The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Laptop vs Notebook - What Are The Differences?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by manishg, Feb 3, 2011.

  1. manishg

    manishg Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    24
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Have you ever walked into a store with the intention of buying a laptop and then changed your mind towards a notebook?

    If that is the case, what was the reason, which prompted you to change your initial choice?

    Many people face this problem quite regularly when they step out to buy a laptop and end up buying a notebook. These people would never have compared the differences between a laptop vs notebook.

    Do you know what is the major differences in them ?
     
    manishg, Feb 3, 2011
    #1
  2. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,779
    Messages:
    7,957
    Likes Received:
    87
    Trophy Points:
    216
    AFAIK there is no difference.

    Laptop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
    moral hazard, Feb 3, 2011
    #2
  3. Partizan

    Partizan Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    241
    Messages:
    1,697
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    A laptop is something you put on your lap, so it has exhaust vents on the side so the air intake doesn't get blocked.

    A netbook has airvents in the bottom, which get blocked when you put it on your lap, with overheating as a consequence.

    Can't remember where I read that definition though :p
     
    Partizan, Feb 3, 2011
    #3
  4. vēer

    vēer Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    164
    Messages:
    908
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Laptop=notebook.
    The same.
    Sure, one can argue that laptop should be lighter, cooler and as such keeping it on lap seems more logical choice, than lets say is ''notebook'' which could be heavier and better suited as desktop machine.
    Then again, notebook should be something light enough to always have it with you to make notes, right?

    So, they are both the same.
     
    vēer, Feb 3, 2011
    #4
  5. Karamazovmm

    Karamazovmm Overthinking? Always!

    Reputations:
    2,365
    Messages:
    9,422
    Likes Received:
    200
    Trophy Points:
    231
    sheer amount of nonsense
     
    Karamazovmm, Feb 3, 2011
    #5
  6. unreal25

    unreal25 Capt. Obvious

    Reputations:
    1,102
    Messages:
    2,373
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    There's no difference today in the speech. Its just that in english, afaik, laptop is used more for a... well laptop, a notebook for a real notebook where you write stuff.

    I remember reading quite some time ago (15 years ago?) in "PCs for Dummies" that the laptop is generally bigger than a notebook - though at that time, there wasn't really a small laptop like we have today. :)
     
    unreal25, Feb 3, 2011
    #6
  7. halobox

    halobox Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    207
    Messages:
    1,019
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    A laptop runs cool enough to be used on your lap while wearing shorts. They are extremely rare.
     
    halobox, Feb 3, 2011
    #7
  8. lead_org

    lead_org Purveyor of Truth

    Reputations:
    1,571
    Messages:
    8,107
    Likes Received:
    126
    Trophy Points:
    231
    the difference is in the legal responsbility by computer company. Laptop name got switched to Notebook, when people got their legs and other areas of lower extremity burnt by using modern day laptops on their lap.

    There is no functional difference as such, just like ping pong and table tennis.
     
    lead_org, Feb 3, 2011
    #8
  9. Karamazovmm

    Karamazovmm Overthinking? Always!

    Reputations:
    2,365
    Messages:
    9,422
    Likes Received:
    200
    Trophy Points:
    231
    Now THAT^^ is a lie, there are plenty differences, such as...
     
    Karamazovmm, Feb 3, 2011
    #9
  10. Tulip

    Tulip Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    10
    Messages:
    28
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I think, the OP has exchanged the terms notebook and netbook.
    IMO
    notebook=laptop

    So maybe the discussion should be the difference between laptop(notebook) and netbook.
     
    Tulip, Feb 4, 2011
    #10
  11. ThinkSeries

    ThinkSeries Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I think Laptop is the same with Notebook :)
     
    ThinkSeries, Feb 7, 2011
    #11
  12. Renee

    Renee Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    610
    Messages:
    2,645
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    The whole difference is in marketing hype.

    "Now THAT^^ is a lie, there are plenty differences, such as..."

    Lead_Org personifies integrity. I hope that was a joke and I know you owe him an apology.

    Renee
     
    Renee, Feb 7, 2011
    #12
  13. JunkStory

    JunkStory Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    3
    Messages:
    242
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    31
    laptop = notebook = screen size > ~12"
    netbook = screen size < ~12"
     
    JunkStory, Feb 7, 2011
    #13