Is it time for a new laptop? Maybe you’re looking for something that can take full advantage of Windows 10’s latest and greatest features. Perhaps there’s a lucky person on your holiday shopping list who’s in line for a new laptop? Whatever the reason, nothing beats a new 2-in-1 laptop for flexibility. With the ability to transform into different forms and configurations, 2-in-1 laptops cover every scenario from the traditional notebook to a Windows tablet, and everything in between. But which is the best?
That’s a tough question. Shopping purely by specs can be misleading. Just looking at a laptop may not tell you everything you need to know, especially with a 2-in-1. Exactly how they switch between modes, what’s involved, how effective they are, strengths and weaknesses, and what trade-offs (if any) may have been made in that flexible design aren’t alway obvious. That’s where Best Buy customers come in. They’ve bought 2-in-1 laptops, used them in real life situations, and they have thoughts about which are the best.
I’ve gone through the ratings, read the comments and put together a list of the 5 Best 2-in1 laptops, as chosen by Best Buy customers.
1. HP Pavilion x360 11.6-inch Touchscreen Convertible Laptop
from Owen Sound had to say:
Sept. 12, 2017
Amazing. This laptop is so good, runs applications well, social media is great on this computer.
2. Dell Inspiron 7000 13.3-inch Touchscreen Laptop
Dell Inspiron 7000 offers versatility and performance in a 2-in-1 laptop that’s earned a solid 4-star rating with 23 reviews posted. It has a Full HD display, Intel Core i5 CPU with 8GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD, plus a full complement of ports. In other words, everything you need to effectively run productivity software. Plus with four different configurations to choose between simply by rotating the display, it has the ability to show presentations without the keyboard being accessible, or even do double duty as a tablet.
March 2, 2017
This laptop is everything I wanted. decent battery life, USB C, Windows Hello (opens with my face), fast solid state drive, backlit keyboard, still has HDMI and older USB inputs, good sound quality, touchscreen, folds into tablet mode.
3. HP Spectre x360 15.6-inch Touchscreen Convertible Laptop
This HP Spectre x360 is proof that a 2-in-1 laptop can be big, powerful and rock an absolutely stunning design.The 15.6-inch display offers 4K resolution, with over 8 million pixels. It packs an Intel Core i7 CPU, with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. There’s even an NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics card! This is the luxury laptop for those who demand a premium experience, high performance and unbeatable flexibility. HP even includes a digital stylus so you can take full advantage of Windows Inking. Not surprisingly, it earns 4-stars from 11 reviewers, who love its display.
from Nepean had to say:
July 12, 2017
Excellent premium laptop. HP is really outdoing themselves on the premium portable front. This is an amazing computer. Gorgeous colours and accents. The screen is really something with the high resolution and brightness.
4. Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12
May 8, 2017
Just picked up this jewel last week. Very pleased with the performance and build quality of this tablet. Find it is more useable with the keyboard attached than as a stand-a-lone tablet. Tablet is a little heavy to use on its’ own. The build-in stand is awesome very helpful. Overall this is a very versatile unit and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a Surface/laptop-type device.
5. ASUS ZenBook Flip UX36
The ASUS ZenBook Flip UX360 is another 2-in-1 laptop that’s been reviewed in the past on Plug-in, this time by Ted Kritsonis. You can read his full take on the ZenBook Flip UX360 here, but Ted points out the practicality of this hybrid device in his conclusion: “It was a smooth performer, for the most part, and I could see the benefit for a student or casual user who wants a little bit of tablet usability, without losing any frills of a laptop.”It’s a mid-range, 13.3-inch laptop with a Full HD touchscreen display, Core i5 CPU, 256GB SSD and, of course, the ability to assume different configurations thanks to a 360-degree rotating hinge.
Of course it’s on this list because Best Buy customers like it as well. The ZenBook Flip UX360 gets 4-stars from those who bought it, and received only positive reviews.
June 2, 2017
Very pleased with this Flip in first 3 weeks, relatively light to carry, easy to go from laptop to angled to tablet. The touchscreen is responsive (does show fingerprints) the keyboard is good to type on and the backlighting is great, the screen is pleasant to look at (I have the brightness turned well down and saves battery use) The battery is good for a number of days of casual use (not used for business).
Those are five solid choices, covering virtually every price range and size. Still not sure if the 2-in-1 laptop you’re hunting for has been covered? No worries. Best Buy has a huge selection of computers, laptops and tablets. Check them out and you are virtually guaranteed to find the 2-in-1 laptop that is perfect for your needs.
Hi, Wayne. That’s a tough one, because so much depends on factors like how comfortable they are with a PC and particular operating system (it can be tough to be a switcher as you age), and what system you prefer –as someone who might have to do some unofficial tech support. I’ve been through this scenario myself and prefer Apple MacBooks or iPads. I find it’s more difficult to accidentally render these inoperable by deleting key system components. They are pretty intuitive (outside of the Mac trash can to eject media, but that’s less of an issue these days), and remote support for both is easy –so long as you are equipped with compatible devices. Apple products are also built well and age well, so replacement doesn’t come up as often… If the primary use is minimal social media, plus maybe some web browsing and that sort of thing, an iPad might be ideal.
Yes I agree , I am using IPad over 4 years. This year first time was frozen and guys in Apple Store did great job. Same day with cup of coffee I had my IPad working great again.
Thanks Brad, looking to get a replacement laptop for my Mom.
What do you recommend for someone 70+ for minimal social usage…?
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