Hey everyone, I’m about to start college and I’m looking for a cheap 2 in 1 laptop that can do my online course work, write emails and notes, and maybe a bit of streaming. I like to walk around a lot so something lightweight is a must! Good battery life and a total detachable keyboard would also be nice. Windows/Chromebook are both ok. Is there anything that would make sense for me? I’m super tempted to splurge and get the surface pro, but ideally I’m looking for something that’s in the $300 - $600 range. If you can point me where to look, I would really appreciate it! Thanks
Looking for a 2 in 1 laptop that's reasonably powerful. Budget flexible
Which is the best overall 2 in 1 or detachable laptop in your opinion?
I think you should try something with an AMD processor. You could save some money with a Ryzen 7 or 5 and both are very powerful processors overall. I think you should look at the Envy15 or the Envy13. If you want to stick to intel processors, you could see xps13 from Dell or the spectre 13 or 14 from HP
More on reddit.comBest budget 2 in 1 laptop?
Good budget 2 in 1 laptop?
Are 2-in-1 Laptops a Good Idea?
If you want a functional laptop and a touch-friendly tablet but don't want to buy or own two devices to achieve that, 2-in-1 laptops are the exact solution. The combination of a laptop and a tablet provides even more capability than a standard laptop can offer.
Can a 2-in-1 replace a standard laptop? Absolutely, because most 2-in-1s are a laptop first, and a tablet second. Everything you can do with a standard thin-and-light laptop, you can do with a 2-in-1 that has similar specs.
Detachable 2-in-1 designs may be the exception to this rule, since they have a slightly different form factor, which prioritizes tablet functionality first, with an add-on keyboard. These designs may be less powerful or have smaller batteries, but they're still fully capable Windows PCs.
What Does '2-in-1' Mean When Buying a Laptop?
This simple term describes a specific type of laptop that can also function as a tablet. We break down 2-in-1 laptops into convertible laptops (one-piece machines) and detachable tablets (which split into a tablet and a keyboard).
The convertible laptop can transform from laptop to tablet and back again, with most systems featuring a hinge design that allows for rotating or folding the keyboard portion through 360 degrees, out of the way behind the screen. This type of 2-in-1 is the best choice if you're planning to use the keyboard often, as you're guaranteed to always have it with you. (Typing the Great American Novel or even an ordinary business report on a virtual on-screen keyboard's hard, flat surface is an experience you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy.)
Because of the motion that a convertible laptop's hinge enables, you can use these systems in various modes. If you want to be able to share the display with everyone in a meeting, you can place the keyboard portion face down on the desk (called "stand" or "display" mode) and have the screen showing up front, kiosk-style. Or, you can prop it up on its leading edges (in the so-called "tent" or "A-frame" mode), which takes up less space than the other modes. For flexibility, it's difficult to beat this kind of 2-in-1.
In a convertible machine, the battery and motherboard are usually located in the base (as in a traditional laptop), so it's balanced for use on a lap or a tabletop. The stable bottom lid of the clamshell is also a better typing platform than the sometimes flimsy panel of a detachable keyboard case. There's also more room for batteries in a laptop form factor (the bottom half never goes away), which results in improved battery life.
How much do good laptops cost?
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LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE
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Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:
1500$(USD) soft limit, but flexible. -
Are you open to refurbs/used?
As long as good condition and the battery is still as expected. -
How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?
2 in 1 desired, long battery life and sturdy build are expected. Performance desired to be able to handle coding environments, lots of browser tabs, and some emulators(see below). -
How important is weight and thinness to you?
Important for mobility, hence 2 in 1. -
Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.
N/A -
Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.
I want to be able to run emulators(e.g. dolphin, visual boy) for games. Most intensive emulator may be yuzu(but is not absolute necessity). I believe most emulators are more cpu intensive so integrated graphics should be sufficient. -
If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?
See above. -
Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?
Good keyboard and touchpad both wanted. Good stylus pen for the tablet part is also wanted. Reliable/sturdy build is important since I'll be traveling with this. -
Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.
Other reqs/wants:
- min 16GB RAM
- SSD swapping is nice but not a must
Battery life is expected to last shorter times if I'm running more intense things, but expectation is that this should be better than a steam deck in terms of processor and battery.
I've looked at a few 2 in 1s, but even then there's a lot of choice, so looking for some advice here. Thanks!
Edit: Also forgot to add fingerprint reader is another nice to have but not a hard req.