Marry laptop functionality and a tablet-style form factor and, voila, the convertible laptop is born. In a nutshell, or more appropriately “a clamshell,” it looks like a clamshell laptop when closed but with a twist, literally. Its screen can rotate, pop out, detach, fold over or slide to resemble a slate tablet. If your standard laptop is the staid professor type who wears the same button-down shirt and khaki pants, a convertible laptop is the street smart hipster with the yogi moves. In fact, companies aptly name their convertible laptop lines according to their specific contortions. Now you get the picture, let’s move on to the different types of convertible laptops in the market. They’re basically the same thing except for differences in their configuration, that is, whether their parts stay together or come apart. We’ve already established that a convertible laptop looks like a laptop but swivels a component to transform into a tablet. What makes it a “convertible” as opposed to a “hybrid” is that its parts stay together.

A hybrid laptop is like a convertible laptop except its pieces can split apart. From the user perspective, convertible, hybrid and 2-in-1s are interchangeable terms that refer to laptops offering tablet-style convenience. A special hinge mechanism allows flip laptops to transform from a clamshell laptop, which is your standard laptop mode, into a few nifty configurations. It can “stand” with the keyboard facing down and the screen right side up facing you. Another option is a tent-like position wherein the keyboard faces up and forms a “tent” with the screen, which also faces you. Both setups are great for watching videos. The tablet mode is the easiest with the keyboard facing the back of the screen and the screen facing you so you can interface solely with the touchscreen. As the name implies, a laptop that pivots or swivels can turn its screen around 180 degrees. If we go with the contortionist perspective, consider acrobats that can bend over backwards and fold their bodies in half.

Pivot mechanisms allow you to transform your laptop into a tablet or stand but not in a tent-like position. The keyboard always points up so it never faces whatever surface you place your laptop, minimizing risk of damage, nor do you have to feel the keys in tablet mode. These convertibles are more aptly described as “tablet-first” hybrids. The screen can slide up to reveal the keyboard underneath. This way the keyboard is always protected when not in use and hard to leave behind or lose since it’s permanently attached to the screen. They’re more limited to a dual mode: tablet or laptop. Still, they’re a good middle ground for best of both worlds with a tablet-like interface when you’re standing and standard laptop when a desk is available. In this case, the components come apart like other hybrids, but the keyboard is more of an afterthought. The computer components are built right into the screen so you can completely detach the keyboard and use the detachable laptop like a tablet.

The stand-alone slate is designed to be portable, weighing between one and two pounds. A versatile yet bulkier configuration is housing the batteries and ports in the keyboard base. For something lighter, opt for a simple keyboard base that’s good enough for extended typing sessions; Holley Air Cleaner Low Profilealthough, you may not get the benefit of an extra battery. Free Puppies For Sale In PensacolaA slate tablet with a keyboard cover isn’t technically a laptop; Carrier Electronic Air Cleaner Sas-11it’s similar to a standard tablet that can pair with a Bluetooth keyboard case.If you've gone shopping for a laptop in the last, oh, decade, you've undoubtedly run into two behemoth manufacturers, Dell and Hewlett-Packard.

They're inescapable, omnipresent in any computer aisle outside of an Apple Store. They also make excellent laptops, with several Editors' Choice systems between them. Collected here are ten choice laptops, across multiple categories. In some instances, both manufacturers make category-leading devices, and choosing between them is a question of price and what specifications meet your unique needs. We pit Dell vs. HP, comparing five great laptops from each, to see how the two laptop manufacturers stack up. If you want business capability, you have both the HP EliteBook 8460p and the Dell Latitude E6430 ATG to choose from. Both offer first-class performance with a dash of rugged construction thrown in for those whose work takes them out of the office. The Latitude E6430 ATG holds the Editors' Choice crown, but the EliteBook 8460p offers similar capabilities and less intense ruggedization for half the price. Media laptops are also neck in neck, with both the Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition (7720) and the HP Envy 17 (2012) packing plenty of features into slick-looking 17-inch desktop replacements.

The HP Envy 17 is a bit more expensive (by about $200), but it also is our Editors' Choice with a Blu-ray player, Beats Audio, and a gorgeous 1,920-by-1,080 resolution display. In other areas there are clear leaders, where either Dell or HP have carved out a niche and produced clear winners. For example, HP doesn't have the dedicated gaming line-up that Dell has in the Alienware brand. Alienware may not be the only gaming system on the market, but the Alienware M17x R4 leads the category as an Editors' Choice thanks to top performance scores and all the flashy extras a gamer could want. If you want portability, HP's line of ultrabooks boasts several of the best to come through the labs, like the stylish HP Envy 4-1043cl, the glass-covered HP Envy 14 Spectre, or the business-minded HP Folio 13-1020us (another Editors' Choice winner). But while HP has made a strong play in the ultrabook category, Dell has continued to churn out excellent desktop replacements, like the Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edition (7520) and the Dell XPS 15 (Summer 2012).

No matter what you're looking for in a laptop, HP and Dell have divided up the pie rather well, and between the two, there's something for almost everyone. Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edition (7520) The Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edition is a well appointed media laptop that delivers fast frame rates and is powered by the latest Intel Core i7 Ivy Bridge technology. Read the full review ›› Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition (7720) The Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition is aptly named. It delivers blazing productivity, game-worthy graphics performance, and features a gorgeous 17.3-inch display. Dell Latitude E6430 ATG For professional computing out in the field, the Dell Latitude E6430 ATG ruggedized business is hard to beat. Dell XPS 15 (Summer 2012) This latest incarnation of the Dell XPS 15 boasts a refined, if not entirely original, design and impressive performance. The Alienware M17x R4 adds the latest Intel Core processor and Nvidia Graphics to one of the best gaming laptop chassis in the business.