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Students: To tablet or not to tablet?

sony xperia tablet
sony xperia tablet

High-school graduates already have a number of decisions to make: Community college or university? Arts or sciences? Scrape up the cash or apply for a student loan?

Another choice boils down to what tech to use for note-taking, online research and writing assignments.

Do you go with the tried-and-true laptop or opt for the newer, sexier tablets? After all, tablet sales are eclipsing laptops for the first time this year. So, does that mean you should invest in one for school?

If you can’t afford both, and need to buy just one, be sure to consider the distinct pros and cons for laptops and tablets. The following are some thoughts on each choice.

Why you should stick with a laptop

A quick checklist of the benefits laptops have over tablets:

* A physical QWERTY keyboard is faster, comfortable and more accurate than typing on a tablet’s virtual (onscreen) keyboard.

* A laptop’s screen is bigger, which is more ideal for multitasking and watching video. A laptop’s screen is typically 12- to 17-inches, compared to a tablet’s 7- to 10-inch screen.

* A laptop has multiple ports, which makes it easy to get info on and off the computer. This includes USB ports for thumbdrives and external hard drives, as well as SD card slots, webcams, printers, microphones and game controllers. Many laptops (but only some tablets) have a HDMI port to connect to a TV, monitor or projector.

macbook pro laptop
macbook pro laptop

* Laptops offer more capacity (storage) than a tablet; most laptops start at 500 gigabytes (GB), compared to an average of 32GB on a tablet.

* A “clamshell” design protects the screen when not in use.

* Because they’ve been around longer than the two largest tablet platforms (Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android), Windows and Macs both offer a ton of software, including programs recommended by educators. Many laptops have an optical disk drive for those who want one for DVDs, CD-ROMs.

Where tablets are tops

Tablets, on the other hand, offer a number of compelling advantages over most Windows or Mac laptops:

* Tablets are thinner, lighter and smaller than laptops, making them more portable (and comfortable) to tote around all day. While laptops are usually 3 or 4 pounds, most tablets are under a pound.

* While laptops are getting better with boot-up times, you don’t need to wait for a tablet to turn on and launch programs.

* Most tablets can last between 10 to 12 hours between charges, which might be twice or even three times as long as the average laptop.

* Because they’re lighter and shaped more like a real book, tablets are more conducive for reading electronic books than a laptop, as well as digital newspapers and magazines. Remember: textbooks are going digital, too.

* Using your fingertip on a touchscreen tablet, like an iPad or Android tablet, is incredibly comfortable and intuitive. Many younger (and older) users who might struggle with a keyboard and mouse don’t have these obstacles with an all-touch interface.

* Not only are tablets less expensive than a laptop, on average, but applications (“apps”) are very affordable compared to computer software. In many cases, tablet apps are just $0.99 cents or even free.

* Some tablets have integrated cellular connectivity – therefore you don’t have to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot to get online – whereas laptops require a USB modem. Tablets also boast one or two cameras, GPS and Bluetooth.

* Because tablets use durable flash memory (like your digital camera), with no moving parts, opposed to a spinning hard disk drive (found in most laptops today), your data is less susceptible to damage.

Summary

Deciding between a laptop and a tablet boils down to your needs, budget and comfort level.

The abovementioned advantages and disadvantages should help you narrow down your choices, but at the risk of complicating matters, you do have two other options if you still have a hard time choosing one or the other. You could always pick up an external keyboard accessory for a tablet, which isn’t too costly, or perhaps you’ll spring for a “two-in-one” laptop that borrows the best from the tablet world -- including a touchscreen, thin and light design, quick boot-up times and all-day battery.

microsoft surface pro
microsoft surface pro

Did I miss any of the pros and cons for laptops and tablets? Do you like those products that try to service both kinds of users, such as Microsoft’s Surface Pro? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.