Laptop Categories

Laptops are some of the most widely used gadgets of the 21st century. Their appearance and development during the last 3 decades made our everyday life easier. Laptops are used almost everywhere: at homes and offices, hotels and means of transport. According to the amount of space, people buy laptops of various sizes. Thus there are several categories of notebook computers. Every design and size corresponds to the user's specific needs.

There are five categories of laptops. Every category has its advantages and disadvantages.

Ultraportables (weight: under 4 pounds)

It represents a very compact notebook that one can carry in a small bag. Computers from this category have low demands, which is why they are quite small in size. An ultraportable laptop has a futuristic design, a light weight and it represents a perfect choice for a traveler.

However, ultraportables are meant mainly for less space rather than high performance. They are not meant for high-demand business applications and games that require intense graphics. The smaller is the laptop the less life its battery will have. The screen is small and a high resolution can be hard on one's eyes.

Because of its small size the keyboard has smaller buttons which is not very comfortable for those with large fingers. Light ultraportbles do not include CD and DVD drives. The latter serve as external accessories. However these drives can be found on heavier laptops from the ultraportable category.

Standard Laptops (weight: 6 to 8 pounds)

Almost every standard laptop includes DVD/CD-RW drives. This category is very popular and the prices are more affordable than notebooks from other categories. The average battery life is about 3 hours but there are high-capacity versions that are able to work for 5 hours. The standard laptops are not as compact as ultraportables. The user will also have to carry additional peripherals in order to read various media card formats. The same concerns the connection to other devices.

Thin and Light (weight: 4 to 6 pounds)

Laptops from this category have powerful processors. Most thin and light notebooks have 14 inch displays, which allow viewing everything from Word and Excel files to various internet pages. The battery is able to live for more than 3 hours. There are a lot of thin and light laptops that have the ability of swapping out an optical drive. Notebooks from this category are able to transfer the information wirelessly (for example through Bluetooth) without a significant drain of battery life.

There are also several ports available: USB 2.0 and parallel. Some thin and light laptops encounter even serial ports. This category is popular for the ability of connecting a video camera.

Desktop Replacements (weight: 8 pound and up)

This category includes laptops with wide screens, sharp displays as well as great graphical performances. Desktop replacements are perfect for gaming and business performance. This is due to the fast CPU and improved video chips. These laptops have improved audio systems and some of them also include subwoofers.

One of the disadvantages of desktop replacements is their size. For example they will not fit under an airplane seat. Another negative aspect is their battery life.

This category includes some of the most expensive computers on the market today. The price varies from 1,500 to 4,000 US dollars.

Tablet PC (weight: 2 to 4 pounds)

The main advantage of the table PC is their touch screen. This feature is very useful for some specific professions like, for example, medicine. These computers are also able to convert hand writing into editable text. The user can view tablets in two modes: regular and pivoted on end. Thus one can switch the table screen to a portrait mode.

Laptops from this category have the longest battery life among other categories. The disadvantage of tablet PC is their slow processor and little RAM. These notebooks are not meant for business or gaming performances. The CD and DVD drives are very often add-ons connected as external sources.

According to a laptop's performance one can choose a notebook suitable enough for his or her lifestyle. The market of laptops continues its expansion adding new additional features satisfying even more of customers' needs.