How are laptops different from desktops?

Answer 1

The biggest difference between a laptop and desktop is power consumption and heat. Laptops produce a lot of heat because there is so little space inside for the fans, so always put your laptop on a flat, even surface so it does not overheat. The other thing is laptop uses less power therefore things like the CPU run slower and they have a battery while desktops do not. Other than that there is no difference as far as the architecture goes, a laptop can do anything a desktop can do.

Answer 2

Laptops are portable, but desktops aren't. As the names suggest, desktops are best used on desks, and you can conveniently put a laptop on your lap when you use it. Though laptops sound better than desktops, laptops rely on limited battery power, while desktops need no recharging.

Answer 3

The most obvious difference is that laptops are easily moveable and desktops are not. Another difference includes desktops having more power and are better for working with videos and large graphics.

Answer 4

Yes, it is true that as far as what a laptop and a desktop can do, there is little difference. It is also true that laptops are designed to use less power but that is so that they can be portable and run off batteries for an appreciable amount of time. If they were designed to be as "power-hungry" as a regular desktop computer, laptop batteries might last for as little as 30 minutes instead of three, five, or more hours. Also, just as Rtrahan indicated, there is little space within a laptop to allow the installation of fans but given that is the case, they are designed very well with heatsinks and airflow routing so as to allow the heat to escape. The biggest issues for insuring this happens are to keep the air vent (typically located on the left side toward the back of the laptop) free from obstructions and to insure that the laptop is kept on a solid surface rather than on carpet, clothing, furniture, etc. because the air intake is generally through the bottom of the laptop. Placement on soft surfaces as mentioned, diminishes or completely disallows the intake of fresh cool air and therefore can cause the machine to heat up to the point of severe throttling or the triggering of a "thermal event" (read: the machine shuts itself off in self-defense against overheating).

One of the biggest differences between desktops and laptops, though, is that desktops can generally be upgraded pretty easily with better video cards, more RAM, faster CPU, addition of expansion cards for new capabilities such as Wireless-ac or USB 3.0. Laptops, on the other hand, have only two upgrades easily performed: swapping out the hard drive and addition of more RAM. Generally the video cannot be upgraded, the wireless that is integrated cannot be replaced with something better (but one can use a USB-attached wireless adapter for the newer networking standards such as Wireless-ac if desired), and the processor cannot be upgraded to something faster. If you want to get faster and better performance, then you have to get a new laptop.

If you enjoy tinkering with your machine and think you want to make it better over time, then I would suggest getting a desktop. If, instead, you are getting it to use as a business tool, help with your school work, or just as a way to get onto the internet from home and you want to use up as little desk space as possible, then a laptop is a good option.

If you have other questions, feel free to drop me a line and let me know.