Power adapters used on laptop computers

There are 3 types of power adapters that are normally used on laptops: ac adapters, dc adapters and inverters. Each of these 3 types of adapters does the same thing in the end, they provide power to your laptop, but their usage strongly depends on the power supply that is available.

AC adapters for laptop computers

Laptops, as any other DC devices, have the ability to run on batteries, but they also have an outside, external “black box” that is usually shipped with the laptop itself. This black box is the AC to DC adapter. It takes the power from the wall socket and it converts so the laptop computer could use it.

DC adapters used by laptops

If you are in your car or in an airplane and you want to use your laptop you will probably connect your laptop to the power supply that is available there. But even if the power supply that you can obtain from your car battery is right for your laptop, the voltage will probably not be enough. That is why a DC adapter comes in. It takes the power supplied by the DC socket you may find in that particular location and it converts it to a voltage that is sufficient for your laptop.

Inverters

Inverters are adapters that converts DC power back to AC power so any AC electronic device may use it. They are also larger and heavier than DC adapters and their don't work as good as accurate as a DC adapter.