Convertibles or 2-in-1 computers are basically a combo of a tablet and laptop that is lightweight and portable.
While purchasing a 2-in-1 or hybrid laptop, the battery life of the device and its weight are two key factors. The fact that the screen can be detached with ease into tablet mode makes it very attractive and multi-purpose.
Let’s check out some of the best convertibles that are robust and affordable.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
Microsoft’s latest tablet is considered one of the best tablets of 2015.
The Surface Pro 4 sports a 12.3-inch PixelSense screen which has a resolution of 2,736 x 1,824 pixels and 267 ppi, making it sleeker and lighter than the Surface Pro 3.
Under the hood, the convertible houses a Skylake Core processor that can be bumped up to Intel Core i5 or i7. The standard model comes with 4 GB of RAM, which is upgradeable to 16 GB. The device also has a 5-megapixel selfie camera and an 8-megapixel primary camera.
The Surface Pro 4’s base model comes with 128 GB of on-board storage. There are also other versions available which offer 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB of storage. Moreover, users have the option of increasing the storage thanks to the expandable memory slot through a microSD card. The device also comes with a stylus, the Surface Pen, among other Surface Pro 4 accessories to choose from.
What makes the Microsoft 2-in-1 tablet great is that, of course, it can be coupled with the keyboard-folio and – voila! You have a laptop-type experience at your hands. This aspect makes it a great hybrid which is suitable for both desk and on-the-go.
The base model of the Surface Pro 4 starts at $899.
Lenovo Yoga 900
This convertible laptop from Lenovo is svelte, lightweight and a great 2-in-1 which offers amazing performance. The Lenovo Yoga 900, as its name suggests, is quite flexible and can rotate with ease thanks to its unique 360 degree watchband hinge. The 13.3-inch laptop (3200 x 1800 screen) weighs 2.8 pounds and Lenovo claims that, at .59 inches, it’s the thinnest convertible Intel Core laptop around.
The Yoga 900 offers four different set-up modes – stand, tent, tablet and laptop – so basically, the user can adjust the device depending on their requirements. If you’re gaming, convert the Yoga 900 to a tablet or if you’re making a presentation for office, change it into a laptop! Flip it around when on a flight in the tent mode so that the Yoga 900 does not occupy too much space and you can navigate more easily.
The device packs in a sixth-gen Intel Core i7 or i5 processor depending on the model as well as offers support for 9 hours of use on a single charge. It runs on Windows 10, comes in 8 GB and 16 GB RAM variants and is available at 256 GB and 512 GB models. The device is also equipped with a 1-megapixel camera.
The Yoga 900 starts at $1,199.99 and is available in three hues: Platinum Silver, Champagne Gold and Clementine Orange.
HP Spectre x360
The HP Spectre x360 is just 3.2 pounds light and .63 inches thick, ticking off the right boxes for a 2-in-1. The area where the device scores over most convertibles is that it does not deploy friction hinges (on a dual-axis design) which aid rotation. Instead, the 13.3-inch HP offering has a “synchronous orbit” that has three interlocking gears in each hinge, which in turn enables the seamless and fluid rotation of the display.
The convertible’s display comes in Full HD or Quad HD options and the optical bonding ensures that the screen and display are melded, resulting in better battery life and a sleeker profile. The 4,960 mAh battery on the device offers support for 12.5 hours of use.
The entry-level model of the Spectre x360 houses a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i5-5200 and 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, and starts at $899.
Asus Chromebook Flip C100
The Asus offering is perfect for those on a budget and yet eyeing a 2-in-1 laptop. The Chromebook has a 10.1-inch WXGA screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels and a 10-point IPS multi-touch display.
At 2 pounds, the device is pretty lightweight and offers great portability. It can also be converted into the tent, tablet, notebook or stand mode.
Under the hood, the Flip C100 houses a quad-core Rockchip 3288-C processor, which is clocked at 1.8 GHz, and an ARM Mali T624 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. One can also upgrade to 4 GB of RAM version by shelling out extra $299.
The sturdy convertible has an aluminum chassis, which makes it robust and easy to flip without getting worried about the screen’s attachment to the keyboard. The device’s screen can rotate 180 degrees to enable the tent mode. The keyboard on the Flip C100 is almost the size of a regular keyboard and, therefore, one will not feel any difference when typing.
The 2-cell battery on the device offers support for nine hours of use. It has 16 GB of storage.
The Chromebook Flip C100 is priced at $249 for the 2 GB of RAM version.
