Weighing the Benefits and Costs
In recent years, tablets have quickly caught up with laptops in terms of performance power, as well as overall usability. But what device ends up working out to be more useful today?
Laptops and tablets both have their own pros and cons. Knowing how they stack up against each other across different categories will help you decide which one is right for you. Hopefully, this will help you understand the difference between laptops and tablets, and know which device you would like to purchase next.
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The Great Debate: Laptops vs. Tablets
Productivity
When it comes to productivity, laptops are still in the lead. There are several reasons why laptops end up being better off for productivity over tablets.
For one, laptops come with a keyboard and trackpad. This allows for faster typing speed and the ability to get work done quicker. Tablets can have a keyboard and mouse connected via Bluetooth, but you have to go through the additional steps which involve buying the additional accessories and charging your keyboard and mouse.
Secondly, laptops are far better at running more intensive programs. There are apps on the tablet for things like spreadsheets and word processors, but the PC experience is smoother and much easier to use.
Multitasking
Another reason why laptops are better for productivity than tablets is because they are capable of running multiple programs and apps far more efficiently than a tablet.
Not only can you have more apps running in the background, but you can also have multiple programs on the screen at once, and switching between programs is easier.
Tablets are starting to support a wider range of multitasking features, but they are still far behind the multitasking potential of a laptop.
Portability
For the most part, tablets are more portable than laptops, but not always. Most tablets are easier to carry around and can fit in and out of small spaces easily. However, if you get a super lightweight laptop, you will find the difference in size and weight isn’t that big. So, tablets do beat laptops when it comes to portability, but only slightly.
Price
Tablets can become more viable with pricing. Entry-level laptops are usually just under $500, whereas tablets can be as cheap as $100 to $200. You will have to pay more for a high-end tablet that has better hardware, but for the most part, tablets are cheaper than laptops.
If you are an Apple and Mac fan, the most expensive iPads are still cheaper than your entry-level Mac.
If you are on team Windows, finding a suitable Android tablet can work out cheaper than getting a high-end laptop. At the low end, things on Windows and Android are slightly closer in the price range.
Ease Of Use
For many, tablets are just more convenient than laptops. They boot up quickly, they very rarely have software problems and they are easy to pick up and use no matter where you are.
There’s something very satisfying about being able to use your tablet in any circumstance. Whether you are at home, traveling or sitting down in a public area, tablets are far more convenient to use than a laptop.
Laptops typically require you to have a bit of extra space and preferably a table to sit down at. Tablets, on the other hand, are easier to pick up and hold in your hands.
Battery Life
When compared to tablets, the typical battery life of a laptop is notoriously bad. It seems that no matter what the manufacturers say, a laptop battery never lasts as long as they are advertised to. Even if you are just using a laptop to browse the web or listen to music, the battery life lasts less time than a tablet.
Tablets are pretty versatile when it comes to battery life. They use low-power processors and they don’t require any power for any external hardware. You can even get a decent battery life on a tablet while watching movies or other media.
Finally, tablets typically charge faster than laptops do, so you can be safe in knowing that even if you do run down the battery, you will only need to charge your device for half an hour to get a decent chunk of battery life back. In summary, there is no outright winner when comparing laptops and tablets.
Making the Right Choice for You
On one side, we have tablets: lightweight, ultra-portable devices that are easy and convenient to use throughout the day. We also have laptops, which are almost necessary for more strenuous tasks such as managing multiple documents and spreadsheets or running software for image or video editing.
Ultimately, tablets provide that extra level of convenience and comfort, whereas laptops are great for providing functionality and extra multitasking potential. If you are serious about your work, a laptop will always prove to be the best choice. If you care more for quick access to the basics, a tablet will work fine.
What’s very clear at this point is that while we have this clear line between the different use cases for laptops and tablets, it may not be like this shortly. It will not be long before the experience between a tablet and laptop has blended.