[[image:MacBookEeePCNintendoDS.JPG|250px|thumb|right|Sizes (smallest to largest): Nintendo DS Lite (handheld), Asus Eee PC (netbook) and MacBook (laptop).]]

A subnotebook or ultraportable is a class of laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than typical notebooks.

This category of computers can range in price from high end high capability models at $2,000 to low end low capability models at $250.These computers are often confused with the "Ultra-Mobile PC" category, which is the name of a platform of small form-factor tablet PCs. Unlike UMPCs, they generally are found to run full desktop operating systems such as Windows or Linux, rather than specialized software such as Windows CE, Palm OS or Internet Tablet OS.

Subnotebooks are smaller than laptops but larger than handheld computers. They often have smaller-sized screens, less than 14 inches, and weigh less than typical laptops, usually being less than 2 kg (4.4 lbs)Fact: date=October 2008. The savings in size and weight are usually achieved partly by omitting ports or having removable media or optical disc drives. Many can be paired with docking stations to compensate.

History

1990

The Compaq LTE, launched in 1989, was the first to be widely known as a "notebook computer" because its relatively small dimensions— 4.8x22x28 cm (1.9 × 8.5 × 11 inches)—were similar to an A4 paper notebook. The Compaq was followed in October 1992 by the very popular IBM ThinkPad, which was the first to include a 26.416cm (10.4 inches) screen in a notebook measuring 5.588 x 21.082 x 28.3718 cm (2.2 × 8.3 × 11.7 inches). Portables with smaller form factors thus became known as subnotebooks. The term was also applied to the NEC UltraLite, unveiled in 1988, although its dimensions (1.4 × 8.3 × 11.75 inches) were very similar to the Compaq LTE.

Smaller DOS-based PCs such as the Poqet PC and the Atari Portfolio — both released in 1989 — were called either "pocket PCs" or handhelds.

1991–1995

One early subnotebook was the PowerBook 100 released in 1991 by Apple Inc., measuring 8.5" deep by 11" wide by 1.8" high and weighing 5.1 lbs . Then the Gateway Handbook, originally released in 1992 and updated to use a 486 processor in late 1993, was only 9.7 inches (246 mm) wide, 5.9 inches (150 mm) deep, and 1.6 inches (41 mm) high, and weighed less than three pounds (1.4 kg)Fact: date=October 2008. Apple followed-up with PowerBook Duo series in October 1992, which further reduced their subnotebook line to 8.5" deep by 10.9" wide by 1.4" high and is an example of a portable supporting few on-board features, but which could be inserted into a docking station to achieve the full functionality of a desktop – a feature soon emulated by other manufacturers.Fact: date=October 2008

Another early subnotebook was the Hewlett-Packard OmniBook 300, which was launched as a "superportable" in 1993. It measured 1.4 × 6.4 × 11.1 inches, and was available with an optional Flash memory disk instead of a hard drive, to reduce the weight.