Keyboard vs Touchscreen
With a tablet, you will have to use the touchscreen and use the virtual keypad interface to type out emails, documents, etc. It does become a challenge because you will need to: deal with the layout of the keypad; and also having to deal with not being able to type so quickly (unless you can type really fast on a graphical typo interface).
Whereas with a laptop, you’ll get to use a physical keyboard to do all your typing, which I’m sure you are used to by now. If you enjoy the touchscreen function where you get to point, drag or tap, a tablet is best for you. Laptops or tablets. If you do lots of typing and like to write a lot, then a laptop is a better option for you.
Screen Size and Weight
Tablets come in smaller sizes and weigh less, but have less powerful components and hardware specs. This makes it portable, easy to carry, and available as you move. Laptops come in bigger sizes and have more powerful components and specs, but weigh more. Laptops or tablets. If you want a lightweight, portable, and easy to carry, then a tablet is a better option for you.
Long Battery Life
Tablets are built for efficiency and need low power requirements to run internal components, which means less battery power is consumed less, meaning more battery run time. On average, you are looking at more than 12 hours of battery run time a day.
Laptops are built for performance, so they consume more battery power, which means you are looking at less than 8 hours of battery run time. Laptops or tablets, if you’re looking for a device with long battery life, tablets are the better choice.
SSD or HDD Storage
Tablets come with less storage capacity that is between 16 to 64 GB. That is small but it makes them cheaper to buy. They use Solid State Drive (SSD) storage, which decreases loading times of the operating system and quick access to apps.
Laptops have much more storage capacity of up to 2 TB but use the Hard Drive (HDD) storage. Nowadays laptops come with both SSD and HDD, with the operating system and apps stored on SDD, and HDD to store bigger files and documents.
Laptops or tablets. If you looking to need more storage space for files and documents, then a laptop is a better option for you.
More Power, More Performance
Tablets use low processing power, but can perform standard everyday functions well, like web browsing, send or receive emails, and playing audio and video files. They fall short when it needs to perform multitasks or run high graphic demanding apps.
Laptops have high processing power making them better at performing multitasks. Depending on the hardware, it can run high demanding apps and gaming.
Laptops or tablets. With more processing power and system performance, a laptop is a better option for you.
Software and Apps
Tablets come with either iOS or Android Operating System (OS), depending on the device brand. You will get access to the apps store, which gives you access to a wide variety of apps for you to use.
Laptops come with MS Windows OS. Because it has more processing power, it can run most of the apps and software available. The problem is that tablets cannot run the best well-known software from the laptop.
They will have to be compatible with the tablet’s OS and hardware to run. i.e. MS Office can not work well on a tablet unless MS develops an office software compatible with a tablet.
So if you want access to a great variety of software and/or apps, then a laptop is the better option. Laptop or tablet. If you want access to mobile apps that have limited functionality, then the better option is a tablet.
Money, Money, Money
A budget tablet can cost you less than $100, a mid-range at between $400 – $600, and a high-end tablet at over $1000. Remember, tablets have low processing power so they will not perform as well as a laptop, that’s why even budget laptops cost more.
So in essence, tablets are much cheaper to buy, whereas laptops are more expensive but more powerful. Usually, you would come across a tablet and a laptop with the same price, but the laptop would have better specs. So hey, no real answer for this one.
Laptop or Tablet. If you really can’t decide, then do a cost-benefit analysis between the tablet and the laptop you would like to buy.
To Buy one or Two, or Not
If you can buy one of them, then it’s better you get a laptop. It is a complete, fully functional computer system that you can use to do everyday tasks, install software, and store or backup your data and information.
You can do the same with a tablet, but not as well compared to a laptop. When it comes to apps and data storage, laptops get a thumbs up. Laptops or tablet. If you are looking for one whole device to cover all your computing needs, then a laptop is your best option.
Why not check out 2-in-1 notebooks or Chromebooks. It’s both a laptop and a tablet, meaning you get the best of both in one device.