Dual mode laptops

Dual mode laptops are laptops which can be used in two ways, either as a conventional laptop with screen and keyboard or with the screen rotated on it’s hinge through 180 degrees and laid flat to create a tablet or slate style pc. This flexibility in the mode of use makes dual mode laptops very appealing to those people who require a laptop for business but also want to use a slate or tablet such as designers, architects and commercial artists.

On a dual mode laptop the screen in normally secured only by a single swivelling hinge at the bottom of the screen in the centre, this multi-directional hingle allows the screen to be twisted and folded. To convert from laptop form to tablet form the screen will be twisted through 180 degrees and then folded down so that the back of the screen is resting on the keyboard. The screen will then operate as a touchscreen or as a slate with stylus pen.

The main plus point of dual mode laptops is that they offer flexible options for input through keyboard, touchscreen and often stylus pen. Also as these machines are larger than tablet pc’s it is normal for them to have higher spec processors and more storage. On the downside dual mode laptops will be heavier and bulkier than a conventional laptop and far bulkier than the slimline shell of a tablet.

Types of dual mode laptops -

Toshiba Portege M780
Fujistsu Lifebook TH700

New designs of dual mode laptops are emerging although these are primarily dual mode tablets, the difference being that the hardware is contained in the body of the screen rather than below the keyboard. These types of design do not have a hinged connection between the keyboard and screen having instead a docking connection between the keyboard and screen so that when the keyboard is not in use it is completely disconnected. An early example of this is the Asus Transformer, new in 2011. Whether this design becomes mainstream remains to be seen.