Desktop replacement computer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Desktop replacement computer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A desktop replacement Acer 8920 laptop with a 18.4" screen which can replace a desktop with its big screen. |
[edit] Origins
The development of the laptop form factor gave new impetus to portable computer development. Many early laptops were feature-limited in the interest of portability, requiring such mobility-limiting accessories as external floppy drives or clip-on trackball pointing devices. The first laptop that could be used as an only computer was the PowerBook 500 series; with its built in Ethernet, video, SCSI, ADB and serial ports, it duplicated the functionality of the desktop models without requiring an external docking station.
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. Desktop replacement computers are also often used with a port replicator, to fully enjoy the desktop comfort.
[edit] 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 PCIe expansion cards, limiting their expandability 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 ExpressCard support. They have the same limitations on serviceability as laptops, and can rarely use identical components to a desktop computer.
[edit] References
- ^ Desktop notebooks stake their claim, accessed October 19, 2007
- ^ Osborne 1 - The First Portable Computer from 1981, accessed May 28, 2006
- ^ Compaq Portable, the Company's First Product in 1982, accessed May 28, 2006
- ^ Commodore SX-64 portable computer, accessed May 28, 2006
- ^ Upgrading and Repairing Laptops, accessed October 19, 2007
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0 comments:
Post a Comment