Laptops, tablets and ultrabooks are computing devices that have all contributed to the rapid advancement in technology in the past few years. These devices have replaced bulky computers like desktops and helped us get work and personal stuff done, while on the go.
If you're in the market looking to invest in a laptop, tablet, or ultrabook, it's important to understand what these portable computing devices are and how to choose the right one based on your needs. In this article, we will review these three computing devices so you can decide which one is right for you.
Laptops became popular due to their portability, convenience, as well as their overall performance when compared to desktop computers. They come in screen sizes from 13 to 17 inches with varying screen resolution. Though, you do get smaller-sized laptops called Netbooks which are light-weight laptops meant mainly for accessing the internet and cloud-based computing. Laptops have a traditional keyboard and touch-pad to help navigate through the computer programs.
The battery life of a laptop is around three to five hours before it needs to be charged again. Most new laptops are Wi-Fi ready which means that you can connect to the internet through a wireless connection. Also, they come with a webcam which aids in video chatting over the internet.
When buying a laptop, some of the specifications you need to bear in mind are the processor which determines the computing speed; hard-drive storage space; Random Access Memory (RAM) or temporary memory; battery life; screen display size; removable media drives like a DVD / CD player; and the types of ports like USB, HDMI, Ethernet, headset, etc.
The price of laptops depends on the specifications, but they are generally less expensive compared to tablet PCs when you compare the specs of the two devices and their overall functionality. Talking about tablet PCs, let's see how they compare to laptop computers.
Tablets are mobile PCs which are far more portable, slimmer and lighter when compared to traditional laptops. Unlike most laptops, tablets have touch screens which come in sizes between 7 to 10 inches. Most tablet PCs do not have a traditional keyboard, rather they have a virtual keyboard which can be accessed via the touch screen. So laptops are better served if you want a bigger screen and need to do work that requires a considerable amount of typing.
Tablets use less intensive operating systems and apps instead of programs making start-up times much faster when compared to laptops. Battery life in tablets range between 7 to 10 hours of continuous use, an advantage over laptop computers.
Most tablets connect to the internet via Wi-Fi and some of them support 3G and 4G LTE connectivity. The memory storage and RAM in tablets is far less than you would get in a laptop. As well as the availability of external ports like USB, HDMI, SD card slots is better in laptops.
Therefore tablets are more suited for people who use the device for accessing the internet, watching short videos, listening to music, video chatting, and social networking. In short, tablets don't replace laptops at the present time.
Ultrabooks are light-weight, slim, and portable laptops. They were introduced by Intel during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2012. Ultrabooks can be compared to Apple's MacBook Air.
Ultrabooks sort of give you the best of both worlds when comparing traditional laptops and tablets. They are slim and light-weight which makes them very portable, at the same time, they as powerful if not more, than traditional laptops. Also, they have a traditional keyboard and a touch-pad.
Ultrabooks come in 11 to 13 inches in screen sizes, with processors, hard-drives and RAM comparable to traditional laptops. They have battery life of around 5 to 7 hours and are Wi-Fi ready. Some ultrabooks do have touch screens and convert into a tablet.
On the downside, ultrabooks don't currently have 3G or 4G wireless connectivity, weight more and costlier when compared to tablet PCs. Tablets are among the most popular computing devices. You can check video reviews of the best tablets PCs in the markets.
Anthony Godinho is a Human Resources professional, Trader and Entrepreneur, who has a wide range of interests he writes about on topics like healthy living, philanthropy, technology, internet marketing, social media, blogging, and others.
