Laptop Computers by Brand Key Terms

Get to know specialized terminology before choosing a laptop brand

By B. Lumadue

There are several well-known brands of laptop computers that dominate the market. Some of the top laptop manufacturers include Hewlett Packard, Dell, IBM/Lenovo, Apple, Toshiba and Sony. In addition to the well-known brands, there are smaller manufacturers, many of which make custom laptops, like Alienware, Micro-Star International and ABS. Get to know some laptop terminology to narrow down choices to a particular brand or model.

Hewlett Packard

Hewlett Packard leads the market in laptop sales. The company offers a range of models, including mini laptops, ultra portables and gaming laptops.
Try: View the range of laptop models available on the Hewlett Packard website.

Dell

Dell offers several lines of laptops to meet the needs of home, business and gaming. Models in include mini laptops, laptops with custom designs and colors and high performance gaming laptops.
Try: Visit the Dell website to browse laptops for home and business.

Acer

Acer is another leader in laptop sales. It offers laptops for home and business use, with advanced features like extended battery life and thin, light models for ultra portability.
Try: The Acer website features a laptop selector tool, where users can select from business or home usage categories, main usage and other factors to find the right laptop.

Gaming

Manufacturers of gaming laptops such as Toshiba and Alienware don't make up a significant market share, but they offer specialty features that are often unmatched in standard laptops, as well as customization features. Gaming laptops offer powerful processing and graphics capabilities and high resolution screens.
Try: See Computer Shopper for a guide to the top gaming laptops.

Ruggedized

Ruggedized notebooks have special features that give them the ability to withstand heat, dust, drops and other poor environmental conditions. They are usually tested and graded on military specifications. Most laptop manufacturers offer laptops with some ruggedized features. Some of the well known manufacturers that offer specialty laptops for police, military and other professions requiring rugged laptops are Panasonic and Argonaut.
Try: Check out Rugged Notebooks for descriptions and features of these types of computers. The Panasonic Toughbook is a rugged notebook with a long history and advanced specifications.

Netbooks

Mini laptops, usually called netbooks or nettops, are ultra-portable laptops. They usually have a display that is 10 inches or smaller, often weigh less than three pounds and are very low in price.
Try: An article on the GigaOM Network explains what netbooks are, including history and trends.