982. Just the following year the Gavilan SC came in the market, which was the first notebook to use the term laptop.

On the basis of purpose, laptops are generally being classified as follows:

Subnotebook laptops, which have been built keeping the portability, factor in mind. Hence, they are not very big in size and have a maximum of 13`` screen, with less features and ports and quite a long battery life, even as long as 10 hours. They are made by using the latest technology and advanced materials. They generally use the desktop operating systems like Linux, Windows or Mac OSX.

An inferior and smaller version of the Subnotebook is the Netbook laptop, which also keeps portability as the main building feature. They generally have a screen size of 10`` or less. For saving power consumption, some models use SSD drives instead of the normal HDDs. Netbooks are generally used for performing basic office tasks and surfing the net.

Table PCs are laptops having a touch screen interface, with or without a keyboard. They are generally used for performing certain specific functional tasks only.

Desktop replacement laptops keep performance as the major feature over portability and have a screen of 17``, with many ports. They can be called as a miniature form of PC, which can perform almost all the functions of a PC. Generally the batteries of such laptops can supply power for lesser amount of time, as their large sized screen consumes huge amount of power.

Standard laptops are those laptops which keep a balance between the performance and portability. They generally have a 13-15`` screen, having a moderate battery life.

Apple, HP, Dell, Sony, Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer, Panasonic and Samsung are some of the renowned brands manufacturing laptops.

The basic hardware components of a laptop are similar to the desktop`s counterpart, but are miniature variants of the one used in the later. The areas where laptop scores above the normal desktop computers are; they can be used as mobile devices; they can also be used during power cut offs, as they are powered by chargeable battery. Moreover they consume less energy than the usual desktop computers.

However, there are certain disadvantages of laptops too. The major problem being: upgradability, due to the compact design of the laptop. Again due to the compact design, they cannot be cleaned properly and it leads to improper functioning due to accumulation of dust inside. Researchers have shown heat generated from laptop decreases the sperm count in male users.

Though laptops have a few disadvantages, but they are here to stay with us. In a recent market survey the results revealed a rise in laptop sales as compared to the number of PCs sold, in the recent year. Hence, in this twenty first century, we can say we need mobility and laptops are here to meet the bill.