Tablet laptop hybrids

For general computer discussion & help, come here

Moderators: Bakhtosh, EvilHomer3k

Post Reply
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43487
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

Tablet laptop hybrids

Post by Blackhawk »

Does anyone know much about these?

I need something primarily for reading, something that I can use as a laptop for notes, but can fold flat and hold like a tablet to read pdfs. I need a screen that is at least 16 inches to be able to read without having to zoom.

I used to have a Lenovo Flex, which was almost perfect for me, but it died an unfortunate gravity-related death a couple of years ago.

I can't even begin to afford one right now, but I thought that I might start saving towards one soon.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
Kasey Chang
Posts: 20750
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 4:20 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA
Contact:

Re: Tablet laptop hybrids

Post by Kasey Chang »

If you need one that big, the keyboard portion would make it way too heavy. You may as well get a large tablet with a bluetooth keyboard.
My game FAQs | Playing: She Will Punish Them, Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius, The Outer Worlds
User avatar
gilraen
Posts: 4312
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 7:45 pm
Location: Broomfield, CO

Re: Tablet laptop hybrids

Post by gilraen »

Isn't that pretty much any 2-in-1 laptop with a detachable keyboard?
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43487
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

Re: Tablet laptop hybrids

Post by Blackhawk »

Kasey Chang wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2023 9:55 pm If you need one that big, the keyboard portion would make it way too heavy. You may as well get a large tablet with a bluetooth keyboard.
The Lenovo I had was a 15.6. It wasn't something you'd carry in your pocket, but it was light enough to sit in a chair and read on like a book with no problem.

The thing is that actual tablets of that size are pricier, and I don't want Android (let alone Apple.)
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
disarm
Posts: 4951
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: Hartford, CT
Contact:

Re: Tablet laptop hybrids

Post by disarm »

We have a Lenovo C340 Chromebook that works great as both a laptop and tablet. You didn't specify if you want a Windows device, but the Lenovo is a nice option if ChromeOS fits your needs. The 15.6” touchscreen is plenty big, and it's surprisingly manageable in tablet mode...a little heavy as you would expect from a device with a full keyboard, but not too bad. I think one of the biggest advantages of a Chromebook over Windows is battery life, which becomes important if you want to read or watch videos for long. I think we get somewhere around eight hours out of a single charge.
User avatar
hitbyambulance
Posts: 10233
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:51 am
Location: Map Ref 47.6°N 122.35°W
Contact:

Re: Tablet laptop hybrids

Post by hitbyambulance »

JCC
Posts: 2191
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 11:07 pm

Re: Tablet laptop hybrids

Post by JCC »

As others have mentioned, a 2 in 1 laptop will perform the function(s) you want. But, it's going to be pretty heavy to hold when reading. A Microsoft Surface might be more ideal for the reading function since it is smaller and lighter and the keyboard detaches it. But, you have to be satisfied with a much smaller screen and a higher price relative to the quality of the hardware. You could also consider a small Chromebook as was recommended earlier. Chromebooks are great and inexpensive as long as you don't have to have the device run certain Windows applications.
Black Lives Matter

"You know, the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common: they don't alter their views to fit the facts; they alter the facts to fit their views." - The 4th Doctor
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43487
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

Re: Tablet laptop hybrids

Post by Blackhawk »

That's part of the issue - the way I use it, I want to be able to run certain Windows applications, and I want to connect it to my Windows network without excessive hassle. I need to use the same files in different ways on different systems (read and sometimes annotate them on one, then copy/paste/reference them on another, with the changes going back and forth between the two devices. That's risky and full of headaches if you're doing it on a desktop with a Windows program, and on an (other OS) with a different program, especially while sharing the file from a common location. It can be done more effectively by getting a program that works on both, but those tend to be from companies who like to charge a per-device subscription instead of just selling you the damned program.

But it's the readable, holdable large screen that's the main thing. I read a lot of books (especially rulebooks) that are in .pdf format and unreadable on a small screen without manually zooming in one paragraph at a time, then constantly dragging it around. The Flex (a 2-in-1 laptop) I had before was just fine, big enough, and not a problem to hold while reading, mostly because it was big enough to set on my lap (or on a small cushion) rather than holding it up (the same way I would with any other book, even a paperback - a semi-paralyzed left shoulder means that just holding empty hand up unsupported for long isn't happening.) The problem is that they're more expensive than they were, and the circumstances that let me get my first one are unlikely to recur. It's been five or six years since I got it, and I was hoping that there was a cheaper option out there now (thus this thread), but it seems like the answer is 'no.'

Which is fine. I'll dump the idea into the 'maybe someday' bin and move on.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
JCC
Posts: 2191
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 11:07 pm

Re: Tablet laptop hybrids

Post by JCC »

Not sure what your budget is, but here is something that may fit the bill.... (its screen is barely smaller than 16")

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-fle ... Id=6502662
Black Lives Matter

"You know, the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common: they don't alter their views to fit the facts; they alter the facts to fit their views." - The 4th Doctor
Post Reply