Technology

Visualizing the Raw Materials in a Laptop

Published

2 months ago

January 15, 2025

Toon Vos

Featured Creator

Article/Editing:

Bruno Venditti

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Visualizing the Raw Materials in a Laptop

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

A typical notebook computer contains more than 240 substances, many in very small amounts.

This graphic by Toonitopia shows the raw materials in a laptop. It was named Visual of the Year out of over 3,000 visualizations posted on Voronoi in 2024.

The visual is based on research by HP and assumes a 1.7-kilogram notebook. Every sphere is sized according to the mass of the material and the corresponding material density.

In order to organize and simplify the graphic, Toon put together different types of glass and different types of plastic under their respective category headers. He also deconstructed lithium cobalt oxide to separately visualize lithium and cobalt.

Notebook Material Content

Laptops are composed of a variety of materials that serve specific functions and contribute to their overall performance and durability.

By mass, magnesium (22.7%) is the most used material in laptops. This lightweight metal is prized for its strength-to-weight ratio, making it ideal for creating durable yet lightweight laptop frames and casings. Magnesium also helps in heat dissipation, which is crucial for keeping electronic components cool during operation.

Material	% of Mass	Mass (kg)
Magnesium	22.2%	0.3859
Borosilicate glass	9.2%	0.1598
Inorganic glass	8.8%	0.1530
Polycarbonate	8.6%	0.1496
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)	7.1%	0.1241
Aluminium	5.9%	0.1020
Lithium cobalt oxide	5.0%	0.0867
Copper	4.8%	0.0833
Iron	4.1%	0.0714
Steel	2.7%	0.0476
Graphite	2.6%	0.0459
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)	2.1%	0.0357
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)	1.1%	0.0187
Cellulose Triacetate	1.0%	0.0170
Silicon Dioxide Glass (SiO2)	1.0%	0.0170
Others	13.8%	0.2397
Overall	100.0%	1.737 kg

Following magnesium, borosilicate glass (9.4%) and inorganic glass (9%) are the next most commonly used materials. These types of glass are essential for screens and displays, as they provide durability, clarity, and resistance to thermal and mechanical stress. Borosilicate glass, in particular, is known for its resistance to temperature changes, making it a reliable choice for touchscreens and protective layers.

Laptops also incorporate polycarbonate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) in their construction. These thermoplastic polymers are used in the outer casing and internal structural components due to their impact resistance, lightweight properties, and ability to withstand wear and tear from daily use.

In addition to these materials, minerals such as copper, iron, and graphite are indispensable for the internal functioning of laptops. Copper is widely used in wiring and heat sinks due to its excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. Iron contributes to the strength of internal components, while graphite is used as a lubricant and in heat dissipation applications.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed this topic, check out this graphic that shows how much radiation is emitted by popular smartphones.

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

Related Topics:copper graphite tech lithium elements minerals hp plastic computer materials laptop magnesium

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Technology

Charted: How Does Meta Make Money?

Meta’s revenues surged to a record $165 billion in 2024, boosted by AI-powered ad targeting services and increased impressions.

Published

16 hours ago

March 21, 2025

Dorothy Neufeld

Pie chart showing how Meta makes money by business segment.

Charted: How Does Meta Make Money?

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

Meta reported a record $165 billion in revenues in 2024, fueled by AI advancements in its advertising business.
Overall, 99% of annual revenues were from advertising while its augmented reality division, Reality Labs, brought in the remaining.
Chinese giants Temu and Shein were among the company’s largest customers as of Q3 2024, leveraging Meta’s audience of more than three billion users across its platforms.

As Meta embeds AI into its core products, its revenue continues to reach new highs.

Overall, advertising and other services brought in $162.4 billion, driven by higher ad impressions and a 10% increase in the average price per ad. Meanwhile, Reality Labs posted a loss of $17.7 billion over the year. Since 2020, the augmented reality division has lost a staggering $60 billion.

This graphic shows how Meta makes money, based on data from its latest 10-K annual report.

Meta’s $165 Billion Revenue Playbook

As the table below shows, advertising sales accounted for virtually all of Meta’s revenues in 2024, rising by 22% over the year:

Category	Revenue Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2024	Share of Revenue
Advertising and Other Revenue	$162.4B	98.7%
Reality Labs	$2.1B	1.3%
Total Revenue	$164.5B	100%

Meta attributes higher demand to improved ad performance, driven by its increasingly sophisticated AI-powered ad targeting.

In 2024, Meta’s capital expenditures totaled $39.2 billion, and this is set to jump as high as $65 billion this year. To support its growing AI-powered ad business, Meta began building six data centers last year.

Meanwhile, operating income surged by 48% to reach $69.4 billion while cash and equivalents stood at $77.8 billion, allowing the company to pay out $1.3 billion in dividends in Q4 2024 alone.