A 'good, budget laptop' is the device we're most often asked to recommend. But what's cheap for one person is out of the reach of another. And anyway, the best cheap laptops are... tablets.
The iPad smashed open the tablet market by transforming a clunky, utilitarian form factor into an object of desire. But tablets are useful as well as fun. And with screen sizes ranging from 5in to 10.1in and all points in between, there's a tablet to suit everyone. In fact, one of the portables in our tablet reviews section could be your one device to rule them all.
It is, of course, my privilege to be the editor of PC Advisor. As such, the question I'm most often asked is: “Can you get me free stuff?" (The answer's no. Deal with it.)
More interesting is the question I'm asked next: “What's a good, cheap laptop?" That's a tough call. What's inexpensive to one person is a king's ransom to another, and what constitutes a good personal computing device depends entirely on what that person requires it to do. A £250 netbook might suffice for a student away from home for the first time, but not if they're a gamer. And a MacBook Pro is expensive, of course, but if you're a photographer or a designer, it's an invaluable workhorse.
Recently, a reader told me that by defining a ‘budget' laptop as anything under £500 we'd priced him out of the market, since he was looking to spend nearer £250. I sympathise. Who wouldn't? Half a grand is a lot of money to find. I showed him a few cheaper laptop options, and we got chatting about what he needed a laptop for. Email, social media, web surfing, photos, office work. Sound familiar? Given that this reader carried a smartphone, the answer was simple: rather than shelling out for a bottom-of-the-range laptop to supplant his expensive phone, he could buy a good-quality tablet. And for the cost of the two devices he has one, portable gadget. A gadget that can do everything.
After all, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 I use is more powerful than a netbook, and it's also cooler. (A lot cooler.) And with a keyboard dock slung in my bag I have all the portable computer I need – plus a great music, movie and games player. And I'm not alone. I recently attended a conference with 300 colleagues. A show of hands proved that although plenty of people had travelled without a laptop, every single person had at least one smartphone or tablet.
In the nascent tablet era, the variety of form factors and platforms continues to expand as the market matures. And the ecosystem of apps that support each tablet gets more varied and inventive every month. There's never been a better time to take the plunge into the tablet world.
Update, 11/11/11: As there's been some confusion, I should clarify - for the price of a smartphone and a netbook combined, you can get a tablet such as the Galaxy Tab 10.1. If you have *only* £250 to spend, a netbook may be your best bet, although it's worth pointing out that a first generation iPad direct from Apple costs only £320 (just go to 'refurbished iPads' at http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad.
See also: Best Android Apps
Comments
Mike F said: I just dont really agree with the very general message in this article If there is a problem buying a machine in netbook size that does not match the performance of a tablet that is simply because the manufacturers think tablets is what they need to offer Laptopnetbook machines are so much better for most serious applications where tablets are just a horrible thing to have to use Carry a plug in keyboard Worse than just having one box to carry I suggest the answer isbuy what suits what you want it for and try to see past tablet mania
Ian said: Ok that clears your point up Not the answer I wanted to hear Id prefer her to spend less - say under 200 Which limits her to a netbook unless you can recommend a tablet in that budgetIm a cheapskate myself and I tend to price my gear according to how long Ill own it and or how Ill use it I bought my first smartphone because I decided when my satnav was stolen that a Nokia phone despite being a poor smartphone was almost better than my old satnav it works in France and the US at no extra cost and its always with me not left in the car as well as actually costing less to buyMy laptops I price per month - 10month So my old Acer cost 260 and was free once it was just over 2 years old I put up with it until was 3 and then spent 300 on an HP probook that should last until Dec 2013
Matt Egan said: A B since you ask But I think it is my English that is failing Although you might get a good tablet for 250 My contention is that if you have 400 to spend a Tab may be a better bet Im not in a position to change the story now but Ill check it tomorrow
Ian said: I followed your link for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 101 as my daughter is in a similar position with a similar budget - around 250 But it says the Galaxy Tab is 399 plus your suggested keyboard dock How is that closer to 250 than 500 Did you fail your maths GCSE