They are becoming increasingly popular with commuters but should they replace your current laptop? If you are looking for an upgrade on what you have, it can be tempting to go for a size down, but are mini-laptop worth considering? A lot will depend on what you want to use it for which is why we are looking at this, and other options to see if they are a good fit. They certainly come with a lot of the modern features you might not expect something so compact to offer.
How Big Is A Mini Laptop?
Generally speaking, anything with a screen at around 12 inches or smaller is considered mini. However, you are going to find more options closer to the 10-inch mark to make them even more compact. A standard full-size laptop can be up to 17.3 inches so you can get a sense of how this fits in the scale.
Are Mini Laptops Any Good?
Let’s take a look at some of the main reasons why these products are going to be a good option for anyone considering a new laptop.
Conveniently Sized
Of curse, anything mini is going to be compact but this makes it more practical. When it comes to your daily commute, the guy sat next to you on the train is not going to be happy when you take out a giant laptop and take up all the space. A mini laptop will make it easy to get work done on the go. Anyone who travels a lot for business should consider one, even if they are not intending to replace their regular laptop completely.
Touchscreen Capability
This isn’t available with every laptop, but some of the leading brands come with a touchscreen, making it easier to navigate. This gives them the feel of a tablet but allows you to type away at speed when it comes to working.
Decent Storage
Although a lot of today’s storage is up there in the cloud, there are some surprising mini-laptops with enviable storage space. Sometimes you only need 32 GB and this is a common amount for most products, but there are plenty that provides 64GB and above.
Long Battery Life
Because they require less power to keep going, a mini laptop can give you well over 8 hours of battery life, depending on the product. This is certainly enough to allow you to watch a movie when on the go or get those emails sent before you get into work.
Ideal For Kids
If your young ones have homework and are getting to grips with modern technology, they will find a mini laptop a lot easier to get on with. The keys are more conveniently sized, and the screen is not overbearing, ideal for a first laptop.
Durability
Because a lot of mini laptops are designed to be used in schools, they are built that little more robust. Of course, any product that is dropped or mishandled enough times is going to break at some point, but they tend to be sturdily built even though they are lighter and smaller.
Affordable
Buying a new laptop can be a daunting prospect, for the price alone. For a much lower cost, you can pick up a mini laptop that can do pretty much everything a full-sized product can.
Suited To Condo Living
If your living arrangement means you want to save some space then a mini laptop is a convenient option. They don’t take a lot of room on a countertop and are popular in apartments and the likes for this very reason.
Are 2-in-1 Laptops Worth It?
This depends on what you are using it for. Kids will find it is easier to navigate as they might be used to using a tablet already. Also, this gives you the chance to save some money as buying a tablet and a laptop separately can be a pricey endeavor. The more features you think you will use, the better but if you are compromising on some of the main components and performance then they might not be such a shrewd purchase.
What Not To Do When Buying A Mini Laptop
Go For The Cheapest Option
Even if you do think you are going to use the laptop for more than a fee simple tasks, never settle for the cheapest option. These will become dated pretty fast and not to mention so slow you will begrudge your decision before too long. A dual-core program system is not going to be able to keep up with the demands of using multiple applications at the same time, so make sure this is not something you have to compromise on because of budget.
Go For Highest Resolution
The negative part of owning a mini laptop is that the screen is not as well suited to watching movies. They can be fine for when you’re on the go but otherwise, there is less need for 4K resolution and the likes. You can save some money by downgrading this feature and still get perfectly decent clarity.
Purchase One That Is Too Small
Yes, the name of the game with mini laptops is that they are smaller, but make sure you are going to be comfortable with the reduced size. The smaller the screen, the smaller the keypad and quote often, the memory. The larger end of the mini scale (around 12 inches) is often the best choice for reducing size but not compromising on everything.
Settle For Less Power
A lot of these mini devices are built for convenience such a the popular Chromebook models. As good as these are, they don’t have the power to match up to some of the other options available. Because of this, they are not so well suited to anyone who needs hardware that is up to the day to day demands of a modern workstation.
No CD Drive
Although these are not always available with larger-screened laptops, a lot of professionals still need a CD drive. If this is you, or you like to enjoy DVD’s still, then a mini-laptop might not be your best option.
