Tablet or laptop – what’s the best option?

Tablets and laptops offer similar portability levels – and with tablet keyboard cases, you can even use them in similar ways.

So what should you look for when choosing between these two form factors? That depends mainly on your use cases – but there’s definitely reasons to consider both types of machine.

Tablet browsing

If you’re looking for a device mainly for reasons like watching shows, browsing the web, or social media, a tablet makes a lot of sense.

Consider the types of programs you use – if you mainly want to keep in touch on social media, tablets are well suited to the task.

They can often be cheaper than laptops, so they’re a great budget-conscious option too.

With a peripheral like a keyboard case, the line between these machines blurs a little.

Laptop flexibility

In general, if you’re asking whether you need a tablet or a laptop, it’s possible you’d benefit from the flexibility a laptop provides.

If you’re doing work with spreadsheets, long documents, or multitasking, a laptop is a bit better suited to the job.

Laptops allow you to run a wider range of software – especially specialised programs like coding apps, in-depth photo and video editing, and more.

File management is also a lot easier on a laptop – though this is an area tablets are improving at.

Key questions to ask yourself

Think about the type of work you’ll use the device for regularly. If it’s mostly just light tasks like browsing, social media, and the occasional email, a tablet might suit your needs – but if you’re thinking about a device to handle your main workload on, a laptop is probably the way to go.

If you already have a main computer at home and you’re looking for a secondary device, a tablet can definitely fill that niche. They’re great for couch browsing and dealing with simple quick tasks. Otherwise, a laptop might be your best bet to ensure you can handle all your computing needs.

Consider the software you absolutely need access to. If you’re dealing with workloads much more complex than a text document or email, a laptop is probably the safest option.