The first laptops were smaller and lighter than desktop computers, but manufacturers continued to lighten the case and improve the performance of the laptop’s hardware. The increase in laptop power has been accompanied by an increase in size and weight. The combination of a slim design and impressive performance was achieved in 2008 when Apple released the MacBook Air. In 2011, the first such laptop from Intel appeared, called an ultrabook. There are some Difference Between Ultrabook And Laptop. The company has coined a new term and developed standards for a whole class of powerful and near-weightless mobile devices.
Difference Between Ultrabook And Laptop
All laptops are devices that open like a book, with a keyboard on the base, a flip-up screen on the lid, and a battery built into the case for autonomous operation. Although this is how any ultrabook or laptop is described, the technique of each type differs in a number of external and internal parameters.
Difference Between Ultrabook And Laptop Weight and dimensions
According to Intel criteria, the Ultrabook meets the following parameters:
- weight up to 3 kg;
- screen up to 13.3 inches;
- thickness not more than 2.5 cm (with the lid closed).
Devices weighing about 1.5 kg, with screens of 11-14 inches and an average height of up to 1.5-2 cm are common on the market.
For laptops, these values are much higher: some models weigh 3-4 or even 5 kg, are equipped with displays up to 18 inches, and the height of the body of the devices often exceeds 3 cm.
With the same display sizes, the difference between the two categories of technology is striking: Ultrabooks are noticeably thinner and lighter than most laptops and many netbooks.
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Materials and hardware components
Cases of budget laptops are made of plastic, more expensive models use plastic with increased strength, carbon (carbon fiber) or a combination of plastic and metal. Business and premium models feature aluminum or magnesium alloy housings. It should be noted that the thinner the device, the stronger and more rigid its casing should be. Therefore, ultrabook cases are made of metal and carbon fiber.
The thin case has nowhere to accommodate a full-fledged cooling system, so the manufacturers abandoned the fans. The new devices are equipped with low-voltage processors: they consume less power and generate less heat. This result was achieved by lowering the operating frequency and reducing the number of cores, so one of the differences between an ultrabook and a laptop is the use of weaker CPUs.
In ultra-thin mobile computers, there is no room for a discrete graphics card, so the graphics adapter is built into the processor. The media is 2.5-inch hard drives, but in order to reduce linear dimensions and increase the speed of writing and reading data, manufacturers are switching to thin solid-state drives in which there are no rotating parts.
The difference between an ultrabook and a laptop is the ability to connect external devices. The small thickness of the base does not allow placing a sufficient number of connectors on the side faces for connecting external devices. 1-2 USB sockets, 1 HDMI and a mini-jack (for headphones) are found on almost all extremely thin laptops, and some models are equipped with an Ethernet connector and a card reader. Placing n rivoda optical disc also not provided.
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Battery
Laptop computers operate on battery power for a period of time, ranging from 2-3 to 24 hours, depending on the battery capacity and the tasks being performed. Ultrabooks use thin, non-removable batteries that are less powerful than those of larger devices. But since the components of super-thin devices consume less electricity, their battery life is close to the average value for laptops – 4 hours. More powerful models hold a charge for 5-7 hours.
The lifespan of an ultrabook is directly dependent on the battery, which cannot be removed and replaced. If the battery breaks down, you will have to buy a new ultra-thin laptop.
Price category
The question of how a laptop differs from an ultrabook can be answered without looking at the technical details: the extremely light and stylish devices are almost twice as expensive as conventional laptops with the same performance. In menshenie housing and filling the size of components is associated with the development of new technologies and materials, and the assembly of such devices should be especially careful, which inevitably affects the price.
Ultrabook vs Laptop pros and cons: Which is better
You can understand which is better a laptop or an ultrabook after evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each type of device.
What is an Ultrabook good for?
The obvious advantages of ultrabooks are as follows:
- increased compactness;
- body strength;
- stylish appearance.
It is worth listing the positive features of laptops:
- high performance;
- availability of connectors of several formats in sufficient quantity;
- acceptable price.
Ultra-modern lightweight devices are not without drawbacks, such as:
- low performance (compared to laptops);
- impossibility of upgrade;
- high cost.
The disadvantages that are inherent in laptops are as follows:
- large dimensions;
- weight.
The modest performance of ultrabooks does not mean that the OS takes a long time to load on them, and programs run slowly. But you won’t be able to run a game with average system requirements or software for editing graphics, video editing.
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Conclusion
To determine which class of devices is suitable in a particular case, it is worth correlating the capabilities and Difference Between Ultrabook And Laptop with the needs and preferences of the buyer. If you need a PC for business trips, work with office documents, web surfing, music, video, and simple games, and finances allow you to pay for style and high quality, it is better to prefer an ultrabook. Due to the limited storage space, owners will have to use external HDDs, flash drives, and network-attached storage. For study, travel, working with professional software, launching new games, replacing a stationary computer, a standard laptop is suitable.
