1. PORTABILITY
The main benefit of a laptop is the portability. This can be a huge plus point, allowing you to take your computer to and from work, on planes, on camping trips, and practically anywhere else.

Not too long ago, laptops were far more expensive than desktop systems. For the price of an average laptop, you could purchase a much more powerful desktop. However, recently there has been a dramatic change in the computer hardware market and the price of laptops have dropped by a significant amount. They are still more expensive, but you can easily purchase a laptop suitable for normal day-to-day needs at a reasonable price with the added benefit of portability.

This benefit of ‘computing anywhere’ has become even more possible with the recent addition to the computing world of WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) which allows access the internet without the need of messy, restricting cables!

There are of course negative aspects to laptop ownership, not least the higher risk of theft and damage. Due to this it is recommended that insurance is taken out to cover the possibilty of such an occuranceThough the price difference is smaller than it has ever been, it could still cost you several hundred dollars for the increased portability and space savings. And though the functionality difference is less than it has ever been, if you’re doing high-end gaming or high-end graphics (such as video editing and computer aided design), you’ll benefit from the added capabilities of a desktop unit.
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2. ERGONOMY

Laptops are also less ergonomic. Even when portability isn’t a requirement for your computing needs, the need to make the most out of the room we have within our homes is ever present. With a traditional desktop you lose a whole corner within a room. However, if space is limited (as it is with most of us), a laptop can be used just about anywhere whether it’s at the kitchen table, living room, or in bed.

Some people find themselves slumping over their laptops, which can cause neck and back strain. Some laptops have reduced-size keyboards, which can crimp your hands. If you do a lot of number crunching, most laptop keyboards don’t have a separate number pads, which you may find less convenient. Some people don’t like the pointing device built into laptop keyboards, which takes some time to get used to and isn’t as precise if you do a lot of graphics or drawing.

There are workarounds for these shortcomings, however. You can add a numeric keypad and external mouse to a laptop, though this makes it less convenient to take it to the next location. You can use a “port replicator,” plugging your laptop into it to have access to a larger monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

3. CONNECTIVITY

Yes, I consider this to be a benefit of having a laptop. Recently, all the public places in my town offer free wireless Internet connection. So if I go out with a laptop (or PDA or whatever), I can connect to the Internet anytime, anywhere, without long cables. Most of the time, I can not do my work at the notebook without the Internet connection, so it’s crucial for me to benefit from this.