Tablet PC Vs. Laptop - Think Before You Buy

The tablet PC has met with both bouquets as well as brickbats since the time it has made its foray into the market. There are people who consider it to be the next best invention after wine and cheese, and then there are others who think of it as a frivolous waste of technology. Whenever there is a discussion about the tablet PC, people don't compare it with the traditional laptop for the simple reason that both of them have similar functionality with subtle differences. Both are handy mobile computers, for one. But are they really all that similar? If they were, there wouldn't have been such a debate about which one to buy. Here, I try to help by bringing out the distinctions between the two.

Before even beginning the comparison, I would like to tell you that you have to make a personal choice here. After all, what one might like in a tablet PC, someone else might not like. The same applies to the laptop. The best way to decide which one to go for is by learning about their merits and demerits in comparison to each other. Speaking of functionality, both are on par with each other. You get the same kind of applications and the same kind of features on both. There are also special features included for either of the two mobile computing systems, like the snipping tools, which allow you to circle a portion of the screen display and email it directly to someone. Or, the note tools on the laptop which make it quite easy to take notes during a meeting. Both of them are equally good where their functionality is concerned, and that makes the choice much more difficult.

That is what - I will write about the advantages and disadvantages of the two in relation to each other, and then it is up to you to make the choice. So, here I go.

Advantages

• The primary advantage is that it is lighter than most laptops. They are also smaller in sizes, which means you can take them quite easily tucked under your arm from one place to another. Most laptops need to be lugged wherever you go. Tablet PCs score on account of their lightness of weight.
• These can be laid flat on the working surface. This is ideal when you are in a conference. The laptop screen needs to be kept vertical and that might obstruct clear view of the person sitting in front of you.
• These take their input basically with the help of a special pen. Your handwriting is the input. That can be a good choice if you are doing something artistic. You can fine-tune your input better with a pen than with a mouse or a touchpad.
• Over time, you will learn to use the pen in the right manner, and even customize the pen. There are different gestures that you can apply to the pen, which will produce different kinds of results. Eventually this will become easier for you than creating results with the keyboard and mouse.
• Finally, it must be said that it becomes more personal to the user than a laptop. Since everyone has a different style of holding and using pens, it will become unique to the user, and even the user will become unique to the pen. In fact, there are handwriting recognition applications that will train the tablet PC to understand your handwriting and convert it into text to up to 99% accuracy.

Disadvantages

• Some people might find the screen size too small in comparison to a laptop. The maximum size can go up to is 14.1'.
• Another handicap is that it does not have an inbuilt optical drive, though you can connect it externally. But this could be a deterrent to some users. The reason behind not including the optical drive is to maintain the low mass of the device.
• It is not good if other people besides you are planning to share it. The tablet PC understands your handwriting and writing gestures, and it may not understand those of others. For that reason, they are good only when single users intend to use it for their entire lifetime. Laptops can be used by any number of users without such concerns.
• There are more chances of screen damage to tablet PCs than to laptops. This is because of the kind of input they take, with the pen device. You will need a special screen guard installed when you purchase it.
• Technically, input becomes slower than those with laptops. The reason here is that these take handwriting inputs, and that cannot match the speed of the keyboard and mouse, which the laptops use.
• Tablet PCs are also costlier than laptops. That must be one of the clinching points in making your decision, but you do need to check out the features that they provide too.

The Final Word

After evaluating the pros and cons of both mobile computing systems properly, you can make your choice. It depends on what you really need to have. There are also hybrid laptop tablet PCs available in the market today, which are basically tablet PCs, but you can attach a keyboard and mouse to them, and use them in a vertical position just as you would use a traditional laptop. Incidentally, these are also the better selling of all varieties.