What is the Difference between a Netbook and Laptop?

There are many people searching for their next great computer, and seriously pondering whether or not a netbook may be the best buy. The question comes up, just what the difference between a netbook and a laptop truly is, as netbooks are promoted across the market and seem so similar. You shouldn’t be fooled by looks however, as a netbook does have its characteristic differences, such as the absence of hardware but addition of different hardware that makes it a much more efficient type of computer.

Netbook Differences

There are vast differences between a laptop and netbook, which may not be noticed until you are in possession of the netbook. For one, the optical drive, CD or DVD drive, which most laptops have with a CD/DVD-R, are missing from netbooks, reducing weight and space required within the machine. Also, most netbooks store data differently, avoiding the traditional hard drive found in laptops, and taking on the technology of solid state storage. This type of storage allows the netbook to remain relatively small versus the bulky laptop.

Netbooks have much smaller screens than traditional laptop computers featuring mostly 10” screens, some offered in a wide screen model. This is a great space reduction, lowering the resolution as well with some applications. Laptop computers typically feature a 15” to 17” screen with some ranging larger. Most netbooks are also noted for being equipped with a wireless service, such as ATT and Verizon. These plans can include broadband and 3G access from anywhere the user may be, which is great for travel.

How Netbooks Are Used

Since netbooks are relatively smaller and less powerful than laptop PC’s, most people use them for less space and memory absorbing applications. Desktop applications aren’t commonly a top choice for netbook users as they don’t perform in the same manner as with a larger, less portable computer. Many students and business people today take advantage of the portability and convenience of the small netbook, as well as the broader range of service, which follows them wherever they need to go. Most typical applications used, such as Microsoft Word applications and others will perform as intended on netbooks, regardless of the lack of powerful disc space within laptops.

The real inadequacy of netbooks is merely the inability to turn out more activity from the netbook. For example, multi-media projects aren’t going to be as efficient upon a netbook as with a laptop. Otherwise, the netbook offers a highly sophisticated model of convenience and portability today. The netbook also offers a much lesser price, which is ideal for most of those that are more interested in the smaller more convenient computer.

A netbook does operate without the internet and the services they are purchased with, despite some rumors today. In fact, the netbook can completely replace the use of a laptop computer if the user desires a more convenient machine that can be taken more places in a much easier fashion.

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