Best 2 in 1 Tablets to use the keyboard as a notebook

Having a convertible tablet, or 2-in-1, is one of the smartest choices for home or work. The reason is that you don’t have to buy two computers separately, with just one you get the best of both worlds: tablet and laptop.

That is, you can enjoy all the mobility that the tablet offers you with its touch screen or add a keyboard to become a practical laptop with which to write comfortably. You can even add a digital pen and increase your productivity possibilities.

In short, one of the most versatile mobile devices out there, designed for everything and everyone. From enjoying browsing, playing games and multimedia with family, or at work, study, etc.

Comparison of convertible tablets

We have analyzed the best brands and models of convertible tablets, taking into account their quality, performance and features. With all this information, a list has been made with some of the most popular with users.

The best convertible tablets

HP x360

The legendary HP brand also has some very interesting convertibles. These teams allow for greater flexibility in terms of usage. So you’ll have an HP laptop with Windows 10 (upgradeable to 11), but with a touchscreen to turn it into a handy tablet when you’re interested. All thanks to a sturdy magnetic hinge to switch between modes quickly and easily.

As for the finishing materials, they are quite good, with a stylish and compact design. Of course, not everything is aesthetic, you will also get all the guarantee and service that this North American company offers.

An IPS type with a high quality 14-inch screen, with a weight similar to that of an ultrabook, a 512GB SSD type hard drive, 8GB of RAM memory and a powerful Intel Core i5 or i7 microprocessor to choose from. That is to say, the power of a laptop, with the functions of a tablet and with a price that can be between 300 and 400 euros depending on the model chosen.

ASUS ZenBook Flip

This convertible laptop or tablet, depending on how you look at it, is one of the best choices. The Taiwanese company has been surprising for some time with its products due to their quality, performance and reasonable prices. Now you can enjoy this equipment with 14 inch touch screen, with Windows 10 (upgradeable to 11) and Office office suite pre-installed.

This team has a very elegant design and hides pleasant surprises inside. For example, a lithium-ion battery that can last up to 11 hours on a single charge. Nothing negligible for this convertible if we take into account the powerful hardware it integrates, which has nothing to do with what conventional tablets usually bring. It is a high performance product.

Its Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 processor stands out, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD for ultra-fast storage and its WiFi and BT connectivity. That is, everything you need to be able to enjoy all kinds of software, including video games.

Apple iPad Pro

Unlike the previous two computers, the iPad Pro is a tablet as such, but it can also be included in the convertible unit due to its features and the ability to add an external keyboard. This tablet is like an iPad, but enhanced to improve its power, autonomy and which can also be used in corporate environments, or for those who are more demanding .

This tablet has one of the most elegant designs on the market, always minimalistic as Apple is used to, and with an enviable build quality, which will make it last longer than any other brand thanks to the rigorous quality control this company subjects its products to.

On powerful M2 chip Delivers outstanding graphics and processing performance for uninterrupted software enjoyment. No waiting. Furthermore, it has a battery capable of giving one of the best autonomy on the market. And it features iPadOS, one of the most robust, stable and secure mobile operating systems.

This tablet has a 12.9 inch , which is a big monstrosity within tablets, to be able to see everything in a big way. The panel is Liquid Retina XDR, with TrueTone and ProMotion to improve image quality and color. Also, it has high resolution and pixel density as well as good sound quality with Apple AIRPODS PRO.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

The Surface brand is a registered trademark of Microsfot for the sale of portable equipment, among others. These are ultrabooks, some of them convertibles, and also tablets with a keyboard. All with Microsoft Windows 10 operating system (upgradeable to 11), and with both Intel and AMD chips and even some ARM-based ones designed by Microsoft itself in collaboration with Qualcomm. The best thing about these devices is that they are the perfect alternative to Apple’s, with similar quality, design and durability, and with truly impressive performance and autonomy.

What is a convertible tablet

A convertible tablet Is a device that can function as a laptop at any time and as a tablet if you prefer. In other words, it includes the best of both worlds, saving you from having to buy two products. Not only can this help you save space in your home or office, but it will also save you from having to invest in two separate devices and save you money.

These tablets have hardware that can be similar to that of any laptop or ultrabook, so they are more powerful than conventional tablets. And they usually also come with the Microsfot Windows operating system, so you can install the same programs and video games that you have on your PC.

Its keyboard will allow you to type comfortably as you would on a conventional laptop and use the touchpad as a mouse.

However, if you prefer to make it lighter, you can remove the keyboard and leave only the touch screen, to act as a tablet and thus improve mobility.

Benefits of a convertible tablet

A convertible tablet usually has a number of advantages and disadvantages. Their most important advantages are:

The dimensions of these computers are usually more compact than that of conventional laptops, similar to ultrabooks in some cases and even better in others. This means more mobility.

The runtimes are longer than many conventional tablets, which is also a plus.

Having hardware like that of a laptop, the performance will be much higher than that of a pure tablet.

With Windows OS you can also install all the software that you generally use on your PC and even use virtualization or emulator to use Android apps etc.

Its touch screen will allow you to use the system comfortably when you want to do without the keyboard.

By integrating a keyboard and touchpad, you can play video games and write long texts with ease, without the hassle of using the on-screen keyboard.

Tablet or convertible?

Many users will have doubts whether a conventional tablet or a convertible is better for them. The answer will depend on your needs. Indeed, there are non-convertible tablets that can be made convertible by adding an external Bluetooth keyboard. However, you won’t get many of the benefits of those that are convertible and that I mentioned in the previous section.

For example, if you already have a laptop at home, you might prefer a conventional tablet. On the other hand, if you don’t have one and would like to have a tablet and a laptop, the convertible will allow you to have both.

Differences between convertible tablet and convertible laptop

In some cases there is no difference. They are simply talking about the same thing, they are actually convertible laptops. This is the case with the aforementioned convertibles, with the exception of the iPad Pro, which in this case can be included in the category of touch. In order not to make a mess, you must adhere to these concepts:

Convertible tablet or convertible laptop: Refers to a 2-in-1 or convertible laptop, which is a hybrid computer that has a touch screen and can be detached from the keyboard or can be folded up for use in tablet mode. In these cases, a Windows operating system is usually used, with more powerful hardware than a conventional tablet, with AMD or Intel chips, SSD hard drives, more RAM, etc.

Conventional Tablet + Keyboard : This is simply a regular tablet with an added external keyboard. In these cases, the keyboard is not part of the equipment, but rather an accessory or peripheral that is added. They tend to use systems like iPadOS, Android, etc. And with more modest hardware designed for efficiency rather than performance, like ARM chips.

How to choose a convertible tablet

To choose a good tablet or convertible, you should be aware of more than just the make and model. You should look at the essential technical characteristics so that they perform well and you don’t end up disappointed with the purchase. To make the right choice, you can analyze the following parameters:

Operating system

Windows – you have the same as you can have on your PC, so you can install all the programs and video games that you usually find on a desktop or laptop. This opens up many possibilities, so it can be a great option for work or leisure.

ChromeOS : This operating system stands out for being rock solid, stable and very secure. It was designed by Google and is fully compatible with native Android apps. Also, Google’s cloud services are well integrated, for ease. It might be great for students or people who want a platform they don’t bothr with at all.

Generally, if you have Android it won’t be a hybrid, but rather a conventional tablet that comes with a keyboard. The same goes for iPadOS , although in the case of iPad Pro you have to make an exception, since they have equipped that device with hardware that changes everything.

Screen

It is another factor to take into consideration. Generally, if it’s a hybrid and not a tablet with a keyboard, they’re usually more than 12″ in size. This makes them perform better than conventional tablets, being friendlier for reading, streaming, gaming, etc. The type of panel shouldn’t obsess you too much, and the IPS technologies seen in most OLEDs are quite good.

Autonomy

The battery is also essential in a convertible tablet, as it is a device that should allow for good mobility. Many models have autonomy of more than 9 hours. The more, the better, as it will allow you to work hours and hours without having to charge the battery.

Performance

You will generally find equipment of this type with Intel Core i3 or i5 or i7 processors (or AMD equivalent), which means they will perform quite well. They also tend to have a good ratio of RAM to high capacity SSD hard drives. In the case of the iPad Pro, there is also an M1, which also guarantees high performance. But be careful with some low performance ARM based SoC or processor like Atom, Celeron, Pentium, etc,