Laptops VS Tablets: Which is truly the better device for your needs in 2019?

On the surface, laptops and tablets seem to have little differences. One is obviously larger and comes with a keyboard. The other lacks a keyboard and is smaller in size. But with the introduction of the 'Pro' tablets, the divisive line between these two devices has seemingly vanished.

Pro tablets now sport keyboards and have full versions of professional office apps like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop. With that in mind, how does one decide which device to invest in?

We break down the differences for you.

TEAM LAPTOP OR TEAM TABLET?

Traditionally, tablets were considered to be the 'mini-me' version of laptops. However, the newer Pro versions have thrown that idea out the window. With the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 screen size at 12.3 inches and the iPad Pro at 12.9 inches, tablets no longer have the screen size disadvantage over their bulkier counterparts.

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The slimmer and more compact tablets have all of their hardware crammed into a much smaller casing, resulting in less space taken. Tablets are great on-the-fly devices, shedding the additional pounds of hardware by having smaller chipsets and less ventilation.

This does not discredit the function of a laptop, however. Laptops were built as mobile computers, unlike the tablet; they still carry larger chipsets and better ventilation. What the laptop lacks in manoeuvrability, it makes up for in hardware.

You are able to easily find new laptops that can handle current generation games and software with ease. Be it better graphics, faster load times, and transfer speeds or longer battery life, the laptop still reigns as the reliable all-around portable computer. Which leads to the next step in your decision-making process.

WHAT WILL YOU USE IT FOR?

If you are looking for a compact device that lets you move around easily to work and are not planning to run any intensive software on, the tablet is your friend. However, if you need a reliable, capable device that lets you run more visually or hardware demanding software like video games, then your best bet would still be the laptop.

Laptops are also well equipped for many varied situations. If you plan to do a presentation, most of the current gen laptops have HDMI ports readily available.

You would need an additional adaptor for tablets. But if you just want a larger screen to watch Netflix/Youtube on, or to sketch some drawings on the train, a tablet may be more suitable. A tablet usually comes at half or one third the weight of a laptop, and in some extreme cases, up to one fifth.

Once you've made your decision, scroll down to see our best recommendations for each category.

BEST TABLETS TO BUY IN 2019

1. Microsoft Surface Pro 6

At 0.8cm thick and weighing 0.77kg, the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 looks sleek in the new full black colour scheme. It also boasts a quad-core processor, allowing for faster clock speeds.

The display has been improved to a 1500:1 contrast ratio, expanding upon the depths of colour the screen is able to display. Add a strong and reliable battery life of 13.5 hours (on continuous video playback), and you get the best tablet in the market right now.

Price: SGD 1,398

2. Apple iPad Pro 2017

The Apple iPad Pro has probably the largest screen for a tablet to date. At 12.9 inches, it is commonly mistaken for a laptop. With the specs and power, this tablet is given however, it is really not that far off from being a laptop.

With Apple's A10X hexacore CPU chipset and a 12-core GPU, the iPad Pro has the best screen displays in the market.

The iOS 12 that comes with the tablet unlocks a few tablet only perks, allowing for great ways to multi-task on the tablet. And with that huge screen, everything is literally, at your fingertips.

Price: SGD 1,499

3. Microsoft Surface Go

This the best budget tablet for anyone looking to give tablets a try. The Microsoft Surface Go is slim, light and has all the basic functions one would need from a tablet. Suitable for someone who travels a lot. With its light weight and durable build quality, this device is great for its purpose.

Price: SGD 618

Best Laptops to Buy in 2019

4. Dell XPS 13

The Dell XPS line of laptops was designed to be the brand's ultimate laptops, and they have consistently kept that promise. From the external to the interior, everything is beautiful. A razor-sharp 13-inch bezel-less 'Infinity Edge' display, the Dell XPS 13 looks fashionable yet professional all at the same time.

Coupled with an 8th Gen i5 CPU, the machine is able to run everything smoothly and clearly. The battery lasts up to 21 hours when running software like Microsoft Word and Excel. You are also able to upgrade to a touch screen enabled, i7 core for an extra $400.

Price: SGD 1,999

5. Apple Macbook Pro Touchbar 13 Inch

Apple stepped up its game with the 2018 Apple MacBook Pro with Touchbar. Introducing True Tone, something that corrects the colour and brightness on your screen while working in the day.

Battery life has been significantly increased from previous models and the built-in SSD has been tested to reach over 3GB/second speeds. This would be especially useful for users who transfer huge amounts of photos/video in and out of the laptop. The price would probably be the only factor making buyers think twice.

Price: SGD 2,599

6. Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX531

As mentioned earlier in the article, your choice of device is entirely up to your preferences and lifestyle. If you plan on playing games on the go, then look no further than the Asus ROG Zephyrus series. This laptop is packed to the brim with powerful hardware, Intel's flagship mobile CPU, the Intel Core i7-8750H masterminds the laptop operations.

With hexa-core, 9mb of cache and 2.2ghz of base frequency with a maximum of 4.1ghz, even CPU intensive games will run with relative ease. Graphics are entirely handled by one of the most powerful gaming graphics cards in a laptop to date, the Nvidia GeForce RTX2080.

All these, of course, comes with the problem of ventilation, the laptop itself has great cooling, at the cost of really loud fans.

Price: SGD 3,199

This article was first published in Shopback.