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.

One downside to a convertible, rotating-style 2-in-1 laptop is some extra thickness, as the hinge mechanisms are slightly more complex than those of a standard laptop.

Also, because the lower half is permanently attached, a convertible means that you're always carrying the extra weight and bulk of the keyboard wherever you go. With a detachable 2-in-1, you can leave half behind. Generally speaking, detachable laptops tend to have slower performance because they have limited space for cooling and need to cram all their computing components in one half of the machine, behind the screen.

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.