Tablet, Chromebook, Ultrabook, Laptop: How to Choose the Right Device?
Portable devices have become a trend worldwide. Gradually, people are choosing mobile computers over desktop computers. You’re probably asking what’s the best portable devices? With the endless array of devices presented, buying the right computer is tougher than you think. You need to decide if you should purchase an all-purpose laptop, netbook, ultrabook, and a hybrid. All these devices can be overwhelming when you really just want to finish work. This guide will help on deciding the right device for you.
- Hybrid (also known as 2-in-1 PC, laplet.) You might think you are getting two devices for the price of one. It’s not really the case; these hybrid computing devices are mostly “tablet-first” meaning they are basically tablets with optional keyboards. They may have limited apps depending on their respective app stores, and limited storages options, but they are extremely portable and are usually detachable like the Microsoft Surface series and the ASUS Transformer Book series. You can avail additional accessories – keyboard, pen, tablet cover – to help you, but they come with a price.
- Chromebook. If you detest Windows OS, Chromebooks might offer you something you will like. Chromebooks run Google’s ChromeOS and they are hugely dependent on the web apps available at the Google Play Store. They are not compatible with third party applications and you can only rely on the its apps store; it would mean that you would not be able to install your .exe files. Also, it does not support expandable memory and storage. There’s no available Chromebook with a storage more than 32 GB. Instead, you will be given a 100GB free cloud storage. On the good side, these web-centric Chromebooks are really cheap. HP Chromebook, Samsung Chromebook 3, and Acer Chromebook 11 are all under $200.
- Ultrabook. When you plan to get a fast and sleek computers, this is for you. An ultrabook is a high-end, elegant, and ultraportable computer. You probably know its most notable example – the Macbook Air! If you want a Windows OS ultrabook, you can choose from ASUS Zenbook, HP Envy, Toshiba Protégé, and other popular brands. Ultrabooks are lightweight yet powerful because they can handle Full HD videos, and some heavy games. Due to its slim design, they may have limited ports and other that, they can really be expensive.
- Netbook. With the advent of ultrabooks, most of the manufacturers discontinued netbooks, but you can still see affordable deals online. Netbooks might not be as powerful as an ultrabook, but they can definitely handle daily computing duties, and do the most of the functions of a laptop. For people who are always on the go and on a tight budget, this highly portable, lightweight computer is a perfect choice. Another good feature is that they have a long battery life, and perform better than most laptops. It has around 5 hours of juice on daily use.
- Laptop. If you are looking for flexibility, then, save your money to purchase a standard laptop. When you need to plug in different USB devices, SD/micro sd card reader, HDMI port, and when you need a CD/DVD player, this is it. It is your all-around computing machine. When you aren’t travelling much, look no further. Laptops from the Acer Aspire E, and Toshiba Tecra C series are great examples.