Device vs. Equipment: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
A device is a tool designed for a specific task, often complex and electronic, while equipment refers to a set of tools or machinery used for a particular purpose.
Key Differences
A device typically refers to an item with a specific, often complex function, like a smartphone or a sensor. Equipment, however, is a broader term encompassing all the necessary items for a particular activity or purpose, like camping equipment.
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Devices are often associated with technology and electronics, used in contexts like medical devices or computing. Equipment is used in a wider range of contexts, from sports equipment to industrial machinery, encompassing all necessary tools and gear.
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Devices are generally smaller and more portable, designed for individual use. Equipment can range from small tools to large machines, often used in settings like construction sites or laboratories.
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A device usually has a specialized function and is often a standalone item, like a GPS unit. Equipment can be a collection of items serving multiple functions, necessary for completing a task or activity, like photography equipment.
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Many devices are designed to function independently, such as a calculator. In contrast, equipment may include items that depend on each other for functionality, like a set of power tools.
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Comparison Chart
Function
Specific, often complex tasks
Set of tools for a particular purpose
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Device and Equipment Definitions
Device
A piece of hardware in computing.
Her device connected to the Wi-Fi network automatically.
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Equipment
Gear used by armed forces.
The soldiers were trained to use the equipment effectively.
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Device
A gadget with electronic components.
He used a measuring device to check the room's dimensions.
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Equipment
Items used in sports activities.
His skiing equipment was ready for the trip.
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Device
An invention created for a specific task.
The device for peeling apples saved time in the kitchen.
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Equipment
Heavy machinery used in industry.
The construction site was filled with heavy equipment.
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Device
An object designed and manufactured to perform one or more functions.
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Equipment
Items used for safety purposes.
Emergency equipment was stored throughout the building.
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Device
A literary contrivance, such as parallelism or personification, used to achieve a particular effect.
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Equipment
The act of equipping or the state of being equipped
Responsible for the rapid equipment of the troops.
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Equipment
Something with which a person, organization, or thing is equipped
The athletes keep their equipment in the locker room.
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Device
A plan or scheme for accomplishing something
“Now Lydgate might have called at the warehouse, or might have written a message on a leaf of his pocket-book and left it at the door. Yet these simple devices apparently did not occur to him” (George Eliot).
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Equipment
The mental and emotional resources of an individual
Doesn't have the equipment to cope.
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Device
Any piece of equipment made for a particular purpose, especially a mechanical or electrical one.
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Equipment
The act of equipping, or the state of being equipped, as for a voyage or expedition.
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Equipment
Any items used in equipping something or someone, for example things needed for an expedition or voyage.
We need more gardening equipment if we want to properly landscape our yard, not just a rake and some gloves.
The sports shop sells different kits of famous clubs, and equipment from all kind of sports.
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Device
A project or scheme, often designed to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice.
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Equipment
The act of equipping, or the state of being equipped, as for a voyage or expedition.
The equipment of the fleet was hastened by De Witt.
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Device
(rhetoric) A technique that an author or speaker uses to evoke an emotional response in the audience; a rhetorical device.
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Equipment
Whatever is used in equipping; necessaries for an expedition or voyage; the collective designation for the articles comprising an outfit; equipage; as, a railroad equipment (locomotives, cars, etc. ; for carrying on business); horse equipments; infantry equipments; naval equipments; laboratory equipments.
Armed and dight,In the equipments of a knight.
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Device
(heraldry) A motto, emblem, or other mark used to distinguish the bearer from others. A device differs from a badge or cognizance primarily as it is a personal distinction, and not a badge borne by members of the same house successively.
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Equipment
An instrumentality needed for an undertaking or to perform a service
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Equipment
Tools used in a profession.
The photographer carefully selected her equipment for the shoot.
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Device
(legal) An image used in whole or in part as a trademark or service mark.
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Device
(printing) An image or logo denoting official or proprietary authority or provenience.
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Device
That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance; an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice.
His device in against Babylon, to destroy it.
Their recent device of demanding benevolences.
He disappointeth the devices of the crafty.
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Device
Power of devising; invention; contrivance.
I must have instruments of my own device.
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Device
An emblematic design, generally consisting of one or more figures with a motto, used apart from heraldic bearings to denote the historical situation, the ambition, or the desire of the person adopting it. See Cognizance.
Knights-errant used to distinguish themselves by devices on their shields.
A banner with this strange device -Excelsior.
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Device
Any artifactual object designed to perform an action or process, with or without an operator in attendance.
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Device
An instrumentality invented for a particular purpose;
The device is small enough to wear on your wrist
A device intended to conserve water
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Device
Something in an artistic work designed to achieve a particular effect
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Device
Any clever (deceptive) maneuver;
He would stoop to any device to win a point
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Device
An emblematic design (especially in heraldry);
He was recognized by the device on his shield
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Device
An instrument used in medical procedures.
The surgeon used a specialized device during the operation.
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Device
A tool with mechanical features.
The locksmith used a device to unlock the door.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Do devices always require power?
Most modern devices require power, but some mechanical devices do not.
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Are smartphones considered devices?
Yes, smartphones are typical examples of electronic devices.
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Do all businesses use electronic devices?
Most businesses today use some form of electronic devices.
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Is all equipment electronic?
No, equipment can be non-electronic, like manual tools or sports gear.
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Is personal protective equipment electronic?
Personal protective equipment is typically non-electronic, like helmets or gloves.
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Can equipment include vehicles?
Yes, in some contexts, like construction, equipment can include vehicles.
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Are devices always portable?
Many devices are portable, but some can be stationary, like home security systems.
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Can equipment be used by one person?
Yes, some equipment is designed for individual use.
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Can a device be part of equipment?
Yes, a device can be a component of a larger set of equipment.
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Can equipment be rented?
Yes, equipment for various activities can often be rented.
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Are laptops considered devices?
Yes, laptops are examples of computing devices.
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Can a device function without equipment?
Many devices are designed to function independently of other equipment.
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Do devices improve efficiency?
Devices, especially electronic ones, are often designed to improve efficiency in tasks.
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Is kitchenware considered equipment?
Yes, kitchenware can be referred to as kitchen equipment.
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Does equipment include furniture?
In some contexts, like office settings, furniture can be considered part of the equipment.
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Is heavy machinery always considered equipment?
Yes, heavy machinery is typically categorized as equipment, especially in industrial contexts.
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Is outdoor gear equipment?
Yes, outdoor gear is a type of equipment for outdoor activities.
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Do devices include software?
Devices typically refer to hardware, but they often rely on software to function.
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Are all medical devices for surgery?
No, medical devices can range from diagnostic tools to surgical instruments.
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Is gym gear considered equipment?
Yes, gym gear is a type of sports equipment.
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Nov 21, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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