4 ms·

Actually convertible is a disadvantage for me. Why would I need this?

jhasse 10y ago
You don't need to use it, so I wouldn't count it as a disadvantage (only the things that come with it, like increased weight).
- dogma1138 10y ago
  Reduced battery time (?), more stuff to fail and being dependent on software for hotswap functionality which may have some serious issues with non-Windows and even none NT10 based Windows operating system and the list can go on. We're not talking about a fingerprint reader here. Convertible laptops have to make very specific design choices/compromises which come with some disadvantages currently.
  - sandGorgon 10y ago
    this is FUD. reduced battery has nothing to do with a convertible form factor. You are talking about the display resolution perhaps - QHD displays are obviously more power hungry than FHD. But then again, most people want "Retina". Software has largely matured for hotswap. Fedora 25 with kernel 4.9 is brilliant on a convertible. Windows has had it for decades. We already use the cheaper yoga and Dell inspiron convertibles in my workplace. They are awesome. Dell and Lenovo have had many years of experience in building convertibles by now. We are talking of 500$ laptops here. The Dell 5368 hinges are well reviewed by now [1] [2] IMHO the design of Yoga 900 (with its "watchband" hinges are unparalleled). BTW, we are in non-Apple territory here. Replacing hinges is damn easy. You can buy a ton of them on ebay. [1] http://www.techarp.com/articles/dell-inspiron-13-5000-laptop-review/3/ http://www.techarp.com/articles/dell-inspiron-13-5000-laptop... [2] http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/laptops/1404957/dell-inspiron-13-5000-5368-review http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/laptops/1404957/dell-inspiron...
    - dogma1138 10y ago
      No I do mean design constraints, hinged screen is one thing, a fully convertible one is another. As far as the hinges, I had to replace the hinges on my Yoga 900 due to lose cylinders twice already under warranty. Getting the wristband replacement as an aftermarket part hinge is well impossible. On my Yoga 1 I've replaced the hinges myself and it never really fits like it came from the factory don't know if they do fitting but it's never 100% straight and with the amount of glue and crap they use to seal laptop with its never really like new. Laptops with a rotating screen add complexity and have to add weight to make the laptop balance depending on the modes that the screen have to operate under. They also have other design constraints for the keyboard and buttons which means the typing experience is often sub par due to a shallower keyboard and the screen has to be touch. Laptops with a detachable screen as in convertibles have other issues including still blue screens (my Surface Book will still blue screen from time to time) as well as a lot more design constraints as far as what goes where in terms of hardware. The Surface Book is probably the best designed by you still get a very top heavy laptop with a very small battery in tablet mode and problematic thermals. If I'm buying a laptop I don't want a rotating screen, I don't want a touchscreen, and I don't want any of the crap that has to be tacked on or removed to allow it to turn into a tablet.
    - dorfsmay 10y ago
      Touchscreens do use more power than equivalent regular screen.
      - jhasse 10y ago
        As the OP suggested to wait for a few months for the new XPS 13 I thought this was about "touchscreen" vs "touchscreen + 360° hinge".
    - lobster_johnson 10y ago
      > this is FUD. I wish people who stop using "FUD" as a synonym for "incorrect" or "wrong". FUD ("fear, uncertainty and doubt") is a disinformation strategy to undermine the opposition and "influence perception by disseminating negative and dubious or false information and a manifestation of the appeal to fear" [1]. FUD was famously a tool used by Microsoft against its competitors. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt
tonyplee 10y ago
I got cheap HP envy 360 ($699) with convertible design. Love that feature - use it a few times. Great to convert it as huge 15 inch, 1080p, 16GB RAM tablet and browse the web/amazon with a few people together. 16GB makes is much better browser experience than ipad and most of the android. The con is that it does weight a lot more than regular tablet.
husam212 10y ago
Well, the old non-convertible will get cheaper when the new convertible model comes out, that is advantage :P

You don't need to use it, so I wouldn't count it as a disadvantage (only the things that come with it, like increased weight).

dogma1138 10y ago
Reduced battery time (?), more stuff to fail and being dependent on software for hotswap functionality which may have some serious issues with non-Windows and even none NT10 based Windows operating system and the list can go on. We're not talking about a fingerprint reader here. Convertible laptops have to make very specific design choices/compromises which come with some disadvantages currently.
- sandGorgon 10y ago
  this is FUD. reduced battery has nothing to do with a convertible form factor. You are talking about the display resolution perhaps - QHD displays are obviously more power hungry than FHD. But then again, most people want "Retina". Software has largely matured for hotswap. Fedora 25 with kernel 4.9 is brilliant on a convertible. Windows has had it for decades. We already use the cheaper yoga and Dell inspiron convertibles in my workplace. They are awesome. Dell and Lenovo have had many years of experience in building convertibles by now. We are talking of 500$ laptops here. The Dell 5368 hinges are well reviewed by now [1] [2] IMHO the design of Yoga 900 (with its "watchband" hinges are unparalleled). BTW, we are in non-Apple territory here. Replacing hinges is damn easy. You can buy a ton of them on ebay. [1] http://www.techarp.com/articles/dell-inspiron-13-5000-laptop-review/3/ http://www.techarp.com/articles/dell-inspiron-13-5000-laptop... [2] http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/laptops/1404957/dell-inspiron-13-5000-5368-review http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/laptops/1404957/dell-inspiron...
  - dogma1138 10y ago
    No I do mean design constraints, hinged screen is one thing, a fully convertible one is another. As far as the hinges, I had to replace the hinges on my Yoga 900 due to lose cylinders twice already under warranty. Getting the wristband replacement as an aftermarket part hinge is well impossible. On my Yoga 1 I've replaced the hinges myself and it never really fits like it came from the factory don't know if they do fitting but it's never 100% straight and with the amount of glue and crap they use to seal laptop with its never really like new. Laptops with a rotating screen add complexity and have to add weight to make the laptop balance depending on the modes that the screen have to operate under. They also have other design constraints for the keyboard and buttons which means the typing experience is often sub par due to a shallower keyboard and the screen has to be touch. Laptops with a detachable screen as in convertibles have other issues including still blue screens (my Surface Book will still blue screen from time to time) as well as a lot more design constraints as far as what goes where in terms of hardware. The Surface Book is probably the best designed by you still get a very top heavy laptop with a very small battery in tablet mode and problematic thermals. If I'm buying a laptop I don't want a rotating screen, I don't want a touchscreen, and I don't want any of the crap that has to be tacked on or removed to allow it to turn into a tablet.
  - dorfsmay 10y ago
    Touchscreens do use more power than equivalent regular screen.
    - jhasse 10y ago
      As the OP suggested to wait for a few months for the new XPS 13 I thought this was about "touchscreen" vs "touchscreen + 360° hinge".
  - lobster_johnson 10y ago
    > this is FUD. I wish people who stop using "FUD" as a synonym for "incorrect" or "wrong". FUD ("fear, uncertainty and doubt") is a disinformation strategy to undermine the opposition and "influence perception by disseminating negative and dubious or false information and a manifestation of the appeal to fear" [1]. FUD was famously a tool used by Microsoft against its competitors. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt

tonyplee 10y ago

I got cheap HP envy 360 ($699) with convertible design. Love that feature - use it a few times. Great to convert it as huge 15 inch, 1080p, 16GB RAM tablet and browse the web/amazon with a few people together. 16GB makes is much better browser experience than ipad and most of the android. The con is that it does weight a lot more than regular tablet.

husam212 10y ago

Well, the old non-convertible will get cheaper when the new convertible model comes out, that is advantage :P