What is the difference between a laptop and a notebook computer?

Absolutely nothing. They are two terms meaning the same thing. People tend to use "notebook" more often now, because the computers are not necessarily used on their "laps".

The Notebook Computer
A standard notebook has the following features:
1. Ultralight. Less weight is better.
2. 4 - 5 hour battery life.
3. No internal floppy drive.
4. Minimal graphics subsystem.
5. No internal DVD or CD system.
6. 12" - 14" TFT screen.
7. Low profile (thin).
8. Integrated modem and network connection.
9. Smallest possible keyboard that retains functionality.
10. Low power consumption Celeron/Centrino or Sempron style processor
In essence a notebook computer is designed to provide mobile computing that won't break your back yet still offer all the power the mobile users requires for work and some leisure pursuits. This portability normally comes at a price. The level of minituarization involved comes at a cost and high end notebooks can prove to be quite expensive.


The Laptop Computer
Now for the laptop computer. Again look at the name. A laptop is designed to sit on your lap and you can therefore expect it to be quite large and loaded down with features and power. The
The standard laptop computer would have some ,if not all, of the following features:
1. 14" - 17" (widescreen) TFT screen.
2. Nvidia GeForce or ATI Radeon graphics subsystem.
3. Internal DVD-ROM or DVD-RW drive
4. Large full featured keyboard.
5. 3 hour+ battery life.
6. Upgradeable.
7. Integrated modem, network, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities.
8. High quality integrate audio and speaker system.
9. Low power consumption, high performance Intel Centrino style processor.
From reading the above information you'll see that the notebook is the exact opposite of the laptop. Notebooks offer reasonable power and extreme portability. Laptops are designed to be capable of replacing an entire desktop PC if necessary whilst still offering desktop performance in a mobile platform. Hopefully this article has helped clear up the differences between both classes of portable computers. As time and technology moves on the line between laptop and notebook will continue to blue but for right now it's still clearly defined and driven by the demands of the portable computer market

There is a bit of difference between laptop and notebook. Notebook has more battery life than a Laptop and they say it's size more compact when compared to a laptop.

which would be better to buy a notebook computer or a laptop computer, which one helps the most

Most people use the terms notebook and laptop computer interchangably. Once it's not sitting on top of your desk every portable computer instantly becomes a notebook or laptop regardless of its configuration. There are, however, some very big differences between notebook and laptop computers.

This article is being written on a laptop computer as a matter of coincidence.

Let's look at the notebook computer first. A standard notebook has the following features:
1. Ultralight. Less weight is better.
2. 4 hours+ battery life.
3. No internal floppy drive.
4. Minimal graphics subsystem.
5. No internal DVD or CD system.
6. 12" - 14" TFT screen.
7. Low profile (thin).
8. Integrated modem and network connection.
9. Smallest possible keyboard that retains functionality.
10. Low power consumption Celeron or Centrino style processor.

In essence a notebook computer is designed to provide mobile computing that won't break your back yet still offer all the power the mobile users requires for work and some leisure pursuits. This portability normally comes at a price. The level of minituarization involved comes at a cost and high end notebooks can prove to be quite expensive.

Now for the laptop computer. Again look at the name. A laptop is designed to sit on your lap and you can therefore expect it to be quite large and loaded down with features and power.

The standard laptop computer would have some ,if not all, of the following features:
1. 14" - 17" (widescreen) TFT screen.
2. Nvidia GeForce or ATI Radeon graphics subsystem.
3. Internal DVD-ROM or DVD-RW drive
4. Large full featured keyboard.
5. 2 hour+ battery life.
6. Upgradeable.
7. Integrated modem, network and Wi-Fi capabilities.
8. High quality integrate audio and speaker system.
9. Low power consumption, high performance Intel Centrino style processor.

From reading the above information you'll see that the notebook is the exact opposite of the laptop. Notebooks offer reasonable power and extreme portability. Laptops are designed to be capable of replacing an entire desktop PC if necessary whilst still offering desktop performance in a mobile platform.

hai guys me too had a dubt but from above answers everybody telling in notebook cd/dvd rom will not avaliable, please tell me about hp540, it is laptop or notebook, i had hp540,in this i had DvD R/W drive,,,,,,,,,,

Ok..... I thought that the difference was quite simple!

A laptop can sit on your lap, as it has a cooling system designed to sit on your lap, i.e. vents at the sides. Underneath it is smooth with no vents.

A notebook should not be used on your lap as you will block the vents which in a notebook are underneath.

Now as far as I know that is the difference!

By the way notebooks usually do have a DVD/CD drive but the smaller Netbooks do not.