Tablets vs laptops
Tablets vs laptops
What's coming up?
In this activity, we're going to look at the main differences between a tablet and a laptop, and where you might use one over the other.
Start activityThe difference between a laptop and a tablet
The main difference between a laptop and a tablet is that a tablet has no physical keyboard. Instead, it's controlled by tapping an onscreen keyboard.
The lack of a keyboard means that the tablet is usually quite a bit lighter and easier to carry around than a laptop. The battery in a tablet also tends to last longer than the battery in a laptop.
Which do you think would suit you best - a tablet or a laptop?
The benefits of tablets
A tablet is lighter and smaller than a laptop and you can hold it in one hand and use its touchscreen with the other.
While you can use either when lying in bed, or sitting on a couch, a tablet might be easier to use when on the move, such as standing up and walking around when on a video call.
The benefits of laptops
A laptop is heavier than a tablet and you usually need to be seated to use it. It tends to be more powerful, and having a keyboard makes typing a lot quicker on a laptop. The laptop screen is self-supporting too, so you don't need to keep holding it up to view what's on the screen, like with a tablet.
While both a laptop and a tablet can be used to create documents, the slightly bigger screen on a laptop can make seeing lots of text or numbers on documents and spreadsheets a little easier.
Congratulations!
You've completed the Tablets vs laptops activity. Tablets and laptops tend to be used for different activities. Many people prefer a laptop when they have do things like write letters, or make spreadsheets for example. Tablets are great for situations where a laptop is not convenient, however, like reading ebooks or when you are on video chats and want to move about.
If you have registered and are logged into the Be Connected website, you'll now be able to take a short quiz to finish the What is a tablet? course. If you're not registered, you are now at the end of the course.