For years, when you needed a real portable computer, the only way to get it was to turn to a laptop. Then, as mobile processors and operating systems became more powerful, you had a choice: You could either stay with the traditional clamshell design or go with a tablet, which offered you less functionality and power but greater convenience by subtracting the keyboard from the equation altogether. So it was just a matter of time until enterprising manufacturers realized that the addition or removal of the keyboard was all that was needed to turn one into another. Now, the resulting product, a 2-in-1, isn't just its own product category—it's one of the fastest growing in the PC industry.
What Is a 2-in-1?
Simply put, a 2-in-1 is a touch-optimized convertible-hybrid laptop or detachable-hybrid tablet with a both a touch screen and a physical keyboard of some type. When you need full-stroke keys and a touchpad, you can use the 2-in-1 just the way you would a regular laptop. But if you need or want full access to just the screen for an extended period of time, that's an option as well. And you can flip back and forth between the modes whenever you wish, usually expending just a second's effort. That said, you're still buying a PC with a full operating system, whether that's Chrome OS or Windows 10. In the future, macOS could be a player, but thus far Apple has pointed folks who need a touch screen toward its iOS-equipped iPad and iPad Pro lines and, more recently, its new Touch Bar–equipped MacBook Pro laptops.
For our purposes, there are two types of 2-in-1 device: the convertible-hybrid laptop and the detachable-hybrid tablet.
Convertible-Hybrid Laptops
The convertible-hybrid laptop can transform from laptop to tablet and back again, with most systems featuring a folding design that involves flipping the keyboard out of the way back behind the screen. This type of 2-in-1 is the best choice if you're planning on using the keyboard a lot, as you're guaranteed to always have it with you. (Typing the Great American Novel or even an ordinary business report on the hard, flat surface of a virtual keyboard is an experience you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy.)
Because of the motion a convertible-hybrid's hinge enables, you are often able to use these systems in a variety of modes. If you want to be able to share the display with everyone in a meeting, you can place the keyboard flat down on the desk (called Stand or Display mode) and have the screen function kiosk-style. Or you can prop it up on its edges (Tent mode), which takes up a lot less space than the other modes. For flexibility, it's difficult to beat this kind of 2-in-1.
In a convertible-hybrid, the system's battery and motherboard are usually located in the base (as in a traditional laptop), so it's balanced for use on a lap or 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, which results in improved battery life. Downsides to this style of machine include a little extra weight from those batteries, as well as extra thickness, as the hinge mechanisms are a little more complex than a laptop's. Besides, let's face it: A convertible or laptop means that you're always carrying the extra weight and bulk of the keyboard wherever you go.
Detachable-Hybrid Tablets
A detachable-hybrid tablet is essentially a slate tablet with a keyboard case or a keyboard dock. The dock option is a bit more stable than the keyboard case, but the general idea is the same: You can remove the keyboard portion of the tablet and leave it behind when you desire maximum portability.
Windows slate tablets (and their detachable counterparts) tend to weigh less than 2 pounds on their own, and adding the keyboard case or dock can double the system's total weight. A tablet with a well-designed keyboard dock attached is functionally indistinguishable from a clamshell laptop, and some detachable docks contain extra battery cells that can greatly extend the amount of time you're able to work off-plug. Simpler keyboard cases usually lack niceties like extra battery cells or USB ports, and even the best keyboard case will be noticeably physically flexible, but if a keyboard is more of an occasional need for you, chances are you won't mind that much.
The benefit of the keyboard case is that it is generally thinner and lighter overall. Detachable-hybrid tablets, however, tend to be top-heavy, because all the system's components and batteries, and hence their weight, are necessarily localized in the screen. You'll want to examine your usage patterns to determine whether holding the PC in your hands and interacting with the touch screen is really right for you. Detaching the tablet and leaving the heft of the keyboard behind is optimal when you're actively presenting a slideshow on a big screen and using the tablet to draw notes on the slides in real time, say. Reattaching the keyboard takes mere seconds, so you will be able to easily (and comfortably) change the slideshow's content during your lunch hour if you need to change your talk's focus for your afternoon session.
Tech Specs
The rest of the specs (such as screen size, storage space, the processor used, and so on) for convertibles and hybrids generally follow the same lines as more standard laptops and Windows tablets, which means you'll have to pay more if you want additional speed, fancier bells and whistles, or a thinner, flashier design. For example, a system with a fanless Intel Atom or Core M processor is likely to have excellent battery life and a very thin body.
But, in general, you should expect that these systems will be somewhat less powerful than comparably sized laptops, as they use mobile processors that are designed more for cool, quiet operation (which you'll want for a system you're using on your lap or holding in your hand) than they are for blazing speed. In contrast, a system using a processor like an AMD A4-, A6-, or A8-series APU, or an Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 CPU, will be thicker and have shorter battery life overall, but you'll have the power to do multimedia work in the field. As with anything else when computer shopping, it's all a game of trade-offs and compromises, and we're here to help you decide which one is for you.
Below are the top 10 convertibles and hybrids we've tested. Don't need the unique transformational capabilities you get from a 2-in-1? Check out our reviews of the best laptops, business notebooks, ultraportables, and Windows tablets.