Laptop Definition and 285 Threads

A laptop, laptop computer, or notebook computer is a small, portable personal computer (PC) with a screen and alphanumeric keyboard. These typically have a "clamshell" form factor, typically having the screen mounted on the inside of the upper lid and the keyboard on the inside of the lower lid, although 2-in-1 PCs with a detachable keyboard are often marketed as laptops or as having a "laptop mode." Laptops are folded shut for transportation, and thus are suitable for mobile use. Its name comes from lap, as it was deemed practical to be placed on a person's lap when being used. Today, laptops are the used in a variety of settings, such as at work, in education, for playing games, web browsing, for personal multimedia, and general home computer use.
As of 2021, in American English, the terms laptop computer and notebook computer are used interchangeably; in other dialects of English one or the other may be preferred. The term 'notebook computers' or 'notebooks' originally referred to a specific size of laptop (originally smaller and lighter than mainstream laptops of the time), the terms have come to mean the same thing and notebook no longer refers to any specific size.
Laptops combine all the input/output components and capabilities of a desktop computer, including the display screen, small speakers, a keyboard, data storage device, sometimes an optical disc drive, pointing devices (such as a touchpad or pointing stick), with an operating system, a processor and memory into a single unit. Most modern laptops feature integrated webcams and built-in microphones, while many also have touchscreens. Laptops can be powered either from an internal battery or by an external power supply from an AC adapter. Hardware specifications, such as the processor speed and memory capacity, significantly vary between different types, models and price points.
Design elements, form factor and construction can also vary significantly between models depending on intended use. Examples of specialized models of laptops include rugged notebooks for use in construction or military applications, as well as 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 for traveling sales representatives. As the portable computers evolved into the modern laptop, they became widely used for a variety of purposes.

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  1. C

    Why do laptop transformer sizes vary so much?

    Why laptops transformer size varies so much? Also, the little cylinder right next to the cable connector to the laptop is there to avoid that the laptop works as an antenna? How does that work? Thank you Regards
  2. Darth Frodo

    Where I can find information on the Wireless Networking abilities of my laptop

    Hi guys, I need to do a project for college Does anyone know where I can find information on the Wireless Networking abilities of my laptop? Can some be found in the control panel? Can I find some online? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
  3. A

    Charging laptop and phone while travelling

    Not your typical Electrical Engineering post I'm sure but there is so much misinformation out there and I'm sure there would be some interesting applications for others here. I'd like to be able to charge not only my current laptop (standard Gigabyte 15 inch) and phone (HTC Desire) but future...
  4. J

    Programs Laptop to be used in Aeronautics Engineering degree

    In the end of September I will be starting my MSc in Aeronautics and since my laptop has stopped working, I will be needing a new one. Is there a laptop that most suits my specific course? Or engineering in general? I had a laptop in mind because it looked pretty good at first sight, but I...
  5. M

    Buying a Gaming Laptop for 800 Dollars

    Hello, I have in the vicinity of 800 dollars and want to research thoroughly before buying a laptop without regrets. My first priority is running college software like MatLab, Programming Langauge IDE and second priority is gaming. Being a novice in buying computers, I want a recommendation on...
  6. H

    How Can I Speed Up My Dell N Series Laptop's Startup Time?

    I've got a Dell n series laptop. Thing is it takes aproximately 2-3 minutes to power up and it also takes an awful lot of time to open a new windows (say My Computer) and to shut down. How can I minimize these times?
  7. ME_student

    Choosing the Right Laptop: Tips and Personal Experiences

    So I have been doing tons and tons of research on laptop computers. I have not found one that I like yet, but I know two brands I am leaning towards, Dell and Asus. One of my friend is a computer fanatic. He keeps on telling me to get a laptop with the i7 2nd gen processor and at least six...
  8. L

    Schools Desk Top vs. Laptop for first year grad school in physics

    I will be starting my first year as a phd physics student in the fall. I'm trying to get everything I need to start my first year of grad school. The one thing I'm not sure of is whether I should get a laptop or a desktop for graduate school. I am going into theorectical amo. Also I plan to...
  9. G

    Laptop for Grad School: Find the Best Under $1000

    Hi Guys (and Gals), I hope no one minds that I posted this in "Academic Guidance", but I figured this is something you all have dealt with... I'm starting graduate school in the fall and I'm looking to buy a new laptop. I will be traveling on the train/bus with it daily so I want something on...
  10. Z

    Laptop for Mechatronics Engineering: What Specs Do I Need?

    I'm going into Mechatronics engineering next year and looking for a laptop. My main question what kind of specs will I need. I can probably find a laptop with that info just not really sure how good of a laptop I will need, suggestions are welcome though. Thanks in advance!
  11. S

    Is it normal for a laptop power adapter to be hot

    I bought a ravpower brand laptop power adapter half year ago,it works well before,but this week i find it will become very hot,I don't know why.But I am thinking maybe it is relative with the time of using or the voltage?Or some other problem?Sometimes I play games for all day and I have a bad...
  12. I

    Laptop or Desktop + Netbook for Grad School?

    So, I'll be going to grad school in condensed matter physics in a couple years, and since my current laptop is on it's last legs I'll need a new computer. However, I do still have a nice monitor which still works. As I see it, I have two options: 1. Get a new laptop, and hook it up to the...
  13. P

    Is it possible to use a laptop as electronic test equipment?

    I am part of a CubeSat team at my school, and one job that I'm currently tasked with is figuring out how to build a transmitting/receiving system that will fit into our satellite. As a result, I am wondering if anyone knows if there are any good, affordable devices that will let me basically...
  14. R

    I want to make a house which will be controlled my your laptop or a cell phon

    I am a year 12 student and would like to make a small model for my project. I want to make a house which will be controlled my your laptop or a cell phone. The house should have the following features installed. -should have a gate sensor (i already have made a gate sensor with a scale)...
  15. J

    Do I Need a Specific Laptop for My ChE Curriculum?

    Hi, I'm a ChE student at a community college right now doing the transfer program to a 4 year university where I will resume my education as a junior in the Fall 12 semester. I'm thinking that I will need a laptop; I'm not that great with specs and hardware however. So any advice? I'm...
  16. turbo

    Any recent ASUS laptop users out there?

    A little help please... how do you open the lid without breaking anything? This thing seems jammed shut.
  17. W

    What Are Your Thoughts on the Best Laptop for Under $750?

    I'm looking for a laptop that costs around $600-$700, highest being like $750. I currently have an '09 Toshiba Satellite, and hate it. Not going to go with Toshiba, the charger is crap, the speakers are crap, the touchpad is crap, everything is a piece of crap. I got some spare cash over...
  18. Char. Limit

    Father puts .45 rounds into teenage girl's laptop

    after she calls him every dirty name in the book and thinks he won't find out, of course. Article here: www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/father-puts-45-through-teen-daughters-laptop-over-facebook-post/15147 Now opinions will vary on this, but I for one have to agree with the dad. If you...
  19. M

    Laptop fell off a height of ~0.5m - should I be worried?

    I know, I'm an absolute idiot for even letting that happen but it did. It fell off the sofa armrest accidentally (why would I want to throw it anyway? also, the armrest is larger than most) and quite surprisingly, there doesn't seem to be any noticeable damage to it. The webcam seems fine too...
  20. G

    How to connect function generator software on laptop to breadboard?

    I'm using a software to generatre sine waves for my op amp circuit. I know you have to use the headphone jack to output the signal, but I don't know how I would go about connecting my headphones to my circuit. The problem is I don't know how I have to cut my headphone wire for ground and etc...
  21. Y

    Need to buy a laptop that can load XP OS

    Hi All I have some old programs that can only run on XP. It is impossible to buy a new XP laptop anymore. I am thinking about buying a new Windows 7 laptop and load the XP into it so it can run the old programs. What do I have to look out when buying a laptop and also When is the XP OS I should...
  22. Y

    Troubleshooting a Dead Laptop: Hardware or Virus? Expert Advice

    My step son gave me a dead laptop. The symptom is when I try to turn it on, it fail to load the OS. I tried to put it in set up mode by hitting F2 to get into the setup mode. But it will turn off in like 20 seconds. I tapped F11 to get to safe mode and still it will turn off by itself. Do you...
  23. M

    Electrical Laptop battery as standalone/diy-power source.

    Hi. I'm investigating the idea of using a laptop battery for energy storage in a portable solar setup. The idea is charging the battery from solar panels, then power/charge other devices from the battery in low light conditions. I would like to be able to power/charge laptops and...
  24. B

    Maximizing Laptop Battery Life: Tips & Tricks

    I have been trying to maximize the life time of my laptop battery. My approach to that is to almost use up the charge in the battery then immediately charge it. It is always annoying when the battery have 5% left, because that's when it hibernates automatically. Can I change the settings so it...
  25. J

    Download web page from Kindle to Laptop

    I have a G3 enabled Kindle which gives unlimited web access, soon I'll be going to a location where other internet acess will be costly/ patchy. Does anyone know how I can upload a web page from the Kindle to a laptop so that I can print it out?
  26. ArcanaNoir

    Maple Hey, bring your laptop, use maple

    This is the first time I've ever heard these words from a professor: "Hey, bring your laptop! (To the tests) Use maple/mathmatica/excel! That's what it's for!" This is from my probability professor. *glee* My calculator actually performs all the necessary functions, with convenient menu...
  27. Pengwuino

    Replacing laptop hard drive with SSD

    Does anyone have any experience with replacing a laptops hard drive with a solid state drive? I want to buy a cheap little laptop, an Acer, but also buy a solid state drive and immediately swap out the mechanical drive for a solid state drive. Does anyone know if this is typically possible...
  28. J

    Need Help Choosing a New Laptop for College Classes

    I've been around these forums quite often, never signed up till today. Figured this would be the best place to ask. Fall term for college starts in 30 days. I need to get a new laptop, but I'm not sure where to start. Don't really have a set budget, I just need to be sensible when...
  29. C

    Understanding Cell Arrangement in Laptop Battery Rebuilding

    So I am in the process of rebuilding my laptop battery for higher capacity cells. I would appreciate it if someone can help me understand the arrangement of the cells. From my research, each cell is 3.7V 1800 mAH Li-Ion cells. There are 6 of them in the battery pack. In this arrangement...
  30. C

    Importing a laptop from USA into UK

    Hello there, I am considering to import a laptop from USA into UK. I understand that due to different regions the software may be different. Is it hard to alter this without reinstalling the software? In addition, I have read that by importing this product to UK I would need to pay custom duty...
  31. J

    How to replace your laptop screen

    When the screen on a laptop breaks, it can be a very intimidating problem indeed for those who have never taken a laptop apart in the past before, In this Instructable i hope to dispel a part of that mystery in an effort to empower you so you can repair your own laptop next time it breaks...
  32. H

    Need a laptop for engineering undergrad

    hi i am going to a university next year for electrical and biomed engineering ... can someone tell me the minimum specs i would need in a laptop ...
  33. cobalt124

    Potential magnet damage to laptop HDD

    My specific question is can the magnets in an Ashton BA15 40W bass amp damage the HDD in a laptop (we have a Samsung about a year and a quarter old and an Acer about a year old). I've read the following threads: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=411895&highlight=magnet...
  34. P

    Why Are Ants Invading My Laptop and How Can I Stop Them?

    Hello, A colony of Ants attacked my External Hard Disc (I couldn't find any source of food in it) After removing the Hard Disc from the desk (i.e. the attacked place). The Ants began attacking my Laptop. By colony I mean a tremendous number of Ants. Please note that I am living in...
  35. D

    Strange Laptop Smoke: Troubleshooting Acer Aspire 5536

    strange laptop smoke :( Ive got an acer aspire 5536 laptop never had a problem with it, a couple of days ago my partner turned the laptop on and saw smoke coming from where the charger was plugged in so she unplugged it turned it off and shouted me, so i plug the charger back in and the power...
  36. Evo

    Man loses $20 million after taking laptop for repair

    Mind boggling how people believe these scams (see reverand that sent $400,000 to nigerian scammers at bottom), and this musician that believed the conspiracy theories. http://www.itworld.com/security/127001/man-loses-20-million-after-taking-laptop-repair
  37. B

    How can I convert 18v cordless drill battery to recharge laptop, compact camera?

    I have 2 rechargeable 18v battery pack from cordless drill which I'm thinking of using as laptop charger and compact camera battery charger. These packs comes with 220v adaptor. Me and my 12yo son will be doing a week-long research for his school project (climate change) this Xmas break...
  38. P

    Laptop vs Desktop power consumption

    Would buying a laptop save me a lot more money on my electricity bill than a desktop?
  39. Y

    Laptop for students recommendations

    Hi,there,i am a student, i want to buy a laptop by myself,only use for surfing ,movies,music and so on.I have no enough money, my budget is better within $500 bucks.DO u have a good recommendations? My friend suggested me go for...
  40. Andre

    How to Protect Laptops from Toddler Damage

    So, I have this cute enterprising little toddler running around here every Thursday, to allow his parents to do their things for a living and he is develloping interests fast. He knows that a laptop is great for looking teletubbies and he also sees a lot of rope sticking out of that magic box...
  41. S

    Maximize Your Laptop Battery Life: Tips for Efficient Charging and Saving Power

    hey... i just wanted to know how can i make my laptop battery last longer... need info about charging .. and any other tips about saving my battery thanks in advance
  42. A

    Why are laptop power connectors so fragile?

    Why is it that laptop power connector jacks are so fragile. Or am I just the brute who mishandles my laptop? I get a laptop every 18 months or so, and I can only remember two of them in 20 years where the power connector has outlived the laptop. With my latest toshiba I have drawn the...
  43. S

    Need Help Using a Proprietary Laptop Keyboard on a Custom Computer?

    Hello all, I recently parted out an old dell notebook and am left with a nice, tactile, small, flat keyboard. I want to install it on my frankenstein computer, which has a very convenient case mod for this. I've looked around for pinouts and such to get ps2 or usb going, but to no...
  44. R

    Polarization of laptop display

    so I'm using my laptop outside while also wearing polarized sunglasses. I've only taken up thru physics 2 and it's the summer so ( ) and I'm not mentally on my A game so to speak. But I want to know if my impression here is close to correct or the...
  45. Char. Limit

    What Are the Best Laptops Under $500 for College and Gaming?

    Unlike my last few threads, this one is lighthearted and happy. My parents are buying me a laptop to go to college with! Trouble is, we don't know which to get. We'd rather not spend much over $500 dollars, but I'd like it to play a few certain video games (Civilization IV and V, to be...
  46. M

    What are the Best Laptops for Law School?

    Hi guys, I'm getting the ball-n-chain a laptop. She's starting law school soon and I think it will help a lot with being able to easily take data from school to home, vice versa, along with just giving her some more flexibility. I was hoping to get some input as to some brands/models that I...
  47. G

    Desktop vs Laptop for Undergraduate Physics

    Hey, I'm going into physics in the fall for my first year. I'm going to be living at home and commuting to and from campus (about a half hour bus ride). My question is how often does a physics student use their laptop in class? I'm on a budget and I'd rather spend my money on a desktop and...
  48. N

    What Laptop is Best for a Physics & Math Student?

    Hello, So I bought an Acer two years back and it's been nothing but pure horror. I want to get myself a new laptop, but I'm very unknowing when it comes to hardware. I was thinking about a Dell because I've heard they're decent and cheap, but then (when searching "Dell" on this forum) I found...
  49. W

    Laptop with good processor speed (2GHz and above)

    Am going to be purchasing a laptop this month. Am specifically looking for a laptop with good processor speed (2GHz and above). I am not going to be loading Windows on it, but Linux Ubuntu. Thus, I don't want all those laptops that come pre-loaded with Windows. Price-range is around $400 - $600...
  50. Sirsh

    How Can I Format an HP Laptop with Windows XP if It Has a Virus?

    Hey all, I need help formatting a HP laptop, it's running windows XP. it has a virus on it that's made me not able to system restore, connect to the internet, remove programs, delete the file its in, or right click on the harddrive and try to format it that way. Does anyone have any ideas...
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