What’s the Difference Between a Tablet and a Laptop?
A laptop is a small, lightweight, portable computer with all of its components built into one unit. A desktop computer is a large, stationary computer with most of its components built into a box.
Before making any purchase decision, consider the type of work you do and whether you want to use your computer primarily for entertainment purposes or for business purposes.
We’ll help you sort through the various types of devices available today so you can pick one that works best for you.
What Is A Laptop?
A laptop is a small, lightweight computer that comes equipped with a keyboard and a pointing device (such as a trackball). It allows you to easily open up applications and view documents stored on your hard disk.
Laptops are all-in-one computer systems designed to be portable. They’re usually made from plastic or metal, weigh less than 10 pounds, and have a screen size ranging from 4 inches to 15 inches.
The most common type of laptop is the desktop model, which has a flat-screen and a full-size keyboard. Desktop models come in two sizes: 13 inches and 17 inches. Most laptops also include an optical drive and speakers. The laptop experience is enhanced when you connect it to a larger monitor and external keyboard.
Laptops are good for doing everyday computer tasks, including surfing the internet, writing letters, viewing videos, and playing games. Some laptops come equipped with built-in cameras, sound systems, and microphones, allowing you to hook up to external devices. Virtual keyboard software is also available for use when typing on a laptop.
The storage space of laptop computers varies greatly depending on their size. Smaller laptops typically offer only 16 GB or 32 GB of memory, while larger ones often have 128 GB or 256 GB of memory.
There is a slim business laptops, sleek, high-powered laptops, and even affordable gaming laptops. There are good laptop deals to be had, but if you’re looking for something that will last you years, consider buying a used laptop instead of a new one.
What Is A Tablet?
A tablet is a portable computing device that is usually thinner than a smartphone, lighter than a laptop, and runs an OS similar to that used by smartphones. It features a touchscreen rather than a keyboard. Tablets are great for reading books, watching movies, playing video games, surfing the internet, listening to music, and completing homework.
The storage space of tablet computers varies greatly depending on their size and weight. Smaller, lighter models generally have 8 GB or 16 GB of memory, while larger, heavier models often have 64 GB or 128 GB of memory.
A tablet PC is an electronic device that can run various types of applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, graphic editors, music players, movie players, games, navigation systems, e-book readers, cameras, and so forth.
Tablet PCs are generally smaller and lighter than notebook computers, and they typically feature touchscreens instead of physical keyboards. They are often used for reading books, magazines, and newspapers; playing games; watching movies; listening to music; browsing the internet; taking notes; drawing pictures, and performing other tasks.
Tablets come in two main types: hybrid tablets and convertible tablets.
- A hybrid tablet has the functionality of a traditional laptop combined with the portability of a tablet.
- Convertible tablets are devices that can be used both as tablets and laptops. They come in different sizes, forms, weights, and screen technologies.
Most tablets are thin enough to be carried in a pocket or purse, making them easy to take everywhere you need to travel. They typically weigh less than 5 lbs., so they’re lighter than laptops.
Tablet computers are portable computers designed primarily for reading books, magazines, newspapers, and other printed materials. They can also be used to play games, surf the Web, check e-mail, listen to music, watch videos, edit documents, draw pictures, take notes, read PDFs, and perform other tasks.
A stylus is often included with tablets so that they may be used to write directly on the display. Some tablets include an integrated camera, allowing them to act as digital cameras.
Most tablets come equipped with a wireless network adapter, enabling them to communicate wirelessly with other devices such as smartphones, laptops, printers, and televisions.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a tablet computer, make sure you do your homework before you decide what kind of device you want. Read reviews online to see if they meet your expectations. You may also find deals and discounts on tablets. There are lots of places where you can purchase a tablet computer for less money.
7 Distinctions Between a Tablet and a Laptop
1. Input Method
Tablet computers are small enough to carry around everywhere, so they’re great for people who do a ton of typing. They also offer a good balance between portability and power. But if you’re not a heavy typist, you may find that touchscreens aren’t quite as responsive as physical keyboards.
And if you frequently switch back and forth between apps, having two devices might get annoying. A wide range of input methods is available from the touchscreen, keyboard, mouse, pen, voice recognition, etc.
2. Battery life
Tablets are much more portable than computers. They’re small enough to fit into your pocket or purse, so you can take them anywhere. And because they require little energy, they can last longer between charges. However, if you plan to do a lot of work on your computer, you’ll probably want something bigger.
A 15-inch notebook offers plenty of room for spreadsheets, word-processing documents, and games.
You may also consider an external monitor if you’d rather watch movies or play video games on your laptop instead of on a TV screen. Laptops have more hours of battery power than tablets, and their battery life is longer.
Some premium laptops using ARM-powered chips achieve longer battery life than tablet-like batteries, but some important software won’t run on them.
3. Size
Most laptops today come in sizes ranging from 2.5 inches to 13 inches. They also vary in price depending on how much memory they contain, what type of processor they have, and whether they include a DVD drive. A tablet computer is typically lighter and thinner than a laptop because it doesn’t have a physical keyboard.
Tablet computers can run software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. Some models can play video games and connect to the internet via Wi-Fi.
4. Storage Capacity
To keep the cost of tablets down, manufacturers often rely on solid-state memory to save programs and information. However, this type of memory has one big drawback: the capacity of the device. Most tablets offer between 16 and 128 gigabytes of storage.
By contrast, most computers still use traditional hard disks that hold far more. The average tablet computer includes a 500 GB hard disk, although some models come with larger capacities. Both tablets and computers include features like USB ports and microSD slots that let users connect additional devices.
5. Performance
Both computers will work equally well for basic tasks like emailing, surfing the Web, or watching videos, or listening to music because they don’t require much processing speed.
However, things become more complicated when you begin doing more complex tasks that involve multi-tasking or high-definition graphics. In these cases where computers tend to be slower than desktops, laptop computers usually outperform desktop computers.
There are exceptions, though, such as for video editing. Some high-end tablets can outperform laptops thanks to specialized hardware. High-end laptops tend to be faster than their lower-priced counterparts. Average laptop performance tends to range from about 3 GHz (gigahertz) to 4 GHz. Tablets usually clock in at 1.6 GHz to 2.0 GHz.
6. Software
A computer operating system (OS) designed for use on a desktop or notebook PC may not necessarily perform well when installed on a smaller form factor device, such as a smartphone or a slate.
However, there are some exceptions to this general rule, including the Microsoft Surface Pro, which is a hybrid between a traditional PC and a mobile device.
Laptops have faster processors than tablets, and they generally provide access to more storage. On the other hand, tablets are easier to carry around and less expensive.
There are three main tablet platforms: Apple’s iPad, Google’s Nexus 7, and Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3. Each platform has its own set of software requirements, but most tablets run similar programs. Some programs are designed specifically for use on tablets, while others must be scaled down to suit the smaller screen size.
After running on the iPhone for years, the iPad was replaced by the iPhone when Apple released its new mobile operating system in 2017. Now, the iPad runs only on iPadOS.
7. Cost
Three tiers of tablets exist in the marketplace. Budget tablets range from $100 to $300, mid-range tablets run from $200 to $600, and high-end tablets can go above $1000. A tablet’s price depends on how much processing power it contains, what kind of display it offers and whether it includes an operating system.
For example, Apple’s iPad Pro costs $999, whereas Amazon’s Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 costs only $199.
Conclusion
Laptop computers still provide greater versatility than tablets for mobile computer usage. However, if you already own a notebook computer, then a tablet might be a good addition when you need to browse the internet, play video games, or watch movies. Personal preferences also influence your decision.
If you prefer using a keyboard and mouse instead of touchscreen controls, then a laptop is probably best for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something portable and easy to carry around, then a tablet could be just right for you. The level of portability of tablets compared to laptops varies greatly depending on the model.
