To figure out what will work best for you, you'll have to look in the mirror and assess your needs. To help you get started, we've invented five use scenarios and suggested how a tablet would likely fare against a laptop in each one.

Taking Notes in Class

The winner here depends on how you type. If you're a touch typist, be aware that the on-screen keyboards of tablets are noticeably harder to type on at the same speed and with the same accuracy that you're used to achieving with a physical keyboard. The absence of tactile feedback makes them harder to type on by feel--for example, when you're looking up at the board and not watching where your fingers are falling.

Hunt-and-peck typists, on the other hand, may prefer a tablet. Its chief advantage is its long battery life, which means that you may not need a charger to get through your day.

Writing Papers