Are Ultrabooks and Tablets Going to Take Over Laptops?

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With terms such as “ultrabook,” “tablet,” and “laptop” being bandied about, it is difficult for many consumers to determine exactly what the differences between these devices are. It can be even trickier to determine which one is the right purchasing decision. After reading this article, you should be better equipped to choose the correct device for your exact technology needs.

LAPTOPS: THE TRIED AND TRUE POWERHOUSE

Essentially, a laptop is just a smaller version of a desktop PC. They include a full keyboard, a large screen, a pointing device, a powerful processor, a great deal of memory and a large onboard storage capacity. They also often include a high end graphics processor that makes them well suited for gaming and 3D rendering. They are the ideal choice for power users.

However, they are also significantly more unwieldy than ultrabooks and tablets. They usually feature a full optical drive for reading and writing discs and sport superior wireless range. Most laptops are not able to connect to mobile networks “out of the box,” but can utilize WiFi and wired networks exceptionally well. 3G and 4G functionality can be added using a USB accessory.

ULTRABOOKS: JUST A NAME, OR SOMETHING MORE?

Inspired by the highly power efficient and “green” microprocessor technologies created by the Intel corporation, the Ultrabook line is a series of computers that bridge the gap between the “netbook” and the “laptop.” These machines omit things such as optical drives and extraneous ports. They sport a streamlined, ultra thin and lightweight design that is extremely portable. They sport long battery life and offer a full host of standard mobile computing features.

Unlike tablets, they fold open and feature a full keyboard. This is a godsend to people who write a great deal of email, make heavy use of instant messaging, write or contribute to a blog or perform writing tasks for a living. Because of the technology that they include “under the hood,” they are not well suited to high end computing tasks such as video editing, 3D rendering or 3D gaming. However, they are perfect for most users’ day to day needs. Ultrabooks are capable of connecting to WiFi networks, but only some models can connect to 3G or 4G networks without a separate adapter. For more information about the Ultrabooks on the market visit Dell here.

TABLETS: THE NEW FACE OF ENTRY LEVEL COMPUTING

Many users do not need to enter large volumes of text into their computer. These are the sort of users who would consider a smart phone sufficient for their daily computing tasks, were it not for the small display found on such devices.

Tablets combine the latest display and touch screen technologies with the charm of holding an object that resembles a space-age book or sketchpad. These devices pack considerable computing power into a small and highly portable device that features substantial battery life. Their intuitive nature makes them a great choice for users who do would prefer to avoid the complex nature of operating a full personal computer. The primary downside to tablets is that they rely on touch input only. Due to their lack of a keyboard, they are not suitable for entering large amounts of text. They are also not capable of running desktop PC applications. Instead, they must rely entirely on software available from public mobile application markets such as the iOS store and Google Play.

Tablets generally support 3G and 4G wireless connectivity, but some only support WiFi. WiFi range is typically shorter than that which is available with Ultrabooks or laptops.

All three of these technologies have their pros and cons. You may want all three for various uses. Which do you find the most useful?

Author Bio

Brian Jensen works with Dell. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, cooking and spending time with his family. He has a passion for learning and writing about all things technology.