Computers, Laptops & Tablets

PCs still have a prominent place at the Consumer Electronics Show and Lenovo pulled out all the stops at CES 2016 with a collection of new desktop and portable models. Included in Lenovo’s CES presentation were the world’s thinnest convertible laptop, gaming gear (including a curved gaming monitor) developed in partnership with Razer, and a compact desktop PC with a built-in projector. Here are all the details on Lenovo’s CES showcase.

Most consumer tablets have displays in the 8-inch to 10-inch size range. Microsoft tapped the prosumer and professional market when it released the big-screen Surface Pro line of tablets that convert to a PC laptop form factor. HP—one of the world’s largest PC manufacturers—offers its own take on that the 2-in-1 convertible laptop form factor. The Envy x2 13.3, a very big Windows tablet with features Surface fans will find familiar, namely a kickstand, digital pen support and a magnetically attached keyboard cover. The approach is familiar, but the Envy x2 is a different beast from the Surface Pro (and new Surface), as I found out during my review period.

Now that Apple is putting out its own Pencil stylus for the iPad, it lends further credence to the idea of using a stylus to write or jot something down. Adonit has built its reputation over the last few years on crafting styli that look good, feel comfortable and perform with aplomb. There are now four different versions available, and they are universal, meaning you can use them on any iOS, Android or Windows tablet.

A new laptop is an investment. It costs you money and it costs you time—you have data to transfer, software to install and settings to get just right. So it makes sense to put a little effort into extending the life of an existing laptop, especially if it’s one you’ve grown fond of. The key is to know when to walk away and just buy a replacement instead of throwing good money after bad. That’s not always easy to do. I have a few examples of going to extremes to keep a laptop relevant that hopefully will help when it comes time to make that decision yourself.

This beautiful monitor from Philips is stunning and goes the extra mile with full adjustability to become the monitor you need when you need it.