Laptop

A laptop is a portable personal computer (PC). Laptops usually have a clamshell shape with a flat-panel screen on the top and an alphanumeric keyboard and pointing device on the bottom. Most of a laptop's parts are inside the bottom part, under the keyboard. Many modern laptops have a small webcam at the top of the screen, and some even have a touchscreen.

Laptops are used in many places, such as at work, especially on business trips, in education, for playing games, content creating, web browsing, and for personal fun with multimedia. They can be used at home or on the go. Laptops can run on electricity from a wall outlet or on a rechargeable battery. They can be closed up for easy carrying, which makes them great for mobile use.

Laptops have all the usual parts of a desktop computer, like a screen (usually 11–17 inches or 280–430 mm in size), speakers, a keyboard, and a pointing device (often a trackpad). Different laptops have different features and prices, depending on what they are meant for. Some special types of laptops include 2-in-1 laptops, which can change shape, and rugged laptops, made to be used in tough places like on military applications. Laptops have become very popular for many different uses.

History

Main article: History of laptops

See also: Portable computer § Early history

Laptops have a long history that started with the development of personal computers. In 1968, a computer expert named Alan Kay imagined a small, portable computer he called the "Dynabook." The first portable computer that people could buy was the IBM 5100, which came out in 1975.

In the 1980s, more small computers became available. One of the first real laptops was the Epson HX-20, shown in 1981. It had a screen, a battery you could recharge, and was about the size of a notebook.

Many companies made portable computers in the 1980s and 1990s. New ways to control the computer, like touch pads, were added to laptops. Some early laptops could only be used while plugged into a power outlet because their screens used special technology that needed a lot of power.

Over time, laptops got better screens, smaller hard drives, and added features like built-in cameras. By the late 1990s, most laptops had CD players, and later, DVD and Blu-Ray players. These features are now often found as separate devices instead of inside the laptop.

Etymology

The word laptop is based on the idea of placing the computer on your lap, just like the term desktop refers to a computer you use on a desk. Today, in American English, people use the words laptop and notebook to mean the same thing. But in the past, a notebook computer was smaller and lighter than regular laptops, about the size of a paper notebook.

Both words started being used in the early 1980s to describe small, portable computers. The word laptop was first recorded in 1983, and notebook was used in 1982 for a small computer made by Epson. Over time, these small computers grew larger, and now the words laptop and notebook are used interchangeably.

Types of laptops

Since the 1970s, laptops have come in many shapes and sizes. In the past, there were special names for different kinds, like "notebook" for smaller ones or "netbook" for very tiny, cheap laptops. Today, most laptops are similar in size, and we usually talk about them by how big the screen is, like "13-inch" or "16-inch." Some laptops are made for specific jobs, such as playing games or professional work.

Laptops made for gaming usually have special features to make games run better. There are also laptops that can change shapes, letting you use them like a regular laptop or like a tablet. These are called 2-in-1 laptops and often have touchscreens. Other laptops are built to be tough and work well even in hard conditions, like when it’s very hot or cold.

Hardware

Further information: Personal computer and Computer hardware

Laptops work the same as desktop computers, but they are made smaller for travel. Because of this, laptops can’t be as powerful as desktop computers, but they are getting closer.

Most parts in a laptop are built in and can’t be changed by the user, except for things like batteries. In the past, some laptops let you change the brain part (called a processor), but now most laptops have it fixed and can’t be changed.

This is different from desktop computers, which are made so you can add new parts like memory or storage. Some small laptops have very few parts that can be changed.

The next parts talk about what makes a laptop different from a desktop computer.

Internal components

Display

A laptop usually has a screen that folds up, and when you open it, it stands up for you to see. Some smaller laptops stand up using a stand. Most laptop screens use a special kind of display called LCD, but some newer ones use OLED. The screen connects to the main part of the laptop using special wires.

In 2021, most laptops had screens between 13" and 16" big. Some smaller or bigger ones exist, but they are less common. Screens can be very small, like 6–8", and these are sometimes called handheld PCs. Very big laptops, like 18" or more, are closer to desktop computers because they don’t fold for travel.

Having a higher resolution screen means you can see more on the screen at once, which helps when you are doing many things. Since 2012, more laptops have very high resolution screens, and by 2025, most have at least 1920 pixels wide. On PC laptops, this is often 4K (3840 pixels wide), but QHD (2560 pixels wide) is also common.

Most laptop screens change 60 times a second, but gaming laptops often have higher rates, like 120 times a second. Some laptops from 2011 were among the first to have these higher rates.

Central processing unit (CPU)

Laptop brains (CPUs) save power and don’t get as hot as desktop ones. Over time, laptops have gotten more powerful, and by 2025, most have between 6 and 16 brain parts called cores. High-end laptops for work can have up to 24 cores, while very small or light laptops might have just 4 cores.

Laptops usually have a mix of brain parts that save power and ones that give strong performance. There isn’t much difference in power between laptop and desktop brains for everyday use, but the strongest desktop brains are still stronger, though they use much more power and get very hot.

Laptops have different kinds of brains made by companies like Intel, AMD, Apple, and Qualcomm. In the past, Apple used a different kind called PowerPC, but they don’t anymore. Between 2000 and 2014, most laptops had brains you could swap out, but thinner laptops had fixed brains. Since 2015, Intel and others stopped making swap-out brains for most laptops.

Some laptops in the past used desktop brains, which made them stronger but very heavy, hot, and with short battery life. Since 2010, this is rare except for some gaming laptops. Laptops rarely let you change their brains.

Graphics processing unit (GPU)

Most laptops have a special part called a GPU built into the brain to save power and space. This started with Intel in 2010 and AMD in 2011. Most everyday laptops only have this built-in GPU.

Higher-end laptops for gaming or professional work have a separate GPU that can turn on when needed. When it’s not needed, the laptop uses the built-in GPU to save power. Nvidia Optimus and AMD Hybrid Graphics are examples of this.

In the past, laptops without a separate GPU weren’t good for gaming or professional work, but built-in GPUs have gotten much better since the mid-2010s. For laptops with weak built-in GPUs but good connections, you can add more graphics power using an external GPU (eGPU), but it takes up space and isn’t very portable.

Random-access memory (RAM)

By 2025, it’s common for laptops to have either built-in memory or memory you can change. When you can change it, most laptops use special memory slots called SO-DIMM. A new kind called CAMM module exists but isn’t very common yet. Before 2000, laptops used special memory if you could change it.

If you can change the memory, slots are sometimes easy to reach from the bottom, but sometimes you have to take the laptop apart. Most laptops have two memory slots, but some have only one. In the past, some high-end laptops had four slots, but this is rare now.

By 2025, 16 GB of RAM is most common, with lower-end models sometimes having 8 GB, and 4 GB only in very cheap models. Higher-end laptops might have 64 GB or more.

Integrated audio

Laptops usually have built-in speakers and microphones. But the speakers might be small and not sound great to save space.

Input devices

We use a keyboard to type letters and commands, and a touchpad or pointing stick to move the cursor on the screen. Some touchpads have buttons, and some use the surface for clicking. Double-tapping the touchpad usually acts like a click. Operating systems can recognize moves with multiple fingers.

You can connect an external keyboard and mouse using USB or wireless ways like Bluetooth. Some laptops have touchscreens, either as an extra or standard. Most laptops have webcams and microphones for talking and seeing others during video calls or meetings.

Storage drives

Early methods of storage

The first laptops often used floppy disks for storage, but some used RAM disk or tape. By the late 1980s, hard disk drives became the normal way to store things.

Hard disk drives

Between 1990 and 2009, almost all laptops used hard disk drives for storage. Since 1990, these drives were usually 2.5 inches big. Some very small laptops used even smaller 1.8-inch drives, and a few used 1-inch Microdrives.

By 2025, hard disk drives are almost gone from new laptops, though they are still used in desktops and external drives.

Solid state drives

By 2025, almost all laptops use solid-state drives (SSD) for storage, usually in M.2 slots for non-Mac laptops. Macs have used built-in SSDs since 2018, and while not common, some other laptops also have built-in SSDs.

SSDs have replaced hard drives because they are faster, use less power, and don’t break when the laptop is moved around, since they have no moving parts.

From when SSDs were first made around 2008 to the mid-2010s, they were about the same size as laptop hard drives. But starting around 2014, they got smaller, using mSATA or M.2 cards. At first, SSDs were much more expensive than hard drives, but by the late 2010s, prices for small drives became similar.

Optical disc drives

Drives that can play CDs, DVDs, and sometimes Blu-ray discs were common on full-sized laptops from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s. By 2025, these drives are almost gone from new laptops. When needed, they can be connected using USB.

Ports

Input and output

Most laptops have several USB ports. If they use the older USB type instead of USB-C, they will usually have a port for connecting an external monitor (almost always HDMI by 2025). An analog audio in/out port in a combined socket is common.

Apple, in a 2015 version of its MacBook, changed from many different ports to only USB-C ports. This port can be used for charging and connecting devices using adapters. Apple has since gone back to using different ports.

Built-in Ethernet network ports were common from around 2000 to the early 2010s but are now almost gone from mainstream laptops. They can be connected using a USB adapter, but some business and gaming models still have them built-in.

Higher-end laptops usually include Thunderbolt ports, which also work as USB-C ports.

Storage

External hard drives or network storage servers with RAID technology can be connected to almost any laptop using USB, FireWire, eSATA, or Thunderbolt, or over a network. Laptops might also have a slot for SD or microSD cards, letting users copy pictures from an SD card to a laptop and then delete them to make space for new pictures.

Expansion cards

By 2025, very few laptops support expansion cards, with the main way to add things being through USB or Thunderbolt.

In the past, laptops often had a PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) or ExpressCard slot for adding features while the laptop was on. Mobile PCI Express Module (MXM) is a type of expansion card used for graphics cards in some larger, high-end laptops.

Power jacks

By 2025, laptops are split between those powered only by USB-C connectors and those with a special DC power connector. Most laptops since the mid-2010s that have both can be powered by either.

Special connectors are usually cylindrical or barrel-shaped coaxial power connectors. Some companies like Lenovo use rectangular ones. Before the mid-2000s, special connectors were more common.

Most connector heads have a center pin to help the laptop know what kind of power supply it is. This can be through a simple protocol like 1-Wire or by checking the resistance between the pin and the outer part. Some companies might not let the laptop charge unless it recognizes the power supply as the original, which can stop people from using universal third-party chargers.

With USB-C, portable devices started using it more for both power and data. It can give 20 V and 5 A, which is enough for low to mid-end laptops, but higher-power laptops like gaming ones need special DC connectors for more than 5 A without getting too hot. Special DC connectors are also more durable and don’t wear out as fast from being plugged in often.

Battery and power supply

See also: Smart battery

Since the late 1990s, laptops have usually used lithium ion or lithium polymer batteries. These replaced older nickel metal-hydride batteries from the 1990s and nickel-cadmium batteries from early laptops. A few very old laptops used non-rechargeable batteries or lead-acid batteries.

Battery life changes a lot depending on the laptop and what you’re doing, and it can last from one hour to almost a day. A battery’s ability to hold charge gets worse over time; you’ll usually notice it after two to three years of regular use, depending on how you charge and discharge it and how the battery is made. New developments have made some laptops able to run for up to 24 hours, if they use average power.

Laptops with swap-out batteries can use bigger replacement batteries with more power.

A laptop’s battery is charged with an external power supply plugged into a wall outlet. The power supply gives DC voltage usually between 7.2 and 24 volts. The power supply is often outside and connects to the laptop with a DC cable. In most cases, it can charge the battery and power the laptop at the same time. When the battery is full, the laptop keeps running on the power from the external supply, so it doesn’t use the battery. If the power supply isn’t strong enough to power the laptop and charge the battery at the same time, the battery might charge faster if the laptop is turned off or sleeping. The charger usually adds about 400 grams to the weight of the laptop, though some are heavier or lighter. Most laptops from 2016 use a smart battery, which has a built-in system to measure voltage and current and know the battery’s charge level and health.

Cooling

Heat from running the laptop is hard to get rid of in the small space. The first laptops didn’t have fans, but since the mid-1990s, most have used fans for cooling, except for very thin, light models or very cheap ones.

Early laptops used heat sinks, but since the 2000s, most use heat pipes or move heat to the edges, allowing a smaller fan and heat sink system. Heat is usually sent out from the back or sides. Laptops use many air openings because some might get blocked, like when the laptop is on a soft surface like a chair cushion. If the laptop can’t get rid of heat, like if it’s left in a case, it might lower its performance or turn off. Aftermarket cooling pads with fans can help lower the laptop’s temperature.

Accessories

A common laptop accessory is a laptop sleeve, skin, or case to protect it from scratches. Sleeves are thin and flexible, often made from neoprene, with stronger ones made from low-resilience polyurethane. Some sleeves are made from ballistic nylon to help with water protection. Bulkier cases made of metal with padding inside can have locks for extra security and protect from impacts and drops. Another common accessory is a laptop cooler, which lowers the laptop’s temperature. Active coolers use electric fans, while passive ones might lift the laptop for better airflow. Some stores sell laptop pads for people lying in bed to use a laptop.

External equipment

Docking station

A docking station is a laptop accessory with many ports and sometimes places to add drives. A laptop connects to a docking station with one big connector. Docking stations are popular in offices because they let a laptop become like a desktop computer but can be easily disconnected. This is useful for people who travel a lot but also work in the office. If you need more ports or they are in a bad place on the laptop, you can use a cheaper device called a port replicator. These connect to the laptop’s ports, like through USB or FireWire.

Charging trolleys

Laptop charging trolleys, also called laptop trolleys or carts, are mobile containers to charge many laptops, netbooks, and tablets at once. Schools use them because they replaced old computer labs with desktops, and classrooms don’t have enough plugs to charge all devices. The trolleys can be moved between rooms so all students and teachers in a building can use fully charged IT equipment.

Laptop charging trolleys also help prevent theft. Schools, especially with open designs, are targets for thieves who steal valuable items. Laptops are easy to hide and steal. Many charging trolleys are made of steel and keep laptops locked up when not in use. Though they can be moved between classrooms, they can often be locked to the floor, pillars, or walls to stop thieves from stealing the laptops overnight.

Solar panels

Main article: Solar notebook

Some laptops can use solar panels to power them. The One Laptop Per Child Initiative made the OLPC XO-1 laptop that worked with solar panels. They planned an OLPC XO-3 laptop with these features, able to run on 2 watts of electricity. Samsung also made the NC215S solar-powered notebook for sale in the U.S.

Feature classifications

Universally standard

These are features, hardware, or parts found on almost all laptops.

Common

These are features, hardware, or parts that were once very common but are now less so, though still available on most laptops and almost all enterprise devices.

Obsolete

These are features, hardware, or parts that were once common but are now almost never found on new laptops. Some modern laptops, like the Panasonic Toughbook line, still support a few of these features.

Modularity

Some parts of older laptops could be easily changed without taking the whole laptop apart, like the keyboard, battery, hard drive, memory, and fan. In newer laptops, changing most parts means taking apart the top or bottom, or even the motherboard. Some laptops use solder and glue to hold parts like memory, storage, and batteries, making repairs harder.

Compared to desktop computers

Advantages

Disadvantages

Laptops can sometimes perform worse than similar priced desktop computers. This is mostly because laptops need to save battery life and stay cool, which can limit their power.

Laptops are also harder to upgrade than desktops. While you can easily change a laptop's memory or hard drive, parts like the motherboard or processor are usually fixed and can't be changed by regular users.

Laptops are easier to carry but this also makes them more likely to get damaged. Spilling liquids on a laptop can hurt its inside parts, unlike with a desktop where the spill might only affect the keyboard. Keeping a laptop clean by wiping it with a soft cloth and using air to clean out dust can help it last longer.

Laptops can get hot because they use small fans and heat sinks to stay cool. Over time, dust can build up and make the laptop hotter and noisier. Cleaning with air can help, but sometimes the laptop needs to be taken apart for a proper cleaning.

Battery life in laptops slowly gets shorter over time and may need to be replaced after a few years. A new battery can let a laptop run for several hours on one charge. Some laptops have batteries that can't be changed by the user and need special service. Desktops don't have this problem because they are plugged into power all the time.

Because laptops are small and easy to carry, they can be stolen. Losing a laptop can also mean losing important information, which can lead to problems like identity theft. Some laptops have special locks or security features to help prevent theft, and there are software tools designed to help find a lost laptop. It's important to use passwords and other security steps to protect the information on a laptop.

Ergonomics and health effects

Using a laptop for a long time can sometimes hurt your wrists because of the small keyboard and trackpad. To help prevent this, you can use special keyboards and pointing devices that are easier on your hands. These can be connected to your laptop using a wire, Bluetooth, or a special station.

The screen on a laptop can sometimes make you lean forward, which might hurt your neck or back. You can use a larger screen or a special stand for your laptop to help with this.

Some research has suggested that keeping a laptop on your lap for long periods might create heat that could affect certain body functions in men. To avoid this, it’s best to use your laptop on a table or desk, or place something like a book or pillow between your body and the laptop. You can also use a cooling pad, which has fans to keep the laptop cool.

Sales

Manufacturers

Main article: List of laptop brands and manufacturers

There are many laptop brands and makers. Some well-known brands offer different types of laptops, such as gaming laptops (Alienware), powerful laptops (HP Envy), small easy-to-carry laptops (EeePC), and laptops made just for children (OLPC).

Many laptop brands do not design or make their own laptops. Instead, a few special companies create the designs, and the brands pick which ones to sell. In 2006, just a few of these design companies made most of the world's laptops, with one company (Quanta Computer) making almost a third of all laptops.

Historic market share

Further information: Market share of personal computer vendors

In the early days, brands like Zenith Data Systems, Toshiba, Compaq, and Grid Systems were leaders in making laptops. By the mid-1990s, Toshiba became the top laptop seller worldwide, while in the United States, Apple led, followed by Compaq.

Over the years, different companies led the market. By 1999, Toshiba was still the top seller, followed by IBM, Compaq, and Dell. In the early 2000s, Dell took the lead in the United States, while in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Acer became the top seller by 2004–2005.

By 2005, Dell was the biggest global laptop seller, followed by HP, Toshiba, Acer, and Lenovo. In recent years, HP and Lenovo have often been the top sellers, with Dell, Apple, and Acer also selling many laptops.

Adoption by users

Laptops were not very common until recently. In 1986, only 2% of computers sold were laptops. But laptops became much more popular for both work and personal use. By late 2008, more laptops were sold than desktop computers for the first time. By 2023, around 166 million laptops were sold, and in early 2024, about 64% of all personal computers sold were laptops or small tablets. Laptops are now popular because they are easy to carry and can do many things.

Price

Laptops used to be very expensive. In 2005, the average laptop cost about $1,131, while desktop computers cost around $696. But by 2008, prices dropped a lot, especially with the introduction of small, cheap laptops called netbooks, which cost about $689 on average. Since the 2010s, laptop prices have kept falling, especially for basic models. By 2023, you could buy a new laptop for as little as $299.

Disposal

See also: E-Waste

Laptops contain materials like beryllium, lead, chromium, and mercury that can be harmful to people and the environment if not handled properly. Because of this, many places have rules about how to recycle old laptops safely.

In Europe, laws require all laptops to be recycled, and in the United States, dumping old laptops is not allowed. Recycling usually starts by taking apart the laptop to separate its parts. These parts are then sorted for recycling, with some items like circuit boards and batteries needing special handling.

When companies recycle laptops used for work, they also make sure any private data on the hard drive is permanently deleted, following many important laws and rules to protect information.

Extreme use

See also: International Space Station § Communications and computers

The tough Grid Compass computer was used from the beginning of the Space Shuttle program. The first laptop sold to the public used in space was a Macintosh portable in 1990 on the Space Shuttle mission STS-41 and again in 1991 on STS-43. Apple and other laptops are still taken on trips with astronauts, but the only computer approved for long trips on the International Space Station is the ThinkPad. As of 2011, more than 100 ThinkPads were on the ISS. Laptops used on the International Space Station and other space trips are usually ones that anyone can buy, but they are changed to work well in a place with no weight, like fixing the cooling system so it doesn’t need hot air to work and making sure they can handle the lower air pressure. Laptops made to work in very hard places, like with strong shaking, very hot or cold temperatures, or wet and dusty conditions, are built special for those jobs and don’t use the same parts that regular laptops use.