With the onset popularity of tablets like the iPad and Nexus, some people might wonder if it might be a good idea to replace their older laptops with a tablet. After all they are much cheaper than laptops, and they are so advanced with internet and everything. And now they even come with keyboards. But just owning a tablet alone would be a big mistake. To show you just how much of a mistake, let’s compare an average tablet, the Nexus7, and an average laptop, the Dell Latitude D620.
Storage
Nexus7: Depending on which version you get, the Nexus7 can store either 16GB or 32GB of data. This is about the same as a smart phone. So it probably can’t hold your entire music library, documents, pictures, and movies. If this is your main data storage, you better hate music and movies, only take a few pictures, and write only when you have to.
Dell Latitude D620: With a laptop, you are going to get both RAM (the short-term memory) and a hard drive (the long-term memory). The RAM on this model holds 1GB, and the hard drive has 180GB. And this is the mid-range laptop. Other laptops have even more storage space.
Ports
Nexus7: The Nexus7, like all tablets, has only two possible ports. One for power and a headphone jack. Other than that, there is no way to plug in a USB drive or anything else.
Dell Latitude D620: This particular model (which again is just the mid-range) has four USB ports. In addition, it has a serial port, a VGA port, docking connector, an infrared port (RJ-11, RJ-45), 1 PC card slot type I/II,headphone/speaker out, and of course the AC power port. This means that unlike a tablet, you can connect external storage or devices. And this doesn’t even include things like CD or DVD burners, which are not available in tablets.
Software
Nexus7: So tablets work differently when it comes to software than laptops do. Instead of actual programs, tablets use applications, or apps. This isn’t necessarily bad. Apps can be very useful. But for the most part, apps are lesser or shortened version of the real thing. With some of them this doesn’t matter at all, but with others it might significantly impact what you are capable of.
Dell Latitude D620: The Dell works with software just like it has for years. You install a program and it runs. Any PC-compatible software will work on a laptop. There are no restrictions.
Enabled Internet Programs
Nexus7: As already stated, tablet run apps not programs. When it comes to internet downloads, the same is true. This is most apparent when it comes to free apps like Hulu or Spotify. These programs have two versions, the free and the paid. The free versions are available on laptops and desktops, but not on tablets. In order for them to function on your Nexus7, you have to pay every month for HuluPlus or Spotify Premium.
Dell Latitude D620: With laptops you can access the free versions of these types of sites. It might not matter so much with a program like Netflix, which is a paid service no matter where you watch. You would just have to learn an interface with that. But if you use free programs on a regular basis, it will be a huge drain on your pocket and pain in your side to have to pay for all of these services every month.
In the end, tablets are fun, and they definitely have strengths that laptops lack. But their weaknesses are just too great to be your sole technology. Instead, you need a laptop like the Dell Latitude D620, and then if you want to add a tablet on top of that, be my guest.
Storage
Nexus7: Depending on which version you get, the Nexus7 can store either 16GB or 32GB of data. This is about the same as a smart phone. So it probably can’t hold your entire music library, documents, pictures, and movies. If this is your main data storage, you better hate music and movies, only take a few pictures, and write only when you have to.
Dell Latitude D620: With a laptop, you are going to get both RAM (the short-term memory) and a hard drive (the long-term memory). The RAM on this model holds 1GB, and the hard drive has 180GB. And this is the mid-range laptop. Other laptops have even more storage space.
Ports
Nexus7: The Nexus7, like all tablets, has only two possible ports. One for power and a headphone jack. Other than that, there is no way to plug in a USB drive or anything else.
Dell Latitude D620: This particular model (which again is just the mid-range) has four USB ports. In addition, it has a serial port, a VGA port, docking connector, an infrared port (RJ-11, RJ-45), 1 PC card slot type I/II,headphone/speaker out, and of course the AC power port. This means that unlike a tablet, you can connect external storage or devices. And this doesn’t even include things like CD or DVD burners, which are not available in tablets.
Software
Nexus7: So tablets work differently when it comes to software than laptops do. Instead of actual programs, tablets use applications, or apps. This isn’t necessarily bad. Apps can be very useful. But for the most part, apps are lesser or shortened version of the real thing. With some of them this doesn’t matter at all, but with others it might significantly impact what you are capable of.
Dell Latitude D620: The Dell works with software just like it has for years. You install a program and it runs. Any PC-compatible software will work on a laptop. There are no restrictions.
Enabled Internet Programs
Nexus7: As already stated, tablet run apps not programs. When it comes to internet downloads, the same is true. This is most apparent when it comes to free apps like Hulu or Spotify. These programs have two versions, the free and the paid. The free versions are available on laptops and desktops, but not on tablets. In order for them to function on your Nexus7, you have to pay every month for HuluPlus or Spotify Premium.
Dell Latitude D620: With laptops you can access the free versions of these types of sites. It might not matter so much with a program like Netflix, which is a paid service no matter where you watch. You would just have to learn an interface with that. But if you use free programs on a regular basis, it will be a huge drain on your pocket and pain in your side to have to pay for all of these services every month.
In the end, tablets are fun, and they definitely have strengths that laptops lack. But their weaknesses are just too great to be your sole technology. Instead, you need a laptop like the Dell Latitude D620, and then if you want to add a tablet on top of that, be my guest.