Tablet vs. laptop

   / Tablet vs. laptop #1  

dgl24087

Veteran Member
Joined
May 6, 2004
Messages
1,517
Location
Va/WV
Tractor
1975 John Deere 1530
My faithful Dell laptop of 8 years has finally reached the end of it's useful life. I am looking at tablets as well as laptops. Whatever I get will be used for accessing company network and email, and occasional web browsing when bored. No need for print capabilities, we generate minimal paper.
 
   / Tablet vs. laptop #2  
I have both, a Lenovo Win 7 laptop and Lenovo Android tablet. I take both on the road. I leave the laptop in the room to do serious work or to do presentations. I use the tablet in conferences to monitor email and surf. My company uses Novell GroupWise for email and the GW Android app does a good job. The Lenovo tablet has about an 8-10 hour battery life. They complement each other. If I had to pick one I would take the laptop, there are some things where the tablet is too slow or cannot do at all.
 
   / Tablet vs. laptop #3  
Same as above. However a tablet with a real keyboard make them much more useful.
 
   / Tablet vs. laptop #4  
I played with a tablet for a while, but went back to my notebook. Most of the tablets were more low horsepower and limited function for me. For email, web surfing, reading, and simple stuff a tablet is ok - the lack of keyboard can be a problem....

But I also carry a smart phone (Samsung s3), which, while a smaller screen, basically did everything the tablet would do. I use the phone for stuff that I would have done with the tablet. And I usually have the phone. And data syncs between the 2 so I can work on either platform. YMMV though.....
 
   / Tablet vs. laptop #5  
Depends how long your emails are and if you embed much in them. For long, involved emails and screen captures from the web, I'd steer towards the laptop but for reading things, more than writing things, I'd go for the tablet. I've got two desktops, two laptops, six Kindles and one iPad. I use them all for varying reasons (not so much the Kindle readers anymore). The Kindle Fires (7") are ok for reading books. The Kindle Fire 8.9 HD's are good for watching TV shows and movies. I like the iPad mini the best when laying in bed and surfing the net because the screen is just the right size and weight. The only thing I don't like about it is the screen resolution. With all those things in mind, what I would recommend, tablet-wise, is to wait for the iPad mini with retina display and get that. I think it is just a couple of days away.
 
   / Tablet vs. laptop #7  
I used to be a computer geek. Always the most powerful I could afford. I came out 44th in a distributed computing project, genomeathome. So I used to be a power user.
However the MOST useful computer is the one you can use when you need it.

OP - when you write "laptop" what do you mean? A 17" powerhouse or an 11" ultralight? When you write tablet is it a 10" or 7"?

Since about 1996 I've had a "pocket" computer. The present one is my largest in form factor. It's a Samsung Note 8. It's small enough to fit in my cargo pants pockets EASILY with room for it's case (an Otterbox defender) a tape measure and a set of pliers. Yet it's screen is big enough for surfing and movie viewing.

The problem with most tablets in an office environment is that they are not Windoze compatible. But if I had to choose between a laptop that didn't fit in my pocket or my Note 8 tablet I'd go with the Note 8.

I often take a picture with it, annotate the picture and then can email it to someone telling them what I need. I keep my pdf manuals on it for handy reference. I can use my BT keyboard if needed.
 
   / Tablet vs. laptop #8  
My computer usage is down to once every two or three weeks. I use an iPad mini for just about everything, but, since I retired, about all I do is email and surf. I really like the little iPad mini, it goes with me everywhere.

John
 
   / Tablet vs. laptop #9  
I use a Dell XP17 and love it for almost everything. The wife and daughter have the tablets and they like them also, but they do have the limitations the guys have pointed out.

Dell has some great sales going on ( I get the email offers) I like the WIN 7 machines they still have, since I prefer WIN7. I think they had a 13" or 14" for around $399??
 
   / Tablet vs. laptop #10  
A tablet or laptop? For me the answer is to have both. For what *** I *** do, a tablet cannot replace a laptop. Heck, it used to be a laptop could not do what I needed done and I had to have a desktop. The problem I see with tablet is the screen size and keyboard. I need a full size keyboard and the biggest screen I can get. At work, I use the laptop screen and two other display. At home I have a big 24 inch display that I use with my personal and work laptop.

If all one did was visit websites and maybe a bit of light typing for emails, I could see some tablets being a substitute for a laptop.

My conundrum about tablets is should I buy a slightly larger one to get a bigger screen? The Kindle I have is perfectly sized for traveling reading but a bigger screen would be better. I know people who have a laptop or desktop plus different sized tablets that they use depending on circumstances.

Later,
Dan
 

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