Software & Apps Windows 59 59 people found this article helpful What Is a Hybrid or Convertible Laptop? Mobile computing devices that function as both a laptop and tablet by Mark Kyrnin Writer Mark Kyrnin is a former Lifewire writer and computer networking and internet expert who also specializes in computer hardware. our editorial process LinkedIn Mark Kyrnin Updated on February 10, 2020 Tweet Share Email The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide Introduction Laptop Basics Laptop Size & Weight Guide Laptop Networking Guide Laptop Memory Buyer's Guide Laptop Processor Buyer's Guide Display & Graphics Guide Types of Laptop Drives Guide Netbook vs Laptop Hybrid vs Convertible Laptop Understanding Laptop Warranties Best Laptops Best Laptops Best Places to Buy a Laptop Best Linux Laptops Best Windows Laptops Best Laptops for Under $200 Best Laptops for Under $500 Best Touchscreen Laptops Best Laptops at Walmart Best Workstation Laptops Best Laptops by Size Best 14- to 16-Inch Laptops Best 13-Inch Laptops Best 17-Inch and Larger Laptops Best Lightweight Laptops Best Mini Laptops Best Laptops by Brand Best Lenovo Laptops Best Dell Laptops Best Acer Laptops Best ASUS Laptops Best HP Laptops Best Gaming Laptops Best Gaming Laptops Best Gaming Laptops for Battery Life Best Gaming Laptops for Under $1,000 Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,500 Best Laptops for Fortnite Best Laptops by Lifestyle Best Business Laptops Best Laptops for College Students Laptops for Engineering Students Best Laptops for Graphic Design Best Laptops for Kids Best Laptops for Photography Best Laptops for Video Editing Best Laptops for VR Best Laptops for Writers Individual Laptop Reviews Acer Aspire E 15 Review Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch (2019) Review HP 15-BS013DX Review HP Notebook 15 Review HP Pavilion 15z Touch Review HP Spectre x360 15t Touch Review Best Laptop Accessories Portable Battery Chargers Compact Desks & Stands Rolling Laptop Bags Best Laptop Backpacks Best Laptop Bags Laptop Cases and Sleeves Laptop Cooling Pads Best Laptop Mounts Laptop Computer GPS lenovo.com / Lenovo Group Ltd. Since the release of Windows 8, there has been a greater emphasis on having a touch-enabled screen for the user interface. One of Microsoft's goals with the new software release was to unify the user experience between a desktop, a laptop, and a tablet computer system. One way that manufacturers are addressing this is by producing a new style of laptop called either a hybrid or convertible. So what exactly does this means for consumers? What Is a Hybrid or Convertible Laptop? In essence, a hybrid or convertible laptop is any type of portable that can essentially function as either a laptop or a tablet computer. They are of course referring to the primary means of data input. With a laptop, this is done through a keyboard and a mouse. On a tablet, everything is done via the touchscreen interface and its virtual keyboard. They are still primarily laptops in their basic design. The most common method to create a convertible laptop is to create a touchscreen display that opens out of a clamshell design like a traditional laptop. To convert the laptop into a tablet, the screen is then either rotated, pivoted or flipped such that it then is back into a closed position but with the screen exposed. Some examples of this include Dell XPS 12, Lenovo Yoga 700, and Lenovo LaVie Z 360. Each of these uses a slightly different method for taking the screen and folding, sliding or pivoting the display. Tablet computers aren't really new. Back in 2004, Microsoft released their Windows XP Tablet software. This was a variant of the popular Windows XP that was designed to be used with a touchscreen but it didn't really catch on as the touchscreen technology was still relatively expensive and rudimentary and the software not well optimized for the interface. In fact, the most popular XP Tablets sold were actually convertibles that essentially were just laptops with touchscreen displays. Some of them could rotate or fold the screen much the same way that they do today. The Drawbacks Of course, there are drawbacks to convertible laptops. The first and foremost problem is their size. Unlike tablets, the convertible laptops must be larger in order to include the keyboard and peripheral ports required of the larger and more flexible laptop designs. This meant that they can be a lot heavier than a straight tablet. This generally makes them larger and heavier than a tablet which is not easy to use for extended periods of time. Instead, they are more flexible when it comes to using them in non-traditional modes that are not carried such as a stand or tent mode that keeps the screen up and accessible but folding the keyboard behind so it is not in the way. With the increasing technological advancements in terms of low power consumption and less heat generated, laptop computers continue to get smaller. As a result, there are now many kinds of convertible laptops available on the market that are much more functional as tablets than they were in the past. In addition, there is also a trend in the new 2-in-1 style of systems. These differ from the convertible or hybrid because they tend to have all of the computer components inside of a tablet and then feature a dockable keyboard that can allow it to function as a laptop. Is a Hybrid Laptop Something You Should Consider? In general, the most functional of these laptops tend to be extremely expensive in order to provide the engineering to be as close in size and weight to a stand-alone tablet. The problem is that they generally sacrifice some performance in order to get to that size. As a result, you are either looking at something as large as or bulkier than a regular laptop or something that is very expensive and sacrifices performance compared to a straight laptop. The advantage is that you would not necessarily need to carry two devices. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit