This is a laptop and a PC.
Personal computers have proliferated considerably since the 1970s. As miniaturization technology has advanced, machines have been developed that are small and easy to carry. While a laptop is a personal computer, the term "PC" refers usually does not refer to them.
PCs
As technology in producing microprocessors, motherboards and memory storage improved, computers have becoming smaller and smaller. The first computers filled entire rooms with vacuum tubes, wires and relays. When computers shrank to the size of a dinner table or office desk, they started being referred to as mini-computers. When they became small enough to fit on top of a desk, they were referred to as micro-computers. As prices shrank with the machines, to the point that individuals could purchase processing power that cost millions of dollars just a few decades before, it seemed appropriate to call the machines personal computers.
Laptops
Although PCs were accessible to ordinary consumers, the ability to fit similar capabilities in ever-decreasing space continued. Modifications to make carrying and handling the devices easier were used. Screens that folded down on keyboards, energy-efficient architecture, integrated pointing devices and advanced internal batteries are just a few examples. Eventually, a computer that you could hold on your lap appeared, and the "laptop" was born. So, laptops are a subset of personal computers.
Variations
Not all laptops are equal. Designers strive to maximize their performance in certain areas. Desktop replacements can be easily folded up and carried, but have larger screens than their near-cousins and generally offer more processing power. Sturdy laptops serve in harsh environments, exposed to heat, vibration, moisture and other hazards. They feature padding, moisture seals, internal braces for circuit boards and other modifications to make them more robust. Netbooks are small, even by laptop standards, and may not have as much processing power or memory, but are optimized for wireless connectivity to the Internet or local area networks. The small notebooks or ultraportables push miniaturization technology to the limits. Some of these feature screens as small as 7 inches across and keyboards only slightly larger.
Smaller Devices
It is important to remember that laptops are personal computers. Personal digital assistants, smart phones, portable gaming devices and other gadgets may connect with the Internet, interface with each other or exhibit computing power in a variety of ways. However, these other devices do not run standard versions of operating systems used on desktop computers while laptops do. Generally speaking, a laptop can do anything a desktop can do.
Pros and Cons
For many years, laptops were used only by people with very specific needs. Insurance claims adjusters, sales people and other people who needed their capabilities in the field had to pay a premium for portability, and they had to contend with limited battery life. Laptops with given capabilities may cost more than twice as much as a desktop demonstrating the same performance.
Laptops are were difficult to upgrade or repair. The disparity in price has since shrunk considerably, and the battery life has improved. However, laptops of all types still tend to be more integrated, as opposed to the modular design of desktops. Laptops also are generally more fragile and can be stolen more easily. Still, laptops have never been more popular. In 1986 battery-powered personal computers constituted 2 percent of market share, globally. By the third quarter of 2008, they surpassed 50 percent.
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