What Is A Tablet Computer?

Date First Published: 17th December 2023

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Computer Hardware

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty: Easy

Difficulty Level: 3/10

CONTENTS

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Tablet Computers
Types Of Tablet Computers

Learn about what a tablet computer is in this article.

A tablet is a handheld, portable computer with a touchscreen display that runs off battery power. It is larger than a smartphone but smaller than a laptop, making it easy to carry around and transport. They also provide greater storage capacity and longer battery life than smartphones.

Like smartphones, tablets are compatible with most wireless and cellular data networks, are built to work both online and offline, and have a touchscreen display that allows users to interact with the device using touch commands without the need for an external mouse or keyboard. They also provide a clearer display experience, compared to a smartphone due to their larger screens.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Tablet Computers

The advantages of tablet computers are:

They are portable. Tablets usually weigh around a third of the amount of a standard laptop, making them easy to carry around and transport without the need to set up anything.
Compared to smartphones, battery life is longer. Since the batteries are bigger, they tend to have a longer battery life for smartphones that are used for the same purposes.
The screen size is larger than smartphones, providing a larger and clearer display experience.
They are cheaper than laptops due to their smaller size. This makes them more cost-effective for simple work-related tasks.

The disadvantages of tablet computers are:

Compared to laptops, capabilities are more limited. Tablets have processor speed limitations, making them less suitable for intensive activities, such as image editing, rendering videos, and gaming. It is also more difficult to multitask using a tablet computer.
They are less suitable for typing long documents, messages, or emails because there is no physical built-in keyboard. Typing long documents and emails using a touchscreen is awkward and time-consuming. However, users can purchase a physical keyboard to make it easier to type and connect it to the tablet.
They can be fragile. Tablets are moved around a lot due to their lightweight and portable nature, and the glass screens on tablets are not designed to take heavy knocks, drops, and bumps.

Types Of Tablet Computers

Different types of tablet computers include:

Convertible tablet - These combine elements of tablets and laptops into a single device. Like other laptops, they include a built-in keyboard and touchpad, but also use a touchscreen display. They have a screen that rotates 180 degrees and can be folded to close and face up, over an integrated hardware keyboard.
Hybrid tablet - Similar to a regular notebook, but has a removable display that functions independently as a slate. It can be used as both a laptop and a tablet.
Rugged tablet - Designed to withstand the elements and can handle being dropped or bumped. A rugged tablet is usually covered in a thick protective shell and has a shock-protected hard drive.