Desktop replacement computers are personal computers that are designed to provide the full capabilities of a desktop computer while remaining portable. They usually take the form of a bulky laptop. Because of their increased size and semi-permanent connection to an external power supply, this class of computer usually includes more powerful components and a larger display than generally used in portable computers, and/or a relatively limited battery capacity (or none at all). Some use desktop components to provide better performance per dollar at the expense of battery life. These are often called desknotes, a portmanteau of the words "desktop" and "notebook," though the term is also applied to desktop replacement computers in general. Desktop computer with several common peripherals (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, microphone and a printer) A desktop computer is an independent personal computer that is made especially for use on a desk in an office or home. ... An Acer laptop with touchpad A laptop computer or simply laptop (also notebook computer or notebook) is a small mobile personal computer, usually weighing from one to three kilograms, depending on size, materials and other factors. ... It has been suggested that blend (linguistics) be merged into this article or section. ...

Origins

The forerunners of the desktop replacement were the portable computers of the early-to-mid 1980s, such as the Osborne I, the Compaq Portable and the Commodore Executive 64 (SX-64) computers. These computers contained the CPU, display, floppy disk drive and power supply all in a single briefcase-like enclosure. Similar in performance to the desktop computers of the era, they were easily transported and came with an attached keyboard that doubled as a protective cover when not in use. They could be used wherever space and an electrical outlet were available, as they had no battery. A Portable computer is a computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another (in other words, it is a computer that is portable). ... The Osborne 1, created by publisher Adam Osborne and released in April 1981, was the first portable all-in-one microcomputer. ... The Compaq Portable, sometimes referred to as the Compaq Portable XT, was the first product in the Compaq portable series to be brought out by Compaq Computer Corporation. ... Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore International, a West Chester, Pennsylvania based electronics company who was a vital player in the home/personal computer field in the 1980s. ... CPU redirects here. ... Nineteen inch (48 cm) CRT computer monitor A computer display, monitor or screen is a computer peripheral device capable of showing characters and/or still or moving images generated by a computer and processed by a graphics card. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that comprises a circular piece of thin, flexible (hence floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic wallet. ... A power supply unit (sometimes abbreviated power supply or PSU) is a device or system that supplies electrical or other types of energy to an output load or group of loads. ...

The development of the modern desktop replacement computer came with the realization that many laptops were used in a semi-permanent location, often remaining connected to an external power source at all times. This suggested that a market existed for a laptop-style computer that would take advantage of the user's reduced need for portability, allowing for higher-performance components, greater expandability, and higher-quality displays.

Design Features

Modern desktop replacements generally perform better than traditional laptop-style computers as their size allows the inclusion of more powerful components. The larger body means more efficient heat-dissipation, allowing manufacturers to use components that would otherwise overheat during normal use. Furthermore, their increased size allows for greater expandability and features, as well as larger and brighter displays. However, these advantages generally come at a price premium, with many computers in this class costing significantly more than a desktop computer with similar specifications. Desktop computer with several common peripherals (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, microphone and a printer) A desktop computer is an independent personal computer that is made especially for use on a desk in an office or home. ...

Using a laptop form factor, however, desktop replacements still often suffer from limitations similar to those of more mobile laptops. They usually lack the ability to accept standard PCI expansion cards, limiting their usefulness somewhat. While the computers can offer slightly better cooling than other laptops, they rarely dissipate heat efficiently enough to allow for high-end desktop-class components, and thus may not reach the same performance levels as desktop computers. Form factor refers to the linear dimensions and configuration of a device as distinguished from other measures of size (for example Gigabytes; a measure of storage size): in computing, form factor is used to describe the size and format of PC motherboards (see AT, ATX, BTX), but also of hard... 32-bit PCI expansion slots on a motherboard 64-bit PCI expansion slots inside a Power Macintosh G4 The Peripheral Component Interconnect standard (in practice almost always shortened to PCI) specifies a computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard. ... Desktop computer with several common peripherals (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, microphone and a printer) A desktop computer is an independent personal computer that is made especially for use on a desk in an office or home. ...

Desktop replacement computers are difficult to upgrade compared to desktop computers, with many of their major components (such as the display) integral to the design of the machine, and others (such as the CPU and GPU) being hard to access and replace. Some desktop replacements do not include battery power as a standard feature, and some do not include PC-Card support. They have the same limitations on serviceability as laptops, and can rarely use identical components to a desktop computer. CPU can stand for: in computing: Central processing unit in journalism: Commonwealth Press Union in law enforcement: Crime prevention unit in software: Critical patch update, a type of software patch distributed by Oracle Corporation in Macleans College is often known as Ash Lim. ... GPU may stand for: Graphics processing unit, a special stream processor used in computer graphics hardware Gosudarstvennoye Politicheskoye Upravlenie (Главное Политическое Управление, or Main Political Directorate) of the Red Army, responsible for troops morale and propaganda. ... Portable Computer Cards (PC cards) are interchangeable peripherals designed to be inserted into laptop computers in order to enable extra hardware functions. ...

Manufacturers

Manufacturers of desktop replacement computers include:

• Apple Computer
• Dell
• ECS
• Hewlett-Packard
• Sony
• Toshiba
• Clevo

Apple Computer, Inc. ... Dell, Inc. ... Elitegroup Computer Systems (or ECS) is a Taiwan-based electronics firm. ... The Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ), commonly known as HP, is a very large, global company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States. ... Sony Corporation ) is a Japanese multinational corporation and one of the leading manufacturers of video, communications, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. ... Toshiba Corporations headquarters in Hamamatsucho, Tokyo Toshiba Corporation sales by division for year ending March, 31 2005 Toshiba Corporation ) (TYO: 6502 ) is a Japanese high technology electrical and electronics manufacturing firm, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. ... // Clevo Group Clevo first was established in October 1983 as a laptop manufacturer in Taiwan, but has diversified into various technology interests, including computer peripherals, information appliances, communications and retail development. ...

See also

• Desktop computer
• Personal computer
• Laptop

Desktop computer with several common peripherals (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, microphone and a printer) A desktop computer is an independent personal computer that is made especially for use on a desk in an office or home. ... An Acer laptop with touchpad A laptop computer or simply laptop (also notebook computer or notebook) is a small mobile personal computer, usually weighing from one to three kilograms, depending on size, materials and other factors. ...

External links

• C|Net: Desktop notebooks stake their claim
• AustralianIT article on Desktop Replacements