Laptops, also known as notebook computers, are trendy and functional computer devices that are now giving business people the best of both worlds in terms of business efficiency and mobility largely due to the fact that you can use batteries to power up the laptop for use anywhere, anytime. But what are laptops and what components go into making up a laptop device? For those who know little about laptops here is a quick overview of the various components that make up these versatile and mobile machines.

Screens are the displays that you use to see what the computer is doing whether it be typing words and numbers, surfing the Internet or manipulating images and photos. Laptops of years ago had very dim screens but these days the displays are big and bright and easy to read. The two main options in terms of displays are "dual-scan" and "active-matrix." Dual-scan is the less expensive option, and while it used to be somewhat inferior is a very acceptable option for people on a budget. Active-matrix is the brighter of the two.

Of course though the laptop is not just about displays you need to consider how the machine will actually run. Mobile CPUs are the component that makes the computer actually run. Buying a mobile CPU is an advantage because they use less power and keep the machine cooler.

Most laptops come with modular/swappable drive bays, to allow you to remove the floppy drive, DVD drive, and even the hard drive. This is very convenient if you often use different media for saving and storing data and need to make a change between media types but need to continue working at the same time rather than having to shut the machine down.

Some laptops come with a built-in AC power supply, so the laptop plugs into a wall outlet with a simple ordinary plug-in, however many have the power brick which is attached to the AC cord and this can be inconvenient if you are working in a confined space. Often with the more recent laptops you can by the more compact device to make it easier to use the laptop in small spaces such as hotel rooms.

Naturally laptops are purchased for their mobility to laptops will always come with one or two batteries to allow you to take the laptop away from mains power. This means you can leave the AC power cable behind and only plug it in to the mains power when you need to recharge the batteries.