Consumer Reports: 'Detachables' Mostly Fall Flat
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Tablets have been one of the fastest growing consumer electronics.
However, sales are starting to level off and the laptop market has been declining for some time.
Now, there's an emerging class of computers that combines a laptop and a tablet.
Consumer Reports checked to see whether they're worth considering.
Tablets are great when you're on the go. They're lightweight and easy to carry along.
Laptops are great for getting the job done with more memory, storage, and power than a tablet.
But, several electronics companies are trying to give consumers the best of both with detachables that convert from a laptop into a tablet.
Detachables work like a laptop when you need one and like a tablet when that's what you need.
Consumer Reports says so far, its testers haven't been overly impressed with what's on the market.
"We test detachables as both laptops and tablets. The problem is they don't do particularly well as either. As a laptop, they're not as fast or as powerful as you would like. As a tablet, they tend to be a little bit heavy," Consumer Reports' Richard Fisco said.
There are other issues, too. On one Lenovo model, you can't adjust the viewing angle of the screen like you could on a standard laptop.
On an Asus model, you only get 2 GB of memory. Most laptops come with at least four.
The only detachable Consumer Reports recommends in both categories is the Microsoft Surface Pro 3.
"This model has a great display and great battery life. And at 12 inches, its screen is larger than most other tablets," Fisco said.
The Surface Pro 3 comes equipped with a Surface Pen, camera, and memory card reader and starts at $800. The keyboard is sold separately for $130.
Consumer Reports said it's seeing more and more detachables on the market and says it hopes to see lighter, more powerful models soon.
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