Best windows slate pc

Or isn't it? Last year, Microsoft execs scrambled to undo confusion over the company's tablet vs. PC rhetoric. To differentiate between tablets and slates running Windows 7 vs. As Apple drove home last week, the iPad -- especially iPad 2 -- can do both content consumption and creation. But to me, this doesn't mean PCs are toast and we're now in a post-PC era.

While we're debunking tablet-related rumors, I've seen a few reports claiming Microsoft is "delaying" its tablets until Microsoft officials still haven't said when they plan to deliver Windows 8 to OEMs. In fact, they still officially have not used "Windows 8" to refer to the next version of Windows, if you want to be precise.

Once more, with feeling: Windows 7 slates are not touch-centric, though they may be touch-capable. There's no equivalent to the Apple App Store for these devices. Dell and Lenovo have dabbled in these, in their Latitude and ThinkPad lines, respectively, and Microsoft's Surface Pros also qualify in this space.

With Windows tablets running the gamut from low-power entertainment devices to potent tools for productivity, how do you know which one to buy if you plan to use your device for both types of tasks? As with conventional laptops, a lot comes down to the processor. Intel's Celeron and Pentium processors include several chips built for low power usage and passive cooling.

These are two necessary attributes for tablets, since they house nearly all of their components behind the screen, which itself generates heat. These are sometimes designated with a "Y" somewhere in the chip's model name, and they're best suited for inexpensive tablets. They don't require built-in cooling fans, and they offer usable performance that lasts for several hours on a single charge, or even a day or two of light use without visiting a power outlet.

They lack the processing oomph you might want for applications like Photoshop, but they are ideal if you want to check Facebook and Twitter, then kick back with some YouTube videos or an episode of a Netflix show. At the other end of the tablet-CPU spectrum are Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors that are also used to power full-fledged laptops. While these CPUs draw more power and require more cooling hardware, they offer a much higher level of capability, letting you get real work done.

There are a few Windows tablets that don't use Intel chips, but they're rare. We haven't seen any recent tablets that use processors from AMD. Once you've determined which processor will fit your usage pattern, it's time to move on to the features that make handheld PCs far more flexible than conventional laptops. Sensors previously seen in smartphones bring new ways to interact with your PC, with accelerometers, gyroscopes, and e-compasses providing positional awareness for both automatic screen rotation and new immersive applications.

Called Windows Hello, it's also available on laptops and desktops, but it's most useful on tablets that don't have a keyboard handy to enter a complex, secure password. And let's not forget touch. With capacitive screens that track five or 10 fingertips at a time, you can pinch, swipe, and tap your way through any task, even those that would have required a keyboard and mouse only a couple of years ago. Many tablets also come with optional digital pens.

Some are housed in "garages," tiny holes in the tablet itself that secure the stylus and charge its battery. Others must be carried separately or attached via magnets to one of the tablet's edges. Then there's the question of connectivity. With eminently portable designs, it's only natural that some shoppers will want tablets that feature the same sort of mobile data that they enjoy on their smartphones.

A few Windows tablets on the market have 5G and LTE connectivity and thus require a separate data plan. Finally, what if you simply can't live without a real keyboard, but don't want the hassle of carrying a separate one around? Some convertible laptops have keyboards that fold around the back, so you can use them as traditional clamshell laptops, as tablets, or at any position in between. We've only included detachable Windows tablets here; to learn more about screen-rotating convertibles, read our roundup of the best 2-in-1 laptops.

That fact that it's thin and light makes it an excellent tablet as well. If you're looking for a laptop that doubles as a tablet and a drawing pad, this one's an ace in our book. Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga Book C You might also want to check out the best tablet with keyboard. Michelle Rae Uy is a Los Angeles-based editor, writer and photographer with a bad case of wanderlust. She has written for publications like Nylon, Fodor's and SmarterTravel, and is also the contributing editor for MiniTime.

North America. Surface Pro 8. Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics. Screen: inch PixelSense Flow display. Storage: Up to 1TB. Reasons to avoid - More expensive. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet. Privacy Statement. Talent Slate 2. See System Requirements. Available on PC Hub. Description NetDimensions Slate is an application designed specifically for tablets, and now phones, to enable mobile learning and on-the-job performance support based on the NetDimensions Talent Suite.

Show More. What's new in this version - Fixed bug preventing network connectivity. Additional information Published by NetDimensions. Published by NetDimensions.