Today, the world of computer technology is simply unimaginably diverse. There are a lot of types and types of computing equipment, and they all have their own characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. Based on this, you should consider the differences between netbook vs laptop, as well as which of these devices is preferable among users.
Table of Contents
Is a netbook the same as a laptop?
Portable devices have a similar design, namely they have a thin display that is attached to the system unit with special hinges. The computers thus designated can be folded, that is, closed and opened, like a book. But despite this, all portable devices differ from each other. For example, the difference between a netbook and a laptop is in size.
The latter is much larger. The fact is that netbooks have a display diagonal of no more than 12 inches, but their components are identical. The designated computers are equipped with:
- Microprocessor;
- Optical drive;
- Hard drive;
- Keyboard;
- RAM.
Among the advantages, it should be noted the ability to take any of the indicated devices with you on the road. That is, there is no binding of the laptop to the power supply due to the presence of a battery in them, which can hold a charge for a certain time.
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What factor differentiates a netbook from a laptop?
What is the difference between a netbook and a laptop? The main criterion for the designated computing equipment is considered to be their compactness, but portability is based on the following indicators:
- Complete set, since the display and the system unit, is connected to each other.
- Small in size, because the netbook and ultrabook look like a book, having an average size, and the laptop is somewhat large.
- The presence of a rechargeable battery allows you to work with a computer device for a short time without recharging it from the mains.
It is due to the fact that the presented computer technology is easy and convenient to use, and also does not have a constant connection to power supply, that it is becoming more and more popular among users.
Difference Between Laptop And Netbook
The tasks that Laptop And Netbook solve are largely the same these are portable devices on which the operating system used on home PCs is installed. The diagonal of the screen is larger than that of a smartphone, there is a familiar keypad.
With their help you can:
- read articles on the Internet;
- To communicate in social networks;
- watch films;
- to type and edit text files.
However, there are some differences between them. Based on them, one gadget is more suitable for travel, while the other is more suitable for work in the office or at home.
Portability
The main difference between a laptop and a netbook, which is understandable even for people not versed in technology, is the difference in size. A netbook is smaller than a laptop.
The screen diagonal in most models is 10-12 ″, if it is 14 ″ or more, then the device is already considered a laptop. The screen dimensions in some laptop models may exceed the dimensions of personal computers.
The physical dimensions of the devices affect performance. A small gadget cannot be equipped with all connectors, and there is not enough space for a full-fledged keyboard. A powerful processor requires some minimum physical characteristics.
The difference in size also leads to the following natural property – portability. Netbooks win in this regard. They are compact in size and lightweight. These qualities make them convenient for travel and business trips. They do not add a lot of weight to the luggage, they are convenient to use in transport when space is limited.
The netbook is suitable for working in a cafe or other public place. It will provide all the necessary functions, while it is not difficult to carry it with you in your bag, and sometimes even in your pocket.
Specifications Or Iron Filling
Technical features may be prioritized when purchasing. It should be borne in mind that the netbook will not be equipped with features that will allow you to engage in graphic design, photo processing, video editing. Devices will not be able to run new games that require a powerful processor and a lot of RAM.
The netbook does not have a processor as powerful as most laptops. Laptops can run up to 4TB of memory, while netbooks have a maximum of 700GB. The characteristics of the video card are also not in favor of more compact devices.
These properties make netbooks suitable devices for additional work or one that does not require high technical performance – browsing the Internet, typing, texting, editing documents.
The weaker technical equipment of netbooks allows them to reduce power consumption. Some models can last up to 10 hours without recharging, while most laptops – 2-3 hours.
Replaceability is also different in gadgets. In laptops, as in personal computers, you can independently replace a video card or hard drive with a newer and more powerful model.
Not all elements of netbooks are replaceable. It is better to make changes in service centers so as not to harm the device.
Netbooks do not come with DVD drives. Now drives are practically not used – they have been replaced by flash drives, but for some buyers, this opportunity may be necessary for work.
Keyboard
Due to their small size, the devices do not have a full-fledged computer keyboard. Netbooks lack some keys an additional digital layout and shortcut buttons. They do not restrict the user experience, i.e. their function is an additional convenience.
And the fact that the keys of netbooks are smaller in size and are at a closer distance from each other can be a decisive factor for some category of users.
This location is not always convenient. It may not be suitable for people who need to type large volumes of texts.
Software Difference
Compact devices are equipped with versions of the operating system that will not overload the processor power and allow you to perform all the necessary functions. They often have Linux OS, which is optimized for such gadgets with weak technical performance. You can also install a limited version of Windows, incl. the latest Windows 10, but there is a risk that the device will run slower.
Notebooks can be equipped with any operating system on the market with support for all functionalities. This means that the buyer can install on the newly purchased gadget the operating system that he is used to using at home on a computer.
Device Price
The difference in cost is another difference. Laptops will cost more – even a technically weak model with a small screen will cost more than a medium-equipped netbook.
You can recommend a netbook to those who want to save money. This makes sense if the buyer will not be using most of the features of an expensive laptop.
Technical characteristics of laptop vs netbook
Despite the convenience of a portable device, they choose it for its technical characteristics. Accordingly, it should be indicated what is the difference between laptops and netbooks.
| Components | Notebook | Netbook |
| Work without recharging | 5:00 | 8 ocloc’k |
| Portability | 20 inch | 12 inch |
| HDD | 2 terabytes | 200 GB |
The common feature of both devices is the use of such functions as the ability to connect Bluetooth, WI-FI, NFS, and there are also USB ports. As for the video and sound card, their sound and video playback is not high quality. But the laptop, in contrast to its “smaller brother”, provides the ability to download voluminous games.
Reference! Due to their small size, portable computers are limited by permanent as well as random access memory, and they have a reduced frequency of the microprocessor.
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Netbook Vs Laptop keyboard
Any computer technology has a keyboard for the convenience of working with it, but in laptops and netbooks, the layout of the available keys is significantly different. This is due to the size of the directly designated portable devices. For example, on laptops, the keyboard can be a maximum of 120 keys, while in netbooks there can be no more than 80 keys.
In addition, they are small and placed close to each other. Accordingly, a netbook has fewer function keys than the same laptop, on the basis of this, the last marked device is most often chosen by users for gaming purposes.
Netbook Vs Laptop Difference between software
The operating system of netbooks and laptops also differs due to size. After all, the smaller the computer device, the fewer functions, and capabilities it has.
What is the difference between these types of computing technology, and why should you pay special attention to such an indicator when buying an OS? For example, in laptops, you can install such types of operating systems like Windows, iOS, or Linux. Additionally, users can work with other available software on the designated computer equipment. Namely:
- Text editors:
- Photoshop programs;
- Various browsers;
- Specific programs;
- Video and audio converters.
As for netbooks, due to the fact that they have low-performance indicators, they cannot be installed on modern versions of Windows. Accordingly, you have to use “cropped versions”. Among the limitations, one should also note the lack of the ability to work with various applications.
Because software developers do not want to engage in the creation of defective versions of programs. The only consolation, in this case, is that if there is a need to use some program, then the owners of netbooks can not install it on their device, but use it online.
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Netbook Vs Laptop price
The cost of a laptop differs from the price of a netbook, not only because of the size. In this situation, other indicators also affect pricing. For example:
- Functionality;
- Product material;
- Performance.
Accordingly, the fewer functions a computer device has, the lower its price. The average cost of netbooks is $ 300-700, but for a laptop, you will have to pay at least $ 400.
What are some disadvantages of a netbook?
Netbooks, due to their reduced size, have undergone some changes, namely limited functionality. For example, they do not have the ability to use DVD and CD discs, since there is no place for an optical drive. Although, today, basically everyone uses flash drives or removable hard drives for data storage.
It’s important to know! Using USB drives, you can easily install software and OS (operating system) on any computer device.
Among the features of netbooks, it should also be noted that they can work autonomously twice as long as a laptop. It is also necessary to indicate that there is another type of computer device on sale, an ultrabook. The difference between a laptop and an ultrabook is that the latter is quite thin, even when compared to a netbook. In addition, it is quite expensive, but it has a high speed of operation, but the functionality is somewhat limited due to its small dimensions.
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When a netbook is irreplaceable
In the case when the question arises which is better to choose a netbook or a laptop, the first one is irreplaceable when the additional weight gets in the way. For example, when going on a trip, the volume and weight of the cargo are calculated, so you will have to pay extra for the excess. It is also very inconvenient to carry weights with you when going on vacation or on a business trip. In addition, the designated laptop device is considered comfortable to use, since it has:
- High speed of work, respectively, it is preferable to use it for business purposes.
- The cost of the gadget is acceptable, even if you purchase a model with increased power.
- Another advantage is the long battery life of the device.
Even taking into account the fact that netbooks have a small amount of internal memory, it is possible to synchronize data on them using various cloud services. In this case, it is necessary to indicate what is the difference between a netbook and an ultrabook. The latter has greater performance and smaller dimensions, but the cost is higher.
What is better a laptop or a notebook?
Laptops are the same as stationary computers in terms of functionality, but they differ in the ability to work without a power supply for a certain time. Thanks to such computing technology, it is possible to perform quite large amounts of work in full-version programs without being bound directly to one place.
In addition, laptops provide the ability to watch movies, play games, edit texts, images and videos. These criteria distinguish a laptop from a netbook.
In conclusion, it must be said that before buying one of the presented computer devices, it is necessary to indicate for what purposes such a technique is needed. After all, the differences between them are significant not only in functionality but also in cost.
