Laptop vs. Tablet: Which Should You Use?

We asked Matthew Rathbun of The Agent Trainer to give us some guidance on the laptop vs. tablet dillemma. Here's what he had to say:

A few years ago, I stopped putting off a desire I had possessed since I was young, and I took a weekend off and went to class to get my motorcycle license. Now, I ride my BMW 1150 Rockster as often as I can. Why do you care? Because, this is how I begin to answer the question, "When I need a new laptop, should I just get a tablet device instead?"

I use the analogy because it puts into perspective my answer--which is both. Just like my motorcycle, the tablet is fun to use, gets good gas mileage and can quickly get me where I need to go. However, if there is bad weather, the need to transport more than two people, pack a lot of stuff or long distance traveling, then my car is the vehicle I choose.

The tablet device is not quite ready to completely replace the laptop; rather they work together to meet my needs. I can check email on both and access most, but not all, websites. There is a much broader range of computing programs available to the Mac or Windows operating system than the App Store currently holds. Most tablets allow me to create presentations, documents and other multimedia presentations. It just isn't as easy to do on the tablet as it is on the laptop. And, there are often fewer options or features on the tablet.

The laptop serves my need to get work done, whereas the tablet lets me be mobile and handle a myriad of limited tasks. The laptop offers a broader range of physical resources, such as speed, storage and media connections (like USB devices). The tablet is my mobile briefcase and works in concert with the laptop for file transfers, design work, data entry and much more.

A good example of this is contract creation. When drafting an offer to purchase, I can put together a quick document on the tablet, and the client can sign the screen or use an eSignature service. However, if I'm putting together a 50-page offer, it's much more efficient to do so on the laptop. Most laptops will not allow your client to sign on the screen. In this scenario, both devices are useful for reaching your goals for separate reasons.

Agents are on the go and, in my estimation, a tablet device is a must, but isn't yet ready to be the only tool. It will allow you to sign documents in the field, create agreements, stay in contact, take and edit pictures and videos. It prevents me from lugging my laptop out to do some basic aspects of computing, which could extend the life of our laptop, but it's not necessarily a replacement.

Agents will find that to not have one or the other will certainly limit them in their practice and in keeping up with a fast-paced, hyper-connected industry.

Have you replaced your laptop with a tablet?

This article originally appeared on the REAL Trends Blog. Reprinted with permission of REAL Trends Inc. Copyright © 2013