Netbook vs Laptop

Netbook vs Laptop: What is the Difference, Really?

There’s a lot of confusion as to what a netbook is as opposed to a laptop. Some people find that there is a distinction, while others do not; some see the differences in size, weight, screen size, battery life, or the processor power, and use these as a basis for their distinct definitions. While there is really no official term to these devices, it might be a good thing to distinguish a netbook vs laptop.

While some manufacturers may go ahead and call their products netbooks, there are some people who find it more convenient to tag these gadgets as ultra-light or ultra-portable PCs, or stick to the laptop terminology still. However, the question still remains: what is it that characterizes a netbook as opposed to a laptop?

Usually, netbooks will be slimmer, will weigh less, and have longer battery lives. This is usually the first distinction when looking at netbook vs laptop. Many of the top companies who initially produced only laptops now are in the business of netbooks as well – seeing as the popularity of the devices has risen over the past few years. Some of the most common laptop manufacturer names are now also offering netbooks to their customers; Toshiba with its Toshiba Mini, HP with HP mini, and Asus Eee PC are just some of the manufacturers tapping into the netbook market.

Another thing that must be noted about netbooks vs laptops is that netbooks are generally made for simple tasks such as basic net browsing, email, and word processing. They generally have very little memory (say, 80 GB), don’t possess a DVD drive, and use older, simpler operating systems.

While it’s easy to decide what a netbook or a laptop is by just basing it on the size, it’s also important to consider what the device is capable of. There are many benefits to having a powerful machine, but sometimes small and simple does have its perks.

One of the great advantages of a netbook vs laptop is that it is light and very easy to transport. They are easier to carry and fit easier inside bags or mini notebook sleeves. The batteries run longer because you lack battery-consuming features such a DVD player and the smaller screen contributes as well. While you may not source media from a CD, you can if you’ve got it in flash memory or in the devices’ memory itself. Processor heavy jobs such as graphics, video editing, or games are not exactly the match tasks for a netbook.

Whatever you choose between a netbook vs laptop, make sure you’re keeping in mind what it is you really need from a processing device. If you’re a gamer, a multimedia artist, or designer, then laptops are definitely your thing. If you’re more into the basic necessities of the computer at home, then the netbook is the right choice for you.