A laptop computer, also known as a notebook computer or notebook, is a tiny transportable personal computer that typically weighs between one and three kilograms, depending on size, materials, and other considerations.To read the HP Envy 14 Laptop Review, click here

While the phrases “laptop” and “notebook” are sometimes used interchangeably, “laptop” is the earlier term, first used with the Gavilan SC in 1983. The term “notebook computer” was used subsequently to distinguish smaller machines such as the Compaq LTE series in 1989, which were around the size of an A4 paper sheet in comparison to preceding laptops.[1] Either word is frequently misused: many computers are not suitable for usage on one’s lap owing to heat and other difficulties, and most are not the size of an A4 page. Although several previous portable computers, such as the Macintosh Portable and certain Zenith TurbosPort models, were referred to as “laptops,” their size and weight were insufficient for this classification.

Laptops often run on a single battery or an external AC/DC converter that can charge the battery while simultaneously powering the machine.

Acer laptop with a touchpad.Laptops, as personal computers, may do the same activities as desktop PCs, however they are often less powerful for the same price. They have components that are comparable to those found in desktop computers and perform the same operations, but they have been shrunk and tuned for mobile use and efficient battery use. Laptops often feature liquid crystal screens, and the majority of them employ various memory modules for RAM. (for instance, SO-DIMM in lieu of the larger DIMMs). They may employ a touchpad (also called as a trackpad) or a pointing stick for input in addition to a built-in keyboard, however an external keyboard or mouse may normally be added.

Terms used to describe subclasses of laptop computers include:

Ultraportables
Laptops with displays smaller than 12 inches diagonally and less than 1.7kg in weight. Their major market consists of business travelers that want compact, light laptop computers. Ultraportable computers are frequently highly costly, feature power-saving CPUs, and nearly always have integrated graphics.
Thin-and-lights
Laptops typically weigh between 1.8kg and 2.8kg and have diagonal screen sizes ranging from 12 to 14 inches.
Laptops in the medium size range
These typically feature diagonal displays of 15 – 15.4 inches and weigh between 3-3.5kg. They normally give up some computer power in exchange for smaller dimensions and greater battery life, albeit the length and breadth are usually controlled by the screen size.
Computers that replace desktops
Powerful laptops designed to be used mostly in a fixed position and performed seldom because to their weight and size; the latter gives more space for powerful components and a large screen, typically measuring 15 inches or more. Because the technology does not maximize power efficiency, desktop replacements have limited battery life, seldom reaching three hours.
History
Similar ideas have been offered before laptop/notebook computers were technically practical, most notably Alan Kay’s Dynabook design, developed at Xerox PARC in the early 1970s.

In 1981, the Osborne 1 was the first commercially available portable computer, running the CP/M operating system. Although it was enormous and heavy in comparison to today’s laptops, with a small CRT monitor, it had a near-revolutionary influence on business, allowing professionals for the first time to take their computer and data with them.

This and other “luggables” were inspired by the Xerox NoteTaker, which was developed anew at Xerox PARC in 1976; however, only ten prototypes were completed. The Osborne was roughly the size of a portable sewing machine, and it was crucial to note that it could be transported on a commercial flight. The Osborne, on the other hand, could not be run on batteries; it had to be plugged in.

The Compaq Portable, the company’s first product, launched in 1983, by which time the IBM Personal Computer had become the mainstream platform. Although it was not as portable as the Osborne computers and required AC power to operate, it ran MS-DOS and was the first real IBM clone (IBM’s subsequent Portable Computer, which came in 1984, was noticeably less IBM PC-compatible than the Compaq[citation needed]).

The Epson HX-20 was another notable machine unveiled in 1981 but first extensively available in 1983. It was a straightforward portable computer with a full-transit 68-key keyboard, rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, a modest (120 x 32-pixel) dot-matrix LCD display with 4 lines of text, a 20 characters per line text mode, a 24 column dot matrix printer, a Microsoft BASIC interpreter, and 16 kB of RAM. (expandable to 32 kB).

The GRiD Compass 1101, built by Bill Moggridge in 1979-1980 and introduced in 1982, was likely the first genuine laptop. It debuted the now-famous clamshell design, with the flat display folding shut against the keyboard and enclosed in a magnesium chassis.

The computer could be powered by batteries and has a 320200-pixel plasma display and 384 kilobyte bubble memory. It was not IBM-compatible, and its exorbitant cost (US$ 10,000) restricted it to niche applications. However, it was widely employed by the United States military and NASA aboard the Space Shuttle throughout the 1980s. As its innovations became ubiquitous, the GRiD’s maker received considerable profits on its patent rights. Tandy later purchased GRiD Systems Corp. (RadioShack).

The Sharp PC-5000 and the Gavilan SC, both announced in 1983 but first released in 1984, were two additional notable early laptops. The Gavilan was notable for being the first computer advertised as a “laptop.” It also included a groundbreaking touchpad-like pointing mechanism built on a panel above the keyboard. The Gavilan and Sharp, like the GRiD Compass, were contained in clamshell boxes, although they were partly IBM-compatible, albeit mostly running their own system software. Both had LCD monitors and the ability to link to optional external printers.

The Kyocera Kyotronic 85, which owed much to the design of the earlier Epson HX-20, was also released in 1983, and was possibly the best-selling early laptop. Although it was a sluggish seller in Japan at first, it was swiftly licensed by Tandy Corporation, Olivetti, and NEC, who realized its potential and sold it as the TRS-80 Model 100 series (or Tandy 100), Olivetti M-10, and NEC PC-8201, respectively.[2] The devices were powered by regular AA batteries. Microsoft contributed the Tandy’s built-in applications, which included a BASIC interpreter, a text editor, and a terminal software, and are said to have been created in part by Bill Gates himself.

The computer did not have a clamshell design, but it did include a tiltable 840-character LCD screen atop a full-travel keyboard. It was a very portable communications terminal because to its integrated modem. The device was well appreciated, becoming a favorite among journalists, due to its mobility, strong battery life (and simplicity of replacement), dependability (it had no moving parts), and inexpensive price (as low as US$ 300). It weighed less than 2 kg and measured 30 21.5 4.5 cm (12 8.5 1.75 inches).

The initial specifications comprised 8 kilobytes of RAM (expandable to 24 kB) and a CPU running at 3 MHz. The machine was roughly the size of a paper notebook, but the word had not yet been coined, thus it was commonly referred to as a “portable” computer.

The IBM PC Convertible, debuted in 1986, and two Toshiba versions, the T1000 and T1200, introduced in 1987, were among the first commercial IBM-compatible laptops. Despite being floppy-based DOS computers with the operating system stored in read-only memory, the Toshiba versions were compact and light enough to fit in a backpack and could be powered by lead-acid batteries. These also brought to DOS-based PCs the now-standard “resume” feature: the computer could be halted between sessions without needing to be rebooted each time.

The first large-scale laptops were made possible in large part by a Request For Proposal (RFP) issued by the United States Air Force in 1987. This arrangement would eventually result in the acquisition of more than 200,000 laptop computers. Competition for this contract was high, and the main PC firms of the time, including IBM, Toshiba, Compaq, NEC, and Zenith Data Systems (ZDS), hurried to build laptops in order to win it.

ZDS was granted this contract for its SupersPort series after previously winning a major agreement with the IRS for its Z-171. The SupersPort series debuted with an Intel 8086 processor, two floppy disk drives, a lighted blue and white STN LCD screen, and a NiCD battery pack. Later editions were equipped with an Intel 80286 CPU and a 20MB hard drive. ZDS became the world’s largest laptop provider in 1987 and 1988 as a result of this transaction.

ZDS collaborated with Tottori Sanyo on the design and production of these laptops. This partnership is noteworthy since it was the first between a big brand and an Asian OEM. (Original Equipment Manufacturer). Compaq, IBM, Toshiba, NEC, and other companies built and manufactured their own devices during the time.

However, with the success of the ZDS offering, other agreements, such as Compaq and Citizen, quickly followed. At the time, the excellence of Japanese engineering and manufacture, along with the strength of the dollar compared to the yen (usually about 130 Yen = $1), led the majority of brands to Japanese suppliers. As OEMs, companies like Sanyo, Tottori Sanyo, Citizen, and Casio were all significantly involved in this market.

However, by the mid-1990s, a sinking dollar and the increasing profitability of Taiwanese OEMs like as Acer, Quanta, Compal, Twinhead, and Chicony led to a fast transfer in supply from Japan to Taiwan.

Furthermore, brands that were more agile and depended less on internal engineering, like as Gateway, Dell, and Micron, rose fast to positions of leadership. Combinations like Dell/Compal and Gateway/Quanta eventually became powerful collaborations, contributing significantly to Taiwanese OEMs’ dominance as the hub of PC production from around 1995 onward.

The Cambridge Z88, created by Clive Sinclair and released in 1988, was another famous computer. It was around the size of an A4 sheet of paper, ran on normal batteries, and had basic spreadsheet, word processing, and communications programs. It foresaw the future downsizing of the portable computer and, being a ROM-based system with a tiny display, can be considered as a predecessor of the personal digital assistant, similar to the TRS-80 Model 100.