Why I Replaced My Laptop With a Cheap Tablet

We are only as good as the tools that we use to get the job done. At least, that was what I used to think as I sat in front of my $1400 laptop writing emails and jumping on video calls. But maybe I’ve changed my mind a bit during the past few weeks.

Listen, I’m a senior programmer and a fan of gadgets. I appreciate a good lightweight and powerful laptop that can churn out compiled code, serve a hi-res Zoom call and edit a podcast without blinking an eye. But that doesn’t really come cheap and it requires a hefty power supply for anything requiring more than 3 or 4 hours of solid bright full-resolution work.

I recently decided to pick up a relatively cheap tablet to supplement my work. Nothing crazy. No $799 octa-core gaming tablet. Just a tablet. I knew I was going to be jumping on more online video calls this year and (more than likely) spending more time consuming digital content. So anything that could handle that work was great.

I went with a $249 dollar Samsung Galaxy Tab A tablet. The price was right and Samsung makes some of the best screens that I’ve seen. I picked it up and didn’t think too much of it. I tossed it into my backpack and probably didn’t really turn it on for a few days. In fact, I almost had buyer’s remorse shortly after getting home and turning on my laptop to work for the day.