Are Ultra Thin Laptops as Good as Regular Laptops?

If you are looking to purchase a new computer for yourself or as a gift, there is certainly something to be said for the latest computer laptops.  Portable computing has been insanely popular since it was first introduced, but the newest laptops on the market bring portability to a whole new level.  Keep reading to find out why ultra thin laptops are topping the electronics wish list this year, and if they are as good as regular laptops.

If you look at laptops from even a few short years ago, the average laptop model weighed in at around five pounds and was several inches thick.  This made them not only inconvenient to carry, but it made it necessary to have a separate laptop bag for them – which acted as a magnet to potential thieves.  To put it simply, bulky laptops were never convenient.  They offered a way to work on the go, but usually at the cost of comfort and stain on your back muscles as you carried them around.

Today’s laptops, however, are incredibly thin.  In fact, most are less than one inch in thickness now – and we’re talking about two centimeters thick if you check out the Apple Macbook Air.  This makes them considerably easier to carry around and it also makes them easier to fit inconspicuously into a backpack so that it doesn’t scream “hey thief, there’s an expensive laptop in here”.

There are several downsides to slim models, however,  As all the electronics inside are crammed tighter together, some of them ‘run hot’ and can overheat much easier than old laptops, as many have done away with the old-fashioned CPU fan which keeps your laptop’s ‘brain’ cool in order to make the cases slimmer.  Another downside is that most of the really thin models lack popular features such as a DVD player or burner.  For these models, the DVD player may be separate (external), and you must plug it in via a USB or firewire cable whenever you want to load a disc. 

These minor issues aside, thin laptops are very popular with electronics lovers.  Whether you need to carry your computer down the street or across the city, a model that isn’t weighing you down and filling your entire bag certainly has appeal.