Back to School 2015: Tablet vs. Laptop

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Technology is playing a bigger part than even in the classroom, and there’s an expectation from schools that kids will have access to the Internet and a device at home to complete assignments.

back to school 2015, tablet vs. laptop
Source: Brad Moon

Tablet vs. laptop can potentially have an impact on a student’s grades, but the choice also has monetary implications for parents. For example, when you consider Apple’s (AAPL) contenders, its best tablet for students, the iPad Air 2, starts at $499, while the cheapest MacBook starts at $899.

Which should you choose for your child?

In this back-to-school 2015 guide, I’ll walk you through the tablet vs. laptop debate and offer some suggestions to make the decision easier.

Back to School 2015: The Case for Choosing a Laptop

back to school 2015, choose a laptop
Source: Apple

Laptops have had a long ride as the preferred choice for students, especially those in high school or post-secondary education.

A laptop holds a number of key advantages over a tablet — the display is larger, it has a keyboard, you can plug in accessories like printers or hard drives, it is far more powerful and it is able to install and run desktop applications.

PC manufacturers have also been working hard to bring laptop costs down to make them more competitive with tablets. Google’s (GOOG, GOOGL) Chromebooks routinely sell for $200, and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) recently introduced the Stream 11, a $200 laptop that runs Windows.

Some laptops are also able to go longer than even the best tablet without having to plug in — something to think about with kids who are prone to losing accessories like rechargers.

Out of all these “pros,” the chief advantage of a laptop over a tablet is the power and the ability to run desktop applications. This especially comes into play at the post-secondary level, where specialized software may be required that simply isn’t available in mobile app form.

So if your student is heading off to college or university, check course requirements carefully and expect the tablet vs. laptop equation to be tipped in favor of choosing a laptop.

Back to School 2015: The Case for Choosing a Tablet

back to school 2015, tablet vs. laptop
Source: Apple

However, most students in elementary and secondary schools would be just as well served by choosing a tablet.

When Microsoft (MSFT) released fully functional mobile app versions of its Office suite — optimized for tablets no less — it got rid of one of the biggest arguments for choosing a laptop instead.

Now tablets like the iPad Air can run native versions of the software most commonly used in schools.

Tablets lack a keyboard, but it’s not expensive (or difficult) to add a Bluetooth keyboard or even a keyboard case that gives them this capability.

The tablet advantages are many. They’re smaller and lighter, important factors when kids are hauling heavy backpacks. They can be used with a stylus in a slate form for scribbling notes. Hold the tablet up, and students can snap a picture of what’s on the blackboard. Tablets can also be used as e-readers for digital texts.

Then there’s the cost advantage. Yes, a Microsoft Surface or iPad Air costs more than a Chromebook or that HP Steam 11, but when comparing a premium tablet to a typically specced Windows or Mac laptop, the tablet is almost always cheaper, and by a significant margin.

Besides, tablets are in high demand by school-age kids (they’re also great for mobile gaming, web surfing and streaming video), so parents can use their back-to-school 2015 tech shopping list to kill two birds with one stone — saving even more money.

Given that a tablet would be the better choice for most elementary and secondary school kids, which is the best tablet choice?

Back to School 2015: When iPad Air Is the Best Tablet Choice

back to school 2015, iPad Air
Source: Apple

When it comes to all-purpose tablets, Apple essentially defined the category, and it continues to lead the pack with the iPad Air series.

The iPad Air 2 is tough to beat by any measure — power, speed, looks, third-party accessories – and choosing the iPad Air means a huge library of tablet-optimized apps (including games). At $499, it’s competitively priced.

Many school boards have standardized on the iPad, and Apple’s educational and publishing clout have resulted in many digital textbooks being published for the iOS and the iPad Air.

You don’t even have to rely on Apple’s own Pages and Numbers apps to convert files to and from Office any longer, since Microsoft released iOS versions of several of its Office apps.

If your child’s school has chosen the iPad as its preferred technology platform, then an iPad Air is a no-brainer. And as a default choice, the iPad Air makes a compelling case for being the best tablet for students.

Back to School 2015: When Microsoft Surface Is the Best Tablet Choice

back to school 2015, Microsoft Surface
Source: Microsoft

The latest Microsoft Surface is an intriguing device that could make the whole tablet vs. laptop argument pointless.

If your school has standardized on Microsoft Windows, or if you have a secondary school student who may need to run some desktop software on occasion, the Microsoft Surface 3 offers a complete tablet experience, but also runs the full-blown PC version of Windows. It can also be used with PC accessories.

As a tablet, the new Microsoft Surface 3 is a bit bigger and a little heavier than the new iPad Air 2, but at 1.37 pounds it’s still a fraction of the bulk of a traditional laptop or even most Chromebooks, making it very kid-friendly.

Add the optional Type Cover, fold out the built-in kickstand, and the Microsoft Surface pulls off a convincing laptop transformation.

The downside is that when it comes to mobile apps, the Microsoft Surface has nowhere near the selection that Apple tablet owners enjoy.

The $499 base price makes it competitive with the iPad Air. Add the $130 Type Cover and the Microsoft Surface is getting closer to the laptop price range, but it’s still cheaper than most. And it may be the best tablet in the sense that for most students, it can truly cover both Windows laptop and tablet needs.

As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

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Brad Moon has been writing for InvestorPlace.com since 2012. He also writes about stocks for Kiplinger and has been a senior contributor focusing on consumer technology for Forbes since 2015.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2015/08/back-to-school-2015-tablet-vs-laptop/.

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