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There comes a time and place for everything. Technology has advanced to meet us where we are at any place. Laptops and tablets have been designed for their mobility, making it easy for us to work, study or game from any location. The question is: which one is better, a laptop or a tablet?
It depends on what your requirements are; laptops are better for more complex tasks, whereas tablets are better for casual purposes. For example, laptops are better if you need to edit documents or type a lot. Tablets are usually more suited for note-taking and researching.
In this article, I’ll be discussing the functions of laptops and tablets in detail. I’ll consider how useful each one is for work, school and gaming. I’ll talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each, and conclude with which one is ultimately better.
Table of Contents
What Are Laptops Used For?
Laptops are enjoyed for their ease of use. They are designed to function as a PC but just more portable. People around the world use laptops for work, school, or gaming. In this section, I’ll talk about how they are used and their advantages and disadvantages.
Are Laptops Good For Work?
Laptops are great for work because they allow you to work from any location, you can buy a laptop specific to your needs, they take up very little space and it is much easier to connect a laptop to wireless devices compared to a PC. I’ll discuss each of these points in more detail here.
You can work from any location
Laptops are easy to carry around to different locations because they are lightweight and compact. This is especially useful if your job involves lots of travel or you work in different places or offices. It is also great because you can take your laptop home to work there.
You can buy a laptop to meet your requirements
There are many types of laptops available to meet your specific needs, from processing speed to size. When it comes to using a laptop for work, it is best to buy one that has an i3 processor or higher.
You could also buy a laptop suited for your job, for example, you may want a notebook laptop if you only need basic features or a high-tech laptop if you need something that can keep up with your high demands.
Laptops take up little space
Unlike desktop computers, laptops don’t require much space, which makes them great for work environments with limited office space. You can set up nearly anywhere since laptops are pretty mobile. This is beneficial for collaborations or meetings, too, since everyone can fit into one area and can comfortably edit documents or take notes on their laptop.
You can easily connect it to other wireless devices
Laptops are designed for mobility so they need to be able to connect with various wireless devices. Such devices include WiFi, wireless printers, routers, and more so when you have to travel to different locations for work, you can easily connect to resources there.
Are Laptops Good For School?
Apart from being great for work, laptops are also designed to meet the needs of students. What makes them a great tool is that students can easily carry them to their classes, there are laptops students can buy to meet their needs and they can easily connect to wireless devices at school and public spaces. I’ll talk about these in more detail here.
You can carry it to different classes
Students rarely spend the day in one classroom or lecture hall. They are constantly moving around. Laptops are great because they are lightweight and mobile, so students can easily carry them around to each class or venue.
Additionally, students can continue to do everything on one device, whether they are at school, home, or a public place like the library.
They are designed for students’ needs
Whether students are doing architecture or literature, they can buy a laptop to meet their requirements. Laptops are great because they can have the latest software and programs installed just the same as a PC.
Students can also buy laptops with optimized graphics or with high processing speeds if they require them.
You can easily connect to wireless devices
This makes laptops great for students. They can easily connect to different WiFis, they can connect to available wireless printers and they can even connect their laptops to their phone’s hotspot. This means that students can study from virtually anywhere.
Are Laptops Good For Gaming?
In the 21st century, laptops are being used for everything. One of these things includes gaming. However, you may be wondering if they are good for gaming? I’ll discuss some pros and cons of using a laptop for gaming purposes.
You can game from virtually anywhere
This is exciting because gamers can set up from nearly any location for their gaming session. This is because they can easily connect to wireless networks or LANs (local area networks).
This mobility can also be beneficial when they’re gaming at home because gamers don’t have to be tied to their chair and can sit anywhere during their gaming session.
You can buy a laptop specifically for gaming
Yes, gaming laptops are actually a thing! A popular trend at that. They are usually equipped with much faster processors like Core i7 to i9. They also have better RAM (random access memory).
These features mean that laptops can deal with the high demand placed on them when it comes to the graphics and sound required by gamers.
Some laptops cannot take hardware upgrades
One downside is that laptops are not as easy to upgrade as gaming PCs. There are however certain brands or makes that do allow some upgrades. You need to check before purchasing a laptop to find out what can and can’t be upgraded.
They need to be plugged into a power source most of the time
While they’re great for their mobility, gaming takes a lot of battery power so your laptop will need to be plugged into a power source most of the time. It may also be frustrating when the battery runs low mid game.
What Are the Advantages of Laptops?
Okay, so I’ve discussed why laptops are good for work, school and gaming. Let’s take a look at the overall pros of using a laptop for either function.
They are portable
Laptops are great for any purpose because they can easily be carried to different locations, they are lightweight and compact. You can even take your laptop on a plane with you, making it the ultimate device.
They are stand-alone devices
A big plus about laptops is that they come with all the hardware rather than needing separate components. Meaning, the keyboard, mouse pad and screen are all attached on one device. This makes them versatile and easy to use in almost any situation, adding to their mobility.
They can run without a power supply
This is a huge benefit of using a laptop. Even though they cannot run for hours without eventually being connected to a power source, they can spare you an hour or two where you can run without any cords. This can be helpful in many situations.
They are lighter and easy to set up
It doesn’t take hours to set up a laptop, in fact, it usually only takes a couple of minutes. This makes them very convenient to use for work or school. They are also light and don’t require lots of cords to be set up either.
Some laptops come with great processors
If you are willing to spend a little more, you can get a laptop with a really good processor that can handle demanding tasks. The better the processor, the more you’ll pay. It is important to make sure you’re buying the right one because some are not upgradable.
What Are the Disadvantages of Laptops?
Let’s talk about some of the downsides of opting for a laptop for your work, school or gaming needs.
They are difficult to upgrade
As I mentioned earlier, some laptops don’t come with the option to upgrade. While some can be upgraded, this is still somewhat limited compared to the upgrades that can be made on a PC.
They are expensive
Laptops can be quite pricey, especially when you need one that can cope with many demands. The more processing speed, graphics, memory and space you need, the more expensive it’ll be to get a laptop that meets your needs.
They also cost more in the long run because if they cannot be upgraded, they will eventually become outdated and you’ll need to buy a new one in a shorter space of time as opposed to a PC, for example.
They are not always great for posture
Laptops are notorious for being mobile, but this means more people will use them while lying in bed or sitting on the couch – all positions that are not great for our posture. It is good to try sitting at a desk or with a proper chair to support your posture when using a laptop.
They are bound to have battery issues
Even though they can go cordless for a while, over time, a laptop’s battery starts to deteriorate. And more often than not, the battery needs to be replaced or you find yourself needing to be connected to the power supply indefinitely.
What Are Tablets Used For?
Tablets have become popular devices in the 21st century. They are designed for portability and making access to the internet super easy. They can also be used for work, school and gaming purposes. I’ll discuss these in more detail here.
Are Tablets Good For Work?
Tablets can be great for work, especially when your job requires you to be on the go. They are particularly beneficial when you use them along with your other devices, like a laptop or PC. Let’s discuss why they are good for work.
They are lightweight and compact
They are even more lightweight and compact than a laptop. Not only can you easily carry it around between work locations, but you can put it in your handbag or carry it in your hands. This flexibility allows you to take notes, access the internet or edit documents at any given time – which is perfect for a fast-paced job.
They have the latest processors
There are tablets on the market today with processors that give a processing speed of over 2 GHz. This means that you can choose a tablet that can work for you and the demands that your job requires.
They can be used for many jobs
From taking customers orders to creating a meeting agenda, tablets are versatile tools that can be beneficial for any job. They can be used as an additional tool to increase productivity or they can be the main source for data collection.
They are affordable
Compared to devices like laptops and PCs, tablets are quite affordable. You can find one in your budget depending on the features you require. The benefit of this is that it is affordable to get a tablet even when you have other devices since tablets are great to boost your productivity and for their ease of use.
The Downsides
Like with all technology, tablets have their downsides. Let’s see where tablets are inferior to laptops when it comes to using them for work.
They are not as easy to use as laptops for some tasks
While they are more compact and mobile compared to laptops, they are quite small and are not optimal for demanding tasks like editing complex documents or doing work that involves a lot of typing. This is because they are mostly touch screen although, you can actually buy an attachable keypad.
They are not upgradable
Even though laptops are not as easy to upgrade as a PC, tablets are not upgradable at all. You buy a tablet standard and it is very limited to any hardware improvements. This means they may not be able to keep up to your work demands.
They come with limitations
They can be limited in terms of graphics and functionality. If your job requires complex software or high-tech features then a tablet will fall short of your needs.
Are Tablets Good For School?
Next, let’s talk about the benefits of using a tablet at school.
You can easily carry them around to classes
They are super portable and are great for students who need to attend different classes and study in different venues. They can easily fit in a backpack without taking up much space. They also take up very little space in the classroom.
They are easy to take notes with
They are designed for convenience and with software that is great for taking notes. Tablets really work well for students who want to do this during class or a lecture. Their touch screen and typing features are perfect for note-taking and research.
They can easily connect to wireless devices
Just like laptops, tablets are designed to connect to various wireless devices, like printers or WiFi. This makes them perfect for students who need to be able to connect to various devices in different places.
The Downside
They may be more difficult to use for assignments
One of the biggest downsides is that tablets are not great if students need to type out assignments or use more complex documents. The touch screen limits the student in that aspect.
Are Tablets Good For Gaming?
The final thing to consider is whether tablets can be good for gaming. Let’s discuss ways that they can be used for gamings and then some of the limitations.
Good processors
Tablets can come with really good processors which means they are designed to handle more complex games. As I mentioned earlier, some tablets can process speeds over 2 GHz.
Portable gaming experience
You can literally play games while you’re on a bus, in a cafe or anywhere else really. This is due to a tablet’s extreme mobility, with the added benefit of good battery life. This makes them great for gamers.
Bigger screen than mobile phones
They also have bigger screens compared to mobile devices so gaming on them offers a better experience. You can also buy a gaming tablet that is optimized for good graphics.
The Downsides
Graphics are not as good as a laptop or PC
While the graphics can be pretty good, they are still not as great as what you may get if you game with your PC. This is unfortunately limited by a tablet’s screen size.
Components can’t be upgraded
Tablets are not really upgradeable, which makes them less suitable for highly competitive gaming. Mostly because gaming like that requires high performance and a tablet cannot be upgraded to meet those requirements.
What Are the Advantages of Tablets?
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of using a tablet for work, school or gaming, let’s discuss the pros and cons of using tablets.
They are portable
They are super portable, just as portable as your mobile device, with the added benefit of a bigger screen and more features.
They are small and lightweight
They can be carried around easily and can fit into any handbag or backpack. They don’t take up space and this makes it easy to take your tablet anywhere you go so that you never have to miss out on anything and you have 24-hour internet access.
They are affordable
Tablets are really affordable compared to other devices, but again, this depends on the brand you choose to buy and the specifications that you require, with the better tablets costing more.
What Are the Disadvantages of Tablets?
Let’s talk about some of the areas where tablets may fall short of your needs.
They have smaller screens compared to laptops and PCs
Their screens are a lot smaller and this can make working, studying or gaming difficult at times. It may be frustrating to try to do complex tasks using a tablet.
They may get easily damaged
Due to how lightweight and portable they are, they are really prone to damage. They are also made up of materials that can easily break if the tablet is dropped or from being exposed to high pressure.
They may not be able to do all the functions that laptops or PCs can
There are definitely limitations when it comes to the programs and features that tablets offer. For more complex typing or editing tasks, using a laptop or PC might be better.
Conclusion
The general consensus comes down to what you’re using them for. If you need to edit detailed documents or type a lot then a laptop is definitely better. It is also preferred compared to a tablet when it comes to more serious gaming.
In the same way that laptops are better for students when it comes to assignments, tablets are preferred when ease of access is needed and more note-taking or research activities are involved.
