Desktop Replacement Computer

Information about Desktop Replacement Computer

An Apple MacBook Pro, a notebook often used as a desktop replacement.

A desktop replacement computer is a personal computer that provides the full capabilities of a desktop computer while remaining portable. They are often a larger, bulkier laptop. Because of their increased size, this class of computer usually includes more powerful components and a larger display than generally used in smaller portable computers and can have a relatively limited battery capacity (or none at all). Some use a limited range of desktop components to provide better performance per dollar at the expense of battery life. These are sometimes called desknotes, a portmanteau of the words "desktop" and "notebook," though the term is also applied to desktop replacement computers in general.^[1]

Origins

The forerunners of the desktop replacement were the portable computers of the early-to-mid 1980s, such as the Osborne I, ^[2] the Compaq Portable ^[3] and the Commodore Executive 64 (SX-64) computers. ^[4] 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.

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 as much as two desktop computers with similar specifications.

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.

Desktop replacement computers are, with a few exceptions, 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) often being hard to access and replace.^[5] A small segment of desktop replacements do not include a battery as a standard feature, while 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.

References

1. ^ Desktop notebooks stake their claim, accessed October 19 2007
2. ^ Osborne 1 - The First Portable Computer from 1981, accessed May 28 2006
3. ^ Compaq Portable, the Company's First Product in 1982, accessed May 28 2006
4. ^ Commodore SX-64 portable computer, accessed May 28 2006
5. ^ Upgrading and Repairing Laptops, accessed October 19 2007

• • [ e] Computer sizes
Supercomputer	Minisupercomputer
Mainframe	Mainframe computer
Minicomputer	Supermini
Desktop computer	Microcomputer Home computer Personal computer Workstation Server (computing) Special communications computer
Cart computer	Cart computer
Portable computer	Portable computer
Mobile computing	Desktop replacement computer Laptop Subnotebook Tablet PC Mobile device: Ultra-Mobile PC Electronic organizer Pocket computer Handheld game console Portable data terminal Mobile data terminal Wearable computer Personal digital assistant: Handheld PC Pocket PC Calculator: Graphing calculator Information appliance: Smartphone
Others	Embedded system Wireless sensor network Smartdust Nanocomputer

personal computer (PC) is a computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals.

It is unknown who coined the phrase with the intent of a small affordable computing device but John W.
..... Click the link for more information.

desktop computer is a computer made for use on a desk in an office or home and is distinguished from portable computers such as laptops or PDAs. Desktop computers are also known as microcomputers.
..... Click the link for more information.

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). Portable computers, by their nature, are microcomputers.
..... Click the link for more information.

laptop computer, or simply laptop (also notebook computer or notebook), is a small mobile computer, which usually weighs 2-18 pounds (1-6 kilograms), depending on size, materials, and other factors.

A laptop computer is much smaller than a desktop.
..... Click the link for more information.

A portmanteau (IPA: /pɔərtˈmæntoʊ/) is a word or morpheme that fuses two or more words or word parts to give a combined or loaded meaning.
..... Click the link for more information.

The Osborne 1 was the first commercially successful portable microcomputer, released in April, 1981 by Osborne Computer Corporation. It weighed 23.5 pounds (10.7 kg), cost US$1795, and ran the then-popular CP/M 2.2 operating system.
..... Click the link for more information.

The Compaq Portable was the first product in the Compaq portable series to be brought out by Compaq Computer Corporation. It was the first "100%" IBM PC compatible personal computer not manufactured by IBM, and also the first IBM PC compatible portable computer.
..... Click the link for more information.

Commodore, the commonly used name for Commodore International, was an American electronics company based in West Chester, Pennsylvania which was a vital player in the home/personal computer field in the 1980s.
..... Click the link for more information.

Type Portable computer
Released 1984
Discontinued 1986
Processor MOS Technology 6510
@ 1.02MHz (NTSC version) / 0.99MHz (PAL version)
Memory 64K (64×2¹⁰ bytes)
OS Commodore BASIC 2.
..... Click the link for more information.

central processing unit (CPU), or sometimes simply processor, is the component in a digital computer capable of executing a program.(Knott 1974) It interprets computer program instructions and processes data.
..... Click the link for more information.

A computer display monitor, usually called simply a monitor, is a piece of electrical equipment which displays viewable images generated by a computer without producing a permanent record.
..... Click the link for more information.

Floppy Disk Drive

8 inch, 5 ¼ inch, and 3.5 inch drives
Date Invented: 1969 (8 inch), 1976 (5 ¼ inch), 1983 (3.5 inch)
Invented By: IBM team led by David Noble
Connects to:
..... Click the link for more information.

power supply (sometimes called a power supply unit or PSU) is a device or system that supplies electrical or other types of energy to an output load or group of loads.
..... Click the link for more information.

PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect

five 32-bit PCI expansion slots on a motherboard
Year created: Mid-1993
Created by: Intel
Superseded by: PCI Express (2004)

Width:

..... Click the link for more information.

graphics processing unit or GPU (also occasionally called visual processing unit or VPU) is a dedicated graphics rendering device for a personal computer, workstation, or game console.
..... Click the link for more information.

In computing, PC Card (originally PCMCIA) is the form factor of a peripheral interface designed for laptop computers. It was originally for memory expansion, but the existence of a usable general standard for notebook peripherals led to many kinds of devices being made
..... Click the link for more information.

October 19 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.