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It is undeniable that modern innovations have catalysed our way of living. As technologies get better, we have difficulties in choosing which brands to trust and gadgets to buy. In the world of computers, the two main contenders are the laptop and tablet.
Some of us may still have that good ol’ desktop computer sitting in our homes. During the advent of laptops, we were amazed that computers can really be that handy. Smartphones also paved the way for better communications since the appearance of generic cellular phones by adding productivity applications, camera, music player, and many more. Good thing Microsoft thought about hybridizing the two gadgets (source). Thus, the tablet was invented.
A lot of people might think that laptops and tablets are interchangeable and is just a matter of preference. Are you convinced? Not me. Let us dig deeper into this realm and come up with better decisions on which gadget to choose: laptop or tablet?
Perhaps the vaguest answer for this is “it depends”. Each of us uses technology in a specific way. You might prefer splurging on gadgets for gaming purposes while I value more on the productivity side to help me accomplish my paperworks. We will summarize the best features of the two.
LAPTOPS: KINGS OF CONTROL
Obviously, the laptop is the mini and handier version of the almost-outdated PC. The most benefit one can get on a laptop is its processing hardware which equates to faster performance, bigger storage, and better multitasking. Basically, what you can do on a desktop computer, you can also do in a laptop.
When it comes to gaming, nothing beats a laptop’s faster processor and graphic processing. That is, if the laptop is streamlined for gaming such as the Alienware 17 and Dell Inspiron 15 700 — all of which are boasting with sleek chassis and enviable graphics, thanks to the Nvidia GeForce innovation.
Storage is everything in laptops. While tablets may offer anywhere from the 16 to 128 gigabyte range, the usual laptops boasts 500GB or more. Apple’s MacBook Air 11-inch may be one of the slimmest ones in the market but it definitely houses a decent SSD, which translates into a storage capacity of 128GB at the very least. On top of that are add-ons such as optical drives, SD card slots, and USB-connected flashdrives which means more storage data.
With laptops, one can do whatever with a built-in keyboard and mouse—after all, those two features are what most of us have grown up with. Touch screens may be fancy but they don’t offer as much granular control. This is important if most of the work done during the days involves much typing and clicking.
TABLETS: HANDY DANDY TECHNOLOGY
If you’re a bit short on the budget, tablets may be the better option for you — except, of course, if you are aiming for Windows 8 tablets (which attempts to conjoin a tried-and-tested PC operating system and a sleek touch screen gadget) that start at $400. Tablets are simply the bigger versions of the smartphones sans the message-and-call features that make use of cellular carriers. Tablets verge on the minimalistic approach despite its icon-heavy design. Many of these nowadays are also designed to do multitasking by allowing more apps to run in the background.
And because of its size, tablets are preferable when it comes to personal media usage. One can use it while in motion or even when lying down. That being said, tablets are well-suited for reading ebooks or watching movies.
Battery life is one of the strongest suits of tablets. But this efficiency is brought about by its less powerful processing system. “Less processing, less battery use” per se.
WHICH IS WHICH?
According to Ben Taylor in his Time Magazine article “Laptop or Tablet? 5 Questions You Need to Ask Yourself First”, you need to ask yourself 5 questions before committing to one device over the other. In this write-up, however, we will throw in 3 of them.
First, which one would you value: screen size or portability? When it comes to screen sizes, laptops offer a range between 12-16 inches while tablets are around 7-11 inches. But then again, what about portability? Tech companies are shaving off a few inches of their flagship models for every new year.
Second: high-performing or simple? Note that Apple’s tablets are now becoming at par with the best laptops in town. Case in point? An Apple iPad PRO LTE boasts an astonishing 2.3 Ghz processor speed over its closest contender Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (a laptop) which comes close at 1.9 Ghz. But why purchase something hefty when all you want is to browse the web or play Angry Birds? Save the monster processors if you are aiming for some heavy duty gaming or video editing.
Last: what are you using it for? Laptops and tablets offer a wide variety of productivity and multitasking tools. But then again, this is something only you, the buyer, can come into terms with. So, take your pick.
References
Bort, J. (2013, May 30). Microsoft Invented A Tablet A Decade Before Apple And Totally Blew It. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-visual-proof-of-just-how-badly-microsoft-blew-it-with-tablets-2013-5.
Taylor, B. (2014, December 5). Laptop or Tablet? 5 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself First. Retrieved from http://time.com/3617405/laptop-tablet-which-buy/.
