Tablet or computer? TOP 5 hybrid laptops

Asus Transformer Book T100TAM (T100TAM-DK002B)

One of the most affordable hybrids on the market is positioned as a simple device to meet the simple tasks of an ordinary home user.

Transformer Book T100 — the youngest model in the line of hybrid laptops from Asus. Her older colleagues have similar characteristics, but differ in a larger screen size (classic 11.6" the model has T200 12.5" y T300FA and 13.3" y T300LA). The Windows 8.1 tiled interface fits well into the concept of a junior gadget, and the ability to upgrade to Windows 10 will expand its touch capabilities. Despite the small resolution of a 10-inch screen with an IPS matrix, the pixel density, as for this class of devices, is at an acceptable level — 155ppi. This means that the individual points from which the image is constructed will not be conspicuous.

But the reliability of the design at first glance is not very good. And this applies to both the tablet and the keyboard unit. P

under the onslaught of fingers, both parts of the laptop bend strongly and do not inspire much confidence. The docking station performs only the role of a keyboard — except for the keys and one USB 3.0 connector, there is nothing else on it. The remaining slots (micro-USB, micro-HDMI, micro-SD slots) are located on the right side of the tablet. The docking of both parts of the device takes place mechanically, and not magnetically, as with the closest competitors in the class.

The minimum configuration of a hybrid laptop (with a 32 GB eMMC drive, half of which is not available to the user) costs around $ 200, the version with a 64 GB drive (of which only half is also available) is about $ 300. Naturally, it is not necessary to hope for high performance of the device for such money. He will perform only the simplest tasks. Therefore, a bundle of a low-cost 4-core Intel Atom Z3735 processor with 2 GB of RAM looks logical. Most of the time, the processor runs at 500 MHz and accelerates only under load. Thanks to this practically no energy is consumed and the laptop can live without recharging in reading mode for almost 12 hours.

First of all, the Asus Transformer Book T100 will be of interest to those who are looking for a convenient bundle with a full-fledged Windows on board and a long battery life. Both the tablet and the laptop are a new trend of modernity, to which the hybrid fully corresponds.

Acer Aspire Switch 10

The "tablet + dock" bundle cannot be called a full-fledged laptop, since according to technical parameters it is at the lower levels of the hierarchy of laptops. In addition, there is absolutely nothing useful in the keyboard unit of the device: no battery, no drive, only one USB 2.0 and that comes from the "last century". And still, as for a low-cost 10-inch device, the set of characteristics turned out to be decent. The gadget is equipped with a 4-core Intel Atom Z3735F/Z3745 processor with a frequency of 1.8 GHz. The amount of RAM is 2 GB. You won't be able to grab stars from the sky, but just surf the Internet, watch a video on YouTube or run a simple game — that's the thing.

An IPS matrix with a maximum resolution of 1366x768 pixels is responsible for the image quality. Already familiar for this class of devices, it provides good viewing angles, gives a rich picture and has an adequate pixel density. When using the device as a tablet, the screen can recognize up to 5 simultaneous taps. The display itself is made using OGS (One Glass Solution) technology. Such screens do not have an air layer, are less susceptible to parasitic glare and allow you to make the device thinner. The minus lies in the price tag — replacing the damaged screen will pull half the cost of the gadget.

The laptop processor practically does not heat up when working, respectively, the cooling system was decided to neglect. This allowed us to free up additional resources to increase the duration of operation — on a single battery charge, the gadget can last about 8 hours (under heavy loads — up to 3 hours). Separately, the weight pleases. The tablet itself weighs 585 g, and the whole structure is paired with a docking station — about 1.1 kg.

A hybrid laptop with a stylish aluminium case and a balanced "filling" can become a faithful assistant at home, at work and on the road. Especially such a device should be appreciated by business travelers — it is not always practical to carry a bulky classic laptop with you, unlike a compact 10-inch gadget.

HP Pavilion x2 11

An 11-inch tablet with a plug-in dock can be used both at home and at work. In the first case, it is convenient to watch your favorite TV shows or play undemanding games while lying on the couch. In the second — to work with office programs or, for example, to urgently correct a presentation 5 minutes before a speech at a conference. Even if you do not connect the keyboard and work with your fingers, you can do it quickly — the screen with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels can recognize up to 10 simultaneous taps. Unlike the closest colleagues in the workshop, it is made using TN+film technology. Yes, the matrix responds very quickly, but the viewing angles will be unimportant (up to 150 °). Fortunately, an anti-glare coating is applied to the top layer of the display.

The heart of the hybrid laptop is the Intel Pentium N3510 processor (2 GHz). It consumes less energy than the most economical Intel Atom, so the device can work on a single battery charge for more than 10 hours. The only "but" — under heavy loads, the processor will warm up, since the laptop does not have a separate cooling system. The volume of the pre-installed RAM is 4 GB, and the SSD drive is 64 GB, which is enough for almost any purpose. Separately, we are pleased with the presence of 2 USB ports (one 2.0, the second 3.0) on the tablet part, as well as an output for headphones and micro-HDMI.

A 2-in-1 laptop, at a completely democratic cost, is half a head higher than the nearest competitors. Its audience is the business segment and home users who do not need frills, but need a good-quality "workhorse" for all occasions.

Dell Inspiron 13 7347 (I73345NIW-34)

The classic transformer from Dell does not know how to separate from the keyboard. It balances on the edge between laptops and tablets, combining the best qualities from both sides.

The model is a kind of strong middling, so you should not expect superpowers from her. In its arsenal there is everything you need for an undemanding user: 3 USB ports, an HDMI output, a slot for SD cards, and most importantly, a waterproof keyboard that has a built-in backlight. As standard, the brains of the device is a dual-core Intel Core i3 processor with a clock speed of 1.7 GHz. The volume of "RAM" is 4 GB, with the possibility of expansion to 8. You can't run heavy toys on such hardware, but it's not created for such purposes. For games, the top-end configuration of a laptop with an Intel Core i5 processor and 8 GB of RAM is more suitable.

The laptop screen is made using IPS technology, which gives us excellent viewing angles and correct colour display. The only thing that does not please is its resolution — 1366x768 pixels is not enough for 13" today. A FullHD display can only be obtained for extra money. The touch screen, and even paired with a stylus, which is hidden by default in the case of the device, theoretically should allow you to draw easily and naturally in photo editors. But in fact, this is hindered by the narrow colour coverage of the matrix — judging by the site data ixbt.com , the volume of coverage of the most popular spaces (sRGB and AdobeRGB) is approximately 50%.

Another disadvantage of the model is its relatively large weight. 1.6 kg is not particularly easy to carry in your hands, so you won't be able to use the device as a tablet for a long time — your hands will get tired. But the built—in battery holds for a long time — even when watching movies, it can last for 7-8 hours. If you work with text documents, a laptop can withstand a full working day without recharging without difficulty.

A transformer laptop can be safely recommended to both a student and an office employee, and for home use — the claimed characteristics are enough for any tasks that do not require huge resources for their implementation.

Lenovo Flex 2 15 (2 15 59-422336)

Lenovo's Flex series hybrids are more like laptops than tablets. They do not know how to discard the keyboard and turn only 300°. However, they are also not deprived of the signs of a transformer.

Lenovo Flex 2 15 is the largest device from the line. The diagonal of its screen is 15.6", and this is already the standard size for most laptops. The display resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels, but there is also a regular HD version. For a 15-inch device, it is better to take FullHD, of course. Judging by numerous reviews, the screen pleases — the IPS matrix gives excellent colour reproduction and viewing angles, and the possibility of touch input allows you to use the Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 interface with might and main.

I am also pleased with the powerful hardware. A 2-core Intel Core i5 4210U processor and a discrete nVidia GeForce 840M graphics card with 2 GB of memory make it possible to run even the most modern games, even at low or medium settings. And almost any office programs will go at all, except for some serious video editors. The hard drive should also be enough — it has a volume of 1 TB. Especially demanding individuals may not have enough RAM. It is 4 GB here and you can only double the RAM.

Almost the only thing that upsets hybrid owners is the battery. It keeps frankly a little: 4 hours in normal mode and an hour and a half with loads. But the keyboard unit was a success, Lenovo knows how to make it convenient. It is slightly sunk into the case and has an adjustable backlight. When the screen is rotated by 300°, the keys are automatically turned off, so that the gadget is quietly placed on the table with the buttons down.

The transformer from Lenovo is well "stuffed", has high performance and has a very nice bonus in the form of a touch screen. But just carrying the device in your hands will not work very well. Neither weight (about 2.3 kg) nor dimensions contribute to this. The laptop will fully show itself on the table, where it can be used both in its usual form and as a tablet with a stand.